SUSHI BY BOU BRINGS DISCO OMAKASE AND ROOFTOP VIEWS TO SOUTHWEST D.C.
The D.C. sushi scene is getting a groovy new addition. Perched atop the citizenM hotel near L’Enfant Plaza (550 School Street SW), Sushi by Bou swings open for dinner service on Thursday, April 25. Guests can enjoy timed omakase courses set against sweeping skyline views in a vibrant space outfitted with disco balls and kaleidoscopic furniture.
Sushi by Bou currently operates 19 outposts in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago, South Florida, and Puerto Rico. At its 20th edition in D.C., the colorful, pattern-filled ambiance takes tips from other locations — as well as the hotel in which it’s housed.
“When we walked into the citizenM Hotel, there’s an unbelievable collection of pop art, and the aesthetic fit with that,” Daniel Zelkowitz, chief operating officer at Sushi by Bou, tells Eater. “We have other locations that have disco vibes, so looking around the hotel, it seemed obvious that was the direction to go in. We wanted it to be splashy and fun.”
Guests can opt for two omakase menus: 12 courses for $60 or 17 courses for $100 in 60 minutes. In a restaurant setting, omakase is a Japanese phrase meaning, “I’ll leave it up to you,” and indicates that the diner is usually face-to-face with the chef, who’s personally guiding the diner’s journey.
Available at the 10-seat counter, the omakase menu features delicacies like hamachi (yellowtail), botan ebi (spotted prawn), ikura (salmon roe), hotate (scallop), o-toro (fatty tuna), unagi (barbecue eel), and its signature surf and turf combo, wagyuni. Hand rolls and other sushi standbys are available upon request.
A house favorite for Zelkowitz is the ikura, particularly because of its one-of-a-kind flavor profile.
“We have a special marination process for the salmon roe, and I find it just totally unique to every other omakase or sushi restaurant out there,” he says. “I’ve never tasted one like it, it’s texturally really fun, and what’s better than caviar?”
Beyond the sushi offerings, guests can indulge in seasonal mochi ice cream for dessert, sake flights (starting at $45), and creative cocktails ($18) placed on sparkly smiley face coasters include the Roku Martini, made with Japanese gin and sake, and the Kyusho Cove, made with rum and hibiscus syrup and tea.
Across the city, omakase sushi menus are growing in popularity. Newcomer Omakase@Barracks Row specializes in 18-course tasting menus and year-old Kappo offers an eight-course option. Elegant favorites such as Sushi Nakazawa and Shoto have omakase options as well.
Sushi by Bou aims to differentiate itself from competitors with more accessible price points for an omakase-style meal and a convivial, not-so-buttoned-up atmosphere. Given that D.C. has a reputation for, at times, being too stuffy and serious, embracing the opposite end of the spectrum is a move that makes sense to Zelkowitz. Rooftop customers also have a small a la carte menu to choose from (see below) or just partake in drinks.
“We wanted it to be a place where people can let loose a little bit and have a good time,” he says. “With the ‘70s- and ‘80s-inspired disco vibes, the music, and the general zeitgeist of that, we’re excited to contribute to the culinary landscape in D.C., bring something new and different, and hopefully build on that from here.”
Hours are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.