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    Raku

    4.2 (321 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Raku Takeout or Delivery

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    RAKU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Raku

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    Beef Tokyo Dashi Broth
    Brandon J.

    Weather was fitting for comfort food and our appetites were ready. The place was clean and aesthetically pleasing. Our servers were nice, attentive, and patient in giving us time to decide what to order. We enjoyed the bowls and the dessert was amazing! We're definitely coming back.

    Daniel R.

    I came here with some friends after a great concert at the National Cathedral, and overall we enjoyed parts of the meal! The croissant pudding dessert is definitely a huge highlight. However, there was a significant issue with freshness. I had a salmon sushi roll, and it tasted like the fish had been sitting out--not the best feeling for a sushi spot. The gyoza also had a sauce that did not taste fresh. I hope to give it another try!

    Sunday night dinner and drinks were amazing! Our server was quick with checking in with us to make sure we had everything and that we were enjoying our experience. The restaurant is really beautiful with a collection of bottles diving the bar area from the main dining area.

    Ameena A.

    My friend and I came here on a Saturday night and it was super busy! A good sign :) and with that, service was still good. The ambiance is also super cute - we were in the room with the hanging, changing lights! We both got wine and sushi and thought it was all delicious and fresh. Probably one of the more "quality" sushi fish that I've had recently. The primary downside (in my opinion) is finding parking nearby. It's a bustling area, so just expect that when you come to Raku!

    Beef NY Strip Steak
    Chanaprued T.

    Visiting from other states and this place is a must. food , vibe , drink and server especially we've got pat who was our sever. she was a thumbs up. really recommended

    Shrimp Tempura Tokyo Dashi Broth
    Camille J.

    loveee this place!! only giving 4 stars bc it used to be better like 5 years ago fr but it's still really good make sure to get the cake

    Assortment of sushi
    Maya M.

    Great prices & great service. Restaurant is clean with a nice bar and plenty of outdoor space too! They great happy hour prices as well. Can't go wrong with any of the sushi rolls here, seriously!

    Alice J.

    Bento is just as lavish (if a bit overpriced) as before. The sashimi that came with the bento box is fresh and delicious. The grilled octopus / shrimp salad is fantastic (first time trying it). Beware there are small bones in the cod (eat slowly!) We ordered on their own website, and food was ready in a timely manner. I miss their previous bento box (the actual, beautiful box). They have gone cheap since the pandemic. Just an ugly plastic box. No Japanese bento box charm any more.

    Crab California
    Caryna F.

    We had a great affordable dinner here, party of 7...service was great. The vibe of the place was very much fun Asian fusion. (The bathroom sink was particularly creative lol.). You will certainly be happy if you order the sushi, Nigiri, and the rolls. Soups are also a great choice. My brother ordered the Bibimbop and that looked pretty good, along with an Asian spin on Calamari. He ate every bite. My husband ordered the big bowl of red curry soup. It's great for someone with a big appetite. Very filling for $15! It was nice to be able to either order a full meal, or to eat lightly. No pressure. There were specials available...all very interesting choices. The rolls were very fresh and well done. When my daughter wanted one more roll, she ordered mid-meal and it arrived quickly. Appreciated the overall presentation and the way things were plated. If I recall- Raku was founded by west coast (Berkeley CA) chef Mark Miller. I'm a big fan of Mark's southwestern cooking. I enjoy his Asian fusion menu as well.

    Agedashi tofu
    Suzie Z.

    Chanced upon this spot which is a sister restaurant of the more well known Rakuya resto due to its strategic location at DuPont circle. Raku offers a slightly different menu and has lunch specials featuring seasonal items. I got the set meal from the regular menu as I simply can't say no to Unagi. The Unagi is pretty fresh and tastes better than the one I had at Momo cafe.

    Anna P.

    Had an absolute feast at Raku tonight. Everything that I had was absolutely delicious and prepared very quickly. For the sushi rolls, I'd highly recommend the black snake and the red dragon. The nigiri was scrumptious--and the portions of fish relative to the rice very generous. The dessert (chocolate cake) was also very good. Overall, I would highly recommend this place and will be back again.

    Charashi Udon combo

    Love this place. Their udon is nice chewy- like the bubble tea chewy in a good way. The rice that came with chirashi is slightly warm which give a nice contrast to the fish. The veggie on top give a nice crunch when eat with fish and rice. Last but not least the tamago and the fish roes on the rice also bring out the sweet from the egg and salty nice flavor. 5 stars for food , ambience, price. Service was ok .

    Susie W.

    Stopped by Raku after workout put down the road and had a great lunch experience! Raku has great lunch deals that are filling and fresh! I've been to the Bethesda location but never to the DC spot - nothing is different...excellent selection, friendly staff, quick service and fresh fish! I would happily go back to this new spot!

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    8 years ago

    Spicy tuna roll was delicious and service was prompt. Waitress was sweet and attentive but there was issue splitting the check.

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    10 years ago

    I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but the veggie bento box is consistently fantastic.

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    Page 6 of 9

    Ask the Community - Raku

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    Kyojin DC

    Kyojin DC

    4.4(330 reviews)
    2.1 miGeorgetown

    Tucked away in the alley behind the Main Street nw in Georgetown, we got there right around 5 when…read morethey open, and watched it turn from a quiet restaurant to a thriving and lively place. Excellent service, the food was great and not outrageously priced (considering the area), and looked amazing inside! The decor and the lighting is makes it a cozy and intimate place but also great for a large party as well We booked our experience during restaurant week, we love trying out new places and their restaurant week menu offered a little bit of everything. We got some champagne to start, ordered some cocktails after, and the food started rolling in. We started with a caviar bump, and moved into the beetroot salad (which was amazing and so flavorful, we both wanted more), had the Tataki/carpaccio style followed by the nigiri/sashimi, then for the main course - the winner/volcano lobster roll. We didn't want our night to end there, there were so many great options in the menu so we opted to hold off on our desert and ordered some more food We got the sushi dinner dish to share along with the lavender smoked salmon Tataki style. Definitely could've eaten more after but decided to end our night after that, and had our ice cream to finish the night (matcha ice cream and raspberry sorbet) The service was 11/10, our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and all of the other waitstaff was extremely kind and was more than willing to help us with any questions or things we needed. The restaurant was very clean and they had nice bathrooms. The quality of the food was amazing and every dish had us hungry for more. This is definitely a place we'll be coming to again and will be recommending to everyone

    Birthday dinner brought us to Kyojin Sushi on a Monday night, and while the food definitely…read moreimpressed, the service kept this from being a five-star experience. We had a reservation for 7:30 p.m. for a party of 12, and I think that was the first issue. A group our size really needed a dedicated server, but instead we had one server covering our entire section. To be fair, he may have been stretched thin, but unfortunately, the service itself also left a lot to be desired. We were seated at 7:30, but our drink orders weren't taken until around 7:50. Then he disappeared for another 20 minutes before returning to take additional drink orders from people who had arrived later. We were ready to order food, but kept hearing, "I'll be right back." Throughout the night, drinks and items were forgotten. One friend finished her first glass of wine, ordered a second, and didn't receive it until we were literally asking for the check. At that point... we're leaving, friend. To make matters worse, several menu items we wanted weren't available. The mochi? Sold out. The Wagyu? Sold out. There were three or four different items people at our table ordered that were unavailable. On a Monday, that was a little surprising. Now for the good part... the sushi was REALLY good. I ordered the Yume Roll and the Tiger Roll, and both were incredibly fresh. The Yume Roll was especially unique and one of my favorite specialty rolls I've had in a while. It was made with spicy tuna, avocado, seared tuna, jalapeño, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and crunchy tempura bits, which gave it the perfect combination of heat, texture, and richness. The Tiger Roll was another standout, made with lump crab, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, steamed tiger shrimp, and a mango tobiko sauce. The combination of flavors was fresh, light, and perfectly balanced. I also ordered the edamame with the spicy black garlic sauce, and I absolutely loved that twist. It was a nice change from the usual salted edamame. One dish that completely missed the mark was the Tempura Rice with Chicken, which I shared with the table. Unfortunately, this was the only thing we ordered that I genuinely didn't enjoy. The chicken was dark meat, lacked seasoning, and honestly tasted like it had come straight from a bag of frozen Tyson nuggets. It didn't have the crispy, flavorful bite I was expecting and felt completely out of place compared to how fresh and well-executed the sushi was. I'd definitely skip this one on my next visit. My cocktail was just as impressive as the food. It was made with Ilegal Mezcal, pomegranate, hibiscus yuzu, simple syrup, and egg white, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The egg white gave it a silky, frothy finish, while the pomegranate and hibiscus yuzu added a bright, slightly tart flavor that paired beautifully with the subtle smokiness of the mezcal. It was as pretty as it was delicious. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. It's tucked away in an alley, so it's a little easy to miss, but once you're inside, the space is modern, spacious, and has a really cool stone bar that gives the restaurant a sleek, upscale vibe. I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices. Specialty rolls ranged from about $12-$20, with only a few premium options around $25. The edamame was about $8, so overall I thought the pricing was very fair, especially for Georgetown. Would I come back? Yes... but probably with a much smaller group. The food and ambiance are worth another visit, but I'd definitely be hoping for a better service experience next time. I also hope they have a better handle on inventory because I'd still love to try the Wagyu and finish dinner with the mochi.

    Photos
    Kyojin DC - Inside the restaurant

    Inside the restaurant

    Kyojin DC - Lobster Volcano

    Lobster Volcano

    Kyojin DC - Kyojin きょうじん:raw platter

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    Kyojin きょうじん:raw platter

    Sushi Gaku

    Sushi Gaku

    4.2(17 reviews)
    1.9 miGeorgetown

    Welcome to Georgetown, Chef Ota and Sushi Gaku!…read more Fun fact: Chef Ota is one of the only chefs in the area to hole a fugu preparation license! Making a dinner reservation on their online platform was a breeze and seamless. Try their Okimari Prix Fixe, as it comes with miso soup, a choice of a sashimi carpaccio, 10 pieces of premium nigiri, a choice of maki, and ice cream. There is also Gakyu Omakase specialties, where one is a sushi course and one is a fugu course (that is seasonal). They also have Signature Sushi Sets, in which the Edo Style Nigiri and the Gaku Sushi Assortment are recommended! We enjoyed the Chef's Langoustine Lobster roll and the Chef's Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll, several nigiris (Aburi-style), and the sushi sets. Other options include various soups, apps, and a la carte items. Service was kind, friendly, and attentive. Look for the Sushi Gaku sign/plaque, and go downstairs. The space is bright and clean, and I liked the 'sparkly' fabrics they used for the furniture. Metered street parking can be found in the area. +omakase +sushi sets +online reservations available

    Thrilled to have an authentic sushi option so close. The menu included chef designed pre-fixe…read moremeals, but also allowed you to order a la carte from an impressive selection of sashimi, sushi and maki rolls. The yellowtail sashimi carpaccio is absolutely worth trying. The soft shell crab rolls were perfectly crisped. The staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive. Beautiful mini orchids adorned all the tables. And even though it was raining today, their back courtyard looks like it will eventually be a delight for outdoor dining. Looking forward to my next visit.

    Photos
    Sushi Gaku - Sashimi carpaccio

    Sashimi carpaccio

    Sushi Gaku - Handmade fresh udon noodles with crispy shrimp Tempura.

    Handmade fresh udon noodles with crispy shrimp Tempura.

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    Susheria - 3 types of sushi roll, Mate, Georgetown Roll, and Hinode

    Susheria

    3.9(449 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    This place feels like it tried to be a hit in the 90s and failed. The sushi just isn't that good,…read morethe whole menu is white washed mid sushi at high prices. The ceviches and crudos and such are all fine, but they're not good. It makes it hard to want to enjoy them at all. Service is nice and friendly, but understaffed. Everything took incredibly long. Why are they understaffing this place?!? Especially at the prices. The cocktails are actually pretty good, though the wine list is uninteresting. It's a fine spot if you're looking for a quick meal in Georgetown, but it's not a destination spot by any means.

    Came to experience the Thursday night grown folks R&B night. The music was on point and the food…read morewas good but the service was lacking. If you love old & new R&B this is the place to be on Thursday & Sunday nights. My only complaint is that the music is so loud it's hard to have a conversation or even place your order. We had to ask our waitress multiple times for limes, soy sauce and a to go box. I don't blame her for being overwhelmed since the music was so loud but there is room for improvement! Sebastian Roll: 10/10 fried crab roll was delicious. This is my new go to roll! Buenos Aires Roll: 7/10 nothing crazy. Reminded me of an elevated California roll with torched salmon on top. Vegetable Gyoza: 7/10 pan fried instead of boiled which I prefer! Kind of bland. Would be better with a different sauce or added protein. Calamari: 7/10 good but it did not stand out. Comes with both rings & tentacles. We don't like tentacles so we ate around them.

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    Susheria
    Susheria - Lomo Saltado

    Lomo Saltado

    Susheria - The kale and vegetable filling tasted like puréed vegetable soup.

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    The kale and vegetable filling tasted like puréed vegetable soup.

    Onggi - Dalg Nalgae

    Onggi

    4.5(59 reviews)
    2.2 miDupont Circle, Downtown

    I had a fantastic lunch at Onggi. My husband and I sat at the bar and experienced top notch…read morehospitality. The bartender went out of their way to discuss with the chef vegan options to ensure we had a fully plant based meal. We started with the Clay & Craft soju flight. This was such a treat! We have never tried soju with such high alcohol proofs. It felt so upscale and unique. We shared the Onggi Lunch Jeongsik Set modified to be vegan. This was a great portion size of food to share among two people. The pajeon was my husband's favorite part of the meal. I enjoyed the vegan jigae the most. Overall there was no weak part of this meal and we did not leave a single morsel of food behind. I will note that the vegan bulgogi tasted almost identical to the bulgogi you can buy at Trader Joe's. We love that bulgogi so that is not a problem. It was just funny to taste something very familiar to us. The rest of the meal was new flavors for me, and reminded my husband of his 4 years living in Korea. My husband has not had authentic Korean flavors made vegan before so this was a major treat. We saved room for dessert and enjoyed this soft nutty sweet treat. It was the perfect finish to a delicious lunch. Thank you Onggi for being so vegan friendly! We cannot wait to enjoy another meal here.

    Relaxed atmosphere, carefully prepared food, congenial service, and seating that's spread out. Put…read morethose all together in a restaurant and that's a winning combo for me. Also, one of my close friends is vegan, so fairly challenging to find a nice spot for her. She enjoyed everything that she ordered, and it made us both happy. Went with jeyuk bokkeum as a main. The sauce is just how I like it--tasty zing, very light consistency, not on fire, pleasant. Sampled some of the jabche and split a vegan kimbap--all delicious. If this is considered extraordinary Korean fare, I couldn't say, but think their cooking is pretty darn good. Once inside, it's hard to tell you're in Dupont Circle, with all of the horrible construction that's perpetually on-going in the neighborhood. It's an escape of sorts. Onggi is a keeper.

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    Onggi - Restaurant interior

    Restaurant interior

    Onggi - Galbi Set

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    Bibimbap

    Raku - sushi - Updated September 2026

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