photo by Rey Lopez
“Chefs Carlos Delgado & Simon Lam welcome you to Maru San the Handroll bar. Fresh rice in constant rotation. Fish worth building the roll around. Nori wrapped at the last second. Walk in for the counter, or book The Experience.”
From an email:
“About Maru San (325 7th Street, SE):
Maru San is the first solo venture from award-winning MICHELIN & James Beard award-winning chef, Carlos Delgado (MICHELIN-starred Causa, Amazonia), located in DC’s Eastern Market neighborhood. Maru San gets its name from the “Sakura Maru” boat which brought the first Japanese immigrants to Peru in 1899, fighting the common misconception that Nikkei is simply a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine instead of its own unique culinary category. Delgado, who is often credited as one of the modern leaders of nikkei-style cooking in the US, is excited to open DC’s first and only nikkei-style handroll concept in early 2026. The 25-seat counter space-only concept focuses on thoughtful, quick service offerings for guests to enjoy including nikkei-style handrolls, a la carte dishes, and a selection of beers and sake for lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Delgado, alongside Chef Simon Lam, will additionally offer a fine-dining, pre-booked tasting “Maru Experience” for four guests every night.
photo by Rey Lopez
Maru San’s standard handrolls a la carte include Akami (Lean Tuna), Toro (Fatty Tuna), Crab, Scallop, Lobster, Pulpo, etc. and premium versions like Uni, Aged Toro, Foie Gras, etc. Guests will have the option for pre-selected “handroll sets” (ex: options for 3, 4, 5, and 6 handrolls with proteins like lobster, hamachi, shrimp, etc) at a discounted price. Maru San will also offer Nikkei dishes during the day and evenings like a “Wagyu Tataki” (featuring tender wagyu zabuton lightly seared with ají panca, then finished with a pachikay-style sauce inspired by Peruvian-Chinese (chifa) cooking). Other a la carte offerings from that list include Pachikay, Usuzukuri + Rocoto, Chilcano + Miso Soup, Tiradito + Aji Amarillo, etc. In addition to the traditional wasabi, the sushi counter will serve hand rolls with house-made Peruvian sauces, such as a fermented ají rocoto, offering complexity, spice, and umami. Maru San will also have traditional Japanese and Peruvian beers: Asahi, Sapporo, Cusqueña, & Crista in addition to NA options like Chicha Morada, Matcha Lemonade, etc.
Delgado, Lam, and their team’s fine dining “Maru Experience” will guide guests through a tasting menu of 10+ dishes at 7pm every night. This menu is subject to change based on seasonality, but opening examples include an “Aged Usuzukuri with lacto aji amarillo ponzu” and “Chirashi Acevichado” featuring sushi rice mixed with uni, topped with ceviche sauce and aged or fresh white fish like mahi, flounder, snapper, etc.
Delgado carefully curated every detail of the dining experience at Maru San in addition to the menu, including the restaurant’s ceramics he personally traveled to design with an artist in Lima. Across both the a la carte menus and “Maru Experience” menus, Delgado is eager to continue sharing exceptional service and cuisine inspired by his roots that goes beyond the popular Peruvian Creole-style cooking he’s known for and share a tasting experience with inspiration drawn from his travels through Peru, Japan, and more.
photo by Rey Lopez
About The Space:
SAINT – Studio for Architecture and Interiors designed the restaurant alongside Delgado. Maru San’s design is rooted in Japanese minimalism, with clean lines, simple forms, and a focus on natural materials, but it embraces a darker, more atmospheric mood. Warm, low lighting creates an intimate feel, casting soft shadows across dark wood and black stone surfaces. A painted octopus mural on the ceiling from a Brooklyn-based muralist, Carson DeYoung, serves as a striking focal point.”