Aozora - Montclair

The food at this restaurant was excellent, but the service left something to be desired. Our server spoke so softly that it was difficult to hear him, even though the restaurant wasn't particularly noisy. He seemed to lack customer service skills in general. Additionally, they forgot to bring one of the sushi rolls I had ordered, which wasn't a major issue, but it arrived after we had finished all our other food. I tried to inform three different staff members to cancel it, but they didn't seem to understand my request. It was also noted that another customer nearby was experiencing a problem with their meal.

I have been to Aozora several times with a friend because we really liked their sushi. However, our last visit was disappointing. We had been ordering the uni (sea urchin) for a few weeks and were initially impressed with the quality and presentation. But the last time we went, the uni was gritty and tasted like it had been sitting in the fridge for too long. The color was also off, a dull grayish yellow instead of the vibrant orange/yellow we were used to. When we told the servers about it, they were dismissive, so I am giving them one star. If the quality and service improve, I might consider going back.

I used to order from this restaurant every Friday, usually opting for Uni, spicy salmon with avocado, or spicy salmon with cucumber. I had always been satisfied with the sushi from this place until last week. I spent over $100 on my order, $72 of which was for rancid, gritty Uni. The color was completely off, looking beige instead of the usual bright orange. I had been ordering Uni from this restaurant every Friday for over 3 months, so you can imagine my shock. After speaking with the Owner/Manager and hearing weak excuses for the poor quality sushi, I decided I would never return. It's disappointing and unacceptable to spend a significant amount of money on terrible sushi. Beware of this place!

Aozora is one of those places that you'll walk pass and miss a fortune. The food here is phenomenal. Atmosphere and ambience are fantastic. Great place for any type of celebratory lunch or dinner. Staff is very attentive and service is great. We enjoyed the miso soup, followed by Vegetable Fried Rice Philadelphia rolls, Fire Dragon, Red Spider, Salmon Lover and Omakase Sushi Sashimi Combo's. To satisfy your sweet tooth after the all that soy sauce, try the Mango Mousse Cake and Cheese Cake. Finished it off with cappuccino's and an expresso. I highly recommend this place. You won't be disappointed.

Went for lunch so we didnt order much, but the rolls we ordered were very fresh and tasty.. spicy tuna and NJ rolls were seasoned well. My daughter loved the california and avacado rolls as well. The only drawback was they lack of a Chicken Katsu (fried chicken tenders), my youngest daughters favorite..