Aji at MGM COTAI was one of the most satisfying fine dining meals we had in Macau.
On this trip, my dad kindly covered our food budget,
so we ended up trying quite a few upscale restaurants.
Since Macau is packed with flashy luxury hotels
and known for its polished dining scene, there are plenty of fine dining spots to choose from.
We booked one of them for ourselves and finally went.
MGM COTAIis where
Aji— the restaurant we visited — is located!
MGM has properties in both the Macau Peninsula
and the Cotai area, andAji is in Cotai,
so keep that in mind when planning your itinerary.
We arrived a little earlier than our reservation time,
so we wandered around the hotel for a bit
and took photos because the lobby was incredibly glamorous.
MGM is designed with a second-floor indoor level
that almost feels like a rooftop,
so even though you’re inside, a lot of the restaurants have an open-air vibe.
When it was time, we took the escalator up to
Aji, one of the standout spots for Macau fine dining,
and after they confirmed the reservation name, we were shown to our table.
The service felt exactly like what you’d expect from Macau fine dining—polished and attentive.
Link for Aji reservations and menu
Hoursare 6–11 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,
and on weekends, lunch is 12–3 p.m. and dinner is 6–11 p.m.,
so just note that there is no weekday lunch service.
The high, open ceiling made the whole space feel airy,
and the atmosphere was gorgeous—definitely one of the best restaurants in Macau for a special meal.
There were semi-private partitioned seats as well as larger tables for groups.
We were shown to a very spacious round table for four!
Honestly, the table was so big that sharing dishes
meant you really had to focus on eating what was in front of you.
Weekend Lunch Set
Since we visited for weekend lunch,
we ordered the Weekend Lunch Set,and
chose the highest tier at 488 MOP (about $60), out of the 318, 398, and 488 MOP options.
It included 2 appetizers + 1 main + 1 dessert.
Each person could choose their own appetizer, main, and dessert,
though some dishes
came with a surcharge or weren’t available in the set.
First, the bread arrived before the meal,
and even the presentation looked seriously elegant.
The bread itself came out warm and was delicious,
and the butter spread was rich, nutty, and so good.
Appetizers
Since there were four of us,
we got to see a nice variety of dishes, so I’ll show them one by one.
First up, Smoked Salmon
This was my parents’ dish, so I didn’t taste it, but it looked beautiful and genuinely delicious.
Next was Hamachi
a yellowtail dish that came with three little mounds of rice. My husband said it was really good.
My husband’s Anago Tempura
This one came with salad on the side, and visually it looked the most appealing to me.
I’m not personally a huge eel fan,
but if you do like eel, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Mine was Baby Romaine
I expected something more like a chopped salad,
but instead a whole chunk of romaine showed up.
Thankfully, it tasted good, and there was something crispy on top
that added a really nice texture.
Since we were choosing based only on the menu names and descriptions,
it was actually fun not knowing exactly what would come out.
Next, Soft Shell Crab
This was made with battered and fried soft-shell crab,
the same kind often used in Thai-style curry crab dishes,
and personally, this was my favorite appetizer of the bunch.
The shell was tender, and the sauce was excellent too.
Last was Wagyu Tartare
I picked this one, and while it looked great,
honestly, it was a little too rich for me.
The beef quality was clearly good, but the sauce felt oily,
and the ingredients mixed in were all pretty mild,
so after a few bites, it got heavy fast.
Even the thin crispy bread served with it was a little awkward to eat.
Tea or coffee is usually served with dessert,
but to cut through the richness,
we asked if they could bring it earlier, and they happily did.
Main Dishes
Since everyone chose a different main, here’s a look at the variety.
My mom chose Grilled Octopus
If you only looked at the portion, it might seem a little small,
but after the bread and two appetizers,
we were already getting full, so it actually felt like enough.
The octopus was tender, the mashed potatoes were delicious,
and the plating looked beautiful too, so I’d recommend it.
This one was A4 Wagyu a noodle dish.
My husband picked it because someone on YouTube
said it was incredibly good.
It originally comes with raw beef,
and then the server pours hot broth over it tableside.
That lightly cooks the beef and keeps it moist and tender.
Underneath, there were noodles—yuzu somen, apparently!
According to my husband, the beef was soft and tasty,
but the noodles leaned a little rich.
Mine was the most expensive option, MB5+ Wagyu Short Rib
a wagyu short rib steak.
Doesn’t it look amazing?
When I ordered, the server noticed I was pregnant
and recommended cooking it medium-well,
so I said yes, let’s do that.
I usually prefer medium-rare,
but even cooked a bit more, it was still tender and delicious.
Desserts
And finally, dessert.
Three of us ordered the same thing,
so I only got photos of two kinds.
HojichaThis dessert came with
a small slice of cake and a bright, refreshing ice cream on the side.
That was the full setup.
The cake wasn’t overly sweet, which I loved,
and in the center there was something like a tart marmalade,
which tasted amazing with the cake.
The sorbet-style ice cream was exactly as good as you’d expect.
For drinks, you could choose espresso, Americano,
latte, or cappuccino,
and there were several tea options too.
This one was Black Sesame Ganache
a black sesame ganache dessert. !
It came with black sesame ganache and matcha ice cream,
and this one was gorgeous too.
There were a few dishes I liked less than others,
but nothing made me think, wow, this is bad. Overall,
it was a very solid Macau fine dining restaurant.
If you want a luxurious course meal
at a relatively reasonable price,
I’d definitely recommend Aji at MGM COTAI.
As we were leaving after a great meal, people started gathering and murmuring,
and when we checked, it turned out a penguin drone show was about to start.
It honestly wasn’t some huge spectacular production,
but the timing worked out perfectly and it was fun to catch before heading out.
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