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    Ariake - Fairfax

    4.4 (526 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Ariake - Fairfax Photos

    Business Info

    ARIAKE - FAIRFAX ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Reviews With Photos - Ariake - Fairfax

    Vivian Z.

    Parking here can be tight and limited due to where the location is. Service is friendly & nice! Although k came on a busy weekend, I was seated fairly quick. Food: menu has a decent selection ranging from bento boxes, ramen, to sushi so a little bit of everything for everyone. I ordered the spicy dynamite roll & one of the sushi assortment entrees. Spicy dynamite was pretty crispy and very large sushi pieces which I was not expecting lol after a while the only thing I tasted was the cream cheese so I do wish it was less cream cheese here. Sushi assortments were awesome! One of the freshest sushi as of yet. Definitely recommend.

    Their presentation is always excellent
    Robert G.

    This place is actually a great date night spot. Here's the deal- I never! Gatekeep. This place is a fantastic spot for a date night for three solid reasons. 1- great location and good parking available next to a CVS and 7-11. Why are these good you ask, because if you're clever you can extend a date night into more 2- the food is amazing and the restaurant is clean. The service is what to be expected but the chef has a menu of what he recommends 3- if you're on a date they have great seating along the wall that offers privacy and also keeps people from listening in so you can have a good conversation without noisy people to close. I take my wife here for our date nights and we always leave happy.

    Sushi sashimi combo
    Cyrus T.

    It was weekday dinner and it was crowded. Sushi was fresh. Nice thick slices. Bento box is a bit pricy, but worth it because it has a lot of food. That's why price is higher than other place. Overall, I really enjoy this sushi place, and my daughter who is a picky eater loves this place as well.

    Tori H.

    I've heard that Ariake Fairfax has the best sushi, and it surpassed it! The sushi was so fresh, and everything from the chefs pick was AMAZING. I didn't know what all the fish were but they were so so good! I have no words. Tip: parking is tight, there's more parking in the back. Be sure to check the signs as there is a lot you cannot park in. Other tip: they don't take reservations so if you want to eat at dinner time they open at 5. Unless you're ok waiting, go when you're not too hungry. We arrived at 5:30 hoping to eat by 6, and although we were seated by 6, for a party of 4, we didn't get our food until much much later. The loooong wait was well worth it

    Katsu Curry (Pork)
    Anthony N.

    I'll be adding Ariake to my top lists of sushi spots to dine at. Food and service here were absolutely amazing! The Food: Went with the Pork Katsu Curry, Spicy Yellowtail Roll and the Spicy Tuna Roll. The Katsu was crisp and fried nicely. The curry sauce itself was flavorful and absolutely delicious paired with some rice. The sushi was fresh as well. Everything was perfect. The Service/Atmosphere: Plenty of seating available inside. Nice and clean restaurant overall. The staff were great as well, everyone was very nice and attentive. Overall, a 5/5. Absolutely loved it here. Will be back again for sure!

    Menu
    Başak O.

    We were looking for place before teather show. So it was very close to the saloon. I am glad it was close. Everything was really nice and fresh! The place was very popular. Service was a bit slow. Actually not slow they were really busy! Big and bright place and pretty long sushi bar that they make all the sushi over there. The only thing we ordered 3 pieces for all the sushi that we choose. Eal one came 2 pieces. And I told the lady who brought the plate to the table. But nothing come back. Especially ekstra Spicy Tuna roll was pretty delicious!

    Specials of the day
    AJ A.

    We ordered this delicious and beautiful looking platters for an event and it was amazing as always. We love the excellent service and the variety of sushi and sashimi here. This place is as authentic as it gets when it comes to Japanese food.

    Menu
    Madisyn F.

    Visited Ariake this evening after a day at Great Falls Park. We arrived around 5:45 on a Sunday and we were seated immediately!! We started with the edamame (fresh, but less salty than other places) and the miso soup (extremely flavorful, best miso I've ever had). The warm sake was a comforting drink with our meal - a size large was plenty but the bigger size large might be better for sharing. We went with the classic spicy tuna and salmon rolls - slightly spicier than most other places, which was great for us but beware if you're sensitive to spice. The salmon, eel, and the shrimp tempura roll were all very good. This is the best sushi I've had - very large pieces of fish inside and they were high quality. Perfect texture and balance of flavors. Very fair amount and quality for the price!! A little far from home for us to be regulars, but this will be our new Fairfax treat!

    James H.

    Awesome spot in Fairfax. Went to reddit to find a new sushi spot and this was the one I landed on. Came on a Monday and it was quite a small dinner crowd. Service was pretty quick and roll presentation was amazing. Everything tasted fresh and I was able to discover a few new rolls that are now in my top 5 rolls in NoVa. Good prices for what you get. Can't wait to come back here!

    Spider roll, shrimp tempura
    Seung Woo G.

    Ariake is consistently one of the best sushi spots in the Nova area, at both the Fairfax and Reston locations. The fish quality is always top tier and super fresh. At our most recent visit we ordered the deluxe sushi lunch, shrimp tempura roll, spider roll(soft shell crab) and cha shu appetizer. Everything was amazing and it was very reasonably priced. We went on a weekday lunch and there were not many people there so we were served very quickly.

    Rayne W.

    We went there again tonight and discovered the Tonkatsu ramen with an Ikura Don add-on; the salty fish roe and salmon bites was just the right amount. Sushi regular and vegetable tempura didn't disappoint as usual.

    Curry
    Kyle N.

    Another visit to Ariake, and it didn't disappoint. I ordered Volcano roll, Delux Ariake roll, and Spicy Scallop roll, and Ariake roll, all very good. Service is always excellent, my favorite sushi joint in the DMV.

    Omakase dinner

    We tried Ariake recently for the first time. Excellent service and food! We enjoyed the sushi omakase dinner - absolutely fresh and delicious. We will certainly be back

    Chirashi was fresh and gorgeous! Our rolls and sashimi were also incredible!

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    4 months ago

    Always great food and service. Our go to place for sushi. We have been going here for several years now.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Ariake - Fairfax

    Do they have good veggie sushi options?

    Yes

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Issho Izakaya & Sushi

    4.0
    (138 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess! They were extremely sweet! We had a reservation for…read moremy brother's birthday and we were seated immediately. The decor was super cute! I always visit the lavatory before seating so I can wash my hands. It was clean and the lavender soap smelled great! On my way back out, I met what looked like the owner. I'm not sure what gave me that impression, but he had a kind aura and (I'm pregnant) and he was asking how I liked the food and was this a pleasant experience. I gave him my finest compliment as there are several options to fill my cravings without eating raw fish! Overall, I would recommend everyone to visit. It's nice to have a comfy, tasty sushi restaurant to visit.

    The premium all you can eat sushi is the way to go…read more.. If you can eat a ton... you'll have four rounds of kitchen food and sushi/sashimi to your heart's contentment... But the 4 premium nigiri... it was magical! Not Michelin star level... but delightful and the rice served at the perfect temp and cook... I could taste each kernel... beautiful! Plenty of specialty rolls and kitchen food! The spicy pork belly is delicious but it'll fill you up if you don't have a group with you. I think the best thing to do is to come with 4 or more who love to eat and everyone order in agreement and eat a little of every roll and kitchen food. It's just too much for 2 people. The servers are extremely helpful in suggesting what are their best dishes. But make sure you get the premium nigiri... the rest is just filler.

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    Beautiful decor
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    Kozy Ramen & Bar

    Kozy Ramen & Bar

    4.8
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    Needed a quick bite to eat before heading home and this spot came up in my vicinity. You have to…read morewalk inside of the building to get to it. I was sat down quickly. They were super kind and attentive towards me. The food came out fast and all of it was absolutely delish! Pricing was great, too! It definitely lived up to it's name because I definitely felt "kozy" as if I was eating at home. Parking can be a gamble since the lot isnt but so big but I found one fairly quickly.if you like trying different ramen spots, this one is worth a visit!

    Got the Miso Ramen and added a few healthy shakes of shichimi togarashi (on the table) to DIY spice…read moreit up a bit. Miso broth was decent, but not as hot as I typically like it. 8/10 broth flavor. Noodles are the right "thicker & curly" style, but were overcooked by a noticeable amount. They should be slightly chewy, IMO. I regret not specifying more "QQ" or chewy al dente when I ordered my Ramen bowl. In Japan it is fairly common to be able to choose from several levels of noodle firmness/doneness. The environment is like a food hall restaurant - with shared bathrooms in the main concourse of the building. The bathrooms were messy and wet everywhere - not pleasant. Overall the building seemed more than a bit crusty - not the most appetizing backdrop. I was torn between 3 or 4 stars for this one. I am rounding up. This is pretty much exactly a 3.5 star experience.

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    Sushi Ohayo

    Sushi Ohayo

    4.3
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    AYCE sushi close to the DMV with great reviews? I had to check it out. Walking in, the space is…read morepretty large and clean. Our server immediately greeted us and explained the menu. We started off with the gyozas, which were stellar, and the seaweed salad. Will list our full order below but was surprisingly a huge fan of the crazy monkey. The banana intrigued us and ended up being our favorite. Obviously can't go wrong with the volcano roll. The hibachi rice and yakisoba were also really good. By the time the last two rolls came out, we were stuffed but happy with all the choices we made. You can order the sushi's in batches instead of feeling pressured to do them all at once. Seaweed Salad Gyozas Combo yakisoba and hibachi rice Yellowtail jalepeno Volcano Roll Richmond roll Dynamite Crazy Monkey Las Vegas Ohayo Sea Angel Love White dragon Ninja

    Came here on Sunday afternoon. It wasn't too pack and got seated immediately. Our server was…read morefriendly and attentive throughout the meal. The restaurant itself was clean, roomy, and comfortable. You order directly through the server, and dishes come out as they're prepared. One thing we really enjoyed was the variety beyond just sushi. The portions were nicely sized, making it easy to sample different dishes without feeling overly full too fast. We enjoyed the salmon bowl, pepper tuna and yellowtail appetizers. Pretty affordable for all you can eat.

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    Philadelphia roll and spicy salmon roll
    Philadelphia roll and spicy salmon roll
    Food
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    Gyu Shige

    Gyu Shige

    4.7
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$
    Hipster vibe
    Large group friendly

    This place is an absolute must try if you are looking to indulge in quality food while being served…read moreby excellent, knowledgeableX and friendly staff. It should be noted the menu is a little pricey but well worth it especially if you are celebrating a big occasion. We were very impressed with the menu offering and absolutely had to get the Kobe Beef because there are only a handful of places you can get Kobe beef served with this type of quality. They present the certificate of authenticity which really adds to the experience. The beef was cooked delicately with a light sear and served medium rare which goes the perfect buttery bite. Highly recommend. We also got the pork jowl and the kurobuta pork belly. Normally the pork belly is a bit but it was pretty average so I'll probably pass next time. The pork jowl was really tasty and had a nice bite. You can just eat meat if you want to get the full experience. We highly recommend the steamed egg as well as the tuna with taro chips for the perfect balanced meal. Can't say enough great things about this place... looking forward to coming again!

    One of my best mom friends and I decided to go to dinner last minute with all of our kids. I was…read moredefinitely nervous because our two toddlers are a little on the crazy side. I think what probably made our service and Guy Shige stand out the most is our server Laila. She was very accommodating with bringing us multiple high chairs and taking our orders almost as soon as we sat down. We ordered a lot of food and wanted to try multiple drinks and Laila really took her time explaining all the different drinks and making great ig worth recommendations. During dinner there were multiple times where our crazy toddlers threw items on the floor etc and Laila was quick to come by and sweep things up and replace utensils etc. All of the food and drinks were delicious and we truly had a great time. We will definitely be back.

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    A5 Wagyu
    A5 Wagyu
    Kaiseki Sashimi set
    Kaiseki Sashimi set
    Besides BBQ, high quality sushi is our other main focus.

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    Khan Japanese Kitchen & Bar

    Khan Japanese Kitchen & Bar

    3.9
    (122 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    Yummy cocktails. Can't taste the alcohol at all - don't know if that's cuz there isn't enough or if…read moreit's masked well enough... Anyways - Food is very yummy. Came here with a large group of friends and we ate very well!! All the dishes were yummy, so can't complain. Army stew, kimchi pancake, corn cheese, etc. Many shareables and perfect for big groups to split. Also they have somaek towers which is pretty cool and niche! Service was great too. They were playing country music but we asked for it to be changed and they were very accommodating! BTW at night, the lighting in the restaurant is a bit dark and food looks very contrasted dark. Idk if this matters to anyone but makes reds look extremely pigmented in the light.

    Pochas are the one place where ambiance matters more than food. We went for drinks late evening on…read morea saturday and walked into... country music. There only seemed to be one or two waiters in the whole restaurant and we were checked up on maybe once after receiving our food, even though it was shockingly empty. The food itself was good, rosè tteokbokki was spicy and texture was perfect. Kimchi pancake was also crispy and had a good ratio of batter to kimchi, but it was pretty bland and definitely needed the sauce. Kkanpungi was decent as well as the buddaejiggae and prices were fair. Drink pictures may be misleading so make sure to look at the description! Anyways the whole experience felt like we were just eating in the dark with quiet background music. Don't expect anything for birthdays either. Anyways would go back for the food but extremely lacking ambiance wise.

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    Ckn stuffed w. Hot pepper, shrimp or corn cheese.
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    Sai Yakitori

    Sai Yakitori

    4.5
    (13 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Was craving for some yakitori so glad we have some in VA now. They open till 2 am so definitely a…read morenice good for late night snack. I order yakitori platter, chicken skin yakitori, chicken heart yakitori, chicken meatball and pork belly. Udon noodles, seafood pan fried udon and beef rice bowl. Chicken skin yakitori is so so good, crunchy on the edge, flavorful definitely recommend. The rest of the yakitori also very good but not stand out as the chicken skin. Also, not a fan of chicken meatball yakitori- very bland tbh. Udon and beef rice bowl is great... but the seafood udon was definitely not a hit, too watery for me, season was kinda basic and nothing special. They have second floor too but there are some food restriction if you want to sit on second floor. Service is great, super attentive and helpful. Note: their tip suggestion starting out at 20% though

    The tako wasabi was pretty good - all the other foods left much to be desired. The Yakitori platter…read morewas okay at best. There was nothing that popped out as extraordinarily special. The kimchi pancake was pretty subpar as well. It lacked the saltiness, spiciness, and even a little crispiness that others do. I think this place has a very big menu and is probably good for other dishes but for a spot to say they specialize in Yakitori this spot was not it. I do want to shoutout the service they were nice, responsive, and pretty good.

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    Blue Ocean Japanese Restaurant

    Blue Ocean Japanese Restaurant

    3.7
    (507 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    My boyfriend is from Japan and he recommended this for date night after hearing about it from other…read moreJapanese locals. It did not disappoint. We used to be exclusively Ariake stans but this place takes the cake. As soon as we walked in I felt like I was transported to Japan. The smells, the decor, the low-key-ness. We ordered the maguro with mountain yam, tempura, a bunch of nigiri, and one roll. The tempura is as it should be (and it's so hard to see it done right here in the states). Crispy and light. We liked it so much we ordered another plate. They also give Japanese sized portions (not American) so it's easy to eat as a light appetizer. The nigiri was the star of the show. We ordered our favorite pieces a la carte (there were a few fish that weren't available like kanpachi and chutoro so we changed it for other pieces). The fish to rice ratio is INSANE. Super thick cuts and perfectly formed nigiri. I also loved the fact that the chef torches the eel in our tobiko eel avocado roll. Gave it an extra depth of flavor. Also we keep forgetting but we can ask for our salmon nigiri to be torched! Will definitely do that next time. I love the hole-in-wall vibe and the fact that it's like a family run restaurant. The wife and husband were speaking Japanese to each other and my boyfriend felt like he was back home. Can't recommend enough! Pro-tip hit up the froyo shop next door for dessert.

    me and my husband went for a dinner and place was packed! luckily we had a reservation so it wasn't…read morebad for us, but definitely make resv if you're going for at busy time. Place is very small and cozy authentic japanese vibe. food wise, we really love the sushi and sashimi, chefs and servers was japanese and they're super nice! we'd love to come back here again!

    Photos
    Interior decor
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    Blue Ocean Japanese Restaurant
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    Miso

    Miso

    4.0
    (586 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    TLDR: Cozy old school spot with tasty fried dishes, nice portions, and warm service…read more The restaurant has a homey, old school feel that adds to its charm. There were a couple order mistakes, but the service was personal and warm, and they quickly made things right. The food was tasty. They really know how to work the fryer, from the katsu to the appetizers. The potato wrapped shrimp was extra crunchy and delicious, I have not had potato string wrapped shrimp like that before. I loved that the noodles come with a steamed egg. I do wish the banchan portions were larger, but they happily refill them if you ask. Overall, a comforting meal.

    If there is a primary reason that long time Annandale favorite Miso has over 550+ reviews (as of…read moreFebruary 2025) and a solid 4 star rating, it can be distilled to one word: katsu. Miso specializes in many different forms of katsu which traditionally is defined as a Japanese style dish consisting of a piece of meat (although tofu and veggies are also used) covered in panko bread crumbs, and then deep fried. Deep frying conceptually is a "simple" techique, yet so many places either leave food in the hot grease too long rendering the food burnt and bitter; or the food is not cooked long enough resulting in a crispy outer layer, but cold (and sometimes raw) temperatures underneath the batter. And don't underestimate the role clean and constantly changing the cooking oil makes, since the food doesn't come out looking "dingy," which often results from frying in old oil. I discovered Miso during the pandemic when I got take out one day, and was shocked when I got home 20 minutes later to discover that my pork katsu was still hot and super crunchy! So of course, once dine-in service resumed, I was happy to be able to enjoy the food when it was freshly prepared. I recently enjoyed a meal with a friend who had not previously been to Miso and she was thoroughly impressed. The interior design resembles any other Asian themed restaurant. Nondescript wooden tables/booths/chairs, sit atop dark tile flooring, with semi-bright (bordering on dim) lighting. TBH, I've noticed that it can get a bit chilly in the Winter months, and somewhat hot in the summer months. The place has higher ceilings, so I imagine climate control must be a challenge. We started the meal with the Tofu katsu, which was super yummy. The panko breading was light, not salty, and achieved its purpose of having a crunchy exterior while keeping the tofu siken and moist inside. The soy based dipping sauce was a bit one note, mostly tasting salty. The other thing I appreciate about Miso is that the portion sizes are ginormous; which is important during these inflationary times! A tender pork cutlet was battered, deep fried to peak GBD (golden brown delicious) perfection, and then sliced into bite sized pieces. The dish was also served with a small bowl of udon noodles, rice, steamed egg custard, pickles, and kimchi. For $18 (as of this review), we split the spicy pork katsu plate, and there was PLENTY of food for two adults. As we were dining in a casual non-rushed manner, after 25-30 minutes the pork lowered to a tepid room temperature, but the batter still remained CRUNCHY! And nice bonus that at the end of the meal, we received complimentary mini-yogurt drinks. The earliest reviews for Miso go back to 2007 and I understand that in the ensuing 18 years, ownership has changed a few times. Miso isn't a fancy place, but the constant has been good food at reasonable prices.

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    Inside dining
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    California Shabu Shabu

    California Shabu Shabu

    4.5
    (654 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    My mom and I love coming here for the Vietnamese food menu. We have never actually tried the shabu…read moreshabu, the Vietnamese menu is small but so good that we always end up ordering the same thing every time. My mom is a big fan of their canh bun here which is a crab cake and water spinach noodle soup. You can also add fried soft shell crab for an additional cost & it tastes great with it. They are also known among Vietnamese people for their Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm because not a lot of restaurants in this area have it on their menus. During our most recent visit in April 2026, they have added a new noodle soup called Bún mọc which is a rice vermicelli noodle light broth with pork meatballs, mushrooms, and carrots. For the Vietnamese food, it tastes authentic and is very popular in the Vietnamese community.

    A HIDDEN GEM. Ever…read moresince I got back from Japan, I've been craving shabu shabu, specifically with sukiyaki broth. I will say the seating is a bit strange, but in a cool way. It's kind of like bar seating, so you can see all the action from the workers in the middle. And. Let. Me. Tell. You. The ladies working in the middle are so nice. They explain the menu, walk you through how everything works, and make sure to check for any allergies before you order. They start you with a side of veggies, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, etc., and a side of udon, even though they tell you not to use the udon until the end. Then you order the protein or proteins you want. After that, you basically squish squish until the meat is cooked and go for it. I got the signature beef, which is what they're known for, and the scallops. Both were very good and fresh. At the end, they mix all the veggies you have left with the udon, and it basically becomes a big noodle soup. You can always order extra sides or add ons, though. Definitely one of my new favorites!

    Photos
    Hot pot bar
    Hot pot bar
    Shabu shabu!!!
    Shabu shabu!!!
    California Shabu Shabu

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    Ariake - Fairfax - japanese - Updated July 2026

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