Modan Restaurant — Restaurant in Tysons

A Complete Disgrace to Hospitality – The Worst Dining Experience in 30+ Years" ⭐☆☆☆☆

As a lifelong restaurateur with over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, I’ve seen the spectrum of dining experiences, from exceptional to mediocre. However, my visit to Modan Restaurant in Tysons last night with my wife was a new low. It wasn’t just disappointing – it was an outright embarrassment to the restaurant industry and a catastrophic failure on every level.

From the outset, it was glaringly evident that Modan has no business operating in Tysons' highly competitive dining scene. We began the evening at the bar, expecting a relaxing start to our night. Instead, we were met with shockingly slow and unprofessional service. Drinks, which should have been the simplest part of the experience, took an eternity to arrive. When they finally did, they were either incorrect or so poorly crafted they were undrinkable. The bartenders seemed entirely untrained, displaying a total lack of basic cocktail-making skills.

Hoping for redemption, we moved to a low-top table, but the experience only got worse. Service at the tables was inattentive and, at times, outright rude. Simple requests for water refills were ignored or met with visible annoyance. The staff appeared overwhelmed, disengaged, and utterly lacking in hospitality skills. At one point, I had to pour my own Laurent Perrier bottle – a task that should have been a basic courtesy for a fine-dining establishment.

What was perhaps most shocking was the behavior of the bar staff. One bartender seemed far more interested in entertaining her group of friends at the bar than attending to paying customers. This level of unprofessionalism is a disgrace not only to Modan but to the industry as a whole. The sole exception was a bearded gentleman who showed some attentiveness, but even his efforts couldn’t salvage the chaos surrounding us.

The atmosphere, which should have been a blend of elegance and warmth, was chaotic and uninviting. The space felt unorganized, and the lack of leadership was painfully obvious. It seemed as though the staff had been left to their own devices, with no management in sight to enforce standards or provide direction.

As someone who has dedicated over 30 years to this industry, I was appalled. Running a successful restaurant isn’t just about serving food and drinks; it’s about curating an experience that leaves guests feeling valued and eager to return. Modan failed spectacularly on all fronts, from service and professionalism to creating an environment worthy of its location.

In Tysons, where the dining scene is fiercely competitive, there is no room for this level of incompetence. Modan needs an immediate and comprehensive overhaul – from staff training and leadership to basic service standards. Without significant changes, I can’t see how this establishment will survive, nor do I think it deserves to.

To anyone considering dining at Modan: spare yourself the disappointment. There are countless restaurants in the area that understand the essence of hospitality. Modan, unfortunately, is not one of them.

This was, without question, the most unacceptable and disgraceful dining experience I’ve ever had. Modan Restaurant should take a long, hard look at its operations if it hopes to have any future in this industry. Until then, I cannot – and will not – recommend...

I chose this place based on Tik Tok for my birthday and had high expectations. However, I will not be coming back for several reasons. When I booked for my original date I received a message the same day from them stating the system glitched and there was no dinner served that day. They apologized for the Inconvenience and the offered me two drinks as complimentary which worked out for me and a nice gesture. I was completely fine with that and rescheduled to a later date and time that worked. My issue is regarding the service I received today as it was my first time coming here. Trying to find this place was confusing, you have to park in a garage to get here which I didn’t know and was close to the 15 minute mark for my reservation. I called the front several times and no one answered the phone. Thankfully, where we parked we seen people take an elevator and just followed them to the restaurant with two minutes to spare. We were greeted,l and I had included in the comments that a third chair was needed since I had an extra person. The girl was surprised and told us to wait so that they can grab the chair. We went to the bathroom came back and waited an extra 7-10 minutes to be seated. A couple got up and left, and they ended up sitting us at a dirty table…I got up and asked them if someone was coming to clean this up. We could’ve waited until it was clean, unacceptable. We also weren’t asked for out jackets to be taken but others were as they came in. Eventually someone came and cleaned. The waiter came and got two of us water and forgot the third person…once we got the water, we had to wait for the waiter as he was servicing two tables outside of us. We just ended up ordering everything since we weren’t sure if we were going to catch him again. The food was good but by the end of the meal I had to ask for my birthday dessert. That was also noted on my reservation and the waiter was not aware. I seen a cute matcha birthday dessert was given to another lady who’s birthday it was. When my birthday dessert came it was not that but a burnt crème brûlée…it didn’t taste good nor looked good. I’m not sure why I didn’t receive the same and of course I felt a way about it. Also, throughout the time I was seated, the front desk then decided to call me three times I guess seeing the missed calls but she was also answering phone calls as they came through so I’m not sure why mine weren’t answered when I was looking for the place. It was 3 of them up there. I didn’t answer of course but it was frustrating and annoying. Customer services overall needs improvement. I’ve spent less and received top quality customer service. I’m highly disappointed and didn’t feel like I treated like a valued guest. It was also my birthday and I didn’t leave feeling good about the whole experience. I didn’t even get a “hope you have a great evening” nothing. I’m big on customer service so I will not recommend coming here if you...

GO TO MODAN FOR THE FOOD!!! I’m seriously still in awe from the omakase dinner from last night. I go to Japan at least twice a year for work, and until Modan last night, I would not have thought I could find Japanese cuisine THAT good outside of Japan. Honestly, I have been to various Nobu and Morimoto restaurants across the U.S., but Modan’s food is simply much more gratifying and… MEMORABLE. Don’t get me wrong, every time I’ve gone to a Nobu or a Morimoto, the food has been great, but I also feel like it’s food that I can readily find in Japan… for A LOT LESS MONEY! It’s like “wow, I just paid a lot of money for pretty good Japanese… I guess that’s just what I should expect outside of Japan.” But last night, I left Modan feeling like I’ve never had Japanese food THAT good… and, no dollar amount could buy you Japanese cuisine as good as Modan’s anywhere else. It’s just THAT good. Now admittedly when it comes to Japanese food, I’m a little hard to please or satisfy; reason being is that I love the simplicity of Japanese food where all the umami really comes from using the highest quality ingredients in a balanced flavor combination. The big problem for me is that most ‘modern’ Japanese restaurants use complex recipes with sauces, spices and other ingredient combinations that have very strong and distinct flavor profiles, so you end up losing all the ‘classic’ Japanese umami from the best raw ingredients. Ultimately, I settle for the classic Japanese sushi/sashimi places that tend not to be as chic or fun and exciting in the atmosphere and setting. Well, Modan has truly broken the mold! I would describe it as “Unapologetically Classic Japanese Cuisine, presented for a Chic and Modern Setting.” Incidentally, the picture of the restaurant name above the miniature zen garden attached to this review perfectly conveys what I’m trying to say. And, as for the people who have been critical about the service and setting, I can only say this: Modan was packed last night for only it’s second Tuesday of being open, yet, the General Manager, Sean, the Executive Director, Joon, the Director of Hospitality, Darryle, the Executive Chef (and absolutely amazing Creative Genius) Chico, and the Bar Manager (and Sake Savant), Corey, each individually introduced themselves (no, I wasn’t special, I saw each of them making their rounds among all the guests), and extended a personal offer to contribute to my dining experience. Truly First Class…. So I say, “GO TO MODAN FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR THE EXQUISITE JAPANESE FOOD… and stay to enjoy the authentic Japanese hospitality in a modernly...