I went to SimSim with my Ukrainian father and Indian mother shortly after they opened. I grew up on Ukrainian food, and middle eastern cuisine is some of my favorite, so my expectations were high. Lord, this place did not disappoint! We decided to share everything and eat family style. We ordered 3 Ukrainian dishes: Holubtsi (cabbage rolls stuffed with lamb and beef mixed with rice), cabbage stuffed varenyky (pierogis), deruny (potato pancakes) and the lamb kofta. Each dish was fantastic! The holubtsi were soft and tender in the center, but didn't fall apart when you cut through them. The varenyky tasted like what my family made. The deruny were thin and crispy - my favorite way of making them. And the lamb kofta was absolutely scrumptious. The rice and sauce it came with were divine. Our all-in-one hostess and waitress was also the manager, a young woman from Ukraine who was incredibly attentive and endlessly friendly. She embodies what the hospitality sector is about. The owners are a couple - a Palestinian husband and Ukrainian wife. The latter seems to be the chef de cuisine, while the former runs the front of house and went out of his way to connect with us and introduce us to his son, who also works at SimSim. TLDR: Even if you don't care about supporting two different war torn countries, the food here is both delicious and authentic. I can't wait to go back and eat my way through the rest of the menu! read more

We picked up an order from here after finding a deal through one of the delivery apps. Overall it was just okay. The restaurant itself looked really nice inside, but unfortunately the food and service were pretty lackluster. We asked for some additional sauce and were told there would be an extra charge, which was completely fine, but somehow it took another 15-20 minutes just to get the sauce after our food was already ready. The chicken was also pretty dry, while some pieces actually seemed undercooked, so the consistency was a little strange. The rice had raisins mixed into it as well, which we weren't expecting and personally didn't care for. The interior and atmosphere were probably the highlight, but based on this experience I don't think the food or service really stood out enough for us to come back. read more

This was my first time going here to this SimSim restaurant , The Ukrainian meatballs surprised me but the real star of the show was the Mansaf and Haneeth. They were really juicy and flavorful and an amazing dish. The service was good the ambiance and seating was also nice. Not to mention it is Halal so I think this place was amazing and I would come here again ... read more

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We ordered through DoorDash. They definitely need a new chef. The hummus was bland, the tabouleh was horrible. The kabob was not really kabob and inedible. Their rice was reasonable. read more

Too expensive. The food not as it should. They charge service fee, they say 18% but they charge 20%. Which it doesn't make sense to charge,specially if the food or service wasn't good. Maybe that's why they are not as busy. read more

I been looking for a Yemeni resturant in this area and I glad Sim Sim opened here. The resturant, ambience, location and ultimately the food is amazing. We ordered the marag soup, hummus and meat, haneth lamb and kabsa chicken. Every item was very delicious and authentic. The marag soup was one of the best I've had. The flavors of the items was exactly what you would expect from this type of food. My only recommendation is to increase the portion a bit on the main courses but over excellent and I will be back. read more

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Wanted to try this new middle-eastern restaurant. I ordered a mixed grill platter, the rice was crisp, but lacked seasoning, and the ground lamb was bland. I also ordered the meat pies, the did not look like the traditional Lebanese pies on the picture, but rather like empanadas. The meat was watered down with something else, and they too lacked seasoning. I loved the Turkish Salaam Cola; not too sweet with a great Cola taste. Service was super friendly, but the food could improve. read more

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This place probably deserves a 1 star rating based on the food but the restaurant is decent (big, good seating, clean bathrooms) and the person serving us seemed to understand that the food was underwhelming. Going back to the food, it was poor from beginning to end. The grape leaves tasted worse or at least as bad as some canned grape leaves. It was not fresh, you could tell from the rice inside and the way the grape leaves broke when you bit into them. The fattoush salad didn't seem to have enough parsley and mint and it was most a lettuce salad. The adeni tea was plain weird. It didn't taste like tea at all. The kabsa felt like rice had been mixed with curry. I guess that's why the guy was asking how spicy we wanted it. Typically that is not a question when ordering kabsa. The lamb chops were not good either. The meat was tough, as was the meat for some of the other dishes. It's unfortunate because we were excited to try this place ever since we saw that it was opening. There was maybe 1 other customer when we were there and I guess it makes sense now. Hope they improve or else they are going to struggle. read more

Very nice place and nice food Great location and friendly stuff . Thank you for everything it was a great day ... read more

SimSim - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Right when we walked in, we were greeted warmly. The restaurant is beautiful inside and feels familiar. The food was quick to come out and amazing. Hubby had shawarma and I had the mansaf. Falafel and hummus, everything tasted like back home. Mint lemonade and strawberry lemonade both totally fresh and made right then. Worth it, def come again! read more

SimSim - Mansaf - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Service is great !! Swarma is tasty. They also have a Vegan option . We were very happy with our meal!

Tried the Yemeni haneeth and it was excellent. The meat was incredibly tender, well seasoned, and full of flavor, clearly slow cooked the right way. Portions were generous and everything tasted fresh. A great spot if you're craving authentic Yemeni food. Would definitely come back. read more

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A great new restaurant in Fairfax City. We loved the hummus, fresh hot pita, and chicken shawarma. Such a friendly and attentive wait staff. read more

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Horrible food. Staff is untrained to all time new low Food quality is poor. I understand its a new establishment but there is too much competition in this area to be this incompetent and so poor. read more

We had an amazing dinner at SimSim. The lamb kabab, babaganoush, and family lamb shawarma were absolutely delicious. Every dish was beautifully balanced and perfectly seasoned -- the flavors were outstanding. The owner personally welcomed us in a very warm and genuine way, which made the experience even more special. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed, and honestly, it's hard to believe this place isn't packed every night. Highly recommended! read more

SimSim - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Absolutely fantastic food! So yum and so fresh. Definitely going back. We both had the lentil soup- great on a freezing azz day and chicken sharma both were delicious read more

Absolutely fantastic experience at Sim Sim! We ordered the haneeth and the kofta in the oven, and both dishes were incredibly flavorful, tender, and perfectly seasoned. The food truly tasted homemade with authentic Middle Eastern touches. The service was just as impressive, warm, attentive, and welcoming from the moment we walked in. Sim Sim is a gem in the community, and I highly recommend everyone to come and try their amazing food. I especially encourage my Kurdish community to visit and enjoy this wonderful restaurant. Support this place. you will love it just as much as we did! read more

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Really good food and very friendly people! What a great restaurant. we will come back! read more

Service & ambiance was great, there needs to be improvement with food .....som dishes were dry, burnt, etc;

The food and service were great! The place is beautiful and clean. Special shout out to their lamb Kabsa. The lamb pieces were supreme! Good size, tender and flavorful till the last bite. Rice was great, loved the fried onions and dry fruits in it. Thank you! read more

MashaAllah best service ever best food .the owner comes even talk to you.definately will come again and again read more

SimSim - Shish touk .shawarma. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

The owners will be your friends. Classy guys. Fun place to be. We went and people were singing karaoke. Food was good. The rice is to die for. read more

It's very relaxed atmosphere with authentic Arab flavors and tastes. Someone wrote a review that food lacked flavor- which is totally not true. Haneeth is so good and must try! You will enjoy the relaxed Arab vibes with great smelling and tasting food here !!! read more

A newly opened restaurant with a varied Middle Eastern menu. They have Velvety and tasty hummus that's beautiful (see photo) as well. We tried the Yemeni tea, which has milk added and it was lightly spiced with hints of cinnamon. It makes a nice accompaniment to the warm meat pies. The baklava we tried was with pistachio and it literally dissolves in your mouth. Friendly staff and a nice, large space for family meals. I can't recommend the tea enough - you'll want to relax and enjoy several cups of it. read more

SimSim - Hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

SimSim is a great neighborhood middle eastern restaurant with a menu with a nice selection for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We had a wonderful breakfast. The food was tasty and the atmosphere relaxing. Our server, Mohammed, was super helpful and his recommendations were spot on. I would recommend the Adina Tea and Turkish coffee. The falafel is exceptionally good. read more

SIMSIM was super kid-friendly. The staff were patient and welcoming with my kids, and the menu had plenty of options they actually liked. The cozy decorations and fun lights kept them entertained, and the space felt clean and comfortable so I didn't have to stress. It's the kind of place where families feel right at home. read more

The food was delicious and the service friendly and efficient. Did not feel rushed and they stopped at the table several times to check on whether we needed anything else. read more

This place leaves much to be desired. Ramadan buffet had a ton of food but all below average which is especially disappointing as it costs $37/person! Not worth it at all. read more

Fantastic service, great food and lovely ambiance. Went here for brunch with the girlie and had a wonderful time

Ordered lamb chops from this place on door dash and they came burnt. Could barely finish it because of how overwhelming the taste of burnt dirty grill was, and the only thing that forced me to was the fact I spent 40$ on doordash. Never again. Also, the rice was bland and the tomato and onions came burnt too. Not charred to perfection, burnt to hell. read more

This place is great! I loved it and would definitely come back again with family and friends and I can't wait to try all the dishes!

Over priced! Got the same thing from another place that was half the price and better. The meat pie was extremely overpriced and soggy not crispy. That's why I'm saying this. read more

The food was wonderful and the service was even better. The menu has something for everyone. The place is very clean and welcoming. Will definitely comeback again to try more the menu! read more

Super tasty food and friendly atmosphere / service. Can't wait to make this a regular dining spot!

Nice restaurant great food. I love the hummus and the falafel. I will recommend it. I will definitely come back

Bat service ever. From the time we walked in till we left, nothing less than 100%. The food was fresh and very tasty. my daughter is very picky but she loved it. read more