The best restaurants in Arlington, VA.

Palette 22 on Campbell Avenue treats brunch as an all-afternoon plan. Diners describe a tapas-style spread with a taco bar, a waffle bar and a full menu to order from, and many stay for hours. The jerk chicken is the dish named most, with the black bean hummus, butter chicken and shrimp tacos close behind.

Birthday groups are common, and servers are credited for keeping plates and drinks coming. Large parties are asked to take the bottomless option together, and a gratuity is added for bigger tables, which is worth knowing when booking. Dinner works too: diners who came back at night and sat at the bar enjoyed the food even more than at brunch.

Practical notes: reservations are the smart move, parking is close, and the music gets loud when the room is full. Tacos, pizzas and the crispy Brussels sprouts all earn praise, so a table can order broadly and share.

Fettoosh sits in a small building on Wilson Boulevard, and diners say the plain exterior gives no hint of the food inside. The menu is Moroccan, and the plates come out fresh, made to order and generous enough to take home. Free parking is right outside, and every table gets pita bread to start.

The chicken tagine with lemon and olives is the dish most diners name, and a lamb and beef meatball tagine gets the same kind of praise. The bastilla arrives in crisp pastry dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Zaalouk, a smoky eggplant and tomato starter, is a favorite opener, and the Moroccan mint tea is poured fresh and called refreshing. Lentil soup, hummus and a shawarma platter suit a lighter meal.

A few diners mention slow timing on takeout, so ordering ahead and allowing extra time helps. Sitting down brings a relaxed room and a welcome that diners describe as warm.

Ruthie's All-Day on South Fifth Street cooks homestyle Southern food from breakfast into dinner, and the brisket is the plate diners bring up most. Starters like skillet cornbread and deviled eggs set the tone, and the mac and cheese is the side to add. Some seats face a wood-fired grill in the kitchen, which diners enjoy watching.

Brunch is the busiest stretch. Apple pie pancakes, biscuits and fried chicken biscuits all earn mentions, along with a black bean burger for vegetarians and salmon for lighter eaters. The patio adds seating on warm days, and families note the room is casual and welcoming for kids.

Reservations make a real difference. Several diners were told the wait for a table at weekend brunch could stretch to an hour, while those who booked ahead sat right away. Servers are praised for staying attentive even when the room is full.

Hawkers Asian Street Food on Wilson Boulevard in Ballston is built for sharing. The menu draws on Malaysia, Korea, Japan, China and Vietnam, and diners describe it as Asian tapas, with small plates arriving as the kitchen finishes them. A group can cover a lot of ground in one sitting.

Soup dumplings and duck bao lead the orders. Kimchi fried rice is the dish some diners say spoiled every other fried rice for them, and the Korean twice-fried wings, laksa ramen, pad thai and curry all come up.

Happy hour is a draw for after-work crowds, and the room gets loud when it fills. Servers earn praise for friendly, quick service. A few diners found certain dishes too salty, so tasting before adding sauce helps. Reservations are accepted, and the room looks good by day and at night.

Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita on Columbia Pike earns its place with tacos, and diners say it is among the few open around the clock in Arlington. One diner ordered delivery in the middle of the night and still praised the birria tacos. The inside is colorful, with Mexican music playing, and the staff are called friendly and patient.

Tacos lead the menu by a wide margin, especially the crispy, cheesy birria tacos and the taco mixto. A torta and a burrito are the other big orders, and the menu goes further into huaraches, flautas, quesadillas, elote and pozole. Visitors from out of town call it some of the best Mexican food they found in the area.

A few diners find the seasoning heavy on salt, so asking for sauces on the side is a sensible approach. Prices are modest, and the setting is casual enough for a quick lunch or a late stop.

Carbonara on Wilson Boulevard is where diners go to celebrate. Birthdays and anniversaries fill the dining room, and servers get named in the praise for making recommendations and keeping the pace easy. The kitchen is called excellent, and the bar draws its own crowd for margaritas and wine.

The tableside carbonara is the signature, finished in front of the guests, and the tiramisu gets the same treatment. Chicken parm and vodka chicken are the other heavy hitters, with mozzarella in carrozza, meatballs, lasagna, gnocchi and cheesecake rounding out the table. Starters and desserts are good for sharing, and the portions are large.

Plan ahead. A full room means reservations matter, and walk-ins on a Saturday were quoted long waits for outdoor seating. Weekday lunch fills as well. Holiday decorations dress the room in season, and the patio gives extra seats when the weather allows.

AMBAR on Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon serves Balkan food as small plates, built for passing around. Diners who tried the unlimited sharing option say it works well for larger parties, and a lunch version gets praise as a good way to sample the full menu. Even guests unsure about Eastern European food say the dishes won them over.

Lamb lasagna, the Balkan salad, hanger steak and Balkan kebab are the dishes named most. Hummus, meatballs, salmon, shrimp and veal soup also appear. Weekend brunch adds waffles, benedicts and fried chicken, and drinks are a draw there.

Reserve for brunch, since weekend tables book out and each reservation runs on a set window. Diners with dietary needs report helpful service, and the menu marks which dishes contain gluten, so reading the key carefully matters. Vegan and vegetarian options exist for mixed groups. Servers are frequently named in the praise for making the meal feel personal.

El Pollo Rico on North Kenmore Street is the Peruvian rotisserie chicken stop that Northern Virginia diners point to first. Some have been coming for decades and say it still feels like visiting an old friend. The chicken is juicy and seasoned through, and many diners call it the best Peruvian chicken in the area.

The order is simple: a whole bird for a group of three or more, a half chicken with two sides for one, or a quarter for a lighter meal. Fries, rice, beans and plantains are the sides, and the yellow sauce on the table is a favorite. Inside are plenty of tables, though most diners take their food home.

Practical notes: the parking lot is good sized but fills during the lunch and dinner rush, and the line at the counter grows with it. Plenty of tables inside mean a group can sit down together.

Pupatella at 5104 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, makes Neapolitan pizza, and one diner explains the style is meant to be thin and soft, not sturdy. A visitor from Milwaukee who loves pizza calls it the best they have eaten, and a regular says takeout has been reliable twice a week.

The menu is small and the ingredients carry it. The onion tart pizza, the meatball pizza, the diavola, and the capricciosa each have names that come up, and the pepperoni gets praise too. Homemade meatballs are a good starter, while a sampler of fried starters drew mixed comments. Olive oil over the pie adds richness, and gelato and beer are on offer.

Practical notes: the line works cafeteria-style, with an order at the counter and a number to carry to a table in the adjoining room. The space is on the smaller side. Some diners found the pies soft or soggy in the center, which is how the style is made, so a fork helps.

Carlyle on Campbell Avenue in Shirlington has the kind of broad menu that suits a table with different tastes. Families say they have returned for decades, and birthday dinners are a regular sight. Servers and managers are named often in the praise, including for moving a patio reservation indoors when the weather turned cold.

The menu runs from crab and shrimp dishes to steak, filet, hanger steak and lobster, plus a jambalaya pasta that diners rank as a standout. The goat cheese salad is a lighter choice, and fish tacos and burgers cover casual appetites. The white chocolate bread pudding is the dessert named most often. Cocktails, including an Old Fashioned and a spicy pineapple margarita, are called well made.

The room is lively on weekend nights, so reservations help, and groups as large as ten have been looked after smoothly. The patio adds seating in mild weather.

Texas Jack’s Barbecue on Washington Boulevard smells like smoked meat from the sidewalk, and diners say the brisket delivers on it. The meat is tender without being dry, with a clear smoky flavor. Ribs, wings, chicken and a pulled pork sandwich fill out the meat list, and the barbecue burrito and brisket egg roll add a creative turn.

Sides matter here. Mac and cheese is named most, followed by potato salad, beans, cornbread and esquites, a street corn side. Inside are exposed brick, wood accents, booths, bar stools and an open kitchen, and a private room in back fits a group. Lunch on a weekday is quiet and easy.

A few practical points: street parking nearby is free for a limited time, happy hour draws a crowd, and brunch is served too. Families come with kids.

Bangkok 54 on Columbia Pike is a Thai restaurant that regulars call their go-to, and some have eaten there for many years. Diners praise the consistency, and the dining room looks good, with a kitchen near the entrance and fresh fruit and art around the room.

Pad thai is the dish named most, followed by panang curry, green curry, red curry and tom yum soup. Papaya salad is a fresh opener, and firecracker shrimp, spring rolls and tom ka soup start many meals. Drunken noodles and fried rice are common lunch picks, and grilled salmon and sushi rolls give the menu range. Spice levels are adjustable, and servers listen to allergy questions.

There are two sides to the restaurant, a dining room and a bar, so a first visit can feel confusing at the door. A nearby garage is easy to use, and a free lot sits in front. Lunch is a quick, steady option, and takeout is common. Vegetarians should check dishes for fish sauce.