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Ayaka
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
1205 S University AveAnn Arbor, MI 48104
Neighborhood: South University Ann Arbor
(734) 214-1212
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 12 pm - 10 pm
Sun 1 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
25 reviews for Ayaka
Review Highlights
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"The plum and mint leaf roll is original and really tasty." In 3 reviews -
"2nd best is Totoro, though I haven't tried Yamato yet." In 6 reviews -
"Great kitchen items, very fresh fish at sushi bar, kind..." In 3 reviews
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25 reviews in English
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Review from Elijah S.
Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI
5/25/2012
This is by far my favorite Sushi place in Ann Arbor. The next best so far in Michigan is Omi in East Lansing. I love their California Roll, Alaska Rolls and a few others. The fish is really fresh and they are generous with servings.
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Review from Kendall T.
St Petersburg, FL
Very friendly staff, the miso &salad were good, the nori was chewy but sushi was decent. The Curry pork has tasty sauce but was breaded like almond chicken.. not so impressive.
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Review from Becky H.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/24/2011
The sushi itself is okay and I would give Ayaka a 3-star rating based off of that alone. I'm always disappointed when I eat here though. I think it's because the nori has a strange texture and is too chewy, and you essentially have to "level up" to earn a side salad and miso. (As of the last time I was there, it wasn't clear on the menu how much you had to spend to get either or both of these.)
I have to knock a star off my rating due to the aggressive service I've experienced at every visit, from waitresses and hostesses. I distinctly remember feeling like one hostess was trying to get me out of there fast, even though the restaurant was nearly devoid of customers.
There's something about this place. I always end up leaving unhappy/unsatisfied. -
Review from Faith C.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/25/2011
I have been going to Sadako for my sushi and udon and I am still deciding what I like better. Here is what we ordered:
Salmon avocado roll - presentation was OKAY, but the roll itself was really good - salmon was not fishy at all and it had the prefect amount of rice. I would get it again.
Spicy salmon - again, the presentation was OKAY (they really need to work on this). Salmon was good and if you like the spicy sauce, the would you really like it because it had a lot in it. I would get it on the side if you prefer to control the spice level. I did NOT like how it had the nori wrapped around the roll - it ruined the taste and the texture of the nori was strange -very chewy. I would not get this again. And, might I add that the rolls were HUGE? DId not like appetizing.
Simply Udon - I got it with the soba noodles. I would for sure go back for this. The broth was not too fishy and it was clean tasting. It was the perfect amount of noodles to broth and the presentation was nice too. I loved it how the udon came out HOT - who wants to eat lukewarm soup? I was impressed.
I would need to go back and see how consistent their food is, but it is worth going back to see if I will commit!
P.S Service on the other hand was just OKAY. -
Review from Derrick P.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/24/2011 5 Check-ins Here
For years I've been a loyal fan of Sadako for their price, generous portions, and "good enough" quality sushi. It took me a while, but Yamato has managed to fully convert me.
It started with the salmon avocado roll - my usual simple but tried and true test of sushi quality. While the portion was slightly smaller than Sadako, the salmon was clearly much fresher and the avocado much softer in what tasted like a professionally made sushi roll. Mmm, and so I continued this request several times a week, not thinking about what else could be around the corner.
But it wasn't until today when my friends and I decided to do dinner at Yamato when the full breadth of Yamato's capabilities were revealed to me. We ordered a dragon roll, rainbow roll, lobster roll, and (of course) salmon with avocado.
The verdict:
Lobster Roll - not that great, too spicy/sour for what you would expect out of a sushi roll consisting of lobster salad
Salmon Avocado - consistently fresh salmon paired with soft/sweet avocado, surrounded by flavorful seawood and a subtle coating of sushi rice
**Dragon Roll - splendid and glimmering when served, delectable and bursting with flavor when consumed. this was probably the top 2 or 3 dragon roll I've ever experienced in my life. the portion was generous, just the right amount of sweet flavor (not too much like you get elsewhere), wonderfully soft avocado, and a fresh tasting eel inside.
**Rainbow Roll - the best thing about this thing, besides how beautiful it looked, was the amazing freshness of the fish. the combination of fresh fish and just the right amount of mayonnaise made this roll a must get.
So, bottom line...this place is the best sushi restaurant in Ann Arbor (Yamato in Kerrytown also puts up a good fight, I would say it is tied) and if you're looking for some delicious sushi get the special rolls, especially the Dragon Roll and Rainbow Roll. you will not be disappointed. not to mention the chill atmosphere (apparently the interior was designed by a U of M professor)
price? reasonable! much more reasonable than yamato. So, in terms of Ann Arbor, this place clearly deserves 5-stars -
Review from katrina c.
San Diego, CA
11/7/2011
Pretty decent sushi I must say. Tasty rolls, quite fresh, and we ordered a good array from their sushi menu: salmon skin roll, seaweed salad (refreshing), crunch shrimp roll (crab meat on top, too much rice and the tempura shrimp was too skimpy), volcano roll (spicy!!), sweet shrimp, yellow tail nigiri, and sweet potato tempura roll. Good service, ambient atmosphere, and the service was prompt and polite. I'd come back next time I'm in town
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Review from Megan E.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/12/2011
My brother and sis-in-law love sushi, so I took them here during their visit to Ann Arbor. It was...ok.
They had all the standards, and some good "light" options, like a very full veggie roll and a mayo-free "special california" roll option. The rolls that came with sauce weren't soggy or messy, which is always a dealbreaker for me.
Everything was pretty tasty, but nothing mindblowing, and the rolls weren't wrapped all that tight-the larger ones were falling apart on us.
Very reasonably priced. -
Review from Lauren I.
4/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Another Korean-run sushi joint, yes. But easily the best in downtown Ann Arbor. Most of my four-star rating is simply by comparison; Ayaka is good as opposed to mediocre.
Their California Roll is easily my favorite. Creamy with a generous filling, and most of the other rolls on the menu are to my experience safe choices*. As the ambiance is modern and intimate without being tacky, I imagine It'd be a nice place to bring a date or some close friends.
(*Recently I tried the spicy salmon and I have to say I am *not* a fan, I don't know if they changed the recipe or what but it's pretty bizarre; this is the first Spicy Salmon I've tasted that's been seasoned heavily with green onion, red pepper, and mayo? Since I've tried some of the other items on the menu and they're generally pretty good I'll let this one slide...)
Service is fast. Almost too fast, but the staff is generally friendly and accommodating. When I have to get sushi without going off-campus, Ayaka would be my first pick. -
Review from Jonas L.
Ann Arbor, MI
8/18/2010
The state of sushi in Ann Arbor is sad sad sad. Ayaka is not great, but does make it a little bit better. Of course, for the best, you still have to go to Yamato, but this place is a big step up from the garbage dumps that masquerade as sushi restaurants littering this town, like sushi.come.
What's the difference? The fish taste fresh and, well, tasteful. Importantly, they actually have slabs of fish at the counter, instead of pre-cut slices at some other places. They might be a dollar or two more expensive than elsewhere, but it's worth it. Their plating reflects the care they put into the food: they even use real shiso!
Given that they really rise above the sea of mediocrity, I wish they would avoid the trappings of typical Korean-run Sushi places in Ann Arbor. For starters, stop offering salad with pre-made ginger dressing and disgusting lettuce. It's probably impossible to completely avoid spicy fish stuff, since they are such moneymakers (and I guess people like eating scraps), but they could offer more interesting non-standard rolls. Distinguish yourself, Ayaka! -
Review from Barry T.
Houston, TX
1/6/2010
Food is decent, prices are comparable, in fact dinner specials are actually a really good deal for the amount of food you get.
Specifically, ginger is better quality than other places around ann arbor, I liked the seaweed they use to wrap their rolls, ginger dressing on the lettuce isn't a hot soggy mess (major plus - considering at other establishments down the street, ahem, Miki Campus, you occasionally get fruit labelling stickers in your salad), tempura udon was tasty, una ju had good flavors to the eel, but a few pin bones really annoyed me.
I can't really speak to those that go heavy on the rolls when going for Japanese.
Service was great - granted weekday evening and being one of three tables, I'd expect as much. Joe, our server, was pretty awesome. We tipped well.
Overall, I really enjoyed the location and the interiors (and the music - reminds me of Plum Market). I'm sick of the fake-looking Japanese sushi places with the fake rice-paper-screens when you know the owners are Chinese or Korean anyway and just putting up a front. Modern looks, but the food is back to basics. -
Review from Jay K.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/19/2009
I'm a former sushi snob who have long since repented (now I grudgingly accept roll as sushi in its own right) and given up hopes of finding good, reasonably-priced nigiri sushi in Ann Arbor (it got to a point where I'd only eat sushi when my department paid for it or for an occasion such as my friends' birthdays). So I was pleasantly surprised after I had my first meal at this new joint.
Making good nigiri sushi is pretty straightforward. You need good ingredients- fresh fish strips that have been cut right and sushi rice- and good chefs who can minimize steps while making sushi so as to maintain the freshness of fish and the sticky texture of sushi rice. This place obviously sticks to that simple formula, and it has won me over.
As for rolls, I've only had rainbow and spicy tuna but they were tasty. Unlike most rolls that they have in this town, the combination of various flavors is kept at the right level so that no one flavor overwhelms. If you're a fan of bibimbap, you might wanna try hwedeopbab as well. It's basically Korean version of chirashi sushi (raw fish and various other ingredients over sushi rice), but way better in my opinion. What do you expect? Blame my Koreanness. Make sure you ask for it without sesame oil if you wanna do this dish the justice it deserves. The combination of hot sauce, veggie, and raw seafood won't disappoint.
I've never tried warm dishes (noodles, teriyaki, katsu, etc.) so I can't really speak on how good they are. But it's definitely an upgrade over sadako and sushi.come (what isn't?) and will be a competition for Totoro. I know, I know, Yamato is good. But this place is way cheaper and closer to campus.
Now, I should warn you that this place is owned by a Korean guy. Korean-owned restaurants over the world (I speak from my experience in the U.S., Korea, and china) seem to have this cycle of rise and fall. When they first open, they're on top of their things. When they have attracted big enough clientele though, they begin this inevitable fall. I hope this place keeps this up. If it does, I'll be one loyal customer for however long it takes for me to finish my Ph.D.- give or take, 5, 6 years. -
Review from Raphie B.
10/3/2009
Visited Ayako this past Friday and was thoroughly impressed! Our waitress (a fantastic girl named Vicki) was top-notch, the food was great and the cosy little restaurant provided exactly the right ambience for my fiances 40th birthday.
I highly recommend the crispy tofu salad, which was really tasty... mixed greens, cranberries, orange slices, crispy fried tofu cubes and ginger dressing. I will go back for this (huge) salad alone! Goma dressing was also an option, but I loved the ginger. All of our food was really good though... the miso soup was light and tasty, my fiance was a big fan of the wasabi shumai, we both enjoyed our Agedashi tofu, he had udon noodles that he loved and all of our rolls were great.
We'll be back for sure. Pricing is very reasonable... my guess is that once this place is more established, prices will rise, so check it out now! -
Review from Heather K.
Ann Arbor, MI
4/26/2010
Ayaka is by far my favorite of the South U. Japanese establishments, and among the best for sushi in Ann Arbor.
I have pretty simple sushi tastes - vegetarian rolls, simple maki, and nigri sushi - and everything I've had here is excellent. The plum and mint leaf roll is original and really tasty. The sushi rice is excellent - well seasoned and the right texture - putting Ayaka head and shoulders above most Ann Arbor sushi establishments.
I've never tried the kitchen items because I like the sushi too much!Listed in: A2 Sushi
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Review from Sarah L.
Ann Arbor, MI
2/3/2010
Great kitchen items, very fresh fish at sushi bar, kind staff.
The atmosphere can be a bit much if you don't like being crowded, music can be too loud at times.
With that being said, I am going to ignore the atmosphere part for that
1) they are right on campus and they try to appeal to the youngsters. I find that understandable and tolerable.
2) it is irrelevant to what food is like here.
I have visited Ayaka frequently enough as they are located right at the heart of campus. I found very few things that I do not like here. Other than the busy-crowding day issues, the only one thing that I do not like in their food is their spicy tuna. I find that their spicy sauce is too killing at times when you order their house spicy tuna roll. It tastes much more appealing to my palate if I just order a regular tuna roll with the spicy sauce (NOT spicy mayo) on the side. At least their fish tastes fresh and clean. Although the tuna doesn't taste like the 7-dollars-a-bite fresh bluefin tuna that you may get in Tokyo, it tastes good enough here (excellent, in fact, for what Ann Arbor is).
So counting on to the things that I like:
1) good-quality fish and excellent knife skill on the chef.
2) chefs who seem to know what they are doing
3) delicious soup in their udon
4) tonkatsu crispy on the outside, and the meat is not overcooked, never too greasy, showing the right frying temperature. Tonkatsu sauce is generic, I personally prefer having tonkatsu with ponzu sauce (which you can ask them for it)
5) 90% of the times the sushi rice is just right (some bad days I'd experienced rice that was too wet. but that was only once or twice)
I would give them a 3.8 star, but Yelp would not let me go with decimal points. Given where they are (high competition area with a few other japanese restaurants on the same street), what they serve, and their food attitude, I can let this slip and give them a 4 star indeed. -
Review from Ann A.
Ann Arbor, MI
11/13/2010
To be fair, I would probably give this place four stars anywhere outside of Ann Arbor. But as far as downtown A2 goes, this is by far the best affordable sushi in town (yes, Yamato is good, too, but the prices! ouch...).
The ambiance and decor is cool, there's never a wait (unlike at Sadako down the street...), and the service is RIDICULOUSLY fast. I've mostly had sashimi here, and it's always been fresh and well-presented. If you order a sashimi combo they don't skimp on the good fish like they will at some places around here. The green tea is strong and delicious. There's also a pretty good cooked menu - a few Korean dishes on it, and I'm assuming it's Korean-owned, but so are most Japanese places in Michigan, it seems.
Only downside is that they don't seem to have a liquor license, but they're somewhat new, so I'll give it some time. -
Review from Stephen F.
Wooster, OH
Some of the best sushi we've had in Ann Arbor, and we've tried several. The spicy rolls do have a kick but the heat only lasts for the bite and doesn't linger after--perfect for enjoying other sushi, too. Fish was very fresh and tasty. If you spend over $8, you get miso soup and a salad; both delicious. Service was good and waitress was friendly. Will go back again, and again.
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Review from Blake A.
Chicago, IL
3/21/2011
Another Korean-run sushi place. Solid but not too exciting. Also, no liquor license.
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Review from B B.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2011
This is the best sushi place I've been to in A2. Everything else on South U sorta sucks. 2nd best is Totoro, though I haven't tried Yamato yet.
Ayaka has the freshest fish and the best sushi rice - very fresh, great texture. I do think they have a disproportionate number of mayo/spicy rolls, but if that's not your preference, you can ask for them to make the rolls without mayo. They are very accommodating. I frequently order my rolls with less rice just cuz that's my preference (tho I do luv their rice!).
Their udon is yummy, too. The soup comes out hot, normally, unlike the tepid, room temperature that passes for acceptable at most Japanese restaurants. Also, the udon is firm. I like a firm noodle, lol.
I don't really care for their teriyaki, it's very standard and forgettable. Not bad, just not good.
Mostly good service, standard prices, I eat here or get take-out at least once a week. The place is really small tho (I'm sure less than 10 tables), so it can get crowded in there. -
Review from Chris C.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
Nothing extraordinary... Fair prices and adequate quality. I was disappointed that they didn't have sake, though the green tea was good
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Review from J K.
Ann Arbor, MI
2/16/2010
Sure, it's not the most authentic Japanese food you can eat and it's not like restaurants in New York or L.A. let alone any given Asian city. But this is Ann Arbor, people. The portions are generous, the rolls hit the spot when you have cravings for them, the price is pretty decent. And the people are nice and accommodating. It is also one of the better looking restaurants in Ann Arbor. I'm sold.
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Review from Yanli W.
Ann Arbor, MI
11/8/2010
Good sushi in Ann Arbor! Yamato is too expensive and not worth the price. I don't like Yamato's environment either.
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Review from Lily P.
12/20/2009
They have good specials and were able to bring out the food super fast..to the point we were wondering if it was the display. The freshness of the food varies when you go there and its a bit more expensive then sadako but I prob would go again.
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Review from Mae S.
Ann Arbor, MI
3/28/2010 1 photo
The decor is practical and inexpensive-looking, but impressively tasteful and pleasing at the same time. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION or something like that. Black plastic seats, functional lighting, standard chairs, dark tables, standard tableware. Very nice atmosphere results, despite the small space that's actually pretty crowded. Our food was good and arrived quickly. I wish them luck maintaining this quality.
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Review from N L.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2009
I've been meaning to try for a while, and finally made it. Now I'm mad I didn't go sooner! Could have been eating good food for a while.
I called ahead and ordered my food to go, which saved on the wait time. It was actually ready before I walked over from work, which was nice.
I ordered the crispy tofu salad (based on the previous review) and agree it was absolutely yummy! The tofu was really lightly fried with almost no breading, so little grease. The dressing came on the side, so everything stayed crunchy. I had the goma/sesame dressing, and it was really tasty- it is more like a ponzu sauce than pure goma, so was lighter and went really well with the orange segments in the salad. And yes, it was a large bowl and I ate the whole thing.
I also ordered spicy tuna roll, no masago. This is often my litmus test (so to speak) for how I gauge a sushi restaurant. And Ayaka did quite well. The roll was a little bit mushy (the rice just a tad too soft), but the fish was fine and the spice of the roll was excellent. This is no "grab some tuna and squirt sriracha sauce on top" kind of a roll. It was all well mixed and spices integrated into the tuna. And not a wimpy spice either, but clear your sinuses spicy. Yummy. 5 large slices.
Total for both: $16 something and worth it. -
Review from Sherry S.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/2/2010
A dollar or two more expensive than all the other sushi restaurants around, but much better tasting. I can't pinpoint it exactly, but the fact that I didn't come out regretting the $15 spent for a single lunch says it all.
