Ai Fuji Japanese Steakhouse
202 W NC Hwy 54, Durham, NC, 27713
Ai Fuji Japanese Steakhouse Menu
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Address :
202 W NC Hwy 54
Durham, NC, 27713 - Phone (919) 998-3988
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Lloiid T.
So far miso soup is cold and unappetizing, side salad not impressive and the house Pinot Grigio taste like it was mixed with water. I am not sure why this place got any decent rating at all. The hibachi chef just dropped one of his utensils trying to do a trick. Shrimp and chicken hibachi was super salty. Presentation though was good.
(2)M. K.
I like this place better than Shiki Sushi (located directly across the street). Their rolls are more creative (imho), AND we can sit in our little room with Shoji doors! Sadly we end up dining at Shiki more often because they have a few Thai options, which is my bf's fave. So, back to this place. I can't speak to the steakhouse/grill portion of the restaurant because we've only come for sushi, but they have the awesome BOGO deal here. There's also a few 'dessert' rolls topped with mango, strawberries, etc. Yummy. Service is always super friendly, and you get a complimentary app of shrimp/puffed rice cakes? (Not a fan, but appreciate the idea..) I hope this place does well!
(4)Jim N.
Went here for early dinner tonight with teenage grand kids; it was outstanding. Excellent menu options, including sushi & traditional favorites. We opted for Hibachi chicken, steak. & shrimp and were not disappointed. Good flavors & excellent showmanship. The ginger salad dressing alone is worth the trip! Reasonable prices made it easy to say "we'll be back".
(4)David A.
Place we wanted to go to was closed so decided to check this out. Good atmosphere, not too crowded. Great service and fun chefs. We hadn't had teppanyaki in a while and the grub here hit the spot at a fair price.
(4)Katie H.
I love this place! It is the best Japanese Steakhouse I have been to. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. The hibachi chefs are awesome, funny, friendly, and amazing. The onion soup starter is to die for. I am so happy it opened so close to my house!
(5)Nick K.
I have now been here twice and I can say for sure, I will not go back. A roll with the same name at another restaurant may not be the same here. Food was slow, service was slow on a Tuesday night. Chicken teriyaki was plain. Hibachi steak was over cooked. Alcoholic drinks were poured badly. Waitress was polite but was apologizing to an annoying extent that we asked her to stop. Silver lining was that she brought a cup cake for my sister's birthday.
(1)Tonnika H.
I can only rave about the sushi bar. This place is conveniently located and isn't very busy. Great sushi perfect price. I am not a fan of their Habachi at all but when it comes to sushi they are on point.
(4)Barbara B.
Boyfriend and I wandered in here after accidentally trying (and failing) to go to Shiki Sushi the day they reopened. The wait was an hour so we decided to just drive across the street and check out one of the Asian places there. What a great stroke of luck! Ai Fuji does the traditional hibachi show but also has a section if you're not feeling like getting food tossed at you to catch or having your food set on fire in front of you. The chef we had was fun and engaging and the portions are absolutely huge! I also really loved the creamy mayo sauce they had complement the hibachi afterwards. I've already been back once and bf and I are going again soon. I highly recommend this place! Food: 4/5 Other: 4/5 (Service: 4/5, Value: 5/5)
(4)M P.
Probably the best sushi I've tried in Durham, although that really doesn't say much, because decent sushi is seriously lacking in the area. This restaurant has a sushi section and a grill section (Benihana-style). Unfortunately guests are forced to pick one or the other before being seated and having a chance to review the menu. Slightly annoying, but understandable. Other than that, they had fresh fish for the rolls and decent selection of creative rolls. Menu is heavily biased toward Americanized rolls... I don't think there was much sashimi/chirashi on the menu.
(3)Jeff G.
Nice ambience. Long list of terrible beers. Alleged cocktail specials but wasn't provided with a cocktail list. Salad was slightly brown iceberg lettuce with watery ranch dressing. Appetizer special was a variation on crab rangoons and was wonderful. Service was very attentive but each course came out so fast I had barely gotten started on the last one. Therefore the hibachi shrimp and steak was lukewarm when I got to it. The shrimp were big and the meat tender, but both tasted kind of bad and not fresh. Kind of wondering if I will be getting food poisoning later. Shiki across the street has better ambiance and beer, and I guess the food is better...
(2)Evan Q.
Don't be lured in by 50% off sushi because although you pay half price, the rolls are half the size. Besides the size, the quality of the fish was dismal, and the rolls were packed tightly. The ambiance will leave you thinking you've walked into a 1984 Miami Vice episode with the dark black walls and neon blue lights at the bar. To top off the level of service at the 'steakhouse' your drinks come served in beautiful tall plastic red Coca-Cola cups just like at Pizza Hut. We'll be looking elsewhere for sushi and can't believe it received four stars.
(1)Ashley S.
I've been here once just for sushi and it was great! The buy one get one free sushi is such a great deal! They also had a beer special that night- all beer was 1/2 off. Pretty good deal for a Saturday night! The sushi tasted very fresh and had great flavor. Our server was very friendly and helpful in answering questions we had about certain rolls. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Lauren H.
Yum. Ok so after shiki took a turn for the worse I have been trying to find another good sushi place. FOUND IT! Woo hoo. The buy one get one free deal is fabulous. And they don't skimp on the quality or portions. We didn't try the hibachi side so I can't comment on that. But go for the sushi. Great value and great taste!
(4)Heather D.
This place is amazing. So happy that I found it randomly. I've been a few times and it has been empty. I always sit at the sushi bar and talk to the chefs who have been super nice. The BOGO sushi rolls are huge! Ridiculous how much food they give you. Plus, I love the special touches they do with the crab chips before your meal and little shot of juice after your meal. Excellent atmosphere and good drink specials too.
(5)Brandon G.
New to the Durham area but lived in Raleigh my whole life. Raleigh has a few great sushi places so we've been trying to figure out where the Durham spot for sushi is. Shiki sushi is right across the street from ai fuji so we'll try that in the future as well. But as for ai fuji, no frills and delicious. Not the best sushi I've ever had by a long shot, but with BOGO specialty rolls, I don't care! Usually bogo places rub me the wrong way because I think, the best sushi places don't have to discount. The rolls cost what they cost, and people will pay it because they're worth it. However these were very fresh tasting and I couldn't complain one bit about them. We had also heard that their hibachi was worth a try so once we saw the prices of the sushi, we thought why not try that as well? Girlfriend ordered their filet mignon hibachi which came out tender, flavorful, and not overly salty/saucy like a lot of other hibachi places. Very good. All in all we got 4 specialty rolls, 2 basic rolls and a filet hibachi dinner for $65 bucks! The hibachi accounted for $18 of that total and the sushi we ordered was more than enough for the two of us. So really you can get a great sushi dinner for around $45 here! Knowing that, we will certainly be back.
(4)Shirley S.
I have been here twice. First time we set down at the grill and was entertained by the chief. It was fun and interesting especially the first time there. The second time we passed on the grill, and set down on a table which was still very nice. The female waitress was cheerful and knowledgeable. The sushi roll was buy one get one free, and the hibachi had reasonable portion. it came with a bowl of soup, salad, and rice. I have been around the chapel hill area for 10 years, and have been to many different Japanese restaurants. Ai Fuji is so far my favorite and I will definitely come back.
(5)Annmarie M.
Review for sushi not for hibachi. The hibachi looks very well done though. The first time we visited it was great, so reasonable and tasted great. The second time the fish, especially the sashimi, was terrible. It was a day or two after a big snow storm and the airport had been closed so maybe nobody was getting fresh fish in, but it was super disappointing, like the worst I've ever tasted. Some of it tasted like it might have been frozen at some point. I guess I'll have to go give it another shot and then update. Still the prices are good and even when it's busy you can get in without a wait on a Friday night.
(3)Gustavo D.
For a BOGO sushi restaurant, it's by far the best in the Triangle. The sushi chefs are very polite, efficient, and knowledgable. The sashimi is so delicious and their cuts are far and beyond better than most sushi restaurants. I recommend this restaurant to anybody looking for sushi, a lot of sushi, and not wanting to pay $100 per head. Eat here. Now.
(5)Amanda M.
Very good hibachi. We ate there a bit early on a Friday night, but they had no problem seating us at our own huge table with our own personal chef. At other places I've had to wait for at least another party before they would serve us. Food was tasty and chef was entertaining. Defiantly our go to hibachi place.
(4)Chris K.
Run, don't walk to this new hibachi and sushi restaurant in south Durham!! We received a coupon in the mail from the restaurant and decided to give it a whirl. It was way too slow for a Tuesday night, but we thought, what the heck! We opted for the "Holiday special" which was steak, shrimp & chicken for two with soup and salad for $39.95. With our $5.00 off coupon it sounded like a fair price. The miso soup was nice with some mushrooms and thinly sliced green onion as well as slivers of ginger. The salad, with traditional ginger dressing, was delicious! They also started off with some shrimp chips that were light as air with a little kick to them. Our chef was friendly and humorous. He had a few tricks and cooked a wonderful meal quicker than most do at the hibachi. The shrimp are huge, as are the chicken breasts and the steak was somewhat thin, but ample. Everything was cooked wonderfully, including a nice selection of veggies (broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and onions) with rice and diced up fried eggs. The dipping sauces (ginger & "yum-yum") are really some of the best I've Ever had!! Tons of leftovers too!! As I said, run, don't walk to this place! If they don't start to get busy, not sure they'll make it, which would be a shame. Beautiful, bright new grills and nicely decorated interior with a staff that is wanting everyone to enjoy the experience. We did!
(4)Damo B.
Didnt really think much of the Hibachi steak out here and a Japanese rest that dissappoints at Hibachi is best avoided.
(2)Lawrence S.
There is not much to say. The food was below average. We ordered the dinner for two special. It came with an appetizer, soup and salad, and a hibachi entree. We chose the pan seared pot stickers for the appetizer which taste like they came out of the frozen food section of Walmart. The salads had a ginger dressing which was watered down. The hibachi plates (steak and shrimp and chicken and shrimp) were just okay. We will not be back. There are better options available.
(2)Matt K.
We finally made it by to try the hibachi grill and I'm happy to add another star to my review. Ai Fuji does a great job. We visited on a Monday and the place was empty. We ended up having our own personal chef (Kenn) who did a great job with the entertainment portion and the actual food preparation. Our final bill was $55 (not including tip) for two dinners (steak & scallop and noodle lovers), two sushi rolls (Super Bowl and New York) and two beers and a hot tea. Beer was 1/2 off draft and bottles (Sat, Sun and Mon if I read correctly). The best part was we had enough leftovers for about three more servings, though the third leftover serving was pretty much all fried rice. There are frequently coupons in the mail and even some on their website. I wish we would have thought of it, but since we decided to visit out of the blue, we missed out on some more savings. The sushi was still just okay, but the steak and scallop quality was fine. I went for the basic steak and had it prepped rare. It was tender enough considering it wasn't a fancy cut. The veggies tasted fine even though they were obviously, pre-sliced straight from a bag (how do they cut the carrots like that?). We will definitely visit again for hibachi.
(4)Mich S.
Summary: BOGO sushi, awesome and filling. Prompt service and easy to find and park. As a college student with sushi on the brain, BOGO (buy one, get one at an equal or lesser value) is a godsend. I order four rolls: the spicy salmon, Alaska, Rainbow, and spider roll because my eyes were bigger than my stomach. The rice to fish ratio is 3 to 1, so that was a slight bummer but it meant that I took the leftovers home, which promptly ate it an hour late while binging on Netflix like a classy person. Service was prompt, our server was attentive without being overbearing. Parking was plentiful, and bizarrely, I find it very convenient that there's a grocery store so close since I basically live off cereal and milk and the binge eating of sushi. The interior was relaxing with plenty of seating and room. I had a bite of a friend's lunch hibachi combo and it was tasty, although the ginger dressing tasted like it had way too much mayo, so like ranch meets ginger sauce. Overall: Definitely a great place for affordable sushi dining.
(4)Kathryn E.
Meh....I really don't have many eloquent words to descibe my experience. I had high hopes since my fellow yelpers have given it good ratings thus far...but it just lacked any sort of chutzpah that gets a 4/5 from me. My friend and I both had hibachi chicken and scallops which were fine but nothing special. Interestingly, it was basically empty on a Saturday night at 8pm which is never a good sign. I think it has potential but probably needs a little somethin-somethin to kick start the biz. Differentiate yourself!!!!
(3)Mark U.
fantastic pricing was great! service was better! and only complaint was the chairs were a little uncomfortable because I sat for a long time and I have a bony butt hahaha. went for dinner placed reservations and everything was perfect I will be back! i had the chicken and shrimp plate i thought i wanted extra meat haha with the soup and salad and the rice i was full lol didn't need extra meat
(5)Jaimey H.
This is the newest Japanese Steakhouse located in the shopping center where the Kroger and Ruby Tuesday is on Hwy 54. The layout is nice and spacious and i like that you can alternate between the bar, a table, or a the grill. My friend and I opted for a table and I'm glad we did because the grill was super loud with the show the chefs were putting on, but we were just interested in having a nice meal and conversation. The food isn't bad. We got the holiday special which was hibachi steak, chicken and shrimp for2 at 39.99. But something was lacking. I didn't particularly care for the ginger sauce and the white sauce was a little on the bland side. I wish I could get 1/2 stars because this place is def good for 3 1/2, but for now 3 will have to do.
(3)Kerianne S.
This place is excellent. It reminds me of Japanese places back in New York. We had the Chicken Yaki Udon and the Chicken Teriyaki Dinner Bento. They were super tasty! The soup was okay, and the salad had a good ginger sauce. This place also has a really awesome Hibachi performance, which I haven't seen in any other restaurant nearby. So many places claim to have hibachi and don't actually hold performances! This place is super awesome. Also has the most actual Japanese dishes of any 'Japanese' place in this town.
(5)Andrea P.
This restaurant just opened 1 week ago today so we decided we would give it a try! When you walk in you are given a choice of where to sit. Your options include: The sushi Bar area (a very large separate area), a booth in another separate area of the restaurant or at the grill area where the cook the food in front of you! We choose a booth! Service was attentive and our waiter was very friendly and extremely helpful! After your drink order is taken the waiter brings out 'chips'. These "Chips" are hard to describe so I won't try...but they were really good! The waiter even asked if I wanted some to take home with me! :-) My friend ordered the Vegetable Fried Rice and the portion was HUGE! I got to grab a bite and it had a lot of flavor!!! I took advantage of the sushi menu which is BOGO! I ordered the Dynamite Role (deep fired roll with white tuna, cream cheese, and crab stick) and the Crunchy Roll (Kani, tempura flakes, tobiko and spicy mayo topped with shrimp and crab). The presentation was beautiful and the taste and flavors were REALLY GOOD! I recommend to get a side of Spicy Mayo to dip your sushi in! After the meal the waiter brought us the cutest sliced orange (presentation was also amazing) for dessert! When we left he brought us a to go menu and coupons for our next visit!!! I think we will try to grill area next time, it sounded like they were having a pretty good time back there!
(5)lindsey l.
We had a great dinner here with my husband and parents. We sat at the hibachi grill with another couple and their young daughter (who was adorable by the way.) Our chef of personable, interactive, and very funny. I've been to a dozen different hibachi grills and never had a chef with so many fun cooking tricks. The food was great too and prices right on par with the quality and portions which were huge! If we hadn't been so hungry, there definitely would have been left overs for lunch the next day. We will probably go back for sushi sometime because the non-hibachi area looked really cool with blue mood lighting and stuff. Give it a shot!
(4)Lisa C.
Just found my favorite japanese restaurant in the triangle area! Best sushi I've tried in nc. They have buy one get one free (bogo) and 10% duke discount (not applicable to bogo). Cool they have lunch specials and deals on the weekend as well. The sushi rolls are large portions of deliciousness. Husband got the miso soup, salad with ginger dressing, and steak and shrimp Hibachi lunch special that came with 2 tasty dipping sauces. Everything was oh so good, definitely will be back. Fast quick friendly attentive service. Large restaurant and no wait. Cool clean decor. Go check it out.
(5)Allison S.
Ate here for regular hibachi style food, but chose not to sit at a cook in front of you table. The food had a chemical smell and taste. The bartender/waiter tried really hard to make the experience great but he was not knowledgable on the menu. Ended up sick for the following two days - can't blame the food but oddly coincidental.
(2)Caroline W.
I have had hibachi here several times now and really think this place is a gem. The food is consistently fresh and the service has always been stellar (polite and professional waitstaff, friendly and entertaining chefs). I believe this restaurant is better than Kanki in terms of the taste and quantity of food and fair prices. I suggest the hibachi lunch specials which include a soup or salad with chicken and beef (there are other meats as well) over veggies and rice for around $10 per person. There is always a decent drink special going on and the bar, though i have never sat there, looks fantastic-large, lit with good ambiance and seemingly well stocked. The restaurant is very clean and unfortunately, is typically pretty empty. However, I'm not sure why given that its really an excellent place to go. I'm hoping that the reason for the lack of customers is due to the word not getting out yet. Go check it out!
(5)Rachael W.
As newcomers to the area, we weren't sure where to head for Sushi on a Sunday night, but we were very glad we stopped in here. My husband, 3 year old son and I all went. It was not very busy (it was later than the usual dinner rush) and the staff was both pleasant and helpful. We ordered the gyoza and banana tempura (YUM!) for apps, then each had a soup. My miso soup was a bit sweeter than I liked it, but my husband had no complaints, and also liked his onion soup. Our son was a HUGE fan of the banana tempura, and also loved his Crispy Honey Shrimp. When we asked for kids chopsticks for him, they brought them out quickly, and seemed to have a number of them on hand. Between the two of us, my husband and I ordered 6 rolls - the sweet potato roll, the eel roll, the Ai Fuji roll, the Dragon Roll, the Dream Roll and the Hawaii roll. The first two were good, but stock standard rolls. The Dragon Roll is one of my usual favorites, and I was not disappointed - it was flavorful and generous. The Ai Fuji roll was better than average special roll and we enjoyed it. The Hawaii roll was new for both of us, as it had pineapple inside and kiwi on top. It was almost like a dessert roll, with a bright fresh flavor - we used it as a palate cleanser as well. The Dream Roll however, lived up to its name. I will be having dreams about this roll. It was extremely well-balanced and flavorful. For dessert, we finished up with the mango mochi, the chocolate ice cream and the chocolate cake - all of which was very good. The best part for us what that the rolls are BOGO. Overall, we loved this place, and it's going to be our sushi place now that we're settled.
(5)Jillery Ellen S.
WOW excellent food. i had hibachi tonight- vegetarian. others had sushi and they have a 2 for one deal. happy with their sushi. great service. fun chef clean lovely atmosphere!
(5)Alison L.
I got sick after eating the sushi here. BOGO is a good deal and interior decor is nice, but the food didn't taste awful. If I ever come back, it owuld be to try the hibachi.
(2)Heather C.
Great hibachi! Short wait for a table and the waitstaff are the best I have ever encountered at a restaurant in a long time. Very friendly and attentive. Thank you!
(5)Dale H.
My friend and I were in the area and decided to stop in at Ai Fuji for lunch. I'm glad we did. I was fairly impressed by the interior. It's much larger than I expected. It's also nice to have a variety of seating options - they have booths, regular tables, high round cocktail tables, sushi counter seating and seating at the hibachi grill. We opted for a booth near the small private rooms with the soji screen doors. It's a nice interior but also pretty dark. We came in from a bright sunny day so it took a few moments to adjust. My friend was disappointed that they didn't have a sashimi lunch special but he was fine ordering it from the regular menu. I had the hibachi filet mignon lunch special with a green salad. The salad was good but they went a bit heavy on ginger dressing. It was very creamy (too much mayo?) and there was too much of it in the bottom of the bowl. The hibachi dish was delicious. The veggies and steak were cooked to perfection, I loved the rice, and really didn't need the dipping sauces. My friend enjoyed the sashimi selection. The cuts were generous, and I had to help him finish the Tuna roll. He also said the miso soup was good. Our waitress / server was obviously new at her job and seemed nervous and a bit awkward but it didn't take away from our experience there. Overall I'm pretty pleased with our first meal at Ai Fuji. I'll definitely return.
(4)Chrisy T.
Love this place! First time in and what a nice surprise.. Very cool atmosphere, friendly staff & Sushi was FRESH! I recommend the "South Beach Roll" & Seafood Soup was yummy! Will be back.......
(5)Deseree S.
I had been fiending for Salmon Teriyaki for a while so after taking in a movie at Southpoint, we headed over to this restaurant for lunch. The interior was absolutely gorgeous. Our waitress was very attentive and the food came out quick. I ordered the Salmon Teriyaki and my sister ordered the Chicken Teriyaki. My food was very good; however, my sister's, which I ended up eating half of later at home, was very dry. The Sushi we ordered was just okay. While a beautiful presentation, my shrimp tempura had a little too much cucumber and not enough shrimp. I also ordered a Tequila Sunrise and it was watered down.
(4)Haylee N.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AI FUJI. My husband and I go there so often we're always recognized by the staff. We've tried just about everything on the hibachi menu, a couple of the appetizers, and a few kinds of sushi. All delicious. They're usually not very busy, so you're guaranteed a seat immediately. Best hibachi place in town, and we've tried them all. Ai fuji tastes best, has the biggest portions, and is the lowest priced. Service is always great and the chefs are all talented and very willing to cater to your preferences.
(5)Southpoint G.
This steakhouse just opened up about a week or so ago and it is WONDERFUL! They have a beautiful sushi bar with blue lighting and amazing sushi chefs. The restaurant is separated into sections: Hibachi and the regular restaurant section. There are little private rooms in the Restaurant section for more intimate dining which I was able to enjoy. The Hibachi chef's are very animated and even more talented! The Sushi is all, buy one roll get one free and it is SO good. I definitly recommend checking it out. You will not be disappointed. :) Side note: they do not split the checks if sushi is ordered so don't try to persuade them.
(5)Mike A.
I have been looking for a good Hibachi restaurant since I moved from NJ years ago and Ai Fuji was the best I've been to in NC. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly AND Asian which in my book is a HUGE plus! The food was very tasty seasoned very well. When you sit down they serve you complimentry shrimp chips which are shrimp flavored freshly made rice chips which were very tastee, they reminded me of the "shrimp toast" we used to get in Chinese restaurants up north. The soup that comes with the hibachi meal was good, mild onion flavor. The ginger dressing on the salad was a bit creamier than i typically like for a ginger dressing but good anyone. We had the filet and shrimp hibachi, the portion was large and again cooked very well. They also had mustard sauce as a dipping sauce which isnt standard but I got it when I asked. Will definatley go back.
(4)Hector R.
Sushi Experience: great choices, sashimi was fresh and tasty. "Special" rolls were delicious and great size. Sashimi and Rolls were BOGO free! Def recommend for sushi. Great price!! 4 special rolls, 2 sashimi, and large sake $50
(4)Tracey R.
A great hibachi restaurant! We stumbled upon this place on a Friday night and sat at the grill. The atmosphere is very nice and the service was outstanding. The food was great and our hibachi chef was really entertaining and original. I will definitely be back again.
(5)James O.
It took us a while to get to Ai Fuji, located in the space formerly occupied by Blockbuster in the Kroger plaza. In short, the sushi was decent, not great, but the grill items were fantastic. And the service is great. One thing we've noticed about the ever-expanding Shiki Empire across the street is that the service has gone downhill (and we've been going there since they occupied a single storefront space 6-7 years ago). If Ai Fuji is to differentiate itself, the key will be their service and the fun experience of sitting at the grill. So check it out!
(4)Angie A.
I'm definitely a fan of this place. Wonderful service. Good food, although I've only had the sushi. It's very reasonably priced with the BOGO and they are larger-sized rolls. However, this place needs more publicity because it is very slow, even for the weekend. sad
(4)Jakia B.
Great rice, really flavorful. Good vegetables. They could do better on thw steak though.
(3)Jason M.
I took my kids to Ai Fuji for a special night out. We had a blast and the kids loved their first experience with Hibachi! The cook was very funny and did a great job keeping the kids' attention. The food was great too!
(4)Dennis S.
One of our best overall dining experiences in a long time! Decor is elegant and peaceful. Staff from the mgr. thru the wait staff are uniformly welcoming, pleasant & helpful. The food is outstanding, based on our off-the-regular-menu order of Hibachi chicken dinners and a upper-tier 2-for-1 sushi special. Every food item was quite good, including the fried "rice chips," the soups, and the dipping sauces and ginger salad dressing. With our $5 coupon, our dinner came to just over $32, and we took half of our 8-pc. sushi and one of our dinner dishes home--a big bang for the buck! Hopefully the rainy Thur. night that we went had a bearing on the small turnout that was made even more noticeable by the spacious serving areas. Or it could be that this 3-mos. old restaurant is still building a following. We highly recommend it, and plan to frequent it in hopes of seeing it become an established fixture in this area.
(5)Caroline S.
The newest sushi/hibachi restaurant in Durham is a hit! Checked out Ai Fuji on a slow Sunday night, but the lack of customers didn't mean any sacrifice for a good show or good service. The restaurant is massive - with a large sushi and bar area, a number of regular tables and 10+ hibachi tables. The hibachi "show" was one of the better ones I've seen, the service was good and the food was good. Only complaint is that the chicken hibachi is coated in an additional sauce (other than soy, maybe like a hoisin sauce) that makes a little too greasy. Other than that they offer the same soup, salad starters and shrimp chips. Portions are huge (when are they not at a hibachi restaurant?!). If you live in the Durham area check out your ValuPack as they offer a coupon for $5 off or 20% off or free dessert. If you don't have a coupon, no worries they seem to have some good deals like combo meals with free appetizers.
(4)Gretta G.
Our hibachi chef was hilarious and very exuberant! We had a great time! We ordered filet mignon hibachi. The salad was delicious and the onion was good but not great. I ordered the hot tea and it was pretty good. The decor was charming with a nice long sushi bar. The service was excellent and we will definitely be returning!
(4)Ravi M.
This is my go to place for lunch with my daughter when its just the two of us. She loves the show the chefs put on. We have had two different chefs so far and they both were great with kids. We have been here twice and have always been entertained and the food has always been delicious. My favorite meal is the steak and shrimp. I would recommend getting the filet mignon instead of the regular steak, their regular steak is a little dry. My daughter loves the chicken kids meal. She also enjoys eating with the kid's chopstick they provide. We plan on coming back every few months.
(5)Laura T.
I had the filet with shrimp hibachi plus a super crunchy sushi roll to start. Filet was incredible - perfectly cooked and delicious. The shrimp was overcooked and not worth the extra money. Only got six shrimp for the combo meal, and everyone else already got 2 shrimp with the appetizer. So I basically paid and extra dollar per shrimp for the 4 extra. The sushi roll was greasy and had no flavor. Maybe it would have been better if I got a non-fried roll. Either way, I don't plan on ordering sushi here again. Shiki across the street is better sushi. The seafood sauce was a bit too sweet for my tastes, but still good. The fried rice was okay but had several hard grains still in the mix. Service was good. The cook was entertaining, though pretty standard for a hibachi place. The creamy ginger dressing on the salad was a delightful surprise - very good.
(3)Lisa W.
Average is the word I was use to describe Ai Fuji. If this place was the only sushi in town I might be singing a different tune but sadly they are located across the street from Shiki Sushi which in my humble opinion does a better job at sushi. Ai Fuji has a large menu and some great drink specials. They offer Hibachi dinning with the cook top and show which Shiki does not so if that is what you are looking for then Ai Fuji is your place. I only dined at the sushi bar and was not super impressed. Service and the Sushi Chief were sweet and answered any questions we had. You can tell they try hard to please their customers. My friend and I ordered Martinis since they were $5 that night and they were average. We ordered the Dragon Roll, Superbowl Roll, Sexy Girl Roll, and the Tokyo Roll along with Nigiri Red Snapper and Smoked Salmon. The Nigiri which is also BOGO was large and fresh and while the sushi wasn't bad it was just.... average. With several drinks and our sushi our bill was only $62 which is on the cheap side. I think if you want Hibachi and/or a cheaper sushi experience (you get what you pay for) I was suggest Ai Fuji but don't expect to be wowed. BOGO sushi every day all day to include Nigiri and Sashimi * Not valid on split checks Drink Specials: Sunday: 1/2 Price Cold Sake Large Carafe/ Nigori Sake Monday: 1/2 Draft & Bottle Beer Tuesday: 1/2 Price Bottle of Wine Wednesday: $4.95 Large Hot Sake Thursday: $5.00 Martini & Margaritas Friday: 1/2 Draft & Bottle Beers Saturday: 1/2 Draft & Bottle Beers
(2)Mei O.
I've only had hibachi here, so I can't comment on how the sushi is. The hibachi was good, but nothing too spectacular. They definitely had good sauces to put on your food, which is what really made the meal. Our hibachi chef was going for dead-pan humor, and it was entertaining, but he was in, made our food, and then out. Basically, set your expectations relatively low and you will not be disappointed.
(3)Rachael C.
Sushi was mediocre at best! Don't recommend their sushi!! But atmosphere was very nice & people were very helpful & kind!
(1)Holly L.
I did not want to love this place but I did. I love to go at lunch. The staff is always super friendly and accommodating and the food has always been fresh. The drink specials don't hurt either!
(4)Shawn C.
We recently had a gathering at this restaurant for a reunion. And I was really impressed with the chef! I have been to many japanese steakhouses and he surprised us with lots of new tricks! 2 members of our party were from Denmark and had never been and they also were very entertained! The food was really good, although my daughter and myself thought the chicken was a little dry and I am not sure why ALL of the chicken had teryaki sauce on it. The prices were very reasonable for lunch. the sushi we had was nice also. my negative would probably be the bathrooms, I have an adversty to black toilets/sinks- you cant tell if they are clean or not. weird I know but it bothers me. staff was very friendly.
(5)Isaac A.
The tempura is great. Loved the ginger salad dressing
(4)Jesse T.
This place is 1000 x better than Kanki. The entertainment was awesome, Thanks Adam(Our Chef). The food was great. Our waiter (Michael) was awesome too, I never saw the bottom of my drink and never had to ask for anything. He just knew. You have to try the calamari. All the food was spectacular but it stood out above the rest.
(5)Carrie V.
We went to Ai Fuji (for the first time) on a Saturday evening and the place was pretty empty. The sushi was good, but it was all covered in masago (fish eggs) even when it wasn't listed in the menu description, so if you don't care for it, you may want to inquire before ordering. The hibachi food was good. The service was mediocre. The waitress was extremely timid and not at all knowledgable about the standard drinks that we ordered from the bar. Overall, our experience was fine, but it was not a restaurant that I would go back to. Khanki is much better overall if you're looking for a hibachi experience.
(2)John Kimin K.
Ai Fuji wasn't any spectacular, but is not a restaurant to overlook. I went in there for lunch time so it wasn't busy at all. However, I have heard that Ai Fuji does get quite busy during dinner times. The first thing I noticed was the darkness of the restaurant. It wasn't, by any means, a restaurant requiring extreme formalities. But the atmosphere and aura of the restaurant set off that kind of tone when you initially walk in so it was somewhat intimidating. Besides that, the food and service were good. I got the Hibachi Chicken and my girlfriend got the Chicken Teriyaki, which we were both satisfied with. They overdo the ginger dressing on the salad, so I had to actually take some out before eating the appetizer. Also, the proportion of vegetables that they give compared to the actual meat was overwhelming (nearly twice the amount of vegetables compared to the chicken). Other than that, Ai Fuji was a good experience and a place that would be worth coming back to.
(3)Jennifer S.
My absolute favorite Japanese restaurant ever. The prices are amazing, the staff is super nice, the food amazing! The decor/style isn't as nice as the chains, but that's not why I go to a restaurant. 5 star on what matters - service and food!
(5)Francisco C.
It's hard to find a good sushi place in Durham... Maybe it's just me, as I'm a California native. I have tired several of Ai Fuji's special rolls and they are good. Nothing too special, but definitely not bad. The Crazy Tuna roll is always a solid choice here! I can't speak for the hibachi items, but it is fun to watch them throw the food around and light things on fire. They also have the "buy one get one free" deal that most sushi places have which is nice. I would recommend this place to get your sushi fix, it's nice for a quick take-out dinner or weekend lunch.
(3)Neha p.
Food was pretty good. The service was great and our server came around a few times to make sure everything was good. The green tea ice cream is delicious.
(4)Connie L.
went for my birthday dinner and did teppanyaki/hibachi! it was one of the BEST and most entertaining dinners I have ever had! the chef was SO funny and included us in the show they also gave me a little cupcake w/ a candle at the end LOVE this place!:]
(5)Sarah G.
The spicy sauce is incredible. The fish is all extremely fresh and well-cut. The tempura, even after a 15 minute sit to bring home in traffic was crunchy, flavorful, and not too oily. Everything was cut neatly and presented beautifully. We ordered takeout, and the staff was friendly, courteous, and made sure to box rolls that we had asked for "no avocado" were boxed separately in case of allergies. The buy one get one cannot be beat for sushi of this quality! We will be back!!!!
(5)kelly c.
The best thing about this place is the entertaining chef. He was hilarious. The food was fine. I had both hibatchi and sushi. They are these great little private rooms in the front which are great for a small group.
(4)Alise E.
Awsome food and the staff is very nice. It was raining the day we went and we didnt have an umbrella, so they gave us two brand new umbrella's. Great customer service!!!
(5)Sarah S.
Best sushi I've had in Durham so far! (Although Durham does not seem to have very good sushi, so make of that what you will). Spacious and attractive environment, nice staff, and yummy crunchy rice cake thingies as a free starter. Definitely give it a try!
(4)Jared W.
Ai Fuji is a pretty average Japanese Steakhouse (haven't tried the sushi so can't comment). If you've been to another teppanyaki style steakhouse before this will likely meet your expectations but not exceed them. I ordered the hibachi chicken & steak and my girlfriend ordered chicken & shrimp. We also ordered gyoza dumplings, since they had a date night special for a free appetizer. They were decent but nothing special. The meal started with onion/miso soup and salads, which were both very standard. We asked for dressing on the side, but our salads were still covered in ranch. The waiter apologized but didn't fix the mistake, which was slightly annoying. The hibachi chef was fairly entertaining but didn't do anything out of the ordinary, and he cooked the fried rice much before the vegetables and even longer before the meat. The different meats also came out at much different times, so we were given rice then veggies then steak then chicken then shrimp and forced to wait for our whole dish to be ready while the rest got cold or else eat the meal one item at a time. This also slightly annoyed me, simply because the chef was being very slow but providing little entertainment at the same time. The price was around $40 for two people which was reasonable, but I would probably not return unless really in the mood for hibachi.
(3)Nikita L.
We weren't gonna come here if the 8- course prefixed sushi place took walk-ins. Since we were on the area and hungry, we yelped Jap food nearby, and this place showed up. Since it's got 4 stars, we figured we'd give it a shot. Turned out it was a bad choice. Food is mediocre.... The hibachi area is just tacky. My company got stomach problem right after we ate. Won't come back again..
(2)john s.
We used to go to the sushi restaurant across the street but stopped due to horrible service. In contrast, the service at Ai Fuji could not be more attentive and friendly. The sushi menu is fairly extensive, and BOGO rolls are available every day as are half price drink specials. If you want to avoid the noise, crowds and poor service at other nearby sushi restaurants, come to Ai Fuji and you won't be disappointed.
(5)Alexandra W.
Great atmosphere, awesome staff, delicious food! Very query on a Monday night but was very nice night with boyfriend.
(5)Brenna D.
This place looks retro-tacky on the inside and our waitress, Abbe, was very nice. My friend and I came in for sushi for lunch today and we're deeply dissatisfied. We eat at Shiki Sushi all the time. We ordered 3 sashimi and 6 sushi rolls. The sashimi was bland and chewy. Oh! not to mention the calamari. Disgusting. Overdone, obviously frozen, chewy strips. Never had calamari that looked or tastes like this before. Anyways, the sushi was just not good. We enjoyed 2/6 rolls. The shrimp on the rolls were chewy and overdone, and salmon as flavorless as ever. The flavors in the rolls just DO NOT go good with each other. The Duke roll was the only one that was decent really. If you want good sushi, just to go shiki, pay a few extra dollars for food that is five stars all the way down the charts. We definitely won't be returning.
(1)Erin W.
Fresh off a home inspection, we decided to give Ai Fuji a shot. We are on the hunt for a good sushi place to make our new go-to spot. I hate to give it only two stars because our service was fine, but the sushi was not what I was looking for. The ambiance is what you'd expect from a Japanese steakhouse, dark with lots of flags and neon, but also a bit out-dated. It was also very cold and nearly empty in there which was a little eerie for such a large place. The sushi itself was disappointing. The rice wasn't seasoned well enough and fell apart in the soy sauce. I was excited that the menu listed 'crab meat' and 'crab stick' - assuming that when they listed something as 'crab meat'- instead of 'crab stick', which they also used in some descriptions - that it would be real crab meat from a real crab. This was not the case. We ended up with 3 out of 4 of our rolls containing crab stick - including the futomaki roll which is traditionally pickles and egg only. I might give it another try, avoiding anything that might have crab stick, but despite the cheap hot sake and BOGO deals, Ai Fuji just didn't do it for me.
(2)Yvonne C.
Update: I returned a week ago for some hibachi and I was so disappointed! The service was fine. They were not busy so my waiter had all the time in the world for our table. The food is where they lost 3 stars. I wish I had taken a photo to show how bad it was. My salad with the ginger dressing was terrible, I could have had better at home. The lettuce was going bad and was forming that orange color on half of the lettuce. The "ginger dressing" did not look like the ginger dressings I'm accustomed to. It instead looked like watered down thousand island and tasted like watered down, fake ginger dressing. It was just bad. On to the hibachi. The chef was a mediocre entertainer. The food was good, not bad not great. Overall, I would probably not return for hibachi. I'd only return to give them a second chance, because maybe this experience was a fluke. I will never order a salad again unless they fix these problems. Hopefully their sushi is still good, as I didn't order any when I got hibachi.
(2)Charlie F.
It was going fine until about 10 minutes into the meal when the hibachi chef on the other side of the dining room threw what smelled like a dirty old gym sock on the griddle. After that, everything just tasted weird.
(2)Bill D.
I enjoy Japanese Steakhouses,there are a few in Durham and this one is the best! I had hibachi chicken and veggies which comes with soup and salad like most. Everything was above average but the service was excellent and chef Andy is the best most entertaining chef I have ever experienced! First he says show is about to start and for the next thirty minutes the whole table is howling in laughter while he cooks and performs. All the while singing everything from shakira to John Denver! What an awesome experience! Go and ask for Andy we will be bringing more friends soon,
(5)Elyse N.
Great food! Fresh sushi! Great service! Much better than other local and nearby sushi places (try the spicy tuna sandwich!). Hibachi is flavorful. Seafood soup was delish! Vegetables are crisp. Very impressed. . . since it's opening have gone 3 times and have not been disappointed once
(5)Laura G.
Very friendly service and entertaining chef. I had the hibachi chicken. Everything was fresh and well prepared although the chicken was a little over cooked. Overall is was good enough but nothing particularly special to make me hope to revisit. .
(3)Jessica L.
The best hibachi in durham!
(5)Mark S.
My wife, daughter, and I enjoyed our first visit to Ai Fuji. The hibachi chef was entertaining without being over the top. The food was fresh and flavorful. I like that they don't skimp on the veggies. Shrimp and scallops combo was especially tasty. We will definitely return.
(4)