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BBQ 21

3.8 (269 reviews)
ModerateKorean, Ramen, Desserts
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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BBQ 21 ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - BBQ 21

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Reviews With Photos

Cheddar salt bread
Emily L.

My friend suggested going here after dinner and I looked at her funny. The name is misleading, this place is half cafe half Korean boonshik with adorable cafe vibes. Great place to catch up with a friend, study, or just eat. They offer bunshik (Korean fast casual food like dumplings, tteokbokki, fish cake soup, etc), pastries and all the things a cafe would have, as well as a full self serve ramen bar in the back. Ordered tea, salt bread, corn creme bread (which is salt bread filled with corn cream. Salt bread sucked. It wasn't even buttery. Corn creme bread sounds weird, but it weirdly worked. It's sweet but not too sweet. Service was good. Loved the ambiance more than anything!

Mango cheesecake bingsoo
Lia C.

Have been here many years ago but just recently tried it again and was very pleasantly surprised by all the additions to the menu. My friend and I came by on a Saturday afternoon after a hike and it wasn't too crowded so we got a table pretty easily. We enjoyed all the items we ordered donpas, tornado omurice and a mango cheesecake bingsoo to top it off. Portions were big and everything tasted amazing. Will definitely be coming back!

Volcano Ramen
John D.

We are a food hunting family and my daughter found this on our way home from Potomac Mills Town Center. It's an awesome setup and very welcoming when you first walk in. The immediate entry had a few row of tables but to the left of the mini wall supported parties of 4 and more. Tables were also set up for on da spot BBQ but we went for something different. We ordered the Spicy Jumbo Cheese Don Katsu (with extra cheese) and it was huge!! The sauce was on the side and this was great. It allowed us to jump between original and some spice. The sauce was tangy and a good hint of spicy, but not over bearing. The presentation was just like the pictures. It also had a lil dome of rice and a light salad with a creamy sauce. We also ordered the Volcano Ramen and it was FULL OF FLAVOR. Not too many places can hit the nail on the head when it comes to Ramen but this place was amazing. The spice for the "volcano" was blotted in case you wanted to take some off but it was just perfect. My wife mixed in the entire spice. The Tornado Omurice's presentation was perfect as well. Covering a bacon fried rice, the egg was laid on top with a tangy bbq style sauce. I'm not much for a tangy bbq sauce but to some, it can be delicious. So this is just me. The egg was perfectly cooked and creamy and the rice was flavorful as well. My daughter ordered the Coin Cheese and my other daughter ordered the make your own loaded ramen option. Sorry no pics for these two. Overall, it was an amazing experience and there was a small bar as well if you want to indulge in some cocktails with your food. The place was "poppin" and I kind of felt bad for the cashier/host; he was working everything without any flaws out deficiencies. Mad kudos to that guy!! Definitely hit this place up!! We'll be back for sure.

Ramen self serve
Robyn J.

Amazing family owned excellent food and such friendly people! Can't wait to come back!

Mango shaved ice
Kimberly L.

Went for dessert, not food but plan to go back. The Korean shaved ice dessert was HUGE! Two adults and one toddler shared it and it took us some time. Despite being $20 (so more of a special occasion thing) it was good! Not overwhelming sweet and enough mango to not fight over a bite.

Bonnie T.

Don't let the name fool you! They're not a BBQ restaurant. This is essentially a bakery cafe that serves not only bread, cakes and coffee. They have all kinds of Korean food and even a DIY ramen section. The staff are always very helpful and everything comes out fairly quickly usually. The interior is still very much a BBQ set up but the new owners decorated the place to be more cozy like a cafe. Def give this place a try! Everything I've ordered here is amazing. Highly recommend!

Jumbo Don Katsu
Amanda T.

I had a very positive experience at BBQ 21. While the name is a bit misleading (it functions more like a general Korean food hall), the overall value and unique concept definitely make it worth a visit. I ordered the Katsu, and it was hands-down the largest katsu I've ever seen! At $20.95, it's a bit pricier than average, but I think it was well worth it because the portion lasted me for three separate meals. The quality was good, and the sheer size offers great value. I also really enjoyed the food hall concept. It provides a fantastic variety of meal options and access to desserts, making it a great place for a group with varied tastes. Plenty of seating on a weekday evening, making it a nice spot to hang out. Overall, I would definitely go back. It's nothing out of the ordinary that blew me away, but for huge portions and a reliable, diverse meal, this is a solid choice.

Spicy Donkatsu
Saebin J.

Honestly, the food is okay. Not bad, but nothing amazing. Pretty average Korean food overall. That said, the donkatsu was actually pretty good, especially the spicy one. Warning though, the spicy donkatsu is actually spicy. I'd say it's just a bit less intense than buldak, but I was definitely in pain after eating it... but the flavor was so good I couldn't stop eating. I'm giving it 4 stars mostly because I really like the concept of the food hall. It's a great spot to come with a group, especially when everyone wants something different. Plus, having dessert and drinks all in the same place is super convenient. It's also very clean and pretty spacious inside.

Self Ramyun bar
Jon T.

I came in here for both the bakery and the The BBQ 21 component of the restaurant so here's my review on this. First off, I think the name is misleading because while in the past it was once a KBBQ place where you could get food, it is now rebranded to a food hall style area where you can order food or dessert up at the corner and then pick up your order when your buzzer goes off. There's also a newly added Ramyun section where you pick the Ramyun you want and then use one of the self ramyun noodle cookers to cook your noodles to the perfect temperature/texture along with the ingredients you pick. I personally haven't tried it out in this place but I'm sure it's the same process I hope. I ended up Medium wings with Soy Garlic and Fries. While they did take a bit of time for it to come out, I found the Wings to be crispy and crunchy. If there's anything I love about Korean Fried Chicken, the wings will always have good sauce with a nice hint of sweetness and spice to balance it out. I can't say much about the fries, because they are just regular fries. They were good and you do get alot but it's nothing to write home about. Overall, the place was pretty empty when I went so perhaps on a weekend I'm sure it gets packed full of many people. The atmosphere would be a lot louder than my visit to the place! Check it out if you like to discover a new Food Hall!

Strawberry bingsoo
Melody Y.

I came here for the strawberry bingsoo so not sure if the breads/food is good but this place has a cool street food type of ambiance with a self service ramen bar in the back. Strawberry bingsoo: serving size is smaller than what I'm use to compared to other Korean cafes but it tasted good. It didn't come with a lot of toppings like cereal/mochi. This is a very simple bingsoo which was good.

Dennis T.

Did not expect this place to be a "food hall" type establishment. The name of the restaurant is very misleading. I thought we were going to a Korean bbq place but when we walked inside, the setting had a "food hall" feel. They had a bakery that served pastries and bingsoo. And then they had a section where you can order savory foods. I'm so glad I discovered this place because I was looking for a place that served mul-naengmyon (cold noodle soup) and it was one of the best I've had! The servers were very nice and the food came out very quick. The flavor of the broth was very delicious. It had an excellent proportion of meat and noodles. The broth was the best part. Mul-naengmyon is the best thing to eat after a hot day. The bingsoo was delicious as well. Not too sweet. They also have a melon bingsoo that they serve in a melon. Highly recommend this place!

Don Pas
Judy C.

Very yummy and filling! The donkatsu was very crispy, and it paired well with the pasta. Personally, I wish the pasta was a bit more flavorful, but it wasn't bad at all. This place also has ramen and a cafe with drinks and desserts, so variety is great. I'd definitely want to come back more and try other dishes and drinks!

Patrick M.

Their DIY Ramyon (Korean Instant Noodle) was enjoyable, but the Shoyu ramen lacked flavor, and the ramen noodles were overcooked despite their appearance. The gimbap that accompanied the instant noodles was tasty and had a homemade feel. The yogurt smoothie was unexpectedly delicious. However, the service was poor; the counter staff was unfriendly and rude. Since it was our first time trying DIY ramyon and the signage only said "pay here," which we followed, she then yelled at us to select the instant noodle first. It would have helped if the signage or the ordering process had been clearer.

Ramen station

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1 year ago

Such a cute place and the employees are SO nice. The pastries are incredible also, highly recommend!

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1 year ago

The staff was very nice, had a wide variety of ramens, would recommend and come again.

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1 year ago

Such a cool spot to come! So many ramen flavors to choose from, I am definitely coming back!!!

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6 years ago

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1 year ago

This location is very pleasant and spacious, I really liked how all the noodles are placed out for us to pick out.

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Maru Ramen & Korean Cuisine

Maru Ramen & Korean Cuisine

(31 reviews)

$$

Last week we went with friends for an early Friday evening dinner at Maru in Vienna. Maru has been…read moreone of favorite DMV restauarants. However, there was a sign on their day saying they were now only open for lunch. Of course, we were disappointed, but were quickly able to figure out that there was another Maru location in the Pan Am shopping center. I was familiar with Pan Am because I buy art supplies at the Plaza store there. So, we headed over to the Pan Am Maru. A friendly staffer promptly seated us. About half the tables were occupied. We asked out server what was going on with the Vienna Maru and she told us they were gradually shutting it down completely. However, the Pan Am Maru is not fully functional yet. They have a sushi counter but it won't open until next year. I also don't know if the current Pan Am Maru menu is the one they are going with going forward. But I do note it is smaller than the one at the Vienna Maru, noting in particular that the lunch options, such as the bento boxes, are not on the Pan Am Maru menu. If they have done away with the bento boxes, I'm not that interested in returning. Service at the Pan Am Maru was very good. The ambience is comfortable. We ordered Spicy Pork Bulgogi, Spicy Chicken Bulgogi, Japchae, and the Katsu special. When they say the pork and chicken bulgogi are spicy, Mary is not fooling around. These dishes are hot spicy! Overall, each of our dishes were well-prepared and tasty. I also ordered the beef bulgogi steamed buns and they were excellent .

It was just fine. I was hungry and wanted to try something new but I didn't really like this place…read moreat all. Food was a bit below average and service wasn't that exceptionally nice neither. It was bit quiet when I was there but not sure the usually ambiance like. Seems like I need to come back here for ramen but I don't know if I would do that tbh.

Yu Noodles - Soup dumplings

Yu Noodles

(677 reviews)

$$

Cozy noodle shop in one of the many plazas out here in Fairfax. We came in as a party of two in a…read morevery cold Saturday evening and was able to get a seat quickly. The place was filling up and the ambiance reminds me of a traditional bustling noodle house - perfect for the cold snap we were experiencing at the time. We got hot and sour noodle soup, sichuan beef noodle soup, and an order of their pork soup dumplings. Portions are generous and prices are fair, it's easy to become a regular here if you live nearby. The hot and sour noodle soup is as advertised - just enough spice to complement the sour, but not overwhelm to make it feel like mala. It's served, as expected, with glass noodles, some bak choi, and some pork slices. Nothing spectacular but par for the course. The sichuan beef noodle foon soup was slight notch better. The broth gives really warm vibe and you can tell it's been brothing for a long time. Again just the right amount of spicy to make you keep slurping for more. The noodles were average, chewy, but not bouncy. Also comes with a healthy amount beef slices and bak choi. Again - a great noodle soup bowl but nothing jaw dropping. Soup dumplings were fantastic, however. The pork definitely has its own marinade and the soup is flavorful. The dumpling skin is well constructed and complemented well with the noodle soups - especially in cold weather. tldr; solid noodle soup spot, they seem to be consistent and really hits the mark when you're in a for your noodle fix. Soup dumplings are probably a must get side dish with whatever your main is

What a good and affordable place for Chinese food! Came on a weekday night and it was pretty empty…read moreand clean. Staff were pretty fast and attentive with the orders and food. I had the szechuan beef noodle soup - the beef was tender alongside its tasty noodles and savoury broth. The scallion pancakes were solid and crunchy. Loved their soup dumplings too with the sauce and ginger. I did except more soup in the dumplings but was still great. Need to come again if I'm craving Chinese food.

California Shabu Shabu

California Shabu Shabu

(652 reviews)

$$

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!

BBQ 21 - korean - Updated May 2026

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