It is not nearly as good as Shumi was. If you have a knowledge of Japanese food / sushi and a decent palette, don't expect a great Omakase experience. The fish quality is okay, but the preparation, presentation and attention to detail is really lacking. Repeats, poor nigiri cuts and pieces of gunkan maki (wrapped sushi) failing apart. Chef tries, but incorporates too many ingredients. Never received salad... I could go on.. but mainly overpriced for the experience of sitting at a not so clean sushi bar with an insane amount of fruit flys and mediocre quality at best. read more

I LOVE sushi and have to say Ai sushi is hands down the best sushi restaurant in New Jersey!!! I usually go to NYC to eat sushi because I can never find a decent sushi place but I highly recommend Ai sushi if you are a sushi lover. My favorite hand roll is the Thai skin hand roll with monkfish liver definitely give it a try if you go. The owner Joy also works as the waitress at the restaurant which is rare to see. She provided us with the best service and made sure we had a great time. Update: Have not been here for 3 months and came back last night the quality of food is still amazing and delicious. read more

Really wanted to like this place after reading the reviews as I appreciate the skills it takes to make good Japanese food. Sushi was no better than many other places and their ramen stock was a bit weak. Tried twice to see if they had an off night, unfortunately no read more

I keep coming back to this place for the top quality sushi, but what really makes me feel happy is the feeling of a locally owned place, where the chef is the owner, and will come to your table and explain the different kind of fish, and servers will treat you like family. The sushi is just excellent, so fresh it melts in your mouth. The setting is not a fancy place, but it is very clean and does not feel crowded, and they will take good care of you. For groups I usually order the group platter, the chef will prepare an excellent variety of nigiri/sashimi/rolls with very good portions and a reasonable price per person. read more

Well it's basically Shumi with a name change.The food is still good. I had a lunch box and some appetizers for a Saturday lunch , which is a good time to go. Good gyoza. It's byob which is a blessing.Its calm . It's quiet. I need that. read more

I was heartbroken when I heard that Ike from Shumi was leaving. But I'm happy to report that the quality is still there. The quiet lost-in-your-own world vibe is still there. And the sense that you're entering a hidden speakeasy is still there. I don't want to sound like a jerk (but probably will), but I can't imagine why someone would eat at one of Somerville's other three (?) sushi places when this place is around. P.S. There's also a great sushi place in Hamilton (of all places) called Tsukasa. read more

Best Sushi in CNJ. People that are rating this lower than 4 stars either don't know about sushi, got bad service or don't like the location (it's inside an office building). This review is just for the sushi bar. If you usually eat sushi at a Chinese run place the key differences are at the temperature they prepare and serve the sashimi/sushi. Fish is approximately room temperature and rice is approx body temp. Also, pay attention to the flavor of the nori (toasted seaweed). Most Chinese places will serve the fish and the rice a little too cold which makes a world of a difference. I don't know much about wasabi but what they use is pretty spicy. If you can't afford the omakase just get a regular combo - its a really great value. They use really great quality cuts of fish. Service was fine, the location isn't fancy, the kitchen food may be a hit or a miss but who cares as long as the sushi is superior which is why you should come here. I was there for the first time on a Friday night I noticed a lot of regulars that knew each other there. They were all talking together along with the sushi chefs which were also funny and entertaining. So its a nice community feel there with people who are serious about their sushi. read more

It was ok. No big deal. Anticipation was built up by reviews. Slightly over treated. Not going back unless there's a coupon

This is one of the best sushi/sashimi Omakase places south of the Hudson River. I had my doubts when I saw it was nestled inside a small huddle of stores at a corner of town... and the prices seemed questionable at first (ie was it really worth it?) But it's legit and worth it (for special occasions). Really love their Spanish Mackeral (with house special sauce) and the feel of eating at the bar always awesome. read more

A little tricky to find, but the food is on point. It's a diamond in the rough. The sushi was extremely fresh, the ramen had great flavor, and the staff was courteous and professional. Would recommend for anyone looking for authentic Japanese cuisine. read more

The Bottom Line- This place has the best omakase in NJ. Food- 5/5 The omakase is terrific! They have very high quality fish (comparable to michelin star sushi restaurants in NYC) with great otoro, salmon belly, and one of my personal favorites, escolar. What's even better is that they now have Santa Barbara uni (I believe the old owners preferred to save money and would source pretty nasty uni from maine or Peru, which should never be served in any self-respecting sushi restaurant). Value- 5/5 The prices are absolutely unbeatable for the quality of the sushi they serve. Ambiance- 4/5 The dining room looks pretty dated, but it really doesn't matter much since you should only ever have omakase at the sushi bar which is nice and cozy. Service- 4/5 Good service from both the sushi chefs and wait staff. read more

Hands down the best Japanese restaurant in NJ. The sushi bar omakase is a must! John, Yoshi and Joy are wonderful!

When I was younger, my parents always used to take us to Shumi for great Japanese food, as it was the best. My mother should know, since she's from Osaka, Japan, and as the old saying goes, "Kyoto people ruin themselves for clothing. Osaka people for food." Even after I went away to college (and then moved away permanently after graduation), this is one of my must-visit restaurants when I come home to visit. I'm sad to see Aikasa-sama (who usually goes by his nickname, "Ike") go, but I'm glad that Joy (who really always has been worthy of her name), who's been working there for 14 years now, took it over and kept everything exactly the same, other than the name. The menu, the kitchen staff, the suppliers. Still the same fantastic food, still the same fantastic service, still the same restaurant I love. read more

It is missing something with the former Shumi master gone but the remaining staff is doing a good job. Shumi was 5+ stars, the service was a little slow last night but the shashimi pizza still shines and the our fish was fresh and good. Still the best place in Somerset county read more

Came to this sushi gem to celebrate my graduation with my husband! It is a nice quite atmosphere with dim lights. The servicer is very polite and friendly. The sushi are authentic, fishes are fresh, and it is a BYOB spot. The price is well worth compares to NYC sushi restaurants so my husband kept on ordering LOL! We will definitely come back next time to try their Omakase dinner. Definitely a spot that we will recommend to our family and friends. read more

Ai sushi - Sushi & Sashimi Combination for two; Toro; yellow tail jaw; monkfish liver with toro; and uni hand roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

This restaurant was formerly Shumi, which closed down a couple of weeks ago, so I had to give it a try. The Shumi waitress is the owner, and the second sushi chef who worked with Ike-San remains. Shumi was a hidden gem, authentic conservative Japanese sushi, and I was so disappointed that it closed. But I'm happy to say - the food is just as good as always! I'm a sushi snob. For me, it must be authentic without all that crap sauce to mask the flavor. It's about minimalism, the taste of fish. For those of you that remember Shumi, they kept the menu identical. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And since the chef has been there for years, it's still the same. And prices have not been raised! They made a newer menu, but still just an amazing value for the quality and quantity served! If you're uncertain, you really can't beat the value of the Sushi / Sashimi combo for 2 - for $45 you get an awesome spread! We got this along with some specialties. O-Toro just so oily and buttery - OMG! If you like trendy, fu-fu Asian food with purple neon lights, fancy-pants dishes and sauces, don't bother. This is for the sushi enthusiast looking for authentic Japanese cuisine - in New Jersey. Thanks to the owner for keeping it real! She is so sweet and wish her the best of luck and success - she truly deserves it. read more

My review likely won't matter. The guy who was our waiter (and I think the lone waiter for the restaurant) was too busy turning people away that didn't have reservations than to take care of us. We had to flag him down to take our order after an inordinate amount of time waiting for him. He had a disinterested attitude. Another guy (much nicer / friendlier) brought out our food No one came to check on us / did the food come out. We had to flag the waiter down for more water (it took a couple attempts). We tried but were unable to flag him down for more wasabi and ginger so I scraped off the remains from the others in our party. We spent more time looking for the waiter than have conversation. The food WAS very tasty and very nice presentation. That gets 5 stars. The service? 0 stars. We walked around Somerville after dinner. There's several other Sushi restaurants. There's no reason to eat here with such a broad selection so close! read more

It was great to be back at our favorite sushi place in NJ. it was like visiting old friends. We did not eat inside but took a takeout order due to the pandemic and the food was packed very nicely. The fishes were fresh and delicious as usual. They had fresh uni and good toro that night. Thank you for keeping the same service in spite of all the current challenges. read more

Really nice place and a great experience all around. A little word of caution though, the sushi can be a little pricy but I assure you it's worth it. This isn't a place I would be able to frequent but it's perfect for special occasions. Last time I was here I believe I got the sushi for two or something similar and the time before that I got ramen. Definitely enjoyed the food both times and would recommend this place to anyone looking for great high quality sushi or authentic Japanese food. read more

After reading the review in NJ Monthly magazine I couldn't wait to try it. Although their website was impressive and tantalizing the food was inedible. The grilled octopus was chewy and stringy, the Ramon had a terrible odor, the Chirashi tasted and smelled so fishy and the lunchbox was dry and wrongfully assembled. The restaurant is located in an odd location and a little tricky to find. The smell of a damp basement was overwhelming when I entered. To say I was disappointed doesn't express the extent of how I truly feel. Beware believers of NJ Monthly's reviews. read more

Fantastic restaurant. I got the $80 sushi and sashimi omakase there last night. I am still not over how good the food was. The chef and the staffs were very polite and nice. I definitely recommend. My boyfriend who doesn't like raw fish ordered food from the kitchen. He is usually very picky so I was surprised when he said he was very satisfied with the food. Only thing i didnt like was the mochi ice cream I ordered for dessert. But the restaurant is very close to Wholefoods where they sell amazing mochis. I'm coming back for my birthday next month, and can't wait. read more

We dined in yesterday evening and have never had such an uncomfortable experience in our lives. From the moment I called to see whether there were any tables available to the moment we left we were treated with incredible disrespect. It seemed tacky, odd and a way to ratchet up prices at the outset when we asked for water and were told they had only bottled water. Not a dealbreaker, but the menu is very limited and was extremely overpriced compared to other places in town which are just as good. The server, a woman, was extremely rude. The best part was when she literally threw the soy sauce and sauce bowls on our table -- it actually fell off the table. Probably the second time in my entire life that I did not leave a tip. Normally my wife would have insisted I leave one anyway, but the fact that she supported this decision tells you how unpleasant the experience was. Try Yokohama. Just as good, way less expensive, nicer ambience (this place is a little dumpy) and you can have a nice dining experience where you are treated like a human. I have seen a few folks mention possible racial discrimination. I am not going to leap to that conclusion here without more evidence, but I note that my wife is Asian and I am white. read more

Simply perfect. The fact that it's ucked in an office building with no street frontage only adds to the charm. We ordered everything monk fish liver (3 sushi hand rolls and the app) and loved every bite. Also had the seared toro salad (my favorite!) and the "pizza" which had not a trace of anything other then fish. no crust, spicy mayo (yuck), just a simple ponzu-ish sauce- heavenly! read more

The restaurant is in office space, but do not let that deter you. This is an excellent sushi experience, especially if you're looking for omakase. One of the best sushi restaurants in NJ. The fish has always been super fresh. Ai does the memory of Shumi/Ike justice. The chef is excellent and the staff is super accommodating. Love this place. read more

We came here for Omakase, which essentially means that we placed our trust in the chef to provide us a great meal and experience. Unfortunately, we felt that trust was taken advantage of. We ordered the sushi/sashimi omakase and sat at the bar (with the addition of an order of shumai, $8). This is listed on the menu as "starts at $80". We did not request any special items or extra courses, we simply trusted the chef and ate what was given to us. When the check arrived, our total was $245, before tip. While we understand that the "starts at" suggests that the final price could be more, we never thought that the total price would be so far above the advertised price, without ever asking us if we were interested in or comfortable with expensive additions or items. We feel that this is utterly disingenuous, and while we enjoyed the food, the dishonest practices of this restaurant will make this the last time we visit. read more

I've been eating here more than 25 years and they always serve the finest quality sushi, sashimi and many other authentic, traditional Japanese dishes from simple Ramen and Bento boxes to yosenabe and teriyaki. Don't be fooled by the name change (formerly Shumi). The new owner, Joy, and the staff, John, Yoshi, Etc., are committed to maintaining the standards for which this restaurant has been known for more than 30 years. read more

Had a strange bathroom smell in there. Didn't try the sushi bc of that. Ramen was soso

Went to this place a few months back and ordered takeout. It was pretty good. I can't imagine what happened but got home and the quality, taste, pretty much everything this time was awful including getting one of the orders wrong. Did they change owners or something? Last time I was saying, "great, I found my new sushi place!" Tonight, "Never again." Ugh! read more

Wonderful sushi quality here. I got the sushi/sashimi combination. The swordfish in particular was delightful. Also a BYOB place. It is hidden in a small business building - walk through the corridor and make a left, it's at the end. I love the simple decor and colors. Nice, quiet, and cozy place to go for our friend's birthday dinner. read more

Overall , the entire dining experience was not enjoyable. We ordered sushi and when they were ready, the waiter took them from the sushi chef and put them behind the counter. It was the strangest thing because we didn't have any food on our table. When our entree finally arrived, we had to ask for our sushi. So now we have both sushi and dinner at the same time which was not cool. Dinner was salty and not very good. Sushi was just ok. Also the serving staff and the owner were not friendly. read more

In case anyone was wondering. Same great sushi/sashimi, same great staff. Had a great dinner tonight. All sashimi, toro,salmon, scallop plus monkfish liver. Not a better place for sushi in NJ. Bravo!! read more

A i Sushi, formerly Shumi, is as good as it gets for lovers of authentic Japanese cuisine. A great variety of very fresh fish, along with unique & creative rolls, graces the menu daily. The staff is welcoming, friendly and the surroundings are very cozy. Can't wait to return! read more

This little hole in the wall has an extremely broad selection from which one should not choose. Instead let the chef do the choosing. No fancy rolls - just very well prepared fish. read more

One of the best omakase I've ever had. Fish so fresh you would think it's expensive, but it is very affordable.

The sushi is not quite as good as the previous Shumi, as Ike-san moved to Texas, but still one of the better places in Somerset County.

We just walked in and the waitress tried to turn us away. We asked if we could sit at the counter and she told us $80 omakase. We agreed and hoped it would be as good as we had in NYC. No! For $80, we only had one piece of toro premium sushi and all others are just regular sushi. No uni, sweet shrimp and even okura! The chef with the mustache didn't even bother to introduce us the fish. We had to ask. The chef didn't engage any conversation with us or even eye contact. He served the sushi so fast that made us feeling we were being rushed out of the door. We asked for more tea 2 times and the waitress gave us attitude and shake her head after she walked away from us. I asked her "is there anything wrong to ask for more tea?" Then she realized her bad service and started giving us a little smile. At the end she didn't even give us the ice cream that I believe it is included in the price. Very disappointed! For this much of money, we deserved to have better food and service! We will not come back again! read more

Ai Sushi is the best sushi place in NJ, hands down! The owners are so pleasant and accommodating, they literally bend over backwards for their customers. The quality of the fish is so fresh, we did Omakase and the sushi chef John did not disappoint with monkfish liver spicy hand rolls and bigeye tuna-toro and numerous other specialty fish. The salad we had with grilled shitake mushrooms, carmalized onions and grilled squid over greens was off-the charts! Do yourself a favor and visit, reservations are recommended. read more

Service was horrible. They served the hot dish 20 minutes before we got the sushi. And she forgot to bring our salads.

Everything here was 100% awesome. Some of the best authentic sushi ever had. All the sushi and even the sushi that I have heard of was great. The server introduced me to order for new types of sushi the world. Everything was amazing the service was wonderful I would highly recommend it for anyone to go there. read more

Working in the area and looking to have sushi for lunch. I sat at the sushi bar and was given a one sided sheet of paper to order from. Asked if there were any lunch specials and was given a menu but there were no sushi items on it. Played it safe and ordered a California roll, yellowtail roll and spicy tuna roll. Rolls were fine but nothing memorable. The check came to $23.55 so I won't be going back. read more