Search By: or   Alphabetically Cuisines By Cost   Neighborhoods Features All     Aja   Address : 660 N. State St.  60654 Website: www.danahotelandspa.com Telephone: 312-202-6000 Type:  Restaurant    Hotel     A more approachable menu is on tap at aja (formerly ajasteak), which includes share-able plates, sushi and a new cocktail program.   Cuisine Japanese Sushi Tapas - Small Plates Upscale Lounge Dining  Location River North  Features Type Communal Tables Romantic Spot Meet for a Drink Natural/Organic Ingredients People Watching Special Occasion Expense Account Diners After Work  Spirits All Spirits  Av. Dinner Entree $26-$35  Music Type Miscellaneous  Meals Served Lunch Dinner   Outdoor Seating Yes  Parking Valet Street in Building  Payment Method Major credit cards  Reservations Accepted? Yes  Click Here for Directions   Comment : Aja just changed things up and the kid's alright. Back in the past when this place was solely a steakhouse, I probably would have given it a "mm hmm" and kept it moving. Now that they solely feature all things Asian, it's all that and a bag of Dorito's, chile'. Cool Ranch! The design is minimal and clean. Being inside the Dana Hotel, you would expect nothing less. The day I came here, the fire was roaring and folks were chilling in banquettes, getting a serious eat on. My dining companions were already enjoying some wine, so I doffed my coat and joined in. As we swirled our reds, we supped on pickled...stuff. I wasn't quite sure what everything was. I know I ate a beet -- which was the last time that would happen. Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. She walked us through the good, the great and the fattening. I loved it. A word of advice: if you are allergic to shellfish, beware. Most everything here is marinated in clam juice. Yes, even the non-seafood. It's not a problem for me (thank God) but if it is for you, be aware and ask questions. We started with a shared tiered veggies salad (pan-Asian) and lettuce wraps with chicken. Both were incredibly tasty. The tiered salad was gigantic. Three of us tore into it, and we barely put a dent into it. Do not order this by yourself. This is a treat to be savored by multiple people. The lettuce wraps were tasty, filling and very do-it-yourself. It was a nice, interactive way to share apps. For my entree, I ordered the pork banh mi sandwich (Vietnamese). It was slightly re-imagined in that it had some sort of sauce along with the sandwich. The pork was bar-b-qued and it was incredible. The sandwich was topped with traditional stuff (carrots, lemongrass and stuff) but there was also kimchi! Kimchi on my banh mi! And it was good! It really liked the intersection of flavors and thought it made a lot of sense. The sandwich came with fries and a green ranch sauce that was Japanese in origin (so I was told). I scarfed down everything. Seriously. If I cared about these things, I would be embarrassed. But, I wasn't and I am not. It was incredibly good. If you have a hankering for anything Asian (they cater to all major countries), you have to come here and try something. They have some stuff that is straight up but a lot of dishes are fused and the combos are genius. Hotel setting, good service and fun food. Aja is [insert Asian language] for win. From : Johnny Yelp ( 2010-01-15 ) Send your review Comment : Name :       Copyright © 2008 Chicago's Restaurant Guide All Rights Reserved.