Ajishin

We left Ann Arbor 12 years ago and re-visited Ajishin today. Did not realized it only had the take-out option. Nonetheless, we still very much enjoyed these authentic Japanese foods. 😋😋

I used to come here in 2010s. Today I came back here with my son to show my regular sushi place. Ajishin still offers top notch udons and sushi at cheap prices. I felt that Udon was a bit saltier than before. It's unfortunate that we were not able to eat inside any more but worthy of 30 minutes drive from Ann Arbor.

The best Udon I've eaten in my life (from Korea, been to Japan 8+ time) It's been here for more than two decades and they haven't changed their flavor not one bit. It's sad that they don't have dine in but I could care less if I can have this udon again. I love this place with all my heart 😍 I live in DC right now but I'm planning to go again soon

Probably the best sushi in Midwest. Got them twice within 48 hrs. It’s a super popular take-out place so you’ll probably need to wait for 30min-1hr during busy time, but the food is so worth it. We especially loved their 8pc sushi set. Their “California rolls” are actually Kani Salad rolls (カニサラダ) and we were soooooooooo happy because it was super delicious. We ended up ordering 4 more servings of it. The fish they use is thick and super fresh. My personal favorites were Salmon, Salmon roe and California rolls. 10/10

Sushi is so fresh and well made. The staff is very nice. Really good prices. One of the best sushi places in Michigan I've gone to

Incredible food. I miss getting their lunch specials. Curry rice was fantastic. I can't recommend this place enough. In this day and age they don't have any online platforms to order from. Just good old phone in an order. They are that good.

For traditional sushi this place is the best around! Not the place you are looking for if you want wild Americanized rolls. I do wish they would open up indoor seating - doesn’t need to be serviced, but a place to just sit would be nice. I know that is not their business model post pandemic, but it is the only negative.

I lived in the area for over 20 years and this was my go to place for food sushi, nigiri and udon before I moved to Chicago. Every time I come back to the area this is a must visit for the freshness of the fish and the great udons. Most importantly the prices are very reasonable. I don't think they have changed prices in the past 10 years. It is small so come prepared for a wait during meal time.

Take out only for dinner! I live in SoCal and this is one spot I'll trust in Michigan for freshness and quality. Amazing prices. Hard to beat. Sushi rice is fantastic and flavorful with sesame seeds and what tastes like rice vinegar. Hack: There is a Ding Tea a mile away, and the owner of Ding Tea was so chill about us eating our takeout Ajishin there (with us purchasing boba ofc).

I love the grilled fish combo that comes with a big bowl of udon. It's one of the few places with delicious grilled salmon belly. There is also an option to order grilled fish without the rice and udon. I was less impressed with my chirashi bowl. I wish it came with more fish. You can get a slightly better sushi deal down the road at One World Market. Service is friendly. Please be aware that this is a takeout restaurant only.

We've been coming to Ajishin since the day they've opened many years ago. The food is always been consistently good and since it's been carry out ever since the pandemic started, service is always consistent now. I love ordering their lunch specials with udon and sushi, the curry rice, and the grilled fish. Those are my go-tos and have been coming here weekly for as long as I can remember. Parking is in their own lot shared with other plaza inhabitants, but with to gos only, it's easy to get in and out. They are a last bright and and cherry inside. Highly recommend.

It hurts me to take away a star, but I've gotta keep things honest. Like so many businesses, Ajishin got hit hard by COVID19 and were forced to transition to a take-out only model. Then, of course, once the world started opening back up, it was hard to get help. Alas, here we are a quarter of the way through 2024, and they're still only offering take out. The quality of their food is still vastly above average, but no take out will match a hot, fresh bowl of udon made for you just a few feet away. Driving it home and reassembling it, you've lost some of the heat of the broth and the crunch of the tempura. It was tough to get a table at Ajishin in the BC times (Before Coronavirus), but people waited because the food and experience were absolutely worth it. Limiting this place to just take-out, limits the overall experience. I hope they'll one day return back to a sit-down experience, and when that day comes, I'll be more than happy to return that last star.

Best udon hands down. I've been coming here for a decade and the food is still delicious and cheap. Since COVID, the restaurant has remained take-out only. The soup is so flavorful, salty, and umami. They serve other dishes like soba noodles, grilled fish, curry, and sushi which are also fantastic! Great portion sizes too. My top recommendations: - Kiyomizu: super simple udon with minimal toppings. Sooo good and perfect portion -- toppings really fill me up. - Kamogawa: duck udon with mountain vegetables. The duck makes the broth more fatty/rich in flavor and the duck pieces are delicious! - Ajishin: the classic. Contains a bit of everything, extremely filling and delicious. - Curry Rice: a must have! Such a thick and flavorful curry with a little bit of meat. They serve it with shrimp tempura which is so good. You can order a half order to go along with the udon! - Tamago nigiri: all the sushi is fantastic and cheap but the tamago nigiri at Ajishin is delicious and huge! This is a must try if you are ever in the area!

Exceptional Sushi. Services is polite, genuine, and prompt. Warm Asian atmosphere. Their hand made sushi rolls and Udon noodle bowls are extraordinary.

My favorite restaurant of all time. Unfortunately they haven't done dine in since Covid but the carry out is still fantastic. Ajishin soup and get the grilled salmon filet or belly. All the nigiri is fresh.

A friend brought me over as this place is famous for their sushi. The prices isn't too bad but the portion is small. The overall quality is average, which is to be expected based on the price. We shared a udon and a 8 piece nigari. The service was pretty fast and the staff friendly. The restaurant only does take-out now, so plan accordingly!

Best Curry Rice in North America. What can I say other than that. I wish they would decide to open the restaurant back open for guests.

Ajishin is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Michigan! I've been going here for more than 15 years with my family and I love recommending it to friends. When dine-in was open, it would be the homiest, close quarters dinner place. Unfortunately they're still closed for dine-in. In terms of food, they provide the highest quality udon and sushi for very low prices with entrees ranging from $8-$16 typically. My favorites are the Duck Udon, the Curry Udon (Testsugaku), the Curry Rice, the egg nigiri, and the Himuro. The udons and curry are great for when you want a comforting and homey meal whereas the Himuro is a fresh light soba salad with sashimi that's beautiful and one of my favorite meals of all time! Lunch specials are also always a great deal, typically a sushi bowl or rolls with onigiri on the side. TLDR: Ajishin is well worth the wait and drive, come here for great sushi, udon, and more!

Delicious noodles and sushi! This is a top notch Japanese establishment. I love it!!!!

Great food. The udon is a must. No dine in, but carry out is fine. Service is fine. The sushi is delicious. I recommend the shrimp tempura roll. The ambience is fine, usually a couple of people waiting.

They were closed for the holiday and just resumed normal business hours again. I don't know if the prices of the entire menu went up, but the grilled fish set did! The yellowtail grilled fish set is $18 now (!!!) and yellowtail fish only is $11 (!!!). The fish set comes with rice and plain noodles. The grilled fish price is based on the type of fish (I.e. grilled salmon fish set is cheaper).

Love love Ajishin! Our favorite place, still take out only. The California Rolls are the best (so fresh and delicious)! If you order Spicy Cali Roll, they add a dollop of spicy on top of the regular roll (I'm not an expert but i think it's a mix of spicy mayo, sesame oil, & masago). The grilled fish is excellent (grilled salmon fillet and cod are our favorite). Note the cod has fish bones so not my hubby's favorite since you have to "dig" thru fish but it's delicious. They have a daily lunch special that changes every day and is a good deal since you get the roll plus soup. The service is so friendly! I love Ajishin!

This is our go-to place for sushi! Always tastes great and made fresh. Our sons love getting food from her now too. Our favorites are the California rolls, spicy tuna rolls, and spicy salmon.

The Ajishin udon is always a hit. It's under $10 and the broth is always super flavorful! A lot of udon in Michigan is usually a miss and I genuinely think Ajishin's is the only one that is consistent and the one that everyone loves. I don't really have much to say about this because... you just have to try it. It's just THAT good. In terms of favorite restaurants in the metro Detroit, I have to say that Ajishin is in my top 3 list. The prices here in general are quite comparable and you can easily be full and satisfied for under $15! I also love their chirashi bowl but it's been awhile since I've had it.

They have some of my favorite sushi, really delicious flavor, and super fresh, their tempura udon changed my mind about clear broth soups. They are carry out only so I don't know much about the service or ambience but food is always so delicious and satisfying.

My favorite place to get sushi and udon! Unfortunately, they are only carry-out only, but service is super fast and the food is always hot. They also have weird hours, so be sure to check before you call.

This has been my favorite place to get udon for several years. First of all, the prices are unbeatable and very reasonable for what you're getting. They often have specials where you can get a combination of udon and sushi on the side. The seafood is very fresh. I enjoy getting their sashimi plate from time to time. Before the pandemic, this place used to be jam packed with a very long wait time because of how tasty and reasonable their prices are. I respect their decision to remain closed to indoor dining to protect their employees and community. Takeout orders can be placed in the lobby by writing your order down on sheets of paper or over the phone. They offer hand sanitizer and strongly encourage masking/distancing when you pick up your food inside. Love Ajishin! Will definitely be back here.

One of the best restaurant experiences I've had in Novi. From when I called to place an order to picking up was nothing less than a wonderful time. I ordered the unagi (eel) chirashi and a basic nigiri plate and they were both fantastic. The eel was incredibly soft and the shredded eggs over rice was perfect. The nigiri had good rice and the fish tasted good too. The food isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. More importantly you can tell it's made with care, even if you don't get the chance to interact with the incredible staff. I'd come here again in a heartbeat.

We ordered Udon Soup and some sushi rolls. All excellent. Service is great, very kind and polite. We love stopping by when we get the chance.

Cleanest and most fresh raw sushi here, they just know exactly what they're doing, my order has never been wrong here, appreciate this type of service, thank you!

OMG!!! I can't believe this is the first time I've ever been here! This place is FANTASTIC! The BEST udon I've ever had! Their menu is very small and simple... basically udons and sushi, but they have perfected what they serve. The sushi is VERY fresh and simple, which I LOVE.. not like these other places that douse sushi with these sauces like spicy mayo, eel sauce, and so on. They keep it simple, but yet super fresh and delicious! The service is great and the food doesn't take long. The only thing is, the place is VERY small and it does get busy. Not much of a waiting area either. When you do go in, make sure to look for a sign in sheet on their counter by the register. Not like a typical restaurant, there is no host stand with a hostess. You sign in and they call you from the list. Other than the wait, which I do think is worth waiting for, everything else is great! I will def make the 40 mins drive again!

This is a great sushi place, but they have not reopened their dining area since the illegal lockdowns imposed by our corrupt governor. It's too far of a drive for take-out.

I was craving Japanese curry and the curry rice with pork hit the spot. Also love the Himuro: Cold Udon noodles. Sesame flavored dressing tossed over green salad, raw seafood, shredded eggs, imitation crab, shrimp tempura with mayo sauce. And you can't go wrong with the Ajisjin Udon.

Love this spot. Small menu, very friendly service, delicious food. The Ajishin bowl is my favorite udon there. They are usually really busy during lunch rush so beware of that. They close at 3 and reopen in the evening for dinner, my last visit I arrived at 2:50 and they kindly seated us, brought out sushi and udon bowls within 10 minutes.

This is the best, most authentic Japanese udon you can get in Michigan. If you know of better, I am all ears. I can only review the Ajishin Udon which is my standard order. It is delicious. Udon is their specialty. It is a small dining room and there is usually a line out the door. However, it is currently still carry-out only. Just hand over the udon! I'll eat in my car; I do not care. Joking aside, something is lost if your carryout trip home is too long. It's so much better when it is fresh and hot. The broth is light, but flavorful. The udon is plump with the perfect consistency and chew. It's very satisfying. The dish includes shrimp and vegetable tempura, fried tofu, boiled egg and dried seaweed tangle flakes. The combination makes for a complex profile of flavors that keeps me coming back for more. They have unusual hours in that there's a closure between lunch and dinner times. So you need to plan for when they will be open.

Good authentic place. De ego no Isley recommend. Nothing more to say. Need 85 characters

Best local Japanese food around. So reasonably priced, and you'll leave satisfied! The broth of the noodles is mouth watering, sushi is fresh, and their daily specials are definitely worth coming in regularly. The service is always friendly and fast. They get busy at times but it's definitely worth the wait.

Food is very, very good! Hot pot is excellent. Service is pleasant, given that most of the times I've been there it was also very busy. It's a small place, definitely cozy!!

My family and I have been enjoying Ajishin's food for years and I realized I haven't written a review. This is one of our main go to restaurants that google maps even alerted me how long it would take to drive to Ajishin randomly one day. Their udon is the best, I typically get the Ajishin udon or the fushimi udon. Their fish specials are fire and I will typically get the salmon. I don't know how they prepare it, but it always comes out perfectly. And their rolls are simple and delicious. Service at Ajishin is always top notch once you're able to get through on the phone. Be patient because they only do carry out since the pandemic so there are a lot of hungry customers calling in to make an order. It's worth the wait! This is probably one of my all time favorite restaurants.

I had Himuro and grilled salmon belly & udon combo. Udon noodles were fresh, broth was clean yet delicious. Also, salmon belly was soft, tender and juicy. They are super busy so give yourself sometime to wait.

Really delicious- excellent food - worth the wait- and the drive for takeout Family favorite

This place never ceases to amaze me. Even getting takeout this place is amazing. The udon is so flavorful and perfect and the sushi is always fresh. Best. Udon. In. Michigan.

So I have been a supporter of Ajishin since I moved to Michigan and everyone I've met has been telling me this is the place to go for Japanese food! Usually the place is small so lines are out the door when they reopen at 5pm! So it's recommended to come 20 mins or so earlier to get in line. However currently they are still doing take out!! They re-opened to take orders from 5pm -8pm (I'm sure they have lunch hours too) Orders were quickly processed even if we had a large order. From udon to grilled cod everything was so good. The grilled cod is my husbands favorite! He always gets this and it's always spot on with their side of rice and ground radish on the side to go with it in one bite! The himuro is my favorite. My friend introduced me to this amazing cold noodle salad. Gives me enough veggie intake and mixed with seafood pieces from salmon, octopus and fried shrimps to scallops as well. It has a balanced but refreshing taste and a definite must try! Sushi is always good :) And they are really famous for their udon but this also comes as a side for a lot of their sets! If you're thinking and finding it hard to choose between a few. Whatever you choose, you will not regret!!

I heard about Ajishin before I even moved to Michigan and it didn't disappoint. After about 1.5 years here, Ajishin is one of my favorite places in Michigan! I make sure to take my friends and family who visit from out of town here. My go-to is half curry, half Ajishin udon, and spicy california roll. I sometimes order the tetsugaku udon when I wanna change things up. It's more than enough food and tasty, but for such a great price. You can order half-orders of the udon or curry when you can't decide which one to get. The half orders still come with the normal sides. Currently, they only offer carry-out/pick-up, but it still tastes great after you bring it home. During busy hours, pick-up can take a while depending on what you order, but they'll always give accurate estimates on how long it'll take. (Pictures taken before covid-19)

Review disclaimer: This is purely on TASTE and my experience on the receiving end of a takeout order. My uncle who was in town brought over Ajishin for lunch. He had ordered udon for everyone and a variety of sushi, sashimi, nigiri to share. The portion sizes for udon is very generous and the noodles/broth were both very tasty!! I want to say we got the Ajishin udon as it came with boiled egg, fish cakes, and crab meat and a side of tempura shrimp and veggies to top. It definitely fulfilled my udon craving! The sushi, sashimi, and nigiri were all also pretty good quality. I was pleasantly surprised! The sushi rice is also well seasoned and great fish to rice ratio. I looked at their menu afterwards out of my own curiosity and their pricing is fantastic!! They have great lunch specials - sushi and/or sashimi lunch platters starting at just $9-$10! Udons averaging $7-$9! Definitely getting a bang for your buck here. My only regret is not taking photos to share. Highly recommend if you are craving either a delicious warm savory bowl of udon or wanting to indulge in sushi/sashimi!

I love this place!! It is a small neighborhood sushi place but everyone in the area knows they have the best quality sushi for the price point. Their lunch and combos are always the best and their fish is always fresh. Their udon is also amazing. My favorite udon they have is their Ajishin Udon. Pre-covid, one downslide of this place was that it was always pact! If you are ordering for pickup, make sure you order in advance.

I came here on a weeknight around 6pm and was seated immediately. It was a nice change, considering that it's always packed on the weekends. I ordered the Ajishin Udon with tamago (egg block), and a few rolls. The udon was yummy, albeit a tad lukewarm. The broth was flavorful and the noodles had a nice chewy texture. The egg is one of my favorites; it is on the sweet side but with very good consistency. The rolls were good and didn't stand out particularly. The sushi rice was cooked expertly, not soggy and you can taste the individual grains. Maybe it's the waiting in line, but I remember the food tasting hotter and fresher on the weekends. Still a solid place to eat and the price is very reasonable too! The udon was less than $8.

I get food from here often. Good price. I ordered a few dishes for 3 people and it was only little over 30 bucks for dinner. Fish are fresh and udon noodles are tasty as well.

Come here almost weekly. Menu is simple, but quality is high. It's traditional healthy Japanese sushi, not American sushi with mayonnaise and god know what other random ingredients. Enjoy sushi as the Japanese intended.

Tasty sushi and udon shop which has been in the area for years. The feeling of being in a noodle shop with friends is amazing

I've been here many times and the food does not disappoint. Authentic Japanese food. Fresh sushi and amazing udon. Can get very busy, so if you're coming with a group be prepared to wait. If you're by yourself, the wait isn't too bad (if you don't mind sitting at the sushi bar) because they make the food very fast! Plenty of parking in the lot. Favorite udon: the classic, Ajishin!

Whenever I come back to Michigan, my family will always make sure to go to Ajishin! Be ready to wait at least 30 minutes no matter when you arrive - it's always busy. But it is SO WORTH IT! I have never had any dish I haven't enjoyed. Most of the time I will get the lunch special and a sushi lunch combo, and that's more than enough food for me. The lunch special always comes with a full-sized udon noodle soup with a different main dish each day. I've gotten chirashi bowls, sushi rolls, nigiri, etc. The restaurant itself is quite small - several tables and seating along the sushi bar. The long waits are for the seating, not the service! The service is always super prompt and the food comes up so quickly. But again, anyone that has enjoyed their experience at Ajishin will say it's worth the wait! Did I mention the lunch special is extremely affordable? It's only $7! If you have the time, definitely go try Ajishin. It will be one of your new favorite spots just like it's one of mine!

This is definitely our family's favorite for sushi! The Tamago Nigiri it's unraveled. We keep trying to find anything comparable but I have never been able to find anything close to it. The rest of their sushi is so amazing. Even for carry out, they always make their boxes very aesthetically pleasing as well. The grilled fish meal is to die for.

This place is delicious. I also got a Udon and I was so incredibly full. Fast service and kind staff!

Wow. Wow. Wow. Unbelievable! Probably the best California Roll and Udon I've ever had in my life. Love: -Ajishin Udon. Love the perfect chewyness texture of the noodle and the perfect clean, yet flavorful broth. All the ingredients were top notch. The fried Tempuras were a bit greasy but taste very good. -California Rolls. Wow. You can actually taste the individual grains of rice, seaweed, avocado, and imitation crab. Was initially a bit disappointed by how little soy sauce they gave me in the container but eventually realized that it was by design. Since they're an authentic sushi restaurant, they want you to taste all the fresh ingredients and not drench it in soy sauce. +1 for the thoughtfulness. -Love that they offer half portions for the Udon. They don't force you to pay for big portions if you're not that hungry. Very authentic Japanese values. +1 -Price. Wow, just wow. Never mind the extreme freshness and taste, best I've ever had for any price.. Where else can you find a 6pc California Roll in America in 2021 for $4?! -Customer service. Top notch. Aligns with authentic Japanese values. Dislike: - They only gave me one piece of napkin, ONE small and thin piece with my takeout order. Don't understand the logic behind this one. Save the trees?? Keep in mind this review comes from someone who has fairly dull taste buds and don't normally order Udon. For me to taste all the individual flavors in everything I've had here is unbelievable. I am more than impressed. I will come back often everytime I'm in NOVI. They deserve your every dollar. Seriously.

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

There's a reason why there is a line outside the door every day before opening, like it's Black Friday. Ajishin has the most delicious made-from-scratch broth for their udon bowls. The udon noodles themselves have a great chewy texture (not mushy). I usually get the tamago (egg) sushi and shrimp tempura roll to go with the udon. The tamago is different from other places - it's not just a thin strip of egg tied to the top of some rice with seaweed. Instead, the rice is enveloped inside the egg, so you get at least twice as much egg as you'd normally get if you ordered this somewhere else. The shrimp tempura is fresh and crispy. Their sushi rice is seasoned well with sweet vinegar. I don't think I've had better sushi elsewhere. The prices here are very reasonable for what you get. It is worth the wait. I should mention, though, if you order carryout, call way ahead of time and find out how long it will take so you're not standing there for a long time waiting for your order.