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    Southeast Impression

    4.5 (445 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM

    Southeast Impression Photos

    Business Info

    SOUTHEAST IMPRESSION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

    Recommended Reviews - Southeast Impression

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    Papaya Salad
    Sanjana R.

    Food is always amazing here, and the portions continue to be huge overall! Went for lunch on a weekday and the service was fast, and we got a table very quickly. Food is very flavorful and there are plenty of options on the menu. The decor here is also super pretty.

    Salmon ceviche
    Faith N.

    The service was amazing! Our waitress was so sweet and knew how to take care of my grandparents and the rest of my family! We were sat in a small room for our party of 8 and it was nice and private for our birthday event. My favorite dish was the grilled squid and hainanese chicken. Everything was cooked so well and so flavorful. I especially loved the 3 sauces that came with the chicken. Can't eat to come back again!

    Various main dishes - my fav was the crispy pork (bottom)
    Lydia N.

    I've been here a couple of times now and the food has not disappointed either times! This is one of the best places in NoVa for southeast Asian food, and their desserts are also very impressive! Some highlights were their crispy pork belly, mango sticky rice, and Pandan chiffon cake. The servers were also friendly and attentive and the atmosphere was lively - just wish I lived closer so I can visit more often!

    Richard H.

    Very interesting southern Asian food. Everything we ordered is great! The size of the dish is bigger than I expected. Good interior decoration and option with table or bar. Service is great and I recommend do the reservation especially for the weekend. Parking can be find along the street or use the retail garage behind the building.

    Roti Canai with Chicken Curry
    Kimberly S.

    A slightly elevated Southeast Asian restaurant with an elegant dining space, attentive service, and thoughtfully executed dishes. I genuinely enjoyed every dish we ordered, and I was especially glad that the flavors were not compromised by the upscale atmosphere. Each plate was presented nice and came in a satisfying portion size. I also really appreciated the menu design, especially the small flags indicating where each dish originated and sectioned in a way that was easy to read through. I recommend the papaya salad! My only comment is that it was a windy day when we dined and they had a door open. All the wind blew right to us (we were seated near the door) and I got cold during the meal.

    Duck Pad Kapow
    Sheran M.

    4.5 stars The food here is amazing, and the portions are generous. This would have been five stars, but the nasi lemak wasn't perfect. While some pieces of the rendang melted in your mouth as expected, others were a bit too tough for my taste. The duck pad kapow was a standout, with incredible crispiness and bold flavors. Service is attentive and the staff gave us great recommendations on how to navigate the menu, especially since it was our first visit. The ambiance is very modern and feels upscale, although the prices are quite reasonable. It's a nice blend of traditional Southeast Asian elements with a modern American style.

    Christina V.

    It was amazing!!!! Our server Tammy was amazing too :) we both got drinks- the espresso martini was DELICIOUS. I usually only take a sip of it but I took a lot of sips!!! I got myself a cosmopolitan and it was classic. For appetizer get the papaya salad, a wonderful dish to get your stomach ready for the entrees! I honestly believe their Panang curry is the best this area has to offer. No dessert tonite but maybe next time :)

    Sarah L.

    I've been to south east impression multiple times but every time the food is so good ! The server was very kind and attentive. We got the tamarind shrimp, Haines chicken, pineapple fried rice, and the roti appetizer. It is a little pricey but it's a nice restaurant with beautiful interior !

    Pandan Creme Brulee & Mango Sticky Rice
    Ellen D.

    I have been to Southeast Impression a handful of times and have loved every single experience. Most recently I went for a friend's bridal party get together; we were able to make a reservation via phone a few days prior for our table of 10 so that was nice! Food: (5 of 5) -Appetizer Platter: great to share with friends and great for you have a small taste of everything -Papaya Salad: was refreshing but could definitely use more heat/spice -Pad Thai: cant go wrong with a classic -Nasi Goreng: topped with a delicious fried egg -Pineapple Fried Rice: presentation was everything!! -Roasted Duck Curry: sweet, great with rice -Pandan Creme Brulee: best dessert on the menu -Mango Sticky Rice: refreshing mango, would order again -My cup of Kopi: their take on an espresso martini, it was amazing, i ended up having 2 that brunch. The service was fantastic, our server was nice and attentive and kept our water glasses filled, and kept asking if we wanted additional drink refills. The ambiance is nice, it has a cozy vibe to it; with some booths and mostly table/chairs. Theirs a full bar so you can order what you like. I would highly recommend for a date night or brunch with friends.

    Mia H.

    Southeast Impression is a really great concept, where you can get traditional dishes from multiple SE asian countries all in one spot! They have a diverse menu of different noodle dishes, curries, soups, rice, and so so many appetizers. Service here was amazing and food came out pretty quickly. For appetizers, we ordered their fried wontons, fried calamari, salmon ceviche, and roti canai. All of them were delicious, but I highly recommend the roti canai because of how buttery the roti was and the curry was absolutely delicious! For mains, we got their pad thai, their panang curry, crab fried rice, pad see eiw, and hokkien mee. Favorites of the night here were definitely their panang curry and crab fried rice! Wish we had room more dessert but everything was so good, I was stuffed by the end.

    Nasi Lemak with chicken
    Grace H.

    Great restaurant with amazing food! I hadn't had much Malaysian or Singaporean food before, so I was interested in trying this place out. It did not disappoint! The inside is really cute and aesthetic and the menu has a wide variety of Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai dishes. I got the curry laksa which was delicious. The portions were very generous too! My fiancé got Nasi Lemak with fried chicken and his sister got the salmon. All were delicious and came out decently quickly. The rice on the Nasi Lemak had a nice coconut flavor. I'd definitely come here again-there were so many dishes on the menu that I want to try next.

    Annette A.

    I can't wait to come back and try something else off this massive menu. Food was tasty (small negative, the fish was a tad overcooked). Good level of spicy on the duck. Everyone enjoyed their food. The pandan cake was excellent. Service was good. Ambiance was good. Cleanliness was good.

    Amy W.

    This is one of the places that I've been dying to visit for a while and got lucky that I was able to walk-in without a reservation on a Friday night during prime dinner hours. It was meant to be! Interior is fun, modern & trendy with lively atmosphere. Great for any occasion -- from a birthday celebration to dining solo and sitting at the bar (with a window view)! The parking situation is limited so have patience. Kudos to the bar staff who guided me where to park (Scout on the Circle Apartments or Giant). I originally parked my car at Dunkin Donuts and they warned me that I may want to relocate my vehicle so I don't risk getting towed. As for food, Southeast Impression has a lot of options on the menu and was feeling indecisive. The staff recommended I might try the soft shell crab as this is not a typical dish that you might find elsewhere. Great choice -- the perfect amount of food for someone with a big appetite and bursting with flavor. Below are the ingredients. +Signature Singapore stir-fry chili crab served with tomato, onion, ginger, shallot, garlic, egg -- comes with a side of fried buns and white rice The dish came with four soft shell crabs and although the menu suggests that this item is already spicy as noted by the green chili symbol, the bar staff asked if I liked spicy and brought out a spice rack with four compartments. I customized it by making it spicier by adding the Thai fish sauce with red chilis. There is also a Dungeness crab version though is meant to be shared between two people. I am looking forward to trying one of the cocktails, My Cup of Kopi, and the desserts for my next visit!

    Pad Kapow Crispy Pork

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    Southeast Impression Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Southeast Impression

    Is this halal?

    Yes all their meat are Halal

    Would the chef be able to substitute some of the dishes with tofu or vegetarian protein?Entree like Thai curries and Thai noodles.

    Yes most of the dishes and all most all the curries and all but a couple of the noodle dishes is already pick your protein, in which you can pick just veggies or tofu or egg. There are a few specify seafood dishes and a duck and a lamb dish that are… 

    Is it possible to get carry out in order to avoid the uncomfortably loud music?

    Yes, you can! They have online ordering options for pick up and delivery. While the ambiance is fairly noisy it may not be for everyone, people do enjoy the atmosphere. I normally don't like loud restaurants but enjoyed the liveliness of the place.… 

    Is meat halal?

    The chicken and beef is halal

    View All 7 Questions

    Padaek

    Padaek

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    Loved Padaek. The service was friendly and thoughtful. Our server made great suggestions. We…read moreordered all kinds of dishes. The kra prow and the Burmese tea salad stood out the most. Flavors are authentic and the perfect balance of sweet spicy and sour. They also serve delicious cocktails. I had a tamarind cocktail which was to die for.

    It's been almost 2 years since I ate there last. Went on a Sat night and surprisingly not busy…read more Guessing the extreme cold made everyone stay home. We got the crunchy rice with sour pork (naem khao thadaeu), pork shoulder (ping), fried catfish (patod), chicken pad thai (kua mee), and warm coconut milky dessert (bua loy). All the dishes were delicious but a bit more salty than Thai. Feels like a lot of fish sauces in all the dishes. The crunchy rice came with lettuce but ours were not the best lettuce. The fried catfish were nicely fried with a perfect coating. Definitely a dish to get. The pork shoulder is another dish to get. Nicely seasoned with sticky rice. Their version of pad thai is uniquely different than Thai. A bit more sweet but the lime makes it better. Wife wanted to try bua loy dessert. It is a warm sweet dessert that balanced out all the salty flavors of the dishes. Something to try as well. Flavor are still the same. The dishes we order were too much for 2 of us. My only complaint was the restaurant smelled like smoke when we walked in. Not the kind where there was a fire in the kitchen but more like someone smoking in the kitchen?

    Photos
    Padaek
    Crispy Basil with Catfish
    Crispy Basil with Catfish
    Bua loy dessert ($9)

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    Bua loy dessert ($9)
    High Side

    High Side

    4.2
    (392 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Food! Best Taiwanese street food I've found, yet! The Pork Belly Bao is sooo good, and the Beef…read moreNoodle Soup? D A M N ! I love it! Top-tip: ask for just a little heat/spice to be added to the soup when you order. Service is awesome and conversational. Ask for Joe, who will likely be behind the bar. I also recommend sitting at the bar if it's just you or you're a friend. The bar has a more social vibe. Parking, this is downtown City of Fairfax, so parking is plentiful, and while in the neighborhood, checkout the City of Fairfax Regional Library; it's fantastic.

    tldr; if you like bars and you like Taiwanese bites. this place is an absolute vibe…read more I told my wife I want bar food and I haven't had any in months. Decided on this little spot in Fairfax town center after having a quick weekend day trip to DC. Really pleasantly surprised with the whole atmosphere of the place. It's a true fusion of asian bites but still a legitimate dive bar. The space is small, patrons are merry, and the whole place is an absolute vibe. I ordered some pilsner and some other lager on tap from local breweeies. Delicious. Ordered popcorn chicken, pork belly, and some 'real food' - a quick rice bowl with chicken. The fried bites were wonderfully crispy. They have good oil management and felt quite light especially with a swig of a cold lager. The rice bowl was tasty too. Construction was indeed very Taiwanese, and yet... I still felt like I'm in a dive bar complete with all its grunge. So cool They sell 4/6 packs of craft brews here too. They've got stuff all the way up from some Vermont and Maine (true craft beer land IMO)

    Photos
    Beef Noodle Soup
    Beef Noodle Soup
    Crispy Pork Belly
    Crispy Pork Belly
    Cold Sesame Noodles with wheat noodles tossed with tofu, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, scallions, and our house-made sesame peanut sauce.

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    Cold Sesame Noodles with wheat noodles tossed with tofu, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, scallions, and our house-made sesame peanut sauce.
    Mama Chang

    Mama Chang

    3.9
    (995 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Overall great food, would come back again! We ordered these:…read more Hot Chili oil flounder and tofu: surprisingly very tasty. we only ordered this because this was a very popular item. I'm not a big fan of tofu but this was delicious. The fish was so soft and the sauce really worked well. Ganghood chicken: our favorite thing on the menu, when it comes to fried chicken I'm a harsh critic. With that being said this was REALLY good fried chicken. Combination Fried rice: it had a mix of shrimp, chicken, beef and egg. It was simple yet flavorful. Shrimp dumplings: A bit bland, would not order again.

    Mama Chang is the perfect place for a group dinner. Come hungry, order a bunch of dishes to share,…read moreand you'll still leave with plenty of leftovers. Our group of five sampled a great variety from the menu, including the Hot & Numbing Tofu Skin, Crab Roe Soup Dumplings, Cucumber Salad, Lettuce Wraps, Cumin Fish, Stir-Fried Beef Tenderloin, Crispy Pork Ribs with Scallion Crisps and Mixed Grain & Purple Rice, Stir-Fried Beef with Chilies, and Kung Pao Chicken with white rice. The standout for me was the cumin fish. It was fried perfectly--crispy without being greasy--and the cumin added great flavor without overpowering the dish. The crispy pork ribs lived up to their name and had a nice kick of spice. The cucumber salad packed a serious garlic punch, which I really enjoyed. The Hot & Numbing Tofu Skin was something completely different from what I expected. It's sliced into long ribbons that resemble noodles or pasta. The flavor was excellent, although the texture took some getting used to. The only dish that fell a little short was the stir-fried beef tenderloin, which could have used a bit more seasoning. Everything else was delicious. The portions are enormous. At first the prices seemed a little high, but once the food arrived it made perfect sense. Every entrée was easily enough for two meals. One thing to keep in mind is that rice is ordered separately and isn't included with the entrées. Service was excellent throughout our meal. We arrived for lunch and didn't realize they close between lunch and dinner (lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). We ended up staying until about 2:45, and the staff never made us feel rushed even though they had technically closed. They greeted us promptly, took our drink orders, and gave us plenty of time to look over the menu without hovering. The restaurant is tucked away on the ground floor of an office building, so it's easy to drive right past if you aren't looking for it. Parking was plentiful, and the oversized booths comfortably fit all five of us without feeling cramped. If you're dining with a group and want to sample a variety of authentic dishes, Mama Chang is definitely worth the visit.

    Photos
    Indoor seating
    Indoor seating
    Peking Duck
    Peking Duck
    Mala Hot Pot

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    Mala Hot Pot
    Hawkers Asian Street Food

    Hawkers Asian Street Food

    4.4
    (997 reviews)
    8.8 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Catering service

    My girlfriends and I had dinner at Hawkers Asian Street Food last night and it was absolutely…read moredelicious and perfect. The decor is fun, playful, and really creates a great atmosphere. The food all comes as small plates so it's perfect for a crowd that likes to order many dishes and share everything. Our server was very friendly and even brought us a complimentary espresso martini which was so good!

    Located across the street from the Ballston Mall…read more We came late morning on a Sunday and the restaurant, both inside and outside, was pretty much empty of customers. I wasn't happy when the hostess tried that stupid restaurant trick where they try to seat you at the worst and smallest table (which did not have an umbrella) when most of the other tables are available. But I insisted on, and received, a better table. For a starter we ordered the Pok Pok wings, hoping that they were like the amazing and wonderful Pok Pok wings that were at the now long-gone Andy Ricker Pok Pok restaurants in Portland, OR. Hawker's Pok Pok chicken wings were not like the Portland Pok Pok wings but nonetheless, Hawker's Pok Pok (party) wings were excellent. We loved the flavors and the crispy battered texture. We also ordered the Crispy Wontons. These gingery babies were pleasantly plump. For an entrée, JP ordered the lamb udon and thought it was delicious. I ordered the chicken and shrimp Phad Thai. It also was tasty, perhaps a little on the spicy hot side. Lastly, I ordered a pork belly bun (the order comes with two steamed buns). These came with mustard greens. I thought the buns were just okay. The steamed buns should've been more fluffy and the five spice seasoning on the pork was pretty overwhelming. But yet, considering that service was decent and there's enough good stuff on the menu, we will be back.

    Photos
    Hawkers Asian Street Food
    Hawkers Asian Street Food
    Hawkers Asian Street Food

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    A&J

    A&J

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    A&J is one of our go to spots…read more You can't go wrong with the spicy beef and tendon noodle soup. The spice is a nice kick without being overpowering.

    We went on a sunday evening and it was packed. Luckily there was a table available when we walked…read morein. The restaurant is small. We didn't know how big the portions were since the menu didn't have any pictures. We relied on the photos from yelp or google. We ordered the beef noodle soup with wide noodles (clear broth), peking beef wrap, cucumber salad, braised pork rice, pan fried pork dumplings, steamed pork dumplings, and fried pork chop over rice. The beef noodle soup was good and clean but I would get the thin noodles next time. The wide noodles weren't as bouncy as I would've liked. I would come back for the cucumber salad and the peking beef wrap. All of our orders came reasonably on time after each other but we were still waiting on the fried pork chop over rice. Time passed as we almost finished with all of our dished until we asked one of the servers if our fried pork chop was coming. The server looked at our receipt order and acknowledged we did order it but told us it was sold out. Not one staff told us it was sold out when we placed the order or even when our other orders came out. We've been waiting this whole time expecting the fried pork chop not knowing it was sold out. We were asked if we wanted something else to replace the order and we decided to get the fried chicken over rice.

    Photos
    Interior space is pretty small.
    Interior space is pretty small.
    Pan fried pork bun
    Pan fried pork bun
    Dining room

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    Dining room
    Lafayette Deli and Caterer

    Lafayette Deli and Caterer

    3.5
    (22 reviews)
    11.2 mi
    $

    I was pleasantly suprised! I got a bacon egg and cheese sandwich which is hard to make apparently…read morein Chantilly (I've tried at Anitas who burns the egg or cantina who gives you and omelet on bread). I loved my bacon, egg and cheese from here! Was quick, taste great and affordable!

    Called to make an order to-go, and the lady on the phone could not understand my order. My…read morereception isn't always perfect so I calmly repeated my order a few times, in a slower variation each time. I'm assuming the lady got upset and gave up, hanging the phone up on my while I was mid-sentence. I called back immediately thinking it was a dropped call, and no one picked up the phone after MANY rings. Finally, the phone was answered by a man this time, who understood my order fine and got me set up. Cool! I was a little thrown off with getting hung up on, but it was no biggie (I know how things are with COVID, and i'm generally a compassionate person, hence this being the first time i'm writing a negative review). I'm not sure if they record their own calls or not, but if they do, then it will prove my case. When I arrived to get the food, I gave a warm greeting and was met with angry/judgmental stares from the two people working there (and they let me stand in line in an empty deli without asking me if I needed help for a good 4 minutes). They didn't speak a word other than repeating my order to me to clarify I was picking it up. Whatever, it was not ideal customer service but I wasn't going to get in my feelings about it. When I finally sat down in my car to eat my food, I must say it was one of the worst variants of this food item that I have ever had in my life. And it's a simple one, which puzzled me on how it tasted so foul. There was a protruding odor coming from the food item that just didn't smell right. When I took a bite, it was extremely disgusting and I had to spit it out. Ever since then, i've been thinking about the possibility of my food being tampered with (since this is a small deli and not some big chain establishment) and I really really hope it wasn't the case, but there's just no reason for a food item like that to be as disgusting as it was. I am giving 2 stars because I don't have it in my heart to give this small deli 1 star, especially during a pandemic. They were not busy at the time, so there's really no excuse as to why I was treated so poorly. I was a first-time customer, and will never be stepping foot in there ever again. The food taste/smell will remain a mystery I presume, as nobody would ever admit to such a thing even if they did do it.

    Photos
    Mini Chocolate Brownie
    Mini Chocolate Brownie
    Tiramisu on a Cup
    Tiramisu on a Cup
    Lafayette Deli and Caterer

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    Southeast Impression - thai - Updated August 2026

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