Great vibe and amazing food. Highly recommend the lamb dolma, the bread is amazing and they have unique spins on spare rib and chicken.
Catherine Adams
The vibes of this place were immaculate, only made even better by the amazing food. The customer service was also top tier. Shout out to Mia she was absolutely incredible and made the night transcendent.
The Runks d
Ajja was good. All of the dips we got were good but not spectacular. The whole trout fish we got was just ok flavor wise. The Lamb was tasty. The shrimp’s flavor was just ok. It was missing some deep flavor.
Daniel Scrudato
Such fun flavor combinations. Whole trout was amazing. Atmosphere lays foundation for a fun time. Fun date night spot!
chloe ehrlich
Ajja has been on my list for awhile now and I am happy to have gone last night. I have read countless reviews and I will agree- it is very good. But, it was not knock-your-socks-off amazing. I enjoyed the meal but I must say, the dessert stole the show. Flies did kinda take away from the ambience - but I get it, it’s summer in Raleigh and we ate on the coveted patio. I’ll go through what we ordered:
- htipiti: the whipped feta that reminded me of pimento cheese. Really enjoyed but it was a very small serving for $11 (9/10)
- assorted pickles: good I am a pickle lover and just wanted to try them (7/10)
- spinach and cheese sfiha: (not pictured) tasty but not as cheesy as the title suggests. I thought it was very acidic and I don’t know if I loved the addition of pickled mushrooms (again I love pickles it was just a bit much, didn’t feel like those flavors meld together) (6/10)
- coffee roasted carrots: tasty but nothing spectacular. I wanted more flavor on these. (6/10)
- charred cabbage & broccoli: this one was extremely unique. Again very acidic but I reallly enjoyed the flavors. The porcini tehina balanced out the acid but there wasn’t enough of it imo, the mushroom 'nuoc cham' was really what elevated this dish! It had an Asian infused flavor that was enjoyable. This dish would have been addictive if the acidity was toned down a hair (7/10)
- lamb seekh: saw this on many reviews. Very tender but did get some questionably chewy bits. The flavor was very good though. The accoutrements however: labneh, sweet pea chermoula, pistachio - I could have eaten by the spoonful (7/10)
- blueberry posset: now this, I could bathe in. The brown butter tahini chantilly- I didn’t know how bad I needed this in my life. It was addictive. Paired so well with the blueberry, the tahini oat crumble & kataifi crunch was the perfect touch to give it some bite. (10/10 absolutely no notes) I would go just for this. Perfectly salty & sweet.
Again, I came for my birthday and it was nice. The meal was good. The dessert was great. Overall, I just wish everything was a little less acidic! Some things were almost hard to have more than a few bites of. I’m curious if anyone else has these thoughts. Next time I would get the tagine. I wish they had 1 more salad-esque dish from the market menu.. The service was awesome though! And vibes were great. There were a lot of flies though (like at one point there was probably 7-9 flies on our food…)
Sandeep Kishore Jain
Interesting food and flavors. Hint of Indian tastes and texture. We are vegetarians and had no problem of choice
Mohan Shash
I would recommend this place for light eats and wine.. overall underwhelmed with food options and the taste.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Madison Young
Went for our anniversary tonight, it was absolutely wonderful. The food was amazing, the patio was gorgeous, and our server Tali was first class. She did a great job of taking care of us, and even noticed earlier in the night that I didn’t drink - so she brought out a non-alcoholic substitution when she served us surprise celebratory bubbly. My boyfriend and I, as amazing as the food was, agree that she was the best part of the whole experience. Thank you Tali!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Bread, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Grilled Shrimp Dish
Marina Gervasio
The food is very good and the experience was interesting. I would imagine that the waitress would explain the menu since there are unusual ingredients. We tried to order some bread and it was said it would not be necessary but it was not true in our case. We were with a teen, and he was ok with eating different things, but it was too much for him. I would expect some salt in the lamb. There wasn't, but my son and husband enjoyed it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
TJ H.
Exquisite. The food, music, styling and service will bring you to another world.
At night, The patio area has a great overview of downtown with a fire pit to enjoy. Really awesome in the fall / winter. For outdoor seating, Heaters are available if you would like.
This is now one of my favorite restaurants. Go on a dining adventure.
We were heartbroken when Garland closed, and so very excited when Aaja opened. The food is stunning. The dishes explore, roam and take traditions to the limits, always bringing delicious and unexpected combinations. I live 3 hours away and Aaja will always be my first choice. I don't think Paul gets mentioned enough - his attention to his guests is incredible, even if years have passed he remembers guests by name and all their details and history. Kudos to Cherie and Paul - Aaja is delicious, exquisite, and aesthetically
beautiful and personal. A home run all the way.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Ray (Tom)
Ajja is absolutely amazing. Formerly a coffee shop and bakery, the new owners have transformed this hidden neighborhood gem into a Greek restaurant that is thriving for good reason.
The food is wonderful, the drinks are sublime, and the atmosphere retains the neighborhood hideaway feel less than 500 feet from where I grew up. I treated my partner to dinner there for a very special birthday, to her delight.
So, find parking in a historically safe mixed residential and commercial space across from a small neighborhood park and enjoy Raleigh's newest trendy eatery. You won't regret it.
We visited Raleigh for a wedding and the reception was held here at Ajja. The staff was very friendly, the space was beautiful, and I would recommend anyone visiting Raleigh to check it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dawn K
We’ve been to Ajja several times, and we are impressed and so happy with each visit! The food is creative and full of flavor, the staff is professional, and we love the decor. We look forward to the next visit!
Great vibe and amazing food. Highly recommend the lamb dolma, the bread is amazing and they have unique spins on spare rib and chicken.
The vibes of this place were immaculate, only made even better by the amazing food. The customer service was also top tier. Shout out to Mia she was absolutely incredible and made the night transcendent.
Ajja was good. All of the dips we got were good but not spectacular. The whole trout fish we got was just ok flavor wise. The Lamb was tasty. The shrimp’s flavor was just ok. It was missing some deep flavor.
Such fun flavor combinations. Whole trout was amazing. Atmosphere lays foundation for a fun time. Fun date night spot!
Ajja has been on my list for awhile now and I am happy to have gone last night. I have read countless reviews and I will agree- it is very good. But, it was not knock-your-socks-off amazing. I enjoyed the meal but I must say, the dessert stole the show. Flies did kinda take away from the ambience - but I get it, it’s summer in Raleigh and we ate on the coveted patio. I’ll go through what we ordered:
- htipiti: the whipped feta that reminded me of pimento cheese. Really enjoyed but it was a very small serving for $11 (9/10)
- assorted pickles: good I am a pickle lover and just wanted to try them (7/10)
- spinach and cheese sfiha: (not pictured) tasty but not as cheesy as the title suggests. I thought it was very acidic and I don’t know if I loved the addition of pickled mushrooms (again I love pickles it was just a bit much, didn’t feel like those flavors meld together) (6/10)
- coffee roasted carrots: tasty but nothing spectacular. I wanted more flavor on these. (6/10)
- charred cabbage & broccoli: this one was extremely unique. Again very acidic but I reallly enjoyed the flavors. The porcini tehina balanced out the acid but there wasn’t enough of it imo, the mushroom 'nuoc cham' was really what elevated this dish! It had an Asian infused flavor that was enjoyable. This dish would have been addictive if the acidity was toned down a hair (7/10)
- lamb seekh: saw this on many reviews. Very tender but did get some questionably chewy bits. The flavor was very good though. The accoutrements however: labneh, sweet pea chermoula, pistachio - I could have eaten by the spoonful (7/10)
- blueberry posset: now this, I could bathe in. The brown butter tahini chantilly- I didn’t know how bad I needed this in my life. It was addictive. Paired so well with the blueberry, the tahini oat crumble & kataifi crunch was the perfect touch to give it some bite. (10/10 absolutely no notes) I would go just for this. Perfectly salty & sweet.
Again, I came for my birthday and it was nice. The meal was good. The dessert was great. Overall, I just wish everything was a little less acidic! Some things were almost hard to have more than a few bites of. I’m curious if anyone else has these thoughts. Next time I would get the tagine. I wish they had 1 more salad-esque dish from the market menu.. The service was awesome though! And vibes were great. There were a lot of flies though (like at one point there was probably 7-9 flies on our food…)
Interesting food and flavors. Hint of Indian tastes and texture. We are vegetarians and had no problem of choice
I would recommend this place for light eats and wine.. overall underwhelmed with food options and the taste.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Went for our anniversary tonight, it was absolutely wonderful. The food was amazing, the patio was gorgeous, and our server Tali was first class. She did a great job of taking care of us, and even noticed earlier in the night that I didn’t drink - so she brought out a non-alcoholic substitution when she served us surprise celebratory bubbly. My boyfriend and I, as amazing as the food was, agree that she was the best part of the whole experience. Thank you Tali!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Bread, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Grilled Shrimp Dish
The food is very good and the experience was interesting. I would imagine that the waitress would explain the menu since there are unusual ingredients. We tried to order some bread and it was said it would not be necessary but it was not true in our case. We were with a teen, and he was ok with eating different things, but it was too much for him.
I would expect some salt in the lamb. There wasn't, but my son and husband enjoyed it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Exquisite. The food, music, styling and service will bring you to another world.
At night, The patio area has a great overview of downtown with a fire pit to enjoy. Really awesome in the fall / winter. For outdoor seating, Heaters are available if you would like.
This is now one of my favorite restaurants. Go on a dining adventure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Seekh, Chicken Kebab, Hummas
Restaurantji Recommends
We were heartbroken when Garland closed, and so very excited when Aaja opened. The food is stunning. The dishes explore, roam and take traditions to the limits, always bringing delicious and unexpected combinations. I live 3 hours away and Aaja will always be my first choice. I don't think Paul gets mentioned enough - his attention to his guests is incredible, even if years have passed he remembers guests by name and all their details and history. Kudos to Cherie and Paul - Aaja is delicious, exquisite, and aesthetically
beautiful and personal. A home run all the way.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ajja is absolutely amazing. Formerly a coffee shop and bakery, the new owners have transformed this hidden neighborhood gem into a Greek restaurant that is thriving for good reason.
The food is wonderful, the drinks are sublime, and the atmosphere retains the neighborhood hideaway feel less than 500 feet from where I grew up. I treated my partner to dinner there for a very special birthday, to her delight.
So, find parking in a historically safe mixed residential and commercial space across from a small neighborhood park and enjoy Raleigh's newest trendy eatery. You won't regret it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Seekh, Crispy Bread, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Amba-Glazed Pork Belly
What a wonderful experience with food and atmosphere. Everything we had was wonderful. It is an evening experience that is worth your evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Kabab Boneless, Lamb Seekh, Chicken Kebab, Crispy Bread, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Charred Broccoli Crowns, Hummas, Citrus Olive Oil Cake Slice
We visited Raleigh for a wedding and the reception was held here at Ajja. The staff was very friendly, the space was beautiful, and I would recommend anyone visiting Raleigh to check it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We’ve been to Ajja several times, and we are impressed and so happy with each visit! The food is creative and full of flavor, the staff is professional, and we love the decor. We look forward to the next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...