The Yummiest Soup in Washington

Asian Garden

★★★★☆ 3.6 (87) • $

"got lo mein, it was ok but overpriced for such a small portion. definitely was surprised when i opened the bag. husband also said place smelled like moth balls"

Grill Kabob Express

★★★★☆ 3.7 (211) • $$

"It's a gem. They have the BEST kabobs! We tried lots of Kabob restaurants in the area. This place is our favorite! Food is automatically ( in our humble opinion) fresh and delicious! Portion, price, service and quality is very great! Their bread is super good! Can't say enough about their food!"

Soul Thai Kitchen & Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (84) • $$

"Amazing food, service and ambiance.We came here and ordered the seasonal mulled wine, chive dumplings, spicy sweet basil with chicken and cashew lover with tofu. I absolutely enjoyed and ate everything. I recommend the seasonal drinks and chive dumplings as a starter. Portions are large as well. For mains, I enjoyed the spicy sweet basil was amazing but I'm sure anything on the menu is great."

Simply Banh Mi

★★★★★ 4.5 (659) • $

"This sandwich is EVERYTHING!... Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi with crispy eggplant. Please follow the rules. You must order your food online... and yes they are located in a basement. But seriously, the sandwich is amazing"

China King V

★★★☆☆ 3 (107) • $

"The food is so so good! They don't deliver to my address as I am outside their zone but I don't mind picking it up because it is that good! Best Chinese food I think I have ever had!"

Momo Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (14)

"This is a Taiwanese cuisine restaurant inside the 99 Ranch Asian market. They offer authentic Taiwanese street food and fast food combos. I ordered the popcorn chicken, the black pepper chicken bento, and the spicy crawfish bento. The popcorn chicken was average as expected. The black pepper chicken was really good! The black pepper sauce was spicy, but flavorful. It was nothing similar to the black pepper gravy or sauce in any Western cuisine. I stronger recommend you try it, but it is spicy. The crawfish bento was good, and my wife likes it. The lady at the reception was really nice and she was also responsible of making drinks. Since it is inside the food court inside the Asian market, you pretty much need to find a table on your own. The environment is fine. I took one star off because of the portion. It was pretty small for me."

Golden House

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (120) • $

"This is the BEST restaurant for Chinese cuisine that I have experienced in a very long time."

54 Noodles Bar

★★★★★ 4.8 (4)

"This place just opened up and they're super friendly and the portion size were amazing! I highly recommend this Vietnamese restaurant and will definitely be back in the future. They have a lot of plans for entertainment, such as karaoke and more!"

Cafe Hong Kong

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (132) • $$

"Good food and service Love the quality food was fresh and ready on time for pickup. They were nice a friendly"

Happy Eatery

★★★☆☆ 3 (59) • $

"Definitely becoming a regular here. Service is quick and friendly, they're a family owned business and treat you like their own! Everything I tried was tasty and very fresh, since they cook to order. Their General Tso's is my favoriteeee. Also love that they have bubble tea!! It's a bit far from me, but I make the drive since it's much better than the Chinese take out around my area. I'd definitely give them a try if you get a chance!"

Asian Cafe Chantilly

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (37) • $$

"I've gone here so many times and this place never disappoints. Their food is never oily and tastes fresh. Their prices are also reasonable and they serve large portions! I highly recommend their chicken friend rice and chicken broccoli. So delicious"

Hunan Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3 (85) • $

"Portion size was extremely small. Looked like what I would pay for lunch. The sweet and sour chicken looked like something I could have gotten in the frozen section of the grocery store. The fried rice had zero flavor. The only reason for second star is the spring roll was tasty if small and the food was ready on time."

Delizique

★★★★☆ 3.7 (53)

"Exceptional service and delicious food. Perfect location with outside eating place with shade. Try here and you won't regret."

Pho Kim

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (100) • $

"Straightforward menu doesn't try to do too much. Friendly service! Nice clean flavors ensured that their bun hit the spot. Started off with summer rolls, which had perfectly cooked shrimp. Definitely worth the stop if you are in the neighborhood"

Soup Up

★★★★★ 4.5 (130) • $

"We had a dreary day on a visit to DC and felt like soup would hit the spot. It sure did! We tried the grilled cheese w hot honey and three soups: Sage Chicken, Chicken Chowder, and Cashew Chicken Chickpea. My favorite was the Cashew Chicken w Chickpea but the overall favorite of our group was the Sage Chicken. Delish! We love parked on the street and it was easy parking. There is space to eat inside but probably it more than 5-8 people would fit. Great spot, and can't go wrong with one of these!"

Lotus Garden

★★★★☆ 3.5 (421) • $$

"This is one of my favorite places to get Chinese take-out in the Vienna area. No matter what you get the food is plentiful, delicious, and authentic.One of the best dishes on the menu is their hand pulled beef noodle soup. The fresh noodles really makes a difference, it's so bouncy and springy in your mouth and the broth is like a warm hug from a grandma. I'm a sucker for chicken fried rice, sesame chicken, and pan fried noodles and they do these dishes a solid here. I never leave disappointed.The interior reminds me of the old Chinese restaurants I used to frequent as a kid with the roasted ducks and bbq pork in the windows. They have lots of seating and it is always full of families sharing big platters of food.It's nothing fancy but places like these are truly a neighborhood gem!"

Pho 72

★★★★★ 4.6 (49) • $$

"My friend recommended this new spot, and after eating here I immediately saved it on doordash so I can get it delivered in the future LOL. I had the pho 72, and the broth tasted flavorful but clean, so I didn't have to guzzle water after eating to wash out the msg. The meat was tender too, but I wish they gave a little more - portion wasn't bad, but some other places do give more. I also tried the shrimp and pork summer rolls and the pork banh mi. The summer rolls were a little smaller than I'm used to, but they tasted good. The banh mi baguette was AMAZING - so perfectly crispy outside and fluffy inside. The meat was pretty good, though the seasoning was different from what I'm used to. It had a little curry or turmeric flavor for some reason? It was good, but different. The owner/manager was also super friendly! My partner and I had already ordered pho and summer rolls but were talking about the banh mi, and he came over and said he could add one to our order if we wanted LOL. He checked up on us regularly and was so welcoming with all the customers, both dine in and takeout.So happy to finally have a solid pho spot in DC!"

Panisa Thai Dining

★★★★☆ 4.2 (376) • $$

"Stopped here after a hair appointment to grab some lunch that wasn't fast food, and the fellow Yelp reviews persuaded me. A young man greeted me, and I asked to place an order to go. He handed me their menu but I read here to ask for their daily lunch specials. It was a handwritten list of 5-6 options, so I went for the Massaman Curry Chicken and added an order of spring rolls. They quoted a 10-minute wait, but it was bagged and ready for me in more like 5! I ate it at home, 20 minutes away, and it was still warm! The spring rolls were nice and crispy with a flavorful dipping sauce that wasn't too sweet like some others I've had. The lunch portion was a very good size and value. (This could have been an ample portion for dinner too, esp with the addition of spring rolls that I didn't have to share!) One side of the plastic portioned container had the yellow curried chicken and potatoes in sauce, and the other side had the jasmine rice with a vegetable mix of broccoli and thinly sliced carrot rounds. The Massaman curry was well-seasoned and flavorful; you could clearly taste the balance of spices and coconut milk. Delicious!I'll definitely be coming here again when I have the occasion to be in Burke."

Danji

★★★★☆ 3.7 (159) • $$

"Giving this place 4 stars after my second visit only because of their weird "leftover policy" and service.Food and ambiance was great as it was during my previous visit.As for the service, it gave me unpleasant experience. The biggest disappointment for me was the part, when I asked for to go box and waitress asked me "what for".Ummm, for the leftover food and I pointed at the table. I had rice and 3 side dishes left over. The waitress said that I can only take rice and not the side dishes. Then, she asked me if I still want a box.. Honestly, never before I've been in the situation where you cannot take left over food unless it's "all you can eat" restaurants.On top of that, this time as soon as I walked in, the waitress was staring at me for like 60 seconds deciding where I should sit. It was a bit awkward bc I was literally standing in front of her in the middle of the entrance also not knowing what to do. And time goes very slow when you're just standing in one spot. Place was 75% empty, so I don't see the reason that took her so long to decide. Anyway, I was already looking through the menu when she brought the QR code and said "it's the menu, scan it."I was confused but opened it. It took me to their website explaining what's Korean food is. Then, I noticed that next to that QR code it said, "if that's your first time trying Korean cuisine etc, etc." Ngl, It felt off. No one assumed it's my first time trying Korean food when I came there with my friend previously. So, I feel like 4 stars after this experience is way too high, but I really enjoyed my food."

Mandarin

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (92) • $

"Staff was so so nice greeted right away with a big smile! Food was very good. We got the eggdrop soup, lo míen loved it will be coming back"

Ambar Shaw

★★★★☆ 4.4 (186) • $$

"Ambar is a very very very good restaurant. I typically reserve my "great" reviews for the best of the best in my opinion. In my opinion, the very good versus great distinction I tend to apply to restaurants whose menu items are uniformly and universally excellent. So if and when you're a restaurant with 4 great menu items and 3-4 just okay menu items, I'd typically call describe that as a good restaurant. Having said that, this is another review where I desperately wish Yelp offered a half star option. I'd give Ambar Shaw a 4.5 rating, and I'd say that it leans way closer to a 5 star review than toward a 4 star review. In fact I'm changing my rating as I'm writing this.Onto the food. Ambar is excellent. Maybe not uniformly excellent, but excellent. Now - given the sheer and vast number of menu items on Ambar's menu, it would be almost impossible to be uniformly appealing to all diners with every single one of your dishes. People's tastes are just too diverse for you to be considered the best version of every single menu item you offer when you offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 different menu items.Having said all of that here's my experience of the restaurant. First - our server (whose name I sadly cannot remember off the top of my head) was EXCELLENT. One of the best service experiences I've had outside of a five star Michelin type restaurant. Not that Ambar doesn't rival some of those restaurants for a purely food experience, but it's a much more casual and comfortable dining experience than many of those types of places. Our server was hard to forget though as he has an epic beard and movie star leading man good looks (with a great accent) to match.Our party was seven people, and our tastes are all over the map. We ordered a lot of food altogether. I'd definitely suggest the following two things for larger parties at Ambar; be aware of what your table mates are ordering and communicate about that (so that you don't over or under order any of the best or least favorite menu items for your table), and pace yourselves.I felt like we ordered so much for at the beginning of our meal, because we were all so enthusiastic about the food that I was a little worried that we were eating "too fast." The food will come pretty fast in my experience of the Ambar restaurants (this was my second time dining at one after having dined at the Capitol Hill location previously), so you don't want to feel too "pressured" if/when 12 different dishes hit your table at one time.We started with; the veal soup, the beet salad, the steak tartare, and the lamb lasagna. The veal soup was good, and the other three items were all excellent. Very well balanced and not too heavy. Most of us raved about the steak tartare, which I rarely order or try these days in restaurants but this was an exception as it was during my birthday weekend. And I was well rewarded.The roasted baby carrots were a revelation. They were extraordinary and so surprisingly flavored (including the plate sauces). These were a really amazing highlight of the visit to Ambar. The Brussels Sprouts and the cauliflower were also very very good. The asparagus, baked beans, and mushroom pilaf were solid but not "I need to write home about it" dishes compared to the others.All of the wood fire grill items are worth a try, but the smoked sausage and the lamb medallions in particular were both standouts. The pork belly stuffed cabbage was also amazing and one of our table's favorites of the night. It was amazing. The beef short rib goulash was good but not great.All of the seafood dishes were very good with the shrimp being exceptionally good. The salmon was probably the least interesting of the seafood dishes.It's hard to find an "off" dish at Ambar, but some will lift you higher than others. Try everything though. It's a fantastic menu with something for everyone.On a seemingly unrelated (but borderline related) note, the carrot ginger drink on offer was one of the best I had during my last trip through Washington, DC (5 days). It was so good and so refreshing and such a lift that someone in your party has to try it the next time you go to Ambar's Shaw location. Have a great meal, which is a virtual guarantee."

Kenny's Sub Shop

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (76) • $

"5 star for a carry out. I hope you could hear my fake Marralin accent. When I lived here it was my go-to for 4 wings and fries or chicken cheesesteak with extra hots. Same menu same dopeness of greasy and hit just right with cold Nehi sodas and mambo sauce!"

Wang Dynasty

★★★★☆ 4.1 (199) • $$

"Delicious, fresh food, a wide selection of options and everything I've had has been very tasty and filling. I just wish they used Uber Eats so I could order it for delivery."

Pesce Seafood House

★★★★★ 4.7 (54)

"Food, service, ambience 10 plus stars. One of my favorite restaurants ever. Crab cakes were fantastic as was lobster risotto. Drinks very fun too."

Ruta Ukrainian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (18)

"Never have I had "high end" Ukrainian food as I grew up with it. So I compared each bite to ones I recognized growing up. I have to say, I was skeptical. But I'm impressed. I'm a cold green borscht kind of guy as my mom specializes in that version. But their hot green borscht was excellent. Vareniki also impressive (got the assortment). Salo and farshmak were the winners for me though. Salo is a great filling dish. I grew up w farshmak. It may scare you, but trust me. Kvas on tap was also excellent. Never had a version I enjoyed. Dark was better than blonde imo. Also, never had a honey cake like this one. Subtle on the sweetness, honey flavor comes through just right."

Luke's Lobster Georgetown

★★★★☆ 4.2 (659) • $$

"Went to Luke's Lobster with a friend on a Friday afternoon. It was pouring out so it wasn't packed and the staff was very welcoming. Luke's lobster always has great quality food and comes out in a timely manner. Even though it's not exactly a sit down greeted by server type restaurant, they still bring the food to wherever you decide to sit which is nice because you don't have to awkwardly stand in front of them until the food is ready. The only down side is that the price range is very high. It is high quality food though so I'm not complaining, but it's just not something I would get on a daily basis."

Yia Yia's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (620) • $$

"Great for lunch. My sister treated me. Food was very flavorful. Steak was tender. Rice had a nice flavor, I did not need anything on it. Salad was great. I asked them not to include cucumbers or olives. The salad would've been a little fuller had I not, fyi. Will definitely have them again for lunch. Or maybe dinner."

Pho Hot

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (335) • $

"The best pho around!!!! Very hot and flavorful! Tony makes the best peach oolong tea - medicinal"

Gom Shabu - Annandale

★★★★☆ 4.1 (102) • $$$

"Whenever my friend and I are craving hot pot, this is our go-to place. We used to go to the one in Centreville but now that Gom Shabu is in Annandale, we prefer this location. It's located in the same shopping center as The Block and K Market grocery store. The staff here are very nice and attentive. If you need anything, you just push the call button and they'll come to your table. The restaurant is pretty spacious and has lots of seating. The tables have individual hot pots so you don't have to share one pot with your party. The ordering is pretty easy, they hand you a slip and you mark off what you want such as broth, dipping sauce, meats, seafood, vegetables, dumplings, and noodles. I usually get the mala soup base and it is really good if you like the numbing Sichuan spice flavor. You can also pick your own dipping sauce which is based on different spice levels. I like the medium spicy which isn't too spicy but has enough kick when dipping the meat/vegetables. There is a utensil station and sauce bar in the back so if you want more toppings for your hot pot you can get more. Overall, I've always enjoyed my experience here and I've never been disappointed with the food. It always hits the spot when I crave hot pot."

China Express

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (100) • $$

"If what you're looking for is Americanized Chinese food. That is what you will get here. Greasy, MSG filled, unauthentic Chinese fast food. This rating is NOT a reflection of the service I received here. The cashier and gentlemen in the back cooking the food were all very kind. Their fried chicken and general tsao chicken are good. This is the only reason why I gave them 2 stars. I tried their chicken and broccoli and I really wanted to like it BUT it was just TOO SALTY. It tasted like pure MSG. So I had to throw it away, and I REALLY HATE throwing away food. We also ordered their beancurd soup, in hopes that it would taste somewhat authentic. It looked like a bunch of rotten vegetables that were going to be thrown out were put into this soup. There were a few pieces of tasteless tofu in a MSG filled broth.Their fried rice was dark brown, flavorless, and dried out. They mixed it with so much SOY SAUCE, that it wasn't even appealing. Other than that, we ate all of the fried chicken and general tsao chicken.When I ordered from this place, I wasn't expecting anything to be authentic. I knew I was going to get fast food. But that's no reason for the dishes to be so dry, tasteless, and overfilled with MSG. Give this place a try. Just because I did not have a good experience here doesn't mean YOU won't like it, or your dish won't turn out better. Hopefully, it does."

Himalayan Heritage Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (579) • $$

"I'm not a huge fan of Indian food, but I was with a group that likes it so I was up for giving it a try. We ordered a wide range of dishes to share. They were generally pretty good, but in my limited experience with Indian food, I have definitely had better. The ambiance of the restaurant was a little underwhelming, but it was fine. Overall , not a bad experience, but it just isn;t my favorite kind of food."

Pho House

★★★★★ 4.5 (64) • $$

"got takeout from here, but the inside looked cute as well!ordered the vegan tofu noodles and the veggie pho, and both were absolutely delicious with portions large enough to last for leftovers. def will be ordering from here again!!!"

Mister Days Sports Rock Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"Totally down with new mister days. Food was solid, management was super nice, music on Friday night was lit"

China Fong's Carryout

★★☆☆☆ 1.9 (18) • $$

"Fast, easy, cheap! It's exactly what you pay for. The food is cooked fresh. The menu is simple. The boss lady is nice. The price is great for the amount of food you get. Flavors are pretty good too."

New China Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (65) • $

"I was craving Chinese carry out and used door dash. The food came earlier than the estimated time and it came really hot too. Beef and broccoli and the hot and sour soup were pretty good for carry out. Door dash didn't have the option to add chili oil on the side, but I called the restaurant and the lady added it. The dinner portion of the beef and broccoli is large."