Aesthetic Japanese udon bar!! Never a udon person but this udon experience completely changed my view!! Service is super friendly!! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Probably one of my favourite udon places in Toronto! Place felted *secluded* even through its located right on Queen st. I got the yasai kakiage (veggie tempura) hot udon. Tempura was super crispy and delicious, and the soup had the right amount of seasoning and temperature. Need to come back to try everything else on the menu! read more

I loved Raku! I've been meaning to try it ever since it opened in Toronto but never got the chance to until now. It's a really small space and a tight squeeze, so I can see how a line can quickly form. I would come a bit before or after lunch/dinner time to avoid waiting too long. The service is really nice and friendly as well. We ordered a chicken appetizer and two ramens. The chicken was alike to kaarage, it was amazing. It was really well made and not too oily which was nice. I loved the dipping sauce that came along with it. The cold ramen was unique as I've never had anything similar to it, and it was so flavourful. The hot ramen was amazing, the broth was not too salty at all and the toppings went along with it really well. I would come back when craving a noodle dish. It's a little above average price for a noodle dish, but it's so delicious and not replicate-able at home so it's worth a visit! read more

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The efficiency here is very good as they used the Yelp waitlist application to help incoming traffic. We were instructed to wait for 15-20 minutes so we waited at a nearby cafe. Once we were notified of the table ready for us, we headed there and we were seated right away. I ordered the zaru soba and it was very delicious as the broth was much in flavor but when I continued to dip the noodles into the broth, it started to get diluted (which makes sense). Service was average as they were pretty busy and there were only a few people working at that time. They really make use of their space which is good as they can support as many people as possible. 10/10 would go back! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

UDON know what you are missing out! If you are tired of ramen and still want Japanese noodles, Raku is the place to go! Raku already has 2 restaurants in NYC and this was their 1st (hopefully more in the near future) overseas location. We visited for dinner on a Saturday night. Arrived at about 645pm and was told the wait time was approximately 20 mins. The hostess grabbed our information and was told we would receive a text when it was our turn. Not even 15 mins later the text arrived. We were seated in the corner seat (L-shaped). Luckily we studied the menu while we were waiting so we knew in advance what we would order. We ordered an appetizer- ankimo (monkfish liver), hiyashi udon (cold), and oroshi udon (cold). All dishes were served beautifully and of course, I couldn't help but snap just a FEW pictures. We also got their hojicha mousse to finish off our meal. FOOD... - ankimo: imagined canned tuna with a firm texture and you get the taste of the liver. Sweet and tangy from the ponzu sauce, it got rid of the fishy taste of a fish liver, which made it easier to accept. - hiyashi udon: the udon was served in an iced bath with soy sauce, wasabi, and some shiitake mushrooms on the side. We were told that we could mix all the sides into the soy sauce, but I wasn't a huge wasabi fan so we left out the wasabi on the side. The udon has a nice firm texture, a little skinner than the frozen ones you could get from most asian supermarket, but much chewier and bouncier. - oroshi: the udon has a ball of freshly grated daikon radish, and when you mix it into the udon, each bite was very refreshing. Perfect dish for summer. - hojicha mousse: served in a mason jar, with layers of mousse and cake and vanilla ice cream on the side. The mousse was so smooth and not heavy, rich in hojicha taste, and not overly sweet. Nice touch to finish off a meal. Overall, the restaurant does get busier the later you go so plan your time wisely. No reservations, first come first served basis. read more

As an avid Raku fan, it only seemed fitting that I experience all three locations they offer. I may be biased, but I prefer the two NYC locations over the Toronto one. My go-to is the yamakake cold udon and this location's just felt a little slimey. Aside from that, the noodles were cooked firm like how I prefer. The service is great and professional as always! Awesome handsoap in the restrooms. :) read more

This is my favourite Udon place in all of Toronto. Nothing beats this place. I've gone to many other udon places in Toronto and the GTA but this place is the best. The noodles have a great mouthfeel and a slight chew. My favourite is the curry beef udon. They have amazing service, the servers pay attention to you and since it's the place is quaint, it's easy to flag them down as well. read more

i've been wanting to try this place for the longest time and i'm so glad i finally did! if you know me personally, you would know i LOVE udon. this is one of those foods that i can have indefinitely. pictured is the sansai udon. toppings consist of mountain vegetables and an organic maitake mushroom tempura... dying to go back already...especially for their broth, which i devoured! read more

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

The food here is great. The udon is perfectly chewy and the soup base is always clear and flavourful. Depending on the toppings you choose, the soups match the ingredients thoughtfully. I really love the tempura udon. read more

Raku is hand down the best udon you can get in the city! They have locations also in New York and opened their first location here in Toronto! The seating inside is a bit tight and with tables close to each other! There can be a bit of a wait time during peak business times like dinner but the service was great and the food came out fairly quickly and delicious might I add! The texture of the udon is fresh and you can definitely tell the moment you bite into it! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I brought my good friend to Raku for a holiday dinner. She is Japanese and she was delighted, so I will take that as a great sign. I don't think we made a reservation, so we had to wait about 10 minutes - not too bad for 6 pm on a Friday. The space is fairly small, and you are close to your neighbors, but the clean, crisp décor makes it feel very spacious. I can only describe it Wabi-Sabi. The menu has some unique options that I haven't seen elsewhere, and according to my friend they are quite authentic. But we had our eyes on the udon bowls, so I'll have to go back for the rest of the menu. I ordered the tantan (miso. pork, peanuts and egg) and my friend got the ebitan (shrimp tempura). The texture of the udon was perfectly chewy with just the right bite. The broth had layers of flavors and portion was HUGE. It's a perfect spot for a cold night, and I am so glad I discovered this place. I've got my go-to pho and ramen joints, and now I have a go-to udon spot! read more

4 stars because it is over priced for udon. However food and service were great and I would absolutely come back here/recommend. Noodles are amazing. I wanted to come here mainly because of the thickness of the udon. They are silky and the perfect texture. Broth is not over powering or too salty. I don't remember which flavour I had, but it was the one with the mushroom and it was so flavourful! We also had the vegetable Gyozas which were also delicious. Service was fast and pleasant. All servers help eachother out meaning service is quite seamless. It is very small so smaller groups would be best to ensure seating, especially on busy nights. read more

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Udon was soft and fresh. Curry was flavourful and savoury. Highly recommend to try chanwanmuchi. It was a little busy on Saturday afternoon. Needed to wait 30 mins as a walk in. Friendly staff who often check up. Definitely recommend to try their udon. read more

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Raku has arrived all the way from the Big Apple. We arrived just before the dinner rush around 5pm. During our meal it got progressively more busy with lines out the door so arrive early! I had the hot udon 'kani ankake', king crab in thick egg soup. Some toppings were spinach, green onions, and seaweed and chunks of king crab. I thought the orange chunk was crab roe but it turned out to be a spicy paste I think the udon was pretty average, they were really thick and soft and maybe it's because my preference is thinner noodles that I didnt love it. But judging by the broth, the flavor was very plain, similar to Chinese egg drop soup. The service was ok, but the servers were rushing us out the door, by rushing us to finish the food and bringing us the bill before we even asked. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

「久違嘅一次外出晚餐，比預期好食既日式烏冬。」 年尾去比較多人，平均都要等1hr。唯有排walk-in list。 叫左Kani Ankake （$28） 湯底係蛋花羹，特別得黎味道幾好，烏冬口感煙靭。可以一試！不過湯底會慢慢變稀有小小扣分。 ============================================ 整體肉類配菜正常水準，烏冬比較突出。所以可以唔洗太貪心揀多肉多配料。係一間會回頭既日式烏冬 read more

Listen. I recently came back from a trip to Japan and absolutely nothing was comparable. That is until my partner and I were recommended by a few friends to check out this recently opened udon place. Needless to say, it was quite a pleasant surprise. Food&Taste: We came here with the mission of getting fresh udon noodles and left with probably a lifetime favourite udon dish. We ordered the tantan udon and kani ankake udon (crab in egg drop soup). The tantan udon was flavoured extremely well, but the Kani ankake udon takes the cake for us both. Authentic crab meat delicately fan the outline of the bowl with some garnishing of greens and to my surprise, additional crab meat bits were found in between the strings of the chewy udon noodles and thick egg drop. Service&Atmosphere: Be aware of an hour's wait at most, but don't worry as there are many places on Queen St W to pass the time. Upon our return we were seated immediately. Raku exemplifies traditional Japanese interiors - minimal decor and warm natural tones. Did anyone else notice the business cards were wood veneer? WOW. Every part of Raku's ambiance was truly exceptional. Value: The menu is definitely on the pricier side but I would come back any day to have a taste of the kani ankake udon. Overall, we would highly recommend Raku to our friends. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Broth broth broth. I LOVE the clean, refreshing and flavourful broth here. I am actually impressed as most restaurants in toronto are very heavy on the flavour or richness of broth. I find this a unique flavour that is not too overpowering. The portions are really great, yes a bit pricier than most restaurants, but your paying for the quality for sure. You can tell they did some TLC when boiling their broth. Appetizers are simple, clean and classic. Fried oysters big, plump, juicy and fresh! With a lighter almost okinomyaki dark sauce for dipping. Monkfish Liver was like a nice tuna flavour in ponzu. ! They have a new udon thats in a gigantic cauldron that has almost all the toppings available! As you bite into your soup, some items seem to have been boiled with Yuzu which adds a nice surprise. Service, food and quality all 5/5. ! Please make sure you go on the waitlist cause walking in at dinner time will only leave you impatient and hangry! They are however worth the wait ! read more

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LUNCH Im not a ramen or an udon person, especially in Toronto. (Japan on the other hand, heel yea!) This spot has its charm though, its hard to describe but you feel it when you walk in to this place. The servers are friendly and the overall vibe is really chill. They were playing old school ska which I quite enjoyed while munching on my curry udon. The broth for me was a little thick and hearty to my liking. It felt like eating like a curry stew more then a soup to be honest. The curry flavour was subtle and not overwhelming with spice, yet it had a small kick to the back of the throat if your slurping it down too quickly. So be careful. The servers were quick to refill the tap water which was great, but I wish it didn't taste so much like the Pickering tap water it did lol. One gripe I would like to express is that annoying wooden ladle they give to eat with the udon. Its so damn hard to eat from! It's probably better to wash ur feet with then to eat udon from haha. Despite that, I would return here to maybe try out some different bowls if i was in the neighbourhood. (Maybe bring my own water and spoon though) Give it a try guys! It is worth a visit :) read more

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We ordered Wagyu udon, beef udon and pork udon. Pork was cooked with charcoal and you can taste a lot of umami in the soup. Overall I liked the dish but a bit pricey for what it is. (It's just udon for $38) read more

What a lovely little place! It's quite small so make sure to put your name down ahead of when you want to eat. The team is so friendly and sweet. The food was great and nicely plated. Would highly recommend. read more

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I must admit that I had not heard of Raku prior to it opening in Toronto but apparently it is a popular restaurant in New York based on comments by fellow Yelpers. This location is located on Queen West near Augusta. I was immediately drawn in from the cute entryway. Thankfully I came early (around 5:15pm), as there was no lineup when I came in but the lineup quickly grew thereafter. I love the clean minimalist aesthetic with light wood and bench seating, some small booths in the back of the restaurant, and bar top seating on the one side of the restaurant. The restaurant seats about 26-30 people. I contemplated ordering the crab udon but the server described the soup as having a thick egg drop soup like texture and I opted to go for a thinner broth option. I ordered the nameko udon which came with mushrooms and seaweed in it. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this meatless dish. The udon noodles were perfectly al dente and you could tell they were made fresh. I really enjoyed the chewiness of the noodles. The broth was clear and clean tasting yet savoury and had a good amount of rich umami flavour despite not containing any meat. I also ordered vegetarian dumplings which my friend and I shared. They were flavourful and nicely pan fried. The next time I visit I would like to try the gyunan or one of the other udon dishes containing meat. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who enjoys udon but suggest coming early as this place fills up quickly! read more

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This place is one of my absolute favourite spots in the city. Everything is tasty, the service is amazing, and the space is so cozy and cute. A must try. read more

I visited Raku for dinner a few weeks ago after seeing it blow up on social media. It was extremely busy. The yelp waitlist time for a table of 4 was over an hour. And even longer if you don't want a bar seat. There was no waiting area so you can imagine that having to wait outside in the middle of winter was not ideal. The hostess was also a bit rude. Food was okay. The udon had a nice texture, but it wasn't too memorable. Overall, probably would not wait more than 5 minutes to eat at Raku. read more

Raku - Curry beef udon - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of my favourite noodle dishes are udon so obviously I had to give this place a try! First time I try to come here there was a long line, was told it would be an hour or more wait so unfortunately we decided to go somewhere else. Came back a few weeks later and thankfully there wasn't a wait so we were seated within minutes!! I went for the tan tan udon and when it came out it was served in this giant bowls, but the portion size wasn't too big, the bowl is just huge!! I really enjoyed it personally. But it wouldn't be a place I frequent because it is on the expensive side. Service was quick and friendly! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Hot udon noodles did not disappoint! Huge portions and delicious food - stumbled upon this place after visiting a cocktail bar nearby and such a great decision to come in. The place was quaint and cozy, we got the corner both! Service and staff were extremely friendly! read more

Raku - Tantan hot udon noodle in the black bowl, ankake hot udon noodles in the white bowl! - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Second time to Raku - and it keeps getting better. Items ordered: Yasai Kakiage - hot udon noodle broth with thinly sliced green pepper, onion and carrot tempura on the side (which is a nice touch to avoid any sogging out). The udon is thick and kept its al-dente texture throughout the entire meal. Would order again?: Yes a million times over - a classic. Ja Ja Udon - cold udon with spicy-miso pork, cold cucumber, tomato and a poached egg. The udon is thinner and not as al-dente, but man was this refreshing! The spice was very tolerable and added a nice zing to the overall dish. Would order again?: Yes, this is a perfect bowl for a toasty summer afternoon. Yaki Nasu - deep fried eggplant, spicy miso pork, quail egg. An a-ok dish - I don't think any eggplant is best appreciated in deep-fried form. Would order again?: No, will seek for better priced and more interesting appetizers on the menu. Tantan - spicy miso pork, peanuts, egg - a little too much Szechuan pepper for my taste preference. I would have preferred a milder and slow-burning spice to this wonderfully nostalgic dish. If you're a Szechuan pep lover, however, this is a dish for you! It also comes in a almost-comically large bowl with high sides that provides insurance for your clothes when your noodles inevitably slip out from your chopsticks and splash into the broth. Would order again?: No, as the overwhelmingly numbing mouth-feel is not for me - but great for those who enjoy the numbness! Additional notes: - Waitstaff is impeccably nice and polite, and my water was always being filled - Great interior design with minimalist touches. The design and layout seemed to be made with the intention of packing as many people in the restaurant at once, so the choice to keep the design minimal makes for a comfortable sitting experience. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Their crab noodle soup was the main reason we decided to trek all the way downtown to Raku for dinner. First thing I noticed about this order is that the broth looks, tastes, and feels like a standalone soup! It's aromatic, higher in viscosity (that means it's thicker), and so tasty that I could drink it on its own! The udon noodles are perfectly cooked, resulting in a pleasant mouth-feel with a bit of a chew. There's also a good sized portion of REAL crab meat in it. After eating about 80% of it, we felt that it got kind of "Lau" (Cantonese for "don't really wanna eat the rest of it). I'm OK with this percentage. We also had the clam noodle soup. It's high in clarity, perfect for when you want to eat something delicious without the excessive use of flavouring ingredients. Lastly, the restaurant itself is not spacious so you may need to wait for a table. You could find nearby street parking for free after 8pm (at the time of this writing). Highly recommended! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We came to this place after reading about it online (and it's close to out climbing gym). It was a Sunday during lunch time, 3 people, didn't need to wait. It was a small space and it was almost full. We ordered the eggplant appetizer, it was amazing. It's like nothing we've had before. Highly recommend. The fried chicken was ok. I also especially enjoyed the noodles and how bouncy they are. read more

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First Udon speciality restaurant I've tried in Toronto and it did not disappoint!! I didn't get a chance to try it when I went to NYC but I'm so happy it now in Toronto. Unfortunately, the nameko I wanted to try was sold out that evening and I ended up trying Sansai instead. Even though it was veggie and the portion looked small upon arrival, it was very filling! The Sansai contained maybe a few mushroom with spinach and mountain vegetables. Although I'm still wondering what mountain vegetables are... The highlight for me was 100% the noodles. They are handmade in Japan and were the perfect texture of firm and chewy. WAYYY better then the frozen type you buy from grocery stores. As for the appetizers, we had the monkfish and the fried eggplant. Although both tasted great, it was very experience for the 2-3 bites. I would just stick with the noodles! I'm honestly still thinking about the noodles and will come back for more. read more

I was at Raku last night. So, I have been anticipating to try the kani ankake for a long long time! The crab meat was real crab meat, after a few bites, the crab meat was the only item that I enjoyed eating in the bowl of noodle. The broth was way too thick, I get that the menu does read thick egg soup, but it almost felt like a sauce from a Chinese dish and tasted too gluy. The noodle was on the flatter side rather than round, noodle was not bad, but no wow factor. The Gyoza was way too thick. I had two and left the rest to my husband. The ankimo-monkfish liver was the only item out of the whole meal that I kind of enjoyed. With one beer and a glass of cheapest sake on the menu with tips and tax for two people $73.34. You will feel like they want to give you the bill and get you out as soon as you are done. Anyways, a little disappointed. I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. read more

I found out about R a k u through Yelp. My parents and I went to check it out on a Sunday afternoon. They do not take reservations so we went for 11:45 in case there was a long line. On Queen Street, there are a lot of shops around so you can easily kill time while waiting to be seated. Fortunately, we were second in line so there was no waiting. We were seated in the booth closest to the kitchen. R a k u has two locations in New York; however, they were still going through growing pains at their Toronto shop. Our servers seemed to still be in training and conversations among the cooking staff about portions, mixing, ingredients (etc) could be heard clearly from our table. Now to the food ... we ordered the karaage and gyoza to share (I forgot to take a photo of the latter). The karaage was quite flavourful and nicely deep fried. We also found the gyoza to be tasty. They were packed with flavour. As my main, I ordered the Kani Ankake. I found the broth to be bland and there was not a lot of crab. If I return, I will definitely not order the Kani Ankake, but maybe a plain udon. Good for: noodles, lunch read more

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Raku is a delicious spot, and a must-try. There's nothing like it in Toronto so far! Both the interior and exterior are beautifully designed, very reminiscent of a traditional modern Japanese establishment. Be prepared for a wait time, but you can join the waitlist on Yelp! I'd recommend doing that before your visit. We had the gyoza, Kani udon and Niku udon. The Kani udon was a delicious crab and egg drop broth. The broth was very hearty and delicious, and was topped with Nori. The niku udon I liked a little less, but it was still great, and the beef was amazingly cooked and great quality. Note that it is on the expensive side, around $20 for a bowl, so be prepared to pay that price. It's definitely worth it in my opinion! read more

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Snug new specialty udon shop from NYC opened in downtown Toronto, serving hot or cold udon and a wide range of appetizers. Pricier than ramen if you want to add protein, it'll set you back 15-22$ for a bowl of udon with pork, beef, duck, or crab. The gyoza was juicy and delicious, eggplant is a must, and ankimo a pleaser as usual. The kani udon differed from expectation as the crab was shredded as opposed to whole in other patrons' photos a few days earlier. I appreciate their addition of Japanese spices in the udon that heightens the dish. The egg soup broth was light yet flavorful, but indeed on the thicker consistency. I would definitely come back and their their other udon options! Great ambiance with a Japanese decor and atmosphere. Be prepared to wait in line during dinner hours! read more

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If you haven't been to Raku yet you best hurry up and go! Because soon this place will have people lining far outside to get a bowl of delicious udon! Hearing about the place from a friend who knows investors into the franchise I was super excited to try this NYC famed restaurant. Went on a Wednesday evening with friends around 6pm, waited for about 45 minutes in which they said they would text us. Unfortunately it must've been a technology mistake because my friend never got a text but we just came back around 6:45 and they apologized and sat us. Not a big deal for me, just was excited for noodles! Atmosphere is elegant and fits the aesthetic of a Japanese restaurant. Our server was very helpful and interactive, not shy to converse. We ordered 3 apps: Gyoza (8$). 6 delicious pieces of plump porky goodness with a side of soy/ponzu mix with some garlic minced. flavour of the dumpling itself was pretty adequate. Wished they were a little more hot, they came to the table luke warm. Wasn't a big deal though. Ankimo (8$) A lovely arrangement of a perfectly formed monkfish liver tartar placed with chopped scallions in a bowl with ponzu sauce for extra zing. The liver was super creamy and bursting with flavour! Positively, the monkfish isn't overpowering in seafoody flavour which I appreciated. Yaki Nasu (8$) This dish is a MUST HAVE. Deep fried eggplant slice topped with minced miso flavoured pork and fitted with a raw quail egg to top it off. I would suggest mixing the dish together (don't worry you'll understand what I mean) to get the full flavour profile. With every bite you'll taste the richenss of the eggplant with a mix of protein from the pork. This truly is a proper appetizer! Mains: This time I didn't get the Niku (Raku specialty udon) gonna save that for next time. Kamonan: (19$): I can't say enough about this dish. Let's begin with the noodles. Thick and lengthy you can tell these are pristine just by the way they've been cut on the ends between each strand. Our server told us they ship them in from Japan which was a fun fact since they tested so fresh. Perfectly placed in the clean broth with little bubbles of oil this was sublime. Not overly salty and just the right umami taste. Duck breast was the protein for the dish, looked as though it had been broiled in the broth. Slightly wish it was a little raw-er but overall wasn't too chewy. This was a decent option, but can't wait for the classic Niku next time. Kani ankake (22$) Thick egg based soup broth filled with yummy crab goodness (don't worry it's real crab, and the price tag reflects that). Topped off with sliced scallion and Japanese veg (not sure the name), this thick broth covers the noodles as you slurp them up, and it's darn good. Overall the experience at Raku was unique and rare in Toronto, from my understanding there aren't many udon places like this around and this one sure is something special. Can't wait to visit again. read more

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Light, simple and refreshing. I always get udon cravings and while I can make it at home, some times I'm too lazy to add the additional ingredients. I got the oroshi with an egg, with tempura and a gyoza. It was a very simple and clean meal, other than the gyoza, but those were REALLY GOOD, so get them. read more

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Came here on a weekday around 6 and to my surprise there was no wait. I ordered the kani ankake which is crab in a thick egg soup base. The first bite it seemed about average udon but then the more I ate it the better it seemed to get! The soup is very thick and is so unique and different to any other udon I've had! The noodles themselves were unique too, veg chewy and thick and again different than any other udon place I've been to. The crab meat was actually real chunks of meat and not any imitation or meat mix. I highly recommend it and it's totally worth the $22! I can easily say this is my favourite udon in the GTA. read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This gem of a place is finally open! The first time I tried this was in the heart of New York. It never fails to have a line up in the Big Apple, even within the intense restaurant competition in that food haven city. To see this open in Toronto is such a treat and definitely a must go for any foodie at heart. Torontonians, we're so spoiled. The decor is clean and cozy. With walls splashed in white, your dining experience is intimate and comfortable with any type of gathering or business meeting. Hidden along the streets of Queen, the space boasts an elegant simplistic outer decor counter to the neon signs and rainbow posters decking the roads. The food is phenomenal and under priced for the value. Lost for words. Truly. All I can say is it would be a huge loss if you don't try this place. Food comes quickly. You can immediately tell the detail and effort they put into every dish. It's visually appealing and melts in your mouth. Each dish boasts a unique character and array of delicious aroma's and tastes that are smooth and intricate. What more can I say? Words will never compare to the experience. Service is very on point. Polite, gentle, and efficient. You'll leave with a smile and a sense complete satisfaction. Raku, you're an extremely welcomed addition to the food scene in Toronto. Thank you so much for coming. read more

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Raku, oh Raku. After all the positive reviews on yelp and Instagram, I had to try this Japanese udon shop even if it meant no resos and a wait time of 1.5 hours on a weeknight. Famed for their chewy hot udon which is supposed to stay firm while sitting in the soup, I was slightly disappointed. I got the tan tan: spicy miso pork, peanuts, egg ($15). While it was flavourful, slightly salty, and had bits of peanuts in the broth, I thought that the potion of ground pork was too little and their famous noodles were so soft. The noodles were Not chewy or firm at all. They were super soft and would break apart easily. Maybe I was imagining Japanese udon to have more bounce , tastiness and chewiness...but maybe that's just my preference? Their egg was also disappointing and resembled more like a broken up poached egg lol. Maybe I unfortunately got a bad bowl, but this left me feeling like I wouldn't go back. My friend got their Niku: beef short ribs and honeycomb tripe ($20). The soup was slightly sweet and reminded us of the Chinese version of braised beef with Ho fun flat noodles. Portion size was good. Another friend got curry with beef. It looked good and she said there was a lot of meat. Reminded us of the Japanese cubed curry soups. Apps: Ankimo: Monkfish liver with ponzu sauce and scallions. Tastiness level was okay but not mind blowing. The two inch diameter cylinder of liver was not worth $8. Chicken tatsuta-age: marinated deep fried chicken. This was So good!!! Definitely the best dish!! I really appreciated how they used chunks of chicken and it was marinated so well! Overall: Good noodle shop with big portions but slightly pricey and long wait! Sounds like the Niku was the best out of all our dishes. The tan tan was slightly tastier, but my noodles sadly were soft. Tip: join the yelp wait list and be prepared to wait. Thankfully there is a lot to do and walk around on Queen st w so time went by quickly! Come hungry because their portions are slightly larger than other ramen places :) Don't have high expectations. read more

Wanted to focus on the udon with crab in egg thick soup (I don't mean the appetizers were not good, just a bit ordinary to me). The order arrived shortly after I had placed my order. The presentation of the order was elegant. There were about 4-5 pieces of crabmeat, some additional crabmeat were sliced on the side, also garnished with some greens and a small chilli paste with yuzu taste. The main ingredient of the dish, udon, was chewy. They were not the same from the frozen one from the famous udon produced place, Sanuki (even though those were really good already). It's another level of chewiness. One has to taste it in order to experience what it means. I would say the service and the food are very good. Waitressed always came by and made sure I was ok with the food. The only thing is I do feel that it's a bit pricey. read more

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Good service, good appetizer.. but the chikara udon (udon with chicken, mochi and tokyo negi) was a very simple dish for $17. The broth itself was clear and light, not flavourful at first.. until you try the chicken, noodles and mochi, which were all bland in comparison to the broth. I was not very impressed. I think if you come here, you should try their other hot udons! read more

Raku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario