Finally a really standout great place to eat in the DMV. This ramen was spectacular & the service was above and beyond. You can tell how much they care about the craft here. We just recently moved to NOVA and haven't found a place we want to eat at again...until now. I had the spicy miso ramen and I thought the spice level was just perfect. I practically drank the broth clean out of the bowl. The bathroom is also the coolest little bathroom I've ever been in. The server & chef came several times to check on us and even offered some samples of new items they're going to release soon. It made our visit very special.
Tommy Y.
Otosan Ramen recently opened up late last year, and I'm always happy to see more good ramen options in NoVA! The name definitely interested me, I'm sure some of you know, but "otousan" means Father in Japanese , I wonder what the intention behind the name was. For the apps, the Grilled Corn Ribs were really tasty! It's like a Japanese take on Mexican Street Corn/Elote, it has the cotija cheese incorporated into a creamy sauce , with chili powder and fried leeks for garnish. The Chicken Kara-Age was fried nicely, a bit juicy on the inside, and comes with a nice spicy mayo sauce . For the Hokkaido style ramen they have a good variety : The Spicy Miso has a moderate level of spice, very savory and salty miso flavor with some sweetness to balance it out too. The Tofu Ramen is the vegetarian option, comes with a bunch of veggies and some thick pieces of fried tofu . The Black Garlic Tonkotsu has a deep savory garlic flavor that you'd expect from a black garlic broth, I just wish it was a bit more salty, but the chashu topping had a tasty char grilled flavor ! Also, you gotta love how cool the bathroom is, it is a trippy delightful experience all in itself. RGB Rainbow lights on the ceiling with fake cloud decorations, cute and epic wall art, and manga shelves for reading!
Robin W.
First time here. Had the black garlic shoyu ramen and the squid tempura small bites. Ramen was perfect, the char siu was done just right. Restaurant was small but cozy. Service was excellent. We will definitely be eating here again.
Brian Shutka
Very good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
C B.
I had a delightful lunch at Otosan recently. The place is super cute inside and super small. There are only four tables inside and about 8 tables outside. Everything we had was delicious and customer service was excellent. I highly recommend the spicy miso ramen. The chasu in the black garlic ramen could have been more tender, but it was well seasoned. We loved our appetizers. The edamame was uniquely seasoned and delightful. The corn was sweet and savory. Don't skip the mochi ice cream for dessert! Otosan is definitely worth a visit!
Edward H.
This place is an absolute gem!! I was losing hope finding some good Japanese ramen. I feel like the quality has gone down in all my go-to spots so my cravings just don't fully get met when I have my ramen. Then I discovered here... We ordered: Pork buns 4/5 - it wasn't bad, but I prefer the original pork buns where they give the full piece of chashu as opposed to chopped up pieces, which the way provided here Chicken Kaarage 5/5 - the batter is definitely not your original karaage batter, but the chicken was fried perfectly and tasted delicious. Would definitely order again Classic Tonkatsu Ramen 5/5 - usually I don't get the classic, but when I tasted this broth, it wasn't as creamy/fatty as they usually are so I thoroughly enjoyed the clean tasting broth. Delicious Spicy Miso Ramen 4.5/5 - also loved this dish which is what I ordered. My only complaint was that it came with ground pork as opposed to pork chashu slices! I don't know (kid menu) 4/5 - our 17 month old enjoyed these dry noodles very much. Infused with truffle oil, it was pleasant with the addition of corn, egg, and chashu. (Maybe slightly strong on the truffle oil) This has become our new favorite Japanese ramen spot in NOVA! Will definitely be coming back in the near future
akash chopra
Ramen was 8/10 (highly recommend ground pork instead of Chashu which was very hard to bite into) Otherwise all other ingredients were 10/10 especially seasoned egg. Service and atmosphere were excellent. I would go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Miso Ramen, Gyoza
Aarti B.
The cozy restaurant has very hearty and flavorful ramen! While I enjoyed the heap of veggies in the Vegetarian Ramen: crispy brussels sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, scallions - the black garlic broth and the spiced tofu had a bold, savory flavor that overpowered the veggies. My friends seemed to enjoy their hearty meaty ramen. The crispy Brussels sprouts with leeks appetizer was the best part of my meal. I enjoyed the cream soda, which helped to dilute the savory flavor. There's no alcohol offered. The restroom tucked behind a curtain is very vibrant with fun, kitschy decor! Parking is very limited at the front with only a few spots, you can find street parking.
Rebecca C.
It's small and cozy but the ambience and service is great, restroom is AMAZING, and this is the best ramen I've had in the DMV area! Their menu is on the smaller side but their broths are very well rounded and flavorful. I personally love the depth the black garlic adds. They also give 3 large slices of chashu!
Lottie Y.
The ramen is $18 or $19 per bowl and the quantity was small. Not enough at all as an entree. The bamboo shoots used in the ramen wasn't the Japanese style but Taiwanese style. I don't mean Taiwanese style bamboo shoots aren't good but it's not a fit in Japanese ramen. Hence the quality and quantity are not worth the price. In addition, I ordered a tea and the teacup was chipped right at the edge which may cut the lips. I would not recommend this place.
I was so pleased today when I drove by and saw Otosan for the first time and when a co- worker recommended it I was sure to stop by for takeout on my way home after work. I’m new to the variations and details of the menu so I went with the choice my colleague had. I shy away from super spicy/heavy garlic still my meal was flavorful, interesting and filling. I will definitely be back. Insiders note: they have the coolest restroom decor! This small business must be supported, it is a lovely addition to our McLean!
got here around 5 to grab a table. very small and minimal seating inside, but they also had outdoor seating as it gets warmer. really enjoyed the dishes here. the squid tempura was really fresh hot and crispy, would recommend this appetizer. tje chicken gyoza was okay, nothing special, but it came out unique and dumplings were warm. the tofu veggie ramen was good but the broth was a bit too mushroomy. the spicy miso was very good. both had great toppings and the noodles were chewy. we really enjoyed our dinner and would be back again!
J Gao
I had the tonkatsu ramen here and it was delicious, the noodles were cooked just right and the broth was flavorful. They give you a good amount of chashu too. It is a small restaurant so there can be a wait but it's worth it in my opinion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ione
Best ramen I’ve ever had! The pork… amazing, melt in your mouth, perfectly prepared. All ingredients tasted fresh! Small inside but they’ve made the best of the space. Service was great, I didn’t get the gentleman’s name that served us but he was great! Even the bathroom is super cool! Would recommend 100 times over. Can’t wait to visit again and try everything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Garlic Tonkotsu, Classic Tonkotsu, Gyoza
Finally a really standout great place to eat in the DMV. This ramen was spectacular & the service was above and beyond. You can tell how much they care about the craft here. We just recently moved to NOVA and haven't found a place we want to eat at again...until now. I had the spicy miso ramen and I thought the spice level was just perfect. I practically drank the broth clean out of the bowl. The bathroom is also the coolest little bathroom I've ever been in. The server & chef came several times to check on us and even offered some samples of new items they're going to release soon. It made our visit very special.
Otosan Ramen recently opened up late last year, and I'm always happy to see more good ramen options in NoVA! The name definitely interested me, I'm sure some of you know, but "otousan" means Father in Japanese , I wonder what the intention behind the name was. For the apps, the Grilled Corn Ribs were really tasty! It's like a Japanese take on Mexican Street Corn/Elote, it has the cotija cheese incorporated into a creamy sauce , with chili powder and fried leeks for garnish. The Chicken Kara-Age was fried nicely, a bit juicy on the inside, and comes with a nice spicy mayo sauce . For the Hokkaido style ramen they have a good variety : The Spicy Miso has a moderate level of spice, very savory and salty miso flavor with some sweetness to balance it out too. The Tofu Ramen is the vegetarian option, comes with a bunch of veggies and some thick pieces of fried tofu . The Black Garlic Tonkotsu has a deep savory garlic flavor that you'd expect from a black garlic broth, I just wish it was a bit more salty, but the chashu topping had a tasty char grilled flavor ! Also, you gotta love how cool the bathroom is, it is a trippy delightful experience all in itself. RGB Rainbow lights on the ceiling with fake cloud decorations, cute and epic wall art, and manga shelves for reading!
First time here. Had the black garlic shoyu ramen and the squid tempura small bites. Ramen was perfect, the char siu was done just right. Restaurant was small but cozy. Service was excellent. We will definitely be eating here again.
Very good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had a delightful lunch at Otosan recently. The place is super cute inside and super small. There are only four tables inside and about 8 tables outside. Everything we had was delicious and customer service was excellent. I highly recommend the spicy miso ramen. The chasu in the black garlic ramen could have been more tender, but it was well seasoned. We loved our appetizers. The edamame was uniquely seasoned and delightful. The corn was sweet and savory. Don't skip the mochi ice cream for dessert! Otosan is definitely worth a visit!
This place is an absolute gem!! I was losing hope finding some good Japanese ramen. I feel like the quality has gone down in all my go-to spots so my cravings just don't fully get met when I have my ramen. Then I discovered here... We ordered: Pork buns 4/5 - it wasn't bad, but I prefer the original pork buns where they give the full piece of chashu as opposed to chopped up pieces, which the way provided here Chicken Kaarage 5/5 - the batter is definitely not your original karaage batter, but the chicken was fried perfectly and tasted delicious. Would definitely order again Classic Tonkatsu Ramen 5/5 - usually I don't get the classic, but when I tasted this broth, it wasn't as creamy/fatty as they usually are so I thoroughly enjoyed the clean tasting broth. Delicious Spicy Miso Ramen 4.5/5 - also loved this dish which is what I ordered. My only complaint was that it came with ground pork as opposed to pork chashu slices! I don't know (kid menu) 4/5 - our 17 month old enjoyed these dry noodles very much. Infused with truffle oil, it was pleasant with the addition of corn, egg, and chashu. (Maybe slightly strong on the truffle oil) This has become our new favorite Japanese ramen spot in NOVA! Will definitely be coming back in the near future
Ramen was 8/10 (highly recommend ground pork instead of Chashu which was very hard to bite into) Otherwise all other ingredients were 10/10 especially seasoned egg. Service and atmosphere were excellent. I would go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Miso Ramen, Gyoza
The cozy restaurant has very hearty and flavorful ramen! While I enjoyed the heap of veggies in the Vegetarian Ramen: crispy brussels sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, scallions - the black garlic broth and the spiced tofu had a bold, savory flavor that overpowered the veggies. My friends seemed to enjoy their hearty meaty ramen. The crispy Brussels sprouts with leeks appetizer was the best part of my meal. I enjoyed the cream soda, which helped to dilute the savory flavor. There's no alcohol offered. The restroom tucked behind a curtain is very vibrant with fun, kitschy decor! Parking is very limited at the front with only a few spots, you can find street parking.
It's small and cozy but the ambience and service is great, restroom is AMAZING, and this is the best ramen I've had in the DMV area! Their menu is on the smaller side but their broths are very well rounded and flavorful. I personally love the depth the black garlic adds. They also give 3 large slices of chashu!
The ramen is $18 or $19 per bowl and the quantity was small. Not enough at all as an entree. The bamboo shoots used in the ramen wasn't the Japanese style but Taiwanese style. I don't mean Taiwanese style bamboo shoots aren't good but it's not a fit in Japanese ramen. Hence the quality and quantity are not worth the price. In addition, I ordered a tea and the teacup was chipped right at the edge which may cut the lips. I would not recommend this place.
Restaurantji Recommends
I was so pleased today when I drove by and saw Otosan for the first time and when a co- worker recommended it I was sure to stop by for takeout on my way home after work. I’m new to the variations and details of the menu so I went with the choice my colleague had. I shy away from super spicy/heavy garlic still my meal was flavorful, interesting and filling. I will definitely be back. Insiders note: they have the coolest restroom decor! This small business must be supported, it is a lovely addition to our McLean!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Tempura, Classic Tonkotsu
got here around 5 to grab a table. very small and minimal seating inside, but they also had outdoor seating as it gets warmer. really enjoyed the dishes here. the squid tempura was really fresh hot and crispy, would recommend this appetizer. tje chicken gyoza was okay, nothing special, but it came out unique and dumplings were warm. the tofu veggie ramen was good but the broth was a bit too mushroomy. the spicy miso was very good. both had great toppings and the noodles were chewy. we really enjoyed our dinner and would be back again!
I had the tonkatsu ramen here and it was delicious, the noodles were cooked just right and the broth was flavorful. They give you a good amount of chashu too. It is a small restaurant so there can be a wait but it's worth it in my opinion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best ramen I’ve ever had! The pork… amazing, melt in your mouth, perfectly prepared. All ingredients tasted fresh! Small inside but they’ve made the best of the space. Service was great, I didn’t get the gentleman’s name that served us but he was great! Even the bathroom is super cool! Would recommend 100 times over. Can’t wait to visit again and try everything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Garlic Tonkotsu, Classic Tonkotsu, Gyoza
Bathroom was amazing.