Daikaya

Daikaya is a Japanese ramen shop and izakaya at 705 6th St NW in the Penn Quarter and Chinatown area of Washington, D.C., United States. The building holds two distinct dining rooms. The ground floor is a ramen shop serving Sapporo-style noodles, and the upstairs space is an izakaya, a Japanese-style pub with small plates, drinks and a more relaxed pace. The signature dishes are Sapporo-style miso ramen and shoyu ramen, and the upstairs menu features izakaya small plates meant to be shared. Ramen bowls cost about $16 to $20 USD, which places the restaurant in the $$ tier. The ground floor is compact and casual, with counter and table seating, a quick turnover and a moderate-to-high noise level, while the upstairs room is more spacious and social. There is no dress code. The beverage programme upstairs includes sake, Japanese beer, whisky and cocktails that suit the small-plate format. The ground-floor ramen shop is walk-in only, so queues can form at lunch and dinner, especially before events at nearby arenas and theatres. The upstairs izakaya takes reservations through the restaurant, and calling +1-202-589-1600 is the way to book. Listings show daily service from about 11:30am to 9pm, with Friday and Saturday running until 10pm, but hours should be confirmed by phone. The location is a short walk from Capital One Arena, the National Portrait Gallery and Gallery Place metro station, which makes the restaurant a practical choice before or after an event or museum visit. Visitors who prefer a calmer meal or a larger group typically choose the izakaya, while those who want a quick bowl of noodles choose the ground floor.