SEI

Happened upon Sei walking back from the Smithsonian Air and Space to our hotel in DuPont Circle. Had a great and relaxing meal after what had been a hot and tiring day. The waiter was perfect, funny and informative. The food was superb! Washington DC seems to mix up their Asian cuisines, which my Californian soul objects to, but this incarnation totally worked!!! The cocktails were also excellent. Fun, hip, white and slightly kitsch interior, our KPOP loving 15yr old was in heaven. All in all I highly recommend!

I really liked SEI as well as my kids but my husband didn’t. I think it was the fact that it is next to Jaleo and when he saw that he wanted to switch.
There were many sake options which I enjoy and they were only a tad over priced which says a lot of DC.

After being back multiple times I must say although it isn’t the traditional basic Japanese style of sushi, it’s a modern delicious twist with some amazing and innovative rolls and entrée selections.
One of the times not all the members of our party were ready so we sat at the bar which offers happy hour specials daily. The bartender was a delight and kept us well entertained and also gave us great recommendations. The asian pear sangria is delicious and $ 8 during HH. They also have great sushi specials that are worth checking out from 5−8pm!
We have started with the wasabi guacamole which is a delicious combination. Definitely try the hamachi serrano and fish and chips roll — YUM! The chilean sea bass dish we ordered was also cooked to perfection — succulent, fresh, and flavorful. The toro tartare is to die for.
They have an extensive sake list, and the presentation bringing out a small chiller to keep the sake cool is a thoughtful touch that is much appreciated.
The only complaints I have is how expensive the miso soup is — $ 6? That is insane. Traditional Japanese restaurants with similar prices charge $ 2, $ 3, $ 4 at most. The server is also good, but could be a little more attentive.

Great duck roll and Korean tacos– service was fast. overall satisfied and would recommend this place. Very cute inside

First time staying in DC and visiting this place. After going into 3 other restaurants near by that did not seem customer oriented and the atmosphere and energy was way off. Great service from Walker with his joyful personality. The wonderful entrees such as the California Sushi Roll and the roasted vegetable rolls and such amazing drinks. With great service and even better food I would definitely recommend and I will soon return. Walter has great customer service and makes sure you feel confirmable and pleased before leaving this place. I plan on visiting again before I leave DC.

Before I even got there, SEI had two strikes against it: 1) Its fully capitalized name, as I am not one for trendy restaurant names that are unnecessarily in caps or lower case (apparently «sei» means «energy through the flow of water» in Japanese, FYI); 2) It is self-​designated as a «lounge,» which translates to «douchey» for me. Plus, if I’m going to splurge on sushi, it’s definitely not going to be at some lounge that also serves shrimp burgers and Cobb salad. My sushi splurge is going to be at like, Sushi Taro or Sushi Capitol! However, once you embrace SEI for what its unabashed fusion, you’ll like it a lot more.
As I noted, I would never splurge on sushi here on my own dime, so I suggested taking two summer interns on a work-​sponsored lunch today. Perfect. My reservation for 12:30pm proved wholly unnecessary, as the restaurant was devoid of humans, save for the waitstaff and perhaps one other table. I can see why they named the restaurant a term that means «flow of water» because the glistening off-​white interior was as peaceful as a lake. It was so beautiful that a coworker’s remark of «What if we sake-​bombed here?» was received with laughter, as one cannot imagine tarnishing such a pristine environment with flying chopsticks.
I started with the Kale Pistachio Salad ($ 9), which was amazing and garnered the envy of my tablemates. Sure, it contains goat cheese, which is absolutely not a staple or even ancillary ingredient in Japanese cuisine, but like I said, you need to embrace the American-​ness of SEI to enjoy it. It was bathed wetly in sesame dressing, just the way I like it: medium-​heavy. An excellent start to the meal.
And now to the sushi rolls. First, the decadent lobster roll ($ 15) is a must; it is almost like a tiny adorable lobster roll that also contains seaweed and rice. I had never eaten sushi that contained bread or soy butter before. I also ordered the rather sweet S.O.S. ($ 11), due to the sole fact that it contained strawberries, as I was all about SEI’s unique additions to their specialty rolls. Though the orange miso sauce was a bit sugary for me, it was a revelation to enjoy fruity-​flavored sushi. Lastly, I had the spicy salmon cilantro ($ 11), which was basic and normal and probably not worth ordering next time.
A final highlight was the hot green tea, which came unexpectedly with a wedge of lemon that totally elevated and accentuated the matcha flavor. I have now been inspired to make lemon-​y green tea at home.
All in all, SEI’s creative, crazy scientist rolls were a surprising hit with me, but I would generally prefer to eat somewhere more authentic.

I enjoyed happy hour here in the past so I felt confident about booking a reservation for lunch recently. SEI opens at 1:00 pm on Sundays and loses points for running out of the famous and delcious crispy shrimp roll on Mother’s Day so close to peak opening times for the restaurant. The restaurant is conveniently located near the Shakespeare Theatre, Verizon Center and copious downtown attractions.
Our waitress was awesome and grabbed the last shrimp roll for our table. However I was perplexed by the lack of inventory as they should anticipate the demand over a busy Mother’s Day holiday weekend. Additionally, we enjoyed the shrimp tacos and beef with leeks. I ordered the alligator entrée, per our waitress’ recommendation and it was delicious.
I appreciate the unique diversity of asian fusion entrée options, signature drinks, and desserts. However I experienced nausea following my meal later on. I am not sure if it was due to poor food combinations, the oils used, lack of freshness and food handling procedures, or food poisoning. I was nauseous, had a fever among other unpleasant symptoms. The nurse was certain that it was a classic case of food poisioning. I am not sure if I will go back after this last experience.

Took my boyfriend to SEI for his birthday. We’ve never been here before so everything was new to us. I have to say, the ambience and the décor in this restaurant was amazing! And most importantly, so was the food. We enjoyed the fish n’ chips, Lobster, scallop, and spicy tuna rolls. We also enjoyed the Crispy Duck Leg and the foie gras. A little pricey but definitely worth visting for special occasions.

Honestly I was surprised how good the happy hour food was. Price was decent as well.
Happy hour ends at 8. Don’t miss out of the cocktail drinks! Asian pearl sangria and painted lady were both really good drinks! The pork buns and Kobe sliders were my fav. After happy hour ended, we ordered another round of drinks. The server recommends Zen Collins which is gin and cucumber citrus. I have to say this was my favorite drink– so refreshing!
The ambiance/​décor in this restaurant is very suited for a date. It also has a nice, spacious bar/​lounge area for happy hours.

I was surprised by this place, I have tried sushi in the NW of US (Portland, Seattle) and the bar was set high. SEI is probably the best sushi restaurant in the DC area. Most try: spicy tuna, and lobster roll. I’ll be back soon!

Always come here when I visit Washington DC. They have the best sushi and other little dishes that are fresh and on point. Love the atmosphere and the interior décor!
Definitely worth coming in and checking it out!

I’ve been meaning to try SEI ever since I moved to the DMV area, so I was excited to finally get to! SEI is run by the same owners as the (now closed) Oya, and you can definitely tell. Both have really modern and trendy atmosphere, and are decorated in almost all white. The specialty rolls were really unique and actually not that pricey — they range from $ 10 – 14 and are good sized. This is a little bit unauthentic and Americanized style sushi, but it’s something different pretty good nonetheless.
— Snow White ($ 13 –eel, avocado, roasted apple purée, sweet soy): I love eel so I thought this was delicious… perfect amount of sweetness and savoriness.
— S.O.S ($ 11 — salmon, strawberries, avocado, orange miso sauce): apparently this is one of their most popular rolls… It was a little too sweet with the strawberries and orange sauce but I still enjoyed it when alternating with bites of the other rolls. If you like salmon and tartness, you’ll like it.
— Spicy Tuna Tataki Maki ($ 14 — spicy tuna, kurogoma sauce, chili oil, cucumber, crispy arugula): This roll was not that memorable. and not spicy either. If you’re looking for something with a kick, you may be disappointed.
The Asian pear sangria was really good, although maybe a tad sweet if you’re going to have more than one. Overall service was also great – attentive but not annoyingly. Only thing weird about the ambiance was that the lower half of the windows are blacked out with white paint. so sitting by them, you really don’t have a view unless you look up (since SEI is situated a few steps down from the street level outside). This is right by Verizon Center so metro or cab/​über… parking is ridiculous and there is no valet.

AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING!
The 1^st of many visits to come!
We wanted Sushi, asked Yuri=Yelp+Suri & we followed the stars to here. Before we were all the way in, we were extended such grandeur salutations, I knew we made the right decision.
Ladies & Gents… Ms Diane! Our server was on her 1^st lady mode of accommodation & catering… geesh, by far my best dining experience I can remember!
She basically read our mind on every aspect of our wants, chatted with the Chef on some variations & bestowed upon us outstanding bar service. Our selections:
1. S.O.S. with salmon, strawberries, avocado, orange miso sauce
2. Citrus Salmon Sashimi with mandarin orange, crispy kale, apricot soy vinaigrette
3.Sea Bass Sliders with apricot chili glaze, aged cheddar cheese, yuzu tartar
4. «Wani» Alligator Ribs with apricot chili marmalade
5. Kobe Roll with garlic crunch, avocado, kimchi, kalbi sauce
Diane was nothing short from SPECTACULAR with her engaging & memorable service, which made these extraordinary emergence of sushi 100x more delectable.
Interior design was incredibly unique to perfection with the furniture, lighting, dinnerware-​especially the sleek chopsticks & accents/​artwork. The inviting yet divide from the main dining area & bar was staged very nicely & the price point was surprisingly less than anticipated.
I will not stalk Diane, however, she will be my ONLY server when I/​we or whomever I bring back for another astounding dining experience.

The food was ok. I don’t have too much to say. The sushi was very fresh and a different combination such as strawberries in the salmon roll. This was different and was tasty.
I wouldn’t go here necessary for drinks, they just weren’t good. The sea bass small plate was a little ridiculous as far as portion size for the price. The serve good, the waitress was very attentive. My party was late arriving almost an hour but was still able to get a table once they arrived. But, if you are in the area or walking by it is ok to stop in to grab a bite.

Just perfect! Amazing food so tasty-​the best sushi that I ever eaten! Great, polite and kind waitress! Beautiful interior, good atmosphere.
Good job !

Hands down the coolest types of sushi I’ve ever seen. This is definitely a pricier and more classy attire type of spot but if you’re celebrating any occasion it’s the only sushi spot you should go to in DC. I can’t wait for my next visit
You HAVE TO try the Fish n Chips roll, omgahhhh

I love OYA and SAX so when I learned SEI was owned by the same folks I had to pay this place a visit. I ended up having dinner one Saturday early this month with a group of girlfriends as a pregame to POV. First impression was although it is reminiscent of OYA, its definitely much smaller and intimate restaurant. We arrived earlier than our reservation and the gladly seated us.
The food was delicious… especially the sushi. We ordered a few menu items to include the pizza dish but it wasn’t memorable. The sushi stood more than anything because it was fresh, unique, and ooohhhh so good. I think the group agreed that on our next visit we’ll just do the sushi.
If you are a sushi fan you won’t be disappointed.

This review is long overdue! Last night was my second time visiting Sei and I have nothing but positive things to say about the place. The bartender Louis was absolutely awesome; he provided excellent drinks, service, and food recommendations. I’ve yet to have something at this restaurant that I didn’t care for. The drinks at this place are all original and I must say my two faves are the no 6 as well as the lavender margarita. We had the fish and chips roll, garlic shrimp roll, and Kobe roll… all were delish but I must say that the fish and chips roll is still my favorite! The appetizer sashimi pizza is a must try if you’re into dishes that pack a flavorful punch. Definitely give this place a shot, it’s a fun date night or girls night restaurant/​lounge.

Came here for a midweek late dinner and I can’t say I was totally impressed. The décor of the restaurant is very elegant — perfect for a date. But the service and atmosphere along with good quality were just smehhh.
Even though the restaurant was practically empty we were seated in the middle of a large half-​booth banquet. Our server was slow and not very personable. For a Japanese restaurant this place was definitely more on the americanized side.
Started with sake — decent selection but kind of confusing. Our server wasn’t helpful at all. We should have ordered appetizers but instead went for only rolls. The fish and chips was by far the best choice. We were informed that this and the SOS are the most popular, but I wasn’t daring enough to mix strawberries and salmon.
Food was fast but the experience was mediocre — especially for a nice restaurant. For DC sushi there is much better and for penn quarter, you can eat better nearby!
Menu is fairly large. Almost half of it is liquor. And another large portion is non sushi or rolls — would be nice for large parties who mix between sushi lovers and non sushi lovers. I tend to find a sushi place and become a regular, not thinking this will be my place.

I have been here once for lunch and once to pick-​up an order for an office event. When I did the pick-​up I was put off by the person who ‘helped’ me. Frankly he was so condescending I was really put off and had no real interest in returning. For the in office experience we had various sushi rolls which were pretty good but as I said I was not really interested in supporting the brand.
Well, before very long I found myself headed over for lunch with some folks. While several folks went with boxes I tried the fish tacos, the sweet potato side, and an edamame salad. They were all pretty darn tasty although I think the salad was my favorite.
We wrapped up by ordering two desserts both of which were pretty good and good for sharing, honestly, they were intense enough you only needed a little taste.
I could become a fan but would need another good experience for that to happen and while I do not see myself initiating it I would not be opposed to another visit with others.