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Tysons has no shortage of steakhouses, but Modan is offering Northern Virginia diners something different: an upscale Japanese experience built around shareable plates, dry-aged fish and an elaborate omakase menu.
The restaurant opened in November at the Heming apartment building, located at 1788 Chain Bridge Road. Its name comes from the Japanese word for “modern,” reflecting founder Benjamin Lin’s ambition to bring the caliber of Washington’s high-end Japanese restaurants closer to his McLean home.
Lin previously worked as a government IT contractor before selling his business to a private equity firm in 2021. He used the proceeds to pursue a career in hospitality, assembling investors to establish Modan Hospitality Group.
A Dramatic Dining Room
Designed by Washington-based Collective Architecture, Modan’s 7,000-square-foot interior combines lava rock and light wood with black steel and glass shelving. Teardrop-shaped bulbs hang overhead, creating a starlike effect throughout the dining room.
The design received recognition from the International Interior Design Association’s Mid-Atlantic chapter during its 2024 Premiere Design Awards. Judges highlighted the restaurant’s use of light and shadow and its connection to wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection.
Japanese Traditions With a Modern Approach
Modan draws from Japanese izakaya culture, emphasizing small plates served alongside sake, Japanese whisky and cocktails.
Menu offerings include wagyu dumplings topped with freshly shaved truffle, dry-aged lamb chops with spicy miso and togarashi, crispy nori tacos filled with wagyu beef or lobster, and miso black cod.
For a more extensive experience, the restaurant serves a 15-course omakase beginning at $150 per person. The menu can feature dry-aged fish, A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido sea urchin and Kaluga caviar.
Chef Chico Dator’s Dry-Aged Fish
Executive Chef Micheole “Chico” Dator, a Los Angeles native and co-owner of Modan, previously spent years with the Nobu restaurant group. His assignments included Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Nobu Malibu and Nobu Lanai, followed by three years as executive chef at Nobu D.C.
Dator said he left the company to create a restaurant capable of operating at the same level while continuing his own culinary development.
One of his defining techniques is dry-aging fish, a process that remains relatively uncommon in the region. Dator said removing excess moisture concentrates the fish’s flavor and umami while changing its texture. Dry-aged salmon, for example, develops what he describes as a melt-in-the-mouth quality.
Early Recognition for Modan
The restaurant emphasizes attentive, coordinated service and accommodations for dietary restrictions. It has received a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award, placing it among the platform’s top 10% of restaurants nationally.
Modan also holds a 4.5-star rating on OpenTable based on more than 170 reviews, with diners frequently praising the food, service and chef-led experience.
Modan is located at 1788 Chain Bridge Road in Tysons. Reservations and additional information are available by calling 703-743-6600 or visiting the restaurant’s website.