maneki neko: great kitchen food, decent sushi. the first impression i got walking through the doors to maneki neko: "wow. charming!" the presentation is almost overwhelming; the walls are painted gold and red, and there are tiny glass kittens (maneko nekos are "lucky cats" injapaneselore) decorating the restaurant.
the service staff is very competent and responsive--refills are quick, the time from ordering until you get your food isn't long, and your appetizers are brought out first. i'm guessing it's just "japanese politeness," but the waitresses are a little too quiet for my tastes. the sushi chefs at the bar energetically great you as you enter, though: "irrashaimase!"
mostjapaneseplaces around falls church seem to focus on sushi; maneki shines brightest in their kitchen entrees, which is a huge plus as someone that doesn't care much for sushi. i've found maneki's appetizers and entrees (especially the gyouza, teriyaki chicken and tonkatsu) far better than their competition in the area.
as i said, i'm not much of a sushi fan--but my group of friends is, and they say maneki's sushi is good, but nothing to write home about. but if you're looking for authenticjapanesekitchen food, look no further.