Best American Restaurants in Fairfax
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
American Beauty
Design-driven steakhouse with wood-grilled meats at The Grove.
Notable Picks
8.4
American Beauty at The Grove is a modern steakhouse from the Venice original, bringing wood-grilled cuts, seafood, and vegetable-forward sides to a design-forward room with a wraparound patio. It’s where shoppers, steak fans, and date-night diners converge for dry-aged beef, cocktails, and a polished but relaxed evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
15-Day Dry-Aged Ribeye, Creekstone Hanger Steak, Steakhouse Burger with Shoestring Fries
What Makes it Special: Design-driven steakhouse with wood-grilled meats at The Grove.
8.4
The Benjamin Hollywood is an Art Deco–inflected American bar and restaurant where martinis, a serious bar burger, and crab beignets anchor a menu of updated classics. It feels like a throwback big-city dining room tuned for 2025, with a central oak bar, tight reservations, and a soundtrack that leans into late-night energy.
Must-Try Dishes:
The Benjamin Burger, Crab beignets with lemony aioli, Twice-baked potato with crème fraîche
What Makes it Special: A glam, Art Deco American bar-restaurant built around martinis and a standout burger.
#3
Meteora
8.3
Chef Jordan Kahn's one-Michelin-starred restaurant showcases primal live-fire cooking with a zero-waste ethos, set in a sculptural space of tangled greenery and moody lighting that reviewers describe as otherworldly. The 4-course ($115) and 6-course ($165) menus feature sustainably sourced wild ingredients like honey-grilled Sue Buxton scallops and charred yam with smoked trout roe. The theatrical environment and trance-y soundtrack create an immersive experience that overshadows straightforward service.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sue Buxton Day Boat Scallops with Caramelized Honey, Job's Tears with Cachucha Peppers, Charred Yam with Smoked Trout Roe
What Makes it Special: Chef Jordan Kahn's Michelin-starred showcase of live-fire cooking with heirloom produce and rare grains, presented in a sculptural space that feels like entering a rainforest.
Worthy Picks
#4
oui Melrose
7.7
A tiny Melrose Ave storefront baking everything in-house daily—laffa bread, brioche buns, pistachio donuts—and layering Georgian, Middle Eastern, and American flavors into sandwiches and flatbreads that earned a Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives feature. The kitchen runs hot when it hits, but a notable share of visitors report off nights, so manage expectations on consistency. Works best as a walk-up lunch stop where you grab a cheesesteak or khachapuri and post up at one of the handful of outdoor tables.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ribeye Cheesesteak Sandwich, Orange Blossom Pistachio Donuts, Mushroom Khachapuri
What Makes it Special: Everything baked in-house daily — laffa bread, donuts, buns — fusing Georgian, Middle Eastern, and American comfort food from a tiny Melrose Ave storefront featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.
7.7
ATTITUDE CAFE is a poolside-adjacent New American brunch and cocktail spot just off 3rd Street, balancing buttermilk pancakes, Benedicts, and vegan-leaning plates. Guests use it as a casual hangout for mimosas, kimchi fried rice, and California Benedicts in a bright room with indoor and patio seating.
Must-Try Dishes:
California Benedict, Kimchi Fried Rice with Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Pancakes
What Makes it Special: Easygoing brunch cafe with vegan options and pool-adjacent patio.
7.6
Burger She Wrote is a compact counter-service smashburger shop on Beverly turning out thin, griddled patties, Oklahoma-style onion burgers, and crisp fries. Lines can be long and seating is tight, but burger-focused diners treat it as a quick pilgrimage spot rather than a lingering meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Single Smashburger with Cheese, Oklahoma Onion Burger, Hand-Cut Fries
What Makes it Special: Focused smashburger counter with big flavor and little fluff.