Drinks: Hans Gruber was delicious and strong. Beatrix Kiddo didn't taste much of guava, it was too sweet and fruity. Definitely get if you don't like alcohol. Food: Liked - I was really impressed with the blacked octopus. The lomi lomi had a nice flavor that was unique. Average - The fried chicken was well made, but middle of the road well made in the way of Japanese fried chicken. Wouldn't recommend - The baby street corn (they actually use baby corn) was an interesting take on elotes and grossly overpriced for what it was. The wagyu was just.. meat. The texture wasn't particularly impressive and the flavor wasn't unique. Get this is you like safe food and just need meat. The dan dan noodles... weren't dan dan noodles? It tasted like duck noodles with peppercorn. Absolutely would not suggest if you want dan dan noodles. The mushrooms in it were bomb though. Dessert: We got a cheesecake and a tart. Both were amazing, sorta. The cheesecake was my preferred cake. The guava passionfruit something or other ice cream on the tart was really great. Service: Subpar. Our server was nice enough. Not very attentive though. Ambiance: I liked the decor. It was pretty and not... tacky or too much. The place was a bit noisy, but it fit the atmosphere? read more

They are now open for indoor dining. If staying at the Godfrey Hotel, you are no longer able to charge the meal to your room. Incompatible computer systems. Good food, especially the sushi. The wine list is excellent. Some of the food is very spicy, so ask. read more

My partner and I wanted to try a new place for our anniversary. Unfortunately, I wish we didn't. Don't get me wrong, the drinks were fire, but the food was just average and overpriced. It didn't slap as much as we thought considering it was fusion place, that had zero fusion dishes. The food lacked flavor and left us unsatisfied to the point that we came home made our own food and contemplated the hole in our wallets from the prices we wished we didn't pay. Sigh... read more

This place is quite trendy and I do love the atmosphere here. My husband took me here for my birthday and we both thoroughly enjoyed the experience albeit an very pricey experience but it's a special occasion. We had the Fuego Wagyu and that was DELICIOUS and of course it is served with fire! Seemed like they served the BEST first. The Crispy Rock Shrimp was also very good, they offset the fried crispy shrimp with asian pears, cucumbers and red onions and the combination was a fresh refreshing mouthful of fried shrimp. The Matcha Cured Point Judith Fluke was also delicious, the beets gives it a crunchy texture. We had the Chicken Thighs and Ribeye anticuchos, both would have been delicious if it wasn't for the saltiness. Someone was very heavy handed with the salt! We also order the Green Noodles and that was also extremely salty. Overall, I'd go back for cocktails and food, but I will definitely send the food back next time if it is overly salty. Just lighten up on salt!!! read more

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Coming from the team behind Yvonne's, my family and I had high expectations from Ruka. Needless to say, they went above and beyond. The service was wonderful, we made the reservation ahead of time. One in our party has a peanut allergy, and the staff was extremely accommodating and checked in with us on every dish . The decor is funky, modern, and fuses iconic East Asian and South American symbols, but that's only where it starts. There is a huge drink list including beers, wines, sakes, and an aray of Japanese and Peruvian inspired cocktails. We ordered the Hamachi Amarillo, Kanpachi Ume, Cucumber Salad, Octopus Lomo Saltado, Sweet Potato Dumplings, and Eggplant Motoyaki the Hamachi, Kanpachi, and salad were fresh and light. The Kanpachi blended well with the sweet melon and sorbet. However, there were no contrasting textures making it a very light and soft dish. Similarly, while the flavours mixed well, they were mild and didn't "wow" us. The Hamachi was one of our favorites with it's tomatillo salsa and crispy corn. Don't be turned off by the spicy jalapeños! It brings a nice zip of flavour to what would otherwise be a smooth and buttery roll (with a big junk of avo in the center and Hamachi laid on top). The salad was a nice break from the fish, but was not a stand out dish. The dressing was nice, but the fried tofu is so hard that it's difficult to chew. The Octopus, Dumplings, and Eggplant were some of the favorites. The octopus was tender on top of flavourful black rice. The rice has soaked up so much delicious flavour that it becomes softer like a risotto. Sweet potato dumplings, which reminded us of gnocchi, and trumpet mushrooms surrounded a soft poached eggs. The barley broth had a great umami that just improved when the egg yolk oozed in. Needless to say, we drank all of it! The eggplant was equally delicious. The toppings are reminiscent of those used on okonomiyaki or takoyaki (hence the okonomiyaki sauce) on top of grilled and glazed eggplant. The dumplings and eggplant are musts for non-meat eaters! read more

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Amazing flavorful food and cocktails and the restaurant itself is beautiful. Service was great, food comes fast

Excellent restaurant! Took my girlfriend there for our anniversary and the food, atmosphere, and service were all top notch. Only downside is the portions are a little small (particularly for the steak). We got the sushi, fries and steak and taste wise, it was excellent. RUKA is the perfect place to take someone for a special occasion. read more

A trendy, vibrant addition to the growing downtown crossing area. Brought to us by the same owners as Yvonnes just down the street, the parallels are quite clear. Billed as Peruvian-Japanese fusion, the ambiance and decor strikes a nice balance without hitting you over the head and being too tacky. The place is spacious but not overwhelming, and great for moderate-sized groups (we went as a group of 6). The cocktail menu comes as a book, with each cocktail having a lengthy story and description. The Jesuit is the most popular and comes in a beautiful glass, topped with what resembles a pine cone on fire. The flavor is complex with predominantly passion fruit notes. Definitely a winner. We ordered a variety of dishes: the spicy tuna-paired with a wonderful spicy mayo, the crunchy salmon tacos- served in a leaf-like shell that was cripsy and perfect, the octopus lomo soltado- very flavorful with a strong asian-like flavor and well cooked octopus, and the papas chongo. The scallop ceviche was nice but overpriced for the portion size. We ordered the big fish for dessert which was a bold dish, certainly enough to share among 4. The fish itself had a waffle-like consistency and was served with lucuma flavored ice cream and other accouterments. Service was good not great, seems like the servers are probably still coming into their own. Overall, it was a lively, fun scene with excellent cocktails and very good food. Maybe a bit expensive but that's the price of venues of this caliber. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Ruka - The Big Fish dessert! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Would have rated this place 3 stars but the staff was friendly and helpful on a busy night. We got in with a reservation, but had to wait for our table because of an unexpected big work group, no problem. We then were seated next to the work group which was loud (we were told they had misinformed the restaurant on party size). After asking to be moved, we promptly were to a much better area. The drinks were decent, but nothing as exotic tasting as they sounded. The broccoli in curry was amazing, the fries and sausages in yum yum sauce also very good, the tuna sushi selection was just meh, nothing new or special. For dessert the coffee was fantastic, the moon pie was alright but rather flavorless. All in all the food was a solid 3/5, with the prices being a little high for the flavor. read more

It was a perfect combination of small plates and sushi. Everything was solid. Service was good. Had a great atmosphere. Check it out if you want a twist on sushi. read more

Our dinner was great! It started off a little bumpy with a table mix up (we were there with our infant son) and a private party- the host of the party was very rude and upset that we had been seated at a table she thought was hers. The staff moved us and then brought us complimentary drinks and a dish- they were very apologetic and accommodating after the woman behaved so terribly. Vera our waitress was training and did a fabulous job! All our food was amazing and we will definitely come back! Thank you to the staff for righting the situation and taking care of us. read more

First of all, Michael our server was outstanding! Exceptional personality, perfect blend between professionally knowledgeable and a hoot! The food was good. The garlic fried rice was definitely the star of the night and worth coming back to. The octopus was delicious as well. Sea Bass was ok. Wagu beef a bit gamey. The only thing that was disappointing was the fact that the four of us got there a few minutes early and had to stand in the pouring rain before someone finally let us in - not a second before 5 pm. Not our ideal idea of hospitality. read more

Amazing food and ambiance. Wagyu tartar was my favorite by far. Perfect place for a fancier night out. read more

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Our server franky was the best!!! He made great suggestions about many items on the menu. He was friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and the drinks were on point. Will definitely be back. read more

After my third visit Pros: delicious octopus, great cocktails, very trendy atmosphere, great service Cons: Not at all impressive sushi roll menu at a high price read more

The ambiance, interior design, food, and cocktails are amazing. If only the service had been good this would be a five star spot! The bartenders were very kind but sloooow. The hostess was incredibly rude, told us we couldn't be seated due to high volume of reservations yet the restaurant sat at only 60% occupancy the entire time we were there - very strange. We asked if seats could be moved to a large open are at the bar she claimed that was not an option. We sat at the bar which was really cool but again the service was like molasses. If you go I would definitely suggest making a reservation! read more

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One of my favorite dishes while in Boston came from this restaurant...the service was top notch also. The look of this restaurant is kinda modern, but with traditional elements...I really can't pinpoint the decor, but that's not a bad thing at all. I sat at the bar and told the bartender to surprise me with a sushi roll. He went with the rock shrimp roll and let me tell you - I craved it my entire trip. The pickled pineapple inside of the sushi was something I've never had, the Amarillo mayo was a little sweet and had a little spice to it, and of course the rock shrimp which was fried perfectly and placed on top of each piece complimented each other so well. Sushi done right and without too much fuss is definitely one of my favorite dishes to eat and this place nailed it. I tried the tempura queso skewers and they were pretty good as well, a little too soft, but that was because of the tempura batter being light and airy which is how it should be - so I'm not mad about it. I tried two different drinks...the "In bloom" ( it was soooo good and sweet) and the "Inka's Chicha" ( this one wasn't my favorite. It has a hint of cinnamon and you can definitely taste it). It was a great experience though as my service and the bartenders were wonderful . Although they were busy , they made time to chat with me and to answer all of my questions. They were super friendly and accommodating which only added on to my great night. I will for sure visit this restaurant again once I go back to Boston. read more

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My friend and I came on a Tuesday night. Plus points, this location is smack in the middle of downtown connected to the hotel so very convenient if you're traveling by public transportation (and not so much by car, like us). I was really awed as soon as I came in by the incredible design of the place. Amazing ambiance paired with a beautiful long bar and very hip music makes it a fun place! We were seated on the bar and the food menu itself is visually stunning (props to the graphic designer for the menu), but inherently very small compared to its drink menu. Of course, you can't expect a tapas restaurant in the middle of the city to be cheap, but phew I could pass out at the thought of how much a tab would cost to feel full. So we had the salmon ceviche, tuna tataki, blackened octopus, and char siu Salmon ceviche: was just OK. The salmon was very low in portion comparatively. I didn't really taste the salmon in this dish. Maybe it felt like the other ingredients were masking salmon's natural flavor? The chips that came with it were good, but honestly felt like the fish did nothing to add to your typical ceviche. Tuna tataki: actually delicious! The tataki is SUPER thinly sliced, but the tuna they used was super red, fresh, and had its own natural flavor. Most tuna is usually flavorless, but this one has a really light enjoyable flavor! The blackened octopus: this was definitely the highlight of the meal; the octopus was flavored super well and has a great roasted taste. It was super small, however, so it's really just a teaser if anything. Char siu: this came with two buns. The buns themselves were soft, but the char siu itself did not blow me away at all. I would pass on this in the future. Service itself was good, but a little off putting. Our waiter, although nice, kind of said that we weren't ordering enough to fill ourselves and should get more. He was totally right, of course, but I thought a tapa restaurant would be used to people ordering rounds of food? We ended up not order more because overall we were feeling very meh about trying anything else. When I asked where the bathroom was, he didn't look at me to speak to me. He also dropped off our check without any warm regards. I am a server myself so I totally understand what it's like when it's busy, but it wasn't super busy when we came in and it just felt like he was rushing us out because we weren't ordering much? Either way the bill ended up being $80 for two so he got his pretty decent 20% off us and thus, I'm just feeling a little jaded from this. So the main reason why this is 3 stars is because although the food was good, it was far from great--nothing blew me away. Nothing we tried made me feel like this was the only place that could do it right. In fact, the majority of items we could find down the street at Chinatown for much better flavor (not to mention cheaper.) I just felt like food here was not incredible as other reviews make it sound. It was a nice experience to try, but they are only selling ambiance and looks, not the indulgence in cuisine. read more

Very unique combination of flavors...but they worked. I would not called this Peruvian influenced as was described to me. I love Peruvian food and was disappointed when it was not It was Japanese influenced. They sharing plates and as a table of 4 we were able to try 9 plates. The funniest was the calamari dish that had shaved smoked fish flacks that moved as the heat raised from the calamari so it looked like it was "alive.". Our table was fascinated. I will try to upload the video but will also add the photo. read more

Ruka - Calamari. Very good - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here for my birthday in February and fell in love. What ever you do, get the Tupac roll food was fantastic! I cannot wait for them to reopen so that I can go back. read more

Really great ambiance! Food was delicious as well as presentation. Everything was super flavorful & fresh tasting. Service was slow but it was very busy on a Saturday night so it was to be expected. Our server forgot to put in our espresso shots & comped them for us. Overall highly recommend! read more

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While I LOVED the food and ambiance.. the service left me a bit flat. I felt rushed by the server as he served me with my bill without asking for it before I've even received my desert.. this four star rating is based on food primarily and not by service.. It was down a star only due to price.. I think it was a bit expensive for what you got.. service i would give 2 stars. The hostess wasn't friendly when I entered through the doors.. when I asked questions on the food (being this was my first time at the restaurant.. recommended by my hotel next door) he didn't give any recommendations or ask questions of what I like or don't like.. It's good food but don't expect any warm service .. read more

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I was shocked not only by its abysmal service but the server STOLE TIPS from me. My friend was super late and reasonably I didn't want to spend 20 minutes waiting by the reception desk. When I asked to be seated first, the receptionist, he said and I quote "that would confuse the server and ruin the flow of the dinning room." Ok, so I ended up waiting by the door for 30 minutes. When we finally got seated, the server had some obnoxious attitude and the food was really slow. While waiting the server was filling water and they poured too much. It was over the table and dripping but they didn't bother to come back and wipe the table clean. After the entire upsetting experience I decided not to tip a dime and that's when the shocking part happened. A few days later when the bank statement came out I realized the restaurant added 20% the tip to my credit card - after I had put 0 on the receipt and signed. I'm sure this is not their first offense and does this restaurant realize not only this is a disgusting behavior but ILLEGAL??? read more

Great food, great service. Perfect for pre-theater dinner. Given the tapas style menu, the portion sizes were good.

Okay. Let me start with the good: The food is really delicious. Our favorites were the rock shrimp, tuna poke, ceviche mixto, Phoenix sunrise, chicken fried rice, and the dessert. Cocktails are also really tasty. Now with the bad. The service is SLOW. We got our cold apps on the slow but reasonable side. And then it took OVER AN HOUR to get the remaining hot dishes. They figured out there was a problem 25 minutes in and then STiLL couldn't get the food to the table. We waited for the last dish for 20 minutes after the second to last dish came out. Water glasses were also often empty. They offered to comp some stuff and sent us free dessert and champagne - so good on them. But the manager definitely gave us the impression that we were getting some of our existing items comped. Instead they insisted on serving the last dish (we tried to cancel it) and free dessert. Had we known that last dish was going to take another 30, we would have asked more firmly to cancel it. But it was always "5 minutes away". So we finished our week night dinner 3 hours after we sat and with a big bill and delicious food just being a mere and distant memory. If you come here, budget extra time. read more

This was my first time here. The place was so lively and the staff greeted me right away. I came alone and sat at the bar the bartender was so friendly, and easily guided me to the vegan options on the menu. Honestly, it was the best vegan sushi I've had so far! Will be returning and letting all my vegan peers know about this hidden gem in Boston! read more

Ruka - BBQ Eggplant Sushi great options for vegans like myself ! So good ! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is a great place if you've got a fat wallet and an undiscerning palate. Came here on a Saturday for dinner and drinks. Willing to overlook the cheesy Legends of the Hidden Temple decor. On to the drinks... We all have that one friend who goes to Ireland and complains that Guinness isn't the same in the states. Well, now I hold it against them less. If you have been to Peru, don't order the Pisco Sour at this place. You'll be disappointed (which, is sort of a shock, as it only contains 5 ingredients). Tried their version of a margarita as well - it was fine. The upside is they carry Cusquena beer, which is tricky to find locally. Tune Poke was 1/2 cup of tuna - it was yummy but not worth the absurd $18 or so. Baby Street corn was 8 baby corns on a skewer for $9. Tasted pretty good although it's hard to mess up corn with cheese, and I was almost embarrassed I paid almost 10 bucks for half a can of baby corn. Crispy Lamb Belly was pretty good. No complaints. The sushi was absurd. Inside was stuffed with cucumber (4 large slices) and just a smidge of raw fish. Maybe they were running low on spicy tuna? Service was weird. We sat at the bar and had the menus taken away from us 3 times, as though each time we were expected to ask for the check and leave. They also randomly overcharged us for 2 drinks we didn't order. They took it off, but perhaps if they were less concerned with getting people in and out so quickly they wouldn't have messed up the tab. Overall, this restaurant is in the right spot - Boston Common is a great location to get tourists and yuppies. It wouldn't survive anywhere else in Boston charging $20 per underwhelming small plate. read more

Dinner was great, server too....but George (busser/expediter?) was so pleasant and so efficient. All in all, a great place to go in Boston. Calamari - the best! read more

In short: Good food, good drinks, nice servers. Overpriced a bit in my opinion, and we got hit with a "Kitchen appreciation charge"? Could you please just pay your employees more and if you must adjust the menu costs. I should not have to tip my sever as well as the kitchen. read more

I love this place for Friday night date night. Everything is so good. Its small plates so you get to have a lot of flavors. They got rid of the miso mac which was my fav but added some new things post shutdown. The kimchi rice was great. I like the volcano roll, with chicken and the kalamari looks like it is moving. Its great. Reservations a couple days in advance for weekends is necessary. The cocktails are strange with odd spices but still good. I love this place. read more

We got: Spicy Ruka Tuna Tupac King Charred Octopus Wagyu steak Japanese Fried Chicken Fried Dough Dessert The down-low: Spicy Ruka Tuna, Octopus and Japanese Fried chicken are must gets! we enjoyed everything else as well, but would be happy to try something else. The bill came out to about 120 because we got two drinks as well (the cocktail could have been stronger and the Sake was delicious) If you are thinking about it, definitely give it a shot! p.s. we also learned that nikkei is not only the name of the japanese stock exchange, but also the cuisine of the Japanese diaspora in Peru see here: https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/nikkei-peruvian-japanese-food . read more

Nice decor, good location. But the food is meh. Their sushi rice is overcooked with too much water and too dense. The amount of fish on their salmon maki is laughable. The taste is okay but if this place deserves four star that's just saying how desperate Boston food scene is. Perhaps good for dates, social, but definitely not if you are looking for good food. read more

Decor is gorgeous. Place was done tastefully. Drinks were great Food was okay. Fried rice was very very oily Sushi was fishy. Waiter was great took the roll back. read more

THIS IS AMAZING. The atmosphere, the food, the service. The mix of peruvian and japanese is just insanely good, and I love restaurants that fuse two very different cuisines successfully. I went to Peru this past summer and loved the chicha morada, lucuma, and pisco sour. Didn't think I could find that in Boston, but Ruka has it! The lamb was succulent and delicious. Order several small plates to share, you won't be disappointed! Everything is on point, the food, drinks, and dessert. Plus great service. It is on the pricey side - don't go unless you're prepared for the bill to be $100+. read more

ambiance was good but the food left a bit to be desired,, the sushi was the best part so def try it out and skip some of the noodle dishes. the pork ribs were also good so would recommend those. the dessert (fried dough) was delicious and not too heavy, so if you're feeling up to it after a meal it'd be good. overall, might recommend but would recommend some places in boston more, so 4/5 read more

This place is rated too highly for what it is. I'd say the concept and ambiance is probably carrying the restaurant 80% of the way there. The menu offers a nice bit of variety (sushi, ceviche, fried rice, etc.) and good-looking cocktails. But most of our food was disappointing and salty. Here's the rundown: - Rock Shrimp Sushi: solid. Tasty. It has fried shrimp on top, so let's be honest, it's going to be delicious regardless. - Salmon Ceviche: not a ton of salmon? Mostly potato, which was tasty but also kind of cheap of them to do. They were also stingy with the accompanying chips. - Blackened Octopus: probably the best thing we ate. Also tasty. Small portion, but well done. - Vegetable fried rice: salty, salty, salty. Cocktails were also just fine. I had a Pisco Sour that was tasty, and another drink (with "burnt rosemary") that tasted like bad mix. Would go again if I had a friend who REALLY wanted to try it, but like, wouldn't be thrilled. read more

Amazing spot in theater district. We loved the ambiance, our server was spot on with every recommendation (especially the coffee martini with reposado!! mind blown) and the food... can I tell you I am still dreaming of this place? It was so fresh and so yummy, we ordered some rolls twice. I will be back whenever I am in Boston again. Thank you for an amazing culinary experience. read more

Extremely poor service, waiters completely ignores you and tends to who they think they can get more money from

I cannot recall the last time I have felt so compelled to write a review based on service alone. We have ben to Ruka many times in the last 2 years and have always enjoyed the cocktails and food. We arrived last night and were quoted a 45 min wait. When we returned to the hostess after 1 hour, she said it would be a few minutes. 30 min and multiple inquiries later we were finally seated (1.5 hours after arrival). There were about 30 people in the entryway in the same situation and equally, if not more, frustrated. We were about to walk out. Once seated, it took 15 min for the waiter to come over and take our order, with no apology whatsoever. The sushi and noodles were good, but nothing was worth such poor service. The front of house was clearly extremely overwhelmed with absolutely no management presence. At this point, I would not go back nor would I recommend this restaurant to anyone else. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in all of boston. i have eaten here 3 times and its just so delicious! The decor is fab too, feels like ur in NYC in a really funky spot. My favorite dishes - chicken fried rice, baby street corn and they have this dessert that's a big pastry shaped like a koi fish with ice cream and peanut butter brittle. read more