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    Raku

    4.5 (174 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    RAKU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Raku

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    Reviews With Photos

    Caili C.

    I came to grab lunch by myself as I've been wanting to try Raku. It was a warm day so I opted for and ankimo appetizer and buta shabu cold udon with thinly sliced pork, lots of scallions and sesame sauce on the side. I love ankimo and the monkfish liver was great! The ponzu sauce was perfect paired with the creamy, decadent ankimo. The udon is solid but I was a bit surprised that the udon is actually flat rather than round. It wasn't as chewy as I like but the texture was pretty good. I enjoyed dipping the noodles in the sesame sauce but I do think it needed something else, maybe a shoyu based sauce as well. The portion was huge I could barely finish it. My check also came with a frozen grape which I thought was a cute touch and a nice sweet treat after the meal! Such a great easy casual spot for noodles, especially if you're solo dining.

    Udon
    Tansy W.

    4.5 rounded up to 5. Good assortment of items and overall, pretty good! Surprisingly, the most disappointing items to us were the udon and chawanmushi - they weren't bad but they were probably our least favorite items which surprised us given the hype for those items. The noodles were good but my husband thought the broth was too creamy (we got the warm crab one). Absolutely loved the agedashi tofu and black sesame latte. Miso cod wasn't bad either. Definitely a good spot to try if you're in the neighborhood!

    Desserts
    Tiffany L.

    I didn't expect this location to be so spacious! It goes pretty far back, and it's so beautifully decorated. I love that they have desserts from Patisserie Fouet in the front of the restaurant, and in the back, there's a combo of different types of seating. There is a long table that is shared, so if you're a party of two, you sit across from each other. I ordered the Udon Toriten which comes with four marinated fried chicken (comes in soup or on the side). I loved the udon, but to be honest the chicken was a letdown. It wasn't crispy like I expected, it was pretty oily and got soggy. I am still giving Raku five stars since I loved the ambiance, decor, and udon itself so much, and there's other things on the menu I would try.

    Pork Gyoza - rather blank, skip!
    Bret F.

    Came in without a reservation on a Thursday night and joined they waitlist. They said it would be 45 minutes, it ended up being 8 mins. Started with the pork gyoza which were ok, not very flavorful and somewhat bland. Entree was the cold udon ja ja which came with ground spicy miso pork, cucumber, tomato, poached eggs in a cold broth; was very good and filling. Cocktail was the cassis gin royal,me, which was a nice blend of flavors. Service was good. Everything comes out super fast. We were in and out in under an hour.

    Andy C.

    Fun! Friendly service. Quick to share their opinions and a few laughs along the way. Ambiance is good. Modern and Asian. Lots of natural wood, everything is clean and sturdy. Plenty of space. I think there's a row of tables in the middle that ends up almost like a communal table. Booths are comfortable though the lighting was a little strange, with recessed lights in the ceiling plus a lower hanging lamp that created some strange shadows. Not a deal breaker but definitely a bit of a head scratcher. Food is great! I was excited for udon and it did not disappoint, going with the hamaguri udon myself with some shrimp tempura. Not fishy, subtle sweetness, good texture on the noodles. Shrimp tempura is light enough though a little greasy, but it's helped by a quick dunk in the sauce or udon broth. The pressed mackerel sushi was a pleasant surprise. Fishy in a good way, offset with some sweetness and tartness from soy and presumably vinegar. One of my favorite bites generally so when it's on the menu there's a good chance I'm ordering it, and they have a good version here. Desserts. They're great though I'm not a dessert guy usually, though the black sesame brings the flavor. The soba pudding had an interesting nuttiness to offer some complexity. And the roll cake was delicious, especially with the fruit sauce. And they definitely earned the Asian compliment of "not too sweet". IYKYK. All in, a strong showing. Highly recommended.

    Vera W.

    Raku is such a gem for a friends' night out. The space feels modern and clean, with a lively energy that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy a long meal together. Everything we tried tasted incredibly fresh, from the sushi to the noodles--it really shows in the quality. The spicy cucumber salad was a standout to start: crisp, refreshing, and with just the right amount of heat. We also loved the chicken tatsuta-age, which came out perfectly crispy, paired with a dipping sauce that definitely brings the spice. My absolute favorite was the sansai udon. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the udon noodles were cooked perfectly with that ideal chewy texture. The chikara udon with mochi was another standout--hearty, comforting, and super satisfying. And definitely don't skip dessert--it's the perfect way to end the meal. It does get pretty busy, but the staff handles it well--they were attentive, friendly, and kept everything running smoothly. Definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Overall, a fantastic spot I'd happily come back to.

    Seasonal Mushroom Udon and Kaisen Don
    Sarah X.

    My sister and I walked in around 2:00 pm on a Saturday, and we were immediately seated. The interior was such a vibe. There was a beautiful display case of desserts right by the entrance, and the hostess led us down a hallway to the main dining area of the restaurant. We sat in a cute private booth, and we ordered the maguro yukke as an appetizer. I thought there was a little too much sesame oil, but overall, it was delicious. I ordered the mushroom udon, which was also delicious (considering it's just udon noodles and mushrooms). My sister also enjoyed her kaneki don. Afterwards, we tried their soba pudding and earl grey panna cotta. I enjoyed the soba pudding, I just thought the brown sugar on the bottom was a little too overpowering. Overall, it was a nice place, and I would love to come here again to try more of their desserts!

    Cecilia L.

    Always my favorite udon spot in the city! While I'm usually an East Village regular, the food prep at this location was even better this time around. Major plus: this spot actually serves desserts! Hamaguri (5/5): The clams were incredibly fresh and prepped perfectly. The broth is light, refreshing, and lacks any of that "overly fishy" aftertaste you sometimes find elsewhere Kani Ankake (5/5): The thick, silky soup texture is so comforting and the broth is packed with flavor Karaage: A non-negotiable must-order every time Otsumami (4/5): These banchan-style appetizers were good, but didn't quite stand out as much Matcha tiramisu 4.25/5: love me some matcha Chamomile mango 4.75/5: it was light and tarty - super delish and great way to end the meal Tip: Go to this location if you want to end your meal with something sweet!

    Sabazushi
    Caroline S.

    i've now been to all three raku locations!!! i think this one falls between the soho and EV one in terms of the space itself but for some reason the udon was not as good as i remember for either. the noodles were bouncy but not that bouncy and the duck breast was tough :( unlike the other two the bathrooms r rlly nice and spacious tho! the seating space is small like the others. they were running this deal with blackbird where if you spent more than $50 you get this free sabazushi! it has the nice char of the fire guns. it was pretty good i think in the future i wanna try more of the raku sushi. overall, i think it's a solid udon spot and tastes pretty good.

    Canny F.

    Wow. I want to knock off a star because they forgot my Udon entree, but that would be unjustified. The atmosphere, the kindness of the staff, and the fresh and delicious food are hard to pass up. The menu is very extensive, and you will need some time to really pick out some items. Don't fret, you will most likely come back to try other items in the near future. As for me, I ordered the Beef Curry Udon, Shrimp Tempura, salmon oshizushi, and essentially all the matcha desserts on the menu. I also ordered the buta shabu cold udon, but they somehow forgot to place that order. 1) Beef Curry Udon | 9.2/10 - Fresh and snappy udon. The curry was flavorful and thick, which really grabbed onto the udon nicely. The portion is generous for one, although if you are a meateater, I would suggest ordering extra beef. 2) Shrimp Tempura | 10/10 - This dish sat on the table for a good ten minutes before I ate it. All kidding aside, it almost tasted like I ate it right off the fryer. How do they do that?! 3) salmon oshizushi | 4.5/10 - Meh. A lot of rice and 1 cm thick salmon glued together. 4) Desserts | 100/10 - I highly doubt you can go wrong with anything on the dessert menu here. Everything is extremely delicious, not sugary, and fresh. It is pricey, but the craft that goes into the desserts is worth every penny. Overall, an excellent experience and well worth a repeat. The lines are quite long in the Midtown location during busy hours. Definitely plan ahead.

    Fried chicken on the side for toriten
    Divya K.

    I'm usually not huge on udon but this place changed my mind. Noodles were so fresh and chewy. I got the toritken with the fried chicken on the side. There was a 30 mins wait when we walked in around 1 PM on Saturday afternoon. Note: they also don't allow any outside food/drinks but they held onto our lattes inside until we were done.

    Kitsune Udon, Agedashi Tofu, and Sabazushi
    Jinny K.

    Raku is a must whenever I visit NYC! I'm not sure what the science behind their noodles is but it is to die for! I think about it every day. They don't typically take reservations for small parties so I would recommend lining up before they open to ensure a seat because they fill up very quickly. Even if you are by yourself, they have a communal table in the middle where you will be seated with other solo diners--a great way to try even by yourself and make new friends. The interior is pretty tight to accommodate as many people as they can but it's not uncomfortable. Staff are very prompt and accommodating and don't forget to enjoy the frozen grape at the end of your meal! I have always gotten too full after the meal to ever try but I will be back for just desserts!

    ebiten (shrimp tempura) 8/10 niku (beef short ribs) 8/10
    Jenng C.

    Best udon in Manhattan. The menu is simple and doesn't overwhelm you with too many options. Service is always friendly and there's also a bakery in the front of you wanna grab some sweets to go on your way out. ebiten (shrimp tempura) 8/10 niku (beef short ribs) 8/10

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    Ask the Community - Raku

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