Ai Japanese Restaurant: User Reviews
I took a business colleague here for lunch to pitch a new idea to her. We were the first people to arrive for lunch (by the time we had left there might have been 5 other tables), and were warmly greeted by the hostess, who was also doubling as the waiter. The restaurant looked great, and they had some (odd) music playing and we had a great table by the window. We both ordered the lunch special which included miso soup, a spicy tuna roll or California roll and 10 pieces of nigiri, and a dessert. My colleague asked for her 10 pieces to be sashimi instead of nigiri, and this was not a problem. We also ordered a sake each, she a sparkling sake and I a cold, both presented very well. After quite a wait, the miso soup arrived and then 30 seconds later our entree course arrived on top of it. Hers was presented very well, mine had no garnish at all. The fish looked dry as if it had been sitting out for a while, but tasted good. When it was desert time, the hostess/waitress handed us both the dessert menus from which we selected the green tea creme brulee. The accompanying dishes tasted nice but neither of us liked the creme brulee. So overall it was quite a good experience until I received the bill, and we had been charged an additional $8.50 per dessert. I asked the hostess/waitress about this, and she informed me (for the first time) that this was a "special" dessert and it cost extra. I mentioned that she did not explain this when she gave us the menu nor when we ordered, and she her response was "but these are special desserts and cost extra". I am certainly one for paying my way, but this seemed to be an intentional up-sell without the appropriate information. It is was a very awkward and uncomfortable experience, which really took the shine off the lunch. She eventually said that "she would pay for it" and took it off the bill. I gave her a higher than usual tip as a contribution towards splitting the difference, but am not sure this was necessary. Overall I would like to go back and probably would for dinner when they have more wait staff and the food wouldn't have the opportunity to sit around.
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I went in to Ai on a friday for lunch and it was quiet but right away they were very welcoming and attentive. They did an excellent job of checking that everything was okay every time they had an opportunity. They explained the food, asked if we had any questions then politely refilled our drinks. The green ice cream (forgot what flavor) was awesome, was hesitant on trying it but glad i did. They thanked us on the way out and we left happy and full. I have to go check out dinner time, they informed us they have live jazz during dinner hours. overall good experience.
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I love when I can get fairly fresh, tasty sushi at a great price, and so the Sunday all you can eat menu makes me very, very happy. Unlike some retaurants that offer all you can eat, Ai does not skimp on the portions of sashimi and make up for it with something, like, say, bigger pieces of sushi rice underneath. So if you want lots of quality sushi, go on a Sunday. Service is generally very good, too. Ambiance is great as well.
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Amazing dining experience and an excellent value...
By honour98 from Gold Coast, May 12, 2009
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Visited on a Monday night, because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com, and will definitely be making this place a regular stop. The quality of fish was outstanding, and reasonably priced to boot. The service was thoughful and attentive. My escort, a wine buff, was extremely impressed with the range and quality of the wine list. As a Monday night promotion, they have 10 different bottles priced at 10 dollars (yes, 10 dollars a bottle in downtown Chicago) and half price appetizers. After that we felt a little bad about using the gift certificate, but we will surely be back with friends. Looks like they are equipped for outdoor dining once the weather warms up!
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"Great place to start your night"
By culinarygenius from Wrigleyville, April 23, 2009
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I visited Ai with three other people on a friday night for some sushi before we went out. The dining room was full so we went straight to the lounge in the back of the establishment. To our surprise, there was live jazz which I love. The singer was actually good too! The food was amazing and the wine, sake, cocktail list was extensive, it definately had something for everyone. I would recommend the zen mojito. Service was above average, not great though, but what do you expect when the place is packed? We will all return to Ai at some point. It was a perfect way to start our night!
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We decided to drop in for an early dinner at Ai and couldn't have asked for a better experience. The service was top notch, always there with out being intrusive. I recommend the flghts due to a great selection and good value for the money. We tried several dishes and each was prepared perfectly. The Sea Bass is worth the stop alone.
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Heard about all you can eat sushi Sunday at Ai through dining at Ringo and decided to give it a try. You won't believe this! All the makis and nigiris, eat till you dropped for 31 bucks, especially in the River North area!! My girlfriend and I loved the salmon nigiri and the soft shell crab volcano maki. Two words to describe it "super fresh". Definitely be back and be back early next time.
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My 1st experience was a disappointment here. We got carryout so I can't tell you about the service, only the quality. The food tasted ok but way too little food for the price we paid and we were hungry an hour later. The shrimp cooked in salt is not worth it - absolutely nothing special about this dish. I live in the neighborhood, and I won't be going back.
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Me and my girlfriend dropped by this hidden sushi place when I missed the exit to I-90. When we entered the server seated us and we he was very knowledgeable and very attentive. For sushi fans the sushi was really good and heavily decorated. Four pieces of sushi was on a plate that is big enough to fit 30 pieces. I do recommend the "scorpion" which is really good. I also recommend trying one of their sake. I do agree with the other reviews about the bad service at times, it just depends who you get I guess. As for the value, I did pay more than the usual sushi joint so be ready for the price. Overall try if you like sushi AI
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I went to the Summer Lovin' event at the MCA, and Ai and Tsuki were there being showcased. Tsuki, being one of my favorite sushi restaurants, without a doubt I had to check this place out when I heard they had a new sister restaurant. It was no surprise that I had a wonderful experience. The interior was absolutely beautiful. As soon as you walk in, you can tell that this place is upscale. The food, of course, was amazing. They have an extensive array of fish, some of which I've never even heard of. My server, I think his name was Javon, was very attentive and was able to make some really good recommendations. We had the this cut of beef that's similar to kobe , SUSHI STYLE. It was soooooo good, literally melted. Definitely worth trying and a good spot to go before going out since it's so close to all the clubs.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 60 users:
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