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The Guide · Restaurants in Arlington, VA

The Best Restaurants in Arlington, VA (2026)

Twelve restaurants across Washington. Compare neighborhoods, price tiers and what to order, then read the full reviews.

Nia Bramwell
By Nia Bramwell Staff Writer · Top of DC · Updated September 2026 · How the score is built
The Best Restaurants in Arlington, VA (2026)
THE WASHINGTON DINING GUIDES 12 restaurants
Compare all 12 restaurantsNeighborhood · price · score · first order
In the same order as the guide. Scores are out of 10; dollar symbols show the listed price tier.
RestaurantNeighborhoodPriceScoreWhat to order
01 Tortas Y Tacos La ChiquitaArlington$$Lengua
02 The Liberty TavernArlington$$Mimosas
03 FettooshArlington$$Chicken Bastilla
04 Sushi RockArlington$$Sushi rolls
05 Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQArlington$$$Prime kalbi short rib
06 Four Sisters GrillArlington$$7.3Pho
07 Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & EateryArlington$$Beignets
08 Maya BistroArlington$$Turkish mezze
09 Kabob BazaarArlington$$Kaleh Pacheh
10 Sabores Tapas BarArlington$$Patatas bravas
11 Bob & Edith's DinerArlington$$5.3Eggs and hash browns
12 Inca SocialArlington$$Ceviche

12 restaurants · In guide order

1 Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita Yelp

Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita

Tacos · Arlington · $$

Lengua tacos are the order here, and the salsa gets singled out enough to matter. This counter runs 24 hours, which puts it in a small club of Arlington rooms that can feed a 2 a.m. crowd or a Tuesday lunch with the same menu. Burritos come loaded. Ask for extra salsa and lime up front; large to-go orders sometimes shortchange it.

What to orderLenguaBurritoTacos Call Directions Scored from the full review record 2911 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204 · (571) 970-2824
2 The Liberty Tavern Yelp

The Liberty Tavern

Bars · Arlington · $$

Brunch here runs on mimosa flights and a burger that holds up past noon. It is a reservation-friendly room that still absorbs walk-ins on slower mornings, and it seats groups of ten without much trouble. Happy hour is confined to the bar, so the wing and burger crowd should plan to grab stools rather than a table.

What to orderMimosasBurgerWings Call Directions Scored from the full review record 3195 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201 · (703) 465-9360
3 Fettoosh Yelp

Fettoosh

Moroccan · Arlington · $$

Chicken bastilla, the savory pastry stuffed with spiced chicken, is the dish worth ordering first. It is one of the few Moroccan dining rooms in the DMV, tagines and couscous rounding out a short, home-style menu. The room is small and family-run in feel, with service that tends to slow down and actually talk to the table.

What to orderChicken BastillaTagineCouscous Call Directions Scored from the full review record 5100 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22205 · (703) 527-7710
4 Sushi Rock Yelp

Sushi Rock

Sushi · Arlington · $$

The happy hour math is the pitch: six-dollar rolls, nine-dollar tacos and sliders, seven-dollar cocktails, every day of the week. The patio handles the after-work crowd well, Sapporo and Asahi both on tap. Sushi rolls skew casual over precise, and the to-go program works fine for a quick weeknight dinner.

What to orderSushi rollsTacosSliders Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1900 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201 · (571) 312-8027
5 Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Yelp

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Japanese · Arlington · $$$

Prime kalbi short rib and a bibimbap that gets called out as the best in Arlington are the two dishes to build the table around. This Clarendon Japanese barbecue room handles groups and occasions well, tabletop grills doing the work. It draws comparisons to the area's Korean barbecue spots, which says something about how seriously it takes the format.

What to orderPrime kalbi short ribBibimbapGyutan Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1119 N Hudson St, Arlington, VA 22201 · (571) 527-0445
6 Four Sisters Grill Yelp

Four Sisters Grill

Vietnamese · Arlington · $$
Insider Score7.3

Pho and banh mi anchor a Vietnamese menu built for speed and low prices. Com tam, broken rice with grilled pork, rounds out a counter-driven room that suits a fast lunch more than a lingering dinner. It fills the gap for Vietnamese in Arlington proper, distinct from the much larger Eden Center scene across the line in Falls Church.

What to orderPhoBanh miCom tam Call Directions
Full review & visiting detailsRead the full review & visiting details

Fast casual Viet, still finding its footing

Pho

Order the beef versions of pho over shrimp, which tends to overcook by the time the broth reaches the table.

Banh mi

Banh mi remains the counter's steady middle order between the noodle soups and the rice plates.

Com tam

Com tam, the broken rice plate, is the fast-casual answer to Four Sisters' original sit-down menu.

Four Sisters Grill runs the fast casual Vietnamese lane in Arlington, the same corridor that holds the region's largest Bolivian community and, a few miles east, Eden Center in Falls Church. This is a smaller, quicker cousin to that full plaza model: counter service, a short menu, and turnaround built for a lunch break rather than a sit down meal. Pho is the anchor, and the broth arrives fast enough that it reads as a kitchen built for volume rather than for lingering. The shrimp version has drawn some criticism for turning up overcooked, which suggests the beef and chicken bowls, cooked to standard timing rather than to a delicate protein, are the safer order.

Banh mi and com tam round out the signature list, the former the grab and go sandwich built on a baguette with pickled vegetables and a choice of meat, the latter broken rice topped with grilled pork or other proteins, a Southern Vietnamese plate meant to be eaten quickly and often. Portions have run smaller than what regulars remember from an earlier version of the operation, and the cooking has been described as close to but not quite matching that earlier standard. Even so, the record suggests a course correction: after a rough stretch, the kitchen has been brought back to a level that regulars again call a reliable, affordable option. That arc matters more than any single order.

Arlington has no shortage of Vietnamese food worth crossing a jurisdiction line for, but not everyone wants a full plaza trip for a weekday lunch. Four Sisters Grill fills that narrower need: fast, moderately priced, no reservation, no ceremony. It suits solo diners, office workers on a clock, and anyone who wants pho or a banh mi without committing to a sit down meal. It is not positioning itself as a destination room, and does not need to.

Map showing Four Sisters Grill© OpenStreetMap
Address3035 Clarendon Blvd
Arlington, VA, 22201
Insider tip

Order the beef or chicken pho rather than the shrimp, since the shrimp has been reported overcooked on takeout orders. Com tam is a solid bet for anyone wanting more than broth.

7 Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery Yelp

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

Bakeries · Arlington · $$

Beignets and a latte are the Sunday move, and the line before church service backs that up. Croissants and coffee run on one side of the counter, food orders on the other. The room leans into a New Orleans identity through its pastry case and menu rather than location, since this is Arlington, not Louisiana.

What to orderBeignetsLatteCroissant Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1515 N Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA 22201 · (703) 243-2410
8 Maya Bistro Yelp

Maya Bistro

Mediterranean · Arlington · $$

Turkish mezze and grilled branzino lead a Mediterranean menu that runs fresh and gets reordered on repeat visits. Stuffed grape leaves and a varied, well-executed lineup make this a dependable neighborhood room rather than an occasion spot. Parking is tight around the block, but that has not slowed the crowd.

What to orderTurkish mezzeGrilled branzinoStuffed grape leaves Call Directions Scored from the full review record 5649 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207 · (703) 533-7800
9 Kabob Bazaar Yelp

Kabob Bazaar

Middle Eastern · Arlington · $$

Kaleh pacheh, the traditional Persian sheep's head dish, is the reason regulars make the trip specifically. Kabob and tahdig, the crisped Persian rice, fill out a menu that has held its footing in Arlington for years. The room stays casual and family-friendly, with service that keeps the neighborhood coming back.

What to orderKaleh PachehKabobTahdig Call Directions Scored from the full review record 3133 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201 · (703) 522-8999
10 Sabores Tapas Bar Yelp

Sabores Tapas Bar

Tapas Bars · Arlington · $$

Patatas bravas and croquetas anchor a Spanish tapas menu built for sharing across a group. Jamon iberico gives the board some weight beyond the usual small plates. Happy hour draws a crowd and drink service can lag when the bar gets busy, but the room's welcome at the door gets noticed.

What to orderPatatas bravasCroquetasJamón iberico Call Directions Scored from the full review record 2401 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204 · (571) 970-1253
11 Bob & Edith's Diner Yelp

Bob & Edith's Diner

American · Arlington · $$
Insider Score5.3

Eggs and hash browns at the counter are the reason this diner holds a loyal daytime crowd. The burger and a rotating pie case cover the rest of the day, and counter seating keeps solo visits quick. It is a straightforward, no-frills room built for regulars rather than a special trip.

What to orderEggs and hash brownsBurgerPie Call Directions
Full review & visiting detailsRead the full review & visiting details

Arlington's counter-seat diner standard

Eggs and hash browns

Eggs and hash browns are the diner order that proves the point, best eaten at the counter for the full view of the line.

Burger

The burger is straightforward diner fare done at full speed, a solid pick for a packed room in Arlington.

Pie

Pie closes out the counter meal the way it should, simple and built for daytime diner regulars.

Bob & Edith's runs on the oldest diner logic there is: eggs, hash browns, a burger, a slice of pie, all day, no pretense. This is Arlington, Virginia, not the District, and the room reads like a genuine neighborhood fixture rather than a tourist stop, which matters given how few places in the corridor hold that role. The hash browns and eggs are the anchor order, the kind of plate that either gets diner food right or doesn't, and the record here says it does. The burger backs it up as a second reliable order, straightforward and unfussy.

Pie closes the loop, the traditional diner dessert that either feels like an afterthought or an institution depending on the kitchen, and this one leans toward the latter. Counter seating is the move if it is available. The room is bright, arguably too bright once night falls and the interior lighting takes over, and it runs best as a daytime spot. Service during the day is consistently strong, attentive without hovering, the kind of staff that remembers a regular's order.

That daytime strength is worth noting because it is not universal across the clock; the room's character shifts once the sun goes down, and the crowd along with it. Expect it to fill up. This is not a room that turns over quietly; on busy stretches it gets packed, and the counter seats offer both a faster path in and a better vantage on how the kitchen moves plates. Moderate pricing keeps it accessible for a solo counter breakfast or a family booth on a Saturday, and the format works for both.

This is a daytime diner built for regulars and for anyone driving through Arlington who wants eggs and hash browns done straight, no modern flourishes, no reinvention, just a full plate and fast coffee. It earns its place on the strength of consistency rather than ambition, and that is precisely the point of a diner.

Map showing Bob & Edith's Diner© OpenStreetMap
Address539 23rd St S
Arlington, VA, 22202
Insider tip

Go during the day and take a counter seat if one opens up; the service and the room both run better before the lights take over at night.

12 Inca Social Yelp

Inca Social

Beer · Arlington · $$

Ceviche and a pisco sour make the case for this Peruvian bar on their own. Aji de gallina, shredded chicken in a walnut and chili cream sauce, draws repeat orders, and the kitchen handles vegetarian requests without treating them as an afterthought. The room reads lively and suits a group better than a quiet dinner for two.

What to orderCevicheAji de gallinaPisco sour Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1776 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209 · (571) 312-7664
What to know before choosing a restaurant

The Best Restaurants in Arlington, VA: 1. Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita · 2. The Liberty Tavern · 3. Fettoosh · 4. Sushi Rock · 5. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ. Addresses, prices and what to order.

Arlington eats across two different maps at once: the 24-hour taco counters and Persian and Peruvian rooms that outnumber anything downtown, and the Clarendon strip of brunch bars and Japanese grills built for groups. This list treats both as the same beat, judged on what actually lands on the plate.

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Frequently asked

What is the best restaurant in Arlington, VA right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Kabob Bazaar and Maya Bistro rank among the highest-rated rooms in Arlington for consistency across a wide range of dishes. No restaurant on this list paid to be included; the ranking comes from the review record alone.
Where can I find good Arlington restaurants near me without a long wait?
Counter-service and no-reservation rooms like Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita, Four Sisters Grill, and Bob & Edith's Diner move fast and rarely require a wait. Sit-down rooms like The Liberty Tavern get busy on weekend brunch, so a reservation helps there.
Is Arlington, Virginia part of Washington, DC?
No. Arlington is its own jurisdiction in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. Every restaurant on this list is in Arlington, VA, not in the District.
How is the Insider Score calculated for these restaurants?
The Insider Score is built from the volume and substance of the public review record for each restaurant, not from payment or advertising. Restaurants cannot buy placement on this list.
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The data first, then the verdict

We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →

About the writer
Nia Bramwell
Staff Writer · Top of DC

Staff Writer. Prince George's County native who waited tables through college and now drives the Beltway for a living. Writes the guides, and holds a suburban strip-mall counter to exactly the same standard as a downtown dining room.

Five rooms, every Friday.

The new opening, the sleeper the score just flagged, and the one room worth booking this week. Free.

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