Kajiken — Restaurant in Tysons

Took our family of four to Kajiken - Falls Church for a birthday luncheon and thoroughly enjoyed everything.

TL/DR: Kajiken is a true jewel serving amazing fried appetizers and perfectly executed abura soba (brothless oil ramen) with plentiful fresh ingredients in a welcoming, clean setting served by attentive and polite waitstaff. * Highly Recommended *

Having enjoyed abura soba in Tokyo, we'd been looking for this uncommon cousin to ramen here in the Mid-Atlantic US. When we found Kajiken, we realized that our cravings could be well satisfied.

In a nutshell, Abura Ramen is (thick) kinky ramen noodles with seasoned oil and proteins at the bottom of the bowl, noodles in the middle, and typical garnishes on top. You mix up the bowl like Korean bibimbap before eating. We like it because it's pure, concentrated noodle goodness without the occasional soup bloat and extra sodium. It's a great variation for noodle lovers like us.

The Abura Soba: We ordered the Original, Niku Miso, and Teriyaki Tori. Each bowl was completely satisfying. Noodles perfectly firm, toppings fresh and plentiful, and oils and protein seasonings rich and savory. Absolutely wonderful!

Sukikayi Don: This rice bowl was topped with gobs of thinly-sliced good quality beef and well-done rice. Basic, tasty, and exactly what it needed to be.

Fried Appetizers: An absolute high point of their menu. Takoyaki (so much octopus), karaage, kaki fry (oysters), and Gesokara (squid tentacles) were perfect. Meats were fresh and succulent, with perfect coatings, and fried in light, new oil. No other ramen shop or izakaya we've been to in Virginia has gotten this so perfectly right. Must eat!

Bottom line: Located in an unassuming strip mall, Kajiken Falls Church delivers Tokyo-quality noodles and fried appetizers that are sure to satisfy anyone's cravings and high expectations. Recommended without...

With all the high ratings I figured this place must be great, right? Meh. Walked in with 3 kids behind the counter and a sign saying “please wait to be seated”. I stood there for a bit while they chatted amongst themselves before seating myself at the counter. Staff were polite and prompt after that.

First, prices were insane. $17 for tonkotsu ramen is highway robbery, but maybe they have a ton of toppings in the quality is amazing. Nope. Three basic topping and they are not generous. Chashu was mediocre at best and the broth was really bland. I tried flavoring it up with garlic, but they only have dry flaked garlic, which is very unbecoming of a ramen restaurant (fresh should be the default for this price). In sum, this should have been a $9 bowl at most. It is not that it was inedible, it was just way over priced for the quality. But the straw the breaks the camels back were the noodles. They have a soba offering which appears to be their niche, but I ordered the ramen and they used them same buckwheat noodles. Ramen noodles should be wheat, not buckwheat (soba), so it was disappointing to...

Tried Kajiken in Falls Church during their grand opening weekend and had a great experience! They’re known for their noodles with flavorful sauces at the bottom, which you mix in for the best taste. I got the Niko Miso Soba, which had tender strips of pork, an egg, and a generous portion of chewy noodles packed with flavor. My friend enjoyed their Yuzu Lemonade and the small Sukiyaki Don, both of which were solid choices. We also ordered the Agedashi Tofu and the Wakame Seaweed Salad, and thanks to a scratch-off card, we got 50% off the Agedashi Tofu!

The restaurant has a good amount of seating, including bar seating in the back, individual tables, and a large communal table in the middle, making it a great spot for both solo diners and groups. Service was good—friendly and efficient. It’s a chain, but the quality was definitely there, and I’d love to come back to try more dishes. Next time, I definitely want to try their Takoyaki and Kaki Fry (fried oysters). Overall,...