SEI restaurant & loungeOn the one hand . . .The food here is wonderful and tasty, the selections of wines and saki enticing, the service and support more than acceptable. BUT, very overpriced in my opinion and this makes SEI less than competitive with other locations in the same neighborhood. Nonetheless, if you're not starved and just looking for a light repas and a glass of wine you could do far worse than SEI, and if your budget is unlimited you should definitely give this place a try.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMy experienceA great spot for tapas after work. Not large portions but delicious bites of French/ Japanese cuisine. Their sister restaurant oya is much better but not as bad as sax.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMoutstanding dinner, and ouroutstanding dinner, and our server Alex was awesome!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth the price!Tapas always seems like it could be a budget friendly night, but since the plates come out as they are ready, you are 3 plates in and still have hunger pains. The food is amazing but given that it is tapas style, the quantity is limited. My date and I thought 3 plates would work, we ended up with 5 total and we were more than satisfied at that point.
The food was awesome and so was our server Rita. She was informative, offered her suggestions and even let us know the first time around that we would definitely want more than 3 plates. She was absolutely right.
The drinks were fun and different. A heavier hand on the liquor would have been nice. I appreciate a well mixed drink, but I enjoy tasting the liquor.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a great place!The sushi here is fantastic, and I would recommend the Miso Caramelized Kabocha as it is fantastic! I've been multiple times and every time I go I love it.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMdeliciousEverything we ordered was really delicious. The gyoza, eggplant, and tacos were phenomenal. Not sure why this place isn't as crowded as it used to be, because both the food and service were better than many other restaurants around in its class.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSushi with a modern, creative twistSei offers up delicious rolls with unlikely combinations...and no, I'm not talking about salmon and cream cheese rolls. These are craft rolls. Fish and Chips includes a sprinkling of fried potato sticks on top, along with a delicious aioli drizzle. The lobster tempura rolls were succulent, chunky with lobster, without a hint of grease, and gone in a nano-second. Another example of the chef's whimsy....delicious sea bass sliders...just two...that made us want to lick our plates. We have been there twice in recent months and look forward to going back again soon.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWill return againAlthough pricey, you get what you pay for. The Kobe beef sushi roll is quite spectacular. The ambience is quite nice, all white furniture and decor,. It is very modern and New York-like. The service was less than spectacular unfortunately. I condemn our waiter for his input because everything we ordered that he suggested was delicious. Other than that, the waiter wasn't very enthusiastic and hardly smiled, which I find very important as a customer. Also, the parking situation is a nightmare. Even on a weekday, it was nearly impossible to find parking and the signage isn't very clear. Overall, the food is delicious which is the most important. I would definitely recommend it.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWe eat early...or late if you mustWe decided to eat at 3, yes a very odd time, but after the lunch rush and before the dinner rush so we did not have to deal with crowds and noise. We were the only ones there for a while, and then a family came in and sat across the restaurant from us. Our waiter, Andrew, was FANTASTIC. He was very knowledgeable about the drinks and food. Between my husband and I, we ordered a small mixed green salad(salad dressing was fantastic), 6 pieces of sashimi, the fish and chips roll, wasabi guacamole, beef tacos, a spicy mixed drink that Andrew suggested, and my husband had another drink...mine was better. We were disappointed they did not have the pork gyoza, but he suggested the shrimp dumplings which were so delicious my husband only got one :)6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMSEIHighly recommend for pre-theatre dinner. You may order only so much food as you actually want, and it is delicious.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything about SEI was great.Everything about SEI was great. Will be going again5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMVery nice !SEI it is a very good japanese restaurant. Asian Restaurant lovers, forget about it. It is just Sushi and a couple of other dishes. Fish and Chips sushi, -who would have thought-, was the best. If you like Sushi you should come to this place. All the sushis we tried were outstanding. I went there on a Monday so I cannot tell if it has a Vibrant Bar Scene but the infrastructure was there ! The Miso soup which is by definition a bland soup had a lot of flavor. Best ever, but I have never been in Japan yet !5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMLove it hereIf you love great sushi and delicious food this is a nice place to eat. I would recommend making reservations because it is very busy but well worth it.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat PlaceA great place and my favorite Sushi place in DC. If you want a quiet date, don't go on Friday/Saturday. If you want a good vibe to start those nights then go. Sunday is a great night and so was This last Friday night. Great for a small group. We had our 1st date there and recently got engaged so we wanted to go back to celebrate. They gave us free champagne and unbeknownst to them...sat us at the same table as our 1st date which was pretty cool!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this placethe food, interior, drinks, service is just great. I love the shrimp tacos!! the Sushi is great too. My favorite sushi place in town5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Night at SEIMy wife and I visited Sei on a Saturday night at 6PM. We ordered sushi, a plate of vegetables and gyoza. All were delicious. Our waittress was friendly, helpful and attentive. The ambiance was calm and quiet, just what we were looking for. We had a very pleasant time.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and atmosphereThe food and service were really terrific. Particularly outstanding was the beef and tofu hot and sour soup. It is a sleek-looking restaurant with a cool atmosphere.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and serviceThe food and service is outstanding nice energetic and hip place5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMKobe beef sliders, fish 'nKobe beef sliders, fish 'n chips roll are standouts. Everything is good. Service attentive.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe foie gras sushi was amazing.The foie gras sushi was amazing. I missed it immediately after I finished it off. The stacked kobe sliders, seven pepper tater tots and liquid wasabi coctails were also delicious and addictive and the rolls here are always inventive and tasty. The restaurant is a little bit drafty though - I would have prepared slightly warmer.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and atmosphere,Great food and atmosphere, But the tables are way too noisy !
Hard to hear even with good ears.
But the food was fantastic
And Lover the "Mischief" and "lavender Marg"4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for my mothers birthday,Went for my mothers birthday, the service was great and they brought out a small cake for her at the end of dinner!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place, food and service.Great place, food and service. I would recommend and go again.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMLike Oya, the highlight atLike Oya, the highlight at Sei is definitely the decor. The drinks are also great, and the food is good. I will definitely be returning, most likely to check out the bar.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMNew Love!Went to SEI for the first time and was truly impressed! The plates are tapas style except for the sushi rolls which were the typical 6-7 pieces. Everything we ordered was delicious and affordable! We will be returning...this may be my new sushi spot!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMVery rarely do I rate somethingVery rarely do I rate something so high when it's a bit pricey, but this place was worth it. Must tries: fish and chips roll, wasabi guacamole!4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday FundayWe went on a Sunday night for my friend'a birthday and took the 8pm reservation when the kitchen closes at 9. The food was excellent, the staff was very friendly, and at no time did we feel rushed. I would recommend this restaraunt to anyone! Especially for the fish and chip roll :)4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMVibrant Hot Spot!Energetic and vibrant upscale pan-asian restaurant.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent, butThe food was excellent, but I did not like the fact that we had a reservation an still waited 20 to 30 additions minutes for our table, That's somegthing they really need to work on. Very disappointed,4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAn addictive experience with SeiTasty, flavorful, and unique. Ordered spicy yellow tail, spicy salmon, and kobe rolls as a start. Had a very hard time trying to decide which one I liked best as they were all singularly superb. Each roll offered an exciting medley of flavors which simultaneously exploded with every bite. Friend tried the fois grois sushi and while it required having a masters on chop sticks manuvering, it was sublime.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food, service and experienceThe food, service and experience were all exceptional! A great restaurant and a wonderful choice before or after any event at the Verizon Center!4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth every penny.The fish and chips roll was AMAZING!
I'd definitely go back here... the food was phenomenal.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was tasty but theThe food was tasty but the service was slow, particularly the bar.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was very good - eclecticThe food was very good - eclectic and interesting. The four of us liked everything we tried. We like restaurants with small plates - so we can try more things. The sliders were tastey (kobe and sea bass). The tempora lobster roll and fish and chips roll were surprising and very tastey. The vegetables (brussel sprouts and eggplant) were also good. For whatever reason our waiter was somewhat inattentive, although she was pleasant and knowledgeable when whe was waiting on us. Other waiters seemed more visable and attentive - so perhaps ours was just having an off day.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFun Sushi, Lovely RestaurantGreat drink menu and sake menu. Interesting appetizers and sushi combinations (strawberries and sushi?). I got a fish and chips sushi which makes sense and is nice if you don't like raw fish. The tofu, onion, edamame hash appetizer was spicey but very good and seemed healthy. It complemented the wasabi guacamole with Asian chips appetizer; the guacamole wasn't too hot and cooled down the hash spices. The sushi was bite-size but not as big as I am used to eating at Yuraku in Germantown. Still a little hungry after the 2 shared appetizers, 1 sushi and 2 drinks and 1 dessert (molten chocolate cake). Decor is white, elegant, with a small Asian flavor (the dried branches in the plastic wall dividers) but the ceiling was rather low.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service and interesting sushiMy party was extraordinarily late but the maitre'd was extraordinarily accommodating and kept a table for us. The waiter took the time to ask if we were going to the concert that evening-- we were. And the service was pretty fast for sushi. I had an interesting assortment of rolls as recommended by the waiter and the dumplings were very tasty. I'll be back.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLoud, but Worth ItCocktails at the bar were great. We tried 5 different rolls and all were delicious. Fish & chips and crunchy shrimp were our favorites.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a fun time on our ourHad a fun time on our our girls night out! Excellent food & drinks.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food and service. Poor accessFood was very good. Bento box is a great value. Service was impeccable. Only down note ...handicapped access is usually blocked by a coat rack. The normal crowd may be young and fit but customers who use a wheelchair, walker or cane will need someone to clear the handicapped access coats, spare chairs and whatever else folks have decided to stash there. SEI could do better by finding another spot to use as a closet.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is just amazing!The food is just amazing! You can tell how fresh all sushi fish are. I really like how Chef Nori creates such a talented dishes, with very sensitive hidden flavor which makes the taste very elegant. It is not authentic sushi at all, but you can enjoy the real taste of row fish.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent sushi! The TunaExcellent sushi! The Tuna Serrano and Fish and Chips were delicious. If the restaurant were more affordable, I would be there more frequently!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food in a nice atmosphere.Good food in a nice atmosphere. Sushi and small plates gives you an opportunity to taste a variety of dishes on the menu. All were delicious!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMOur party of two had an earlyOur party of two had an early dinner prior to an event at Verizon. We had the fish & chip sushi (6 pcs), fois gras sushi (2 pcs), Korean short rib tacos (3 small), edamame, crispy shrimp sushi (6 pcs). Everything was quite tasty. We had a couple of cocktails and 1 moderately priced glass of wine. Based on the taste of the food, service & ambiance alone, we would go back. However, the value is just not there. After applying a $50 gift certificate, our bill was $70 including tax & tip. This place is pricier than it should be for the quantity of food served. Just be aware of that going in.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSei has become our favoriteSei has become our favorite pre-Shakespeare dine. Favorite dishes: fish-n-chips roll and Kobe beef sliders. I'd think more of the wine list if I liked Sake. But to me, even really good Sake tastes like paint thinner. Sei has a short, interesting list of craft beers. Out of the one I chose. Out of the one I liked. Ordered from the specials menu. "Sorry, out of that."
Despite of being out of stuff (on a Saturday night at that) we still had an excellent meal. We will be back.2/16/2013 12:00:00 AM