Oh, hey. It's us, your prized customers. My friend and I sat down when we were basically starving. We ordered a spicy scallop and a glass of Chardonnay apiece, along with a Coke in a can. We even accepted the fact that you don't have any red wine (perhaps this was the first red flag, no pun intended). The smiley waitress ordered our food, sweetly, though she seemed concerned when after asking us if that was "all," we answered simply, "Yes." As someone who has waited tables, I understand that this is a pretty standard interaction. Logically, though, this doesn't inherently mean, "No, nothing more at all, bring us our check." Apparently, this is how the owner interpreted this after being creepy and watching us leave Cardamom across the street (There was a half hour wait, and we were starving, and I was taking my friend's Cardamom virginity. Oh, sorry, is that private information?) We ordered around $27 worth of food. My friend and I, both being servers, planned to compensate by tipping over 20% on the ticket. After ordering and waiting ten minutes for our drink and food, the waitress did the owner's dirty work and told us that unless we ordered an entree in addition to the hand roll, we would have to leave. There was some mention of people ordering less food than is acceptable and then running over to Cardamom. Um... What the hell indicated that we weren't going to order more, or that this was even the case? There's something to be said for a very average sushi restaurant with little to no wine selection compared to the rich assortment of other options in town, who then proceed to run their business into the globally warmed earth by pissing off two foodies with good intentions. I've even eaten your food, and it's radically sub-optimal/flagrantly cliche. I'm a North Sider. My parents live on the North Side. They've brought you pity business for years.. You're lucky that you're hanging on to business as is, and that a five-star restaurant is bringing you more business. According to the patrons across the street (where we then wound up spending our good money, thank god, because apparently you don't want our business), you did the same to them. To a group of FIVE. Have you lost your mind? I wish I could review your mediocre food to test for improvements, but instead felt profiled because we're two young women wearing faux-fur who got kicked out, when there was some dude sitting next to us who ordered one f***ing hand roll. Disgusting. I will never be back. Good luck with your "business." Good luck with your "endeavors."
(1)
Il Taek K.
The food is generally good. In addition, the manager gave many complimentary service dish for groups. Shabushabu(?) is most recommended for groups.
(5)
Amy G.
Their soondobu jigae (soft tofu soup) is very filling and comforting on a cold winter's day, though a tad on the oily side. The restaurant room is very clean and plays relaxing classical music. I wonder whether the owners/chefs are Korean or Japanese, since they offer a balanced number of items from both cuisines. If everything on the menu were $1-2 cheaper Saica would be very attractive as a more regular dining spot.
(3)
Tim K.
I'm torn, had one amazing meal and one bad one. They one have some menu items after 5, because that's when the "real" chef gets in. I will be coming back but only after 5, because otherwise it is pretty bad.
(4)
Al M.
Best sushi in Ann Arbor. The monster crunch is to die for and it's better price point then yotsuba.
(5)
Mary W.
I have been to Saica many times and I am never disappointed! The waitresses are so cute and they always bring the dishes and water out with a smile, even if they are MAD busy. I love their sushi combos and their sashimi salad; Perfect salad sauce with many fresh fish cut in bite size pieces! Their lunch bento boxes are excellent and I have heard great reviews of their new menu items too! Well definitely try it out the next time I am in need of a korean and sushi fix! mmm... keep up the great work Saica!
(5)
Jiah C.
4 stars for their food for take out. 3 stars for dine-in. I dined here several years back, was very underwhelmed with portions, taste and service and wrote them off for a while. I tried it by chance about a year ago and this has become my Ann Arbor sushi craving fill (I don't like most of the sushi in A2, sadly). Decent prices and delicious rolls. The lunch bentos are a hit or miss. I don't love most of their nigiri/fresh fish-- although the salmon fits the standard alright. Their california rolls hit the spot! I know, basic... but it is actually really difficult to find a delicious california roll, and their japanese mayo crab salad and creamy avocado always do it for me. I also always get their jumbo spider roll as it's always a massive amount of soft shell crab and fried perfectly. The service and their order accuracy fluctuates, hence star rating. I haven't tried much of the Korean food there yet but would like to!
(4)
James L.
I haven't been to this place in years but one of my friends were hungry and decided to check out this place out again. This supposed to be authentic Japanese restaurant and they are now serving other cuisine. Again, I tried to enjoy my food but their food is level of mall sushi or super market sushi. When food was presented to us, there are no decorations, or don't seem to put any effort on making sushi look more appetizing. When I had my first bite of Salmon, it really didn't smell well and also yellow tail was more red then pinkish color it normally has. Also tuna was bright red which means they were frozen previously. I know i am very picky about my food and i think most of the people should be if you are eating them raw. I left the restaurant thinking I might even get sick..... Go back there with your own risk.....
(1)
Colleen Z.
Gosh darn it! The food at Saica is so good. I love their spicy shrimp tempora roll! BUT service is SO slow and spotty that I have quit going to the restaurant. Today a colleague and I decided to go to Saica for lunch around 12:45pm on a Wednesday. We were seated and waited, waited and waited. Finally we just got up and left because we knew it would be a long time before our lunch was over. Bummer. Come on Saica, clean up the restaurant (scrub the menus please) and hire staff to help with service!
(3)
Jody K.
I met some friends for lunch at Saica. (They've been there before & recommended it.) I arrived late & they'd already ordered some appetizers: dumplings & 2 other things I didn't recognize. All were ok. Not outstanding, but not bad. One of my friends ordered the spring rolls & the chuka salad, and the other had the lunch bento box. I ordered chicken teriyaki. After a few minutes, the server came back & told the 1st friend that they were out of spring rolls! That seemed odd to me; it was just a bit after noon, and I would've thought that was a staple item. She just had her salad & shared a bit of our entrees. I don't know how the bento box was (my friend didn't really say anything one way or another), but I found my chicken to be rubbery, on the cold side, and rather tasteless. The edamame beans were also on the cold side and tough. The tempura (I think it was a carrot & maybe an onion) was non-descript and lacked any real flavor. I have had much better Japanese food before. I do wonder if the sushi would've been a better choice.
(2)
Justin K.
I've been eating occasionally at Saica for 3 or 4 years, and it's always been a mediocre experience. Service is always slow, always forgetting things here and there, but the food is pretty good and the prices are good too. Last night, I've decided not to go back to Saica after finding a rather nasty looking bug in my udon--to be precise, a "Brown Marmorated Stink Bug" about an inch long. (Look it up, you'll lose your appetite too) Yep, definitely not a good experience. What was worse than the bug though was the complete lack of effort shown to remedy the issue. Waitress casually said "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want a replacement?". For such a small restaurant that I've been frequenting for several years, the owner didn't even show his face for an apology either. Lastly, the cheque arrives with a 18% Gratuity slapped on. I had eaten with my family, and there was no mention anywhere on menus or signs that a Gratuity would automatically be charged for a party of 5. We had waited for food for over 30mins, had to ask for utensils which they forgot to set, tables were sticky and we had to asked for them to wipe it down, and the Bug's Life Udon special. Definitely did not agree with the mandatory 18%, but oh well. Not coming here again.
(2)
Chris C.
Quite pleased with Saica after having experienced several of the sushi options in Ann Arbor. Offers Korean dishes too with bibimbap and katsu. We had a nigiri plate and the bibimbap, both were tasty and fresh. Warm sake also available. Prices are slightly higher than some other places, but you get what you pay for. We experienced prompt and polite service. Decor is a little unusual with large plastic drapes hanging over the walls and metal pipes sticking up from the floor, maybe to "camouflage" the real pipes in the middle of the room? But, once you whet your palette with some delicious sashimi, you will hardly notice.
(4)
Kenneth Y.
Good food for the price. Large portion bento boxes. Great place to go if you are hungry. Yum!
(5)
Christina D.
Tasty, reasonably-priced sushi. We got a great special that gave us 2 of a certain roll for the price of one, and two more basic rolls. Everything we got was tasty. Service was a little on the slow side for being there on an off-time, and the atmosphere is a little open and strange, but the food was good enough that I didn't really mind. I've also gotten takeout from them that's been tasty and relatively prompt.
(4)
Carol E.
Don't ask a customer "how is everything?" if you're unwilling to do anything about it when the answer is not as expected. "This dish is awful" was our answer. Instead of finding a solution, the waitresses (total of 3 of them who came by to ask) all gave us different excuses of why they can't fix the problem and essentially placed the blame on us. The last waitress having the worst response of all, telling us that if we haven't touched the dish yet (mind you, we practically didn't except for the first bite), then they would be willing to take it back (Now how would that work? How were we to know that the dish is awful if we haven't tasted it yet? Hmmmm) They had plenty of opportunities to make the situation right and opted not to, so the rating is intended for their customer service. In fairness, other than the dish referenced (Yakisoba) the food is generally ok, average at best, nothing to write home about.
(1)
Andrea Y.
My husband and I have ate at Saica before and never had an experience quite like this evening. We ordered a few rolls and my husband also ordered a beer. After about 5 minutes the waitress returned and informed us that we could not be served our rolls if we were not ordering dinner as well. It was their "policy" not to serve us if we would be leaving to eat dinner at another restaurant. I could understand if they were extremely busy and there was a wait for a table, they were half full at best. I think my jaw hit the floor upon hearing such a weird policy. They must be so successful that they didn't need two more paying customers. I am appalled and quite embarrassed as to how we were treated. Good luck with your unique customer policy, shame on you.
(1)
Patrick T.
The dinner combos here are the best. You can get a Saica Udon plus chirashi don or unagi don and various other combinations of entrees for about $15. It's a good amount of food -- enough for 2 meals if you have the self-discipline to save one of the entrees in a take-out box instead of pigging out like I always do. The quality of the fish in the chirashi/sashimi is not amazing, just okay. The wait staff is pretty friendly. 10% off if you pay in cash.
(3)
Liz T.
I was there on a Saturday afternoon, and almost didn't go in as it looked a little deserted. So glad that we did. I ordered the Dolsot BiBimBap, one of my favorite dishes (I first tried this when I was in South Korea) and it was excellent. It might be my favorite this side of Korea (with the exception of Black Pine Tree in Southgate). The bowl made the rice crunchy, a good mix of egg, veggies, mushrooms and meat. Very nice. My friend ordered regular bibimbap with tofu and really enjoyed her meal. Also ordered a shitake mushroom sushi, that was very fresh and tasty. This is a place I would visit again and again. It was reasonably priced, the waitstaff was friendly and not too intrusive!
(4)
Liz W.
It's actually about a 3 1/2. They do simple well here at Saica. The nigiri and a bowl of chirashi were the hits. Fish is nicely sliced into generous mouthfuls and tastes quite fresh for Michigan. It's not terribly cheap but it is quality. The rolls were just ok, not as impressive to my palette. I have gotten more interesting elsewhere cheaper. I like spicier rolls and they just weren't bringing it. Service was slow considering the fact that it was not busy or anything. I had to wait for more tea and every part of our little feast seemed to drag out. The atmosphere was soothing and quiet but if we had been in a rush I would have been peeved. I liked it but it just wasn't anything special for the price. If I came back I would stick with basics.
(3)
Nicky W.
Overall, the food and selection here is fairly good. The katsu and various noodles are above average. The galbi and hot pot was above average. I haven't actually tried the sushi yet, but overall the taste and portions are quite fair. My only gripe is that this place is on the more expensive side(compared to the competition, including nagomi sushi across the street), but everything I've ordered has been fairly tasty.
(4)
Nikki L.
Best Spice tuna roll in town. I have tried so many sushi places in town, I'll say Saica got the most reasonable price. The taste and the display is amazing. When they were gone for remodeling, I was so sad. But now they are back and I can finally have the best spicy tuna roll again. Their sushi is always fresh, taste rich and beautiful plating. Sometimes the food might serve a little slow if they were busy, but the sushi is worth the wait. Definitely recommend here.
(5)
Scott C.
Ordered the Dragon Roll and oversized Spider Roll. The Sushi was outstanding. The restaurant contains probably a dozen maple wood tables, with one large long maple table that is window front that could probably seat 20 people. We came in around lunch time and it was packed, this is obviously a popular restaurant. One of the local physicians loves this restaurant and recommended it to us for the best Sushi in Ann Arbor.
(4)
S L.
I walked in 15 minutes before closing time to ask for take-out. They told me they were closed. Closing before closing time is poor service!
(1)
Bob B.
Been going to Saica for years. By far this is the best sushi in Ann Arbor and the metro Detroit area! The sushi chef is friendly as well as all of the employees! Worth every penny- lunch or dinner. Try the Cherry Blossom roll- my favorite!!!
(5)
Ted S.
Terrific sushi, nice atmosphere, decent prices. The spicy shrimp tempura roll is to die for, really. I've eaten at Saica countless times, and never had a bad meal.
(4)
Tricia K.
I am mainly writing this review because I don't believe this place deserves the scathing review posted by a fellow Yelper. Although this place is nothing special or authentic it wasn't horrible by a long shot! So this review is to offset the negative review a little. I came in here after a long day of recruiting at the engineering campus and wanted a quiet peaceful snack before heading to DTW. There aren't many sushi places open at 4pm so I was glad this one was. With just a few people inside this spacious restaurant, I definitely had the peaceful experience I wanted and the waitress (I agree, she is japanese) was very attentive. I ordered a Volcano 1 roll which was my second choice because they didn't have the tempura jalapeno and salmon one I wanted. The sushi is your typical korean interpretation and was just fine. I finished up with a bowl of green tea ice cream (3 scoops!). OK, so this place isn't the most authentic or elegent. Its right across the street from the university! But in no case, can I imagine that the waitress would be rude or put someone in a corner because she didn't want to deal with the patron. So if you are hankering for some sushi, you aren't wanting to spend a lot of $$, and you don't want a snobby atmosphere, this is a good place to visit.
(3)
Khom V.
I've been going here for years and they are consistently great! Sushi is always tasty there and now they add some cool hot pots. Try it out if you are on north campus. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
I G.
This place is ok. First had the ginger salad. Had better. Too salty I think. The spicy California Roles are ok. Fell apart a little. The only thing I didn't get is what Restuarant does not have fountain drinks. I ordered a coke and got a can for $1.99. So I guess no refills. When I was there it was about 6pm and there was about five people there including myself. I'd eat here again if I really had to.
(3)
J L.
We go there for their shabu shabu. Their food is ok but not the best. The beef was fresh and there were a lot of vegetables. If you go for the shabu shabu dinner set for 2, the portion was generous - you get a tempura appetizer, 3 pcs of sushi and a roll, with the shabu shabu. I am not so crazy about their service though...
(3)
Andy L.
Im giving this place a three, but to be honest its closer to a two. I came here on a friday night, during dinner time, so I knew it was going to be full with students. I assumed that it would pretty good given the amount of people dining. But life slaps you across the face when you look around and see things not to your liking. For one, there were a group of employees just sitting at the sushi bar, casually taking their break. They wore sneakers and texted on their phone when not busy. That didn't bother me as much as the food itself. After asking for some hot tea, the appetizer came out, salad with house dressing and a miso soup. I am always excited for this time because each restaurant uses a different recipe for the dressing. However, the bowls came out and the lettuce was just drenched in this dressing, soggy and not very tasteful. So I tried my miso soup and the thing was not only overly salty, it was not anywhere near the optimum temperature for soup. Waiting patiently for the sushi, which came out in due time, I noticed something immediately wrong. The rice was too wet. It was mushy, the entire batch, including my 3 rolls. Of the 3, the least expensive (yellow tail) ended up tasting the best. The spicy tuna w/ avocado, was not spicy to say the least and the avocado masked the entire flavor of the fish. And lastly, I ordered something called the Great Lakes. Here was sushi at its absolute lowest. Sushi to me is about tasting each flavor, both as a mix in the roll and individually. When you try to add too many ingredients, they end up in different quadrants of the mouth and you don't get that mix of flavors. This is exactly what happened. In one particular bite, the ratios went something like this: 50% cucumber, 7% roe, 13% crab meat, and 30% tuna. I couldn't finish my dinner. On the flip side, they are doing more than well with their business. As we were leaving, my friend suggested to me that perhaps we should give their non-sushi items a chance. Could this be worth it? It'll be a long time before I come back to this place in Ann Arbor.
(3)
Dora C.
If you ever want a sushi piece the size of your palm, get the Spider Roll (No fret. It's eel for the newbs). Largest single roll I've ever seen. Seriously. I was | | this close to adding chopsticks for fingers if it was more socially acceptable to wave them around like that.
(3)
Lucas W.
This was my first time going here. I had the Spicy Fish Bowl and it was really great! It was a big bowl with rice at the bottom, topped with a little lettuce, a little seaweed salad, and lots of cubes of assorted raw fish (and I think some roe too). It was like eating a big bowl of sashimi. It was served with a bottle of spicy sauce so you can spice it up if you want. I will go back again sometime and try something new. Can't speak to the waitstaff because my wife and I were the only two in the whole restaurant. Pretty easy to get good service then! Yelp doesn't have the right Sunday hours. They open at noon, but not sure about closing time.
(4)
Sam D.
I really want to like Saica -- I love sushi, and it's very conveniently located for me. I've tried it say ~5 times spaced over the past 5 years with friends who want to go there, thinking maybe it's gotten better, and every single time I've had sushi there, it has tasted old and I've gotten an upset stomach immediately afterwards. I know other people like it - I just don't see the appeal - particularly since there is a better sushi restaurant immediately across the street (Nagomi) with fresher fish, similar atmosphere, and comparable prices.
(2)
Mel T.
So I'm updating again. All I can say is when they are good they are very good. The king crab nigri is exceptional when you get a nice big claw right from the steamer. If we get the non-asian dark haired lady as a waitress we know we are going to get great service. When they are bad they are very bad. Fish that seems old, people not feeling well after, and their other wait staff aren't great. We've had a waitress there screw up our sushi orders several times when they are clearly marked on a sheet, ignore some of the people at the table completely, or take forever to bring utensils for those who can't use chop sticks. So I'm a stuck at a 3. 4-5 if you are there on a good day; 1-2 if it is a bad day. I do think some of the illness problem has been due to serving escolar instead of tuna. This may not be their fault, but that of their supplier. What is there fault though is after we had let them know that our tuna eaters were "waxing" a classing sign of escolar poisoning they didn't seem to do anything to fix the problem. We continued to have the problem over the next couple of months before we decided to switch our normal sushi lunch to another place. I'd love to see this place more consistently good as they have a much better layout for large groups than many sushi restaurants.
(3)
Kten D.
I've eaten here twice, once take out and once dine in. After being treated rudely at Umi Sushi my family and I were relieved to find a nice business. We ordered several sushi rolls and we were met with prompt, precise, and pleasant service. I dined in with my sister, her first trip to a sushi place. Although I can't say I'm in favor of the decor (very modern, pipes exposed in the middle of the dining area, uncomfortable wooden chairs) it was still very clean and neat. I thought their food was DELICIOUS! We split a bento box and a couple sushi rolls. I can't remember what exactly we ordered, but we loved everything. The fish tasted fresh and the miso soup rocked my world! I definitely recommend you give it a chance :)
(4)
Christopher P.
This is currently my preferred sushi place along Plymouth. The lunch options are good, and the bento includes quite a bit of food - all tasty.
(4)
Lily P.
Its okay not amazing and the prices were high for tuna rolls and etc. If you do delivery it comes out to like 7 dollar for a $3 roll and extra stuff in your roll that you didn't want or need. The philly rolls are cheaper then other places on campus so my roomie would go there often. Not very popular place but I can see people going north campus and checking it out.
(2)
Jonny P.
Wow... I am shocked by the mixed reviews but here's my two cents. I had a GREAT experience, our dinner consisted of: your standard miso, a special order salad from the chef encompassing a variety of fish + greens & a great ginger dressing, the tiger & devil's kiss rolls, four pieces of nigiri & a 'sashimi pizza'. I thought the latter was a joke (my friend formerly hosted @ Saica) but it worked VERY WELL. I have no complaints @ all about the preparation or freshness of the fish. The rice was excellent & very well balanced. Ambiance plus a more adventurous menu would've earned it a 5th star but this is more of a Pan-Asian restaurant as opposed to Japanese from what I saw. I would recommended & visit again...
(4)
Elaine C.
A friend said she had discovered a new and cheap sushi place in Ann Arbor called Saica. "Okay, " I said, skeptically, "let's try it." Before dinner, I scoped out the menu online, and was pleasantly surprised by the variety non-sushi items. Let's be honest-- Ann Arbor isn't exactly the mecca of good/authentic Asian food. For Japanese food, few restaurants push past the norms of teriyaki chicken, California rolls, tempura, and udon. So I was intrigued when I saw a few yakitori and tofu dishes listed under appetizers. At the restaurant however, I decided to go simple and order one of the dinner specials, which consisted of a small salad, bowl of Saica udon (shrimp tempura, seaweed, fish cakes & veggies), and California rolls. The salad was simple (lettuce, few veggies, and a tangy miso sauce), and the udon was hot and savory. After downing the salad and noodles, I barely had enough room for a few California rolls. The inside of the restaurant can seat quite a few people. Everything is very clean, and soft music played in the background. I went on Sunday night with a group of 6 girls. A few of the other tables were filled, but otherwise it was rather quiet. Not a huge fan of the decor. Modern furniture pieces and lighting, flat screen tvs (with nothing playing), but strange, and almost tacky, blue wallpaper/curtain covering the wall. Service was good. Our waitress was polite and attentive, and the food came out fast. She was even willing to split checks separately for everyone in our group. A plus when everyone only has credit cards! Overall, my experience at Saica was pleasant. However, I'm curious to return again to try some other items, including various appetizers and sashimi dishes.
(3)
Kiyomi M.
Anyohaseyo! That's right people, Koreans can make good Japanese food! Actually, I must say that the spicy tuna roll (another Japerican creation) is got the signature Tae Kwon Do kick in the arse in the spicy category, something my kin are unlikely to reproduce. Lets face it, when it comes to in your face flavor, a la garlic spice till it hurts the next day coming out the other end, Koreans are hard to beat. Let them make Japanese food, and inevitably you get the "good God please spare my sphincter..." factor imbedded to what is commonly a subtle fare of dashi hidden in shoyu flavor or whatever variant of soy by-product. All that aside (that is, can Korean make authentic Japanese? The answer is of course yes, but then, why would they when they can add their own spin!), the quality of fish was definitely top notch, and it is now becoming our (my hot wife, that is...) favorite lunch date. And bonus points for having a Kansai okusan working the tables. Not only is she easy on the eyes, but she's all about the Korean man. Gotta keep the gene pool mixed!! We all know what happens when there is too much inbreeding... (my 2 cents on anti racism through cross breeding. If I was appointed GOD, or an evid dictator, I would require all marriages to be interracial...)
(4)
dan h.
I used to go here a lot for drinks when I was attending umich. The sushi is pretty reasonably priced. It's probably better to go in the evenings as their dinner menu is a bit more extensive then. Probably the best spicy tuna rolls in Michigan. It's made as a large roll and it's got a right amount of spice. The sushi chefs are pretty cool to talk to if you hit them up with some sake :)
(5)
Peter K.
The review by Janelle makes me laugh. You talk as if you're an expert on Japanese cuisine. The owner's wife is Japanese. I think that means he might know a little about Japanese culture. Oh no, Romanized Japanese with a "C!!!!" God forbid! Maki is just as telling as nigiri. The skill to make a proper sized roll with the appropriate amount of fish or ingredients makes or breaks a chef. If you want good udon, go to a place that specializes in udon. Obviously this is not that place. The tempura is more than adequate. You can taste the difference in the oil they use. (Rice bran vs cheap vegetable oil) And for such a fan on "Sparty" to come into "Wolverine" country and complain about the food speaks to your credibility. Food is decent, and they have great lunch specials. Katsudon is not the best I've ever had, or even the best in Ann Arbor, but reasonably priced and large in portion. The sushi and sashimi are good and the presentation of the food is nice. Sometimes the plates are chipped, but it doesn't bother me from enjoying the food. Decor is cheap and plastic. A sad attempt at modern architecture. If you want to sit at the bar, just ask. People that complain that they get placed at the end of the restaurant should eat at home. You can sit in solitude, pretending to be intelligent by spewing thesaurus words. Sushi, like all foods, is best eaten in anyway you find comfortable: drenched in soy sauce or dabbed, one bite or two, with your hands or with chopsticks. Don't let "elitists" ruin a decent meal with decent prices.
(4)
Marie H.
Let it be said, CHECK YOUR CARRYOUT ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE!! 9 times out of 10 it will be wrong. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, it was 4 times out of 5, but that's still a lot! Whatever, I didn't have the time to leave work to get the right food and since I ended up with maki and sushi instead of sashimi, I decided to roll with it. Ha. *groan*. That fish must have already been on medicare because it sure was old! *groan groan* I realize that the midwest is not by the ocean and Ann Arbor is not that close to a major supplier but yikes! I were writing a death certificate on that meal, I would have put the time of death for the fish as 'approximately 5-7 days prior to serving'. This rivaled sushi.COME in badness, I will not return.
(1)
Matt G.
Saica to me over my past recent visits has become more of an acquired taste, rather than a love at first sight. When I was first introduced with a co-worker, I wasn't overly impressed. Somewhat bland tasting spicy tuna/salmon rolls with which seemed like a lot of pepper oil, which wasn't spicy at all. As time grew on and I became more open minded about it, it has become one of my favorite sushi places in AA. The prices relative to how much sushi you get and the convience being on north campus around where I currently live are the highlights for me. I can't jump up and down about Saica, but I will happily go there and leave with a smile on my face 9 times out of 10.
(4)
Kelsey H.
Best sushi in Ann Arbor at great prices. Total sleeper sushi restaurant. Always order the spicy tuna: they use little to no mayo like all the other places and you can see the chili pepper flakes. It's amazing. miso salmon roll has this great sauce they put on top. Also recommend the tuna tataki and eel roll. Saica has great rolls but the sauces they use just make it even better. They also serve beer, wine, sake, and some hot dishes. This is my go to in Ann Arbor any day of the week.
(4)
Sarah L.
great value, super friendly service, great food. I am impressed by: 1) Their quality of food, from both Sushi bar and the kitchen 2) I have sensitive stomach and i never once got upset stomach or anything from food here. 3) Their extensive menu. They do go the distance to make their food different from those other so-so very typical americanized japanese places in town. 4) The value of what you pay and what you get. I have been to a few other Japanese restaurants that the food is just so-so, some dishes are just as good, but wayyyyy more ridiculously expensive than what I would pay at Saica for the same item. i am a very picky person and i do take my food *VERY* seriously (if you take a look at those reviews I have written, you should know I do not speak B.S.). I love some of the places I've visited in Ann Arbor but this is probably one of those few that will ever receive a five-star from me. I have lived in Ann Arbor for 6 years now, and I have visited most Japanese restaurants in Ann Arbor. I have lived in and travelled to other big cities in the USA and outside USA all my life (London, Stockholm, L.A., San Francisco, Toronto, etc) and I always find good food when I travel. Still, i keep making comparison back to Saica when I think about it. Saica's spicy tuna is not over-killed by the spicy sauce they put in. All their hot-pot items (Nabemono) are my favorite in winter (yeah, michigan winter can be horrible. it is a joy to have hot pot entree at Saica). Sea urchin (uni) is so fresh that it is super sweet here (i even reached the point that i had to ask them what kind they served and they showed me the box of "wild-caught". that should say something). Their roll creations beat all other japanese places in ann arbor (i can name all signature rolls from all other japanese places and those still cannot beat the rolls at Saica). So yes, I keep sending my friends to this place. And I will do it on Yelp too (after sitting quietly so long, I have learned that some people do not even know what they talk about.). But if you expect to have typical Americanized Japanese food here, you might be a bit disappointed. Just try their real Japanese food tho. you will forget the fake japanese food you have had elsewhere.
(5)
Jojo G.
Having eaten here 100's of times over the last 5 years, I can honestly say that it doesn't get any better than this (for this price in Ann Arbor). Very consistent quality, large portions, friendly staff. Their salmon is top rate, their roles large, and their sushi pieces big. The tea comes in a very hot cup, a nice touch in the winter.
(5)
Elizabeth M.
Never found a spicy salmon roll I didn't like until I ate here. I only liked 2 out of 5 rolls I ordered.- the rest are in my fridge since it makes me sad to throw away sushi. Skip it.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Sierra H.
Oh, hey. It's us, your prized customers. My friend and I sat down when we were basically starving. We ordered a spicy scallop and a glass of Chardonnay apiece, along with a Coke in a can. We even accepted the fact that you don't have any red wine (perhaps this was the first red flag, no pun intended). The smiley waitress ordered our food, sweetly, though she seemed concerned when after asking us if that was "all," we answered simply, "Yes." As someone who has waited tables, I understand that this is a pretty standard interaction. Logically, though, this doesn't inherently mean, "No, nothing more at all, bring us our check." Apparently, this is how the owner interpreted this after being creepy and watching us leave Cardamom across the street (There was a half hour wait, and we were starving, and I was taking my friend's Cardamom virginity. Oh, sorry, is that private information?) We ordered around $27 worth of food. My friend and I, both being servers, planned to compensate by tipping over 20% on the ticket. After ordering and waiting ten minutes for our drink and food, the waitress did the owner's dirty work and told us that unless we ordered an entree in addition to the hand roll, we would have to leave. There was some mention of people ordering less food than is acceptable and then running over to Cardamom. Um... What the hell indicated that we weren't going to order more, or that this was even the case? There's something to be said for a very average sushi restaurant with little to no wine selection compared to the rich assortment of other options in town, who then proceed to run their business into the globally warmed earth by pissing off two foodies with good intentions. I've even eaten your food, and it's radically sub-optimal/flagrantly cliche. I'm a North Sider. My parents live on the North Side. They've brought you pity business for years.. You're lucky that you're hanging on to business as is, and that a five-star restaurant is bringing you more business. According to the patrons across the street (where we then wound up spending our good money, thank god, because apparently you don't want our business), you did the same to them. To a group of FIVE. Have you lost your mind? I wish I could review your mediocre food to test for improvements, but instead felt profiled because we're two young women wearing faux-fur who got kicked out, when there was some dude sitting next to us who ordered one f***ing hand roll. Disgusting. I will never be back. Good luck with your "business." Good luck with your "endeavors."
(1)Il Taek K.
The food is generally good. In addition, the manager gave many complimentary service dish for groups. Shabushabu(?) is most recommended for groups.
(5)Amy G.
Their soondobu jigae (soft tofu soup) is very filling and comforting on a cold winter's day, though a tad on the oily side. The restaurant room is very clean and plays relaxing classical music. I wonder whether the owners/chefs are Korean or Japanese, since they offer a balanced number of items from both cuisines. If everything on the menu were $1-2 cheaper Saica would be very attractive as a more regular dining spot.
(3)Tim K.
I'm torn, had one amazing meal and one bad one. They one have some menu items after 5, because that's when the "real" chef gets in. I will be coming back but only after 5, because otherwise it is pretty bad.
(4)Al M.
Best sushi in Ann Arbor. The monster crunch is to die for and it's better price point then yotsuba.
(5)Mary W.
I have been to Saica many times and I am never disappointed! The waitresses are so cute and they always bring the dishes and water out with a smile, even if they are MAD busy. I love their sushi combos and their sashimi salad; Perfect salad sauce with many fresh fish cut in bite size pieces! Their lunch bento boxes are excellent and I have heard great reviews of their new menu items too! Well definitely try it out the next time I am in need of a korean and sushi fix! mmm... keep up the great work Saica!
(5)Jiah C.
4 stars for their food for take out. 3 stars for dine-in. I dined here several years back, was very underwhelmed with portions, taste and service and wrote them off for a while. I tried it by chance about a year ago and this has become my Ann Arbor sushi craving fill (I don't like most of the sushi in A2, sadly). Decent prices and delicious rolls. The lunch bentos are a hit or miss. I don't love most of their nigiri/fresh fish-- although the salmon fits the standard alright. Their california rolls hit the spot! I know, basic... but it is actually really difficult to find a delicious california roll, and their japanese mayo crab salad and creamy avocado always do it for me. I also always get their jumbo spider roll as it's always a massive amount of soft shell crab and fried perfectly. The service and their order accuracy fluctuates, hence star rating. I haven't tried much of the Korean food there yet but would like to!
(4)James L.
I haven't been to this place in years but one of my friends were hungry and decided to check out this place out again. This supposed to be authentic Japanese restaurant and they are now serving other cuisine. Again, I tried to enjoy my food but their food is level of mall sushi or super market sushi. When food was presented to us, there are no decorations, or don't seem to put any effort on making sushi look more appetizing. When I had my first bite of Salmon, it really didn't smell well and also yellow tail was more red then pinkish color it normally has. Also tuna was bright red which means they were frozen previously. I know i am very picky about my food and i think most of the people should be if you are eating them raw. I left the restaurant thinking I might even get sick..... Go back there with your own risk.....
(1)Colleen Z.
Gosh darn it! The food at Saica is so good. I love their spicy shrimp tempora roll! BUT service is SO slow and spotty that I have quit going to the restaurant. Today a colleague and I decided to go to Saica for lunch around 12:45pm on a Wednesday. We were seated and waited, waited and waited. Finally we just got up and left because we knew it would be a long time before our lunch was over. Bummer. Come on Saica, clean up the restaurant (scrub the menus please) and hire staff to help with service!
(3)Jody K.
I met some friends for lunch at Saica. (They've been there before & recommended it.) I arrived late & they'd already ordered some appetizers: dumplings & 2 other things I didn't recognize. All were ok. Not outstanding, but not bad. One of my friends ordered the spring rolls & the chuka salad, and the other had the lunch bento box. I ordered chicken teriyaki. After a few minutes, the server came back & told the 1st friend that they were out of spring rolls! That seemed odd to me; it was just a bit after noon, and I would've thought that was a staple item. She just had her salad & shared a bit of our entrees. I don't know how the bento box was (my friend didn't really say anything one way or another), but I found my chicken to be rubbery, on the cold side, and rather tasteless. The edamame beans were also on the cold side and tough. The tempura (I think it was a carrot & maybe an onion) was non-descript and lacked any real flavor. I have had much better Japanese food before. I do wonder if the sushi would've been a better choice.
(2)Justin K.
I've been eating occasionally at Saica for 3 or 4 years, and it's always been a mediocre experience. Service is always slow, always forgetting things here and there, but the food is pretty good and the prices are good too. Last night, I've decided not to go back to Saica after finding a rather nasty looking bug in my udon--to be precise, a "Brown Marmorated Stink Bug" about an inch long. (Look it up, you'll lose your appetite too) Yep, definitely not a good experience. What was worse than the bug though was the complete lack of effort shown to remedy the issue. Waitress casually said "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want a replacement?". For such a small restaurant that I've been frequenting for several years, the owner didn't even show his face for an apology either. Lastly, the cheque arrives with a 18% Gratuity slapped on. I had eaten with my family, and there was no mention anywhere on menus or signs that a Gratuity would automatically be charged for a party of 5. We had waited for food for over 30mins, had to ask for utensils which they forgot to set, tables were sticky and we had to asked for them to wipe it down, and the Bug's Life Udon special. Definitely did not agree with the mandatory 18%, but oh well. Not coming here again.
(2)Chris C.
Quite pleased with Saica after having experienced several of the sushi options in Ann Arbor. Offers Korean dishes too with bibimbap and katsu. We had a nigiri plate and the bibimbap, both were tasty and fresh. Warm sake also available. Prices are slightly higher than some other places, but you get what you pay for. We experienced prompt and polite service. Decor is a little unusual with large plastic drapes hanging over the walls and metal pipes sticking up from the floor, maybe to "camouflage" the real pipes in the middle of the room? But, once you whet your palette with some delicious sashimi, you will hardly notice.
(4)Kenneth Y.
Good food for the price. Large portion bento boxes. Great place to go if you are hungry. Yum!
(5)Christina D.
Tasty, reasonably-priced sushi. We got a great special that gave us 2 of a certain roll for the price of one, and two more basic rolls. Everything we got was tasty. Service was a little on the slow side for being there on an off-time, and the atmosphere is a little open and strange, but the food was good enough that I didn't really mind. I've also gotten takeout from them that's been tasty and relatively prompt.
(4)Carol E.
Don't ask a customer "how is everything?" if you're unwilling to do anything about it when the answer is not as expected. "This dish is awful" was our answer. Instead of finding a solution, the waitresses (total of 3 of them who came by to ask) all gave us different excuses of why they can't fix the problem and essentially placed the blame on us. The last waitress having the worst response of all, telling us that if we haven't touched the dish yet (mind you, we practically didn't except for the first bite), then they would be willing to take it back (Now how would that work? How were we to know that the dish is awful if we haven't tasted it yet? Hmmmm) They had plenty of opportunities to make the situation right and opted not to, so the rating is intended for their customer service. In fairness, other than the dish referenced (Yakisoba) the food is generally ok, average at best, nothing to write home about.
(1)Andrea Y.
My husband and I have ate at Saica before and never had an experience quite like this evening. We ordered a few rolls and my husband also ordered a beer. After about 5 minutes the waitress returned and informed us that we could not be served our rolls if we were not ordering dinner as well. It was their "policy" not to serve us if we would be leaving to eat dinner at another restaurant. I could understand if they were extremely busy and there was a wait for a table, they were half full at best. I think my jaw hit the floor upon hearing such a weird policy. They must be so successful that they didn't need two more paying customers. I am appalled and quite embarrassed as to how we were treated. Good luck with your unique customer policy, shame on you.
(1)Patrick T.
The dinner combos here are the best. You can get a Saica Udon plus chirashi don or unagi don and various other combinations of entrees for about $15. It's a good amount of food -- enough for 2 meals if you have the self-discipline to save one of the entrees in a take-out box instead of pigging out like I always do. The quality of the fish in the chirashi/sashimi is not amazing, just okay. The wait staff is pretty friendly. 10% off if you pay in cash.
(3)Liz T.
I was there on a Saturday afternoon, and almost didn't go in as it looked a little deserted. So glad that we did. I ordered the Dolsot BiBimBap, one of my favorite dishes (I first tried this when I was in South Korea) and it was excellent. It might be my favorite this side of Korea (with the exception of Black Pine Tree in Southgate). The bowl made the rice crunchy, a good mix of egg, veggies, mushrooms and meat. Very nice. My friend ordered regular bibimbap with tofu and really enjoyed her meal. Also ordered a shitake mushroom sushi, that was very fresh and tasty. This is a place I would visit again and again. It was reasonably priced, the waitstaff was friendly and not too intrusive!
(4)Liz W.
It's actually about a 3 1/2. They do simple well here at Saica. The nigiri and a bowl of chirashi were the hits. Fish is nicely sliced into generous mouthfuls and tastes quite fresh for Michigan. It's not terribly cheap but it is quality. The rolls were just ok, not as impressive to my palette. I have gotten more interesting elsewhere cheaper. I like spicier rolls and they just weren't bringing it. Service was slow considering the fact that it was not busy or anything. I had to wait for more tea and every part of our little feast seemed to drag out. The atmosphere was soothing and quiet but if we had been in a rush I would have been peeved. I liked it but it just wasn't anything special for the price. If I came back I would stick with basics.
(3)Nicky W.
Overall, the food and selection here is fairly good. The katsu and various noodles are above average. The galbi and hot pot was above average. I haven't actually tried the sushi yet, but overall the taste and portions are quite fair. My only gripe is that this place is on the more expensive side(compared to the competition, including nagomi sushi across the street), but everything I've ordered has been fairly tasty.
(4)Nikki L.
Best Spice tuna roll in town. I have tried so many sushi places in town, I'll say Saica got the most reasonable price. The taste and the display is amazing. When they were gone for remodeling, I was so sad. But now they are back and I can finally have the best spicy tuna roll again. Their sushi is always fresh, taste rich and beautiful plating. Sometimes the food might serve a little slow if they were busy, but the sushi is worth the wait. Definitely recommend here.
(5)Scott C.
Ordered the Dragon Roll and oversized Spider Roll. The Sushi was outstanding. The restaurant contains probably a dozen maple wood tables, with one large long maple table that is window front that could probably seat 20 people. We came in around lunch time and it was packed, this is obviously a popular restaurant. One of the local physicians loves this restaurant and recommended it to us for the best Sushi in Ann Arbor.
(4)S L.
I walked in 15 minutes before closing time to ask for take-out. They told me they were closed. Closing before closing time is poor service!
(1)Bob B.
Been going to Saica for years. By far this is the best sushi in Ann Arbor and the metro Detroit area! The sushi chef is friendly as well as all of the employees! Worth every penny- lunch or dinner. Try the Cherry Blossom roll- my favorite!!!
(5)Ted S.
Terrific sushi, nice atmosphere, decent prices. The spicy shrimp tempura roll is to die for, really. I've eaten at Saica countless times, and never had a bad meal.
(4)Tricia K.
I am mainly writing this review because I don't believe this place deserves the scathing review posted by a fellow Yelper. Although this place is nothing special or authentic it wasn't horrible by a long shot! So this review is to offset the negative review a little. I came in here after a long day of recruiting at the engineering campus and wanted a quiet peaceful snack before heading to DTW. There aren't many sushi places open at 4pm so I was glad this one was. With just a few people inside this spacious restaurant, I definitely had the peaceful experience I wanted and the waitress (I agree, she is japanese) was very attentive. I ordered a Volcano 1 roll which was my second choice because they didn't have the tempura jalapeno and salmon one I wanted. The sushi is your typical korean interpretation and was just fine. I finished up with a bowl of green tea ice cream (3 scoops!). OK, so this place isn't the most authentic or elegent. Its right across the street from the university! But in no case, can I imagine that the waitress would be rude or put someone in a corner because she didn't want to deal with the patron. So if you are hankering for some sushi, you aren't wanting to spend a lot of $$, and you don't want a snobby atmosphere, this is a good place to visit.
(3)Khom V.
I've been going here for years and they are consistently great! Sushi is always tasty there and now they add some cool hot pots. Try it out if you are on north campus. You won't be disappointed.
(4)I G.
This place is ok. First had the ginger salad. Had better. Too salty I think. The spicy California Roles are ok. Fell apart a little. The only thing I didn't get is what Restuarant does not have fountain drinks. I ordered a coke and got a can for $1.99. So I guess no refills. When I was there it was about 6pm and there was about five people there including myself. I'd eat here again if I really had to.
(3)J L.
We go there for their shabu shabu. Their food is ok but not the best. The beef was fresh and there were a lot of vegetables. If you go for the shabu shabu dinner set for 2, the portion was generous - you get a tempura appetizer, 3 pcs of sushi and a roll, with the shabu shabu. I am not so crazy about their service though...
(3)Andy L.
Im giving this place a three, but to be honest its closer to a two. I came here on a friday night, during dinner time, so I knew it was going to be full with students. I assumed that it would pretty good given the amount of people dining. But life slaps you across the face when you look around and see things not to your liking. For one, there were a group of employees just sitting at the sushi bar, casually taking their break. They wore sneakers and texted on their phone when not busy. That didn't bother me as much as the food itself. After asking for some hot tea, the appetizer came out, salad with house dressing and a miso soup. I am always excited for this time because each restaurant uses a different recipe for the dressing. However, the bowls came out and the lettuce was just drenched in this dressing, soggy and not very tasteful. So I tried my miso soup and the thing was not only overly salty, it was not anywhere near the optimum temperature for soup. Waiting patiently for the sushi, which came out in due time, I noticed something immediately wrong. The rice was too wet. It was mushy, the entire batch, including my 3 rolls. Of the 3, the least expensive (yellow tail) ended up tasting the best. The spicy tuna w/ avocado, was not spicy to say the least and the avocado masked the entire flavor of the fish. And lastly, I ordered something called the Great Lakes. Here was sushi at its absolute lowest. Sushi to me is about tasting each flavor, both as a mix in the roll and individually. When you try to add too many ingredients, they end up in different quadrants of the mouth and you don't get that mix of flavors. This is exactly what happened. In one particular bite, the ratios went something like this: 50% cucumber, 7% roe, 13% crab meat, and 30% tuna. I couldn't finish my dinner. On the flip side, they are doing more than well with their business. As we were leaving, my friend suggested to me that perhaps we should give their non-sushi items a chance. Could this be worth it? It'll be a long time before I come back to this place in Ann Arbor.
(3)Dora C.
If you ever want a sushi piece the size of your palm, get the Spider Roll (No fret. It's eel for the newbs). Largest single roll I've ever seen. Seriously. I was | | this close to adding chopsticks for fingers if it was more socially acceptable to wave them around like that.
(3)Lucas W.
This was my first time going here. I had the Spicy Fish Bowl and it was really great! It was a big bowl with rice at the bottom, topped with a little lettuce, a little seaweed salad, and lots of cubes of assorted raw fish (and I think some roe too). It was like eating a big bowl of sashimi. It was served with a bottle of spicy sauce so you can spice it up if you want. I will go back again sometime and try something new. Can't speak to the waitstaff because my wife and I were the only two in the whole restaurant. Pretty easy to get good service then! Yelp doesn't have the right Sunday hours. They open at noon, but not sure about closing time.
(4)Sam D.
I really want to like Saica -- I love sushi, and it's very conveniently located for me. I've tried it say ~5 times spaced over the past 5 years with friends who want to go there, thinking maybe it's gotten better, and every single time I've had sushi there, it has tasted old and I've gotten an upset stomach immediately afterwards. I know other people like it - I just don't see the appeal - particularly since there is a better sushi restaurant immediately across the street (Nagomi) with fresher fish, similar atmosphere, and comparable prices.
(2)Mel T.
So I'm updating again. All I can say is when they are good they are very good. The king crab nigri is exceptional when you get a nice big claw right from the steamer. If we get the non-asian dark haired lady as a waitress we know we are going to get great service. When they are bad they are very bad. Fish that seems old, people not feeling well after, and their other wait staff aren't great. We've had a waitress there screw up our sushi orders several times when they are clearly marked on a sheet, ignore some of the people at the table completely, or take forever to bring utensils for those who can't use chop sticks. So I'm a stuck at a 3. 4-5 if you are there on a good day; 1-2 if it is a bad day. I do think some of the illness problem has been due to serving escolar instead of tuna. This may not be their fault, but that of their supplier. What is there fault though is after we had let them know that our tuna eaters were "waxing" a classing sign of escolar poisoning they didn't seem to do anything to fix the problem. We continued to have the problem over the next couple of months before we decided to switch our normal sushi lunch to another place. I'd love to see this place more consistently good as they have a much better layout for large groups than many sushi restaurants.
(3)Kten D.
I've eaten here twice, once take out and once dine in. After being treated rudely at Umi Sushi my family and I were relieved to find a nice business. We ordered several sushi rolls and we were met with prompt, precise, and pleasant service. I dined in with my sister, her first trip to a sushi place. Although I can't say I'm in favor of the decor (very modern, pipes exposed in the middle of the dining area, uncomfortable wooden chairs) it was still very clean and neat. I thought their food was DELICIOUS! We split a bento box and a couple sushi rolls. I can't remember what exactly we ordered, but we loved everything. The fish tasted fresh and the miso soup rocked my world! I definitely recommend you give it a chance :)
(4)Christopher P.
This is currently my preferred sushi place along Plymouth. The lunch options are good, and the bento includes quite a bit of food - all tasty.
(4)Lily P.
Its okay not amazing and the prices were high for tuna rolls and etc. If you do delivery it comes out to like 7 dollar for a $3 roll and extra stuff in your roll that you didn't want or need. The philly rolls are cheaper then other places on campus so my roomie would go there often. Not very popular place but I can see people going north campus and checking it out.
(2)Jonny P.
Wow... I am shocked by the mixed reviews but here's my two cents. I had a GREAT experience, our dinner consisted of: your standard miso, a special order salad from the chef encompassing a variety of fish + greens & a great ginger dressing, the tiger & devil's kiss rolls, four pieces of nigiri & a 'sashimi pizza'. I thought the latter was a joke (my friend formerly hosted @ Saica) but it worked VERY WELL. I have no complaints @ all about the preparation or freshness of the fish. The rice was excellent & very well balanced. Ambiance plus a more adventurous menu would've earned it a 5th star but this is more of a Pan-Asian restaurant as opposed to Japanese from what I saw. I would recommended & visit again...
(4)Elaine C.
A friend said she had discovered a new and cheap sushi place in Ann Arbor called Saica. "Okay, " I said, skeptically, "let's try it." Before dinner, I scoped out the menu online, and was pleasantly surprised by the variety non-sushi items. Let's be honest-- Ann Arbor isn't exactly the mecca of good/authentic Asian food. For Japanese food, few restaurants push past the norms of teriyaki chicken, California rolls, tempura, and udon. So I was intrigued when I saw a few yakitori and tofu dishes listed under appetizers. At the restaurant however, I decided to go simple and order one of the dinner specials, which consisted of a small salad, bowl of Saica udon (shrimp tempura, seaweed, fish cakes & veggies), and California rolls. The salad was simple (lettuce, few veggies, and a tangy miso sauce), and the udon was hot and savory. After downing the salad and noodles, I barely had enough room for a few California rolls. The inside of the restaurant can seat quite a few people. Everything is very clean, and soft music played in the background. I went on Sunday night with a group of 6 girls. A few of the other tables were filled, but otherwise it was rather quiet. Not a huge fan of the decor. Modern furniture pieces and lighting, flat screen tvs (with nothing playing), but strange, and almost tacky, blue wallpaper/curtain covering the wall. Service was good. Our waitress was polite and attentive, and the food came out fast. She was even willing to split checks separately for everyone in our group. A plus when everyone only has credit cards! Overall, my experience at Saica was pleasant. However, I'm curious to return again to try some other items, including various appetizers and sashimi dishes.
(3)Kiyomi M.
Anyohaseyo! That's right people, Koreans can make good Japanese food! Actually, I must say that the spicy tuna roll (another Japerican creation) is got the signature Tae Kwon Do kick in the arse in the spicy category, something my kin are unlikely to reproduce. Lets face it, when it comes to in your face flavor, a la garlic spice till it hurts the next day coming out the other end, Koreans are hard to beat. Let them make Japanese food, and inevitably you get the "good God please spare my sphincter..." factor imbedded to what is commonly a subtle fare of dashi hidden in shoyu flavor or whatever variant of soy by-product. All that aside (that is, can Korean make authentic Japanese? The answer is of course yes, but then, why would they when they can add their own spin!), the quality of fish was definitely top notch, and it is now becoming our (my hot wife, that is...) favorite lunch date. And bonus points for having a Kansai okusan working the tables. Not only is she easy on the eyes, but she's all about the Korean man. Gotta keep the gene pool mixed!! We all know what happens when there is too much inbreeding... (my 2 cents on anti racism through cross breeding. If I was appointed GOD, or an evid dictator, I would require all marriages to be interracial...)
(4)dan h.
I used to go here a lot for drinks when I was attending umich. The sushi is pretty reasonably priced. It's probably better to go in the evenings as their dinner menu is a bit more extensive then. Probably the best spicy tuna rolls in Michigan. It's made as a large roll and it's got a right amount of spice. The sushi chefs are pretty cool to talk to if you hit them up with some sake :)
(5)Peter K.
The review by Janelle makes me laugh. You talk as if you're an expert on Japanese cuisine. The owner's wife is Japanese. I think that means he might know a little about Japanese culture. Oh no, Romanized Japanese with a "C!!!!" God forbid! Maki is just as telling as nigiri. The skill to make a proper sized roll with the appropriate amount of fish or ingredients makes or breaks a chef. If you want good udon, go to a place that specializes in udon. Obviously this is not that place. The tempura is more than adequate. You can taste the difference in the oil they use. (Rice bran vs cheap vegetable oil) And for such a fan on "Sparty" to come into "Wolverine" country and complain about the food speaks to your credibility. Food is decent, and they have great lunch specials. Katsudon is not the best I've ever had, or even the best in Ann Arbor, but reasonably priced and large in portion. The sushi and sashimi are good and the presentation of the food is nice. Sometimes the plates are chipped, but it doesn't bother me from enjoying the food. Decor is cheap and plastic. A sad attempt at modern architecture. If you want to sit at the bar, just ask. People that complain that they get placed at the end of the restaurant should eat at home. You can sit in solitude, pretending to be intelligent by spewing thesaurus words. Sushi, like all foods, is best eaten in anyway you find comfortable: drenched in soy sauce or dabbed, one bite or two, with your hands or with chopsticks. Don't let "elitists" ruin a decent meal with decent prices.
(4)Marie H.
Let it be said, CHECK YOUR CARRYOUT ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE!! 9 times out of 10 it will be wrong. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, it was 4 times out of 5, but that's still a lot! Whatever, I didn't have the time to leave work to get the right food and since I ended up with maki and sushi instead of sashimi, I decided to roll with it. Ha. *groan*. That fish must have already been on medicare because it sure was old! *groan groan* I realize that the midwest is not by the ocean and Ann Arbor is not that close to a major supplier but yikes! I were writing a death certificate on that meal, I would have put the time of death for the fish as 'approximately 5-7 days prior to serving'. This rivaled sushi.COME in badness, I will not return.
(1)Matt G.
Saica to me over my past recent visits has become more of an acquired taste, rather than a love at first sight. When I was first introduced with a co-worker, I wasn't overly impressed. Somewhat bland tasting spicy tuna/salmon rolls with which seemed like a lot of pepper oil, which wasn't spicy at all. As time grew on and I became more open minded about it, it has become one of my favorite sushi places in AA. The prices relative to how much sushi you get and the convience being on north campus around where I currently live are the highlights for me. I can't jump up and down about Saica, but I will happily go there and leave with a smile on my face 9 times out of 10.
(4)Kelsey H.
Best sushi in Ann Arbor at great prices. Total sleeper sushi restaurant. Always order the spicy tuna: they use little to no mayo like all the other places and you can see the chili pepper flakes. It's amazing. miso salmon roll has this great sauce they put on top. Also recommend the tuna tataki and eel roll. Saica has great rolls but the sauces they use just make it even better. They also serve beer, wine, sake, and some hot dishes. This is my go to in Ann Arbor any day of the week.
(4)Sarah L.
great value, super friendly service, great food. I am impressed by: 1) Their quality of food, from both Sushi bar and the kitchen 2) I have sensitive stomach and i never once got upset stomach or anything from food here. 3) Their extensive menu. They do go the distance to make their food different from those other so-so very typical americanized japanese places in town. 4) The value of what you pay and what you get. I have been to a few other Japanese restaurants that the food is just so-so, some dishes are just as good, but wayyyyy more ridiculously expensive than what I would pay at Saica for the same item. i am a very picky person and i do take my food *VERY* seriously (if you take a look at those reviews I have written, you should know I do not speak B.S.). I love some of the places I've visited in Ann Arbor but this is probably one of those few that will ever receive a five-star from me. I have lived in Ann Arbor for 6 years now, and I have visited most Japanese restaurants in Ann Arbor. I have lived in and travelled to other big cities in the USA and outside USA all my life (London, Stockholm, L.A., San Francisco, Toronto, etc) and I always find good food when I travel. Still, i keep making comparison back to Saica when I think about it. Saica's spicy tuna is not over-killed by the spicy sauce they put in. All their hot-pot items (Nabemono) are my favorite in winter (yeah, michigan winter can be horrible. it is a joy to have hot pot entree at Saica). Sea urchin (uni) is so fresh that it is super sweet here (i even reached the point that i had to ask them what kind they served and they showed me the box of "wild-caught". that should say something). Their roll creations beat all other japanese places in ann arbor (i can name all signature rolls from all other japanese places and those still cannot beat the rolls at Saica). So yes, I keep sending my friends to this place. And I will do it on Yelp too (after sitting quietly so long, I have learned that some people do not even know what they talk about.). But if you expect to have typical Americanized Japanese food here, you might be a bit disappointed. Just try their real Japanese food tho. you will forget the fake japanese food you have had elsewhere.
(5)Jojo G.
Having eaten here 100's of times over the last 5 years, I can honestly say that it doesn't get any better than this (for this price in Ann Arbor). Very consistent quality, large portions, friendly staff. Their salmon is top rate, their roles large, and their sushi pieces big. The tea comes in a very hot cup, a nice touch in the winter.
(5)Elizabeth M.
Never found a spicy salmon roll I didn't like until I ate here. I only liked 2 out of 5 rolls I ordered.- the rest are in my fridge since it makes me sad to throw away sushi. Skip it.
(2)