wagamama, clarendon, arlington
Restaurant · Clarendon ·
Modern pan-Asian chain serving ramen, bao, cocktails
Modern pan-Asian chain serving ramen, bao, cocktails
"After years of delays, the iconic London pan-Asian chain opened in Clarendon, bringing its lively communal setting and signature ramen bowls starring grilled duck, spicy salmon teriyaki, and chicken katsu curry; the Arlington location seats 47 outdoors and 131 inside across booths and long tables, and a 17-seat bar serves cocktails like a super-strong Vietnamese espresso martini, a matcha mule, and a passionfruit paloma alongside hot teas, wine, sake, juices, and Asian beers." - Emily Venezky
"Wagamama is a London-born ramen chain with a handful of locations in the US, and its first DC-area outpost in Clarendon has been hyped up for what feels like forever. But a meal here is underwhelming, and the food is more “meh” than memorable. The bang bang cauliflower has a nice kick, but it’s soggier than it should be. And while the duck ramen is good, in a city packed with ramen spots, it’s not exactly legendary—the broth skews more salty than flavorful. That said, the space itself is pleasant—it’s bright and airy, with plenty of room to spread out and natural light. But if you’re on the hunt for a solid lunch spot and not just a place to hang out at the bar, we say pass." - Omnia Saed
"After years of “coming soon” promises, the London-born, European-bred modern Asian chain finally opened its first D.C.-area outpost for dinner on August 2 at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood. I found the Clarendon menu mixes Wagamama classics — like fried chicken katsu curry and ramen bowls such as a spicy Sichuan-style pork swimming in a spicy chicken broth with onions, snow peas, scallions, and a tea-stained egg — with Clarendon-only items including miso cod served over green tea soba noodles, sweet potato fries loaded with Korean barbecue beef, and ahi tuna nachos on wonton chips topped with sesame cream, chili mayo, and furikake. The 17-seat bar is already serving crowd-pleasers like a Thai chili margarita (with chili liqueur and coconut syrup infused in-house) and sake-centric cocktails made with SOTO Sake, including a Vietnamese espresso martini, a matcha mule with yuzu and ginger, and a passionfruit paloma spiked with both sake and tequila alongside grapefruit and turmeric. Steve Mangleshot, Wagamama’s global executive chef and brand ambassador, says the brand has matured since first trying to open in D.C., expects the Clarendon menu to evolve with customer feedback, and aims to “Wagamama-ize” flavors from places like Seoul or Tokyo while balancing spice levels to local tastes. Nearly 35 years after its first storefront, Wagamama keeps prices reasonable here (most dishes under $20, none over $25; cocktails under $15), seats 47 outdoors and 131 inside across booths and long tables, and begins daily lunch service at 11 a.m.; hours run until 10 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday–Saturday." - Lulu Chang
"After years of fits and starts, I'm excited that the iconic pan-Asian chain from London is finally opening a 5,100-square-foot Clarendon outpost on Thursday, August 1. Located at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, the two-patio restaurant and lively communal dining room will showcase its ramen bowls—featuring grilled duck, spicy salmon teriyaki, and chicken katsu curry—alongside gyoza, donburi rice bowls, curries, salads, and teppanyaki-style sizzling noodles. The space seats 47 outdoors and 131 inside across booths and long tables, and a 17-seat bar will sling potent cocktails (Vietnamese espresso martini, matcha mule, passionfruit paloma) plus hot teas, wine, sake, juices, and Asian beers; SOTO Sake is named as the Clarendon beverage partner. Translated as “naughty child,” Wagamama began in the U.K. in 1992 and has grown to more than 250 outposts worldwide, with this becoming its eighth U.S. location. A grand opening on August 1 at 7:30 p.m. will include passed bites, complimentary drink tastings, an all-night happy hour, Japanese entertainment, and a live DJ (tickets $40 on Eventbrite). Initial hours start at 4 p.m. through the weekend, with daily lunch service beginning August 5 at 11 a.m.; regular hours will be until 10 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday–Saturday, and the restaurant will be available on most major delivery apps. To engage the active Arlington neighborhood, Wagamama plans partnerships with SoulCycle and local run clubs and will host pop-ups and fitness events through the summer." - Tierney Plumb
"Finally entering the D.C. area in Clarendon, Wagamama will occupy a 5,100‑square‑foot space with two outdoor patios and a bar, serving its quick‑serve pan‑Asian menu of ramen (including grilled duck and shirodashi pork), gyoza, donburi bowls, curries, teppanyaki, and other generously portioned dishes in a lively communal setting; the Clarendon location opens in early spring at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard." - Tierney Plumb
