Immigrant Food Ballston

We enjoyed the Prix Fixe Valentine’s Day menu. Really enjoyed the fried chicken, cauliflower and short rib dishes! Great cocktails as well. Service was a bit slow but everything was quite good!

We enjoyed our first dining experience at Immigrant Food Ballston! The food arrived promptly and everything was delicious. Our favorite pick were the bao buns- amazing and highly recommend. They also provided a flatbread at the beginning of the meal, and it was surprisingly memorable and delicious as well. Ivo was our server and he was very attentive and kind, as were all other staff who made sure our drinks were filled and table was promptly cleared. Definitely coming back for happy hour.

Superb menu selection and everything we had (and as a hungry table of four we had A LOT!) was prepared so thoughtfully and deliciously. All staff were warm and friendly — Precious was our lovely server — she did a great job! Favorites at our table included the lamb skewers, the shishitos, the shrimp ceviche and the polenta fries. Everything was spiced and/or sauced so uniquely — wonderful experience overall. Cozy vibe on a cold winter’s night too! Music was upbeat without being acoustically overpowering. Desserts (forgot names but one was a shortbread sandwich cookie with coconut and caramel and the other was a tropical beignet) were an outstanding cap to an outstanding meal. We live a mile away — this was our first visit and it will not be our last!

I visited during restaurant week and it was my first time. The wings here are AMAZING, they are the best wings I've had in a very long time. The ambience is really nice, its a nice colorful restaurant. The bar is well stocked and they have bar seating as well as two and four people seating. I ordered the wings, cauliflower dish and the vanilla icecream with the espresso poured on top. Like I said before the wings were amazing, the cauliflower with the caramelized syrup on top and hummus on the bottom of the plate was good but it was served a little warm tending towards cold, it was worth a try for restaurant week, i wouldnt order on a regular visit because while this restaurant is good, it's also quite pricey. The customer service was great, all the servers and bartenders took good care of me. I ordered a spritz drink and it was so good, the ingredients were very fresh, i could smell the orange slices and they smelled really good and the drink was LARGE! great value for money with the drink. I will definetly be back for happy hour.

Loved everything about my visit to this location. IF has done it again and this time in Northern VA! The interior is beautifully decorated and it's steps from the metro stop if you don't drive. If you do, there are parking spaces in all directions. Every dish they serve is packed punch with flavors. Every cocktail is hand crafted. Service is top notch. Very attentive and customer focused.

The dining experience is in part about story, and Immigrant Food has a good one. Two immigrants opened the original near the White House to celebrate food from around the world. There are two menus- a food one and an engagement one giving customers ideas to connect with immigrant communities. This location is the first in Virginia and may be the largest. Near the Ballston Metro, there are several dining rooms and a bar. To drink, I enjoyed both the white and red sangrias. Both are refreshing and come with an orange slice. To eat, the bao and dumplings are flavorful and filling if you aren't super hungry. For dessert, the beignets with ice cream, dulce de leche, and passion fruit cream hit the spot. Service is spot on!

Really excited to have this place in Ballston! Service was great and food delicious, especially the pupusas! Our friends loved the burger. A little pricy but will come back to check out their great happy hour deals. Fun cocktails too!

Andrea was absolutely outstanding in every way. She provided us with fantastic food recommendations that truly enhanced our experience. Beyond that, she was incredibly caring, kind, and genuinely nice. Her warm and welcoming personality made us feel right at home, and we truly appreciated the effort she put into making our time special. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thank you, Andrea! In addition to Andrea’s exceptional service, the food and drinks here are absolutely fantastic. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor, making it a must-try spot in Baltimore. We’ll definitely be back!

Overview: Dined with my wife and infant son in February 2025. Gets the 5 stars because of good-quality, variety food at reasonable prices with excellent service. They have fantastic happy hour deals. Food: For such a variety of ethnic dishes, they hit on a surprising amount of them. Highly recommend the truffle fries with aoli sauce, Greek wings, and samosas. Everything that we ordered was good/great to decent. Service: Phenomenal for a more casual restaurant. Everyone checked in multiple times, asked to give extra dipping sauces, and were very accommodating with our infant child. Ambiance: New, modern, classy feel.

My mother was having lunch at the ICU at VHC so I took my sister to this place that I like a great deal. We came at about 12:30 PM as the lunch crowd was starting to thin out. There are tables along the windows and booths in back and high tops and seating at the bar. We were seated by a stately gentleman who shared his story of growing up in New Jersey, and then being an immigrant himself in Singapore, Hong Kong and Texas ( ) before settling here in Arlington The menu is a fusion of dishes from around the world melded with influences from other parts of the world to represent the melting pot that is America. For example, I had the banh mi sandwich, which is from Vietnam, but the wrinkle is that the grilled chicken is done in a Filipino style. I personally would've liked some fresh jalapeños on the side that I could add to the sandwich and I'm sure I could've asked for them, but I didn't. Besides the chicken, the sandwich is filled with Julian and carrots and daikon and spread with a mayonnaise base sauce. I don't generally salt my food at home so it struck me as very salty, but I'm sure others will be satisfied. I ordered the sandwich as part of their set lunch, which includes a choice of fries or salad, and a soup of the day which in this case was the mushroom soup The mushroom soup was surprisingly bland, except for the Japanese mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, which I think had been soaked in a vinegar. It was a pleasant contrast. The day of our visit, the kitchen had something extra on hand, so we were presented with an amuse bouche at the table, which was a form of cheese, puff in a delicious sauce. For a small extra charge, you can have truffle oil added to your french fries and I highly recommend doing so. This is the second time I've had the fries and they are so good with that oil. My sister thought so as well. Speaking of my sister, she has the spinach salad, which is called the heritage bowl We both found the portions large enough that though we almost thought we couldn't finish what was in front of us, we finally did.

We decided on Girls' Night here due to another review. I agree with the reviewer about the Filipino Chicken (yummy), but there wasn't much else to rave about and nothing that would prompt us to return for a second visit. We went on a Saturday evening just before 6pm and took advantage of the happy hour prices for several menu items (only a few have happy hour pricing). The Belgian fries, glazed carrots and broccolini (w/ caramelized onions and bacon bits) were good. I get that the Greek wings come with a feta dip, but I wish that the flavor was enhanced to make them good on their own. My friends had a couple of martinis (fine), a sangria (fine), and a... different take... on a piña colada (too different-- had to be sent back). Service was great and they brought out an amuse-bouche sized shrimp ceviche, which was okay. Definitely a fan of the delivery of each of our checks in "passport" books where you could "stamp" it with your own signature. Parking *that* night was pretty good for Arlington as we had plenty of on-street options near the restaurant.

The new Happy Hour (3:30-6:00, M-Sat) menu is a steal! They have an $8 Espresso Martini that is definitely quality akin to a $18 NW DC spot. It's delicious. We also got the labneh and fries and portions were large for happy hour prices ($5 each). The bar service and management is 5-star (Andrea, Sergio, Ryan).

What a fun restaurant!! This place serves a variety of dishes and I am sure you will find something to order. My cousins and I ordered different dishes to try a bunch of items. After ordering, we were given a sample of gazpacho. I have not tried gazpacho before but I wasn't a fan of it because its cold soup. Matcha pineapple drink: (3/5) Good but I think it was stronger on the pineapple side Tequenos: (3/5) This dish was good. Its kinda like a mozzarella stick but less fried Guacomole Con Tostones: (4/5) This appetizer was one of my favorites. The platain fritter was thick but still crispy. Guacamole added a nice creaminess to it. Well seasoned and flavored Hong Kong french toast: (3/5) This is not the most traditional french toast, but still good. I recommend thus if you really like peanut butter We also shared the shakshuka and arepas and fried chicken sandwich. These dishes weren't memorable to me but my cousins enjoyed it!

The dining experience is in part about story, and Immigrant Food has a good one. Two immigrants opened the original near the White House to celebrate food from around the world. There are two menus- a food one and an engagement one giving customers ideas to connect with immigrant communities. This location is the first in Virginia and may be the largest. Near the Ballston Metro, there are several dining rooms and a bar. To drink, I enjoyed both the white and red sangrias. Both are refreshing and come with an orange slice. To eat, the bao and dumplings are flavorful and filling if you aren't super hungry. For dessert, the beignets with ice cream, dulce de leche, and passion fruit cream hit the spot. Service is spot on!

I've been meaning to get at this spot for a while now. They have food from around the world!! I thought that was a dope concept!! So I finally pulled up, to their newest location at that!! . Where I am: @immigrantfood . Location Reviewed: 4245 Fairfax Drive., Arlington V.A. . Menu Includes: *See Website* https://immigrantfood.com/ . Items Reviewed: Their Mint Limonada (with mint,& lime juice $7). STAMP!! Get it. That's it!! Their Belgian Fries (with Housemade garlic aioli $10). STAMP!! Especially with that aioli!! Their Filipino Fried Chicken (with sweet chili, Thai herbs, & roasted banana ketchup $19). STAMP!! Crispy, & sweet with heat!! Their Immigrant Burger (with secret harissa sauce, za'atar, lettuce, cheese, onions, & fries $22). LIKE THAT!! A really good flavorful burger!! It's that simple!! Their Around The World Dim Sum *small bites 3 for $38* Their Indian Samosas (with vegetable filling, chickpeas, & a tamarind chutney). STAMP!! Flavorful, & fulfilling!! Their Conchinta Pibil Bao Bun (with pork, pickled onion, chili mayo, & cilantro). STAMP!! A milky soft bun, & well seasoned pork!! Their Chicken & Lemongrass Dumplings (with ponzu). DELICIOUS!! Good, the dip made it tasty!! Their Tropical Beignets (French-Caribbean ricotta beignets, passion fruit cremeux, peach toffee, vanilla ice cream, & lime zest $16). STAMP!! Sweet, tart, creamy...a MUST HAVE!! . Customer Service: On Point!! . Online Navigation: Easy . Parking: ROUGH! . Music: YouTube-Backyard Band . Recommendations: Go!! Get everything I got!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews

My review is only for the drinks and the fries. We came here for happy hour on Friday. Not going to lie - I side-eyed the happy hour prices a bit because why are they still over $10? Oh, well. We ordered the Belgian fries with the Parmesan and truffle oil. They were bomb! Really enjoyed them. Had two glasses of white sangria and a piña colada. The drinks are unique. Neither of the drinks I ordered was made traditionally or like anything I'd tasted but I will say that I felt a nice little buzz after my first glass of sangria. The food here looks interesting but the prices are a bit higher than I'd expect, especially outside of Happy Hour. The service was good. The bartender was nice enough and he made good drinks.

Immigrant Food opened up in Ballston not too long ago and a few of us stopped by a couple Tuesdays ago for dinner. We caught the happy hour pricing (before 7 PM!) right before it ended. SHRIMP CEVICHE VERDE (HH) - 10 I think there might have been 5 half pieces of shrimp and lots of tomatillo lime broth and vegetables. You could barely see the shrimp because it's covered by everything else. Shrimp was just OK and same with the flavor for the ceviche. I'd skip on this. CRISPY POLENTA FRIES (HH) - 11 Each order comes with four, which is perfect for the four of us to enjoy one each. We loved the crispy polenta fries and the tomato mostarda, goat cheese, and other flavors were good. I'd definitely recommend this one if you're here. GREEK WINGS (HH) - 11 Each order came with four wings, which is kind of pricy. I can't really tell what makes these wings different than the ones from Buffalo Wild Wings. Nothing to write home about. FILIPINO FRIED CHICKEN (HH) - 12 We got mixed reviews on this. Some people really liked the skin of the Filipino fried chicken, but I found it really tough and hard to chew, as if they fried this chicken hours ago and it's been sitting in the kitchen waiting to be served. The sweet chili sauce helped the chicken taste less dry. SARY'S PUPUSAS (HH) - 11 This order comes with one big pupusa and a side of pickled cabbage and tomato salsa. We enjoyed the pupusa here and thought it was tasty. Good balance of beans and cheese. ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS - 13 This tasted almost... healthy? I don't know, if I am getting brussels sprouts at a restaurant, I expect them to be a bit more crispy and flavorful. They felt undercooked/under-roasted and overall, pretty mid. MISO CAESAR SALAD - 14 This was fine. Instead of croutons, we had fried wonton crisps and there's shiitake bacon (? not sure what that means) and I guess this makes it Asian inspired. This salad was on the lighter side and the dressing wasn't too strong or crazy, which I prefer. Overall, not sure if it's worth the price point. WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINO - 28 This was most definitely not worth the price point. $28 for a teeny tiny branzino? No thank you. You can go to Annandale and get a roasted mackerel for half the price at one of the Korean restaurants and you get a side of rice with that too. The branzino was fine, seasoned lightly with salt and we drizzled some lemon juice on top. But paying $28 for something this small is outrageous. Overall, food was OK but very expensive. My friend used InKind to pay, and even then, we paid about 30pp after tax and tip (not to mention we were still hungry and ended up going to McDonald's afterwards). I personally didn't think Immigrant Food was worth it and neither did my friends.

Superb menu selection and everything we had (and as a hungry table of four we had A LOT!) was prepared so thoughtfully and deliciously. All staff were warm and friendly -- Precious was our lovely server -- she did a great job! Favorites at our table included the lamb skewers, the shishitos, the shrimp ceviche and the polenta fries. Everything was spiced and/or sauced so uniquely -- wonderful experience overall. Cozy vibe on a cold winter's night too! Music was upbeat without being acoustically overpowering. Desserts (forgot names but one was a shortbread sandwich cookie with coconut and caramel and the other was a tropical beignet) were an outstanding cap to an outstanding meal. We live a mile away -- this was our first visit and it will not be our last!

Went to this cool casual place with my cousins. They do have unique options and we tried a lot of them. I tried the matcha pineapple drink, it was ok. Didn't have much matcha flavor. THe tequenos were ok, nothing special to me. Guacamole tostones were pretty good. The plantain fritters were very crispy and I love guac so thats a win. The Hong Kong french toast was good. It didn't really taste very Hong Kongish, but I am a fan of peanut butter and it had a lot of it so it was good. We also tried the shakshuka and arepas and peruvian fried chicken sandwich. The sandwich was one of my favorites. Big filling piece of chicken. Service was a little slow, especially since the restaurant was not busy when we went which was a weekend during brunch.

This place was absolutely wonderful, decorated beautifully and seems to be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. The service was phenomenal. Our waitress was super friendly and checked in on us regularly. My friend and I shared the samosas, dumplings, shrimp ceviche and mezze platter. I know ceviche is different across countries so this isn't my type of ceviche but I did love the shrimp and veggies and suggest it if you need something cool. I loved the global dim sum, which included the dumplings and samosas. My favorite was the mezze platter and samosas. Definitely give this location a try if you're in the neighborhood!! It's wonderful!

Very cool place. Interesting too. Best thing we had was the excellent Filipino Chicken. Also the Shrimp Ceviche was solid. Would pass on the crab beignet. Meat was dark and didn't taste like crab. Service was good and interesting. Agreed with slogan . "Immigrants make America great!''

Amazing food representing various regions of the world! Decor, ambiance, service, and food were all phenomenal. It was restaurant week here in Arlington, VA and was glad I stumbled upon this gem during a work visit. Their menu has so much to offer you can't go wrong. 10/10 highly recommend!

Very cool concept where the menu is comprised of a bunch of tapas-style dishes from around the world Also have a few larger dishes as well Bar, indoor, and outdoor seating Solid menu of fun drinks as well Server was a little confused/didn't really seem like he knew what he was doing, so it took a really long time to get our check, but the food and drinks were all great.

Immigrant Food is a fantastic addition to the Ballston community. The happy hour deals are fair, and the food is delicious. Shelley, our waitress, was exceptional--she took the time to explain the menu and helped us explore new flavors. I highly recommend it!

We were excited to try Immigrant food and made a reservation for outside. We were seated promptly Service was very spotty. After we ordered, we were told that they served everything tapas style and it came out as it was ready; nice in theory if you're sharing everything, less so if you order mains. In retrospect we should've asked that our order be given to the kitchen differently. The first thing that came out were the Brussels sprouts which we had planned to eat as a side, but worked fine as an appetizer and were very good. Next was the cauliflower (meant to be my main dish) which was just ok. It was difficult to cut with the knife in the table setting, they should provide a large steak-type knife. The mezze platter (our planned appetizer) came out next, that was probably our favorite. It was light on pita bread so we asked for more, Next was my husband's burger followed a long time later by my son's chicken. Then the extra pita bread although by that time we'd just eaten the hummus with the fries. We asked for ketchup for the fries which never came. We also had to ask multiple times for more water. I might consider going back for happy hour and the mezze platter but Ballston has plenty of way better options.

Fantastic neighborhood restaurant. The cocktails are superb. You should get them every time you visit.

The restaurant Ballston has been waiting for that brings amazing food, the warmest atmosphere, and an incredible mission all together in a beautiful nature-infused space is here! Immigrant Food just opened their newest location right next to the Ballston metro, so we went tonight and were blown away by their hospitality and super flavorful dishes. You must get: -Polenta fries -Filipino fried chicken -Tamarind ribs -Crispy chicken dumplings -Chicken Milanese -Tropical ricotta beignets We loved it so much that we're going back next week to try all the other dishes So excited to finally have a gem in Ballston, this is hands down our new favorite restaurant!

Take a walk in the neighborhood, and visit Immigrant Food in Ballston. The food is imaginative and tasty!! There are vegan options and the menu is from around the world....as the name says! Here at Ballston, the open kitchen pass is part of the ambiance. You can see the creations being made and popping up on the counter. From Around the World Dim Sum to 'shareables'!! Try the mushroom soup...creamy and delicious, and the charred Brussels sprouts. Shrimp ceviche is fresh and bright and Greek wings are crunchy and meaty. There are larger dishes as well, and you can't go wrong with the chicken parm, steak frites or the slow-braised short ribs....tender and succulent. Service is friendly and informative. Give it a try! Something new and different for the new year. And, remember....IMMIGRANTS MAKE AMERICA GREAT!!! *2 other locations in DC

I heard some much about this place. I had to try it out when the Ballston location open up. Right from the start, their drinks... phenomenal. I tried a little bit of everything on the menu and the food....delicious.

Went here on a Friday for happy hour around 5:15. There were plenty of seats at the bar which I was worried about after reading other reviews. We tried several things. First, all the cocktails were really good. The margarita and the Singapore sling were my favorites. My husband really liked the pina colada. The Belgian fries were thin and a little salty but the sauce they came with was awesome. The polenta fries were just ok. I didn't think they were that flavorful. The Korean bbq chicken was tasty but could use some more spice. The bartenders were nice. They let me sample the sangria which was very sweet. I definitely want to go back especially for happy hour.

The service is nice, the servers are proud of the mission of this restaurant. I also love the ambiance. The food was okay, if you can get behind their mission I think it is worth it. It's definitely more of a fusion than authentic flavors.

I found this place expensive for the overall experience and type of food it offered. Very mediocre, small menu, lackluster cocktails, and a "Wellness Fee", which covers "their salaried employees' health insurance and benefits". I know, as a patron, we are paying for the location, but not worth a second trip. We met an out of town friend there since shes vegetarian. They did run out of my friend's preferred food, the cauliflower dish, which she was super disappointed about. Thought that was odd for being a popular option. Note: Our server was great! We loved her and the staff!

Had lunch there yesterday, it's on the ground floor of our office building, was excited to try!!!! Spent $40 on the least meaty ribs ive ever seen, and dry to the bone, the tamarind bbq sauce was tasty and sharp though, so 1.5 out of 5 stars for those, and I got the Classique Grilled Cheese which was a bit on the small size, some ham and some cheese but quality cheese, I wont be going back for lunch as this $40 meal (pickup - NOT DELIVERY) should have been around $15- $20 total. Just being honest, dont kill the messenger

Came for happy hour on a Friday just before 5 and by the time I sat down and settled in at the bar all the other empty seats had been snatched up. For cocktails, the Turnura (not a happy hour special) was interesting but good. I'm not normally a matcha person but it tasted more like a passion fruit pisco sour than anything else. The Caipirinha was nice and refreshing, but the IF Margarita was far and away the best cocktail I tried. So good I'll definitely be coming back for another! Not a cocktail but beverage related, I really appreciated that my water was frequently refilled but more importantly they left me a glass bottle of water in case I wanted to refill myself before they came around. For food I started with the Polenta Fries which were good but not my favorite, I wish there was more cheese (when do I not though...) but the crunch on the fries themselves was good. Had the pupusa next and HOLY CRAP it was the best pupusa I've ever had. The cheesy goodness with beans and a thin crust was SO good and paired perfectly with the pickled cabbage slaw. Lastly the girl next to me had ordered the Filipino Fried Chicken and it looked so good I had to try it. I was not disappointed. It joined the pupusa and the margarita at the top of the list of reasons to come back. Thankfully I only live a block away. Definitely a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

My family loves this restaurant! Lots of variety of food and really nice cocktails. It's pretty inside and it's also kid friendly.

Excellent food with excellent service! The menu is a trip around the world with unique flavor fusions. Great cocktails as well. Love this spot!

Love the concept of this restaurant. I came here for happy hour with a girlfriend and we both loved their mezcal cocktail. Great customer service, shaded outdoor seating, and delicious food--my personal favorite was the lamb screwers. The price was a little higher than what I expected, but I would still recommend regardless. Located right by the metro station.

Immigrant Food is finally open in Ballston, and it's a wonderful new addition. This is the old Zoe's Kitchen that has been transformed by adding an enclosed glass patio that holds an open bar and cafe tables. It's clear the owners really put a lot of thought into this space. The cocktails are thoughtful and fun, and the food is exactly what you'd expect from Immigrant Kitchen - flavorful and high quality. We ordered the samosas, dumplings, mushroom lomo saltado and cocktails. Everything was great, though if I were offering one criticism it would be that the mushrooms were overly salted (but all other components of that same dish were great- and it didn't distract from our enjoyment of the dish.) We just missed happy hour but if you can time it you'll get some great deals on excellent food. I was so looking forward to the alfajores but alas- they ran out. Next time!

Amazing food! We loved every single dish we tried, with the shrimp ceviche being the standout. The international menu was incredibly appealing, adding a unique touch to our dining experience. Our evening was made even better by the exceptional service from our server, Nessma. She knew the menu inside out, recommended some fantastic dishes, and even surprised us with a complimentary dessert before we left. Thank you, Nessma, for your warm hospitality and for making our night truly enjoyable!

I love the name which is what drew me to this spot. I wanted to see what they had in the way of true immigrant food I dragged a friend along for their insight as well. The food was very well prepared and delicious it just wasn't true immigrant food as it is prepared in the native country. This was a little disappointing as I wanted to try real Vietnamese sandwich which it was not, but jazzed up cuisine. None the less it was very good and well presented. I would recommend to anyone wanting to try different cuisines with a twist.

Loved the vibe of this place, and it's nice to see Ballston is getting nicer places like this. Love the concept of the menu, global foods but found the food a bit bland, and the menu overlooks vegetarians. There are some veg options on the menu but they're pretty limited IMO and nothing really hearty or protein based to fill you. The fries and the pina colada are good. Staff is excellent, even though you can tell they're still getting up to speed. Good happy hour!

Mediocre food, tiny portions, and the nerve to charge extra 5% wellness fee without letting you know ahead of time. Will not come back ever again and make sure my community aware of how terrible this restaurant is!

A real treat to have this in Arlington. Food is delicious and staff are really friendly and offer great recs.