Eerkin's Uyghur Cuisine

My daughter recommended this restaurant and it was excellent! Highly recommend the eggplant salad, we tried 2 different kabobs, chicken and lamb and both were great, and had the homemade laghman, also very tasty. Will definitely be back!

Great authentic Uyghur food and nice service. Noodles here are perfectly al dente, which gets 6 stars out of 5 for me!! My friends and I had the following dishes:- Eggplant salad - great and tasty- Uyghur lamb kebab - amazing!! Very tender, succulent, and flavorful. Definitely a must-get. - Eerkin's butter naan - buttery and lightly flavorful- Depanchi (with chicken) - great noodle dish, and the potatoes were soooo soft and tender (so good om nom nom). - Chop fried soman (with lamb) - the noodles were cut up in small diced pieces, which was a unique sight (and texture) for me. Tasted just like noodles but with completely different texture. Delicious and a delightful novelty.

In the area at a nearby store looking for some food to bring home, this place caught our eye. We looked at the online menu and selected Manta (both beef and veg), Thawa Lamb Kabob (w/ naan), Uyghur Lamb Kabob (w/ rice) and Gyro Laghman (Beef).Well, let me take a step back. We actually wanted other stuff but at the very end saw the disclaimer * "(Available Only in DC/MD)". So we wasted some time picking stuff they actually don't have at this location.On entry there's a big table (maybe seating 8) right up against the register but luckily it's not occupied, because you stand right there to make an order at the counter. The lady asks what I want (did not offer me a menu - luckily I have it written down).On order, turns out either she cannot hear me or they do not have veggie (pumpkin) manta or "Uyghur" despite it being on the online menu. So I quick swap and do a double order of beef dumplings and she recommends another lamb kabob plate instead. I blindly agree.If you followed my first account, you know I don't like onion, so after finishing my order I realized the prediciment I am in (no menu #trust), so ask her about onion. She says it does and suggests instead just getting individual lamb kabobs (at 4.99 each) and a side of rice.I can make rice at home so I'm a little off put now, but I go with her suggestion. She asks me how many kabobs and I am not sure how big the dish that doesn't exist had so I say 2.So that's all set now and she says the dumplings need to be made so it'll be 30 minutes. I'm down for freshness but be aware to call ahead or wait if you want dumplings. Food comes as expected with 3 plastic forks and a spicy sauce and a vinegar sauce in small tubs. They put their togo in the black plastic tupperware with the clear lids (the black plastic no longer being recyclable in this area may be noteworthy to environmentally conscious folk).Before I review the food, I wanted to disclaim that I went to the grocery store before eating it so it was probably an hour later. Despite this and the cold weather, the food was still warm and we didn't reheat anything so props there.As far as the food itself:* The Manta (dumplings) were very good. Per my SO the vinegar sauce was for them but I prefer soy so didn't have it that way. SO also said these theirs was spicy but I didn't experience that. I will also say pumpkin dumplings sound awesome and I was super sad that they didn't have them. I will be on the lookout for something like this or even maybe look into a recipe. There were 6 per order.* The "Thawa" was not a traditional kabob and instead was basically like a beef (but I assume lamb) rib on the bone. There were some very light veggies on top which I suspect contained onion and scraped them off. After removing the meat from the bone it was maybe a fists worth. So not a lot (and probably paid for it) but it was good meat tho (tho my preference is still beef ribs :)).The naan bread that came with my SO said reminded them of "fry bread". It was thicker than ones I've had in the past.* The lamb kabob was fine but nothing to write home about. Moby Dick has better ones. Also the "2" I got totaled 8 pieces of meat and some of it was really small. My SO guessed the skewers may come with alternating onion but because I said no onion we just got meat. The pictures I see off kabobs are much bigger tho (and no veggies), so I wonder if they gave me a single one despite the ask for 2. Receipt was not itemized.* The rice was was not special at all and pretty much any price I paid for it was probably too much as I mentioned I can make normal rice at home :P It was a shade crispy which I like.* The "Laghman" was spicy but not overwhelmingly so. It came with similar veggies as the "Thawa" with a few more, perhaps a mushroom. The noodles were stellar and IMO the best part of the meal. The beef was present but didn't dominate the noodles. If I liked the noodles less I'd say this dish was undersauced but didn't mind.So all in all, I'd go back here again if someone asked me but wouldn't suggest it to others and if I went again I'd probably want to sit in to compare experiences.I was super turned off by the fact the online menu didn't match what they have in restaurant...that makes pre-planning very difficult to impossible. The fact they have a shared menu for 3(+?) locations only makes it worse.Also, this could be my fault, but the dishes I got were VERY carb and meat heavy. I am used to the full feeling after eating out but this didn't feel good after I finished this meal, it felt bad, like I should eat less. And I took that as "I didn't enjoy this as much as other food".I also am not keen on the fact the (online) menu has no prices. My total came to just under $100 for the record.As far as dine in, the eating area to me looked a little cramped but I didn't dine in so could be wrong.Restrooms were single occupancy and were in use when I tried so can't say more than that.

My wife and I first tried Uyghur cuisine many years ago at a now closed restaurant in Arlington. The meal we had there left a hugely positive impression for its unique fusion of Chinese and Turkish flavors that we have fondly reminisced on since. Since that initial meal, we haven't lived in a city with Uyghur restaurants, but our return to the area gave us the chance to try it again and see if the magic remained. We selected Eerkin's based on its appealing, lamb heavy menu of Uyghur classics and are happy to report the food here is super delicious. Upon arriving, we were seated immediately and ordered three dishes. The thugur (small boiled lamb dumplings) arrived first. The thumbnail sized parcels benefited from a soft, chewy dough and a juicy, robust filling that paired perfectly with chili oil and black vinegar. The size of the dumplings and the great textures and flavors made for an addictive bite and a promising start to the meal. Our other two dishes arrived shortly after the dumplings, and both similarly hit the mark. The khazan lamb kabab comprised slices of lamb and onion stir fried with plenty of cumin and served atop Uyghur naan. The smoky, slightly crispy yet tender meat and piquant spicing evoked cumin style lamb at my favorite Sichuan restaurants, and the naan soaked up all the spice and meat juices better than rice ever could. The laghman brought fresh, perfectly chewy and thick noodles to the table topped with a generous serving of tender-crisp, chili inflected, and saucy stir fried vegetables and lamb. I consider this dish a must order here due to the quality of the handmade noodles, which rank among the best I've had at any restaurant. Our bill totaled about $60, which felt very fair given the freshness and uniqueness of the food we ate. Eerkin's dining room won't win any awards for ambiance, but feels cozy and comfortable enough to dine in. Besides, you're here for the food anyways. Service was efficient and helpful. Our waiter was good at explaining the differences between unfamiliar dishes and steering us in the correct direction. Overall, Eerkin's in Fairfax is absolutely worth a visit for any fans of Turkish or Chinese food, or really any foodie who wishes to try great dishes from an under-appreciated cuisine.

We came back after an year. The service is good and food is tasty although the place is very cramped and not very clean.

Yum food here was so good. Had the lamb and chicken skewers. They are very well seasoned and meat is so tender. You can also ask for bread and it is so good. The noodles have a great chewy texture because they are hand pulled. Don't forget to ask for chili oil. It is made in house and so good. I left with chili oil all over my face and hands cus I had so much of it. Would come back

Besides the extremely slow service (they were also serving a huge group, to be fair), the food was a 5/5. I'd 100% come back to Eerkin's for Uyghur food. My friend and I shared a couple entrees and we enjoyed what we got!KHAZAN BEEF KEBABGet this with naan, not rice. The naan was topped with sesame seeds and so fluffy and soft. The texture was perfect with the cumin-heavy spiced beef which was tender and juicy. This was so good and it didn't taste overly greasy or fatty. Would definitely recommend!DAPANCHI (SMALL CHICKEN PLATE)This can feed a lot of people. Lots of chicken (marinaded well) with peppers, potatoes, handmade wide noodles (the perfect al dente and texture) in a lightly spicy sauce. Such a homey dish that my friend and I really enjoyed. Again, these noodles were the highlight. And of course, everything else was fine. But wow, these noodles were amazing.Glad I tried Eerkin's! I would recommend if you're unsure. Don't hesitate. Get off that fence and enjoy some delicious food.

I've been eager to try Eerkin's Uyghur Cuisine for a few months now! My pal and I ventured to the Fairfax location and were excited to try out a variety of Uyghur specialties.The ambiance of the restaurant was quaint and cozy. From the checkered table cloth to yellow walls, I loved how simple and classic all of the decor was alongside Uyghur artifacts. You can really tell Eerkin's is a lively establishment that embodies pieces of Uyghur culture everywhere you turn.I'd also like to applaud the ability for this restaurant to bring together families and friends from all cultures - absolutely beautiful to witness!The service was incredible! Our servers made sure to give us accurate wait times for our food to be ready. They ensured that if a table was available they would let us know and they did just that! We decided to eat the food out of the to-go boxes to save on cleanup, but they were so kind and offered to provide us with additional plates if needed. We started off with two Lamb Kebabs and Samsa, a bun with minced beef, onion, and seasoned with black pepper. The kebabs were tasty bites sprinkled with cumin/house spices that were a great start to the meal. The Samsa was a bit on the heavier side with a strong meaty and onion flavor. Think a meat pie with great spice!We then got the Homemade Laghman - hand-pulled noodles with stir fried lamb and an assortment of onions and peppers. I really enjoyed how the juices from the lamb was essentially the sauce that bound the peppers and onions. Phenomenal!To finish off, we got the Khhazan Lamb Kabab with naan. I really loved the cut on this lamb and thought it paired perfectly with buttery, soft Uyghur naan. The lamb was slightly spicy and packed a great flavor that submerge throughout the naan. Very unique taste that was delectable.The meats were divine! Eerkin's spice mix of a spicy red chili and cumin that was savory in the best way possible. Each were bursting with flavor, incredibly juicy, and were cooked just right.Amazing, quality food and I cannot wait to come back to try more. A fantastic introduction to Uyghur Cuisine - a new favorite of mine!

Super surprisingly pleasant!!! We got some pan fried noodles, lamb and kabobs. The kabobs definitely the best would 100% recommend. We finish it so fast I before I remember to take a pic . Server is super friendly and helpful, answer all of our question and help us pick the best dish.

A super hole in the wall type place - I felt like I was in a family member's living room! Due to the small space, tables are kind of close together but they are able to fit big groups if they're not already full. Everything we tried was tender and flavorful. This was my first time having this type of cuisine and I was surprised to find so many similarities to Chinese food! My favorites were the lamb skewers and ugrah noodle soup. Will def be back to try more!