Umai Ramen and Donburi — Restaurant in Tysons

Edit: restaurant claims our meal was "finished" in their response to this review. Though I did not finish the ramen whatsoever and was frankly surprised the waiter did not ask what was wrong given that 90% of it was left in the bowl. I did actually ask for soy sauce to try and salvage the overly sweet broth flavor, but was rushed to pour it into a tray as there were minimal soy dispensers that were being shared by multiple tables. My fiancé did finish the sake don but that's as he is 1) non confrontational 2) remarkably frugal and 3) could not stand the thought of not being able to consume the calories of a meal we spent $60 on though it did make him sick so he really should've not eaten it. We have filed a complaint with the Fairfax County health department due to this meal resulting in a visit to urgent care.

Sake Don was the worst quality salmon I've had in my life. Borderline inedible and the rice from the bowl seemed like it was sitting a while before being served. My partner and I both got very sick from our meals here.

The Tom yum ramen had overcooked but edible shrimp which were a nice size but lacked flavor. The broth was sickeningly sweet and nothing like a Tom Yum soup you'd get from an authentic Thai restaurant, no sourness to the broth at all. the noodles were alright but seemed as though they weren't fresh. Really disappointed as I was really looking forward to trying a new place. The vibe is nice but the food is awful.

Also tried the miso cheese dip which was okay and the most interesting thing we had flavor wise but they rang it up as $9 instead of the $6 it's listed for on the menu. Very small portion even for $6z

Would not come back here unless substantial changes were made to the fish quality. Hopefully their normal ramen offerings are substantially better? Will not be coming back due to this bad experience so I guess I'll never know.

With other places like Kizuna, Yido, Santouka, Tachibana, sushi Koji, offering alternative options that I know are solid, I will not be returning here.

Service was pretty good and we still tipped 20% because servers obviously aren't to blame for food...

Umai Ramen & Donburi in Tysons, VA has started offering sushi, and their new omakase is truly a hidden gem. The experience felt like having a private chef — it was just the two of us the night we went, and the omakase is tucked away in a separate sushi bar section of the restaurant. It feels private, exclusive, and perfect for a celebration.

The progression of dishes was thoughtfully crafted, taking us on a journey from northern to southern Japan. Some of the standouts for me: • Shima aji with lime zest – bright, citrusy, and refreshing • Hotate (scallop) – very good, clean, and sweet with none of the usual fishiness • Chutoro + uni topped with caviar and gold flakes – rich, creamy, and luxurious, definitely a favorite bite

We also added the premium sake pairing, which I highly recommend. Each pour was intentional and elevated the flavors beautifully.

For the quality, intimacy, and portions, the price is unbeatable: $120 per person (+$45 for sake pairing). Honestly, it’s such a steal that I don’t think it will stay like this for long once more people find out.

The chef is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate — you can feel that passion in every course. This was more than a meal; it was an art form.

📍 Located at Umai Ramen & Donburi in Tysons, VA. There’s a parking garage right nearby — I usually park on the third floor since it’s less crowded and then just take the elevator down. 📞 Reservations: Call the restaurant directly, or go to their website → click Order Online → scroll to the bottom of the page to reserve (35% deposit required).

This was a very good omakase experience, and I’ll definitely be back (next time with my husband!). Highly recommend...

I recently tried Umai Ramen in Herndon and heard they opened another nearby location. I decided to try it for lunch, and it turned out that we liked it even more here. The interior ambiance was very nice and definitely larger than its Herndon location. Its clean, Japanese-like aesthetic features wooden frames, Japanese design objects, toys, and illustrated walls. Many flower bouquets also indicated that the restaurant had recently opened.

We wanted to try something different from our usual orders, so instead of getting Tonkatsu or Shoyu ramen, we opted for the Umai Tomyum and Curry ramen. They were flavorful and medium spicy, perfect for a cool, gloomy day. The Thai iced milk tea and pink milk tea were sweeter than expected but paired well with our spicy noodle soups. The fried oysters were juicy inside and crispy outside, and the cheesy Tonkotsu was excellent, with balanced flavors and a freshly deep-fried pork cutlet. The crunchiness from the cabbage added a nice texture to it.

The service was excellent, and we loved the overall dining experience at this restaurant. We will return soon to try other mouth-watering ramen...