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    Genki Izakaya

    4.5 (1k reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Genki Izakaya Reservations

    Order Genki Izakaya Takeout or Delivery

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    GENKI IZAKAYA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Genki Izakaya

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    Scallop Sensation
    William D.

    Reservations are easy to make ahead of time, but parking is a little difficult. That's obviously no fault of the restaurant. Everyone is super friendly. The food came out at a good pace and our waters kept being filled regularly. So, service is too notch. Food is excellent. It's been a while since we've been here and we wanted sushi and this place was so good the first time. I always recommend this spot as well. There are a lot of creative dishes here that are hard to find.

    Katsu Curry Rice
    Camilla W.

    Came to Genki Izakaya in Fairfax for a birthday dinner with a group of 16. We had to split into two tables, which was understandable for a group that size, but all of the servers were very attentive and kept up with us throughout the meal. Most of the food was really good, especially the skewers, sushi, katsu curry rice, squid karaage, clam appetizer, and several other dishes we ordered. The only dish that didn't quite meet expectations was the spicy yaki udon. Maybe we're more accustomed to a soupier udon or a less spicy version of yaki udon, but this one just didn't stand out compared with everything else we tried. The atmosphere was very lively, which we actually loved for a birthday celebration. It felt energetic and fun without taking away from the experience. Parking is available in a nearby garage, with some limited street parking as well. They also gave us a nice birthday dessert: matcha crepe cake and a slice of cheesecake that were both super yummy. Overall a fun place for a group dinner, and we'd definitely come back to try more of the menu!

    Katsu Curry Udon
    Victoria V.

    Everything was perfect! Our server was wonderful and gave us several great recommendations. I definitely recommend making a reservation because they were busy when we went. The atmosphere was great--you could easily have a conversation with the person sitting across from you, which I always appreciate. And the food was amazing! We tried the Katsu Curry Udon, which had a little more spice than I expected, but was still really good. The Karaage was delicious, but the fried squid legs are a MUST! The spicy mayo was absolutely amazing. The 007 is also a must-try! Highly recommend this place--we loved everything!

    Tonkotsu Ramen
    Steven T.

    Tried a lot of different things on their menu and most of it was good, but nothing really blew me away. I started with various skewers, Tuna Tataki, Monkfish Liver, Karaage, and Cream Croquette. For entrees we got the Tonkotsu and Spicy Miso Ramen, Mentaiko Udon, Katsu Curry Udon, Tornado Omelet Rice, and various sushi rolls. Overall it was good food, but a bit overhyped in my opinion. I would come back mainly for the skewers and sushi.

    Sashimi Sampler
    Kam C.

    Tried this place for my moms birthday. There are not many wine options but offer cocktails, beers, and sake. Ambiance is really cute but gets loud and busy quickly. Definitely a more modern restaurant which creative garnishes and pricey food options. All the food and service we received were great!

    Today's Torched Fatty salmon 3/10
    Michelle S.

    When this place first opened, the food was 10/10 and so was the service... Today, it seems to have gone downhill. The quality, presentation and service is NOT what I remember. I have included today and last year pics for comparison. We thought about ordering more but our waitress, Sabrina got our drink and apps and then ghosted us for 40mins.

    Love the delivery/take-away presentation...Wagyu fried rice..loved the rice. The protein was chewy and not memorable.
    Monica W.

    I first dined at GI for a Yelp event and couldn't wait to visit again because the dishes were amazing. I took advantage of UE my second time and fell in love with the Lava roll: shrimp tempura, eel, avocado, cream cheese, lightly fried and topped with spicy jumbo crab meat (not really spicy IMO), scallions, eel sauce and red tobiko. Soo fresh and amazing. Also in my UE delivery order I purchased the Wagyu fried rice (loved the rice texture, but not worth the $$, Wagyu was too chewy) and the Gyu-Harami, not as tender or flavorful as I was expecting. Enter today, I had a hair appointment and decided to order via UE again but for a take-away. I ordered another Lava, boarder line obsession, Mango Tango and Oyster fry. I was immediately greeted upon entrance and made my way to the bar to wait for my goodies. The restaurant is aesthetically nice, with big windows which let in a lot of natural light. I like the "cubby" seats which offer a private dining experience. While waiting a staff member advised me they were still working in my order, which was appreciated. The Mango Tango was good but the Lava is too good to cheat on, lol. The Oyster fry was juicy and cooked to perfection.

    Wagyu Fried Rice
    Jens J.

    After completing some business nearby, we were drawn to Genki Izakaya's high Yelp rating. We were not disappointed. On a weekday evening, Genki was bustling with nearly all the tables taken. Still, we were seated promptly. Noticeable, but not too loud of music was playing. We love Genki's broad menu, replete with both cold and hot appetizers, ramen, skewers, udon, fried rice, fish appertizers, nigiri, hand rolls, sashimi, special rolls, and dessert. Of course, there is a bar with liquor, sake and other drinkables. JP started out with the grilled saba (mackerel) and declared it the best saba ever. Indeed, the dipping sauce paired with the saba was also especially good. I started out with a pork bun. It was delicious with a big slab of pork, a leaf of good lettuce and a tasty dressing. We also had the miso soup. It comes in a regular and spicy version. Both were decent. I went with the regular miso and livened it up with a spoonful of the chili spice powder mix that was on the table. Note: this chili spice is potent, so use sparingly. I also went with the Wagyu beef fried rice, because I've seen Wagyu on menus for years, and finally now wanted to try it. Though perhaps a tad oily, the Wagyu fried rice was delicious. It came packed with Wagyu beef that was tender and scrumptious. Even after the saba and a plate of avocado/eel rolls, JP was still hungry, so he also ordered the butabara (pork belly), Eringi (mushroom) and zucchini skewers. These were well-prepared and tasty. Service was fine. There's a few parking spots available along the service road next to Genki Izakaya, but if there is not parking there, you'll find parking in the garage next to Giant.

    William C.

    Located along Rte. 50 at the edge of the CIty of Fairfax in a mall with several other excellent restaurants, Genki Izakaya holds its own for excellence. Walking in, the energy is really upbeat with both tables and booth to enjoy your meal. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We made a reservation and so we were able to promptly when we arrived. We sat at a booth along the window and so I was able to watch as the place filled with customers. It's hipster place, mainly young professionals. The restaurant feels very clean. Most places are clean, but this place felt extra clean to me. The menu includes a variety appetizers, meat and fish entrees, along with sushi and sashimi and many different rolls. Everything we selected was presented artfully and was absolutely delicious. "What a Tuna" was my favorite roll. The House salad is a stand out-great veges topped with delicious raw salmon and tuna.

    Ube colada and white blossom
    Khoi N.

    Huge fan of the ambience and decor here. Stopped by on a busy Saturday for lunch. My friends and I shared everything from the mentaiko fries, katsu curry rice, yakitori platter, Japanese grilled squid, spicy scallion hand roll, Japanese chicken wings, tonkotsu ramen and the tornado omelet fried rice. I'd highly recommend the curry rice, ramen and tornado fried rice. The curry and ramen broth were rich. The tornado rice was beautifully plated and loved the tomato rice. I'd pass on the wings because they were very small. Same with the fries as they are really thin. They have an extensive cocktail menu. We enjoyed the Yuzu maze, koro oolong, Yuzu highball, and the Ube colada. This is a great place to enjoy some quality Japanese and Asian fusion cuisine. I'll definitely be back to sample some of their other sushi rolls and desserts.

    Drink!
    Claudine L.

    So yummy. Everything is always sooo good. I got the katsu curry. Huge portion and very tasty. The drink was really good just pretty small for ~16. We also got the skewers platter which was great to get a taste of different meats. Gyoza was okay prolly wont order again. The waiter was attentive and got us our food pretty quickly. We didnt need to wait too long for a table on a weekend night! Go try

    Butabara pork belly
    Karyn M.

    This fun izakaya spot is located on the corner of a very busy Fairfax shopping area. Very limited parking (most of the spots are 30 mins) so we ended up parking in the Giant lot. The decor is great -- we were seated in a booth across from the very impressive bar. The menu had so many enticing items -- it made it so hard to choose. We split a grilled saba, Brussel sprouts and ube fries. The food came out right away, was hot and delicious. My ube colada was just ok (very strong but not very colada-y). My katsu curry rice was generous with the fried pork cutlet and curry sauce. There was so much I shared with the table. My companion enjoyed the pork belly. We actually were very happy with our food -- it tasted great -- but then.... It seemed to take so long for them to bring out my friend's A5 Miyazaki Wagyu on hot stone. We asked a few times and the rest of us had finished our food. (My friend said they could actually see in my mind that I was subtracting one or two stars). But then...they brought out the Wagyu on a stone and lit it on fire. They cooked the Wagyu and sliced it and it was incredible! So tender, so flavorful, I immediately added those one or two stars back. This was the best part of the meal, and it wasn't even my meal! They sent out a complimentary tiramisu (with Hello Kitty face) and it was delicious.

    Great cocktails
    John H.

    Genki is a great Japanese restaurant that offers more than just your typical sushi. They offer a variety of Japanese cuisine including sushi, ramen, and even Waygu beef so there's something for everybody. They offer great cocktails which were presented very nicely. We started with pepper and beef skewers and ube fries. Beef was more tender than I expected. The ramen was tasty and spicy. Waygu fried rice was great and the Waygu stone entree was bigger than I expected. They offer a good selection of sushi but we only tried one special roll. Was too full to order dessert but we will definitely be coming back to try other dishes.

    Crabmeat roll

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    24 days ago

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    1 month ago

    Food is always great! I recommend the gyudon and tonkatsu ramen! Shoutout to our server Sabrina! She was friendly and attentive

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    Genki Izakaya Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Genki Izakaya

    Are reservations required? Would I be able to walk up and get a table?

    If you want a table, yes. It takes about 30-45 min to get a table. But if you don't have a big party, the bar seating is pretty good. No reservation needed.

    What is the parking situation like?

    Street parking and garage around the corner

    View All 4 Questions

    Songbird - Sticky Crispy Beef

    Songbird

    4.3(328 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    Glad to revisit a place after a while to find they are still as good as they used to be. Jason…read moreknows his craft, makes on point recommendations, food remains fantastic, ambience is warm and inviting. Vesper Martini 6/5-hard to find such a clean, crisp, yet bright Martini. Midnight Sun 5/5-exactly as described Old Fashioned--reminiscent of a Clouseau Dan Dan Noodles--5/5 Harvest Sushi-4/5

    This adventitious find popped up on my way out of the city. In general, the outer suburbs are…read morebetter for Chinese food than DC itself, so I gave them a shot. My takeout was ready in timely fashion, and there was definitely some quality there. My kung pao tofu was a little sweet as the dish normally is, but also amply spicy as I requested and came with plenty of peanuts, extra-crispy tofu, and a few other vegetables. Lo mein was a fairly straightforward soy-garlic affair, though I must say I appreciated the option to add some tofu to that as well. My spring rolls came sauceless and were fairly basic and cabbage-y, but a decent way to round out a meal. I appreciated their thorough vegetarian labeling; of course some things were not available to me that I wish they would make vegetarian, but the most important thing is being able to make informed decisions. I skipped the ma po tofu this time, but they claim it offers genuine numbing sensations and they did enough to convince me that it might be worth coming back to try.

    Photos
    Songbird - Cool bar

    Cool bar

    Songbird - General Tso chicken

    General Tso chicken

    Songbird - Water carafe

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    Water carafe

    The Naisho Room

    The Naisho Room

    3.6(51 reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $$$
    Full bar
    Romantic vibe

    I thought I had booked the omakase experience, but realized I accidentally selected the wrong…read moreoption, which was disappointing at first. The staff explained they prepare omakase for a set number of guests, so they couldn't accommodate us last-minute. That said, the manager and his staff, our wonderful server completely turned the experience around with their kindness. They comped part of our meal, brought out desserts for my husband's birthday, and even treated me to a mocktail. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made the night feel really special. The service was warm and attentive, and we still had an amazing time. I've already booked omakase for next week and can't wait to come back! The place has great vibes. Highly recommend!! And the HANDROLLS WERE THE BEST WE'VE EVER HAD!!! forgot to mention how amazing the food was. Yummy!

    The Naisho Room has been open for a little over a year now and how quickly they learned that trying…read moretoo hard to be "exclusive" does not go well. At least not in the DMV area where there are simply so many better options. Some friends and I were finally special enough to be granted a reservation and the whole experience was meh. I was a bit late so I checked in at Wren and then was walked back to the elevator to go up to their gym. From there you walk to a door. Once I got there and pulled on the door, a very dissatisfied hostess warned me not to do that. She walked me in and pointed me to an area but that wasn't even where my friends were sitting. Go figure! The decor left a lot to be desired and it was super bright inside. Right away the vibe was off. What speakeasy is bright? Definitely none that I've been to before. We each just ordered a drink and split an appetizer before dinner reservations at Wren. Once again, the drinks were not special at all. The Tokyo Reverie was somewhat drinkable, with Takumi being our least favorite. The server was somewhat friendly. Based on this experience, I have no desire to go back, nor would I recommend it to anyone.

    Photos
    The Naisho Room
    The Naisho Room
    The Naisho Room

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    Clarity - Complimentary bread

    Clarity

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$$

    We chose Clarity in Vienna for my mother's 91st birthday, and it turned out to be a wonderful…read morechoice. My mom is extraordinarily sensitive to anything remotely "spicy"--even black pepper can be a problem, and sometimes arugula! Our server David listened carefully to her concerns and made sure the chef knew exactly what she needed. The kitchen modified her dish accordingly, and she was able to enjoy a delicious meal without worrying about what might be in it. But the food was only part of what made the evening so enjoyable. David and Ceara were both fantastic--warm, attentive, and incredibly personable. They really listened to Mom and made an effort to engage with her. Mom eventually started telling jokes, including a few that were definitely on the bawdy side. David and Ceara were wonderful sports and laughed right along with her. They made her feel welcome rather than simply accommodated, and that distinction meant a lot to all of us. Clarity gave us delicious food and excellent service, but more importantly, they helped make my mother feel celebrated on her 91st birthday. A memorable evening and a restaurant I'm very happy to recommend.

    We've been dining at Clarity in Vienna for years, and it was particularly a favorite for intimate,…read morespecial-occasion meals. Chef Jon Krinn's menus and his warm, personal touch with diners made the place special. After he left, Chef Tracy O'Grady admirably revived it with creative new menu concepts, and under Chef Danny Ahn the brand has now expanded to a Reston location. Through it all, bartender Victor has been a steady, caring presence -- even as service slowed and courses started taking a long time to arrive. After one visit where we waited 50 minutes for dessert, we stayed away for a while. We decided to come back to celebrate our anniversary. The new manager, Jeff Miller, and the rest of the staff greeted us warmly, but the dining room was nearly empty, and the air conditioning was set to meat-locker levels. Victor had the day off. Clarity is known for a daily-changing tasting menu, and we were looking forward to that night's advertised special -- giant tiger prawns, lobster and black truffle risotto, and venison. Instead, we were handed a menu with octopus, cod loin, and duck -- solid dishes, but standard fare you'll find at plenty of restaurants in the area, not the standout the website promised. We ordered from the regular menu instead. For appetizers, we each got the grilled Wellfleet and Old Salt oyster platter. For entrées, my spouse ordered the yellowfin tuna with tiger shrimp; I asked if I could get the Maryland soft-shell crabs as an entrée with two crabs instead of one. The waiter said no and suggested I add a sweet corn bisque to round out the meal. When he mentioned to the manager that we were unhappy, Jeff offered to plate two crab appetizers together for double the appetizer price. I happily agreed. The manager explained that website updates were no longer handled in-house, that the tasting menu posted online hadn't actually been available for months, that other guests had complained about the same thing, and that the takeout/pickup menu was also wrong -- to the point that he' had just contacted customers to tell them their online orders couldn't be fulfilled. Service was slow, and the waiter never told us which oysters were Wellfleet and which were Old Salt. To kitchen's credit, the portions were generous, properly cooked, and genuinely tasty. The dessert menu seemed uninspired, so I asked about a double shot of Angel's Envy rye instead. It had always been reasonably priced when Victor poured it -- generously, too. This time, I overheard the manager quote the waiter $56. A 750ml bottle (25 oz) currently retails at Virginia ABC for about $75, or $3/oz -- so $56 for a double shot works out to about $18.67 per ounce. I said that wasn't acceptable. At that point, the manager repeated, for the fourth time, that he was still on the phone trying to get the website fixed. I told him his reiterated efforts might help future diners, but it didn't help us that evening. He said Victor had trained him and that he was charging what Victor would charge -- I told him I didn't believe that, since Victor had always been fair and accommodating. I also said that as the manager overseeing service, he should be checking the website' daily for accuracy himself. He then offered to pay for my "cocktail" out of his own pocket. Before I could point out that a shot of whiskey isn't a cocktail, my spouse asked him to just leave us alone. We paid and left feeling genuinely sad to see a restaurant we loved fall this far.

    Photos
    Clarity
    Clarity - Pink pineapple upside down cake.

    Pink pineapple upside down cake.

    Clarity - Wine and whiskey!

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    Wine and whiskey!

    Genki Izakaya - sushi - Updated September 2026

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