Report Abuse

AJ's is Terrific

4 Posted on 01 / 30 / 2011

It was upsetting and arguably slanderous for the other person to assert in writing that they saw rats at this establishment. I'm the owner of a small dessert eatery and we also have rat traps outside. Its well within reason to have traps outside a restaurant, especially in a restaurant row, in a dowtown area. There are several restaurants right next to AJs. I go into AJ's every time I'm in Detroit and have never seen anything out of the ordinary and believe me I have a keen eye, being an owner myself. There are some good writers adding their 2 cents worth on this page but that does not make them experts. Its wrong to slander an honest business trying to survive in the Detroit area. Aj's sanitary rating is A. If you have a sensitive stomach, maybe stick with your mommy's cooking.

Pros: Great staff, Food variety, Coffee better than Starbucks

Report Abuse

Not so clean

1 Posted on 12 / 27 / 2009

I've had several bad encounters there. First, the cleanliness of the cafe was a disgrace (dirt, rats, filthy bathrooms, overflowing garbage cans, etc) I was also given a dirty (greasy) plate when given my food order. I find it incredibly hard to believe that the "vegan" treats are just that. One main reason I don't have dairy is because I'm HIGHLY allergic to it and after having eaten a scone or apple pie they had, within 20 minutes I became violently ill. I thought perhaps it was just dumb luck so I went back a secind time and had the same thing happen again. The third time I went in I had wanted to speak to the person who was Serve Safe certified but the employee informed me that the man no longer worked there and had resided in Mexico. In order to run a cafe that serves food you MUST HAVE someone who has the Serve Safe certification. And not to sound harsh or crass, I firmly believe that the staff (mostly the owner) should have good hygiene (no body odor, clean hands etc.) and to where a hat at all times to keep hair covered. I tried liking the place, it seemed down to Earth but there is a difference between Grass Roots and Barnyard. I do not recommend anyone eat there.

Pros: big cafe, WiFi
Cons: dirty, over priced

Report Abuse

AJ-NO WAY!

2 Posted on 07 / 28 / 2009

The patio in back was nice except for the rat traps in view. The vegan sloppy joes had as filling some kind of rubbery pink tofu and I could not taste tomato sauce to save my life. The hummus plate had as hummus some thick spackle-apparently ground chickpeas, which is correct, but I could not taste any tahini. And no pita bread included with a hummus plate, but corn chips instead? And a few carrots and sliced beets, and that's it? I like this place, I really do, it has a college-town bohemian ambiance that is really appealing. But it has got to get its menu and quality together if I'm ever going to order anything more than coffee.

Pros: friendly staff, intimate music venue, casual/comfortable
Cons: rat motel/traps around patio, half-hearted food , disappointing food

Report Abuse

Dare I say, better than what Xhedos was!

4 Posted on 07 / 21 / 2009

So AJ is the person who bought the infamous coffee house Xhedos, renamed it and revamped the menu before reopening. Thank goodness AJ saved this coffee house, because it is still vegan friendly and better than ever! The stage is still in place where many people perform, whether on open mic night or during one of the "performing marathons" AJ puts together to support the community.
AJ spent some time living in Mexico and learned about authentic Mexican cooking, so I highly suggest trying one of the Mexican dishes while you are there! Not all items are vegetarian or vegan, but you can always find a vegan meal, dessert, and tea or coffee drink here. Outdoor seating available both in the front of (on 9 Mile) and behind (by the parking lot) the store. I do believe this coffee house (including the stage area) has the most square footage of any in the Detroit area, if not the entire state of Michigan. Its nice to have room to spread out with your laptop or books, but it can still be quite noisy in here (not the best for intimate conversations.)
This place is a real treasure! web site: ajsmusiccafe.com

Pros: very vegan friendly, great owner
Cons: noisy

Report Abuse

Yum!

4 Posted on 02 / 03 / 2009

I was delighted with my first trip to AJ's. I got the seitan ruben and a chocolate pb and banana soy milkshake. They also had vegan pie and 5 different vegan sandwich selections. I can't wait to go back and try another sandwich and have dessert! The fella (AJ?) at the counter was very friendly. The food was reasonably priced and the environment was nice.