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    Raku

    3.6 (584 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Raku Takeout or Delivery

    Raku Photos

    RAKU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Raku

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    Reviews With Photos

    Coconut Red Curry Noodles Seafood Soup Dinner
    Sylvia D.

    I want it to be known this is a first time trying this place. My twins wanted to try something new and brought up this place. The food was excellent, these are well balanced portions. The noodles a lot bigger than you would think. The tofu skewers were amazing. Well seasoned. The dumplings my kids seemed to enjoy so much. The calamari was amazing, it was so buttery and melted with each bite. I had the red curry seafood with egg noodles. The balance of seafood and coconut red curry broth was excellent. It wasn't overpowering and the seafood was well cooked which I can appreciate having seafood that isn't overcooked. The service was excellent, made sure the drinks were always refilled and the food came out at a decent time which was very impressive for such a busy place. We had an excellent server who made sure we had everything we needed. As far as the ambiance, due to being so busy it can get loud with such a small area and lots of people. They do give option to inside or outside seating which is nice. Overall this place is highly recommended. The prices are between 18-60 depending on what you are getting. Overall it's worth the bite and hype.

    Allison L.

    This place is always crowded, and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why. The food leaves a lot to be desired. Sushi is very basic, nothing to rave about. I tried the red curry noodle soup, which I liked better than the sushi. However, it wasn't enough to keep me coming back.

    Bryan S.

    Raku - Perfect Lunch Spot with Great Sushi Vibes! Jasmine loves sushi, so we decided to check out Raku in Bethesda. I'm already a fan of Rakugaki in the Wildwood Shopping Center, so I had high hopes for this spot -- and it delivered. Walking in around 11:30 AM on a Saturday, the chill lofi music and the regulars hanging out gave it a relaxed, welcoming vibe. It reminded me of an old favorite spot, Rolls and Rice on the Pike, that closed a while back. Raku definitely filled that void for me. We went for the lunch specials, and they hit the spot. I got the Ribeye Steak Bento Box, which came with shumai, salad, miso soup, California rolls, and a mix of green beans, mushrooms, and crispy strips. The ribeye steak was cooked perfectly -- tender with a slightly sweet flavor that I loved. Jasmine got the Deluxe Bento Box, and it was loaded: shrimp tempura, a smaller serving of steak, three pieces of nigiri, four assorted sashimi slices, three California roll pieces, and seaweed salad. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful. We also shared a Crunchy Spicy Toro Roll, which was a great addition to round out the meal. Our server, Aum, was awesome and made sure we were well taken care of. For everything we got, the total was $63.60, which felt fair for the quality and portions. If you're looking for a solid sushi spot with a chill vibe, great lunch specials, and fresh flavors, Raku is a must. I'm already looking forward to coming back!

    Shabnam A.

    Good food, good service, and clean! I enjoyed my experience here, everything was fresh, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Would recommend it.

    ribeye steak don
    Abbey S.

    yum yum yum!!! first time and will def be coming back! parking garage right around the corner but you have to pay. pretty easy to find. nice area w/ premium shops and restaurants. medium-sized, modernly-decorated restaurant. i would def suggest making a reservation in advance -- it was full for lunch on new year's day but our service was good and quick. the menu has something for everyone -- sushi, noodles, soups, salads, meats, etc. and not unreasonably priced. we enjoyed and devoured everything we ordered! my personal fav was the green monster roll and the summer rolls. fresh, high quality, and tasty. i can't wait to come back and try more!

    Jane S.

    The udon + chirashi set was delicious and super filling for only $19! Service was great and I would definitely go back again

    Kale Salad Dinner Red chili mussels
    Amira J.

    I really like this restaurant. I had appetizers as my entree, so I had the butterfly shrimp, red chili curry mussels, edamame and a kale salad and a peach organic ice tea drink. Our server was really nice and we enjoyed the ambience. We plan on coming back and trying their other foods. 10/10 experience and it was nice sitting at the bar.

    Tiny $17 roll with spoon for reference.
    Ann A.

    The $17 roll I received was tiny and frankly not very good. The edamame had no salt and the pieces of tofu in the miso soup was abysmal. Everything way overpriced for what it is.

    Alaskan Roll, Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll, salmon nigiri
    Alessandra D.

    I've never been disappointed in Raku and really love their rolls! Some of my favorites are the spicy tuna deluxe, green monster, and the spicy scallop roll I also really enjoyed. Definitely recommend their chicken and pork dumplings as well! It is a bit cramped in there just as FYI.

    Inside Raku Bethesda
    Teresa G.

    While staying in Bethesda for a work assignment, we tried this place. It was packed but thankfully we had made reservations even for dinner on a weekday. Service staff was pleasant and quick. We enjoyed every bite of the following: Steamed Shumai (3 pieces filled with kurobuta pork-shrimp-chicken filling with chunky chili oil and sake tahini sauce), Cornmeal Crusted Fried Calamari served with cilantro-cucumber sauce and horseradish cocktail sauce, Roasted Mushroom and Asparagus which is a mix of shitake and portobello mushrooms and asparagus drizzled with Yuzu vinaigrette and topped with shavings of parmesan cheese, Golden Dragon Roll which has eel, salmon, avocado, cucumber, crispy potato, and eel sauce, and Agedashi Tofu with delicate chunks of tofu in dashi broth with slices of kabocha, shitake, ginger and shishito peppers. Everything was delicious. This is a great place to sa nice dinner with good company.

    Amy S.

    Needed a sushi fix and this place really hits the spot! I ordered the sushi and roll combo. Loved the assortment and each piece tasted fresh. The sushi rice was made well. Also ordered dessert and a drink from the special menu and both were delicious! It does get really busy but if you come earlier (e.g. 5pm) it's not as bad. An extra 10,000 stars to one of the servers/bartenders. He was very friendly from the get-go, chatting with me here and there and checking in to make sure my food/drinks were good. Halfway through, my nose started bleeding (it's a thing that happens to me) and because I was eating alone, I didn't want to leave my spot to go to the bathroom and seem like I hadn't paid or get my stuff taken or something. The server/bartender immediately was very empathetic and handed me a bunch of napkins and said he would watch my spot/food while I went to the bathroom, and then periodically checked on me several times after that to make sure I was okay (I was okay, nosebleed stopped after a couple minutes). THIS MAN DESERVES A RAISE!

    LesLee V.

    We were excited to try this sushi place as we passed by it every night during our stay at Hilton Bethesda. It looks beautifully decorated from the outside. Nonetheless, the customer service is subpar. We were seated in a very cramped table with 2 other groups between us. So we asked if we can sit on the booth. They said it was reserved (but in our almost 2 hrs stay in the restaurant no one ever seated there). Our orders of sushi plate and ramen noodles took so long to come out. We waited for almost 45 minutes for the foods. The servers were all standing in the corner next to our table and they were all on their phone. They were also talking to each other ina different language while looking at customers which made me so uncomfortable. The food was ok. Nothing special in my opinion. So this was one and done for us.

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    3 months ago

    One of our favorite restaurants in Bethesda, and I don't eat sushi. Try the pumpkin soup and the black cod!

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    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - Raku

    Do they serve alcoholic beverages? If so, just beer and wine? Do they serve sake or cocktails? Thanks!

    I believe they serve everything.

    View All 2 Questions

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    Oishii Ramen Cafe - Vegetable Ramen

    Oishii Ramen Cafe

    4.4(151 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    It was a particularly cold day when I stopped in, which made a hot bowl of ramen all the more…read moresatisfying! I usually order tonkotsu and am hesitant to try others since the broth makes all the difference but I ordered the shoyu ramen this time and it was delicious! Lighter than tonkotsu broth but still super flavorful. And the noodles had that good chew/mouth feel which makes all the difference. I also ordered the house black tea with boba and cheese foam which was also oishii! I appreciated that they had brewed tea options since often find milk tea to be too much with food. Sometimes places that do both boba and food nail one, but not the other but this place was great on both fronts! Service was quick and friendly as well.

    I had no idea how amazing soup could be. Oishii ramen is my go to for comfort, especially when I've…read morehad a bad day, feel under the weather...or pretty much anything else. The pork broth is standout, but I absolutely dream about the spider ramen. Named for the fried softshell on the top (which you can ask to swap for more shrimp), has a tom yum-like flavor. Creamy, spicy and slightly acidic, the broth could be poured on cardboard and I would eat it. Noodles are always perfect and the seafood is present, but not a huge portion - so you can focus on the broth. My only complaint? The lobster broth in the spider ramen dish is not listed as an option for the "make your own" bowl...which would allow me to perfectly customize it. I will regularly order the spider bowl in the meantime with no softshell, extra shrimp, and if I'm feeling down additional noodles and broth (allowing me to indulge for multiple meals) . Bubble tea is tasty - especially the rose milk tea. This place has a counter with a handful of seats and two tables for 4-6. After waiting for a table, we decided to mostly do takeout. We can order online. Would be great if they had a spot out front for takeout pickup as parking around the restaurant can be hard at times.

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    Tables

    Oishii Ramen Cafe - I love the Tonkatsu here!

    I love the Tonkatsu here!

    Oishii Ramen Cafe - Tonkatsu Ramen! Damn good.

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    Tonkatsu Ramen! Damn good.

    Hinata Sushi Carry Out - California Roll & Spicy Tuna Roll

    Hinata Sushi Carry Out

    4.4(176 reviews)
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    Went on a whim because I wanted anpan and thought maybe there was a chance it would be there. It…read morewas there and pretty good quality for the packaged kind! The store was clean and well stocked. I'll be returning for my Japanese grocery needs!

    Hinata is a combination of a Japanese market and a carry-out sushi place, and it seems as if they…read moreare pretty popular with the locals. We were walk-ins, and didn't know that there was already a queue for the sushi - we were quoted about 45 minutes, which we thought was a bit extreme, but since we were in the area, we decided to wait. Their menu is pretty extensive, offering rolls, sashimi, vegetarian options, and combos. We ordered: +the Sushi Deluxe - this came with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, flounder, omelet, squid, shrimp, eel, clam, and shad roe in nigiri form; there were also 6 pieces of California roll +a Sashimi Deluxe - 3 pieces of tuna, yellowtail, flounder, and salmon, and 2 pieces of octopus and purple clam Sushi could have been more fresh; some of the fish had an odor to it, and the octopus, especially, was way too fishy in both odor and taste. The sushi rice was a little too loose and kept breaking apart; we felt that there could have been more quality control in preparing these, especially with the long wait time and the high price points. The mart is super small and kind of tight, but I was surprised at the selection and some produce that they had available. Staff were friendly. Metered street and garage parking available in the area. +not-so-fresh sushi +call-aheads are encouraged +friendly service +metered street and garage parking available

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    Hinata Sushi Carry Out
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    Kanpai - Front door

    Kanpai

    4.5(264 reviews)
    5.7 mi
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    My daughter took me here today for Mother's day! I feel so spoiled!…read more The place is huge beautifully decorated and plenty of space. Kevin was our server he was very good, accommodating and always asking us how we are. And how's everything? Kelly was also very helpful, she was able to assist us as well. She has a very pleasing personality. We felt very welcomed. Now for the food. It was good but i wished it had more collection when it comes to types of meats. But i get that they have a buffet going on as well so there are many many choices. I loved the soft shell crab and snow crab legs. Desserts were plentiful as well.

    I recently had dinner with some friends at Kanpai and enjoyed my experience! The restaurant is…read morebeautifully decorated and gives an upscale vibe. However, the prices are still very affordable! I am not big on buffets for hygienic reasons. However, I did try a few items once they were newly put out. One thing I did not like was how long it took for them to replace certain items. I waited close to 30 mins for fresh pineapple fried rice, which tasted okay. Surprisingly the pad thai was delicious and super moist! I enjoyed the bbq because most kbbq places have limited pescatarian friendly options. The salmon cooked in butter was delicious once I added some garlic a few little spices to jazz it up. The shrimp also tasted super fresh. I would definitely return

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    Raku - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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