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    Southeast Impression

    4.5 (442 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM

    Southeast Impression Photos

    Business Info

    SOUTHEAST IMPRESSION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy

    Recommended Reviews - Southeast Impression

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    Various main dishes - my fav was the crispy pork (bottom)
    Lydia N.

    I've been here a couple of times now and the food has not disappointed either times! This is one of the best places in NoVa for southeast Asian food, and their desserts are also very impressive! Some highlights were their crispy pork belly, mango sticky rice, and Pandan chiffon cake. The servers were also friendly and attentive and the atmosphere was lively - just wish I lived closer so I can visit more often!

    Salmon ceviche
    Faith N.

    The service was amazing! Our waitress was so sweet and knew how to take care of my grandparents and the rest of my family! We were sat in a small room for our party of 8 and it was nice and private for our birthday event. My favorite dish was the grilled squid and hainanese chicken. Everything was cooked so well and so flavorful. I especially loved the 3 sauces that came with the chicken. Can't eat to come back again!

    Richard H.

    Very interesting southern Asian food. Everything we ordered is great! The size of the dish is bigger than I expected. Good interior decoration and option with table or bar. Service is great and I recommend do the reservation especially for the weekend. Parking can be find along the street or use the retail garage behind the building.

    Christina V.

    It was amazing!!!! Our server Tammy was amazing too :) we both got drinks- the espresso martini was DELICIOUS. I usually only take a sip of it but I took a lot of sips!!! I got myself a cosmopolitan and it was classic. For appetizer get the papaya salad, a wonderful dish to get your stomach ready for the entrees! I honestly believe their Panang curry is the best this area has to offer. No dessert tonite but maybe next time :)

    Duck Pad Kapow
    Sheran M.

    4.5 stars The food here is amazing, and the portions are generous. This would have been five stars, but the nasi lemak wasn't perfect. While some pieces of the rendang melted in your mouth as expected, others were a bit too tough for my taste. The duck pad kapow was a standout, with incredible crispiness and bold flavors. Service is attentive and the staff gave us great recommendations on how to navigate the menu, especially since it was our first visit. The ambiance is very modern and feels upscale, although the prices are quite reasonable. It's a nice blend of traditional Southeast Asian elements with a modern American style.

    Nasi Lemak with chicken
    Grace H.

    Great restaurant with amazing food! I hadn't had much Malaysian or Singaporean food before, so I was interested in trying this place out. It did not disappoint! The inside is really cute and aesthetic and the menu has a wide variety of Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai dishes. I got the curry laksa which was delicious. The portions were very generous too! My fiancé got Nasi Lemak with fried chicken and his sister got the salmon. All were delicious and came out decently quickly. The rice on the Nasi Lemak had a nice coconut flavor. I'd definitely come here again-there were so many dishes on the menu that I want to try next.

    Sarah L.

    I've been to south east impression multiple times but every time the food is so good ! The server was very kind and attentive. We got the tamarind shrimp, Haines chicken, pineapple fried rice, and the roti appetizer. It is a little pricey but it's a nice restaurant with beautiful interior !

    Pandan Creme Brulee & Mango Sticky Rice
    Ellen D.

    I have been to Southeast Impression a handful of times and have loved every single experience. Most recently I went for a friend's bridal party get together; we were able to make a reservation via phone a few days prior for our table of 10 so that was nice! Food: (5 of 5) -Appetizer Platter: great to share with friends and great for you have a small taste of everything -Papaya Salad: was refreshing but could definitely use more heat/spice -Pad Thai: cant go wrong with a classic -Nasi Goreng: topped with a delicious fried egg -Pineapple Fried Rice: presentation was everything!! -Roasted Duck Curry: sweet, great with rice -Pandan Creme Brulee: best dessert on the menu -Mango Sticky Rice: refreshing mango, would order again -My cup of Kopi: their take on an espresso martini, it was amazing, i ended up having 2 that brunch. The service was fantastic, our server was nice and attentive and kept our water glasses filled, and kept asking if we wanted additional drink refills. The ambiance is nice, it has a cozy vibe to it; with some booths and mostly table/chairs. Theirs a full bar so you can order what you like. I would highly recommend for a date night or brunch with friends.

    Annette A.

    I can't wait to come back and try something else off this massive menu. Food was tasty (small negative, the fish was a tad overcooked). Good level of spicy on the duck. Everyone enjoyed their food. The pandan cake was excellent. Service was good. Ambiance was good. Cleanliness was good.

    Mia H.

    Southeast Impression is a really great concept, where you can get traditional dishes from multiple SE asian countries all in one spot! They have a diverse menu of different noodle dishes, curries, soups, rice, and so so many appetizers. Service here was amazing and food came out pretty quickly. For appetizers, we ordered their fried wontons, fried calamari, salmon ceviche, and roti canai. All of them were delicious, but I highly recommend the roti canai because of how buttery the roti was and the curry was absolutely delicious! For mains, we got their pad thai, their panang curry, crab fried rice, pad see eiw, and hokkien mee. Favorites of the night here were definitely their panang curry and crab fried rice! Wish we had room more dessert but everything was so good, I was stuffed by the end.

    Amy W.

    This is one of the places that I've been dying to visit for a while and got lucky that I was able to walk-in without a reservation on a Friday night during prime dinner hours. It was meant to be! Interior is fun, modern & trendy with lively atmosphere. Great for any occasion -- from a birthday celebration to dining solo and sitting at the bar (with a window view)! The parking situation is limited so have patience. Kudos to the bar staff who guided me where to park (Scout on the Circle Apartments or Giant). I originally parked my car at Dunkin Donuts and they warned me that I may want to relocate my vehicle so I don't risk getting towed. As for food, Southeast Impression has a lot of options on the menu and was feeling indecisive. The staff recommended I might try the soft shell crab as this is not a typical dish that you might find elsewhere. Great choice -- the perfect amount of food for someone with a big appetite and bursting with flavor. Below are the ingredients. +Signature Singapore stir-fry chili crab served with tomato, onion, ginger, shallot, garlic, egg -- comes with a side of fried buns and white rice The dish came with four soft shell crabs and although the menu suggests that this item is already spicy as noted by the green chili symbol, the bar staff asked if I liked spicy and brought out a spice rack with four compartments. I customized it by making it spicier by adding the Thai fish sauce with red chilis. There is also a Dungeness crab version though is meant to be shared between two people. I am looking forward to trying one of the cocktails, My Cup of Kopi, and the desserts for my next visit!

    Crab Rangoon and roti
    Christina Z.

    Amazing food, impeccable service from Sean, gorgeous interior. We loved the tom kha soup the best but all the dishes were great. Can't wait to come back and try more!

    Mercelis B.

    Very good Thai option! Would definitely return here. Creative and delicious cocktails, food is favorable, and a variety of dessert options. Would make a great celebratory restaurant for special occasions.

    Pad Kapow Crispy Pork

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    Southeast Impression Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Southeast Impression

    Is this halal?

    Yes all their meat are Halal

    Would the chef be able to substitute some of the dishes with tofu or vegetarian protein?Entree like Thai curries and Thai noodles.

    Yes most of the dishes and all most all the curries and all but a couple of the noodle dishes is already pick your protein, in which you can pick just veggies or tofu or egg. There are a few specify seafood dishes and a duck and a lamb dish that are… Read more

    Is it possible to get carry out in order to avoid the uncomfortably loud music?

    Yes, you can! They have online ordering options for pick up and delivery. While the ambiance is fairly noisy it may not be for everyone, people do enjoy the atmosphere. I normally don't like loud restaurants but enjoyed the liveliness of the place.… Read more

    Is meat halal?

    The chicken and beef is halal

    View All 7 Questions

    Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine

    Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine

    4.2
    (307 reviews)
    7.4 mi
    $$

    Having Recently returned to the DMV after a stint in the Asian-food desert that is Annapolis, my…read morewife and I decided to venture explore our plethora of options for Thai food in the Potomac-McClean area We decided ti take a flyer on Esaan based on yelp reviews and - OMG - this should have been on our rotation year ago! Now, the restaurant itself is deceptively unassuming. It's tucked inside a strip center behind a bank and next to two other (well rated apparently) restaurants with only a handful of seats, both indoors and outside. DO NOT let the appearance deter you from sitting dow and enjoying what will be an unbelieveanly good meal . We kept it simple - we started with the special fish dumplings (fish based dumpling around a pork/mushroom filling), the Yum Woon Sen and their house Drunken Shanghai noodles. My wife asked for mild, and j asked for medium on the spice levels The flavours were simply divine. The portions were perfectly sized in this era of gigantosaurus dishes and the service was helpful and friendly. The only possible negative comment was that my medium spicy was leaning toward the mild (ok - it was actually mild) side of the spectrum. That's certainly an issue that can be overcome - and is always better than falling on the other end of that spice spectrum where you risk having your face melt during the meal. We will definitely be back - and cannot wait to explore more of the menu!

    overall a good meal, a touch expensive, some solid dishes though and unique ones…read more favorites: sun dried beef (great texture), pork shoulder (great flavor and sauce), panang curry, drunken noodle (loved the rolled noodles. good - khao soi and pad thai. wouldn't pay the extra for the crab khao soi, the crab gets lost in the curry. skip - nam khao, lacks some acid, lots of fresh ginger takes over the dish, and it has a lot of ground pork which I haven't seen in other versions of this

    Photos
    A cozy dinning area and a small bar
    A cozy dinning area and a small bar
    Crispy Rice Salad
    Crispy Rice Salad
    Fried mackerel

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    Fried mackerel
    Nooshi

    Nooshi

    3.6
    (802 reviews)
    12.7 mi
    $$

    I didn't know what to expect from a restaurant whose outdoor sign promises oodles of noodles…read more Party of ten, we went through the menu: it was my first time here, and being a fan of curry, asked about it. Everyone agreed that I should try the Red Curry, saying that it is perfect. I ordered chicken with mine. Someone ordered me a Mai Tai without my knowledge... and it was delicious. It's very easy to overdo curry -- but mine was perfect in all aspects. Subtle flavors with a hint of being "hot" (spicy)... and the chicken literally melts in your mouth. As curry dishes go, this was probably the best I've ever had, certainly the best I've had in a very long time. (As an airline pilot, I've spent time in Pakistan, India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and most of Europe... and curry is a favorite food.) Service was attentive without being a cloying nuisance. Very nice people. Prices? Well, this is DC... and everything is expensive. Surprisingly, the cost of my meal was very reasonable. You have to try this place. I will... next time, it's the Suicide Curry. I like it hot.

    Went here with a friend during their "Crazy Hour" from 4-7pm! What a great deal! All of their sushi…read moreis all between $2-4 and the drinks are all 50% off! The food was great and very fresh! We ordered a large variety of different Nigiri Sushi to include the striped bass, cooked shrimp, spicy tuna, salmon, salmon fat, me a few others! Each piece you could tell was very thoughtfully prepared! The service was a little Slow at first but once we asked for our waters everything came out very quickly and we had no other issues! The restaurant is very large inside and has a pretty decent outdoor seating area as well! I think this is a great spot to meet up with a friend to try a bunch of different things and enjoy themselves fun vibe that they have created inside of the restaurant! I hope to go back and try the remaining items on their crazy hour menu as well some of the normal entree dishes as well!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Nooshi
    Nooshi

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    East Street Cafe

    East Street Cafe

    3.0
    (136 reviews)
    14.6 mi
    $$

    East Street Cafe is one of the nicer sit-down options at Union Station. Located on Level 2…read more(Mezzanine), it's a little more secluded from the hustle and bustle of the lunch hour rush, and with their open seating, you still get to people-watch at a busy train station. I ordered the Singapore Noodles to-go for lunch. It comes out to about $18 after tax. They bagged up my order and included a fork and napkins. I thought $18 was a little steep for lunch, but you're paying sit-down restaurant prices (food is made to order) and the portions were quite generous. These are more family-style servings - great for sharing. The Singapore Noodles came with shrimp and chicken, which were nicely cooked and very tender. There weren't heaps of protein, but there was enough to know it was in there. The Singapore Noodles had good flavor and came with carrots, cabbage, and onions mixed in for texture. I would order this again. I've also enjoyed the crab rangoons here, but they have gotten pricey for the serving - over $8 for three pieces - but I guess that's DC/Union Station prices for you.

    This place tends to be our office's official retirement celebration venue due to its close…read morelocation, reasonable prices (for Union Station area), and quick turnaround on orders. It is conveniently located on the 2nd floor of Union Station. They have a wide array of dishes from Asia--Chinese, Thai, Philippino, Malay, and Vietnamese. Good lunch combos, but everything else is ala-carte. Expect to drop $15 - $20 per person for lunch. Recommended if you want Asian food and are in the downtown D.C. area.

    Photos
    Train station
    Train station
    Cilantro Fried Rice
    Cilantro Fried Rice
    East Street Cafe

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    Southeast Impression - thai - Updated July 2026

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