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Best Restaurants 2020: Meokja Meokja

When you’re really hungry, this Fairfax Korean barbecue specialist rises above its competitors.

By Alice Levitt October 30, 2020 at 8:00 am

Meokja Meokja

Fairfax / Korean Barbecue / $$

Feeling meaty? Few places will scratch that itch for animal protein quite like Korean barbecue. And most Korean barbecue in NoVA pales in comparison to the splendor of Meokja Meokja.

On the surface, not much distinguishes this barbecue joint from others. The dining room is slightly fancier and the wait a little longer, but the menu of meats and sides is standard issue. It’s not until you taste the quality of the flesh that you realize the difference. They don’t need marinades, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make sure to try the sweet, garlicky bulgogi. Like the rest of the offerings at Meokja Meokja, it rises above its competitors.

See This: It’s a party every night with fairy lights strung around the sparkling metallic ventilation systems.

Eat This: Combo 2 has everything you need, from meats to the Angry Egg and gooey corn cheese.

When to Visit: You’re really hungry. REALLY hungry.


This post originally appeared in our November 2020 issue’s Best Restaurants cover story. For more food reviews, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Alice Levitt

Alice Levitt

Contributing Food Critic/Editor

Alice Levitt has been writing for Northern Virginia Magazine since 2020. She began her restaurant critic journey at Seven Days in Vermont in 2007 before moving on to Houstonia Magazine in Texas. Her food, travel, and health innovation stories have appeared in Vox, EatingWell, Simply Recipes, Allrecipes, and many other national publications.

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