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Ichi Ban Sushi Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
6821A Old Dominion DrMcLean, VA 22101
(703) 448-9117
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for Ichi Ban Sushi Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Next time I go back I will need to try the Calamari salad."
(in 6 reviews)
"I love the Utah roll, the miso soup and sushi."
(in 3 reviews)
"It gets crowded but the take out is fast too."
(in 8 reviews)
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Arashi C.
Springfield, VA
11/2/2011
I have been here over seven times and it's always for dinner.
Their service is very excellent and wow, they really pay attention to their customers (Okay, not in a creepy way). They're very informative about the sushi on the menu, and also will let you know what is special and so forth.
The sushi can get pricey, but hey, it's raw fish (you get what you pay for!).
Only bad experience I had here was that I ordered 2 spicy tuna rolls and they gave me one... -_-; But other than that, the place is awesome. -
Review from Amanda M.
McLean, VA
Went here for lunch yesterday and pretty disappointed.
$7.95 lunch special for tuna roll and yellowtail roll. So here's the weird part, if you blindfolded me I honestly couldn't tell you which roll was which. That's bad! :/
I also ordered $4.75 salmon nigiri which was a really large heaping portion of salmon over a little ball of rice. Me like-y.
And I normally don't comment about non-alcoholic beverages in my reviews but the fountain sodas were awful!
The place is really small too, felt a bit cramped. -
Review from Sean L.
Herndon, VA
10/31/2011
Appertizer is not bad, other is OK, no better than other JP restaurants in the area.
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Review from Christina C.
Rockville, MD
9/26/2011
When we lived in mclean, this was a staple for us. The fish is very fresh and service is fast. The wait can be a tad long pending timing--not many tables or room at the bar. Definitely try the calimari salad and california hand roll - my two staples. We'll definitely be coming back, Ichi Ban!
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Review from Craig D.
Arlington, VA
2/18/2011
Best Sushi in the DC area hands down. I have been going here for about 10 years, they have the best sushi rolls.
Would Reccomend:
1. California Roll (Not a CA Roll fan, but best California Roll I've ever tasted)
2. Utah Roll -
Review from John S.
Leesburg, VA
8/31/2011
Went here for lunch, had some sushi and some rolls. The salmon role with jalapeño was good, not too spicy but some great flavor. The sushi was fresh, with large pieces of fish. The place is in an old strip mall and right on the road but not real visible as you drive by. Service was attentive but not stifling.
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Review from Xi W.
Washington, DC
3/23/2009
**3.5 stars**
Doesn't really hold a flame to Tachibana down the street if you're looking for sushi or authentic Japanese cuisine, but Ichi Ban has it's niche in making some interesting and funky rolls, like the McLean, softshell crab, and spicy scallop rolls.
They also make one of the best spicy tuna hand rolls I've had. Try to ask for no rice and extra cucumbers. Fantastic!
The tiny place is packed at lunch and dinner hours, and makes a good candiate for fast and easy takeout.Listed in: Sushi! My favorite food…
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Review from Jake K.
8/20/2008
Ok - I went here based on everyone else's reviews only to find that my island brother, Takaki, had it right. The sushi chef here doesn't seem to have the proper training and just slapped together sushi based on his own view of what it should look like.
I have to give them credit - the service was good for what I was doing. Coming in to get a take out order usually requires flagging people down and trying to corner them, but the gentleman inside quickly handed me a menu and didn't try to ask questions since I was on the phone at the same time. I fired off my order for three rolls and the staff quickly went to work.
Since the place is ridiculously small, I had to step out to hear anything (then again, I can also blame it on my inferior chip-set laden iPhone) at which point they brought my bill out to me and took my card. The card came back with the food - but bless them, they put an "X" in the tip spot since it was a carry out order. Now, how many restaurants do that for you? I haven't seen them yet actually just went back up to revise my 2-star rating to a 3-star for that (now that I think about it).
I'll come back to dine inside one day and see if anything else on the menu is good - but for now, I'll stick with Tachibana for my sushi in McLean. -
Review from Aaron E.
McLean, VA
3/8/2006
The moment you are seated, a steaming hot bowl of miso is seated with you. Once you are settled in, a friendly waiter or waitress will take your order. Your order will come as fast as they can make it. You will usually not be kept waiting for your food. I think the price and quality are perfectly blended.
Try the calamari salad. The calamari salad is marinated in some excellent vinegar blend. It tastes like a seaweed salad, but it is made of squid, cucumber, and seaweed.
Beware, the place is small. On weekends the wait can be up to an hour. They prepare carry-out. -
Review from Michelle B.
Long Beach, CA
11/7/2006
Before you do anything, just listen: get the calamari salad. Trust me. I wouldn't steer you wrong. Be warned: it's highly addictive and you will find yourself with uncontrollable hankerings. If it's chilly and your tummy needs some warming, get the Nabeyaki Udon (thick noodle soup with tempura, fishcake and veggies). For rolls, you need to open wide for the Futo Maki, but it's worth it.
My friends and I have been meeting up at Ichiban for years. It's a cozy place and by cozy I mean be ready to get in on everyone's conversation. C.C., her husband and their staff are very, very gracious hosts and seem genuinely happy that you're dining with them. Once we went there and a fleet of black SUV's were jammed outside the crammed parking lot and you could barely squeeze in the door. Taking up most of the tables were men with earpieces looking very distracted. In walked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his brood. I don't know what your political persuasion is, but I think we should take some of our taxpayer dollars and save up to buy his wife some manners. She literally shoved people out of the way to get to her table and spoke to CC and the other wait staff as if she couldn't be bothered. They were still very gracious towards her.
Anyway, this is one of the most fairly-priced, fresh sushi joints in the area. -
Review from Jenn R.
New York, NY
10/4/2006
This small restaurant located at the end of a shopping center, across the street from the Greek Taverna. I was a little disappointed. The sushi was okay, I've had better. I thought whatever my friend ordered was dried out and didn't look appetizing. :(
But the high marks makes me want to try it again, maybe I missed something. -
Review from Nicole E.
Fairfax, VA
4/15/2009 1 Check-in Here
Service is always phenomenal. And the place is ALWAYS packed.
Food is good, ambiance is good, prices are meh.
I've been going to Ichiban for years because I think it's the best sushi in McLean. I do wish, though, that their specialty rolls (found on a board, not printed in any menu) weren't so pricey.
I usually get their Sashimi w/ Bowl of Rice (Lunch) but I make sure to ask that they cut the fish into smaller pieces. They'll serve you three huge pieces of salmon and two huge hunks of tuna.
The Teryaki Chicken is really great too, and the Miso Soup is to die for!
The biggest draw to Ichiban is the service. Tachibana (down the street) is alright, but service doesn't begin to compare. -
Review from jimmmeeee r.
Great Falls, VA
5/28/2011
This place is usually great. I like the soft shell crab spider rolls. My only complaint it that the local rich brats from the high schools eat lunch there. The place turns into what I remember hating about high school. Loud high school punk antics.
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Review from Ji-In L.
2/16/2009
I feel it is my duty to warn any sushi lover not to go here. Now I know that I can be a bit of a sushi snob but I know that I am not exaggerating when I say I have had better sushi at the grocery store.
The fish was bleh. Colorless frozen fish (you can tell it's the frozen blocks thawed out and not fresh cut fish by the drab color). I'm actually fine with this at most cheap sushi places because you get what you pay for. But at Ichiban, it wasn't even that cheap.
The rice was hardly even sushi rice. I think the chefs thought you could just cook regular sticky rice and roll it up in some seaweed and call it sushi. The uni was inedible. And I couldn't even eat more than one piece of the McLean Roll. Why would you put those ingredients together??
Like I said, I am a sushi snob, so I also have to say that the maki and nigiri were all poorly cut (the maki was cut all different shapes and sizes and look butchered with a dull knife; the nigiri was just a butchered piece of fish slapped on top of a mishandled ball of rice) and did not look appetizing on the plate.
I would kind of expect all this at one of those really cheap places (maybe). But like I said, this place isn't even that cheap. The two of us spent about $70 for fish, two beers and tip.
Maybe they were having an off (very very off) day when I went but I will not be going back. -
Review from Marianne L.
Alexandria, VA
2/16/2009
For its simplicity, I love Ichi Ban.
Sushi is by far my favorite meal, and I like dropping by here for a quick bite when I'm in the area and my lunch experiences have always been very positive (especially compared to the less than stellar lunch offering at the more pompously overrated Tachibana nearby).
There is absolutely nothing pretentious about the place. Its about as simple as it gets with just a few tables and a sushi bar with stools, but I embrace that simplicity and just enjoy coming here to fill my raw fish wishes in the area. Sure the decor is not the spiffiest, but I'm not here to stare at the walls. I'm also not here to have that orgasmic sushi experience - I'm here for lunch, simple nutrition and a little break in my day. So I assess and evaluate Ichi Ban on what they try to be, and not judge them by what they are not.
I've dropped plenty of coin on sushi and gorged at some supremely wonderful and decadent sushi bars around the country. And when I want that Japanese rapture experience, I go somewhere that tries to offer that. But that is not what this place is about. Its about fresh fish, served quickly, with a pleasant hello and a smile. Its an in-and-out dining experience, not a lazy casual affair that goes on for hours.
The menu is limited (hence the 4-star and not 5). You can't get every type of fish or the variety of rolls that you would at a larger sushi bar. But what they do, they do very well. I'd rather have a sushi place (or any restaurant for that matter) do less better, than try to offer up ever option under the sun.
My sake (salmon) nigiri is always very fresh and the portion of fish on each piece is very generous. Always nice to have the rice play its proper supporting role and not the other way around. Other nigiri I've sampled has been equally as fresh and carefully crafted, but sake is my favorite so I keep coming back to that.
I've also been very pleased with their hamachi (yellowtail) as well. I'm not a huge maki fan, but many of my sushi friends like them so I've probably sampled more than my fair share over the years. I really consider it something when I stop in someplace for sushi when I'm by myself and find that I opt for maki. I simply fell in love with Ichi Ban's negihama roll (hamachi and scallion). Perfect little rolls of fish and rice with sliced scallion wrapped in nori. Very tasty.
What makes Ichi Ban for me is the staff. They are insanely efficient and deftly handle the constant flow of seated diners and those just getting take-out. While they never hover, they are very attentive. They do an amazing job turning the few tables they have, but I've never once felt rushed while dining. There is always a friendly person asking if you would like anything else, water and tea are always refilled without having to ask, and just a general warmth to the experience dining here.Listed in: Did you Yelp?, Wasabi & Soy
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Review from Miji C.
McLean, VA
10/10/2008
Don't let the 3 stars fool you...it's good especially if you work around Mclean, this is the spot you need to go if you're in need of a quick sushi fix. I come here at least 2 to 3 times a month with my sushi buddy from work. I would recommend the white tuna with avocado roll and the alaskan roll. pretty good! I tried the chicken teriyaki there too which was yummy...
So the reason for the 3 stars, I feel like I'm rushed out every time I'm here...I understand that they need quick turn arounds due to the small space but I hate feeling rushed. Service differs at times...mostly good, friendly.
To summarize...this is my sushi restaurant of choice for lunch..would not go there for dinner. -
Review from Tu-van L.
10/19/2006
By far the best sushi place in the area. You most definitely get your money's worth with both quantity and quality of sushi. Tuna is that deep ruby red color that it should be and the salmon is thick and meaty. All fish and eel are fresh, meaty and large in portion. When you go, definitely check out their sushi specials on their whiteboard.
Believe me and everyone else - this place is TINY. Good thing take out is an option. The wait staff is very friendly and attentive and there's plenty fo sushi chefs taking orders for dine-ins and take-outs. Parking in the front is very little, but there's plenty in the back. And don't be a klutz like me and trip over ther puddles and bumpy paving in their dimly lit lot on the way to coffee afterwards.Listed in: McLiving in McLean
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Review from Hue K.
2/24/2008
I'm not sure why this place got so high rating.. I didn't find it any special or better than other sushi place. Sushi or other main dishes were priced similar to most DC restaurant so I didn't find much reason to choose Ichi Ban in this area unless I have no other choice. The menu didn't have anything special or unique compared to other places either.
For me, it was just another ordinary sushi place with ordinary japanese dishes like teriyaki and etc. -
Review from Alex S.
Baltimore, MD
5/19/2007
I didn't want to review it and let the word get out. Best sushi in the DC area, only problem is that it's out in McLean. Well worth the drive though, about $4 a roll and $4 a drink. Tiny dining room and it only takes about 5 minutes to get your food.
They have party trays and take out, but if I had a party I wouldn't waste good Ichiban sushi on anyone but myself. -
Review from Dee H.
Centreville, VA
4/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have grabbed lunch here twice now and have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of food a hole in the wall sushi joint can offer. Don't come here looking for ambiance or ample seating space. Just come with an appetite. Also they offer a variety of daily specials on their sushi! Bonus!!
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Review from Stephanie N.
Clearwater, FL
3/31/2006
MMm.. I love good sushi places......
I just tried it yesterday for lunch with a girlfriend who's in love with the place. I have to say - it really did live up to all of the hype she's been feeding me. It is a teeny tiny place, which is good because it limits how much is ordered and doesn't stress out the sushi chefs tooooo much. In turn - making my food come out even better :) (of course they were doing a ton of take out too)
The wait staff was super friendly, albeit totally busy. I had miso soup served right away, ordered 2 rolls, and had a mochi for dessert for approximately $11+tip. Pretty damn good price for all of that if you ask me. -
Review from Shannon M.
McLean, VA
5/19/2011
I've been going to this place for a few years. It's nice that they remember their clients and they are always very friendly. The place is clean and tidy. I'd recommend taking advantage of their lunch specials!!! The service is quick and you never feel like you are left alone for too long. With multiple people working the tables in a small area, you are always left with a full beverage and clean eating area. Great place to stop in if you are driving by. Located in downtown Mclean it' beats having to deal with Tysons Corner traffic. Daily Specials!
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Review from Brittany H.
New York, NY
2/26/2008
This was a tough rating.... i actually want to give it 3.5 stars for the following reasons. It's a hole in the wall, with stellar prices. Although, sushi is sushi...I personally believe it's about how much management cares enough to maintain their quality sushi grade. So really, you will have a hit or miss nights....I'm pretty sure of that.
Pros: I am never disappointed by the quality. It's not exceptional, but just about every time the sushi comes out fresh and tasty. The service is always excellent & speedy (it helps when they recognize you as being loyal). I take small bites, so the sushi rolls are just small and perfect size bites. Also, their non-sushi food is pretty decent as well. You also can't beat the price. it's so cheap!
Cons: Very small and selection could be limited. (however, they do have fatty tuna/salmon). If I wanted nicer decor, I'd hit up Georgetown. -
Review from Candace H.
Washington, DC
1/30/2008
Great Sushi!! Everything else is delicious... I loved the seaweed salad. Next time I go back I will need to try the Calamari salad.
The ambiance is cute, the place is small, the staff are attentive, and nothing is too expensive. Beats most of the sushi joints in DC that I've been to.Listed in: Do People Really Go to VA?
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Review from Jane B.
Arlington, VA
5/8/2011
I went for the first time yesterday, and love it, the staff is very friendly. I will be going back.
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Review from JP W.
Seattle, WA
10/10/2009
I have been going to Ichiban & getting takeout from there for almost 5 years... at least once a month! From my experience, it is the freshest & most consistent sushi place among the *five* sushi places in McLean.
The service has always, always, always been really friendly, attentive & prompt. Despite its cozy size, we always manage to get a table or a place at the sushi bar. Once in a while there's a wait, but never for very long.
The food is simple, which allows it to be consistent & fresh, which, in my book, are the most important criteria about sushi.
There nabeyaki udon is also really wonderful!
FYI, they're closed on Sundays. -
Review from Chow N.
McLean, VA
5/11/2010
I went here for lunch as an alternative to Tachibana down the street. I've been going there since they started out in Arlington, but wanted to give this joint a try, since I live nearby.
I found the place to be totally rushed, and although the sushi/rolls were decent, there's no compelling reason for me to return.
The place is small/cramped, and they hover over you to make sure you get quick service so that you can be done and leave.
For the price I paid, I think I would have been more full eating at Tachibana instead, in a more relaxed atmosphere. -
Review from Karen R.
McLean, VA
2/24/2011
My friend and I have a monthly date night at Ichiban. We start at 6:30 pm and stay ...sometimes we are the last to leave. We never feel rushed. We have a great time, the food is excellent and I always try something else. This place is always packed but it does not bother us and we never have to wait long for a table. I love the Utah roll, the miso soup and sushi.
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Review from Remy M.
Arlington, VA
10/1/2007
What this restaurant lacks in square-footage, it makes up for with fish.
Granted, I'm no sushi connoisseur, but theirs is certainly better than most other places I've been. Generous portions of fish. Friendly staff.
A great place to eat with a friend or two but not 12, as I'm not sure you would all be able to fit. -
Review from Will L.
McLean, VA
7/29/2008
We went here based on the strength of the reviews and based on the price we paid I think I'd rather just get supermarket sushi. Granted, we just ordered for take away (it was packed inside and we had a big casual group) so I can't say anything about the atmosphere or service of the restaurant.
The sushi + sashimi were fine, but nothing really justified the price, or made the place stand out. I doubt I'll go back. Certainly not ichiban ("number one"). -
Review from Ali S.
Arlington, VA
3/14/2011
Small and sometimes crowded; however they have great sushi and friendly service.
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Review from Pinkie B.
Oakton, VA
3/29/2011
My main complaint is the rice! Sushi rice should really be room temperature while the fish remains cold. Ichi Ban's sushi rice was way too cold and hard. It was also tasteless. I just had dinner there tonight with my friend. We had tried several of their specialty rolls which were all in the same condition. I won't be going back.
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Review from Christopher L.
Annandale, VA
2/20/2009
I ordered takeout sashimi, I was a little disappointed they didn't have any bento boxes. The Sashimi was small and it looked a little old. Some of it was starting to become loose.
I was hoping to find an inexpensive place to get some average quality fish. I didn't find it. I ended up paying $17 for a simple lunch sashimi order I wasn't happy with.
It did look like they had a lot of options for rolls. This might be a good inexpensive place to get some rolls. Unfortunately this idea isn't very appealing to me. -
Review from Whitney R.
7/30/2010
Just walked over for an impromptu dinner to go. Not only was the staff incredibly helpful and prompt, the food was ready in an instant. I got the double salmon roll, beautiful pieces of fresh salmon wrapped around more salmon and avocado and a spicy scallop roll. The spicy scallop roll is ok, it's not very spicy, but tastes fresh. Seaweed salad is yummy, definitely fresh and not overly oily. Total for all three was $25, and what really impressed me was that when they ran my credit card, before they handed it to me, they had 'x-ed' out the tip section. So the question is whether or not I would come back. I'm not sure. One of my favorite sushi joints is another few blocks away, I would probably head there (see more reviews for details.)
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Review from Mai H.
Villanova, PA
2/19/2010
Overall - decent. I got a variety of the crunch and spicy rolls. I love the crunchy lobster.
It's a small and quaint place, so I was surprised that it took forever for them to take my order. -
Review from V M.
Lanham, MD
2/10/2010
Just not really good. Had two rolls and they were just...meh. It wasn't offensive and the service was fine, but I wished the food was better, and my sushi standards aren't particularly high. It was quiet and I did like that a lot. If I am going to pay basically the same as better places, I may as well go to those places though.
So many people do really love it, though, I wonder if I just placed an unfortunate order. -
Review from Dora G.
Herndon, VA
2/24/2010
I have been going to Ichiban for over 10 years now. It was my first introduction to sushi in high school and there is no better place to have your first California Roll :)
Now that I've graduated to more interesting rolls such as Eel Rolls and their yummy Mexican Roll -- I still believe their sushi is the best. However, you cannot miss their Teriyaki Chicken. It is the best Teriyaki Chicken I have ever had and I have been to a lot of sushi places! -
Review from CW W.
McLean, VA
2/20/2010
Worst sushi I have ever had. Let me clarify, if you like sushi from the cooler at the grocery store, this place is exactly where you want to go. The fish has been frozen, thawed and refrozen dozens of times (it's slimy, thats how you can tell). One of the pieces of tuna I had was actually approaching rancid. Why this place was so busy is BEYOND me, especially when right across the street you can go to Endo Sushi and have a great meal. Then again, most of the people there were eating rolls that don't have any uncooked items in them - as lots of the reviewers on Yelp are apt to do. If that's all you've tried you can't really rate the "sushi."
Avoid Ichiban if you like good sushi. If you prefer the grocery store variety, this is the place to go. -
Review from Gene I.
Lake Ridge, VA
6/18/2009
The people here are very nice and I do like the neighborhood style restaurant feel but the sushi is just not good. The rice is literally balled up in a hard ball and the fish is cut too thick. I got the tamago for my 18 mo old and he threw it up later in the evening.
It's not all the cheap either! I know that many people on here seem to enjoy it there and that's great but for others this place just doesn't cut it. Sushi is a delicate culinary art form and requires proper training to be successful at it. For the money I would drive into Foxhall and eat sushi at Kotobuki. $1pc sushi and with a genuine sushi staff much better quality. -
Review from Margaretha U.
Arlington, VA
12/12/2010
In Virginia, it's tough to find good sushi. I mean, this ain't Tokyo.
But Ichi Ban's sushi is cold, fresh, although, when you order the fancy "Mclean specials," you're risking being disappointed.
Their miso soup is better than any I have had. My daughter loves their California rolls.
The prices are good. I mean, 3 of us get out of there for dinner for $25. It helps that my daughter is ordering the cheapest thing on the menu.
But I go there to support the friendly, young American-Chinese family that owns it. CiCi, the wife, is a living doll. And her husband is a hottie. Unlike most McLean proprietors, they actually live in McLean.
