Ajishin

Food is 3 star compared to other options in the area. Service is 1 star because there is not a more condescending wait staff around. Price is cheap, if you don’t value your wait time.
This place is over-​hyped, and rated way higher than should be on account of the long wait and packed room. It’s scarcity and social proof influencing judgment. Don’t fall for it

A solid 5-​star for food.
A 3-​star service.
They open at 5pm for dinner and I arrived around 4:55pm. There were already at least 10 people waiting in line. This is how popular they are. While we were eating, there were always people waiting outside. It’s not a place to come if you are pressed on time. But the food is worth waiting.
We were directed to sit in a corner table, and they forgot the give us menu until waited for a long time and then we asked for it. Then they forgot to take our order, until we asked.
But the food made us feel like all the wait is not a big deal. I ordered the Ajishin udon. The soup is so delicious! It is the Asian soup I like, not thick or oily, but so rich in flavor. The fried tofu in there is surprisingly good. It’s thin fried tofu slice instead of cube, and very flavorful. I highly recommended on that. The price is lovely, a $ 7.5 bowl of udon, satisfied my stomach and soul! Next time, I’d like to try the sushi and grilled fish, which also look great.

We went here for lunch and got there early and the only seats left were at the bar. By the time we left, people were waiting for tables.
We ordered a sushi lunch special which was one roll with four pieces of nigiri for $ 9. We also ordered the special of the day which was a chirashi bowl and udon noodle bowl for $ 7. All of the food was very good and everything arrived very quickly. With lunch specials like that I can see why they were so busy.
The negatives are they don’t have much seating and one server was pretty unfriendly.

If they opened up one of these in Ann Arbor, their business would be through the roof! There’s something about a no frills Japanese restaurant that really satisfies all my cravings for sushi or udon. I’ve been here only a few times b/​c the drive from Ann Arbor roughly takes 20 – 30 minutes so it’s a bit far but absolutely worth it.
I’ve tried the salmon and salmon roe chirashi (dinner menu), the maiko udon, the ajishin udon, the grilled cod (dinner menu), and their sushi lunch large special which comes with a california roll (you can ask for the spicy version which I HIGHLY recommend) and an assortment of nigiri (yellowtail, salmon, tuna, eel, shrimp & tamago). Their salmon chirashi was my least favorite dish because there was loads of ginger mixed in with the rice so it was hard to avoid, especially when the ginger flavor was way too strong. Both the maiko udon and the ajishin udon are good options and pretty similar in taste, depending on what you’re in the mood for. My friend suggested that I get the grilled cod because she loves it but I didn’t see anything special about it. It seemed like there was too much fat and not enough flavor. The sushi lunch large special is probably my favorite thing on the menu. Their sushi is absolutely delicious! It’s simple and made with the chef’s bare hands (which may be gross to some). The spicy california roll is a must because they mix the spicy mayo with the tobiko and serve it on top of the california roll instead of just drizzling the spicy mayo on top of the roll like other generic places.
There is always, always, always a wait, whether lunch or dinner, because the restaurant is actually tiny. You can call in early to wait (almost like reserving but not quite) so that the wait time is a bit less. The servers are also not the friendliest but they do get the job done. I took my picky parents here and they loved it!

Went here for lunch so only could order from lunch menu.
We ordered Ajisjin udon ($ 7.50), a large sushi plate ($ 12), and today special ($ 7)
Pretty cheap, good size and taste.
The lunch menu is pretty limited. I would come back for dinner to try out their sashimi and sushi since the sushi rice is perfect from the taste to texture, the fish is pretty fresh.
The udon broth is delicious.
Today special was crab rice bowl and a side of udon. It was very cheap but the crab rice bowl is quite small. I would try it again if it’s salmon or tuna but not crab.

Okay the downside to this place is that it’s so small. There is literally a line before the place even opens up. The food though amazing. I had the curry and something else I can’t remember the name of. Would like to go back but don’t want to wait. Don’t live in area so take out is not really a option if I go back.

Regulars here. The Today’s Special is always a great deal. Make sure you come here 15 – 20 minutes before opening during the weekend. The line is always lone but worth the wait!

SETTING:
In a little shopping plaza, by a dental office. If you blink you might miss it. Not a big place at all, just some tables and a sushi bar area. Not the coziest place for a dine-​in experience, but still clean and well kept. It says something when most of the staff is Japanese and so are the customers. Reminds me of a Japan Town close to home.
FOOD:
if you’re here, you’re here for the fantastic japanese food, not fancy ambiance. That being said– Wow!– talk about Japanese comfort food!
I’ve read rave reviews about the udon here. Although I’m not a huge udon fan, I had to try it for myself to believe it… but not at the expense of giving up curry rice! Thankfully, reviews have mentioned getting half udon and half curry rice. This set is not on the menu, so thank you, Unilocalers for the heads up!
Both dishes were fantastic and authentic. Full of taste and ingredients, but light enough that you don’t feel sluggish after. I loved going back and forth with the udon and curry rice. Highly recommend this combo!
SERVICE:
Decent. They are just so busy, so the staff can only come by to take your order and bring out the food. They are professional and helpful, but won’t be trying to have a conversation with you. The food more than makes up for it.
IMPRESSIONS:
My goodness. I wish this place was not so far from Ann Arbor! Great Japanese food. Can be a bit of a wait, so call early and let them know once you’re here. Itadakimasu!

I love Ajishin! I’ve been more than a few times and I’ve loved it every time. I love showing people how great of a place it is. The soup is so wonderful with great flavors. You won’t go wrong ordering the Ajishin bowl. The delicious broth with udon is topped with shrimp and vegetable tempura, green onions, seaweed, sweet fried tofu, and a hard boiled egg. Perfect hangover cure, or if you’re just hungry. The sushi here is decent, but the star is definitely the soup.
Although they don’t take reservations, be sure to call ahead and ask for the wait. Almost every time I’ve been to Ajishin, there has been a long line out the door. The place is very small with nowhere to sit and wait. Because the restaurant is so small and unassuming, the inside is super cozy. The service is fantastic and quick. You don’t want to miss out on going to this place, you’ll be back again and again!

This place blows.
(What, you don’t believe me? Dang it! It’s busy enough as it is, and I was hoping to trick you into not checking it out)
Ok, let’s talk facts. Ajishin is yummy. Their udon and soba noodle soups are tasty (love their broth). Ken goes crazy for their curry over rice dish, and we can report the curry noodle soup is more of the same. Large pieces of fresh fish for sushi and sashimi. I remember being surprised at the good prices for the quality of the fish.
Cons: teeny place. Fills up almost instantly at lunch. Put your name on the list and wait (or call ahead, IF they answer). Lunch turnover is super speedy because the menu is limited. Dinner turnover and wait times vary. Personally, I think it’s worth the wait.

This place almost always has a wait, and it’s not surprising considering the great quality of food. They have a simple and traditional Japanese menu — you won’t find any Americanized sushi rolls that are fried and drenched in sauces here.
Not too many gluten free options when it comes to the kitchen menu. You can substitute buckwheat noodles in place of the regular udon noodles, but some buckwheat soba noodles are not 100% gluten free, so if you’re very sensitive to gluten, I would ask or just refrain. If you have no dietary restrictions, I would recommend the grilled fish (yellowtail is my fave!) which is a great deal since it comes with an order of udon. The Tetsugaku (curry udon) is also very good, but I’m always thirsty all night afterwards! Probably a lot of salt or MSG in it, but it does taste good haha.
The sushi is definitely top notch though — fresh fish, perfectly cooked and seasoned rice. Definitely recommend!
PS. Check out the Japanese bakery a few stores down called Hippo House Bakery. They don’t have any gluten free options, but it’s pretty good and affordable otherwise!

My sister brought me here for the udon. I love udon so I was pretty excited when I came here to find tons of udon options. I got the ajishin udon which consisted of shrimp tempura in the soup. It was good! The broth could of been better but the noodles were cooked perfectly which is most of the reason people eat udon! The place is tiny and the service was not to great either. I got the spicy California roll and I didn’t care for it. The way they have a list for people to wait for a table is disorganized and makes the customers mad. When we were here the lady didn’t go with the list and just had people sitting as she saw them. When you come here I would just stick with the udon and you will be happy. I got a green tea which didn’t tastes like a green tea to me tasted like water which I was disappointed in. I would come back for the udon but that’s about it!

I went here a few times when they first opened, I didn’t return because of the seating. My sons and I wanted to give the place another try. Same issues exist. It isn’t truly anyone’s fault, to many people for too few seats!
The positives are that there is an element of authenticity at ajishin. The nori has a nice, deep flavor that you just don’t get often at many sushi places. The udon broth was so flavorful and it also had the taste of a rich, but not heavy broth. Very good udon!
The negatives: most of the servers are not cordial at all. They do their job and nothing more. A little friendliness would make the uncomfortable seating more palatable! They also charge for soft drink refills! That’s really unacceptable. They do give customers a small cup of hot tea, which is nice, but charging for drink refills borders on greedy or being inconsiderate. I am not sure which.
Even though there are some nice flavors going on, I would not return. Again, too many local, great options to settle for a place that just wasn’t consumer friendly or awesome!

Yes, this place is small and has only 20 tiny tables; yes, you’ll likely have to wait at least 30 minutes to be seated, but that’s about all that Ajishin can do wrong. 6 piece sushi rolls are only $ 4 each and you can get anything from an avocado roll to a spicy tuna roll to unagi with cucumber. Their udon is only $ 6 – 7 and is full of flavors, the Ajishin udon being a personal favorite. They even have other things on the menu for the more adventurous diners such as the curry rice (for those that are more soup + rice inclined) or the lunch special which comes with a tasty california roll, 6 pieces of nigiri including an amazing tamago (egg) roll and the standard miso soup and salad.
The pro tip for this place is to call in 25 minutes ahead and order to go. You might lose the ambiance of eating in a cozy restaurant, but you get the same mouth-​watering, best tasting sushi in Southeastern Michigan without the wait. For what it’s worth, I would eat here weekly if I had the time (and money, but it’s definitely more affordable than the overwhelming majority of sushi places) to drive out to Novi from Ann Arbor.

After multiple trips at this restaurant, I think it’s about time for a review. Everybody’s mentions the wait in their reviews so I’ll only add this: the waiting area can get extremely cramped especially on the weekends, to the point where customers start flowing into the dining area. Everybody thinks they should expand, at least their waiting area. If you order right when you’re seated, the wait will be about the same if you ordered at another restaurant, since the kitchen here is good at sending food out quick. The waitresses are usually a hit or miss; sometimes the service is good, other times it’s bad. You’d think with such few tables they’d be able to provide better service, but it can be hard working with all these people in the dining area I guess.
Next part is the food; the food is GOOD. Arguably worth the wait on some days. Two go to orders are the Ajishin soup, and the Himuro salad. Both use the delicious udon noodles, and fill you up. The Himuro has just the right acidity in its dressing while the Ajishin has just the right umami component. The sushi is average, it’s fallen apart on me many times. No matter what you order, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Overall, with all the issues, I think the restaurant deserves 4 stars. The food makes up for whatever drawbacks they might have. Definitely give this place a try, if the other hundred or so reviews haven’t convinced you yet.

This place is tiny, as everyone mentioned — but that is no JOKE. We came on a Sunday night at 530 and there was a 30 – 40 minute wait and they do not have a waiting area. so everyone stands on top of the tables and in the middle of the aisles while waitresses try and walk around. Very crowded.
The food, however, was very good. We stood by a man who was friends with the owner and said he comes once a month. He recommend some items we tried.
–Salmon skin handroll. We ordered hand roll but they actually gave us a sushi roll, which we did not mind as it was very tasty.
–$ 15 combo: California roll with 9 pieces nigiri. Fish was VERY fresh.
NOTE: They do not have an actual sushi menu, although sushi is offered and they have a sushi bar. I’m sure you can order whatever roll you like, the fish is very fresh.
We also ordered 2 udon bowls.
–Ajishin — very tasty. Big bowl.
–Curry bowl (cant remember the name of it) — very good broth.
If you don’t like curry do not order this!
Overall, this place is very authentic and has good food. I would recommend calling ahead and putting your name down. They have a «blue list» that takes precedence over those who just walk in and you will wait less by doing so.

Taking a star from my past review because I’m tired of CONSISTENTLY hunting down wait staff to…
1. Make sure they didn’t call my name yet while I’ve been waiting for 30−45minutes.
2. Take our order (make sure you order everything, or best tip yet… Tell them what you want while your on your way to your table!)
3. Refill on green tea and get iced water. Glassware was filthy by the way.
4. Our Check.
5. Take our check. Forget it, we’ll bring it to you.
All in all the food is good but service has been a consistent debby downer for dinner. Ajishin is so busy ALL the time that it’s starting to get irritating. I think I’m giving up coming here after 6pm. I’ll just visit during lunch when I know service will be attentive and efficient. (But then again, I can’t order himuro/​dinner only… Sad face.)

The Beau and I are regulars here. I usually like to go for lunch, but he likes to go for dinner. Oftentimes I get my way and get my fix earlier in the day!
If you are like us, and have to drive 30−40mins to get this heavenly food, then be sure to call ahead to get your name on the list. By the time you get there, you will not have to wait long for a table.
The Beau always gets the basic udon (first udon listed), and I thought it was weird at first, but I prefer the basic udon to the Aijshin udon (by a very very close margin). I usually order the sushi lunch large or the dinner option (comes with Cali or tuna roll) with a piece of uni, so with the basic udon it complements the sushi very well and doesn’t muddy up my tastebuds like all the flavors in the Aijshin. Now if you are eating just Udon here, then get the Ajishin. If I had two stomachs, then I would also get the curry rice… so yummy!
Food has been very consistently great here and I’m very happy for their popularity and success. Wish they would open another location closer to Downtown. I’d seriously go there everyday!

I’ve been here multiple times now and I finally decided to write a review! As a warning, there is almost always a wait because the restaurant is small. I would strongly suggest to call in before you go so that they can write down your name on the waiting list! The idea of waiting 20 – 40 minutes might throw you off, but I promise it’s worth it! For lunch, I usually order the special which comes with udon and usually sushi or a chirasi bowl (changes every day). This is a great option for those who want a decent lunch for a cheap price (only $ 7)!!! If you’re super hungry, you can also do the half ajishin and half curry. This is kind of a secret menu option that you can choose for an abundant amount of food! This order comes with a rice ball, salad, curry, and (ajishin) udon.
Ps: MUST ORDER THE SALAD. ITS SUPER FRESH AND THE DRESSING IS DELICIOUS. ($ 2).

This place is one of the best reviewed places in Novi and there seems to be a wait no matter when you go! When you walk in there will be a notebook on your right hand side where you write down your name and that is the list they go by to seat you, so be sure to put your name down!
The food itself is definitely good and all of it is pretty cheap as well! As others have mentioned you can split the udon or curry in half so you can get both in 1 meal. The cost is half the cost of the respective dishes +$ 1. I decided to get the ajishin which came with tempura shrimp, crab stick, sea weed and marinated tofu among other things. The broth is flavorful and the noodles are well cooked. The curry also came with a couple pieces of tempura shrimp but was a little on the salty side. As an added bonus, they brought me a salad and one onigiri as well which was an added surprise. It was definitely tons of food for 8.50! I would definitely consider coming back although it seems some of the wait times can get long. I got lucky and only had to wait 10 minutes! Definitely would recommend this place if you’re craving curry or udon!