From my visit, we definitely overestimated how much we could eat. Raisu sits in a lively stretch and feels casual and welcoming inside, with a steady flow of small groups and couples. We ordered the chicken karaage, mixed cutlet teishoku, and agedashi tofu, and the portions alone made an impression. The karaage came out hot and crisp, with a well-seasoned coating and juicy interior that didn't feel oily. One of the best i've tried! The mixed cutlet teishoku was easily the largest plate on the table, with multiple fried cuts, a full bowl of rice, salad, and sides that turned it into a full spread rather than just a main. The agedashi tofu (the biggest agedashi tofu i've ever seen/ordered haha) came out sizzling in a stone pot with a mushroom sauce. It had that just-off-the-stove heat, with the tofu staying soft inside/battered outside while soaking up the savory, slightly earthy sauce. It balanced the heavier fried dishes better than I expected. Service was efficient and straightforward. Dishes arrived at a steady pace, though once everything hit the table it got crowded fast. Value is strong if you come hungry or plan to share. Next time I'd split a teishoku and add a side or just come with more people so we can try more things. This is an easy pick for a casual dinner with friends when you want variety and don't mind leftovers. read more

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What an amazing experience. Raisu really rises to the occasion. I arrived on a wet Wednesday morning. I noticed that they don't open until 11:30, but were happy to greet and welcome me 5 minutes early. The staff asked if I had ever been here before asking me to take my time and telling me about the popular items and the daily specials. I decided to get their Shokado Bento since it was one of their most popular items and because I wanted to try a little bit of everything. The chefs behind the counter took their time on every detail of this 9-item piece. Once it was done, one of the chefs came back and introduced all the different items. I also appreciated the staff's help in suggesting that this one item would be sufficient for one person. I will need to come back for their rice and udon entree's especially the toro don and their crab and uni 'carbonara'. The decor is very unique and has a more laid back but still modern feel. Upon entry there was a shelf of lucky fortune cats. Once you enter the main part of the restaurant you have a fire place that welcomes you with warmth. The bar area is adorned with beer and sake bottles with interesting artwork. The 2-person and 4-person tables have a type of treated wood and look very comfortable. There's also outdoor patio seating if you want to have a more private experience. Everything at Raisu was very well thought out and planned with care. Can't wait for my next visit. read more

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Amazing customer service and amazing food! I came here for my birthday for the first time and I was amazed at everything, from the cheerful and friendly service, to the cozy vibe of the place, and to the yummy art like sushi they served. This place can accommodate bigger crowds and we had a nice area on the patio with built in heated blankets. We ordered the bento boxes, two versions, and they were breathtaking when they arrived ! Each taster on the box was creative and artfully done. It tasted as good as it looked! It's on the pricier side, but well worth it. A bonus if it's your birthday because the servers sing a birthday song, take a polariod picture of your group, and you get a free small dessert! Now, that's customer service. I can also see why people come here to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. Every twenty minutes, there seem to be a cheer or song which gives the place a happy vibe. read more

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The food here is always perfection, and the cozy ambience always makes it a great eating experience. This time I came with friends after a weekend in Whistler, and I was finally able to try one of their unique "sets" that you usually have to order ahead. It was their Assorted 'Square' Nigiri and it was at once beautiful, delicious and utterly filling. Service was great as always. Can't wait to be back to try the next thing on the menu! Their sake flight was also very fun and not heavy at all. Though I'm not usually a sake person. read more

Raisu - Fruits Sake Flight - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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One of my favorite places to get Japanese food in Vancouver now! After seeing all the foods, I feel like I'd get udon when I'm back! Superb service and glad to spend a great birthday dinner with them! read more

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We were wanting ramen that day but was recommended by a friend to check out their sushi. The pork katsu I don was good, the sashimi presentation was amazing. Lots of Japanese speaking customers. Service was good. Entrance is the stairs to upper level of the building, easy to miss. Decor is pretty cool too. read more

Raisu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The curry udon was very flavorful! But the pork cutlet was a bit dry on the inside. The bluefin tuna deluxe flight bowl was very yummy! The fish was all very fresh. The raw shrimp head could have been a little more flavorful. read more

Raisu - curry udon - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This is probably my favourite restaurant in Vancouver. Good mix of sushi and izakaya tapas dishes. The food and service is always great. Make sure you book in advance. read more

Food - The attention to detail is phenomenal! The quality of the pork katsu is amazing. The meat is nice and juicy while the outside is this light but crispy shell that isn't too thick or oily. It feels like the right amount of crunch. Service - Friendly service albeit some servers may not know much english. Ambiance - cozy japanese style restaurant with amber lighting. Great for small groups or dates. Be prepared to take off your shoes off depending on the table. read more

Raisu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Raisu 6/10 Part of the same restaurant group as Kingyo and Suika, Raisu is known for its bentos and aesthetic Japanese dishes. Unfortunately, they ran out when I was there, so we decided to try their cooked options instead. Overall, it was a decent experience, but nothing really stood out to me. Beef Steak Hitsumabushi ($30)Essentially beef with fried rice served in a hot stone pot. I liked that they served it with dashi broth, as it slightly reminded me of ochazuke--not to mention it's fun to enjoy a dish in multiple ways. I would have preferred a more flavourful profile (I found the fried rice a bit bland), but the beef was high quality. The Oyako Simmered Chicken Cutlet ($21)A typical comfort dish with beautiful plating. I personally prefer when the cutlet is placed on top of the rice so it can soak up more of the sauce, instead of how it was prepared here. The portion, however, is huge. Atlantic Salmon Sashimi ($18)Pretty good salmon sashimi. Not much to say other than it was fresh--though you could probably get something similar elsewhere at a more affordable price. read more

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Back again for my favorite Japanese meal in kitsilano! Service was quick and amazing as always. Food and flavor was on point. read more

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This is the second time this week we visited this group of restaurant. And this comes as no surprise. Food here always makes our tummy happy. Preparation, taste and creativity is well thought of and executed right. Sashimi is always fresh, somewhere I can trust. Reservations for 5 was easy on Open Table on a Thursday lunch. We got full attention from the staff as they just opened at 11:30am. We were assigned a "tatami" room but the staff accommodated grandma's accessibility and transferred us to a regular table. read more

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Stopped by with some friends while we were in town and were delighted by the experience and the tasty food. We love Japanese food and would definitely come back. Here's what we ordered: * Sizzling Stone Beef Steak Hitsumabushi $30 - 8/10 * Real Crab and Uni Cream Udon $29 - 8/10 * Yuzu Parfait $12 - 6/10 The beef steak was so yummy, and comes with delicious miso soup in a French press! So cute - I've never seen it served that way. The creamy udon was so tasty but I just wish they gave more udon... felt like the portion was so tiny compared to the huge bowl it was served in. The parfait was delish as well, just wish there was a bit more fruit. A little expensive for $12. In general, I think the meal is a bit more upscale in price and the portions are rather small so not an every day dinner but a good date spot or to share a meal with friends. Plenty of seating side. Street parking available outside. We were originally seated inside but our servers were accommodating and let us sit in a booth outside, with the traditional table seating where you remove your shoes and tuck them into a cubby. 20250807 read more

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We went with the set meals and they did not disappoint, along with fresh sashimi, tasty sides, and all the little details that made the experience feel special. The presentation was fun too, which definitely added to the whole experience. It may look small at first, but the portions really add up. We left so full we actually had to walk it off after . read more

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It was our first time trying out this restaurant! We were so excited about the bento box bc not only those were beautifully presented but also we could try out almost all appetizers & some of the mains provided at the restaurant! Those bento boxes are pre-order only (24hrs prior) so u need to plan ahead if u'd like to try them out! And the deluxe seafood bowl was THE BEST!!! Sashimi was super fresh and beautifully presented ! The rice was seasoned just perfectly. We could tell they used very good quality fish in their dish! My friend loved the miso soup came with the bowl and bento box. He even asked what miso they were using I highly recommend this place, the atmosphere was also great and their service was amazing as well! My friend's bday and they served a complimentary mango mousse cake and a took polaroid picture for us! read more

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amazing food as always! Super dependable place, service is always solid and we were lucky to snag a spot during weekend dinner read more

Raisu - aburi sushi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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You have to be deliberately looking for this place because it's so easy to miss while walking down 4th Ave. The entrance can be identified by a Japanese Noren/Curtain, which leads to a set of stairs that goes up to the second floor. We were seated in the outdoor seating area which is just so nice on a warm summer day. I couldn't even tell we were above a major street. I ended up ordering the oyako chicken cutlet . At $21 it's more expensive that most, but I think it balances out because it's a generous portion. The chicken was juicy, and the broth had good flavour. I thought the sides were quite good too. Service was very good. Very friendly and attentive. Overall, a good meal. A great ambiance on a nice summer day, with high quality food and pleasant service. Just strong all around read more

Raisu - Oyako Chicken - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I had a reservation for 6:45 pm on a Monday night but me and my partner were hungry before then and we happened to be in the area already so we decided to go and check to see if they would be able to accommodate us earlier and they were! We were there around 5:15PM and we were seated in a room on the left hand side of the restaurant when you walk in. I'm not sure if that's where they place those that make reservations but it felt very cozy in there.  We had ordered the Ryokan Gozen which is a special off of their 9th anniversary menu and I enjoyed it but it was a bit much so I wasn't quite able to enjoy it all. The best part of the meal was probably the 3 kinds of sashimi & the Lobster with white miso sauce. The other item we got was the Deluxe seafood bowl and that did not disappoint!  Side note but the restroom was also super cute with all the items in the box like mouth wash and feminine care items. ~~Parking: There's a lot of metered street parking available. Not sure if there was a lot or anything that was nearby since this was my first time in the area.  ~~Service: Great. I liked how the staff was very patient since it took us a while to decide what to order and they did a good job of checking up on us to see if we needed anything.  ~~Return: Yes read more

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A very highly anticipated visit for us, after trying out their sister restaurant Kingyo. We happen to be in Vancouver over the long 4th of July weekend and made reservations a few weeks in advance just in case, calling them to reserve ahead of time the Sho Ka Do Bento and Ocean Offerings. Highly recommended if you want to give those dishes a try. They're both very aesthetic and would make fellow foodies jealous because it is just that pretty. We also got plum wine flight and sake flights which were pretty good. I liked the plum wine flight as it is not typical to see this offered in restaurants and am amazed by the jasmine plum one. Sho Ka Do bento has 9 different dishes served with rice and miso soup. It's a fairly filling bento box that offers a nice variety, which changes depends on season. I liked the fish cake, black garlic and pistachio karaage, and giant shrimp the most, but most of these were a hit! I'd recommend it given the $37 CAD price tag for a very filling meal for 1 or a nice dish to split for 2. Ocean Offerings, $41 CAD, was impressively underwhelming. 16 pieces of square sushi with fairly small portions, and the cuts are not that great especially the tuna. The uni and crab were decent, and the salmon was fresh. I expected more sashimi for the price. It's aesthetic and decent but definitely would not recommend if you want value better offered in other dishes. Service is good as they check up on you regularly. For bento, I'd say Kingyo would be better but this place is still good to check out if you're in the area. read more

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It was a 20-minute wait for 2 people for Saturday dinner (we joined the wait list around 5:10). The menu is so extensive and it's hard to pick when there's so many good options. We ordered the tonkatsu teishoku, 16 piece sushi (forgot the exact name), Sapporo, and dragonfruit sour mocktail. Tonkatsu teishoku: my boyfriend said it's decent but he's had better 16 piece sushi: beautiful presentation but the fish to rice ratio could be better. There is too much rice!! The miso soup tasted a little funky Dragonfruit sour mocktail: refreshing and sweet, I'd order again I'll return to try something else next time read more

Raisu - Dragonfruit sour mocktail and Sapporo - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This place is quite the trendy place, when you use their website to book reservations they are quite full. Fear not though - they have counter seating and when we came it wasn't that crowded. You go upstairs and it's a big space with wonderful seating especially in a deck area in the patio. Service is great - the menu is HUGE and the wait staff is very helpful to help you with daily and monthly specials. Be sure to look through ALL the menus. Ok the food - it is worth the price. I had the Aburi toro rice bowl special. It had seared toro along with shredded fatty tuna, ikura eggs, and an amazingly done just right poached egg. The egg was just about to be runny but not quite, just perfect. The toro was good, my favorite though was the fatty toro, it mixes so well with the rice and the flavour was just so incredible. The roe gives really good crunch to offset the slickness of the fatty toro. Overall just an excellent rice bowl. Even the rice bowl was great. I also tried some of my wife's grilled hamachikama. Wow. This was grilled to perfection. Tender yet crispy at the edges. Really really good. Recommend this place without hesitation. There are so many dishes i want to go back and try. read more

Raisu - Special June menu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Came here for my friends birthday and they gave us the cutest polaroid photo and dessert. Besides that this place has some of the best presentation I have ever seen. In addition, the deluxe chriashi is amazing!!! Highly recomend. Everytime I'm in Vancouver I just want to come here. You can call to make a reservation. read more

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Food 5 star Service 3 star Ambiance 4 star We visited the restaurant at 11:30am when it opened. We did not make a reservation however they took a long time to give us a table as the first guests today. Food however is delicious - the deep fried pork is light, airy and crispy. Pork is tender. The lunch set has four options to choose from. The yuzu cheesecake parfait tastes good but the tall glass limits how to enjoy it - difficult to reach out the bottom without finishing off the top. We were having a good conversation and was told to leave as the table has a 1:30pm reservation - despite the restaurant has many empty seats. While I understand a 2-hour dining limit is reasonable, the restaurant is not very flexible given almost half the restaurant is empty. read more

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First time at Raisu and it was worth the hype!! The chef's special aburi was super fresh, the udon was so creamy and I have never seen such giant ebi mayo!! Everything was so delicious and made with so much care too read more

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Recommended by so many friends, I finally had a chance to go last week. A couple people got the uni set menu - it looked good but I'm not a fan so I'm not sure if it was worth it or tasty but I'm told it is! We had a few other dishes to try including a sushi roll very tasty. We also got the Wagyu beef bowl which was a little disappointing. Lacked seasoning so it was bland. I tried the seafood bowl from the uni menu and it was way better. The soy dessert was really good too and since we were celebrating something, our server took a photo and printed on a Polaroid as a nice moment to bring home. read more

Finally visited Raisu on a sibling adventure. We ordered the holiday kaiseki menu $180 for 2, $285 for 3. Food was a bit of a letdown and very overpriced for the cost. We were also fairly hungry after. Starters were white miso soup with eel (luke warm), 1 piece each of: shrimp cake (cold inside), salmon ball (delicious, fave item), aburi saba (tasty), beef roll (dry and cold), spring roll. Second dish: Wagyu beef and fried lobster tail (beef was a little tough but otherwise dish was fine) Main: tuna and foie gras chirashi bowl (good but could've had more seafood) Dessert: 1 chocolate covered strawberry daifuku split in half The sauces made the flavours lean more heavily towards Chinese cuisine which is great if that's what we were here for. We chatted with the neighbouring customers who shared similar sentiments with their kaiseki meal. Certainly the least enjoyed meal of the restaurant group, with more misses than hits. read more

Everyone from toronto visits this spot I understand why! Fresh seafood that doesn't break the bank. I got the deluxe seafood bowl without uni, it was super yummy. I love how I get a variety of Generous portions tuna, yellowtail, scallop, salmon, ikura, uni (sub for more spot prawn) It's located upstairs and the restaurant feels like you're in japan/ a izakaya? I had a dinner reservation (highly recommend) or you will have to wait most likely. Celebrated my birthday and they took a Polaroid picture and got dessert on the house so I really appreciated it! The service was top notch even when super busy. read more

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I was in town for a business trip, and stopped by for dinner. I love Japanese food and this restaurant was stellar! They originally seated me at the bar by the kitchen, but it was quite loud and I asked to be reseated. They had a lovely cherry blossom menu, so I got a mocktail and it was delicious. I ordered a chirashi bowl and the fish was absolutely stellar! Highly recommend--everything was so fresh and tasty, especially the spot prawns! read more

One of the best authentic Japanese spots in Vancouver! I love the intimate setting and the udon is near perfect here. They serve everything in huge bowls and add in complimentary dessert when it's your birthday. The seafood is fresh and it's excellent :) read more

Raisu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Our server came across a bit pushy, which took away from the experience. The food looked beautiful but did not quite match the presentation in taste. That said, the novelty of the dishes makes the visit worthwhile. It was not bad by any means, just fell short of my expectations. The interior is lovely and my partner and I were seated right away, even though we visited during what we thought would be peak lunch hours. read more

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Iykyk that Raisu does an excellent job with birthdays There were quite a few birthdays happening while I was there and I love how they print a polaroid for you to mark the occasion as well a thoughtful dessert. The uni and cream udon was so creamy and rich with flavour, I will be thinking about it from time to time! The sashimi quality was also amazing, particularly the toro which melts in your mouth -- definitely one of my favourite places in Vancouver! read more

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Another outstanding Japanese Izakaya restaurant. We missed the restaurant a few times as it is tucked away between two prominent stores. The restaurant is on the second floor, and the stairs are quite steep. If you have difficulty with steep stairs, please be mindful. The staff was so friendly and welcoming. A really spacious restaurant, great for large groups! I really love the square-shaped bar in the middle of the restaurant. Always cheerful and attentive. For drinks, we ordered the Peach and the Strawberry Tonic. The Peach and Strawberry Tonic was perfect. We ordered the Chicken karaage, Today's Aburi Sushi, and the Sho Ka Do Bento. I would have liked the Chicken Karaage to be crispier, but the breading-to-chicken ratio was great! Today's Aburi Sushi was seared to perfection. I enjoyed the variety of sushi you offered. With the sushi being in a square shape, it was harder to pick up with chopsticks. My favorite dish was the Sho Ka Do Bento. They have a limited amount, so if available, I highly recommend ordering. The box is beautifully presented with a variety of dishes from raw to cooked. If you are unsure of what to order or enjoy trying lots of different dishes, I highly recommend ordering this box. Overall, I highly recommend checking out Raisu. read more

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I feel like I always have to order a chirashi bowl when I come here since the seafood is so fresh! I got the seafood bara chirashi bowl this time and it was served with refillable miso soup and fresh wasabi. The taste was really good and service was great as well. read more

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This place is amazing! The staff are super attentive, there are so many little details that are on brand. The food is fresh and so tasty. There are new specials and they do fun things for special celebrations. You do have to preorder some things and reservations are highly recommended. The entrance is a little hidden but very roomy once you make it upstairs. read more

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Almost completed my tour of all the restaurants in this family! Raisu was similar in terms of their offerings and the vibes: very welcoming staff and very cool interior. Food quality was on par with the other spots though not my favourite. We started off with today's aburi sushi. I think it was salmon, but pretty solid and exactly what you would expect, really nice and buttery and the perfect sized bite. Then we had the 3 kinds of sashimi platter with salmon, albacore tuna and yellowfin. Good sized pieces of fresh fish, went down easy. Next, we had the sho ka do bento, which had a variety of small plates to try. Standouts were the shooter and another sashimi (no clue what it was). We moved onto the crab and uni cream udon. Noodles were perfectly chewy, sauce was heavy on uni flavour but no seafood in the actual noodles. This one might've been the biggest disappointment to me. We finished off with some dessert - we had the yuzu parfait and the grapefruit cream brûlée. The yuzu parfait was good until the rare cheese cake, we just weren't feeling the texture of that. The grapefruit cream brûlée was fine but lacked the real richness of a classic crème brûlée. They also brought a mango cheesecake mousse kind of thing for the birthday dessert, which was really nice of them. I think that was the best dessert. Overall, pricey spot that didn't quite deliver where I had hoped it would. With one glass of beer, our total bill was about $155 before tip. Love this family of restaurants but Raisu just isn't my favourite of them. read more

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This place is always a family favourite with their upbeat and playful atmosphere but darn delicious food. We always get the wagyu stone bowl rice topped off with dashi broth. Can't go wrong with rich meat and rice in a umami broth, which only accentuates the flavour. Their juicy fried chicken with just a hind of spice on the batter was as good as it gets, just the right amount of seasoning with tender chicken pieces. Their fried corn and brussel sprouts appy is not to be missed as well. Two complimentary tastes which worked very well together. read more

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We went on a Friday evening as a party of 2 with no reservations and were able to get seated within 5 minutes. As a well-known and popular Vancouver restaurant, it was quite lively and busy. The menu offered a variety of sushi but also other Japanese dishes like udons and rice bowls. I had ordered the deluxe seafood bowl which came with an assortment of sashimi pieces, sushi rice and a miso soup. The miso soup was different from the typical miso soup served at sushi restaurants -- A more mild broth and not very salty. The sashimi pieces were delicious, though the size of the cuts were on the slightly smaller size for the price. The sushi rice was also prepared very well. Overall the food was delicious. Would definitely recommend to try if you want a more upscale Japanese dining experience. read more

Raisu - Deluxe seafood bowl - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We made a reservation through OpenTable to avoid having to wait. About a day or two before the reservation, the restaurant reached out through OpenTable to confirm if there were any celebrations or allergies. You can find parking along the street and you have to walk up the stairs to get to the restaurant. We were able to get seated fairly quickly upon arrival. The menu has a wide variety of dishes and all of them sounded delicious. All of the seafood was extremely fresh. The Spicy Lobster Creamy Udon is one of my favorite dishes. The udon has the perfect chew and is not over cooked. The egg is perfectly seasoned and the lobster is very tender. It's not very high on the spice level, but the chilis add a nice flavor to it. They used very good quality fish for the sushi and they are very generous with the amount of fish that they give for the price. read more

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I stopped for Saturday lunch at noon. As we didn't have reservations, we had only counter seats option. Sushi counter or the center counter. It was right decision to choose sushi counter because it has more privacy. Under the counter table, there is a hook so that you can hang your purse. Good idea. Honestly we were overwhelmed how busy they were at noon. First wave: noon. Next wave: 1pm. I think most of guests stayed about 40 min. I wonder if it was booking slot wise. We stayed 90 min and that was right length to enjoy meals. Menu: I'm very impressed how they create original dishes. Food presentation were beautiful too. Then why 4 stars? I liked their friendly servers but mine forgot our dessert and came back to us to tell their dessert recommendations. It was awkward. Also they gave me a box to keep a coat but it was broken and useless :( Food was mediocre to compared to their price. My Real Crab and Uni cream udon was tasty but the soup was luke warm. Other than that, I enjoyed to see their interiors. They used some Japanese traditional house parts and they are real antiques. In their menu, there are short food explanations in Japaneae and they contains good humor. Like half joke. They made me chuckled. read more

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We ordered 3 bento boxes , 1 ocean sushi and 2 sake flights. Bento boxes were not great and sushi was not super fresh that day. We only ate half of our bento boxes. I should have read the reviews more and went with their aburri offerings instead or just get 1 bento to try. Sake flights were great! read more

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