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Cafe Asia
Category: Restaurants Asian Fusion Asian Fusion [Edit]
1550 Wilson BlvdSte 1
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 469-1953
- Nearest Transit:
-
Rosslyn Metro Station (Blue, Orange)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
367 reviews for Cafe Asia
Review Highlights
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367 reviews in English
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Review from Brian W.
Washington, DC
Cafe Asia is one of my favorite places. I am a happy hour regular who sits in the bar for the good prices on appetizers, drinks, and sushi.
Food: Cafe Asia is appealing as it is a busy place. To me, this means that the sushi doesn't sit around in coolers because the orders are high. Yes, this isn't solid logic, but good for me.
I eat Sashimi. You can't really mess this up other than having bad fish. There fish is good. My favorites, Salmon, Yellowtail, Tuna, Unagi, and Mackerel are always delicious. I also order crab wonton that is a small serving but can be shared by two.
I've ordered noodle dishes, drunken noodles, etc. Always great.
Service: Always great. The staff are friendly, attentive, and quick.
Pricing: You can't beat it.
Ambiance: Everyone can feel comfortable here. I've seen older couple, families with young kids, dating couples, young people, hipsters, etc. I would bring my mother one night and date the next. It is lively, can be loud at peak times, and has a very contemporary/lounge feel.
Summary: This is a generally great place. The price and quality can't be beat in such a nice setting. It isn't a 3 star michelin place, but a great local gem.
***Update*** I would warn that the two locations, this awesome place and the not so awesome Farragut spot, are affiliated but under different ownership as evident in customer service and management. Rosslyn is superior in all aspects and I do not recommend the Farragut location -
Review from Alex N.
McLean, VA
Food was nice. Place is a bit trendy
Good selection
More Asian 'Con'Fusion type cuisine
Food 3
Service 2
Cleanliness 3 -
Review from Caroline J.
Washington, DC
I went to this Cafe Asia this past Friday night. The place was Chuck E. Cheese, an afterwork happy hour and sit-down dinner joint all in one. It was just odd to see a crowded bar to the left and back-to-back parked strollers at the front door.
And the food was awful. My pad Thai tasted as if had been cooked in dirty cooking oil recycled/re-used throughout the day. And the bottom of my plate was packed with the dirtly OIL, not sauce.
I tasted my date's chicken satay and fried rice....and it tasted like an Asain-inspired lean cuisine frozen dinner. -
Review from Reena V.
Lorton, VA
I went there for lunch a couple weeks ago. I ordered a dish and the aftertaste was horrible. It actually tasted like it was a little undercooked. Maybe it was my own taste buds and it may not have been the food at all....but the customer service was HORRIBLE. I called the manager over to tell her I would like to order something else as the food had a bad after taste. She comes back to ask me what I want, but rudely says "We tried the food, it tastes FINE and maybe next time you shouldnt order that dish" Her tone was so rude, and even the people I came with were shocked. I will not go back there now.
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Review from Rica G.
Ashburn, VA
Food is full of great flavors. Lots of choices. During lunch time the prices are great. You will actually pay more at Cosi for a salad than here. The food portions are HUGE! Definitely worth checking out.
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Review from Cara R.
Oakton, VA
I am not sure why I do it. I just keep coming back to Cafe Asia. It must be due to the location, because it certainly is not the food. The calamari is okay - but not wow. The sushi is terrible - not - damn - they had a bad night terrible, but I have ordered it five different times & not once was it good terrible.
I am breaking the cycle. Next time someone says - let's meet at Cafe Asia - I will stop being lazy & suggest going elsewhere. -
Review from yvette r.
Takoma Park, MD
Cafe Asia is a mixed bag. The Rosslyn location is better than the DC location. It is a little quieter and the service is a bit better. Both locations needs to be scrubbed. I hate looking around when I am at either because there is always something dirty in plain view. (i.e. the really dusty light fixtures in Rosslyn and the splatters of someone's spilled sticky drink on the wall in DC.)
The cocktails are strong, and the prices not too bad. Avoid the sushi. It is made ahead and served super cold from the fridge, making it rather tasteless. The fried appetizers are also sorta gross because they are too oily.
I usually go with one of the big noodle soups or noodle dishes because they are the better parts of the menu. The Curry Laksa is yum and the portion is absurd. You will have three meals. I feel the same way about the Mee Goreng.
Rosslyn does get really loud during happy hour when all of the youngsters in boring grey office wear come in to get trashed. I stick to lunches to avoid that scene. -
Review from John B.
Arlington, VA
I went to this place with friends two weeks ago. The food was ok. The sushi was awful.
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Review from Kimberly V.
Arlington, VA
Everytime I go to Cafe Asia I throw up.
1) Their happy specials are a-mah-zing. Like, I don't know why it's only Wednesday but I am drinking 3 sake bombs, a glass of reisling, a sapporo, and four woo woos...and now I am about to throw it all up, but its okay because I only spent $20 a-mah-zing.
2) Their sushi/fish selection SUCKS. Like, I just stuck a tuna roll in my mouth and now everything is coming up from my stomach sucks.
Luckily the bathroom is only a short walk from the bar. -
Review from Noel O.
It's always interesting to see how one's own opinion of a place can either be spot on with what other Yelpers as saving...or not. Cafe Asia has pleasantly surprised me multiple times now, so I do feel it merits the 5-star treatment, but that's only based the value of what you get as compared to what you have to put in.
I watch a lot cooking shows on TV, which usually translates to 18 different elements on one dish that requires a 10-minute explanation. Although the dishes here are varied and rich, it's pretty simple stuff. Case in point: last night I needed some sustenance after going to an open bar event, so I felt a little fried tofu and broccoli would be perfect. And Cafe Asia delivered! But it was just what the menu suggested: some steamed broccoli, fried tofu, and a sweet glaze over everything mixed perfectly well with both elements.
I've known about Cafe Asia and have gone a handful of times over the course of years. Every time I come out smiling, which says a lot about a place. Prices are reasonable, food is filling, and they've got a pretty fantastic happy hour. All of these factors really make this the kind of restaurant I want to eat at for years to come. -
Review from Gaz H.
Had lunch here and fell deeply in like. Resto looks great, and more importantly, the food does not fall victim to "fusion syndrome" where the menu Is extensive but nothing is that good. Here, things are tasty. Portions are ridiculously large. Wait staff is attentive, friendly, and very accommodating. I didn't try the sushi (so can't opine on fressness, etc.), but everyone in our large party ordered something different and everyone was happy - including me with my "small plate" order of cold noodles and roast pork. Really hit the spot and had no room to eat my massive side order of Asian slaw...which I enjoyed the following day for lunch.
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Review from Jake J.
I've eaten at this place many times and attended happy hour on many an occasion. The food was always fine, if a bit too salty. The drinks were strong and the service was OK.
I can't complain about Cafe Asia. It was a good place to visit and I would come back if hanging out in Rosslyn. -
Review from Betsy S.
I go for the curry - I've gotten the sushi and the pad thai before, but the curry is where it's at. I ordered the panang curry with chicken and my bf ordered the red curry with chicken. I know, aren't we exciting? And waters all around!
My curry was just spicy enough that the waiter should've left a pitcher at the table. But I'm kind of a spice wimp. The coconut milk tempered a bit of the kick, and the chicken was tender and soaked up the sauce just right. I tried a carrot from the red curry, and it was fork tender and made me want to eat carrots everyday. And...guess what I'm having for lunch in one hour! Leftovers. I'm pumped. -
Review from Irina R.
Montgomery Village, MD
I was there couple times for lunch. Sushi are great, but they don't have the lunch special as other places usually have- rolls with soup & salad :(
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Review from Tuan N.
South Riding, VA
Great food, great prices, large portions, and awesome service. I also like the decor at this location a lot more then the Cafe Asia in DC.
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Review from Tal S.
Kearneysville, WV
Not too bad...Will leave you with the impression of a big production with no fanfare.
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Review from Alisha D.
Fort Myer, VA
I felt a little underdressed for a "cafe." It's actually a little more upscale than the name implies. The sushi is absolutely amazing and very reasonably priced for the Rossyln area. In the evening they have a very nice bar section, with all kinds of fun mixed drinks, and several TV's to watch different sporting events.
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Review from Chris N.
Rockville, MD
This is one of these places that can be really good with the right dish or really bad if you order say sushi. The soups are especially good here!
And can someone please explain to me what that giant unused room is in the back? -
Review from Buddha N.
Annandale, VA
I think this place is better of the two CAFE ASIA'S
The one in DC needs some updating and food isnt as fresh as the Arlington Location.
Love this place, good selection of Asian foods but it is catered to the American Taste buds, so if your looking for that Authentic flavor, go else where.
Sushi is good and fresh
Soups are good
the Grilled Asian Salad is awesome and huge at this location, it comes in a huge white bowl
The Calamari here is good too and huge portion for appetizer.
Happy Hour prices for Sushi here is pretty good too.
Only thing that sucks at this place is parking. -
Review from Shawn N.
Arlington, VA
Good Happy hour! Awesome fried rice.
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Review from Caitlin C.
Alexandria, VA
I came here with 5 other girls at 4:30 for the happy hour on Tues. We had a split experience and I say this because the first half of the service was great and the second half was horrendous! Happy hour drinks were great, a good deal, and the food was wonderful.
Our first server was the nicest guy and did a wonderful job. The Yelp reviews stated the service was bad, so I was glad we were having such a great experience with our server. The server was attentive, informative, knew everything about the drinks, water was always full, etc.
Foodwise, the happy hour drinks were a great deal! My udon tempura was yummy, my friends' food was tasty (fried rice, sushi, chicken teriyaki all great). So, first part of my experience was 4 stars.
A lady bar tender started serving us after about 6:30. She was understandably busy while the happy hour was still going on (til 7:30), but drinks were never full and she rarely came to check if we needed refills. The most annoying part of this service was that she kept trying to take our meals before we finished. She would ask and we would decline, and then while we were conversing she came and took our food without us noticing...I found this odd/frustrating.
After happy hour ended, our bartender was still incredibly inattentive. It was dead in the restaurant but she never stopped by to check on us. We tracked her down at about 9:00 for our check and she printed it out, handed it to us as one huge bill. I was frustrated that a tab of 6 girls was not separated, but we didn't ask so maybe this was our fault. But she didn't assist us in creating separate bills. She asked us to add up our part ourselves which was a huge hassle to calculate the tax per person on top of our drinks/food. Also, the gratuity was already included...For rather crummy service....
We were finally finished and rung up by 9:30.
Although the food and happy hour drink specials were good, I'm giving this place a 3 because, like all the other reviewers have said, the service is just not there. -
Review from Fina A.
College Park, MD
I have to go back here again.
For the first timer, I got to try their Curry Laksa. My friends told me it was okay, good but mehhh nothing special. Well, referring to my taste bud, I have to agree with them. It's good, but next time I am so gonna order the other menu they have.
I got to try the Mee Goreng, it's crazy awesome, so gonna have my own plate next time.
For the price they have, the portion is huge, that's another plus.
Can't wait for another visit. -
Review from Amber H.
Hanover, MD
Quick summary: Good ambiance, mediocre food, terrible service.
Went here with my friends for some casual dinner. We had a reservation and was seated outside quickly, but our table was a combination of a round table and a square table, making the seating arrangement fairly awkward.
Ordered 6 dishes to share between the 8 of us, and we ate fairly well. The food is okay- not bad, but not anything new. But having said that, given the quality/taste, it's overpriced. You'll get the same quality food (but probably not the same selection) at your local Chinese take out place, but for a lot cheaper.
The ambiance is pretty modern, casual chic. Big place, good for drinks and happy hour, I think.
The service is terrible. Our server was rude, barely filling up our water; we got napkins and forks ourselves from the cart nearby because we were tired of waiting for her. Also, when we wanted to order dessert after she gave us the check, she said "You said you didn't want anything else." Ummm WTF?! First of all, we meant that we didn't need anything else at the moment during the dinner. Second, WTF????!!!! Is it THAT much more work for you to put some dessert onto our check??
AND when it came out, the dessert had a mosquito or something in it. When we asked for a new one, she didn't even apologize (granted, it's not her fault, but really?) I was afraid she was gonna spit in our food.
SIGH. Do try to stay away from this place. -
Review from Jen M.
Alexandria, VA
Don't get the sushi - it's the most disappointing sushi I've ever had. But the noodle & soup dishes are delish - especially the curry laksa and the grilled chicken bun.
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Review from Brenda D.
I have been here a few times and every time I do, I try something new because I want to "give them another chance'. But each time I am disappointed. I really don't understand why people like this place so much! The pad thai is choppy, their grilled fish was flavorless and full of bones, and their sushi was warm. It does not matter if you come for lunch or dinner. It is just as expensive and not tasty. Maybe the only thing that was decent were the skewers of beef and chicken(?) and lycheetini. PLUS parking is hard to find and they only validate for like half the ticket if you park in the garage. I'd rather walk across the street and sink my teeth into a nice, juicy Ray's Hellburger or chow down on some Pho 75.
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Review from Katie B.
Arlington, VA
The food is good, not amazingly fabulous, but good, and worth its price. The restaurant has a nice casual atmosphere, and even though it is usually full and busy it doesn't feel like it- or sound like it. You can have a nice dinner and conversation with friends, without feeling rushed or having to talk loud over the hustle and bustle.
More often then not I do take out or delivery, and they're pretty speedy about getting my food together. -
Review from Charles H.
Arlington, VA
Cafe Asia is a nice water hole to grab a flavorful martini and Japanese beer during happy hour.
The lychee martini is my preferred choice. If you're drinking beer and prefer taste over consumption, then buy the Sapporo reserve or anything in a bottle / can. The draft beer is a bit watered down. -
Review from Stephanie T.
Fairfax, VA
My boyfriend really loves the Indonesian fried rice. We order delivery, so we don't usually have the same issues with customer service. But I have eaten in there a couple of times, but not lately. It was okay, service wise. I guess I don't expect a cheery waiter/waitress everytime, and service can be slow and not attentive. Although getting Sriracha sauce is extra (WHY?!). The pad thai isn't great and the sushi is okay. I'd rather just go into DC for sushi though.
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Review from Trang N.
Hyattsville, MD
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!
People are talking about how this place is trendy, hip, modern, etc, but seriously, all you see is plain wood in a big white room. Not that great of a venue! But anyways, I came there recently with a big party for dinner.
Here are some memorable/mentionable things:
1. The chairs were extremely squeaky and they needed folded napkins to keep the tables from wobbling. Someone's chair actually BROKE!
2. My friend had brought in an energy drink from outside and our server (who, by the way is one of the worst servers I've ever had in my life) came up to my friend and said "no beer in here"... Uhm, hello? Can you look thoroughly before you get so rude? Anyways, after my friend told him that in fact, it was an energy drink, the server came back to my friend 5 minutes later with a cup full of ice saying "put it in here so my manager won't yell at me." in the most jerk off tone. I felt like we were children! SERIOUSLY.
3. Me and my other friend ordered sushi, gave our sushi order (via paper) to the server. He snatches the paper from her hand and asks "Whatchu want!" Seriously.....????? He was so rude.
Overall, the food was mediocre, I've had way better sushi for less money. The decor is not that great. Service was terrible. I wish I had the server's name to warn you guys, but I don't. I am never coming back. -
Review from Sandy C.
Washington, DC
Been here a few times and still found it to be ordinary. The venue however, is decent. It's nice and clean, but nothing exceptional that I should mention. Also, service was horrendous. They weren't agile nor attentive. At least they could of given us a smile, sheesh, how rude!! They seemed aggravated when we asked them for service. Seriously need to hire better servers.
This place, however, is a good spot for happy hours and lunch time. Many drinks to choose from and the prices for lunch menu is cheaper for about same portion size as dinner. I'm not much of a drinker, but I know when mix drinks are good and their's weren't! gross
If you're here to eat, the food barely reach average. I've tried many of their dishes here and nothing seemed to be amazing. The sushi was mediocre and their rolls are undistinctive. They did have a good variety to choose from though. -
Review from Sally M.
I remember loving Cafe Asia the last time I lived in DC, though was a bit disappointed last night when I grabbed the Indonesian Fried Rice to-go. The mushrooms tasted bad, and the rice was oddly textured & clumpy. Will need to try other varieties of Fried Rice to compare, as well as a few other menu item staples before I determine my overall stance.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/16/2008
Somehow, the only thing I think Washington DC has on San Francisco is good Thai food, which I really… Read more »
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11/16/2008
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Review from scott s.
service remains spotty but friendly, prices are not too outrageous, quality of food is fair-to-middlin', lots of outdoor seating as well as an ample dining room. no change here - still three stars.
i came here for lunch on a weekday. at first i was surprised how packed the restaurant was, but then i remembered that rosslyn is just crawling with offices. so yeah, makes sense.
it was just two of us so we got seated immediately and the server was over right away to get our drink order. by the time he came back with the drinks we were ready to put in our food order, which came out in about ten minutes. the server was friendly and always available, although i have to say we had a bit of communication trouble not sharing a common first language. no worries, though - we got what we wanted and everything was cool.
we then proceeded to dine on just ok vietnamese bun and japanese tonkatsu. nothing about the cuisine at cafe asia compels me to come back. but the prices are ok, you can't beat the location, and the variety on the menu helps when you're with a group - pretty much anyone can find something they like here.
my friend and i each had a couple drinks, plus our main plates, and we were out of there including tax and tip for about $38. really not bad.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/9/2010
food, mediocre but cheap. service, slow but friendly. location, excellent (metro accessible).… Read more »
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4/9/2010
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Review from Cheryl L.
A fun and lively place! Cafe Asia gets crowded at the bar on weekday afternoons, and from all the people-watching that I've done during Happy Hours here, I've concluded that the crowd here is mostly working professionals who value a relaxing ambiance to kick back after a long day of working in DC.
Most dishes here are hit or miss, but the hits in my opinion are the Cold Noodle (shredded chicken, carrots, cucumber, shredded egg, and a sweet light soy sauce coat on top of lo mein noodles) and General Tso's Shrimp. I wasn't a fan of the Mee Goreng (soggy, too thick of noodles for a non-soup noodle dish, and too sweet), or any of the appetizers.
Service has always been great, and this is my default place for HH's and business lunches since it's always buzzing with with people and food. -
Review from Paige M.
The interior of Cafe Asia is chique and trendy. If "state of the art" and "Thai" could be a combined thought, this would be it. Think: Target decor and lots of windows. Some tables have a view of the open kitchen where you can watch the chefs prepare food.
Our group thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I had some fantastic sushi. There were many different choices than the standard selection...I was enthralled! My friend swears his tofu pad thai was the best he's ever had. (He's also suggested returning to D.C. solely to eat here again!) Our other friends had stir-fry dishes which they raved about.
Cafe Asia was packed full of people during our visit, so others must agree; their food is quite memorable! -
Review from Bobby S.
Chantilly, VA
How can you call this sushi? The rice is hard and cold... and just plain bad. The fish quality is just atrocious.
I can't believe this place is packed every night. I guess the mixed drinks get people drunk enough so that they can't really taste the food they are tasting.
More than the food, this is just a hang out place for young kids and those who'd rather drink than eat quality.
If you want to eat good quality sushi... There is a small sushi restaurant right down the street that I adore. Check out Kanpai... STTR or Fire roll... you won't be disappointed. -
Review from amanda h.
Norfolk, VA
Came to Cafe Asia for the 3rd time back in February of 2011, and was very disappointed. While the food portion sizes were very generous, the seating was uncomfortable & extremely close together. The tables and chairs felt crammed together, and the waitress became rude when I requested different seating arrangements, as the table she gave us only had about 2 inches between the back of my chair & the back of the person at the next table's chair. I didn't really want to be unintentionally caressing the shoulder of someone I don't know during lunch. We were moved to a booth, and all seemed well.
3/4 of the way into my bowl of ramen, I discovered several bugs in my broth. I don't think they fully washed off the vegetables before they put them into the soup. My boyfriend, who ordered ramen as well, noticed the same in his broth. We were disgusted. The manager took the charges for the ramen off of our bill, but didn't even have the decency to personally come to our table and apologize. We'll never be coming back. Also, on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, nothing we requested from the dessert menu was available, since "the fruit went bad". If the waitress lets you know up front that all the fruit in the kitchen has gone bad, that's a bad sign. Eat here at your own risk (during lunch).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2009
went for the second time on a date (well, HE thought it was a date) 2 weeks ago. the portions are… Read more »
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1/7/2009
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Review from QWERTY -.
Arlington, VA
I thought it was strange when our curry arrived in five minutes flat, and the edges had congealed, as though it had been heated intensely. But it made sense the next day when I microwaved my leftovers:
The curry had gone sour. Yes, in under a day. Clearly, they keep the entrees in lukewarm food trays and nuke 'em when someone orders up a serving. I guess I should be glad I didn't get food poisoning or something.
Not getting food poisoning: the highlight of Cafe Asia. -
Review from Victoria N.
Frederick, MD
Very horrible noises come from sliding in your chair! Lift to move it please!
Big and open Cafe Asia has a bit of a "fancy" cafeteria feeling. You can hear the kitchen and I feel like I was back in school eating except for the fact that the chairs were stylish and wooden.
There was a lot on the menu and had a lot of sushi to choose from. I'm not a fan of sushi but was daring and tried some of my friend's eel. That sounded kind of dirty, didn't it? Regardless, it didn't have much flavor. Maybe eel isn't supposed to?
The rest of our food was pretty good and service was prompt. I wouldn't ever expect much of a wait here, the place is huge! -
Review from Tori M.
Washington, DC
I'll be honest, I like pretty things. And I like to spend time in pretty places. The food and ambience are all very pretty. Everything kinda goes downhill from there.
Cafe Asia is a fusion restaurant that's more style over substance. Anyplace with Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean food on the menu should send warning flags up for you. I would bring my friends here for a happy hour drink, but not for the food. There are far better Thai restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and Japanese restaurants in the DMV.
Your friends will probably like Cafe Asia if they don't know what good Asian food tastes like. They'll like the presentation and the ambiance. If you're looking for authentic food, looks somewhere else.
As an aside, Cafe Asia has a big area in the back that you can rent out for a party or event of some kind. The staff is usually accommodating, but dont expect any smiles. -
Review from Christopher R.
Washington, DC
I'm a pretty good judge of Asian food being from Seattle!
I think this place is great! Especially for lunch and Asian Brew happy hour. The Sushi is fabulous!!! It reminds me, fondly, of all the fabulous places to have sushi at home! I had a house special and a Red Dragon Roll, yum! My office tends to go here every 2 weeks or so. It's large and so can easily house 8 people with minimal wait. Parking is also convenient in the building next door (with a fee of course). I also like the atmosphere, it is very open, and feels like a big place. The service was also great, my water glass was always topped off. They have a HUGE menu, but I have heard (and attested that the sushi is the best). I'm willing to come back and try some other things on the menu.
Only downside is the price, this place is pretty dang pricey for what you get. It may be worth it, but definitely not the every week place.
