Came again! There are not many udon places that I know of in Toronto and this is a good place. I tried the curry udon this time with beef and it was good. I found it spicy but my friend did not at all. His opinion was that this udon place did not stand out to him (like it is very replicable at home which I dont disagree with). This time they fidnt have the woton option on their menu which was honestly the one I wanted. We got their salmon pressed sushi as well. Expensive and not as good as sushi places in my opinion but not bad either. read more

Raku - Curry udon w beef and chicken karaage udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Three of us came here for the first time to try their udon. I really enjoyed the soup base -- it was warm, comforting, and had a nice depth of flavour that tasted quite authentic. The udon itself was good, although personally, I found it slightly overpriced for what you get. That said, the restaurant is in a great downtown location, so the pricing may partly reflect that. Overall, I enjoyed the meal and especially liked the soup base. read more

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Our way back from Taco Fest my friend suggested trying an Udon place he liked. I like the entrace, very simple and unassuming. Inside was nice and definately had that authentic Japanese feel. The restaurant is small and doens't have alot of seating, so plan ahead. I ordered the Sansai Bukakke. This was a cold refreshing flat udon noodle dish with mountain vegetables, maitake mushroom tempura, nameko mushrooms, daikon, umeboshi, poached egg. I liked it was light and refreshing, perfect for a hot day. I liked how authentic it was. Im not usually a fan of Udon noodles, but this version used a more flat noodle, which I enjoyed more. Would dfinately come back to try other items from the menu. read more

Raku - Cold Udon. Nice light and refreshing dish. - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Back after 7 years and happy to see it is doing well and the menu has expanded. Atsugiri bacon was delicious and big. Surprised to see something like this in a Japanese restaurant. Curry udon was ok. Curry was nice and spicy. Good portion. Beef was way overcooked. Kani maze was fantastic. Large portion. Lots of crab. Get the spicy oil for an additional kick. Shrimp tempuras are excellent. Clean tasting oil lightly battered. Delicious. Wife had the other two udon and she liked both. This will be our go to udon spot going forward. read more

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I've been coming to Raku for years, and it's one of those places that has never let me down. The quality has always been consistent, and it's still one of my favourite spots whenever I'm craving a comforting bowl of udon. I usually order the duck udon, and it's always cooked perfectly. The noodles have the right texture every time, and it's served in a huge bowl with a broth that's smooth, rich, and flavourful without ever feeling too heavy or overpowering. During the winter especially, it's one of my favourite meals in the city. The staff have always been very kind and welcoming whenever I've visited, which makes the experience even better. If you're looking for authentic udon in Toronto, I'd definitely recommend Raku. read more

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It's been awhile since I have had dinner at Raku. It's still busy but did not have to wait in line on a Friday evening around 6pm. Seating is tight especially with all the winter jackets around. Service was fine, food came out fairly quick. The udon is still very good. A little chewy and you can tell it's freshly made. It's just small portions. The shrimp tempura udon was $18 and came with two small shrimps. The broth is hearty and really nice on a cold night. I was really thirsty after dinner though. I also tried the truffle wonton it was nice, it had the right amount of truffle mixed with the pork and chicken filling. It came with udon but portions also on the smaller side for $28. I wouldn't mind coming back if a friend suggests it but not sure I would jump to come back any time soon. read more

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This is one of the best places in Toronto to get udon! I've been here several times now and I am always impressed by the quality and consistency of their dishes. The restaurant is quite small but it's cozy and well decorated. This time I got the truffle wonton udon and it was amazing. The noodles are bouncy and the broth is flavourful without being heavy. I also got the salmon pressed sushi and I really enjoyed how fresh it taste with the zest of lemon. Service is always very good and the servers are very attentive, even during busy hours. I will say that every time I came here during dinner time it was a 30 min wait. I've been here for lunch and found we were seated much quicker. Still worth the wait I would say. read more

Raku - Salmon Oshizushi - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Phenomenal. Wait wasn't too bad and it's just as good as the New York location. Didn't know there was one in Toronto and I'm so glad I tried the cold noodles. I usually get the hot one but this was full of flavor and the udon was perfect texture! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Always delicious especially on a rainy snowy day. Service is fast, but this place is busy on a Friday night! Recommend going early if you can. Believe the spice levels it's hawt! Lovely spot for a date night -- it's small and quaint and perfect for those vibes. read more

Raku - Tan Tantan Udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The food here is consistently 10/10. Food: 10/10 Service: 8.5/10 Ambiance: 8/10 If you don't mind waiting, it's worth it! read more

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Clean tasting clear broth. Udon noodles were bouncy. Service was attentive. Cozy atmosphere inside the restaurant. Food was good but I wouldn't give it 5 stars as I felt the value was off for the price you pay. Portion sizes are not very big. My bowl of udon after tax and tip came out to $30 and I was still hungry afterwards. read more

Raku - Kamonan Udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of best udon places I have ever tried and legit just as good as Japan. Small space, long wait but be sure to expect minimum 1 hr wait always. read more

It was such a cute place. Mostly wood furnishings and it smelled like good food and incense. We had the veggie appetizers and edamame. I had the shrimp tempura udon. It was so good and decently priced too, $18. Service was great. I'd visit again. read more

Raku - Shrimp Tempura Udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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If you're looking for a spot that is consistently delicious, this is it. It's my absolute "go-to" regardless of the season. But crave it most during the long and cold winter months. Tan Tan Noodles: My personal favorite. The flavor profile is spot on and hits the spot every single time. Veggie Tempura Udon: A classic comfort bowl. The broth is clean and the tempura is always perfectly light and crisp. I ventured out and tried the Maguro Don (tuna bowl) for the first time. While the fish was clearly fresh, the dish itself was a bit "standard" compared to their noodle dishes. It's a solid choice if you want something light. The space is always immaculately clean, and the service is incredibly efficient. It's that rare, trusty restaurant where you know exactly what you're getting: great food, no wait, and a satisfying experience. I'm already looking forward to my next visit! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Pretty small place but doesn't take reservations. The food though is excellent and has subtle surprises. Highly recommended for repeat visits. read more

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Raku is in toronto???? But also so yummy i love! I always have udon cravings and this always hits. Came after 2 for a group of 4 and had no wait during the weekdays! Usually you can expect ~15-30min wait. Space is fairly large and service is super quick. Food recs: - Jaja for summer refreshing cold noodle! - Ebiten is always a go to - nabeyaki also always solid classic read more

Raku - Nabeyaki - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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We went at the perfect time. No reservations and we got the last table. It's a very small place. But the udon was amazing. Soooooo good. So fresh. So soft. So filing. And the chicken tatsuta was good also. I could've eaten 6 more by myself. read more

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Can't recommend enough. Cozy environment with a lot of wood. Highly recommend their sansai bukkake udon with extra shittake tempura. The noodles are chewy and delicious in a light broth. Also got their chawanmushi which isn't overly sweet with a nice surprise at the bottom. I like their ankimo as well which is served with a lot of green onions read more

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Have always wanted to try Raku so I was excited to come here for dinner with my friends. I got the ebiten えび天うどん which included two shrimp tempuras and one veggie tempura with one umeboshi. The udon was so flavourful and the broth was not too light. The service was nice - I put my name down for a table for 5 on a Sunday evening and the wait was around 45 minutes which was fair. The restaurant itself was really nice and felt very homey. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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LOVE! My go-to udon downtown (if you're okay spending more money) Average price for a bowl is $27 (ish) It's just waitlist, no reservation. The wait can be 1hr or more but being at Queen St it's easy to stay busy walking around. The place is super clean and very aesthetic. The food is wonderful. I've been there only twice but tried different things and so far it hasn't let me down. The noodles are super chewy and the broth is rich. The meats are tender and flavours the broth well. I love this place and will come back consistently. read more

Raku - Niku Udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Party of two, came around 5PM on a Tuesday and we had to wait around 10 minutes for a table. Place was a little small. Server was super nice! The sabazushi was well-seasoned and the rice wasn't dry at all. The pork broth was also pretty good, I got the spicy for an extra dollar but I wish it was spicier. It didn't make much of a difference. read more

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Love their udons! It's always a comfort and satisfying! And great time with friends too. The wait is a bit during rush hour as it is a small place but goes pretty fast still. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I've seen Raku's line the last time I was in Toronto. I was able to finally try it today, because there was no line. The restaurant has a very Japanese feel to it, which fits with the restaurant's menu. The service was quite fast, I got my food in no time at all. For the appetizer, I got the "ankimono" which is monkfish with green onions and ponzu sauce. I'm a huge fan of monkfish and it was amazing. For the main course, I tried one of their hot udons. I ordered the "gyunan," which is Canadian prime beef with Tokyo negi. First the broth, the broth was simply delicious. There was a subtle saltiness and it was quite flavorful. The prime beef was tender and adds to the complexity of the udon. Overall, I can see why people line for Raku's udon. I would definitely recommend it. read more

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I'd been wanting to pay Raku a visit for a number of years, and I finally made it! We walked in with no reservation and only waited about 15 minutes before we had a table ready for us. There isn't much room for waiting inside, so I would make a reservation or come prepared to walk around the nearby area for a little bit if it's cold outside. Raku did not disappoint at all; they had a few items off the menu which I always find to be intriguing. One of them was the truffle wonton udon which was phenomenal; the broth was so tasty and the udon had a deliciously bouncy texture. The wonton were welcome additions to the overall experience. The yasai kakiage udon was a great vegetarian option (substitute fish broth with vegetable broth), but the broth was a little salty. It went well with the tempura vegetables but it isn't something I would finish off the bowl for at the end of the meal. Regardless, I appreciate that this place has a good selection of vegetarian options available, and I'm sure some of the other dishes are good as well. The matcha panna cotta was a tasty treat that I would recommend trying once if you like matcha, but I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again. I would definitely return to try their chawanmushi and other udon dishes! read more

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Favourite house made udon place in Toronto! Not sure if there's many other options tbh but i still love this place. Almost always got to wait (and i've been here around 2:30-3pm) but it is worth it in my opinion. I've only tried the hot udon so far but i am looking forward to trying out the cold udon once the summer hits. The yaki, niku, chicken mochi are all delicious. the udon is the right about of chew and cooked just right. read more

Raku - niku udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A great downtown Toronto spot for a simple but delicious meal. Be warned there will almost always be a wait here - and a long one at that. We waited an hour and a half on a Friday night for a table of 6 - not sure if that decreases based on party size. Once we were seated, everything went smoothly. The service was great and the ambiance was bright and great for a chat with friends. Everything on the menu looks amazing so I'd recommend taking a look before hand and narrowing it down - even during my hour and a half wait I didn't fully decide on what I wanted. We ended up ordering a few appetizers to share, of which the Monkfish Liver / ankimo ($9) was a star item - this is so much cheaper than other places as well! For my main, I ordered the chikara udon ($21). It was good, but not as good as the crab udon I ordered last time. I wasn't the biggest fan of the mochi, as the texture threw me off. The soup was delicious and the noodles were the perfect texture so I still enjoyed. Overall, great dining experience. Definitely will be back to try some of the cold udons! read more

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Still rocking. Yes wait times but they call you- so I think wait while having a beer somewhere close by and enjoying Queen West. Sansei still so so good. Tempura still just okay but goes so well with udon. read more

Wow. This place deserves it's accolades. It has a fantastic udon. Service is fantastic. Atmosphere mimics the narrow noodle shops of Japan. It transports you out of Toronto. Although this does mean that it is a VERY small space. You are likely sitting elbow-to-elbow with a stranger and there isn't room for large coats and bags. Have long wanted to visit but they are always so busy! Finally was able to grab bar seats on a weekend recently and was thrilled to try the following: 1. Aomori Kanjuku apple juice - delicious and refreshing! 2. Agedashi tofu - Generous serving. Recommend to eat quickly or it does get very salty sitting in the sauce. 3. Zaru cold udon with vegetable tempura - the udon is EXCELLENT. Dipping broth and toppings are great as well. The batter for the tempura was a little oily. Was surprised to find such a big menu here. Can't wait to return and try more! read more

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We finally decided to try this place after passing it so many times. We waited around 30 minutes before we could get a table. It was pretty small inside and feels a bit crowded. The udon itself has a very different texture and shape. Nothing like the frozen udons we have tried before. The cold udon was really good! The broth that came with it was so different and the flavours just make you want to take more bites. The hot udon was really good and flavourful too. But it was cooked way too hot to the point where we had to wait for a bit to cool it down. Once it cools down, it was really flavourful too! The only disappointment from our visit was the temperas were not crispy and we found it quite soggy. read more

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Best udon! Been here multiple times and has never disappointed. I've ordered a different udon every time and no bad choices. Chawamushi is also delicious. There's always a line and they don't take reservations. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Raku was highly recommended to us by friends who have gone in the past. Since we were in the area, we figured we'd check it out. We were warned ahead of time that there are no reservations and wait times can be upwards of two hours. We went on a Friday night around 5:30pm and the wait was about an hour and a half. In the meantime, the Waterworks food hall is nearby and has a few spots to sit at so we had some appetizers there. The restaurant itself was quite small and a little on the louder side, we were seated next to the kitchen so it was quite warm. As appetizers, we got the agedashi tofu and yaki nasu (deep fried eggplant, spicy miso pork, quail egg), and chicken tatsuta-age (marinated deep fried chicken). All items were so bomb, the chicken especially had chicken skin on it that was also deep fried that tasted so good and crispy. I kept going back for the yaki nasu, even though Im not that much of a pork fan! I had the gyunan udon (prime beef, tokyo negi) and it was so good and unexpectedly large- the bowl was deeper than it looked. I'd say it was worth the hype! read more

I've been to the Toronto Raku location three times in the last year. I love their udon noodles, but the dessert was slightly disappointing. I've gotten a few different types of udon, but keep going back to the tantan. This time around there was barely any ground pork in my bowl, but the flavor was still good. We also got the soy milk based matcha panna cotta. I'm not entirely sure if it was because of the soy milk, but the panna cotta was runny and not fully set. Might not get their desserts again but I'd keep going back for the udon. The place is first come first serve so be sure to allot waiting time for a table. The service is always good. The staff are friendly and sweet. read more

Came right when they opened on a weekend and just missed the first seating. But they take your number and give you a text once a table's ready. We tried a few of their udons: - zaru udon with the vegetable tempura: udon was nice a bouncy, dipping sauce was simple with the wasabi and a raw quail egg to mix in. The vegetable tempura was quite oily though. - gyunan (Canadian prime beef) hot udon - in general not the biggest fan of hot udon as the noodles typically come a bit overcooked. Flavour of the broth was nice though. Got the shiso leaf tempura which was well fried, not oily. - Kamonan (duck breast) hot udon - was okay, couldn't taste the duck flavour much in the broth. I think I'd try their donburis if I'm ever back again! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A cute little udon shop (with very well-deserved hype) on Queen St W tucked behind a lowkey, minimalist entrance. I heard so much about this place on social media and had to check it out. We ordered a couple things to try: - Chicken tatsuta-age: Huge pieces of chicken! I thought it would be more like karaage but it was closer to traditional deep fried chicken. But a delight to eat as it was juicy, tender, and wonderfully flavoured. Came with a spicy mayo sauce which was yummy too! 8/10 - Kani ankake: The star of the show was this one and I would recommend everyone who visits Raku to try it. The soup was very hot and very thick. There were pieces of crab, egg, and seaweed. The udon was really soft and chewy. I found myself drinking the soup so much despite still being full, but it was so addicting. 9/10 - Gyunan: This was good but I felt it left a lot to be desired. The soup was delicious but I wished there would've been more beef. I feel like this was a standard udon dish that you could probably get anywhere that serves Japanese food. 7/10 The service was good and it was very clean inside. I had a lovely experience here! read more

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With the number of Japanese noodle restaurants in Toronto, Raku really sets themselves above the rest with fantastic flavours, casual dinning, and superb service. Got a couple of udon dishes and appetizers. Everything from start to finish was delicious. The beef tataki paired with the grated ginger, carrots, sauce, and green onions was fresh and savoury. The braised burdock was also delicious. It really brings to kind simple and clean eating. The udon mains both had such rich and well developed stocks. I can honestly say it left me craving more. We wanted to order more but just felt so fulfilled it wasn't possible. The hand made noodles also had a wonderful mouth feel. Their matsuri melon soda sake cocktail was also a great drink. Those who like melon soda will understand that how well this drink works. Overall, the prices are very reasonable for such luxurious and upscale flavours. From start to finish the experience was great. Hope to come back many times in the future to try the rest of the menu. read more

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It's been a while since I've come back to Raku, maybe it's a off day, but today's experience felt underwhelming. I felt like the consistency has been lost last. We ordered karage and it was just overcooked. It was not juicy. It was not tender. Dry even. We also ordered the eggplant appetizer was not the same as when i first had it when they opened was still good. The soup was maybe slightly under performing typically, I always recommend Raku to my friends who want to eat udon in downtown I'm not sure if I can do that anymore. The service was still great. We complained about the karage I think it was over marinated or fried for too long. The issue ultimately lies in the kitchen side of things. It's still a nice place inside for a date or hangout. Ill give it 3.5 read more

Raku is always a quick and easy stop for udon, perfect for fall evenings! It can get busy, but I went on a Thursday evening closer to closing and it wasn't too bad. I got the Niku, which was beef short-ribs, honeycomb tripe, tendon, and it was delicious! The broth was flavorful, the meat and tendons were perfect to bite, not chewy, and there's definitely enough udon to fill you up. I went after a workout and was stuffed afterwards ! It's great for tables of two or if you're in the era of eating alone it's also the perfect spot! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I finally got to try this ramen shop that i've been hearing about for so long. My friends and I decided to stop at Ralph for a quick bite to eat as a last minute plan. and we were not disappointed. Although the restaurant does look a little bit cramped, we were able to get a nice booth where we had a decent amount of privacy. After looking at the menu (via QR code) we decided to order- I ended up getting the buta shabu noodles. As soon as we got our food, I could tell that this was an authentic japanese restaurant. the pork was cooked perfectly to have a smokey aftertaste, as the sesame sauce was very light and fresh and paired very nicely with the fresh noodle that i was served. Not only that, but it wasn't necessarily expensive either, so this is definitely somewhere I'll be coming back to when I'm up for some authentic noodles. Raul also gets extra points for their thoughtfulness and hospitality when it comes to their bathroom- their bathroom is gender neutral, and there is a baby changing station, complete with baby wipes and a sanitary pad to change out for any new parents!! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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We were so happy to find Raku in Toronto after eating at the Raku in NYC few months ago. The udon is one of the best, shipped directly from Japan. Broth is perfectly flavored. Once again our kids ate so much so that's a big win. We were so hungry we ordered quite a bit and the server was so honest and let us know the food should be enough so we didn't over order. Great service and authentic Japanese food . read more

It's been awhile since I've been to Raku but it's slowly being inserted into my list of restaurants to take out-of-towners and my personal rotation of affordable date night meals. Raku has always been excellent through a variety of perfected menu items - there's simply no bad picks! Our recent visit consisted of agedashi tofu, dipped cold udon, curry beef udon and chicken+machine udon. The agedashi tofu was simple and soft tofu in a warm broth and some small amounts of bacon, perfect first bites to the meal. The udon in all of our bowls were a consistent chewy but not tough texture, able to carry copious amounts of our respective broths with every slurp. The broths were fantastic in flavour and delivered exactly what we wanted. We were stuffed and had to skip dessert, but I'd definitely be back for it next time. read more

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