Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Aozora

    4.0 (299 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Aozora Takeout or Delivery

    Aozora Photos

    AOZORA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Aozora

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Shrimp udon - A plastic container contains shrimp, udon noodles, and vegetables, with a separate cup of broth nearby, on a white surface.
    Stephanie G.

    Got a takeout order from here, and it was pretty good if you can find parking around this busy street in Montclair. The interior is really nice though if you want to dine in. I got 2 specialty rolls (the NJ roll and the Jessica roll) which were both very good. The shrimp udon was okay, but I would have preferred a bit more vegetables than a few slivers. Overall, the food was good and made on time. It was easy to order online.

    Sashimi
    Ana S.

    I had been wanting to try this place for a while, and I finally got to have dinner here. The interior was nicely decorated, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Everything I ordered was delicious, fresh, and reasonably priced.

    Gyoza
    Madeleine A.

    Came here for dinner a few nights ago. Even though we didn't have a reservation they were able to seat us quickly so that was great. For appetizers we got the gyoza and then for our entree we got the montclair and the sexy girl rolls. Gyoza we're great! The sexy girl (shrimp tempura) roll was definitely our favorite of the two. While the montclair roll featured tuna, avocado, and eel sauce - which are all things I normally love - both of us thought it lacked something. One thing I will say is that we checked in on Yelp thinking we would get a free dessert but they said that promotion was only available when ordering from the kitchen (and did not include sushi.) While that ordinarily wouldn't bother me it was a little annoying that stipulation wasn't on Yelp. Overall this is a nice and reasonably priced sushi restaurant right off of Bloomfield avenue that would be great for meeting a friend, a small-ish gathering, or even date night!

    Spring roll and mushrooms
    Carl L.

    Parking was directly behind this amazing restaurant in a public parking complex. The rear entrance was like walking into the home of a traditional Japanese family. Walking into the restaurant from the back door drives you senses crazy with the delicious fragrances coming from the kitchen. The staff greats you in traditional Japanese style and service is so close to Japan that you almost feel as if you were there. The food was excellent and probably the freshest beef I've had in years. Grilled to perfection and the huge portion was hot to the last bite. Everyone even the youngest child in our group were stuffed, with plenty to take home for lunch the next day. If you can find this spot go and enjoy, the beef, salmon, shrimp, scallops and duck was the best in a long time. I really enjoyed the hospitality and the interaction with the baby in our group.

    Stirred fried udon with beef
    Josie T.

    Visited my son in college and we came here for dinner. Our first time here. The service is awesome, the food is excellent. We enjoyed every dish we ordered. Will come back again when we are in the area. The interior looks nice.

    Mesha W.

    This my favorite sushi spot in my neighborhood. The fish is fresh, the service is excellent. I brought my little cousin with me one time and she's a picky 7yr old, she LOVED the miso soup, udon noodles, and mango juice. The inside is very pretty and classy.

    Creme Brulee Of The Day
    Jasmin H.

    Everything was fresh, tasty and clean. It's BYOB so it was perfect for an after work Friday night vibe.

    Winnie Y.

    I give this place a solid 3 stars. Food: Sushi quality is alright - nothing special that you can't get anywhere else. Service: Service wasn't bad until they lost the check with my card inside. Took us 30 mins to find it. Ambience: Very cute place - nicely decorated. Location Location Location: Heart of Montclair - great place to be to get more customer but they also have VERY strong competition around them.

    scallops and spinach on a bed of rice
    Diondra B.

    We was craving sushi so stopped here and got a bunch of delicious food. To start we had a few of the sushi rolls apologies I forgot the name. Then for meal we tried the shrimp dish and scallops but had great flavor. The service was great too.

    Raphael S.

    Aozora offers a great selection of Japanese and European food on their menu. With a great variety from lobster to sushi, they sure are catering to a big audience. The ambiance was really cozy and warm and they decorated for Valentine's early with all the hearts. It is very warm and lovely, you could see the sushi chefs cook up a great meal. The food that came out was very tasty, they have vegetarian and vegan options available. I ended up having some sushi, a miso soup and a tofu teriyaki. I would definitely come back to try some more things. The service was really good and the waiters were very attentive. I gave it 4 stars because of the long wait for food, but it helped my appetite.

    Alyssa D.

    We got sushi and a couple of appetizers. We got the Kani and seaweed salad. We also got the gyoza. The sushi was decent, not the freshest. The service was slow. The place was clean and nicely decorated.

    Tuna hand rolls, spicy salmon and eel rolls
    David John A.

    A mediocre experience, the decor in the place lacks identity, some pale walls, shelf units housing lit candles, exposed light fixtures for a rustic look; just some odd choices for a "European fusion" sushi joint. The good: sushi was good, their hand rolls were packed with meat. Got the tuna and salmon ones respectively, nice fluffy, sticky rice. Great crunch on the roll and sushi itself tasted fresh. The bad: their special dumpling is one covered in "peanut sauce". Might as well say what it is, which is melted down peanut butter or at least that was my interpretation of it. I've had peanut sauces before, I love them; this was no peanut sauce. Service could've been a little more attentive, they took quite awhile to get around. Was it a Friday? Sure I get it, busy night and peak time for dinner but the house wasn't packed and you had 3 servers on staff! Not sure if I would come back, but I guess try it for yourself!

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Carl L.
    1
    59
    81

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Josie T.
    0
    150
    148

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pej T.
    92
    13
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of G G.
    4
    1709
    5514

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Delicious food attentive service very pretty restaurant! Must try! Right across from the Wellmont theater

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 20
    Thanks 0
    Love this 19
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of S S.
    465
    126
    154

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ben C.

    Ben C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Aozora

    pastaRAMEN - Wagyu skirt steak

    pastaRAMEN

    (538 reviews)

    Finally made my way to NJ to check out pastaRAMEN after seeing the feature on Eater! As a fan of…read morewafu restaurants, I enjoyed my meal but didn't find it to be as impressive as hyped up to be. Started off with the clams and the calamari. The clams featured an addicting onion-forward and buttery sauce. The clams themselves were generally fresh, although one or two were a little sandy. The clams were served on top of a bed of focaccia bread. While it soaked up all the sauce and flavors, I'm not sure if I want all my bread to be soggy from the get go. The calamari were also solid with spicy mayo sauce, teriyaki sauce, and shiso leaves. Calamari were fried in a light batter. The mochi ramen carbonara featured the delicious and chewy ramen from Sun Noodles. It was cooked nicely and remained al dente throughout. The egg yolk flavors were very prominent for sure and the richness was temporized with the citrus flavors. The spicy miso ramen offered an interesting concept, but not sure if it really came together. Noodles again were very solid. The broth had more mushroom, umami flavors. Didn't quite get a taste of the butter or pork, but the leeks were good. Made a reservation for 8:30 but didn't actually get seated until past 9pm on a Friday night. Staff were polite. Should have utilized the BYOB but they also offer drinks. Dim lighting, faux cherry blossom trees, and walls of anime give it a nice intimate date-night vibes!

    Ridiculously small portions. Unless you are ordering a bowl of ramen noodles, it's pretty much a…read moretapas place. Bao buns are something you can get anywhere. Got the chicken Bao buns, and they were alright. Drowning in shredded Parmesan. My complaint was the black cod I ordered tasted fishy. It came with a Yuzu tart vinaigrette or yuzu purée that didn't work. At the top, is a bed of pickled turnips. The pickled flavors clash with the Parmesan flavored broth. Why am I sitting down for fishy fish? I went here once last year and found the portions to be good. I go now and the portions are ridiculously small. It's no different from a tapas place. And you have to order a bowl of ramen even to be satiated. Concept is good. But everything is drowning in a Parmesan flavored broth. They don't know how to balance yuzu/sour notes with their Parmesan, creamy, rich broth. That their flavors are all over the place. Did I mention how much they put raw scallions on top of everything. It was a one and done deal for me. It's too pricey when the meal kinda felt flat for me on every note. There's potential for them to balance out their flavors. But I'm not waiting for that to happen, not when I had to grab dinner elsewhere because I was still starving.

    Pandan Asian Cuisine & Delicacies - Fried Tofu, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Lumpiang Shanghai

    Pandan Asian Cuisine & Delicacies

    (182 reviews)

    $$

    The food was so good that I took leftovers home and I'm still thinking about how amazing the…read morenoodles were. The lumpia was absolutely delicious, and I can't wait to go back.

    Food- could be better, we tried pork sisig, fresh lumpia, palabok, pancit bihon, laing, crispy…read morepata, tortang talong, and halo-halo. Of all, I can recommend their pork sisig, crispy pata, and fresh lumpia, everything else was bland and lacked the usual ingredients. The tortang talong was mainly scrambled egg could barely taste the eggplant. The palabok only has a few shrimps and veggies, halo-halo is not something you would want from here. By the way, I just wish they would focus on cuisine that should emphasize their own, I believe they represent Filipino food. And I need to mention that their price is on the higher end, I find some to be even more expensive than the Max's restaurant not too far from them, which never disappoint by the way. Service- well, we went on a non-busy time, only one table was occupied actually. Nobody from the staff welcomed us, we had to look for someone working there, one lady who was just sitting asked how many we are without standing her butt off from where she's at and told us to just pick any table we want. Seems not a pleasant lady but there was actually a group that she welcomed when we were about to leave, so I guess they're only nice to people they see often, are we coming back? They made us feel not welcome here! Ambiance-not bad, it's okay.

    7 Doors Down - Kitchen Dining Room

    7 Doors Down

    (211 reviews)

    $$

    I had no idea I would ever need a pizza and Asian dining food combo until now, and honestly that…read moresums up North Jersey's culturally diversity in a nutshell.  7 Doors Down is a great stop right by the NJTransit line and a gateway into Bloomfield at large. The service was great and made some killer suggestions for savory options with a kick, the views by the window were great for people watching and commentary as well

    Came here on a Friday night to get some food after stopping at Micro Center. It looks like that…read morethis place and Blue Steel pizza have merged into one location. The town it self was having some pavement work being done and it was difficult to find parking. I was driving away when I eventually found a spot and walked about 6 minutes to the location. As I got there I could see that the restaurant was full and lively. The hostess was friendly and communicated our wait well. It did look like that they were struggling a bit with tables staying longer than they expected which caused a few reservations to be backed up while we were the walkins. I do recommend getting reservations here. I/we ordered a ramen, the cola wings, and the detroit style pizza. They were nice enough to separate the single serving of ramen into two bowls which was really nice of them. The Ramen was good but a bit salty. The cola wings were alright I wouldn't say they were the best I ever had. As for the pizza it was good, however when comparing with similar offerings in the area, Buckys in Chatam, NJ is superior for Detroit style. While, the this particular place did not meet MY standards I would still recommend as a nice date spot!

    Wabi Sabi

    Wabi Sabi

    (347 reviews)

    $$$

    Wabi Sabi by far is one of the best sushi restaurants in New Jersey!…read more As a restaurant owner myself, I know how much work goes on behind the scenes to create a great dining experience -- and this sushi spot is doing it right. The fish was incredibly fresh, the rolls were well balanced, and everything came out looking as good as it tasted. What stood out to me most was the consistency and attention to detail. The staff was friendly, service flowed smoothly, and the atmosphere made it easy to relax and enjoy the meal. It's always nice to support places that clearly care about their craft. If you love good sushi, this restaurant is absolutely worth a visit. I'm already looking forward to coming back.

    If you are a true sushi purist, you know that the best experiences often hide behind the most…read moreunassuming storefronts. This place is the definition of a hidden gem--a masterclass in traditional sushi sitting quietly on a culinary wasteland of a street. The commitment to quality here is staggering. This isn't your standard neighborhood joint slinging spicy mayo rolls; the seafood here boasts absolute freshness, with rare fish flown in weekly directly from Japan. You will find cuts here that are nearly impossible to source at standard sushi restaurants, elevating the experience to something you'd typically only find at an exclusive omakase counter. Let's talk about the tuna. The vast majority of sushi spots try to pass off cheap, frozen yellowfin as a premium offering. Not here. They source incredibly high-quality Spanish Bluefin--the exact same caliber of fish utilized by Michelin-starred establishments. What truly sets them apart is their ability to offer the complete trinity of bluefin cuts: the deep, ruby-red lean akami, the perfectly marbled chu-toro, and the rich, melt-in-your-mouth o-toro. The menu reads like a love letter to the ocean. Finding high-grade yellowtail belly can be a challenge, but here, it is a staple of exceptional quality. For those with an adventurous and educated palate, the chefs regularly feature incredibly hard-to-find selections like itoyori (golden threadfin bream), mejina (opaleye), and a luxuriously rich fatty bonito. The uni deserves its own paragraph. Sea urchin can be a gamble at lesser restaurants, but here it is pristine. On any given night, you might be lucky enough to find both creamy California uni and the briny, delicate Hokkaido uni available for side-by-side comparison. Another testament to their traditional approach and culinary respect is how they utilize the week's fresh catch to craft a warm, incredibly tasty fish head soup. It is a deeply comforting, umami-rich broth that extracts every ounce of flavor from the premium seafood they bring in, showcasing a level of authenticity you rarely see anymore. While the menu does offer French-inspired dishes and various hot kitchen items, let me be clear: you are here for the sushi. The hot food isn't bad by any means, but if you truly want a culinary experience, do not waste precious stomach space on it. You are here for the raw fish. The singular exception to this rule is the pork gyoza--they are remarkably juicy and absolutely worth the order. Do not skip dessert. In many sushi restaurants, desserts are an afterthought, but here they are top-notch and entirely homemade. The Japanese flan is impossibly silky and decadent. However, the true star is the crème brûlée cheesecake--it is remarkably smooth, slicing effortlessly at the touch of a fork, with a deeply satisfying flavor profile that entirely avoids being overly sweet. I have to address the elephant in the neighborhood: this place absolutely destroys Morimoto down the street. Morimoto has become a tourist trap resting on a recognizable name, employing inexperienced chefs to cater to the sheep-like masses who prioritize a flashy dining room over authentic taste. If you actually understand and respect true sushi, you skip the theatrical nonsense down the street and come here. Let's also be brutally honest about the price point: excellence comes at a premium. This is an uncompromising, high-end culinary experience, and the bill reflects the quality of ingredients flown in from Japan. If you are a bargain hunter, looking for cheap eats, or aren't willing to pay for top-tier craftsmanship, save your time and look elsewhere. This establishment is for serious diners who understand the value of good sushi and aren't just looking for a good enough "AYCE" experience.

    MM by Morimoto - Kushiage app with Bonsai Bloom drink

    MM by Morimoto

    (98 reviews)

    Finally was able to get around to trying Chef Morimoto's New Jersey venture. On arrival, We did…read morehave a reservation and we were seated immediately upon arrival. The Space: gorgeous space inside. Very modern looking, clean and inviting space. Service: excellent service, from the front of house, to our server, to all the other staff, everyone was attentive and knew the dishes inside and out. Drinks: I had the Tokyo smoke, which was a solid Smokey whiskey sour, was very delicious. My wife had the sake verra matcha, which she also loved it was like a refreshing take on an espresso martini with matcha instead. Would definitely recommend. Food: Toro tartare - small starter, excellent taste, the dashi it was sitting in was very delicious, really enjoyed the crunch with the caviar. Overall solid dish Surf and turf roll: really delicious roll, they blowtorch the roll in front of you. Has so much flavor and the meat just melts in your mouth. Main dish: my wife and I opted for the special Which was a marinated coulotte cut of beef, cooked to perfection, was the perfect mix of sweet and savory, the pickled ginger and wasabi added such a great element to the dish. Sides: if my mother made broccoli like this, I probably would not have been so picky growing up, would absolutely recommend. And I cannot say enough about the 100 layer potato gratin, must try. Dessert: we tried the tiramisu, unfortunately I think this is skippable. Not enough coffee flavor, just have had better. Overall great experience, it is definitely on the expensive side, the food and service were great, cannot say that I would do the tiramisu again though. Otherwise, would recommend for a special event or special dinner for sure!

    Space is pretty expansive with private rooms, bar, booth and table seating…read more The booths along the back wall are against a large screen which could be a bit of sensory overload for those facing it. Other than that everything was really comfortable and music and overall ambience was enjoyable and allowed for conversation. Staff was helpful and friendly while also not making us feel rushed to order. We had a round of drinks 2 apps and entrees. Their take on the Negroni was really refreshing, strong but not in a way that overpowered the drink. Tuna pizza (5/5) I really enjoyed the thin wafer they used and topped with ample tuna and fresh garnish and jalapeños for a nice kick Soft shell crab roll (4/5) it was yummy morning spectacular in terms of value/price but executed well Black cod (5/5) really outstanding, flaking off at the touch of the fork, great caramelization and seasoning without being too much tender deliciousness! MORE PLEASE! Parking is a valet, a paid lot across the street or street parking. I would probably reserve this spot for a special occasion vs just a regular night out but appreciated feeling like we were somewhere else for a bit. They did a nice job of making it feel like you stepped into a new and sophisticated space without being pretentious.

    Aozora - japanese - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...