The good was really good and authentic! We waited outside for them to open for dinner time for 17 minutes! We saw everyone else waiting outside and I'm so glad we did! By the tine we sat down it was a full house and many people had to stand and wait! The only negative is there is no room for people who are waiting so they kind of are all on top of you, if your sitting close to the front. read more

Ajishin - Shrimp and Veggie Tempura Udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Udon is just the best!!! I'm sad that the price keeps going up but food tastes great here

Thank you Ajishin! For not only restoring my faith in the Novi food scene but also for helping me get over the trauma I experienced with Nagomi down the street. Everything about this place brings me back to Japan; the old Japanese sushi chefs in white uniform, the simple menus and decor, and of course the amazing food. I ordered the Kinkakuji - 10 piece sushi including uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon egg roe) and a California roll for $20 which is a deal considering how great it was. The fish is fresh and the cut is slightly thicker than sushi I'm used to at home, which I love! I also loved that the chefs put wasabi in between the fish and sushi rice. Some places use too much rice and it's mushy (ahem Nagomi) but they use sushi rice and it's the right amount so every piece of sushi is perfect. If there was an Ajishin serving the same quality sushi at this price point in Boston, I would be eating sushi every other day. read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

I came to this restaurant for lunch last year while on a business trip in Novi, and it was delicious. For that reason, I decided to come back this year. The restaurant is open at 11:30 a.m; I came at 11:45, and it was packed. All the tables were taken. So I put my name down on the wait list, there were 5 other parties ahead of me. While waiting, there were another 6,7 parties put their names down. After 15 minutes, I was seated. I ordered the lunch special: curry and udon noodle. There was only one type of curry which was pork with rice and two shrimp tempuras. I picked the Ajishin udon noodle which came with two shrimp tempuras, veggie tempura, fried tofu, boiled egg, seaweed and imitation crab meat. They also brought out a big bowl of salad and a rice triangle wrapped in seaweed. They also gave me free green tea. (The salad was so big I couldn't even finish it) All the food was super delicious, and guess how much the cost came out to be? $8 for everything. So the curry was only $4 and the udon was $4. With tax, the total was $8.48 I definitely recommend this place to everybody. It's super delicious and cheap. Just note that, it's easier if you go by yourself, you can just come in and out faster. read more

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This place got some yummy udon!! I went there on a Monday night and there was no wait at all. Their udon was simple but very delicious. I ordered Ajishin udon. The soup was very good, not too salty but not blend at all. It's the best food to get when it is cold outside. I also ordered 2 different sushi rolls (salmon with Avocado and eel) eel sushi roll is not too great. They put too little eel in the roll in my opinion. But salmon with avocado tastes good! Plenty of parking and attentive service! Definitely going to come back again. read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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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. read more

Ajishin - Ajishin Udon. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

The best part of coming to Novi for work is to have good japanese res! even at close to closing time, there was bit of waiting, which was worthy it! uni/ sea urchin zirashi sush with big bowl of uson and one tamago sushi. a lot of food but my stomach was happy! :) read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

The first time that I came to restaurant but it had a long line so I decided to come a different time. When I went again, I had high hopes since people said it was very good. To my disappointment, it does not live up to the hype. The udon noodles are not made by hand and the donburi I had had much more rice than salmon so it felt like I was eating a bunch of rice. The only good thing about this restaurant is that the price is fairly cheap but I probably won't be coming here any time soon. Quality wise of the fish, i think it is only a little bit better than the sushi in the Ann Arbor area but I feel like most sushi around here taste about the same. read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Like many before myself have warned, come here solely if for the food and great prices. Not for service, decor or ambiance. This joint is tiny and the customers are at most times, more than plenty. I honestly wish they had a little more staff working but as I said before it is still a small space! Any fish I have gotten here has been exceptionally fresh compared to any other sushi place I have been to in the surrounding area. The udon is plentiful and very well-priced too! read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

We lived in Ann Arbor Michigan between 1991 and 2002, and often visited this place during that time. Ajishin is my favorite Japanese restaurant. After moving the San Francisco (Bay area) in 2002, we decided to visit Ajishin during a recent visit to A2. It still is one of my favorite Japanese restaurant. read more

First of all, the restaurant is a little small, so plan ahead and come early to get a table before you get hangry! In my opinion, this the nearest authentic sushi place from Ann Arbor. I have never had a disappointing dining experience here. Fish is always fresh! The nigiris are absolutely awesome. My regulars are the salmon, unagi, and tamago nigiri. I always get the spicy salmon roll as well. They're really good and they come in 6 pieces. Their grilled fish is also really good and fresh. The skin can be very crispy while the meat is incredibly moist. I've had both flounder and cod, and I can safely say that I absolutely love both of them! read more

Ajishin - Spicy salmon roll on the left with Salmon, uni, unagi, tuna, scallop and tamago nigiri. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Ajishin is a local legend in Southeast Michigan for Japanese food. After having lived in the Bay Area for many years, this definitely had me coming in with high hopes, and the restaurant delivered on some, but disappointed in others. The quality of the food is very good. My friends and I started off with Sushi Dishes, and Ajishin has a solid selection. The sushi arrived relatively quickly and was a good way to start the meal. Of course, we couldn't stop by Ajishin and not get the Udon! Even though it took quite a bit more time than the Sushi, the Udon was great, and I enjoyed it, even though I'm one of the more picky eaters when it comes to Japanese food. Now for the not so good. If you arrive at the restaurant anywhere remotely near peak times, be prepared to wait 45 minutes to an hour. We ended up waiting 20 minutes or so to get in the restaurant, but we weren't expecting to end up having to wait once inside for someone to take an order, and even more time to get our food. Ajishin is a great restaurant, and definitely has some of the better tasting Japanese food in Michigan, but the wait really kills a lot of the appeal. If you can find a time to go to the restaurant when it's not busy, you'll really enjoy it! read more

If you're looking for a place in Michigan that lives up to its hype and is worth the line that they accumulate on a regular basis -- this is the restaurant for you. My boyfriend and I have been wanting to try this place since we've seen all the rave reviews and having a constant urge to find new places that have genuinely good tasting food in Michigan. When we arrived here we knew that we wouldn't be able to compare service or food to any other place besides Ima, which is another popular udon shop located in Downtown Detroit. Though, the long story short of that is while Ima is tasty, Ajishin definitely takes the cake in best tasting udon in the metro-Detroit area. And while the food here was absolutely amazing, the service here was subpar compared to that of many restaurants we go to. Now I'm gonna quit the rambling and go onto what really matters. The ACTUAL review of this place: As soon as we arrived around 6:30pm, there was a HUGE line causing us to have to stand in the doorway entry. Which is fine since I wasn't expecting anything different from reading the reviews. It sorta reminded me of dining at restaurants in California where there's ALWAYS a line for good restaurants and a sign-in sheet. With that being said, when you arrive, make sure you go all the way in and sign in with the number of guests you have, otherwise you may be overlooked! When it was finally our turn, we were called upon by the name on the sign-in sheet and the woman who spoke to us was kinda rude, and is the main reason why I gave this place 4 out 5 stars. She didn't actually seat us (which is fine because I get it -- you're busy), but when she told us where to sit she pretty much said "ok sit right there where the sushi bar is." A few more minutes pass by and I look around us, everyone who was seated after us was brought tea. We've been sitting for awhile, ready to order, and no tea was brought to us. I had to flag down the same young lady with the bad attitude to even take our order. The interactions I had with her were dry and unenthusiastic. I mean, damn. Dealing with people ALL day will get to you eventually, and maybe she was having a bad day. But she made it seem like I was inconveniencing her whenever I spoke to her. My boyfriend and I both ordered the Ajishin udon, and shared yellow tail and spicy salmon roll. We also ordered the clam nigiri to try. The woman who served us the food was WAYYY nicer than the other woman, which made me happier before getting to chow down. The food was TRULY impeccable. Sprinkled with flavor in every bite and delivered in large portions that would definitely fill you up. And only for $7.50!? Please, sign me up everyday! I was thoroughly impressed with how good their tempura shrimp is and how a piece of sweet tofu could taste good with Udon noodles. The broth was KILLER and I'd come back every time for it. Though for next time, I'd probably order the tempura battered stuff on the side so that it can stay crispy for my whole meal. Also, the egg was hard boiled completely and not the usual way in ramen shops, boiled over medium. The sushi was good, but nothing I'd get again... Not very impressed since I've had better. Maybe I'll try out other rolls and see how it is. All in all, the udon was fantastic!! Sushi was ok. And the service was... Mediocre. I'll definitely come back again and (possibly) give them the well-deserved 5 stars if I get treated like a customer, rather than a nuisance next time. read more

Ajishin - Yellow tail and scallion roll (6pce), spicy salmon roll (6pce), tuna nigiri -- I think, and 2 clam nigiris :-) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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They definitely have by far the best California Roll in Michigan. I could eat that all day and night if it wasn't so fatty! I've only been there once and had a pretty good first time experience. My friend and I got to the restaurant 15 minutes before they opened for lunch and was shocked to see a line already forming! I mean its not very common to see anyone waiting in line for food in Michigan. So I was definitely uber excited to try this place out. When my friend and I got seated, we were brought tea and onigiri (rice ball). I ordered the curry udon and was so happy with my choice. The broth is thicker, but I absolutely love curry, so I didn't mind. It also came with pork, which was tender and definitely not enough of it, but all in all, it was amazing. The restaurant is tiny but definitely worth the wait. The price of the udon is also very reasonable. I'll definitely be coming back here soon! read more

The food here is absolutely incredible! I 100% suggest coming here (preferably not during peak business hours). We got a lot of sushi and some ramen. Everything we ate was so amazing. There's some seasoning on the table that I suggest you try. It's in a little red bottle that is not in English. It's a pepper and citrus blend. It is the best thing on ramen! So good that I ended up buying some of the seasoning online. The only real downside to this restaurant is that it's so good that it'll be packed every time you come, so be prepared. read more

The best udon noodle soup I've ever had. This place holds nothing but good memories for me, and I always have to make a pit stop when I'm in Novi visiting family. If you're a sushi lover, you can't go wrong with the lunch special: it always includes a chef's special roll or mini chirashi bowl partnered with their spectacular udon. What makes it so good is the broth: it's full of satisfying umami flavor without being salty or bland. It's just delicious. If you're not feeling like raw fish, try the ajishin bowl, which is their famous udon topped with tempura veggies and shrimp. I would also wholly recommend their beef curry, which comes with white rice and tempura shrimp. Fair warning, the line gets very long and the wait can be horrendous if you show up at the wrong time. But it's really worth the wait- promise! read more

The have the best udon noodles and sushi. Real authentic sushi to go. They also offer curry rice, roasted fish, fried pork or chicken, etc. The best Japanese udon and sushi place with the best price. Highly recommended. Fir now I believe they offer to go foods only. read more

First timer, went at 5pm, second in line, met a friend there. Ordered the Maiko soup with tempura on the side, curry rice, and split some California rolls So freakin good, a new obsession for sure! Can't wait to work my way through the menu!! read more

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A lot of people like Ajishin for their fresh sushi, but I've always been a huge fan of the udon. The prices here are unbeatable--each bowl is topped generously with a ton of ingredients, and with each bowl starting at just $5, you really can't find a better deal. I always leave feeling full and satisfied, but never sluggish since the food is light and free of grease. Since this restaurant is pretty well known in the area, the one downside is that there is almost always a line. It's almost always packed here and lines start forming before the restaurant even opens, so make sure you factor in wait time when planning your next visit. read more

Ajishin - Part of the lunch special, their most basic udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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The hours have been wonky right now. There open Monday lunch only, Wednesday all day 11-2, 5-8, Thursday all day 11-2, 5-8, Friday all day 11-2, 5-8:30, Saturday all day 11-2, 5-8:30 and Sunday all day 11-2, 5-8:30. read more

The best udon in town. I live in Troy, but make it a point to schlep down here at least once every other month because I love the food. I personally go for the Ajishin Noodles and the sushi is solid as well. The place gets super crowded and the recently stopped letting you save a place in line be calling ahead. In sum, this place makes Japanese fast food and utility sushi very well and should be on list of go-to for any person who like this style of food in the area. read more

Ajishin has the absolute best sushi in town. We recommend the spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and California roll. The seafood is incredibly fresh and flavorful. The price and service is also great. read more

Ajishin - Spicy sushi, spicy salmon, California roll and cucumber roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Write in the curry rice and order up lots of nigiri for the best in town! Get in line by 11:15 in winter, 11:05 in the summer to guarantee you get to get sat with that first wave. If you end up in the waiting group it can be a while since the entire restaurant get seated at the same moment. f Ask for ice water if you want it, best to ask for it with your order as you'll have their attention. Once your sushi comes don't plan on anyone really checking in with you until it's time to pay. read more

Nice little Japanese restaurant known for udon. Got the sushi combo and the waiter was awesome enough to let me sub the cali roll for a spicy tuna. However, I couldn't give more than 3 stars for the sushi. (5 STAR service for promptness and allowing the substation!!!) The fish and shrimp tasted good but the proportion of rice to meat was uneven and sloppy. Maybe sloppy as they're super busy as always, but no excuse. Even the roll was really rough and uneven. I tried the Ajishin noodles but wasn't a huge fan. Taste like too much MSG but other people LOVED it. I was more thirsty than a someone released from prison after 15 years. I'd probably opt for the curry rice which looked really good or try the cold noodles in the future. read more

Ajishin - Giant clumps of rice on sushi : ( not well made. Get sashimi instead - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

The first time I came to Ajishin, it was such a long wait for lunch. The line was literally out the door. It was crazy. However, when I boyfriend and I was finally seated, we were able to order quickly. I was a little disappointed since I ordered the Ajishin Udon which is supposedly their most popular food item. I didn't expect them to put their tempura into the Udon and it wasn't a good experience for me. We also ordered the Spicy Salmon roll and that honestly made my experience a lot better. Even though they put masago in the rolls and I'm not a really big fan of it, I didn't mind it this time. There were so many textures and the pop from the masago was interesting. The second time I came was for dinner. My friends and I decided to get to Ajishin earlier than 5 so we can wait and not have to wait for the long line. Since it was raining, not many people were waiting outside. We sat wherever we wanted. We all ordered the Ajishin Udon and knowing the tempura normally goes inside the Udon, we asked for it to be on the side. The food came out fast. The tempura was a little disappointing since it was 3 pieces of green onions and 3 pieces of tiny shrimps. The broth is still delicious as always. My friend ordered a roll and it had such a unique name for it. However, in the end, it was just carrots wrapped in rice and seaweed. Such a disappointment. While we were eating, the restaurant was packed and there were people waiting to be seated. Once we finished, we waited about 10 min to finally get the check. We tried to get the servers attention, however, they were too focused on getting the food or putting in order. Some were just standing there. However, in the end, I enjoyed my experience. I am definitely coming back. I prefer the lunch menu better. read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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Wow. Just wow. I've only been here for lunch, but it's freaking fantastic. Authentic Japanese food done so amazingly. Delicate and subtle, yet complex. I ordered the Ajishin udon noodle soup, which is topped with shrimp, tempura vegetable, hard boiled egg, and fried tofu. I couldn't stop raving about it during lunch and can't wait to go back. When I was eating it, I was transported back in time to when I was in Korea at a noodle restaurant on the coast of the sea (Note: I'm not saying Korean and Japanese food is the same, but this reminded me of just PERFECT noodle soup with seafood, so eating it reminded me of the last time I had that feeling). The green tea was very good. Service was excellent - servers were friendly, food came quickly, and never had an empty glass. The price is unbelievable. For less than $10 you can get a great quality meal that's very filling. I don't eat sushi, but my friends who've frequented this place for years said their sushi is top tier for the area. I'm looking forward to trying their curry too. Only a couple negatives, which are pretty minor. (1) It's small and rightfully popular, so it can take some time to get a seat if you get there at a bad time. (2) I wish they had beer. If you like Japanese food, especially noodle, sushi, and/or curry, it would be criminal to not try this place out. As a bonus, they're in the same plaza as Moose bakery, which is a Japanese bakery. Nothing better than having lunch then grabbing some buns and bubble tea afterward. read more

I got so many recommendations from my friends when i told them i would be going to michigan, i just had to check it out... We went around 7ish and there was quite a line. The smaller your group the faster you will be seated. So more date place or time alone rather than a group gathering... the two of us got seated after waiting twenty mins. It was too cold to wait outside and we were trying to wait inside but had tomove ourselves quite often for the waitresses and people. If you are sitting in the front, i feel like you could feel pressured to eat faster. We sat down and knew what we were going to eat right away from recommendations. The food took FOREVER to get out and my friend and i were repeating this better be worth the wait this better be worth the wait..and it WAS so worth the wait! The ajishin and himuro udon came out first! The ajishin udon is hot udon with tempura shrimp and egg, crabmeat and the broth is so far and soothing and ughh perfect for a cold day! The himuro udon which is cold had low expectations probably due to the weather but my oh my it was our favorite of the night! The salad is fresh and the sauce in it isnt overpowering but it made the noodles so flavorful! It had a hint of wasabi and .. grinded ginger with sesame seed oil and piece of heaven. They throw in battered shrimp and a few pieces of raw salmon and squid.. like it was perfection!!! We couldnt put our chopsticks down! After some time the sushi came out... i thought we didnt order much but after eating the udon we were glad we didnt order more. We got a roll of spicy salmon and two egg, two river eel, and two salmon sashimi. Everything were huge slices, and so fresh. No fishy smells or the taste of the sea.. it was just clean and good and amazing and all that is right in the world. Im coming back with my family!!!! read more

Ajishin - The ajishin udon and himuro cold udon ( only served for dinner) must get dishesssssss!!!!!!!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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Ridiculous service and cheap sushi. This place has run its course. Food was under par 2nd time in a row. The seating was like you are in freaking Hong Kong. They stick people into corners expect you to adjust. We were placed within 10 inches of the other table. Couldn't even have a conversation. Was hungry so had to tolerate it but never again coming to this street market. Ugh. read more

Wow. Honestly the tastiest udon I've eaten in my life. Granted I haven't been to Japan yet... We had the curry udon, boiled pork with mountain vegetables udon, and a chirashi & sashimi combo. Not sure I would reorder the chirashi (flavor was YUM but not enough sashimi on top of the rice bowl). VERY reasonable prices!!! Going back today read more

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My friends talked up this place, but it flat-lined for me. I had a salmon dish with veggies, the veggies was cabbage only, nothing special at all, too many noodles, not my favorite. I liked the ginger salad, at least. My BF had the salmon roll, said it was okay, not as fresh as Noble Fish. I guess I don't love Japanese food the more I have it. read more

I love this place!!! Sometimes the line is so long but it absolutely worth it! Best sushi in this area and the soups are really tasty too! read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

I've been coming here for about a year now, and I've always had a great experience. their udon is authentic and flavorful. Always have to order at least a couple California rolls. Their staff is friendly and currently doing curb-side pickup so you don't even have to leave your car. read more

Ajishin - Ajishin Udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Just drop everything and go. The soups are wonderful (I get the ajishin with a poached egg- making me hungry just thinking about it). But really, you can't top their amazing fresh fish, words can't describe how it melts in your mouth. The curry rice deserves an honorable mention as well. Tips: -Call ahead and put your name on the list. Check in at the cash register when you arrive. -You can order half portions of the soups and curry rice. -Go on off hours, it's tiny and super popular so there's usually a wait. -Go with a friend or alone - will be easier to get a seat at the bar than a whole table. -Sit at the bar - you can watch them make your food! read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

We drove from Ann Arbor and the drive and wait was definitely worth it. The service was great and we will be back! read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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I finally made it to Ajishin. They had only been open about 30 minutes and there was already a wait, but since I was by myself I was able to snag a seat at the sushi bar. I started off with a half bowl of the Ajishin udon noodle soup. Wow. It was fantastic. Even the half order was a substantial size. The guy sitting next to me suggested the large sushi lunch so I ordered that. Another great choice. With this lunch you get tuna, shrimp, white fish, salmon, river eel, egg, and a California roll. The fish was fresh and delicious. I enjoyed my meal immensely. read more

Ajishin - Ajishin udon (half order) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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Some years ago, I visited Japan and indulged my love of their noodle culture in high-class venues down to humble restaurants the size of a closet at a rural railway station. Let it be said in Japan that size does not dictate quality. Among the best soba and udon I've ever consumed happened at that railway station restaurant, in the company of fellow commuters and travellers. Ajishin reminds me fondly of a summer evening outside Niigata, a northern Japanese city, and slurping on noodles while the stars peeped out through the velvet sky. A steaming bowl of udon might not seem the thing to cool you off, but it really is. Flash forward a decade and I found myself at Ajishin, a small restaurant clearly very well loved. The only menu I received at a two-top table listed out their noodle offerings. A sushi menu is available by request, or you can try to order a la carte if it's a standard (like a cucumber avocado roll). What you get for $10 is a brilliant, filling meal that embodies the very best of down-to-earth Japanese cuisine. It kills me they're far from downtown and the Woodward Corridor. I would adore something like this in Berkley, and probably never leave. What makes the place special? Authenticity. The food really is good, no cliché bells or fusion whistles here. I ordered the Ajishin udon, which is basically the works: noodles, shrimp tempura (tails kindly removed!) in a golden batter, a boiled egg, vegetables galore. On a freezing, grey winter day as when I showed up, this is manna from heaven. The seasoning lifts right off the broth, free of the too salty spike that often overwhelms the more delicate flavours infused in the dish. Sushi is a generous size, the maki rolls sliced neatly and enveloped in a sheath of crisp seaweed. I indulged myself in creamy avocado and salmon, just the perfect melange to go with the heady joy of the udon. Those fat noodles were cooked just right, and the tempura shrimp are the best I've had in living memory. Just the proper amount of softness and crunch, they are served up small and curled instead of huge long strips that take two forks and scissors to eat properly. And the best part? Portions are generous without being five days of food jammed into a bowl. read more

They finally stopped doing that call ahead seating. From my last review it had been a few months since I've been back. Lucky for me the last 3 times it has been great! My first time back, I went by myself and it was a much shorter wait. I got the himuro and it was delicious, but the tuna avocado was ok. The avocado was not ripe. I went with my sis for lunch, and we got the half udon half curry; soba noodles; sushi lunch, and some rolls. Everything was delicious. The most recent trip I went with friends for dinner and the wait was not long. I got the grilled cod that came with plain udon. So good. Definitely a lot better now that the wait isn't so long. read more

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Our favorite place for udon. Sushi is good, and the grilled fish is great.

I hate "Japanese" food most of the time. A maki invented last year, kimchi on the side, non-Japanese veggies tempura-ed, and writing "umami" on the menu does not make Japanese food. Can't blame the random Chinese or Thai entrepreneur looking for a better markup. Still annoys the hell out of me. So I'm in Southfield and an older relative asks me to take her here. I get there and all I hear is Mandarin, Korean, and Cantonese for the people queuing up. So annoyed my 2nd generation relative would request I take her to a poseur Japanese restaurant. Get to the hostess and shocked when she asks me in Japanese how many people are in my party. Do I really that read that Japanese? I'm getting off the subject. The place is packed and we wait 40 minutes on a Saturday to get seated. This place smells like a Japanese restaurant. I'm picking up katsuo (smoked fish flakes) and seeing homemade tamago. I'm hearing some Japanese being spoken and getting excited. This may be worth the wait. Get the menu and see their Ajishin udon is only $7.50. Now I'm nervous again. How do you serve a quality product and make money at that price point? Thinking a Chinese dude hired some Japanese lady as a hostess and I'm in trouble. First a nigiri (riceball) comes out. The nori has obviously been crisped over heat because it doesn't come out that crispy from the package. I had just been made in the last few minutes because nori goes soft in about 15 minutes when with rice. Crunch, crunch crunch... wow. Udon comes out. Warm slightly smokey katsuo hits me. They are using real Japanese negi to garnish instead of substituting green onions like everyone else does. I dig in and the udon has just the right "koshi" (bite). Darker Eastern Japanese broth. Floating, shocked, and taken back to hot noodles in Japan on a cold day. The only recommendation I would have is to get rid of the 4 seat table and replace with two 2 seat tables. Too many groups of 2 people sitting at tables for four. You could get more people in. read more

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Ajishin is a restaurant that every probably heard about in the metro Detroit area. I live about 1 hour away back home and my family would drive up Novi just to eat there. It is an authentic Japanese place that it pretty small but has amazing udon and sushi. It is famous for their ajishin udon but I prefer their curry udon. You do have to wait for a really long time like 30-45 minutes but definitely worth the wait. Or probably come 10 minutes before opening and you will definitely get a seat first! read more

Ajishin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Novi, Michigan

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