I got bento box nice presentation comes with salad no dressing (lettuce chopped)fried shiumai California roll and mushrooms green beans salad Overall is ok Agedashi Tofu is ok sauce not myfavourite Chicken Katsu taste like Indian curry is good if u loved Indian curry sauce Peach tea was good Decor ambiance nice Street parking read more

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Raku was opened late which was the only reason we stopped by but with decent reviews my wife and I were excited to try their sushi! After we were seated it took about 5-6 minutes before a waiter came by our table. Being hungry this was slightly irritating, but after we gave our order I was ready for a better experience. However, the plates that we received were dirty and asked for new ones. The food itself was okay - I have a traditional shrimp tempura roll and my wife had an array of fresh fish. My sushi was okay and her fish was good but she had no idea which fish was which since the waitress set it down and walked away before we could ask. Perhaps if the service was better I would give a higher review. Overall, the experience was well bellow average and I probably won't be visiting again. read more

I was invited to this place and it's as a great choice for that man to make it !!! The waiting period was short and very polite atmosphere. The place has inside and outside seating areas. Very cozy ! The menu has a great selection and the daily specials / chefs specials it's highly recommended to everybody ! The desert menu had a variety selection . read more

I came here on a Friday night with 2 friends and were immediately seated outside. After we ordered, we were told by our server that the sushi bar was backed up, and had to wait almost an hour to receive our food, though I can't complain too much since our server was genuinely apologetic and gave us miso soup and a dessert on the house. We ordered several of the special rolls, along with the jo nigiri assortment. The sushi was definitely good, but nothing that blew me away, and I felt that some rolls were a bit pricey. I've had the bento boxes for lunch at the Bethesda location a few times, and felt the same way as well. All in all, this is a decent place that I would definitely return to. read more

Terrible sushi (not fresh or interesting) and awful service. Don't be fooled by all the good reviews!

I've only been once, but my first visit has me a huge fan of this sushi spot. The prices are reasonable, the sushi tasted fresh, and there are plenty of options on their menu (and almost all of their rolls can be made rice free!) I dined in for dinner on a Sunday and was very impressed with the efficiency of the entire operation. Definitely needed a reservation, and when we arrived the place was packed (about 8pm). Service was impeccable and our host answered any / all questions we had about their options. As I mentioned above, almost all of their rolls can be made rice-free, which was a huge win for me. I started with their kale salad - so simple, fresh, yet with amazing flavors brought about by their shrimp soaked crouton. I highly recommend trying this! Then I opted for some of their daily special fatty tuna nigiri - that perfect 'melt in your mouth' fatty tuna that you crave from a sushi spot. Lastly finished off my light dinner with some spicy tuna rolls - made without rice (only a $1 upcharge for this option). I also went with an oolong tea for my beverage, and they serve the tea in a self-serve pot freshly steeped. So delicious. Will definitely be returning to try more sushi and their cocktails! read more

Fantastic food. I went with colleagues after a conference and Raku is located in a beautiful area. The restaurant was very elegant looking. The food was wonderful, And generally affordable as far as Washington, D.C. restaurants go. I highly recommend the seafood curry noodle soup or The pumpkin and ginger soup. read more

One of my favorite sushi restaurant in DC! Would recommend to anyone! Always fast and always good! We eat there every week for the past 2 years. And will do the same in the future. read more

Raku has proven to be a great addition to the neighborhood for sushi sandwiches. Well after my first order they delivered, well not actually delivered, which is my biggest issue and why I only gave 4 stars because they used to deliver and I HATE walking up there just to grab my rolls and walk home but I guess it will help me get in better shape. The sushi sandwiches were awesome we got many different ones which were all like snowflakes, different and unique in their own way. The little surprise we received was the dumplings app. These blow my socks off across the room. The balance of sweet and tangy in the sauce complimented the dumplings on the same level as ketchup and French fried. Oh that's an idea! Rolls of steak tartare, fries and tomato ketchup. Could be a winner! Keep it up raku. read more

I picked up take out and ordered a few different sushi rolls. My favorites were the Avocado Roll and the Spicy Salmon. I loved the addition of cilantro to the salmon! The fish here is so fresh and delicious, overall great value for price. Everything we ordered was delicious and i would definitely come back for takeout again or to eat there. read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The drinks and atmosphere are beautiful. I love the miso glazed sea bass though I think they rotate the fish choice but keep the same glaze. I also love the salad with shrimp toast croutons! It's large enough to share as an appetizer read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Good - the service. The food (it is average at best but "good"). The decor. The location. The Bad - the saki. The lighting. Everyone, including me, with smartphones had to use the flashlight app to read the menu. read more

My go to spot for sushi in DC! Try to make a reservation if you can, but you can usually snag a table by the bar or sushi bar if the wait is too long. It's perfect for sharing, so come hungry! The salmon sashimi with green apple is the perfect pairing and the vinaigrette tops off the after taste. Do not pass on getting the dumplings, they came right out of the oven with the perfect crisp to the top. The golden dragon roll is a must! I never would have thought a crispy potato in sushi would be good but it compliments the roll very well. The double salmon roll, yes please! All the right flavors plus the kick of dill..amazing! The cathedral heights location had a very inviting atmosphere and open vibe. Plus, sitting at the sushi bar is the best view and usually has great perks! read more

This place must have changed management or just significantly lowered the quality of the food. I went yesterday for the first since 2019 and was very disappointed with the food. The service was good. The food however tasted horrible. The sushi wasn't fresh, the noodle soup had an off taste, kinda weird, and the drinks were either too sweet or watered down. I won't be back. read more

After a long while of not attempting to write a review, Raku has inspired me. With great food, atmosphere, and drinks, who wouldn't like this trendy Asian fusion spot? My experience started me with a beautiful waitress, gracefully pouring water into a glass. I don't remember her name but even if I did, it'd probably be more appropriate to give her an alias: Let's go with Sachiko. Mmmm...just building onto the fantasy here. Anyways, Sachiko was very skilled at pouring water; Perhaps even best at her craft, as my glass was never empty. But she knew that an alluring fountain arabesque alone would not win the favor of her guests; And so, in addition to the stellar service, was a tender and gracious hospitality. Unfortunately, her knowledge of the menu seemed limited and when I inquired about shochu, she gave me the face of a toddler being served grandmother's beet cassarol. And with that, we begin the list of things that I ordered: Ikkomon Shochu - 4/5 - Goes down smooooth. For those of you unaware, shochu is a Japanese alcoholic beverage that is often made from sweet potato, rice, and other ingredients. Much like soju or sake, it is primarily intended to be sipped. The shochu I ordered was one of the only shochus in the US made entirely from sweet potato. As my first shochu experience, I enjoyed it. It was incredibly smooth with a subtle hint of yam (contrary to the menu description of "BOLD and FLAVORFUL"). Regardless of the misleading menu, I enjoyed it very much and at no point throughout my meal, did I find the flavors clashing. This is a very neutral beverage that likely pairs well with a lot of meals. The menu also had a cool description of shochu and there was a selection of nine(?) varieties: Sweet Potato, Barley, and Rice (three of each). Korean Hangar Steak - 5/5 - If you like beef and you like a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, this appetizer is a MUST. The steak was perfectly cooked and marinated. I must say that I often find teriyaki seasoning to be overpowering in entrees, but this was teriyaki steak dun raight! Something I especially loved about this appetizer was that it was like a mini meal: There was the steak, a bit of sesame seasoned rice, a bit of kimchi, a generous pile of lettuce, complete with a couple daps of various sauces. "What type of sauces," you ask? I would love to tell you, but unfortunately Sachiko did not understand the question... Seriously though, order two or three of these babies and you have a complete meal. Keun! Coconut Curry with Whole Wheat Noodles and Beef - 3/5 - Before I say anything about this dish, keep in mind that it is very customizable and knowing me, I may have just made the wrong choices. After that hangar steal app, it's hard to imagine anything tasting better. But flavor was certainly not an issue with this dish. The coconut curry broth was profound and spice level made to preference. You get a rather hardy bowl with quantity ingredients as well. I certainly got my $14 worth. However, this dish wasn't as perfect as the starter. The beef, while still flavorful, was incredibly chewy! It was as if I had just taken a bite of the world's most delicious stage prop...or bike tire. The noodles were a little on the gooey side for me, but that might just be a personal thing. I bet chicken or seafood would have tasted much better with this broth and would suggest experimenting with the various noodle choices. Overall, this place had excellent food, decent service (shout out to Sachiko!), and a great atmosphere. While all of the above was amazing, Sachiko needed to learn the menu a little better (and possibly English...but hers wasn't terrible (sorry!)) and the beef in the noodle entrees was too chewy. All-in-all, Raku earns itself a 4/5. I will come back here to try out the sushi! read more

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Super fresh sashimi and really great bento boxes. We almost didn't eat here because we thought the prices were a little high. But once we experienced the quality of the food we realized the place is actually a great value. Service is fast and friendly. And there are great vegetarian options as well. They make house-made sodas and ginger beer but I didn't have those. We'll definitely return regularly. read more

Service has gotten terrible here. Never got checked on during dinner, only when it was time to pay the check.

Double spicy tuna roll was delicious! The tuna was incredibly fresh. I also tried the flying smoking dragon roll and it was good if you are into eel. The miso soup was very light and a perfect appetizer. Lastly, I had the ginger lemon snap drink and I definitely recommend it. They seated us right away and the service was great. I will definitely go again. read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I must say, compared to my previous experience they have improved on their service. My husband and I walked in on New Year's Eve and we were seated right away. We had a very nice server, she was helpful and smiley through the whole service. I ordered a milky sesame cocktail that isn't on the menu anymore but she was able to ask to the bar for a special request. We had the asparagus and mushroom appetizer with yuzu vinaigrette, absolutely delicious! Continued with sushi; very fresh. Chilean sea bass is a must-try entree, amazingly cooked very flaky white fish with a light tomato touch, a real delicacy. Kahlua creme brûlée was a good light ending to this beautiful meal. I must say, I was impressed with the whole experience and I will be going back again since I live right upstairs. read more

Raku - Kahlua creme brûlée - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The bathrooms were kind of weird but also kind of cool. Sushi was dope. Always glad to have vegetarian/vegan options. I always feel like a jerk asking about these at a sushi places. They're usually all, "it's sushi. It's fish. Duh." Other than the imitation crab in Cali rolls and soggy tempura, the veg options at sushi joints are usually barf city. It was awesome how many unique non-meat dishes they had and how understanding and helpful (and freaking adorable) the staff was. Great experience, from food to decor to prices. I even was ok with the weird bathrooms by the time I left. Look forward to coming back! read more

Raku - Double salmon, Maryland roll, spicy dragon...DOPE - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious sushi and fast excellent service. We even went here on New Years eve!

The food was delicious and the service was efficient. The seafood curry noodle had just enough kick and I was pleased with the ginger salad dressing that came with the salad. read more

Raku - Seafood curry noodle soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been to another Raku location - and I am so glad that this one opened up near me! (Now only if they delivered!). I've only had their sushi - but it is out of this world! My favorite roll by far is the Deluxe Spicy Tuna. I love spicy tuna rolls, but when you add jalapeno, sriracha, and tempura flakes? SO GOOD. I've also had, and loved, the Wasbai Dynamite Roll and the Salmon California Roll. I've had the Seoul Train, and while good, wasn't my favorite. While it's not cheap, I consider the price very reasonable for the quality and freshness. Service is also fantastic. read more

A much welcome addition to the neighborhood. Previously, the only decent sushi place in the Glover Park/Tenleytown/Friendship Heights area, in my opinion, has been Murasaki. I came here with a friend on a Tuesday evening around 6pm. For a while, it was just us and one other party, but as the evening progressed, more people came. Very nice to have traditional sashimi and experimental/more interesting rolls aside from your typical California roll. For appetizers, we shared the chicken and pork dumplings, and the Szechwan crispy chicken. The Szechwan sauce was quite spicy and provided the more traditional flavor profile with a modern twist of fried chicken- definitely a winner. The dumplings were accompanied by a creamy spicy sauce that worked surprisingly well with the dumpling filling. We then sampled three sashimi (eel, salmon, and the fatty tuna of the day), the spicy crunchy tuna roll, and the kimichi roll. I can't really say what was my favorite, and that is a very good thing. The quality of the fish for each piece of sashimi and each roll was outstanding considering the price point (this is not Makoto), and I loved the little surprises and creativity put into each appetizer and the rolls. I would venture to say that this is one of the best price/quality deals on sushi in the city. Oh- and they do takeout!! For those living in this area, I would posit that Murasaki and Raku are two different dining experiences. For me, Murasaki's 5-course $30.99 meal is more about presentation and variety, whereas Raku is more a place for experimentation and creativity. In some ways, this means they shouldn't be in competition with each other. I will still pick Murasaki over Raku if that's the kind of experience I'm looking for, even though Raku is literally across the street from my apartment. read more

Raku - Plum wine - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food is great, service is horrible. Our waitress walked by us four times without even so much as looking at us the table next to us. It was ridiculous. I had to actually go up to the host stand and ask for help. Not best first impression that's for sure read more

Friendly service, dishes were tasty and fresh. Drink menu is very extensive. Specials looked good. read more

Raku - Red curry soup with beef. Very flavorful. Beef pieces were large, but tender. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We came for sashimi. Toro was MP ( which turned out to be $22). I had to return it because it had something in it that I wasn't able to chew. They offered to get me a new order of sashimi and told me "all toro is like that". Hmmmmm.... I ordered the sashimi tuna in its place but I could not eat it because the texture was old and dry. Wait staff nice but nope... never again. read more

I came here for sushi with a small group of friends and we were all impressed. Even the people who aren't "sushi fanatics" admitted it was very tasty. I would easily put Raku in my top 5 sushi places of all time. While the service wasn't lacking, it was very basic, and our server seemed ver anxious. One of the reasons I give Raku 4/5. Everything else was really nice though, and the location itself can make for a nice romantic date. Would highly recommend. read more

Pleasantly surprised this place was still around after moving back to the area after years. This said, my favorite drink on their menu, the Bloody Mao, has mysteriously disappeared... what happened Raku, are you afraid of offending the Chinese communists? Please bring this drink back or at least send me the recipe privately. read more

I'm very familiar with Raku because i live close to the one in Bethesda. it is often one of my go-to places for a nice big bowl of soup during the winter. I decided to check out the new location because it is around the corner from work. I had some delicious sushi -- and a tofu salad. Perfect for a nice summer night. Everything was fresh... and the service was good. It did take quite a while for our food to arrive -- but I'm sure some of that can be pinned on the fact that its been open for less than a month.... I will definitely be back... and look forward to ordering those big bowls of soup for delivery once the dog days of winter hit! read more

Bam! Best sushi and asian food around the area. I drive in from Leesburg to eat here. Tonight we started with a salmon apple appetizer, some dumplings, yellowtail and miso. We had all kinds of sushi for dinner, and rolls. The smoking dragon was killer. The waiter was attentive and the owner stopped over and spent time with us. He runs a tight ship and the attention to detail is apparent. Check out the desert tray! read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As a discriminating diner not easily wowed, I was especially and happily surprised after an exceptional dinner with my wife, college-aged daughter and her boyfriend this weekend. The new Wisconsin Ave Raku is even better than its affiliates in Dupont Circle and Bethesda! While there was a long wait to get in-- the Raku staff went above and beyond to greet, serve and feed us with delicious, varied and imaginative Japanese cuisine! Sashimi & sushi from the US and direct from the Tokyo Fish Market was fresh & innovatively presented. Stop reading this rave review and get there yourselves! read more

Raku - Raku Restaurant - NW Washington, D.C. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Was really excited to come here for my mom's bday and get a nice lunch. We are just visiting so I checked all the reviews. While the restaurant is very cute and trendy; the food is just not that great. We started with the calamari which was actually good but the sushi is a big NO read more

I made reservations for 8pm on a Saurday night. Arrived at 7:55pm and was told we will be seated shortly. We were seated about 30 mins later. The greeter gave us a bowl of edamame to snack on while we waited. Keep in mind, we are still standing. So holding a bowl of edamame in one hand and the skins of the edamame in the other required some sense of balance and coordination. The sushi itself was ok. I would try other sushi places before coming back here. read more

The red curry noodle soup was good and enough for two meals if you don't eat a lot at one time. My boyfriend got the deluxe spicy tuna roll and said it was solid. read more

Raku - Deluxe spicy tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is the best sushi place I have been in D.C. Not only do they have great sushi but great entrees and appetizers too! The Hanger steak app and the Salmon Sashimi & green apple were both delicious!! I will be back over and over again.. read more

Raku - I was not disappointed by the waitresses recommendation for the Croissant Bread Pudding with delicious vanilla ice cream. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My girlfriend and I went for restaurant week. The food was wonderful but the service was quite strange, including the fact that they split the check (on our date night) without us asking. Girlfriend's input: They have great tempura but judge the gays. PS the dragon roll is also good. read more

I am pretty happy that I visited Raku. I had the shiro veggie ramen with shirataki noodles. They are the only restaurant in DC that popped up when I searched for Shirataki. The presentation was great! But I wolfed my lunch without even having a change to take pictures. It was the perfect meal on February DC day. Service was on point. Pretty packed for a Friday lunch. These guys are good for a reason! read more

The location is great and the food was pretty good! I tried the Dashi with chicken and it was filled with veggies which was a surprise. It wasn't too expensive and again the food had good flavor although I think I prefer Ramen. read more

Food is reliable but service no so. Orders delayed. Watch out for local thieves when eating outside. My purse was stolen.