Sushi Ai

Sushi Ai makes the sushi after it is requested by a customer so your sushi is always fresh. They are not the type of all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant where the sushi sits on a buffet table for a while. Their sushi is a great value - especially for lunch.

We went to Sushi Ai because we had heard about the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi. I love sushi, so I was excited to pig out. The restaurant is charming; the decor is a collection of Japanese-y stuff. The umbrellas on the ceiling add a splash of color. I really liked that.

At dinner time, the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi is around $20. If you love sushi and have a big appetite, this is an excellent deal. You order by writing down your choices on paper menus located at your table. You can order as much as you want, but if you have leftovers, you will be charged for them. It's usually a good idea to order in several batches.

The menu is pretty impressive. Most anyone can find something that they like on it. There are specialty rolls, bento, hot meals, nigiri sushi, etc. The sushi itself is okay. The nigiri were a little small and not terribly happy looking. However, if you are going to stuff yourself with sushi at this kind of price around here, Sushi Ai is a good option.

Sushi Ai is located in the same shopping complex as Dierbergs at the intersection of Highway K & Highway N in O'Fallon. The restaurant looks like it can handle about 70 customers in an assortment of booths, tables, sushi bar, and two Japanese-style booths tucked away near the restrooms.

I had heard of Sushi Ai which is known for their a la carte All-You-Can eat sushi lunches and dinners. We tried the All-You-Can eat dinner selection.

Besides nigiri sushi and rolls, Sushi Ai also has some warm dishes one could include such as shumai, gyoza, yakitori, miso soup, vegetable tempura, and more. You can order some of these warm dishes which arrive quickly while the sushi is still being prepared.

Like many all-you-can eat sushi shops, the fish slices tended to be somewhat thin. I also found the taste of most every thing to be somewhat "different." In fact, everything we ate was not up to the standards one would expect even at a cheap sushi restaurant in Japan. However, for the price, one can stuff oneself to one's heart content at Sushi Ai. Its the old trade off of quality vs. quantity.

As for service, our server was very considerate and prompt with drink refills. I was surprised how efficient they were with such a small staff.