Image: Shaved beef with simmered onion and Udon noodles in broth.
Last Updated: September 2021
Current Status: They have a large streatery for sit-down. They can also do take-out, though there is no link for it on the website.
Overview: Years ago, Darren Norris opened a large open restaurant in City Vista. Kushi served all kinds of Japanese cuisine, but what made it special and a hit was the izakaya concept he introduced to a large number of Washingtonians. Debts and legal problems mounted and Kushi closed in 2014 after a four-year run. Now Norris is back with Shibuya Eatery that appears to pack nearly all the variety of the old Kushi into a much tinier space. They offer sushi, a variety of noodle dishes, plus yakisoba, grilled items, and donburi. Also in the a spot in Adams Morgan, row-house-like structure is a bar opened in the middle of the pandemic called Death Punch. Not to stop there, Shabu-Plus fills out the building on the second floor with a Japanese hot pot restaurant that just opened in July. All of which is to say, Norris’s ambition has not been slated. Luckily, he still has the talent that once made Kushi a thing. Shibuya’s setting is far from polished, but the food outshines it surroundings
Shibuya is one of several places that is elevating the food on 18th Street. It is almost as if the string of Roofer’s Union, Donburi, Zenebech, and Green Zone on the west side is finally being matched with Sharbat, Tiki on 18th, and Shibuya. Even dive bar Grand Duchess is upping its game.
Summary:
Cuisine: Japanese
Neighborhood: Adams Morgan
Address: 2321 18th Street NW, Washington DC 20009
Website: https://www.shibuyaeatery.com/
Reservations: Resy on website.
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: Tom’s positive first take based on take-out.
Washingtonian: Calling it “highly anticipated” might be a bit hyperbolic.
DonRockwell.com – no thread yet, but the Kushi one tracks the rise and fall.