A Snowy Jinya Ramen Bar Reston Date Night On the W&OD Trail

Our first snow day of the year was super exciting because, if you live in the DC area, you’ll know there’s some sort of snow hole that exists and makes it so DC rarely gets snow. The snowy weather paired with a Jinya stop ended up making for the perfect date night at our semi-new home. The second half of this blog could definitely serve as a very positive Jinya ramen bar Reston review but that wasn’t the focus when I started writing it!

Since both my husband and I work remote and don’t have kids it wasn’t much of a snow day, and I found myself brainstorming about how to get out and enjoy the snow. I landed on taking a long walk so once it stopped coming down my husband and I put on our snow gear and walked the W&OD trail to dinner. 

We thought walking through the woods to get to the trail from our neighborhood would be too dark, since there’s no lights on the trail, but the snow kind of lit everything up and it ended up being perfect. We were completely alone the entire walk, which made it the perfect snowy date night. I brought along my evening cocktail in a cup which made the cold not as cold. 😋

Our walk felt reminiscent of walks I went on with my friends on snow days as a kid and teen and I was filled with gratitude that we decided to come out together. The snow started coming down again during our walk which made it even more magical! Once we started getting closer to the town center we could see all of the glowing buildings towering over the street below. I realized I had never been to that part of the trail before and think it will make a great photography spot. 

Thirty minutes or so and a few snow ball fights later we walked up to the town center and by a few restaurants and bars which were all closed. I was surprised since there are so many residents who live in the town center, but obviously in order to open those places would have to have staff who can safely get to work, so it’s a good thing. I did call Makers Union before we ventured over to confirm they were open. 

The snow falling made it so I could get some of the best pics of Reston Town Center I’ve ever taken! It was so pretty to see the snow coming down in a mostly empty town center all lit up with some of the Christmas lights still decorating the trees and buildings. We found this funny polar bear I’ve never seen before. 👋🏼

When we walked into Makers Union they were finished seating people and at first it was looking like we would have to admit defeat but luckily for us Jinya ramen bar Reston saved the day. It was the only other restaurant open but would have been our second choice anyway. What’s more perfect for a snow day than ramen?! 

We had already been here a few times to both the Reston Town Center location and the Arlington location, but this was by far my favorite Jinya dining experience. The snow and chilly weather made the food taste extra good. 

We were seated at a banquette table (half booth) off to the side with plenty of space to ourselves, although the restaurant was actually pretty full. I really like the atmosphere at Jinya ramen bar Reston because they do a great job of playing music that isn’t so loud you can’t hear the person across from you, but isn’t so quiet that you feel like you need to whisper. 

After looking over the drink menu we decided to get a few cocktails. I got my go-to margarita and Greg got an old fashion which came with a BRANDED ORANGE, as in Jinya was stamped onto the orange slice. What! I’ve never seen anything like that and loved it. I’m a sucker for good branding, as in brand messaging, not stamps. 

Since we have already been to Jinya multiple times, the menu at Jinya was easy to navigate for us. We opted for no appetizer since the ramen is always super filling and comes out fast. In the past we’ve tried the pork gyoza and the shrimp tempura and I highly recommend both of these, as well as the Brussel sprouts tempura.

Now for the ramen! Writing this blog is making me hungry, maybe I’ll go get some take out after I’m finished. The first time we tried Jinya I got the chicken ramen, which I would say is the best dish for picky eaters. Surprisingly that wasn’t MY personal favorite, but my husband chose the chicken ramen during our snowy date night and it’s definitely still delicious. If you’re thinking of trying Jinya yourself, you can preview the menu items with pictures at their online menu. 

My new go-to here is the Jinya Tonkotsu Original 2010. YUMMM! This dish is my absolute favorite ramen of all time and we’ve been to lots of ramen places. The pork and broth is delicious, and because they serve such a big portion the noodles seem endless (but without soaking up too much of the broth). Other great menu choices are the wonton ramen dishes and the spicy chicken ramen. Yep, definitely getting take out tonight. 🫡

After our hong-long meal we satisfyingly walked the W&OD trail back in the peaceful snow. It had been one of my absolute favorite dates we had ever had and very thankful for this amazing trail system we live so close to. 

Make sure to check out all of my Northern Virginia travel guides to find out all the best things to do in the area.