Who remembers Rachael Ray's $40 a Day? HA! Good luck with a $40 budget for three meals in the Bay Area especially if you want Japanese food. These days, $40 gets you an instagrammable plate of Pineapple Fried Rice at a very popular Thai restaurant (pre-tax and tip) so you'll be rationing a bag of crushed up Top Ramen for your remaining two meals. BUT, if you know where to look, you can include a legit Japanese meal in your budget...though with inflation, it's probably going to be more like $60 a day. Anyhow, if you're looking for filling and affordable dons and bentos with traditional Japanese offerings, Ajito is for you. Ajito is only open for Takeout and Delivery (DoorDash+UberEats) - Weekdays: Lunch & Dinner, Weekends: Dinner. Last order taken 30 minutes before closing. Not sure why there's several recent reviews for dine-in when their dining room has been closed the entire time since the pandemic began in early 2020. M E N U Prior to the pandemic, Ajito served izakaya and yakitori. They've since shifted to mainly dons, bentos, and sushi (nigiri + simple, traditional maki rolls). Kid's bento available that includes a toy. ***Check Facebook for Specials*** Everyday, Ajito posts their Daily Special Bento Boxes (A, B, and C). For takeout, you can call in your order or place your order online via ChowNow. Beer and sake available for purchase in-store (not available for delivery). For delivery, there's a $5-$6 markup for the bento boxes to offset the cut taken by the 3rd party delivery apps. I've ordered twice during the pandemic; takeout and delivery (had a promo code to use). The cooked items in the bento boxes were served room temp. F O O D * Kaisen Bento: Assorted Sashimi Rice Bento w/ salad, fruit (2020 Pricing -$28.99, Current pricing - Pick-up $29.99/Delivery $34.99): https://bit.ly/3wIOlLs ***Previously a Daily Special but became a permanent offering. The kaisen bento included two-three slices of sake, hamachi, hotate, saba, amaebi, kani, and tamago. Aside from the saba, that was quite fishy, and the slightly bitter uni, the other cuts were smooth and fresh. The amaebi heads were crunchy but not warm; seemed like they were fried ahead of time. The tamago was eggy with a slight sweetness. The sushi rice was sticky, slightly seasoned, and room temp. Also, included was a garden salad with a tangy soy dressing, bean sprout salad, dashi braised eggplant, and cantaloupe. * Daily Special C - Gyūtan Karē: Beef tongue curry w/ fried mackerel, shrimp, potato croquette, salad, fruit (Pick-up $19.99/Delivery $25.99) https://bit.ly/3wFPEMu I'm a sucker for beef tongue everything so had to order this. The chunks of beef tongue were soft, tender, and beefy. The curry sauce was mild with a slightly sweet flavor. Total comfort food with the slightly sticky rice. However, I was disappointed that the curry sauce was chunky and gritty in texture. Also, included was steamed broccoli+carrot, garden salad with a tangy soy dressing, bean sprout salad, wakame, and honeydew. S E R V I C E When I did takeout, service was all business. There was a table blocking the entryway, and a service bell to ring. A M B I A N C E No dine-in; takeout and delivery only. P A R K I N G Easy parking, shared with Rose Market and a liquor store. Overall, good traditional Japanese fare that's filling and affordable (if you skip delivery). Obvs, food quality will not be the same for takeout/delivery though but I appreciate Ajito doing what they need to do to keep their staff and customers safe during the pandemic. read more

Ajito - Daily Special C - Gyūtan Karē: Beef tongue curry w/ fried mackerel, shrimp, potato croquette, salad, fruit | Pick-up $19.99/Delivery $25.99 - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

Plenty of parking. Restaurant was clean and homey. We were there early and there were plenty of tables as well. Service was good. My Dad got the Saba - mackerel bento and I ordered the Unagi bento. We both enjoyed our lunch. Their miso soup was delicious! Someone had a Yelp review on their sausages so I ordered that also. It was tasty and served with ketchup and mustard on the side. read more

Ajito - Saba Shio Bento - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

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Our fav COVID takeout spot. We've been picking up meals here at least every two months for the past two years. Great food and service. Give it a try; you won't be disappointed:-) read more

Ajito - Inari, California Roll, Salmon Skin Roll and Natto (fermented soybean) roll - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

One of our favorite Japanese restaurants in Cupertino. My favorite dishes are: sashimi salad, corn tempura, chicken karaage (the best in the area), agedashi tofu and sake ikura don. Small restaurant, friendly service, relaxing. Authentic Japanese flavors and quality ingredients. They use GF soy sauce - perfect for our friends who need to eat GF. read more

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I have to up my review since my last one! Since the pandemic, Ajito decided to do bentos for lunch and dinner... I have to say that these bentos have been amazing. We usually pick out two different combinations and share all the delicious items! If you love sashimi/chirashi then a must get is their Kaisen bento. Their clam ramen and mentai udon are both delicious noodle options. I would say why it deserves a 4.5 rating is that we've continued to go back because the bentos are just that good! I'm glad they've figured out a way to continue to make delicious food and satisfy our Japanese food cravings. read more

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The single MOST DELICIOUS Japanese restaurant I've eaten at in 10 years of being in the Bay Area. Their Katsu Curry is so crispy and flavorful, sashimi salad was insane, takowasa was so good:0 read more

Ajito - Sashimi salad, Katsu curry, Gyutan, Agedashi tofu - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

It's a quiet and authentic izakaya run by Japanese owners and staff. The service is super friendly and they've recently started allowing dine-in. The izakaya has lots of small dishes options, and here are some of my favorites: Pork Sausage: $12.55 for five sausages. They may be just sausages, but the taste is really amazing, nothing like the ones you find in supermarkets. Grilled Cheese with Bread: The best dish on the menu! It's a cheese lover's dream, you definitely have to try it! It's incredibly delicious! Amaebi Nigiri: $12.55 for two sweet shrimp nigiri with a fried shrimp head. Whenever I eat Japanese food, I always order this one. Ikura Nigiri: $10.99 for two salmon roe nigiri. It has seaweed at the bottom, rice and fish roe on top, and it's served with cucumber. I really like this one! Uni Nigiri: The sea urchin is quite fresh, and the price is not bad either! Salmon Ikura Nigiri Combo: This combo includes salmon and fish roe nigiri. I order this every time I come here. I really like how they make the salmon sushi into a rectangular shape with a mint leaf in the middle, keeping it true to its original style. Ribeye Steak with Garlic: It's actually pretty good, but the garlic flavor is just too intense. Mocha Ice Cream: This one is absolutely amazing! It has mochi, red bean, ice cream on top, a waffle biscuit in the middle, and a generous amount of matcha powder at the bottom. I highly recommend it! The average cost per person is around $70, but I didn't order any alcohol. Overall, it's a nice place to unwind and chat with friends after work. read more

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How did I not know about this place??!! Their ice cold draft beer in chilled cup says it all. They know what they're doing =) One lady with very quick feet and hands mans the floor alone and she does a fantastic job! Warm ambiance + great food = a perfect hangout! read more

During the pandemic food options at one point became slim on where to get takeout from. While searching for more authentic Japanese places to grab food to go Ajito came up. They have a great takeout menu with a variety of daily options. You can find the daily specials on their Facebook page. The sushi is always fresh and they have authentic sides like potato salad, hijiki, and other dishes. They still offer takeout and I recommend calling ahead to order. If you're looking for great Japanese food in the Cupertino/Saratoga area or up for a drive you may want to stop by Ajito. read more

Ajito - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

I'm a huge fan of Japanese food and this is a pretty local shop near Lanzhou noodles in Cupertino! They have daily bento specials that are on their facebook page, so if you see on the online ordering menu "Daily Special A-C", be sure to check out their Facebook. Overall the food was fresh and wonderful! There was so much variety in this Kaisen bento ($30), it had a salad with dressing, boiled vegetables with an AMAZING sauce, a potato croquette, seaweed salad, some side salad with edamame, along with the hefty amount of fresh sashimi! I would definitely visit again for more of their bento. read more

Ajito - Kaiser bento! - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

Cute authentically Japanese place with really good food! Quick service but they rarely came back to check on us. I wanted a lemon for my gyutan but I never saw anyone come back except for the check so I just ate it as is. The beef tongue was thin, slightly chewy, and absolutely delicious with a ginger green onion "sauce" on top. I originally thought it was daikon with something green added! They typically have 3 specials of the day (~$22) so I went with the special C - gyutan (beef tongue) bento box with croquette! The croquette was also crispy and fluffy potato goodness but my mom's is better! My friend seemed to really enjoy her hamachi kama! Overall, happy and would come back to try other stuff too! They also had a cute kids bento option!! Hello kitty or cat, I want to show my kids! read more

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Gluten free, dairy free, yeast free food lover, Rejoice!!!! We were so well taken care of with our food allergies. Their offerings, as you might well know, is exquisite, but more, yummy. The tweaks they made for us enhanced (not detracted) and the attention they paid to our young diet restriction ridden diner was extremely kind. Go and enjoy! read more

This is our favorite neighborhood Japanese place for lunch, we have been going at least once every couple of weeks for the past few months. Our kids love the kids bento box which come with a toy they get to pick. It's one of the few times we don't have to nag them to finish their food! My husband and I love the kaiseki sushi bento, and their specials are great too, just had a gindara (black cod) there and was delicious. Curry is yummy, clam ramen is good, I haven't had anything bad there and I've tried a lot of their menu. I wish they were open on Sundays! read more

I tried Ajito for the first time recently and was blown away by the food and service! I came a little after dinner time and was seated immediately at an open table. The waitress brought us an iPad and informed us that we'd do all the ordering on the iPad, which I liked. Our meal ended up being: 1) Takowasa. This is raw octopus with wasabi sauce. I love Takowasa and like to order it any time a restaurant has it. When this one came, I was surprised to see how much they gave us! At other restaurants, they usually only give a very small dish, but here, it was quite a lot, which I really appreciated! 2) Yaki Onigiri. This is a grilled rice ball which I loved! Grilled perfectly and the topping went perfectly with it. 3) Chicken lettuce wrap. This was minced chicken and shiitake mushroom with lettuce wrap. I enjoyed eating this growing up, and was excited to try it here! It was great. 4) Teppan Chicken Takitori Sauce. This was delicious! The sauce is all at the bottom so we made sure to dip each chicken bite in the sauce to get all the flavor. 5) Chawanmushi. This is steamed egg custard with shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, and chicken. This is a favorite of mine that I also tend to order at any restaurant that serves it. I really enjoyed it here! 6) Lastly for dessert, we had the hojicha crème brûlée. I've always loved hojicha, and crème brûlée is one of my favorite desserts, so ordering this was a no brainer. It was amazing! Nice and light, and the perfect amount of sweetness. Overall had a great meal here and would highly recommend trying out Ajito! I know for sure that I'll be back! read more

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ORDER YOUR FOOD DIRECTLY THROUGH AJITO BY PHONE TO SAVE $$. The salmon and hamachi sashimi are delicious and super fresh! I got the salmon and ikura don ($16.50) [$22.95 on doordash] and the hamachi 2 piece sushi ($4.99) [$6.99 on doordash]. The salmon and ikura rice bowl is simple, fresh and delicious. The salmon practically melted in my mouth and the sushi rice is subtle on the vinegar, just enough sweetness. Definitely worth $16.50 but unless you're REALLY craving sashimi (which I was) I wouldn't pay $22.95 again for it. HUGE TIP: DON'T ORDER THROUGH DOORDASH IF YOU'RE GOING TO PICK UP YOUR FOOD. I had no idea the prices were THAT skewed on DoorDash. I wished I just called them instead in the first place. I noticed the prices were drastically lower on their takeout menu once I went in person to pick up my order. This isn't the fault of Ajito of course, but DoorDash definitely won today. read more

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Even more delighted in our return visit today! They had outstanding special bento boxes at remarkably affordable prices, with uni, salmon eggs, crab, superb chicken karage, and an assortment of well executed sides. Crab rice porridge was a standout again, really a memorable dish. Will keep returning! read more

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Food so beautiful to look at! Eat with your eyes first! Can't go wrong with their Kaisen Bento, I can eat it everyday. Fresh sashimi with my favorite uni included!!! Very reasonable price for the quality. read more

Ajito - Kaisen bento - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

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Got sushi take out, and it was solid. Got the nagiri set for $75, which came with a nice variety of sushi that all tasted really good. Also got the salmon and hamachi don which came with a good amount of fish and rice. Would definitely come again when craving fish. read more

My first time coming here. They offer great variety off their menu. They also have lunch specials on their insta or FB page. I opt for lunch special, bento box. Cost is fair $24 out the door. Plentiful of food for 1 person. I wasn't able to finish all of it. The miso soup has lots of umami flavor and not just boring blah miso I've had in many Japanese restaurant. The bento box I ordered were all great tasting. My favorite that stood out was the potato croquette. It was done perfect! None of the food was bad at all. I would come back again and try other dishes. read more

Ajito - Bento box Daily special A - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

If you're craving yakitori or other small Japanese dishes, check out Ajito! They have a wide variety of meat, seafood, and vegetable skewers, many of which can be ordered with either salt or sauce on them. For starters, we had the Moro Q (cucumber with mayo and plum paste). This appetizer is refreshing, and I like that the added plum paste gives a nice tartness. The Daikon Mochi Agedashi (deep fried radish rice cake with dashi sauce) was interesting! I had never had this before, but it had just the right amount of softness and chew. We also had the Gindara Misoayaki (grilled black cod with miso paste). I love black cod, and this one was tasty and tender. For yakitori, we had the tail yakitori, chicken heart, and scallop yakitori with sauce. You order by the skewer, so it's nice to be able to order a variety of different things. read more

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This place is a real gem! My sister found the restaurant for us. It was such a good find. The food was all excellent quality and tasty as could be. Big portions and very reasonably priced! Very rare these days to be able to say that. Looking forward to going back. Excellent meal! read more

My wife was born and raised in Tokyo, where we met and got married. We get takeout from Ajito from time to time, and it has never disappointed. The portions are generous, ingredients are fresh and well prepared. Between us we've had curry rice with potato croquettes, curry rice with fried oysters, spicy tuna & CA roll. For bentos we've enjoyed vegetable tofu, unagi eel over rice, and mackerel (my favorite). The meals are complete and well balanced including a variety of items depending on the set you choose such as a crisp salad, Japanese-style pickled veggies, and sliced bits of fruit for dessert. Try it. You'll be pleased. read more

I've only gotten Ajito bentos to go, but I really like them! They have a great variety and three different specials every day, which they post on their Facebook. I've gotten various bentos and the curry, and they've all been great! The bentos are quite large and have a salad and two or three sides. and I always only eat about half and can have the rest for dinner. They also have smaller bowls like katsu over rice if the bentos are too big for you! read more

Miso butterfish is a specialty. Bento Box was very good. Very nice restaurant in an open air mall!

We arrived for dinner and put our name on the waitlist. There was only one server. She simply ignored us even there's empty table. We waited for so long then asked her if we can be seated. She replied there's not enough cook in the kitchen so even she sits us we have to wait for the food for a long time..... Is that the right reason to let your customers standing there with hungry kids?? You should have informed the customer about that situation so the customer can decide if they should go to another restaurant. Doesn't the owner or the server of the restaurant have any curtesy for customers or empathy for human beings?? read more

The food from this establishment is delicious and seemingly traditional. They were take-out only during the pandemic, but I'm happy the public is able to dine in again. Their service is always great. read more

I love coming to Ajito for lunch. They prepare the bento boxes so quickly and all the food is FRESH and different. It feels more authentic compared to other japanese restaurants. They are always changing their daily specials. To view the daily menu, i click on their website and then click on the facebook link for the "special menu" (alternatively you can just go directly to their facebook page). Highly HIGHLY recommend getting a bento from their daily menu lineup. I love the different combinations and i am always satisfied for a decent price . Definitely call over the phone to place a pick up order you wont regret it! read more

Ajito Cupertino is a gem! Every dish is flavorful, well-prepared, and consistently delicious. The portions are generous, the prices reasonable, and the staff is always friendly. One of my favorite dining spots. Highly recommend! read more

Great food, the highlight was the Yaki onigiri! I love the texture of crispy to chewy. The karaage was good, the right kind of crunchy, and something that you won't regret ordering. I could have passed on the agedashi tofu and the fish. They weren't bad, but I feel like there are better places with these items on the menu. So overall, a great takeout experience. I would definitely come back just for the huge Yaki onigiri. It's simple but so tasty. read more

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The Genmai was a unique and delicious dish prepared table-side in a cheese wheel!! I have not seen this on other Japanese restaurant menus, and it is worth trying. read more

Came here on a Saturday evening, and it was pretty packed. Put my name on a list, and there were 3 other parties ahead of me. After 30 minutes, noticed a lot of tables were free, just not cleaned off which accumulated to the wait. We finally got a table, and it was so hot and warm in here. It also smells heavily like meat, so you may stink like it! My friend and I ordered their cheese risotto, ika potato, mochi agedashi, and a skewer of chicken skin and thigh. Granted, it wasn't the healthiest or lightest meal, but everything was over salted. The ika potato did taste like a takoyaki with the little bits of octopus, but the ginger was too strong for me so had to take it all off. This dish was a bit overflavored with everything going on. The mochi agedashi was interesting and good with the dashi broth. The risotto - fun to watch them mix it in the block of parmesean cheese, but it is way too salty for sure. The chicken skewers were good, but mine was cold when I got it, which is why it probably came out so quickly. Lots of options and concepts are cool, but couldn't get the saltiness taste out of my mouth, and it is just way too stuffy and warm in here. read more

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This review is long overdue. Ajito has been my knight in shining armor during this pandemic. With yaki onigiri that's on par with Tanto's (that's saying a lot), uni that's fresher than Dan Izakaya, wait times that are 1/10th of Kura, AND prices that are a fraction of Gochi, Ajito seriously has it all. Check their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/IzakayaAjito/ for their daily specials. If you see their fried crab croquette on their special menu, don't think, just order. @management, please make this an appetizer!! Keep it up Ajito, I'm rooting for you!!! read more

Ajito - Special A and B aka heaven - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

[Takeout Review] I get takeout from Ajito pretty often and it always hits the spot! I love their wide choice of bentos and they're always super generous with the portions / side dishes. Highly recommend for an easy takeout meal with a variety of choices for everyone! read more

Good quality sashimi. This restaurant is similar to Tanto. Some items my family prefer Ajito such as the Sashimi. Tanto has better clam ramen and no butter. read more

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I came here on a weekday night with my family and really enjoyed the food. Food came out quickly and service was efficient. It's a very traditional Japanese restaurant and reminded me of some of the restaurants I went to in Japan. Some of our favorite dishes were: - Nasu Agedashi - Katsu Curry - Grilled Chicken Thighs Their bento boxes looked really good too. Will definitely be back to try other dishes. read more

*COVID REVIEW* My friends and I were hiking in the area and decided to drop by for takeout after browsing through Yelp The first thing to mention is that they have daily specials on their Facebook page, so I would highly recommend you checking that out so you don't miss anything! As for their menu, they have plenty of options, ranging from bentos, tapas, noodles, sashimi, and much more. We ordered the soboro bento (#4), unagi bento (#6), katsu curry rice (#10), and a side of potato croquettes. Everything was super yummy-- the bentos all had a variety of sides: an assortment of fresh veggies, sauces, fruit..etc. that really complemented each meal well. The potato croquettes were perfectly crispy and flavorful and delicious! I was very impressed with the quality of the foods and will have to come back to try some of their specials when I get the chance! read more

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They start accepting orders at 10:30 AM, though pickup only starts at 11 AM. I don't know if that means they only open the actual doors at 11, but you can certainly put in your orders online (Doordash and UberEats) or by phone starting 10:30. They have 3 menus every day and you should mainly be consulting their Facebook page as they post the daily specials there. Additionally, the main, everyday bento menu is most readily available on the page as well, though the pdf is also on their homepage and Yelp. Additionally, there is an à la carte menu that I've only really seen on their homepage, though it does look like it's readily available by the physical selection displayed in the pickup area. Heads up that the daily specials aren't always updated at 10:30 AM exactly, so if you want to put in your order early but also see what's the day's special, you might have to wait a bit. We got lucky in that they posted the special before 11. Totally recommend calling, the lady who's taking the calls was very understandable and efficient, and just made it a painless call for an already busy morning. Two things that delighted me the most was (1) the sheer amount of food and (2) the care they put into the takeout. Everything was packed well and stably, there were no missing items, and they were SUPER accurate with their times. For reference, our large order (2 bentos, 1 udon, 1 special bento, and 1 family special) took 25 minutes. And things really did look EXACTLY as they did in the menu pictures and I appreciate that because this was our Father's Day lunch. All the food tasted delicious and, personally, I was THRILLED to realize there was another local spot that made cream udons. Additionally, totally recommend the family special from the daily menu. A bit pricey, but it really made for a great centerpiece while also feeding 4 people for our celebration. Overall, 100% recommendation from me, we had the BEST experience. I just really appreciate it when a place comes through during an important occasion. Kudos and thank you so much, Ajito staff. read more

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Very average bento spot. Their bentos are very pretty and include a nice variety of sides, but nothing particularly stands out. The sashimi is clean, but not the most fresh and flavorful I've had. The serving size is good, but I expect slightly better quality for the price. They post daily special menus on their Facebook, so make sure to check that page out before you order. read more

Ajito - Saba bento, Kaisen bento - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

Ordered again and got a below-average saba mackerel. Lots of bones, and not as big as last time. Not sure if there was a food inventory issue. Kids continue to like the unagi bowl. Chicken karaage was very good, and the Soboro bento was okay (minced chicken seemed less fresh). read more

This is one of my favorite spots for Japanese food in the area. I visit their Facebook page to look at the daily bentos (which are different every day), and they never disappoint. One of my favorite items is the nanban chicken. The chicken is perfectly cooked and covered with a yummy sauce. I also like the oyakodon, as the egg is always tender and the chicken is always juicy. The salad and the bean sprouts that come with the bento are tangy and light. I also like the clam ramen from Ajito. It is filled with garlic and seafood flavor, and is absolutely delicious. The kaisen bento provides a beautiful variety of fresh sashimi - highly recommend! read more

Ajito - Kaisen bento - Japanese Near Me - Cupertino, California

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