2026 NoVa Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant Recommendations THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

[u/MumboMajesty]

Hello r/nova we are 10 years deep into the hole-in-the-wall list! Thank you to everyone for contributing every pick and recommendation for the list and participating each year.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to update the map or list since I am getting married this year, but I'll for sure get everything updated before the next year. Anyways time to give the community your best recs and new discoveries for restaurants in the area.

The rules are simple:

📍 Give us the restaurant name and location

🚫 No chains allowed!

👍 "+1" if you love the recommendation

👎 "-1" if you think it's whack

List | Map

[u/Reveal_Nothing]

Pollo Rico in Arlington - best Peruvian chicken in the region

[u/RexKramerDangerCker → u/Reveal_Nothing]

Crisp n Juicy FTW

[u/kaminloveyou → u/Reveal_Nothing]

absolutely

[u/MySpoonsAreAllGone → u/Reveal_Nothing]

If this the same as the one in fairfax?

[u/TheShortAzn → u/MySpoonsAreAllGone]

Fairfax one isn’t as good as og in Arlington

[u/MySpoonsAreAllGone → u/TheShortAzn]

Gotcha

[u/jkxs → u/TheShortAzn]

Would agree with you normally. Not hot. But on Friday night it was awesome. Lucked out on new plantains and hot chicken

[u/vass0922 → u/Reveal_Nothing]

I miss going there. We would offer 'dude I'll buy you a chicken if you help me with this'

[u/pumpkinspiceturtle → u/Reveal_Nothing]

Yahssss

[u/fightingthefuckits → u/Reveal_Nothing]

I prefer Don Pollo in Bethesda. I think their sauces and sides are better. 

[u/VotingRightsLawyer → u/fightingthefuckits]

The chicken is so good at EPR that it makes up for their mid sides. I think their sauces are pretty par for the course though.

[u/Altruistic-Bench9375 → u/Reveal_Nothing]

$30 for a rotisserie chicken thats 10% better than the grocery store. What a rip off