Aji Sushi & Grill - Newcastle

We came here on a Monday ~5:30pm. This was our 2nd time eating here, the 1st time being probably a couple of years ago around Covid pandemic time. The 1st time it was great--I ordered a moderately priced omakase and felt quite satisfied afterwards. The fish quality was good, generously sized slices. Fast forward to Dec 2023 and their menu, at least for omakase, has changed. They now offer 2 selections, Omakase A at ~$38, and B at $60. I read the selections, but noticed they whited out a portion (my guess is they stopped giving the rolls part of it). Fair enough, my 11 year old dtr wanted the omakase as well, so we got 2 Omakase As, thinking it would be enough food.To my dismay and disappointment, they brought out a plate with a measly quantity of sushi (I believe tuna, salmon, albacore, hamachi, yellowtail, amaebi, crab, and I believe 1 more). Like 8 pieces. For $38.The fish quality was OK; nothing spectacular. Fish slice size was average; rice was a little underdone. Oh, and they had a goofy dry ice display in the middle of the plate.If you are hungry, don't mind over-paying for sushi, then you might be OK with this. If you are on any sort of budget, I'd skip over this place. Their 'bang for the buck' no longer exists, at least for their omakase selections...

I popped in for lunch and enjoyed my chirashi bowl, consisting of a good variety of sashimi and tamagoyaki, on a bed of sushi rice. The interior was intimate but had more tables than I was expecting, and the food and service were good. I did not love the parking situation here, as they share a small lot with other businesses, including a Starbucks drive-thru that made getting into the lot quite a hassle. Overall, I would come back as they are in a convenient location, and the fish tasted fresh.

Our fave neighborhood spot for sushi. Always great food and service. My parents from Hawaii love their food as well. My dad says they serve the best saba he's ever had. He orders it whenever he's in town.

Nice atmosphere, really great portions for the price, delicious sushi and a friendly staff. We've been here on a few date nights and it's just a really great sushi spot for the value.

I've visited Aji Sushi's Issaquah location, but up until recently had never been to the Newcastle one. Happy to report that both locations provide a great experience! The atmosphere here is really nice. Definitely more of an upscale feel which would make it perfect for date night. I came with my coworker and it was perfect for our lunch, too! Service is really great, everyone we dealt with was nice and the food came out quickly. Complimentary miso soup to start was delicious. I got the California Roll and the Hot Dream - both were absolutely delicious! They don't skimp on their rolls, either. Both were absolutely packed with fresh tasting ingredients. Definitely a solid sushi option in the Newcastle area. I'll return if I'm ever in the area!

Aji is such a cute restaurant and definitely satisfies my craving for sushi! I'm so glad they have multiple locations as well. Every time I go to Aji, the service is always very quick and pleasant.1) Aji Roll - Delicious roll that includes both tuna and salmon. Love the eel sauce they put on the top!2) Fire Ball - If you like spice, highly recommend this roll! It isn't overly spicy though.3) Three Times Lady - Probably my favorite signature roll! There's a ton of fish in this one (tuna and salmon in the roll itself and then topped with more tuna and salmon).4) Heart Attack - One of my other favorite signature rolls. This one is actually decently spicy (includes spicy tuna) and topped with spicy sauce on top of the roll.5) Eldorado - This roll also has quite a bit of fish inside (salmon, tuna, AND yellowtail!). I love the jalapeno and cilantro as well. It adds a bit of freshness to the roll.I have never had any issues getting a table when going to Aji. However, during dinnertime on the weekends, there might be a little bit of a wait (6-7pm). The parking lot in the Newcastle location is not very big, especially since it shares a parking lot with Starbucks. If you need to park on the street, there is plenty available!

Enjoyed a family dinner here for a couple birthdays. While they don't take reservations and all members of your party must be present to be seated, we had no problem grabbing a table for dinner on a Sunday evening. This is a hot towel at the table establishment! We ordered takoyaki and the monkey brain as appetizers, various sushi rolls that I can't remember the names of, and tempera udon. They even gave our table some mochi ice cream with candles at the end. The food tasted flavorful and fresh so you really can't go wrong with whatever you choose. The staff provided excellent service and helped make for a pleasant evening overall. We would happily go back!

Service: 5Ambiance: 4 - Nice and upscale, but a bit open and noisy if you want intimateFood: 5 - Sushi is fresh, delicious, and presented well with thoughtful touches

In person dining is wonderful - great service starting from the welcome warm towel and miso soup.Take out is also fantastic - their togo ramen carrier is amazing the way the noodle is separated from the soup!All their food has been delicious.Note parking lot is small.

We came around 8:20 pm on a Wednesday, 25 minutes before closing. I was blown away by how friendly the staff were at this time of their shift.We were greeted and sat very quickly, our server touched the table with the minute, answered our questions patiently, and took our orders without making us feel rushed. The menu itself had more variety than I expected -- are sushi restaurants just expanding their selection for a competitive edge now? I nonetheless enjoyed the fact that they have an "Aji roll", although I might order something a little less adventurous next time. The sashimi came in a dry ice bowl, great presentation, good quality fish.As the last few tables left the restaurant, I could smell chemicals coming from the kitchen while they did their cleaning. I admit that's the only critique I have for this visit. But what am I gonna do, ask them to stop cleaning because we came in late? ...no.Again, for late night/approaching closing time, my expectations for restaurants are usually lowered. Yet our food came within a reasonable time frame and our server stopped by for the last call at around 8:40, not a minute early. Pretty golden standards for service to me, so big applause to the staff for staying positive and cordial to folks like us.