Ariake Japanese Restaurant

Great sushi place for a great price. They have great portion size for the cost and you won't leave hungry. Parking lot right in front of the restaurant.

I absolutely love the sushi here! It’s made fresh on-site and you can even watch the chefs making it with the setup they have. The dining room is full of life with servers always at the ready to take orders, refill a beverage or clear finished dishes. It’s always busy but absolutely worth the wait for a table because the food is stellar. The owner is almost always there and is incredibly friendly and outgoing. The menu also has options for those who may not like sushi, like noodle dishes or Japanese curry. I highly recommend!

It's a really great sushi restaurant. The quality of the fish is so good. Korean style sashimi rice is also good. However, the hot tea was not hot

I drive from DC pretty regularly to get sushi here. The quality of the fish is fantastic, the prices are reasonable, the staff is always really nice and welcoming. Chef YJ and the waitstaff always go above and beyond making the drive so worth it.

3.5 out of 5. Had the sashimi and nigiri platters, both were great for the price. Also ordered a single piece of toro for $10 which was regrettable. The chicken karage was mushy and not crispy at all, it tasted like something from the frozen section of a grocery store. Miso soup was a welcome addition while the salad was very bare and lacked dressing.

I've been here countless times and I'll always come back. The food is phenomenal! Jacob and his staff are attentive and friendly and know us well by now. Even if I'm not in the mood for sushi I can find something else fantastic here (e.g. ramen, dumplings, tempura). If it's on the menu you must splurge on toro and wagyu. The best! If you're new to sushi get a YTS roll and you'll be happy. Pictured are toro and a volcano roll.

Really enjoyed the dining experience here! We did have a bit of a long wait due to no reservations, but it was worth it. 10/10 recommend the nagiri eel, so delicious. Everything tasted fresh and was played beautifully!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ariake is an absolute gem for Japanese cuisine lovers! From the moment you step in, the ambiance is warm and inviting, setting the perfect tone for an exceptional dining experience. The menu is filled with a variety of delicious dishes, each prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and incredible attention to detail. One of the standout features is their special $20 lunch menu, which is an extraordinary option for workers looking for a high-quality meal at a great price. The portions are generous, the flavors are authentic, and the service is top-notch. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick lunch or enjoying a full dinner, Ariake never disappoints. Highly recommended!

Seriously some of the BEST sushi that I've had period. Everything is so incredibly fresh and they have some amazing rolls that are a part of their specials. It can get fairly busy and packed but the wait isn't horrible and trust me when I say it is so worth it. I love ordering their salmon belly sashimi because it comes in such thick slices and is perfectly fatty to just melt on your tongue. You really can't go wrong with any of the rolls either especially their Toro power roll and Florida roll. Everything is so fresh and delicious!

I was debating between 4 stars and 3 stars, but ultimately decided to give them 3. I ordered the salmon teriyaki, and the dish as a whole was very okay. I thought the salmon itself was pretty good. It was moist, and I liked the teriyaki sauce. I did not like the vegetables that came with it though. They felt under seasoned and like an afterthought. I also felt like it was expensive for what you got. I tried a bite of the chicken teriyaki as well, and it was just okay. I would say that both the teriyakis were somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, maybe closer to 3 stars. The service was average, maybe below average, like 3 stars. Nothing special or noteworthy about it. I would probably come back here, but would opt to try something else.

We came here in a large party of 10 for dinner on a Thursday night. I ordered some specialty rolls, assorted sashimi, assorted nigiri, and shrimp tempura. Everyone got a miso soup and salad to start out. The fish were all very fresh. I really enjoyed the assorted nigiri. The tempura udon was nice and light. Our server messed up a few times with not getting all of our table's orders and hearing the orders wrong. The manager came up to apologize and said the sake would be on the house. The server also came to apologize and brought out mochi ice cream on the house. The mochi part of the mochi ice cream was hard and not soft, chewy like they should be. They tasted as if they're old and have been sitting in the freezer for too long. The restaurant is one big room without any dividers/walls. I think this causes the restaurant to be very loud, filled with everyone's conversations. Overall, the food was delicious and fresh! Service and ambiance could be better.

I was surprised how busy this restaurant was for a middle of the week. I love that restaurants are still doing well. I would order cooked items here. The sushi isn't bad, but the texture is firmer than I prefer and has a stronger fishy flavor I associate more with budget sushi. I can't remember if the spicy crab roll mentions the topping is imitation crab or not, but it's definitely not lump crab meat. I think the pricing is fair for the quality however so I would still recommend coming here. My wife enjoyed everything, but also agreed that the fatty salmon was pretty firm to chew. Service was good but a little all over the place. I had dropped some salad and picked it up and wiped the floor with my napkin. We asked for another napkin and it never came. The second time we asked it was fine. It's not a problem at all, but can show you the difference of experienced staff who can handle a busy shift and newer staff perhaps getting a bit behind. A similar situation happened when we asked for a to-go box. We were handled one mediumish box that clearly wasn't big enough. We got a "....." reaction when we asked for a second. They said okay and the second take out box never arrived until we asked another person. We had a good time overall. I know Ariake is a beloved spot in the foodie community and I can see why.

As always they never disappoint. Fresh seafood, prompt and polite wait staff. Not crowded tonight n never seems too loud to have a normal conversation.

Terrible service and food quality has gone down. I placed an online order and when we came to pick up the food, they were rudely gaslighting us by saying we didn't order anything and that maybe it was their other location. They were skeptical even after we showed them the receipt. They brought coworkers over to gang up and dismiss us. Turns out their online ordering system was malfunctioning, but they just couldn't believe that our order still went through. Maybe have a little faith in your customers and don't treat us like lying scammers? And that maybe my order went through right before your tech issue? After they saw that our order was indeed in their system, they made our sushi, but didn't apologize or offer any water during the wait. Such a bad business with rude employees. They have the worst parking situation, too. Disappointing, because they used to be our go-to for sushi. Now I will never come back. Strongly DO NOT recommend.

I came here in the weekend. The parking lot wasn't packed when I got here but definitely filled up quickly as it got closer to the rush. As for the food everything tasted fresh and not frozen. I'd like to mention what was my favorite but everything tasted great. Definitely better one of my favorite places for sushi now. The service was great and there was free WiFi which was nice to use while waiting for the food. This place has a family atmosphere, and I wouldn't mind recommending this place for that.

Ariake was such a wonderful experience. It is making it very hard for me to choose my favorite sushi restaurant in the area, it definitely stands in my Top. We got sat very quickly, and our server was so attentive and friendly. We ordered two specialty rolls: the Florida roll and the Toro Power roll. These were SO fresh and tasty! You could taste how high-quality their protein selections were. I highly recommend both! For main entrees, we ordered the Assorted sushi plate, and the Chicken Teriyaki Dinner Bento box. I was surprised to see that they offered a Dinner Bento box, which isn't as common and I was not disappointed. The amount of high-quality sushi and food we ordered was so worth it compared to how much we ended up paying. The pics and video speak for themselves!!! I will definitely be returning!

This place is so good! First impressions, it looks small on the outside but it is actually quite big on the inside. I went on a Friday evening so parking can get full quickly. They do not do reservations so be prepared to wait for a table if you're planning to go at a busy time. I had a party of 8 people and we waited about 10-ish minutes to be seated. Nice thing is if most of your party has arrived they will go ahead and seat you! This place is more on the casual side but I love the ambiance it gives off! The food here is so damn good! The quality of fish here is to die for. I really wish I ordered sashimi as well but I was so full from the 3 rolls I ate. My two sisters ordered a huge variety of sushi rolls and every one of them was so good! I ordered three rolls and they tasted great. I definitely have to order sashimi next time because that's what I heard they are well known for. The rolls are so good though I highly recommend trying a few! I definitely would come back again and highly recommend everyone try this place out! Just a heads up if you go with a big party they can only split the check 4 ways maximum! And they will charge you a gratuity fee of 20% with big parties.

We came for lunch and we ordered different sushi and sashimi combos that came with miso soup and salad; Someone else ordered the bento combo that looked good as well. Sushi quality good relative to today's inflated prices with good portion size. Miso soup a little salty. Overall, I would recommend this place for the sushi and bento box specials for lunch as service was quick with a simple, clean environment.

Food: best sushi in all of the DMV and this is coming from a New Yorker. Rumor has it that Ariake gets their fish imported daily from the famous Japanese fish market. Chutoro and King Salmon Nigiri are the best, melts like butter in your mouth! Wait time typically are minimal and service is great. Due to the quality of the sushi - Ariake does tend to be on the pricier side, so depending on how hungry you are and what you want to try the minimum I've spent here is usually $50.

Heard great things about this sushi spot, so finally made a visit. The sushi was fresh and very good! A large selection of different fishes and daily specials. The apps and ramen were good, but nothing out of this world. Our server was also great as well, walking us through the best things to get. Apps: Takoyaki and Tempura Entrees: Assorted Sushi/Sashimi and Tonkotsu Ramen

My friends and I came here for a friend's birthday, and the vibes were pretty nice except that it's really loud in here. It's really hard to have a conversation because it's hard to hear each other. We ordered a lot of food and shared some of it. The portion size was really good, so none of us even finished our food. I honestly couldn't identify some of the food in the bento and they were okay in taste, but the sushi and fish and whatnot were food. Service was good, and the food came with rice, salad, and soup.

Ordered the Assorted Sushi/Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon Roll, Ariake Roll. The rolls have great amount of fish inside. At some restaurants I feel that the nigiri is too thinly sliced and you only taste rice, but this restaurant had wonderful cuts! I think the price is worth the quality and quantity you receive.

Ariake is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to! I've been here over 20 times in the last few years and every time the sushi is fresh and super high quality while at a reasonable price. I've been to plenty of fancy sushi places in DC but Ariake beats them all in terms of quality and price. I've taken basically everyone I know here and everyone leaves loving it. Highly recommend the fatty salmon, fatty tuna, and fatty yellowtail nigiri, they give thick cuts of fish and the fatty tuna literally melts in your mouth. For rolls, the toro power roll and deluxe ariake roll are my favorites and both are so delicious. Service is always fantastic, and the manager is super friendly. They can get busy, especially on weekends, but the sushi chefs are preparing everything fresh to order. Even on weekdays they can get pretty busy which speaks to the quality of food here.

We were in the area and saw this place for lunch on a Sunday. Really nice atmosphere inside and very clean. Servers were all very pleasant and friendly. I got sushi while my husband got a bento box, both delicious and very affordable. Would love to visit again sometime.

We came to Ariake off of a friends suggestion that they had great food. We came on a weekday night and the parking was packed. We were served a miso soup and a salad that's typical of Japanese restaurants. I got the tekadon bowl. Our group's food came almost at once and the food was fresh and delicious. Since it was my birthday, they also were nice to give us a scoop of ice cream with a candle on top. The price is a bit steep and parking can be challenging. However I do recommend trying out this place.

Ariake's fish quality is truly unmatched! I've ordered to-go over a dozen times & it's amazing everytime. The fish is insanely fresh. I usually go for lunch & get the sushi lunch or the deluxe variation. The French kiss roll is so good. The caramelized onions add such a delicious sweetness to the roll. I've been dying to try the toro power roll but seems to be sold out often. They were able to substitute with a salmon power roll (not on the menu) which I appreciated & it was delicious. I've also tried their bento boxes, which I feel for the price, should have a bit more to it. This place is a bit more expensive than other sushi spots but well worth it for the astounding quality. A must visit if you're a sushi lover!

Whenever I drive by this place at night, it's always packed. I stopped by for lunch, and it wasn't crowded. The place was clean, and the staff was very friendly. I ordered the sushi and sashimi lunch, which comes with miso soup and salad. I also ordered the toro power roll. The food was great and fresh. Compared to other sushi places in the area, this one is high quality which justify it's price. The toro power roll was one of the best sushi I've had in NOVA. The toro melts in your mouth, and the roll has a slight crunch. It's a great combo. 10/10 will return.

I will admit I was skeptical when I drove by this location. I mean it is in an old Pizza Hut and visualizing it as a sushi spot was hard. It took realizing there was another in Reston and visiting it with a co-worker on her recommendation that resulted in hubby and I giving it a try. Needless to say I wish we had tried it earlier. We arrived in the later hours but it was still packed and resulted in us taking sushi bar seats for which I am thankful. Seeing the chefs in action was an added bonus and one we recommend. We got some staple items & tried some that were new or different from past experiences. We will definitely be back and next time I will try to remember to take pictures before we dive in.

Great food, good staff. My current preferred sushi spot (over Tachibana, Sushi Prince, Matsushi, Suny Suhi). Parking is tricky but not impossible. My single complaint, the interior sound level. Between the families, kids, groups, and everyone trying to talk over each other in an open room, it's impossible to have a casual conversation. My date and I had to text each other to communicate and my ears were ringing afterwards.

Do you ever go for sushi on a Wednesday? We were nicely surprised that the sushi tasted pretty fresh on an early weekday. Somehow it tasted better than last time we visited. Had a Sushi & Sashimi combo, anded an Eel & Cucumber Roll and 2 pieces of Toro Nigiri. We were not stuffed but satisfied. Glad this place is in our hood and we can come here whenever.

We came to Ariaks off of a friends suggestion that they had a great omakase and that was definitely true to the letter. We came on a Saturday night and while the place was packed we were able to be seated pretty quickly for a party of 2. We knew we wanted the omakase so ordered that plus the o-toro hand roll. We were served a miso soup and a salad that's typical of Japanese restaurants. Nothing too crazy here but a good start to the night. The service was super attentive and while we didn't feel like the wait was too long, they kept coming over to apologize for the delay. They even gave us a complimentary edamame and shishito pepper. Both dishes were pretty good as we were waiting for the omakase. When the omakase came, it came all at once and each piece was as fresh as the last. The even gave us a free piece of Uni for the wait as well. We heard they get their fish imported fresh from Japan every Friday so Saturdays fish was as fresh as it gets. The only knock some people have is that typical omakases are served piece by piece however it comes out all at once at Ariake. We didn't mind it at all and will probably choose this place over other similar priced places in the city.

I heard their Reston location is better but after coming every so often, Im starting to like it for what its worth for our sushi cravings. They have a decent menu for all ages (babies who can take solids to vegetarians). It is kid friendly! Staff is very friendly.

Sooooo...I was recently discussing Ariake with some friends and while we all agree that Ariake is a quality sushi / Japanese cuisine spot, they disagree on the overall rating. Their opinion was on the 3 star scale, while I deem it worthy of an overall 4 star rating. And surprisingly, one of their points of contention (if you will) is that Ariake is not an "authentic" Japanese restaurant. "You know, James...this place is Korean owned, so how good can it be?" Hmmm...that is an odd reason to "ding" a place since my rebuke to them was, "Well, while that may be true, do you think that the majority of cooking occurring at XYZ (famous well regarded French Restaurant in DC) is being done by 'French cooks' in the kitchen???" I can 100% guarantee, it is not. And for that matter, in many of the Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, etc. kitchens, the food preparation/cooking is being done with chefs not native to those cuisines. So in the end, we had to agree to disagree. Ariake occupies a building that was formerly a Pizza Hut - as evidenced by the telltale hallmarks of slanted multi-level "hat like" roof on the exterior and high ceilinged cavernous interior dining room. But other than these architectural hold-overs, the interior space is very modern with faux marble table tops, a mix of wooden seating, tile and hardwood flooring, and abundant pendant and recessed lighting choices. My party of four ordered several dishes so as to obtain a wide sampling of flavors. I won't really comment on the miso soup and house salad with ginger dressing, except to say they were forgettable. But the two sushi rolls the table ordered were quite good. Fresh tasting LARGE pieces of salmon and tuna were lightly seasoned with a spicy marinade, and wrapped in not too soggy sushi rice. Unlike at many sushi restaurants, the fish was not chopped up into a mushy paste (which places sometimes do to mask the flavor of fish that is not fresh), which really allows the quality of fish to be evident to the diner. As for the mains, of late, I've been ordering ramen at sushi joints; and I was especially intrigued since the special of the night was a Truffle Tonkatsu flavor. The broth was hearty, rich, and had a discernable but not overpowering truffle flavor which enhances, as opposed to overpowered the dish. The pieces of char siu pork were tender and again unlike at many places, a good cut and portion size. The noodles were nice and chewy, and the pieces of seasoned nori provided briney flavor notes. The only detraction was the Ajitsuke Tamago or Ajitama. It was waaay too overcooked, since for ramen, this style of egg should be soft-boiled to the point where it's runny when you break it open. But I can live with it. I tried some of the other dishes, and I thought they were solid. Both the chicken teriyaki and the beef in the bento dinner box, had excellent grilled flavor. The teriyaki sauce was a tad sweeter than I usually like, but my friend and his wife seemed to enjoy the dish. If I hadn't gotten the ramen, I would've definitely ordered the bento dinner box. It had such a nice assortment of dishes, from a California roll, meatballs, grilled beef, and crisply fried shrimp tempura. Honestly, for $29 I think the dinner bento is a good value relative to the portion size and quality. I've been back to Ariake a few times since my initial visit, and can see this being 2-3/month dining spot. I've found the service to be attentive and most importantly, does not detract from the overall experience. Regardless of who's preparing the food, Ariake is a four star place to me!

The sushi here is SO dreamy, fresh, and delicious - I can't stop thinking about it. Especially the toro, king salmon, toro power roll, and Hawaiian roll. Service is also absolutely top-tier. Felt right at home joking around with Jin and Shio. 100000% recommend this restaurant.

The food here is always amazing and the service is quick even when the entire restaurant is packed! I ordered the tempura udon and it was delicious. It is a beautiful restaurant, however, it can get pretty loud in the evenings because there are so many people who enjoy this spot! I would say to come early to avoid large crowds.

I guess I went the wrong path and got to try different dishes EXCEPT for the sushi here!! I owe Ariake another visit. It was a Tuesday evening - and wow, it was packed! We didn't have issue getting seated however, but there were limited tables available. We saw a lot of different tables of date nights, families with young children, families with older relatives, so it's a place for everyone! Looking at the menu, I was surprised by the prices and how they were more $ than I expected. Everyone gets a small serving of salad and miso soup (no tofu) except if you're getting a soup entree. Both were fine, average. My party and I started with the tempura chicken, which was alright. The chicken meat was a bit tough, chewy. For dinner I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon. It met expectations of the menu listing; it included chicken pieces, egg, spinach, mushroom, and had 1 shrimp tempure and 1 veggie tempura on the side. However, the chicken pieces seemed a bit out of place. There was nothing special about them, and seemed to be just dumped in the soup. The broth itself was good, but the shitake mushrooms made the broth taste strongly of shitake. I don't mind that since I enjoy shitake mushrooms, but it's something to note. There were also two pieces of fake-crab-meat. It wasn't a wonderfully-executed soup ensemble, and felt more like a random bunch of things in a soup, although the soup broth is rather tasty itself. Our table also ordered the Miso Ton Katsu. Similarly, the order was no surprise given the ingredients in the menu, but there are a TON of fried onions on top of the pork cutlet! To sum it up, I think reading more of the reviews, I will try sushi at this location next time and hope that blows me away more.

One of my favorite sushi places in Nova! I got the #18 Sushi Deluxe Lunch Special to go, with an extra ikura nigiri added, and everything was fantastic. The fish quality here is always amazing, so fresh and prepared with care. The rice to fish ratio on the nigiri is perfect, with the fish draping the rice ball. So many nigiri can be too rice heavy, but not at Ariake! This is great when the rice quality is also on par with the fish, not overcooked, and well seasoned. The deluxe was a perfect selection of fish, and had 2 salmon, 2 tuna and others, which is so generous compared to other places that do more of the cheaper fish in a combo meal like that. It also came with a spicy tuna roll, and I was expecting chopped tuna, but it was a huge chunk of fresh bluefin, with spicy mayo and cucumber! The crunch of cucumber was a perfect balance to the fish, and the mayo was decently spicy, leaving a little tingle, but not overwhelming. The miso soup was also great, nothing too crazy there. The service was also very kind, allowing me to pick up my order 30 minutes ahead of time when I called to say I was a bit ahead of schedule. Overall, the lunch was very well priced for the quality and quantity, and I highly recommend everyone try Ariake for great, authentic sushi!

Ariake in Fairfax, VA is a hidden gem for sushi lovers. The sushi combo and sashimi combo are good if you are looking for a variety of sushi options. The regular sashimi combo comes in 12 pieces (3 pieces each). The takoyaki is pretty good as an appetizer. All the combos come with a small salad and a small bowl of miso soup. There is a variety of hot entrees (e.g., ramen, tonkatsu, teriyaki) and the option for a The downside is the lack of reservations, which can result in a bit of a wait during peak hours. We went on a Saturday evening and waited for about 15 minutes, but the food is worth it. I give it four stars because the sashimi wasn't as tender as I hoped. Still, it's a great place to enjoy delicious sushi and other treats!

my all time favorite sushi place!! i love both the reston and fairfax location (more fairfax bc i'm local). it was my first time ordering non-sushi items at ariake, and i really enjoyed the fried oyster's the most. we ordered: katsu curry (pork), fried oysters, 6 salmon nigiri, 2 toro (fatty tuna), 4 yellowtail, 2 of the salmon maki roll (6pcs), maine uni nigiri the nigiri was very outstanding. always has great thick cuts and tastes super fresh. i didn't enjoy the toro nor the uni this time, in all honesty. the premium is better for a reason, a lot sweeter than the maine one. i only got the toro because they ran out of the fatty salmon :(( hopefully next time i come back there's enough to order! i don't usually get rolls.. we ordered the maki thinking it was the hand roll like temaki. but nonetheless. it was still delicious !! the fried oysters were AMAZING. it was piping hot, crunchy on the outside, and soft on on the inside :)) the lemon is a great addition to it. the dark sauce that came with it was a bit too salty for my liking but it still balanced out the natural bitterness of the oyster !! the katsu curry was a teensy but disappointing but, ariake specializes in sushi so i can't blame them. i was expecting a bit of boiled veggies in the curry like potatoes, carrots, onions, but it was a little plain. the flavor was addicting though, and we finished the whole plate :) service was 5/5! quick and often came by to check in on my table. surprisingly, the restaurant wasn't too busy on a friday night. it was peaceful and made our meal taste 10x better :3

This review just focuses on the omakase that they offer! You can choose either "nigiri only" or "sashimi only" for $80. They still list "nigiri & sashimi" on their menu, but they sadly don't offer that anymore. The omakase isn't like the traditional "sit at the sushi counter and receive them piece-by-piece" though. But nevertheless, this experience was amazing that we ended up coming back a second time within a month! The meal started out with some miso soup and salad as usual. Sashimi Omakase: There were two pieces of sashimi for most of the pieces and they were sliced with a thick-cut. Nigiri omakase: Classic presentation with three rows of nigiri all perfectly angled and lined up haha. As much as I love sashimi, I also love practicing proper sushi etiquette and eating sushi with my hands. At the end, we got a toro hand roll (not pictured) as the finishing touch to a delicious meal. Would highly recommend trying the omakase! I thought it was reasonably priced for the quality, quantity, and variety. We also ordered additional chef's specials rolls - spicy scallop roll and tuna power roll! Still equally as enjoyable!

10/10 food. We had a fairly big party of eight and I called ahead of time to make a reservation and they placed us at a table in the front of the restaurant. I told him we had a child who needed a highchair. We were all almost seated down, and then the host decided we needed to move due to safety. It's a small thing but I did reserve a table and I mentioned the highchair so I thought maybe a bit more pre-planing could've been done on their part. Anyway, once we were all settled, everything was fine. I took a risk and brought all of my sushi lover friends here for the first time, and they loved it. It is a tad expensive but would come back for a special occasion.

Sushi was great! Very tasty and fresh. Good variety too. Place is very spacious and busy, but the food comes out really quick. Would definitely come back.

Walked-in for a Friday night dinner around 8:30 pm. No reservation was needed for a table of two. We were seated promptly and greeted by our waitress. Service was ok. Throughout our dining experience, we were helped by three waitresses. I honestly wasn't sure who our main waitress was. In regards to the food, the sushi was great! It's the best I have had in a while. Can't wait to go back and try different rolls. For dessert, we ordered friend ice cream. The dessert was not as good as I expected, I wouldn't order it again. Overall, this was a great casual dining experience/spot.

Came here on a Saturday night after my sister's graduation with a party of 12 around 8:30p. Ariake accommodated us quickly and the service was pretty good! It's hard to serve a large party and our waitress was amazing. We ordered wayyyyy too much food, but honestly everything was really good and fresh. I highly recommend the spicy scallop roll- my favorite roll of the night. The Nigri combo is fresh- the rice ratio was appropriately small so you have more flavor of the fish. The table also ordered their tonkatsu ramen- it was a little saltier than we care for, but my niece loved it. I would return.

Very good sushi and sake But service was slow and I wish they were more attentive Parking is free in a lot I recommend!

Fantastic! The service was good and the food was beyond our expectations. It was fresh and didn't have too much rice which is my preference. The price point is very fair. This is added to our favorite places!

food and service is always great but when it gets busy, the wait time for your food can get pretty long especially with sushi. Order some appetizers if you're starving. Try to make a reservation when going on weekends and you'll be good.

My friend who loves sushi recommended omakase at Ariake so my husband and I came to try it out. Can confirm that the sushi were all high quality and fresh! Although it was busy when we were there, the servers took great care of us and we were very impressed by the wonderful service. Would definitely go back when I'm craving sushi!

Overall: 5/5 Food: 5/5 - I came here with a friend and we got the toro power roll, ariake roll, florida roll, and the toro nigiri as well as the salmon belly nigiri and they were all delicious! The toro nigiri was listed as market price and we later found out that the one costed $8 but agreed that the toro nigiri tasted the best. The toro power roll and florida roll were also very delicious! The fish tastes very fresh, creamy and the slices are nicely cut ! I would definitely come back even with the higher pricepoint. The ariake was standard taste and would probably not get again. Value - 4/5 - Although some of the rolls were a bit more highly priced, we both thought that the taste of the rolls justified the price. Service - 5/5 - Kind server even though the restaurant was busy and packed. We were seated at the bar and the sushi chefs were nice and it was neat seeing them make the rolls. The wait time was a bit long to get our rolls/order and to get a table but that is expected because we came on a friday night and the taste was worth the wait ! I would definitely come back and recommend ! I think the specialty rolls here are what makes this place stand out and I am excited to come back and try new items.

True gem and worth traveling for this restaurant! We travelled from boston and this was our first stop of "must eat" restaurant in Va and it did not disappoint. There parking and the restaurant is very spacious great for large gatherings. We got omakase for two and its chef daily choice of fresh fish and the variety was astounding! We've had nakazawa in nyc which is a michelin star japanese restaurant but i think this place was better!!!! You also get an extra hand roll at the end. Worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood for great sushi

Went for lunch on Tuesday 06/11/24,very disappointed. Most of the rolls is very went? too much sauces inside the rolls ! My Chutoro (sashimi) is very thin on one side with a lots of muscle.(even stuck between my teeth when I eat ), place is busy (take 40 minutes to get food) hard to get any attention.

This restaurant is amazing! Everything we had was very fresh. We came here for a late dinner with a party of 12 and the restaurant was able to seat us quickly. The service was excellent and our server did a great job. She was attentive and always checked in. Our table ordered a bit of everything. The sushi rolls and nigiri hands down were my favorites. The fish was really fresh and delicious. The chirashi bowl was also really good. The rice was seasoned well with nice cuts of sashimi. The shrimp tempura was tasty as well. It was crispy and had a nice crunch. Overall, I was happy with the food and everything tasted great. The fish was really fresh and of good quality. I am definitely coming back to try the omakase.

The service here is very friendly and warm, from getting seated to being served. It is a large space, and it wasn't too busy when I've gone on weekday evenings, I've been able to ask for preferred seating areas. The food came out promptly and it was easy to add a request to exclude certain fish I don't like for the chef's choice. The miso ton katsu dish was very good, though a little bit blander than expected; next time I will order the curry katsu. A super satisfying meal.

If you want the best sushi in Northern virginia, visit either of ariake's two locations. Both serve excellent cuts for the price, though they might be a tad more expensive than other sushi restaurants. The cuts are thick and fresh and I have been going for years. They serve all the traditional Japanese Staples like Hamachi Kama (Yellowtail Jaw and ponzu sauce), Udon, and occasionally Tonkatsu Ramen. But for me, it's their sashimi, maki (rolls), and especially their thick cuts of Unagi (grilled Eel). They have an expansive fish menu, including Toro (fatty tuna), amberjack, king salmon, and so much more! Their service is impeccable, despite us going at 6pm and it being PACKED. They have a large sake selection and a sake guide, excellent desserts, and did I mention the thickest, freshest cuts of fish in N. Virginia? My girlfriend had the Deluxe Ariake Roll, which had the perfect level of heat and beautiful presentation. We also had delicious takoyaki, which we ate up before I could get a picture. Warning - the takoyaki come out *molten*, so wait for them to cool down. Always worth the price, and a huge menu to keep you coming back!

3.5 stars overall. First, the sushi is incredibly fresh and delicious. Surf clam was delicious and yellowtail. 5/5. The bento box was okay 3/5; I would not recommend it. The beef is served on a bed of bean sprouts which were good. There's seaweed salad (good), and tempura (also good). The dumpling, California roll, and spinach was okay. The meatballs were good. Mochi red bean ice cream was also good. The service was super slow 2/5. There were a ton of people when we went, Friday night. Overall, 3.5, so I rounded up.

Solid sushi, got a few different rolls like the spicy shrimp tempura roll, dragon roll, crunchy tiger roll, and California roll. I think out of them all, my fav was the spicy shrimp tempura roll. Just a classic you can't beat. The California roll was also pretty good. The more expensive rolls were fine, but I enjoyed the simpler ones more. The cha-shu with crispy rice was really good. Really small size though so you'll still be hungry. Our waitress was nice and checked up on us, which is great. The inside is pretty big and can easily fit 50-100 people. Really liked the vibe. Glad I checked them out.

My partner and I were craving some sushi in the area that wasn't our usual haunts, and Ariake was the first spot to show with good reviews. Located in a small strip mall-esque area in Fairfax, Ariake is situated just in between some of the more hot areas of Fairfax, making it an easy and accessible location. As a party of two, we were seated as soon as we stepped in the door (this was a Monday around 6PM). The dining room is quite large, with two separate sushi bar areas at which you can see the chefs slicing and dicing. I have to admit that I was quite surprised with the lack of sushi roll options--most of the menu consisted of your traditional appetizers/hot entrees + sashimi/sushi. There were four rolls that were available, included in the specials of the day. On this rainy day, we opted for a hot dish (the tonkatsu ramen) + two rolls (Ariake + Tuna Power roll). Both rolls were delicious and came in four pieces--they were great by themselves, without extra soysauce (though it's provided at table). Despite this being a sushi restaurant, I was quite impressed with the ramen--we opted for the ramen without the truffle oil (which comes ~$2 cheaper) and my first thought was how light and flavorful the soup was. This was easily something I could drink and not feel too bad about (a contrast to typical more dense ramen). If I were to come back, the ramen would be my go-to order. Overall, a great option at a reasonable price (for the area)!