Aoko

"No one seems to notice Aoko. With little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door), this Edgewater restaurant feels like it was built during the sushi prohibition era, which actually was a thing in early 19th-century Japan. Thankfully, sushi makes up pretty much the entire menu here in the form of nigiri, sashimi, temaki, and maki. They have a la carte sushi and omakase options under $100. To start, order the hamachi carpaccio, which comes with tiny dollops of chimichurri, a few slivers of nori, and yuzu ponzu gel—an unexpectedly delightful trifecta right up there with the Beastie Boys. Then please, for the love of all things with gills, order at least one omakase. You’ll be chopstick fencing with your friends for the otoro. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"Aoko is a Japanese restaurant in Edgewater that no one seems to notice. With little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door), this place feels like it was built during the sushi prohibition era, which actually was briefly a thing in early 19th century Japan. Thankfully, sushi makes up pretty much the entire menu here. They have á la carte sushi and omakase options under $100 for nigiri, sashimi, and bara chirashi. To start, order the hamachi carpaccio, which comes with tiny dollops of chimichurri, a few slivers of nori, and yuzu ponzu gel–an unexpectedly delightful trifecta right up there with the Beastie Boys. Then please, for the love of all things with gills, order at least one omakase. You’ll be chopstick fencing with your friends for the otoro. This is the place to go if you’re looking for that sweet spot within the casual to upscale sushi spectrum." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"No one seems to notice Aoko. With little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door), this place feels like it was built during the sushi prohibition era, which actually was a thing in early 19th-century Japan. Thankfully, sushi makes up pretty much the entire menu here in the form of nigiri, sashimi, temaki, and maki. They have a la carte sushi and omakase options under $100. To start, order the hamachi carpaccio, which comes with tiny dollops of chimichurri, a few slivers of nori, and yuzu ponzu gel—an unexpectedly delightful trifecta right up there with the Beastie Boys. Then please, for the love of all things with gills, order at least one omakase. You’ll be chopstick fencing with your friends for the otoro. This is the place to go if you’re looking for that sweet spot within the casual to upscale sushi spectrum." - Ryan Pfeffer, Virginia Otazo, Mariana Trabanino

"Aoko is a Japanese restaurant in Edgewater that no one seems to notice. With little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door), this place feels like it was built during the sushi prohibition era, which actually was a thing in early 19th-century Japan. Thankfully, sushi makes up pretty much the entire menu here in the form of nigiri, sashimi, temaki, and maki. It's available a la carte and in a few . To start, order the hamachi carpaccio, which comes with tiny dollops of chimichurri, a few slivers of nori, and yuzu ponzu gel–an unexpectedly delightful trifecta right up there with the Beastie Boys. Then please, for the love of all things with gills, order at least one of the nigiri, sashimi, or bara chirashi omakase options. You’ll be chopstick fencing with your friends for the otoro. This is the place to go if you’re looking for that sweet spot within the casual to upscale sushi spectrum. " - Mariana Trabanino

"Aoko is a sushi restaurant in Edgewater with little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door). Although its beautifully minimalist interior might make you feel like you’re not allowed to touch anything, it’s actually a walk-in friendly spot that plays R&B head bobs. Their concise menu offers three omakase options. The nigiri omakase ($75) comes with 10 pieces including three cuts of tuna that progress from lean to fatty and are topped with surprise clusters of caviar here and there. The sashimi omakase ($85) has 14 pieces, and the bara chirashi ($38) is perfect for a solo meal at the sushi counter. The bowl has heaps of cubed fish atop a bed of rice. Pair any of the omakase options with an appetizer like the cold cha soba salad and you’ve got a perfectly satisfying meal." - Ryan Pfeffer