Entering 2D Noodles, a new Asian fusion restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown, felt like walking into a comic book. The restaurant’s double doors opened to a fake telephone booth with black painted details that made it look two-dimensional. The walls featured black and white comic-book-style drawings of DC monuments and Asian landscapes, as well as smaller drawings of microtrends, including Labubus. The decor was all white, including the leaves of the fake potted plants. Soft, peaceful music created a calm and friendly ambience.
2D Noodles opened in spring 2025 at 4513 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Like many new restaurants, the setup was still a bit confusing. Customers were unsure if they were supposed to get their own utensils or if they would be brought to the table, did not know how to unlock the bathroom door and could not tell which drinks were caffeinated. An employee working at the restaurant’s drink bar, which serves teas, smoothies, refreshers and slushies, said that the paintings of monuments and “cutesty art” were done by Owner Luna Li’s younger sister. The employee added that 2D Noodles’ design emerged from the two-dimensional art restaurant trend.
Two-dimensional art restaurants, like Shirokuro in New York City and 2D Cafe and Eatery in Virginia Beach, have black-and-white-painted walls that create the illusion of being in a comic book.
The employee said that there will be two more locations of 2D Noodles, one in Chinatown and another in Alexandria.
According to its website, 2D Noodles has “authentic, handcrafted noodles made fresh daily with locally sourced ingredients.” Its noodle options include its signature miso ramen, spicy miso ramen, and chicken pho. 2D Noodles also offers a variety of dumplings, rice dishes, spring rolls, garden rolls and scallion pancakes, as well as matcha and yuzu cheesecakes for dessert.
The kumquat passionfruit lemonade was delicious. The boba was perfectly chewy, filling half the cup. The chicken soup dumplings were both mouthwatering and flavorful, the soup inside rich and perfectly seasoned. Overall, the food was both fresh and authentic.
Although 2D Noodles is outside Sidwell’s off-campus lunch boundary, it is the perfect place to go with friends at the end of the day; the restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere allows students to come in and study after school or on the weekends.
