food, service, and ambiance were all 10/10. would definitely recommend! the quality is definitely worth the price

Arrived here on a weekend night with a party of 5 without a reservation and the front staff were so sweet and seated my party right away. Inside has a Japanese modern design, 2 restrooms, and a coat rack to hang your winter coats. For appetizers, I ordered the chicken and the mackerel sushi, which was my personal favorite dish. I liked how they seared the mackerel and gave it a really nice flavor despite its simplicity. For mains, we ordered the JaJa cold noodles and the Tantan hot udon. The Jaja dish was refreshing and had a good flavor and the tantan dish was alittle spicy and I loved the bouncy texture of the udon. Overall loved coming here on a cold winter night with friends, but would recommend getting a reservation if you can. I would come back to try more desserts and coffee! read more

I had this in the soho location, and I loved it! This was slightly disappointing compared to it, but maybe it was because I knew what to expect. My boyfriend got a hot udon with duck though, and it hit in the best ways. Personally, I think it was slightly too expensive for what it was. The service was great though. They kept refilling our water which I thought was a great indication of service. I hated how the seating arrangements were though. There was one long table in the middle, and we were cramped among others and felt like we had no privacy. read more

Raku - buta shabu - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Most refreshing cold udon you can have during a sweltering NYC summer. The Zara cold udon noodles were fresh and paired well with a lightly battered vegetable tempura. Definitely recommend the chicken tatsuta-age. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here when seeking out Fouet pastries, their Union Square location having closed about a year ago. We didn't even realize that Fouet is attached to Raku! What a great surprise! The food is terrific -- my husband declared it the "best udon he has ever had in his life." So delicious. And, of course, the desserts are great and so is the tea. Will be back again! read more

Best udon that I ever had in my life. Service was great and I had really good time. I kind of regret that I should have tried their dessert selection. Very simple and modern looking restaurant. read more

Beautiful, minimalistic interior although having the heat on full blast did make dining a bit uncomfortable especially when drinking hot soup. The dishes we ordered were high quality and very tasty. We started with the chicken tatsuta-age, which came out hot and had a nice crunch when you bite into it. The included sauce had a spicy kick to it, but isn't necessary as I very much enjoyed the natural flavors of the chicken. The nabeyaki's soup was rich and possessed deep flavors while ensuring all the individual ingredients shined when eaten separately. It came with 2 shrimp tempura on the side, which were tasty as well. Service was excellent and the waitress was attentive. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Raku in Hell's Kitchen! The location was a little hard to find as we couldn't find the sign outside the door. Food was quite tasty. I got the buta shabu and the flavor was good. I liked raku's thicker udon noodles so I was a little sad. But overall, it was really refreshing to eat it in the summer heat. Will come back to try the other stuff. I've eaten at two other raku locations and they all are yummy! read more

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New location with the front being a dessert place. The decor is amazing and makes the place feel really clean and modern. Came when they opened so I didn't need a reservation and it was pretty empty. Service was quick and they were really nice. Pretty decent sized menu, so many options. They even had specials, but we didn't get those. Huge bowls of noodles that were tasty. You can't go wrong here. read more

The broth is the highlight of this udon spot deeply flavorful with a true beef taste that feels clean and well-crafted rather than heavy or greasy. You can tell care went into the stock. The interior design is nice with a rustic Japanese aesthetic that makes the space warm and inviting. Unfortunately, the noodles don't quite live up to the broth; the texture and chew just dont really taste as fresh as I would have hoped them to be. Not sure of course how they were prepared but, would say it it was disappointing Overall, a pleasant experience with excellent broth but I definitely had better read more

The udon here is fantastic! The servers were very informative and recommended great menu items! I would recommend this place for dates! read more

Raku - Curry Beef Udon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Late review: went to Raku last month. We just had dinner somewhere else and felt like dessert. Was intrigued by the inconspicuous entrance (hardly saw the restaurant sign) & followed someone in out of curiosity. Saw the menu and display & said we were totally hooked ! Couldn't wait to try everything we saw. And boy, did they not disappoint ! Everything was delicious!! We had to wait a few minutes because the place was packed. We were seated at the front with bar stool seating since we didn't come for dinner. Have to mention, It was a bit of a challenge to get our seats, as some patrons seemed to think they didn't have to wait to be seated. (They were a bit too eager, if you ask me.) :) Anyway, service was great, our server kept checking on us and refilling our water. The vibe at Raku is a bit crowded and close together, especially in the dining room with the communal table setting, But will definitely be back this time for dinner & of course desserts ! read more

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We had an amazing meal at Raku uptown. First impression on walking inside was very positive - liked the light color wood slats and the curved seating area for the pastries. Go through a curtain to get to the dining area, good vibe there. Food was delicious. We had the wagyu tataki, karaage fried chicken with an outstanding sauce, dumplings and steamed egg, such good flavor. I had a katsu donburi, my comfort food, family had udon with very tasty broth and beef. We'll be back to try the pastries, they all looked so good! Service was attentive and prompt. Recommended! read more

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Fantastic food and ambiance was beautiful. The udon, both broth and noodles, had an amazing flavor and texture. Flavors were beautifully balanced and not too salty. Tempura was light and crispy. Sushi was excellent. Totally recommend coming here if you can. Be sure to make a reservation though as waits can be long. read more

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Great food! I got the gyunan, nabeyaki, sansai bukake, karaage, and gyoza. Would definitely recommend the karaage and gyoza- the chicken was amazingly crunchy and very juicy and the gyoza was so flavorful. The hot udon was okay. I really liked the udon noodles because of how soft and firm it was to bite into them. My favorite was the cold udon especially with their poached egg! Great atmosphere and ambiance. It's a nice spot for a date or to celebrate something. read more

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Do not be deceived, this place does not have an ADA accessible entrance and wheelchair users cannot enter as there is a large step out front and no ramp. Two people went in to ask for me and the staff at Patisserie Fouet in the front of the shop told them no portable ramp was available either. To make it worse, the diner friendly in this space did have a wheelchair accessible entrance that the Raku team paid a lot of money to remove. The law has been around for 34 years and this type of discrimination is unacceptable. (Not to mention lying about being accessible on their Yelp listing and community board application). read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

My favorite udon spot in NY just opened a new branch in Midtown. So so happy to see the expansion of this brand all over NY. My go to noodle spot, and the first restaurant I recommend to anybody coming to NY. This branch is a bigger restaurant that still captures the charm of the OG Raku. It's a more extensive menu with sushi and sashimi on the menu as well. Overall, I'm happy that the quality is preserved with the expansion. Can't wait for them to open in Queens side. MUST TRY! The udon is so chewy and fresh and to die for. read more

I was able to confirm that they open at 11 on the weekends! This was my first time at this location and we arrived at 11 to avoid having to wait. When we arrived they were still setting up and then we were able to be seated immediately. The interior is modern and spacious with mostly tables for groups, and the service was good. There was just 2 of us, and they sat us at a communal table. It seems like this location would be best for a group, whereas the other locations are better for two people. We got the agedashi tofu which came with 4 pieces, and I go the chikara udon. Raku is one of my favorite restaurants as I love their bouncy noodles and flavorful and heartwarming soups. The portions are also generous and it is reasonably priced. I will definitely be back, and especially to this location with a larger group. Patisserie Fouet is also located in the front, if you are looking for a sweet treat after your meal. read more

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I wish we have Raku in Boston too !!!! At the beginning I was lost to find the door which seems like a bakery but it was the place !!! They have a udon place at the back of the bakery so don't be too surprised like me . The noodles were awesome as well as the soup. We went there while we were pretty full so wanted to just enjoy a bit then we finished all. Nothing left at the end I would definitely visit again. It was worthwhile to walk over and well compromised my craving visit to Japan for a while. Staffs were nice and the space was well organized and decorated as a typical Japanese restaurant. read more

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I can't believe I've been in NYC for 9 years and am just now visiting this spot. The springiest noodles I've ever had. A new favorite spot for noodles and comfort food. Loved the cold udon noodle and the mix of fresh flavors. read more

Couldn't believe it when I walked past Raku a couple weeks ago! So happy my favorite Udon restaurant in NYC opened a swanky new location near me. I love the ambiance, bakery in the front and udon in the back! Interior is decorated perfectly. I got my typical Niku udon and the Karaage -- both tasted as good as I remember the other locations being. Service was great as well. I will definitely be coming back and so happy this location is finally open! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Just as good as the other locations and nicer. The wait can be a bit long at the most busy time but worth the wait.

Noodles super chewy and unique, best/most special udon I've had by far! Cute presentation too and nice vibes in the restaurant read more

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A new Raku opened in theater district! It's hidden in patisserie fouet. I only waited about 10 minutes at 8pm on Thursday. I got the cold udon with crab (kani) and it felt like a summer special. It's not on the menu at other Raku locations. Overall, it's good and has a good amount of crab, but I like the cold udon with quail egg the best. The yuzu lemonade was good too, it's on the sour side, but it's refreshing! My party of 2 sat at the communal table and it's really hard to hear the person across from you. The food is good, but if you are at a communal table, expect to have to speak loud to hear each other. read more

Raku - Kani udon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

It was my fist time at Raku and I was excited to try it out. I ordered the Niku udon and shrimp tempura. The meat in the Niku was very tough and difficult to chew. It seemed like it wasn't cooked enough or the meat was old. The broth overall was okay but the udon noodles had a nice chew to it and I really enjoyed it. Service was great. No complaints. However I found the price to be extremely unreasonable. $28 for the spicy Niku udon? In my opinion I don't think it was worth it. I probably won't be coming back. read more

Came here because the seven mackerel pressed sushi was going viral on tiktok and I have to say it's definitely worth the visit just for the appetizer. The ambiance of this new Raku location is very cozy with not a ton of seating and the speakeasy vibe with the patisserie in front is cute. I came here before seeing a broadway show so I didn't get to spend as much time here as I felt would have given this place a full proper experience but what I did experience, I would definitely come back again. The service was very accommodating with our tight schedule and prompt. But, I would probably give myself 2 hours here to dine before a show at least to be able to try all the appetizers and desserts here within a reasonable time frame while also catching up with friends. The udon here was good but not anything too different from other places, I do wish they offered their ramen at this location too. read more

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A hidden entrance in the back of the bakery. So excited to see them open another location. Food is good was always and comes out quickly. It is hard to grab a seat if you don't get a reservation (only open for parties of 4+), but I've come here for weekday lunches and was able to walk in and get seated. read more

I ordered the Niku Udon, a rib bone based soup that was recommended heavily online. I would rate it a 8/10, good hearty soup and good amounts of protein. Cucumber salad was $16 and is honestly pretty much a cucumber sliced up with some yuzu dressing. Pretty mediocre, wouldn't order again especially for the price. Dessert included the soba pudding and the matcha cheesecake. The soba pudding was a 9.5/10, flan-like texture and its flavor was amazing. The matcha cheesecake tasted good too but I think they gave us a messed up one and the texture was weird. It looked like someone stepped on it real quick before serving it to us. Nice ambiance and they took us in pretty quickly read more

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I was happy to hear that Raku opened a new location in midtown. I went there with friends when I went to watch a Broadway show. I don't see online reservations available so just showed up at 12:00 when they opened. They were full by 12:30. We actually hung out at Patisserie Fouet in the front for a little bit since we arrived early. They didn't let us hold onto our drinks from Fouet saying they're only a sister company. Raku's menu has the same list of drinks as Fouet anyway. The server transferred our plastic cups into glasses and let us keep the drinks. I'm not amused how half my plastic cup came out to 2/3 of the glass cup. Seems like you would get less contents for the same price if you ordered from the Raku side. Inside is more spacious than their previous two locations but it kept the same light wood decor. Most of their seats are booths that fit 3-6ppl. There's a long table in the middle similar to their Soho location. We shared a small fried chicken and the eel sushi. The fried chicken was consistent with their other locations. Eel sushi might be a new item here. It was a bit disappointing. The eel was not a big piece but diced up. The cucumber and tempura added texture but it wasn't enough to elevate the eel. I got the gyunan udon and my friends got the wakame and sansai. The noodle texture is consistent with the other locations which is yummy. The biggest problem is that the broth is not as good. It's too salty and fishy. The original broths are sweeter. I'm very familiar with their broth because my family often saves leftover broth to cook other noodles in it. The broth was too bleh here none of us wanted to drink it. The noodles itself are still good. I saw some photos where they give a taste of soft serve when they give the check. They went back to giving frozen grapes now. It was only half frozen though. I recognized one guy from their Soho location. Maybe he's a manager or something. This place is closer to 3.5* but I'll round to 4* read more

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This is my second time here at this location, and this time I tried the Wakame Udon. Last time I had tried the Niku, and a couple others but... felt that the dishes were too heavy for my liking. However, the Wakame was the perfect dish. The flavor was clean but also deep enough to taste the flavorful broth. The service as great as always, and the ambiance was quiet and clean. This is a go to in New York when I am feeling under the weather, or the weather is cold! read more

Raku - Wakame - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

New Raku location! The front part is patisserie Fouet, their bakery, and the back part behind a curtain is Raku. We waited about 45 min on a Sunday night at prime dinner time but it was so worth it. Raku always hits the spot, and the flavors and quality are on par with the other locations. read more

Amazing Udon and I love the big tea cups! The Niki had great deep beef flavor and the Sansai was delightfully light and refreshing. Very attentive service and highly accommodating to our requests. read more

Raku - Senchu tea - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The ambience is nice and clean. The entrance is discreet with no signage. So you have to know that you're looking for this restaurant to find it. Otherwise you would miss it. The neighborhood is not on par with this establishment which may be why the front is so unassuming. The salad was large with the frisée and a cashew dressing. It was 3/5. The salmon sushi was okay but a bit overpriced for the amount. Maybe it was priced for the sauce which had a sligh lemon flavor. The chawan egg was nice and large. That was probably the best of the three orders. read more

Raku - Chawan egg - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I struggle with trends. Raku is somewhere between delicious and trendy. Let's start with what doesn't work and then talk food. It's busy. It's full. I ended up at a shared communal table and loathed the experience of sitting between two other pairs. When you spend this much on dining sitting 8incjes from another 2 parties is not what you want. It felt like I spent $200 to eat a meal at the fanciest cafeteria. The decor is special. A step above most sushi, ramen , udon Japanese minimalist. The layout of the dining area is lovely. There are nice booths and bathrooms. The udon was the most tender i have had. It's the noodles that are uniquely unctuous. I had the American wagyu udon and my wife the gyunan udon. The wagyu was not the best I have had and the broth left something to be desired. The Gyunan, which was significantly less expensive had much more depth of flavor. The best item we had was atsugiri bacon. It came to the table sizzling and truly thick and tender with every bite. ( embarrassing to have this hot plate smoking at your neighbors ) take the bean sprouts off the table as soon as you can. They get oily when they sit. Which reminds me , the service left something to be desired. They ignored us a lot but they hovered as I paid the bill. Not my fave. Maybe check this place out on a weeknight or for lunch. Get a good booth and you'll enjoy the experience and the food. read more

I had been looking forward to trying Raku for quite some time. After hearing so much about their udon, I was eager to finally try it at this less crowded location. The atmosphere and service were solid, with a welcoming ambiance and attentive staff. However, when it came to the udon, I have to say me and my friends were a bit let down. The udon didn't quite live up to the hype. It wasn't bad and the portion was huge, but it definitely lacked flavor. Some of the other items I tried, like Sabazushi and fried chicken were better options, but it was pricey. I enjoyed the drinks, the matcha yuzu lemonade was my favorite. Overall, its's a fine spot if you're in the area. read more

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Absolutely love this place! Can't wait to go back especially during cold days. The udon was so tasty and chewy with so many variety's of flavors to get. The atmosphere was very chic and quaint and the waiters were very friendly:) would def recommend this place! read more

Raku - Spicy bluefin tuna appetizer, sooo good! - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The dishes will make you smile with each bite. Numerous options with service-minded workers. Each plate shows genuine dedication. This spot has a wonderful vibe, good hygiene, and pleasant servers. This place surpasses all expectations. read more

had my dinner here after work & everyone is so welcoming & the Udon is also hot, especially in this cold weather . the food is always good the servers are always amazing . just another good day at Raku read more

Amazing food...the sushi, the wagyu, the udon. All delicious! Service was really good too.

It took a while for our food to come out of the kitchen, but honestly that's the only real complaint. (Well, other than the acoustics are bad, but that's almost every single restaurant these days.) The service was otherwise great -- even though it's newly opened and the staff are just getting their legs under them, everyone was very attentive: water always filled, plates cleared, table wiped, etc. I had the sansai bukkake, and it was very very good. (Ordered on the recommendation of the manager.) The noodles were perfect; the tempura was amazing (i could have eaten a lot more of this), and the whole dish was very flavorful. It's hot here again, so the cold dish was all in all really delightful and refreshing. Husband had the maguro don, and he wolfed it down. He particularly liked the soup that accompanied it. We also ordered pork gyoza. These were a big thumbs up from me -- I thought the filling was really delicious (lots of chive and ginger) and the wrapper the ideal texture, with a nice crisp on the bottom. Husband is a gyoza stickler, and he said he didn't love the filling's texture. He also ordered a dessert -- the matcha basque cheesecake. He didn't even offer, and while I probably would have declined -- cheesecake is not my favorite -- he was again too busy eating it all to even make the gesture. We'll definitely return as there was much more on the menu we'd like to try. (The crab udon, which I almost got tonight.) A welcome addition to the neighborhood. (I must've passed by the Patisserie Fouet a million times and never gone in. So perhaps I'll try that next time too.) read more