Ajisai

** updated review ** I went back this weekend with my boyfriend, and I am so glad I did. This time I had absolutely no issues whatsoever the food was wonderful the sushi was wonderful and the wonderfully stupid little light in the volcano roll was just wonderful. This time I got the general tso's and the volcano roll, and my boyfriend, who is somewhat of a sushi snob got the three roll special. The food quality was excellent in the portion sizes were large enough that both of us had plenty to take home. **Previous review** I'm leaving a four-star review with some regret that I couldn't make it a five. The ambiance was great when I walked in, I was promptly seated. My server came out and took my order, and left me with a carafe of water on the table. I ordered the chicken teriyaki lunch, and a volcano roll. The salad that comes with your lunch came out promptly it was tasty, not long after that the teriyaki came out. I cannot tell you exactly how good this teriyaki was, because it was phenomenal. Hower, I never got my volcano roll, and at the end of the meal when I got my check I was charged for the teriyaki dinner. I will be coming back at some point to try this again. I would definitely recommend trying it for anyone looking for good moderately priced Japanese food. However this time around service left something to be desired. My waiter was perfectly friendly, and nothing took forever. But it just seems like he wasn't listening when I ordered. I do give him props for boxing up my leftovers very well though I'm excited to have them later.

Amazing sushi!! Great atmosphere and food. I have a severe Tree Nut allergy and my waiter Ben took great care of me. The staff is very kind!

Mix feelings about this place, I must admit is the restaurant I have visited the most a whooping 16 times in 2 months. Food is always fresh, well presented and the kitchen moves fast! Although my latest experiences lacked service, professionalism and cleanliness. Servers out of control, messing up the orders, bringing things out of order meaning appetizers at the end! We need it refills and never got them. Our plates accumulated and when we asked the server to removed them she stated she wasn’t being paid to do that… Terrible last experience will potentially prevent me from visiting in a long time, that if I even return! Pictures from the last 3 visits. Consistency in food was great and last 3 pictures will show how the was being left and I will conserve the rest as I find them distasteful.

I love this spot! Best sushi I ever had in my whole life. I'm 40. I love sushi. This place nails it in every way. The quality of the sushi, excellent. The atmosphere is cute, hip, modern, peaceful, fun...all at the same time. The prices are fair for the quality and experience. They had my favorite plum wine that wasn't on the menu. The presentation, perfect. The staff, professional and I would even say that they seem more classically trained in fine dining etiquette type service than your basic casual restaurant staff generally. Very nice. The waiter we had let us know he would come back to take our order once we closed the menu so there would be no pressure. It wasn't too busy but it wasn't empty. On a Sunday evening at dinner time. I was really pleased with the big selection. I was impressed with everything about it. We will be back, several times a year. This is my new spot and recommendation place for the best sushi ever.

Fancy sushi option. The fire plate is always a crowd favorite. Overall everything was fresh and tasty.

One of the best stops by far. Our waiter was great, the sushi was some of the best I've had, and they got some good drinks. Japanese Old Fashioned. Get it.

Came in on a snowy night and it was fantastic. Felt awful I have worked in the shopping center for over a year and had not tried it. Partner loved the Pad Thai, said they would need a box when it arrived and ended up polishing it off. The Garlic White Fish was light, full of flavor, and had lovely texture balance. The tuna "wontons" were amazingly creative. The quality on everything was top notch and Kate was delightful.

Our visit to Ajisai was alright. It was a beautiful day outside so we opted for the outdoor seating. I tried the salmon bento box for a protein heavier sushi dish.

My kids starting taking dates here again and ultimately started asking for me to take them again. Have to admit the last several experiences have been quite positive. From my recent experiences (2024) you will not regret choosing Ajisai.

I found this cool Japanese restaurant nestled in this Village District shopping strip in Raleigh. The place was small, but snazzy...and right away, I loved their overhead music. What I didn't love was where I was seated...in a tight corner, right across from the sushi chefs. WHY?!? There were only 2 other patrons there. I truly regretted not speaking up, and asking to be re-seated. ANYWAY, I did enjoy the foods. I tried their Salmon Tartare and this Tomi Sushi Roll. Both were nicely presented and pretty good. Somehow I expected them to taste even better though. Overall, I did like the place enough to return...but next time, I WILL speak up if I'm seated right in front of the chefs again. Definitely ruined the relaxing vibe for me...enough to dock a star.

This place is my second favorite sushi restaurant in the triangle, Akami being the best. Service here is great and what you'd expect for a nice restaurant. Reservations are recommended since it is quite a small space, if you try to go during Friday-Saturday rush you might be in for a bit of a wait or might not be able to get in at all. Versus Akami which is located in the back of a gas station, this place is much more cozy and romantic with its vibe. Wheres Akami is more casual and fun. This restaurant seems to be very serious and tries hard to be authentic. The menu is quite extensive. Rolls and unique and very tasty and just the right size. The quality of the fish is definitely sushi grade, they are not trying to sneak in some low grade fish and pass it for quality. So the fish is full of flavor, lots of color, and tastes amazing. I'm always a fan of seaweed salad and the one here is pretty good. I got the crispy peking duck appetizer and it was pretty unique and worth a try!

Great quality sushi and a wonderful bargain lunch menu; I got the three roll combo with miso soup and a salad. Quick service. Artsy vibe. We sat at the bar, and the seats were comfy.

Absolutely delicious. The Girl on Fire and the wasabi tuna dumplings are so yummy. The chef is cleverly creative and the staff have always been very friendly. It's is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Raleigh.

Beautiful place with so many selections of great sushi rolls. The restaurant is in the smaller side so you are in closer proximity to other guests but that was fine by me. The rolls are vibrant and fresh, the drinks? Delicious. I will be back soon.

This is our favorite sushi spot! We love the pork gyozas, Girl on Fire and Amazing rolls. Usually excellent service and really enjoy the upgrades to the ambience. We have been coming here for years and love seeing the same staff.

Extremely rude staff. Wife is pregnant and kindly asked what rolls didn't have raw fish, and waitress not only didn't seem to comprehend what raw fish means; but was flat out mean. Sushi then came out with raw fish and waitress insulted my wife for asking to send it back.

Some of the best sushi I've ever had average price great service, phenomenal food beautiful presentation

This place has good food for the most part but-- the few times I've been here the service is not that great. Especially if dining alone. I hardly was checked on & practically had to chase after my waiter for basic necessities like a knife or straw. The waiters are nice just not very attentive & might I add that it was very slow. As far as the food goes, I really enjoy the basil beef dish. The steak is super tender & the veggies are so fresh. Their curry shrimp is also great, it was really flavorful. I had their general tso chicken and I did not like. The breading was super soft and falling off. I also asked if it came with broccoli because I was going to add some on the side if not. The waitress said yes, and I only got 2 pieces she could've said that it was a broccoli garnish & not a side. Their sushi is good but I have other favs for sushi.

Wonderful literally every time I have gone! Let me tell you, I go here a lot! Their sushi is FRESH and their servers are speedy and professional! Great vibes inside, even though I prefer their outdoor setup!

Absolutely loved this place! The atmosphere was great, food was delicious and they made the most perfect Lychee martini (hard to find). Can't recommend enough and will definitely be back soon!

Pleasant and efficient waitstaff. Good sushi! I like that they offer outdoor seating too.

Wow was this place bad. I knew it was a gamble when the tile was sticky, the air a tad dank, and the tables with the sheen of diluted cleaning products. I knew beyond a doubt after using their atrocious restroom to wash my hands before the meal. While the server was lovely, the sushi was expensive, absolutely awful, and in small portions. Very few gluten-free options, and nearly zero if you don't like spicy foods. The king crab roll had wisps of red, stringy, dry, chewy bits of crab cozied up to a massive hunk of avocado. That was it. It was like having rubber saffron threads next to unseasoned mush. And the rolls? You get six bites, not 12. I'd get it if the prices reflected that quantity but they sure don't. If you're wondering how they have so many reviews (and so many positive), on each table there's a flyer offering free mochi balls to people who write yelp reviews and show them to staff. This place is hovering just above absolute garbage. Hardcore don't recommend.

Review: "My soulmate and I stopped by our favorite sushi restaurant in Raleigh for another delightful experience. As always, the food was exceptional, bursting with fresh flavors and beautifully presented. The service matched the quality of the food, with attentive and friendly staff who made us feel welcome and well-cared for. We can't recommend this place enough for anyone looking for a top-notch sushi experience in Raleigh."

As always, I like that there was a parking lot so I didn't have to park and walk from elsewhere. We didn't have a reservation and were still able to get seated without a wait on a Saturday night. The server came to check on as frequently and the decor is trendy. We started with the yellowtail jalapeño and the salmon confit. My mate had a sushi roll and I got the spicy seafood miso soup for my entree along with a Shirley temple for my drink. Everything was good but not great.

Delicious rolls, the tuna tostadas is great and so is the hamachi. One of the best places in the triangle

Stop in for lunch, first time here. The dining room was very chilly. There is some construction going on, but wasn't any type of interruption. The manager was sweet and kind and speed of service was good. As far as the sushi, unfortunately wasn't my favorite. It was slightly salty and bland. The texture was not the greatest either. They offer quite a variety on their menu other than sushi. Overall ok, but wasn't like I can't wait to go back.

I've been going here for years, the service is wonderful and I love the food!! They redid the place a little ago and it look great, can't wait to come back again.

"Decent Asian fusion near NCSU at Cameron Village" We came here on a Saturday evening just after 5pm, and it was already hopping. We were able to snag one of their outside tables, thankfully. The outside seating area is nice & covered, and they have large heaters for cooler weather, too. NOTE: THE HOSTESS TOLD US THAT THE YELP FREE APPETIZER DEAL THAT POPPED UP ON MY PHONE WHEN I CHECKED IN IS NO LONGER OFFERED. We split a volcano roll for an appetizer, and my son and I each had a ramen bowl (I had chicken-shio and he had beef). My wife had a chicken dish-- not sure which-- maybe the teriyaki chicken. I will give the restaurant A+ for presentation. Each dish came out artfully prepared: the sushi, the ramen bowls, etc. The volcano roll was fine. The menu says it comes with a "spicy cilantro sauce", but it was a very mild roll overall. I liked it, but I confess it wasn't as flavorful as I may have preferred. But still "good". My son and I were lukewarm on the ramen bowls. Again, excellent presentation, but mine tasted like creamy chicken soup from a can. I poured in some soy sauce to give it extra flavor. In hindsight, I probably should have ordered it spicy rather than mild, but I didn't know it would be THIS mild. The ramen noodles were good-- thick and good texture though sadly they had absorbed the super-mild creamy chicken soup flavor. And the other ingredients were good-- I liked the scallions. But I'm not sure where the creamy texture came from. My son ate his ramen but he noted that there are many places nearby with noticeably better (e.g., Iso Iso is just 2 blocks away). My wife's chicken dish was tasty, though-- she gave us each a bite, and it was quite good. The service was good-- they checked on us, refilled the water, were friendly overall, etc. Prices were reasonable, too. If I were to go back, I'd try ordering things more spicy. It's possible they're used to people with very sensitive palates and went a little farther than I expected when we said "mild". I also would try ordering different dishes. But again, A+ presentation, good setting, good service, reasonable prices, and decent food.

Stumbled upon this restaurant and decided to eat here for an early Mother's Day dinner. The waiters were friendly and the food came out very quick. I ordered the sushi combo A which came with 3 small rolls and a choice or soup or salad. The meal was delicious! I also tried their pad Thai and curry - both of which had excellent flavor, especially the curry. While the food was amazing, the service could have been better. The waiter was a bit inattentive and one employee told us we could only order off the lunch menu (it was 3 pm) and then another came by and informed us that we could actually only order off the dinner menu and the lunch menu was unavailable? Regardless, the food made it worth it!

I've been coming here for many years and always A+ I'm very surprised I haven't left a review here already. I bring all my friends here for lunch as they have the best lunch specials you can't beat. They're always very accommodating too. They have the best sauces and I love they don't charge extra for sides of spicy mayo or eel sauce!! Personally, that's how I think it should always be. Food is always delicious, beautifully displayed, service good. The sushi and hot foods are good. Gyoza best out there, mini sushi pizzas good. Because it seems the servers dress the salads, it's normally pretty inconsistent, sometimes a lot of dressing, other times, perfect or too little. Same with the Tom yum soup, sometimes tastes amazing, other times just watery. Their pad Thai is a little different to me, as it has bell peppers in it. Their sesame and general tso chicken is yummy though. I did go one time for my birthday in 2022 and they must have been struggling for staff because the waitress I had was so incredibly awful. I know they usually do better though, so I waited it out and didn't go back for awhile and it's back to great again! Will continue to enjoy my meals here and bring all my friends. Inside is very pretty too and usually clean.

Good sushi quality Been here twice now and the group always has a great time with good service! I recommend coming for lunch, the specials are a great deal. This place has indoor and outdoor seating which is great given the occasion.

92.5 sanitation grade. Miso soup was in edible. Salad was ok and sushi was mediocre. Bathroom was clean and waitress was nice

Food: sushiiiii Service: always friendly Ambiance: polished and has a bar I got a chefs box which was a special they had for the week. I'm glad I did cause everything in it was amazing, mostly nigiri and sashimi. Their sushi rolls are also awesome I highly recommend this spot for sushi

I've had really good sushi in a lot of places and I've always put a premium on simple yet delicious food presentations. While I enjoyed the taste of the fish, I wasn't impressed with the taste of the rice or the presentation. Too pretentious for my taste. Traditional Japanese cuisine lets the ingredients shine, not the plating or the artsy sauce flourishes. Will I come back again? I'm still undecided. I'll see the other places around before I make the decision. 3 1/2 stars.

Best sushi in town . Service is amazing and the owner is always around to make sure everything is perfect

As a birthday dinner this is highly rated in my book! The sushi was some of the freshest and flavorful I've ever had! I'm excited to return to try some other dishes. The service was quick, even though we had a reservation we were sat right away. The restaurant was bustling with music, and people in large groups, you can tell it's very popular. Not pictured but ordered: amazing miso soup and mini pizza

This place is one of my favorite sushi places ever!! The sushi is so good and if you don't like spicy sushi, you can ask for no wasabi! The service here is also awesome. You won't have your order messed up, or wait for them, and they are very kind. This is the BEST!!! Casual and delicious. The sushi bar is inviting and the mood is chill. This review is brought to you from my 10 year old. That should tell ya something.

Location is located in Cameron Village so there is parking and plenty depending on time of day. It's a nice location outside seating as well. I really enjoyed the music selection and the customer service is exceptional! We enjoyed the lunch menu and ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai - it was good. To my surprise, it was very light. The sauce seemed to be present as a true stir fry seasoning as a pose to a "saucy" dish with heavy flavor. The Haurmaki (fried spring rolls) veggie filling slightly mushy but okay.. The ginger salad was sweet with a sesame flavor- greens were super crispy and cold - delicious Would totally recommend.. Customer Service

Fantastic food and a great showcase of high quality sushi. I recommend it to everyone who likes a good meal

I met a friend for lunch here on a cool Fall Monday, but it was sunny, so we sat on the sidewalk/outdoor dining area. There are about a dozen tables out here, mostly 2-tops, but we scored a 4-top. I arrived first and already had my drink, water, and menus in the ten minutes that I waited for my friend. They were quick to make a decision about their drink ("Hot green tea, please!") and we set about further exploring the lunch menu. Independently, we both arrived at Bento Box B, they for the lack of cucumber, me for the seaweed salad. The waiter, making his 4th appearance, took the orders and scurried off. My drink was the Leechee Martini (leechee nut juice, sake, and other items, much sweeter than I like, but I saved the speared leechee for dessert!). My friend's tea was very green, almost fishy-scented. We mentioned this to the waiter, who said it may have been because it was the first pour from a new pot. He replaced it, and it was better, but still off. He clarified that there is matcha powder in it, as well as rooibos. No other teas were available. The plates arrived (not boxes, for sure!) - three generous slices of salmon, three pieces of salmon on rice, six pieces of eel with avocado roll, seaweed salad and a nice scoop of rice, plus wasabi and pickled ginger. Everything was perfectly laid out, and tasted very fresh. Their (house-made?) soy sauce was very tasty - earthy and salty all at once. The eel sauce (something I love almost as much as salmon!) was sweet but not overpowering. We finished our food and paid bills easily (my friend wasn't charged for the tea), and we were off to the rest of our day, full and refreshed! I rarely make it to Raleigh, but this was a very positive experience, and one that may be repeated soon. We need to check out more of the drink menu to see if we just hit the anomalies! Next visit, no sake or matcha!

It's a nice little casual spot. The sushi is good. The servers are kind. The green tea is delicious. I suggest you give it a try!

Great sushi. Very extensive selection. Good service. Outside and cozy inside dinning. Nice cocktail list. Will return.

Love this place. The food was amazing and gad a really good vibe inside. Lots of options for dining and some good specials. The waiter Liam was so personable and great at suggesting various options on the menu. Qe can't wait to go back and try more things. The patio is just beautiful too! Will be regulars from now on!

The shrimp tempura was soggy and nasty. The dumplings tasted mediocre. The restaurant and ladies restroom was clean. The waiters were friendly I also didn't enjoy my mean become the restaurant is quaint. There was a loud couple who disturbed my entire vibe. I reported my concern to the waiter and asked for my food to be packed to go.

We were looking for some fun Asian fusion with sushi for a birthday dinner and Ajisai delivered. We ordered some interesting appetizers, and they were all so beautifully and artfully plates. Of course, the portions were small - but it was perfect sharing pieces and we treated them as tapas. They were all as delicious as they were beautiful. The sushi itself, they had some eccentric flavors, such as one with black rice. The flavors were very nuanced and delicate - which I appreciated. I would definitely return, especially to try more of the appetizers!

The sushi, although look very good and aesthetically pleasing, does not taste much different from any other generic place so the excitement vanishes with the first bite. The drinks were particularly disappointing: seems like they dilute them to the point where it's more juice and water than alcohol. Expensive waste of money. Staff is kind and friendly though.

This place is okay, I guess. Some people may enjoy the other items on the menu, such as the fried rice but I'm a sushi girl. The restaurant feels small and cramped and not in a cozy or romantic way. While the rolls were okay, I couldn't get past their sanitation rating paired with things looking dingy. That makes me think that it isn't fresh at all. Plus, I judge places by their sashimi and their salmon sashimi wasn't fresh. I think they hide the lack of freshness in the rolls. I won't go back.

best meal i've had in a minute. i ordered the tofu pad thai, philly roll, the fried cheesecake, and a japanese margarita. i highly recommend this place!! seriously check it out, they even had the glass noodles :') thanks for the excellent meal, i'll definitely be back

Our server was kind and informative of menu items since it was our first time visiting. He made sure to check in on our table multiple times throughout our visit. I had their California roll and vegetable roll, and shared a specialty roll with my husband. The menu should reflect the ingredients of the vegetable roll as it didn't have the usual avocado, carrot, cucumber combo. It could be helpful for your servers to relay that info to customers to reduce food waste. The specialty roll was pretty good, but it had too much sweet chili sauce. I typically don't eat at restaurants with low health ratings, but I had already placed my order before seeing the score. This is a cute restaurant as long as you don't look at the health score. The food is average. We might be back once they have another inspection!

Third time here. Eat in is best. Nice clean sushi & great lunch prices. Fast efficient service. Yummy miso soup and ginger salad. Very close to my lawyer's office :) so I will miss the convenient 4 minute drive but ill have to come back regardless.

I was so excited to try this place out, I've heard great reviews and work close by so it was convenient. Upon arrival I was seated quickly which was cool however it took about 20 mins seated before our order was taken. There was a white family that was seated after and they were given water and their order taken before our server even came to the table. When our waiter finally came and took our order, 20 mins after that we had our sushi. The food was awesome but the lack of service was terrible!!! Our server did not return to check on us or refill our water, only to give us the check after my husband went inside to ask for it. Had I read the reviews prior to this visit I would likely not have come in, if you are black or brown it seems like you WILL receive sub par service and I wish this weren't the case but here we are.

My daughter and I were visiting Raleigh NC to visit her wedding venue and shop at Coastal Knot for a wedding dress and ate here.8 The food here is the BEST!!!! Excellent service and friendly staff. Loved the atmosphere and ambiance. The most amazing food. Best Japanese food we have ever eaten. The sushi and hibachi chicken and steak were mouth watering!! We are looking forward to eating there again when we return!!!

Wow (in a very good way). When you arrive don't be put off by the interior decor which might remind you of a tired Chinese takeout establishment. The food, service, and what's happening in the kitchen are fantastic. We saw some beautiful eye-catching dishes coming out. We loved what we ordered and would 100% order it all again. First we had a Yelp check in coupon for a free edamame appetizer. We ordered a $40 bottle of Junmai Dai Ginjo sake. Next we had the Truffle Salmon (4pc $12.50) and the Yellowtail Jalapeño (5pc $13.50) sushi appetizer. Both were amazing and we saved the plate sauces in our soy ramekins for later. For the mains we order the Girl on Fire special roll ($16) and the Thai Basil Chicken special kitchen dinner. The roll was one of the best we've had. The Thai chicken was so tender and flavorful. Two of us left no scraps. We would absolutely eat this exact same meal anytime.

The food here is absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. There is birth indoor and outdoor seating.

Ajisai is a hidden gem! the restaurant has trendy decor and a welcoming atmosphere. the staff were extremely friendly and answered any questions we had. The food is also exquisite and it's fairly priced. The sushi presentation is excellent!

This restaurant has been getting raving reviews so we gave it a shot. We consider ourselves sushi snobs and we've been eating sushi all around the US and Europe. It is good. Very good. Better than 95% of sushi places in the US for sure. The rice was almost perfect and all the fish was fresh and tasted great. The food was also served at the right temperature. All of that at a very reasonable price tag. The staff was very friendly and we also liked the decor and lots of lights inside the restaurant. It is nicely done and is simply beautiful. In the end, it's a quality place worth visiting over and over. Domo arigatou.

Dinner and a show! I made reservations with Ajisai solely on the amazing Yelp reviews that highlighted the sushi presentation! They did not disappoint! The first 2 rolls came out on fire! The Girl on Fire was not only very fun to see but also delicious! The Firework roll was presented tableside and roasted by our waiter- it was actually popping and mimicked a Firework (well done Ajisai)! Every single roll that was chosen turned out to be fresh and delicious! The place was pretty small and stuffy but we didn't mind with sushi so good!