Our group of four came for dinner on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. and were seated after a short wait (they only do reservations for groups of 6 or more, otherwise walk-ins are seated on a first come, first served basis which is fair). The restaurant was about a third full when we arrived and almost at capacity halfway through our dinner. If you want a table without a long wait, come just before the dinner rush.
Overall impressions:
-The food was excellent. No qualifiers along the lines of "well it was good, considering it was ayce" needed. We started our meal off ordering various items from the aburi and tataki sections of the menu. To say that we enjoyed the flavours, textures, and presentation of the platters would be a major understatement. I also appreciate the fact the portions were relatively small (quite literally bite-sized) but still satisfying, plus it allowed our group of four to get a taste of everything we wanted without feeling like we were stuffing ourselves to the gills. I know it's ayce, but sometimes you really need quality over quantity.
-Wait staff were friendly, knowledgable and attentive without hovering
-No issues with our orders (3 rounds ordered, got everything we asked for; last round was for desserts); glasses of water were refilled without asking throughout the meal; food was delivered to the table at a steady pace; empty plates were picked up promptly
Bottom Line: Is it worth the price of premium AYCE at $35 for dinner? Absolutely : )