I am pretty happy that I visited Raku. I had the shiro veggie ramen with shirataki noodles. They are the only restaurant in DC that popped up when I searched for Shirataki. The presentation was great! But I wolfed my lunch without even having a change to take pictures. It was the perfect meal on February DC day. Service was on point. Pretty packed for a Friday lunch. These guys are good for a reason! read more

The location is great and the food was pretty good! I tried the Dashi with chicken and it was filled with veggies which was a surprise. It wasn't too expensive and again the food had good flavor although I think I prefer Ramen. read more

Food is reliable but service no so. Orders delayed. Watch out for local thieves when eating outside. My purse was stolen.

Have been twice in the restaurant and have ordered take out once. sushi is very very good. Best in the Glover Park / cathedral heights vicinity. The restaurant has a good atmosphere but the service is not so great. The udon noodle soup is popular but kind of bland. I'll continue to order sushi from here in the hood but likely will not sit down at the restaurant frequently. Welcome to the area raku! read more

Raku is amazing for lunch or for dinner once in a while when you're in the mood for Asian. They have not disappoint me yet and their food is above average. I've been to the one in DC and they seem like they have different menus but that could just be me not remembering. Lol Food: I don't remember a whole lot in what I have ordered just because I come here once in a blue moon for some sushi, a bento box or just a easy dinner. I can tell you that when I had their sashimi tuna. It just melted in your mouth (so delicious). The steak and chicken dishes are also juicy and tender (just to be safe). There isn't much that stands them out, but for easy decent dinner this place is absolute to go. Service: I have only eaten in once and nothing bad has happened as far I can remember. read more

I love this spot! Pre-Covid, this was one of my favorite happy hour spots, as they've got good deals on sushi, snacks, and drinks. Sad to say it has been over a year since I've eaten here, but last night, my partner and I decided to venture back out to restaurants. It was so nice to return last night. We sat outside in their "streatery". We started with the crunchy eel roll, and then my partner had more sushi for dinner. I had the red curry soup with egg noodles and tofu and veggies. It was really delicious and our waitress was wonderful. Looking forward to going back! read more

Location is good but I found the food and staff less than what I expected. I'm not sure why it would take 20 minutes to cook the fish special but the server made it a point to emphasize that they needed at least 20 minutes and we might want to order something else. We also order Sushi and I didn't find it the best. Maybe Washington DC just isn't the place for Sushi. I'd also suggest that they do a better job cleaning the wine display. Streaks on the glass make it look like they do a poor job cleaning read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Went here with my prom group (our group had 18 people!!) and they were very accommodating! We had a large group so understandably were split up into 3 booths of 6 people which was perfectly fine with us. The service is great, food was amazing! I was really interested in getting a bento box and a downside was that there were only 2 options- vegetarian box ($18) and a deluxe bento box which included beef tenderloin, black cod, sashimi assortment, shrimp & veggie tempura, and seaweed salad ($42). I ordered the deluxe and yes, it was extremely delicious! I do wish they maybe had a middle ground option (especially price wise), perhaps chicken/salmon that's around $25-30. The $42 was worth what I got though because the beef was absolutely amazing, perfectly cooked and just melted in my mouth and the sashimi was very fresh. The tempura was just okay and pretty standard in my opinion, nothing too special but still good. The cod was a little over cooked, but I liked the sauce on top. Seaweed salad was delicious and had some great textures going on with the fried wonton strips on top, dressing was yummy. Overall, very solid dish! The decor is absolutely beautiful and the restaurant is very clean, including the bathrooms. The only thing is there's 1 bathroom for women and 1 for men, which I know is not at all uncommon in the DC area. The waiting area for the bathroom was a little crowded because they stored high chairs and booster seats back there too, but I guess they have to do what they have to do. Overall, I would go back to this place for its cleanliness, great service, beautiful decor, and great food! read more

Raku - Deluxe Bento Box! $42, but worth what you get! Beef tenderloin & sashimi were the best part! Tempura was okay, nothing special. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Not kid friendly. Raku doesn't offer a kid menu nor will accommodate little dinners. I asked for a small portion of salmon or shrimp and their answer was that they can only do that during lunch hours. Completely unacceptable for a restaurant located in a family friendly location. read more

This place is great. I had the spicy tuna roll as well as the coconut red curry soup with the Udon noodles. Simply delicious! read more

See all

We live close to the Bethesda Raku. But it's close quarters, crowded and noisy. So we got in the car and drove to the Raku off of Macomb. Whisk into the Giant parking lot for validated parking. Then enjoy plenty of seating options in prime time Saturday night. Tables are spaced out more, the menu is more extensive, the atmosphere is nicer. Check out the beautiful bathroom sinks that stream your water over river bed rocks. Nice. Both restaurants have delicious food at fair prices for the level of quality. Tonight we started with spicy tuna roll. They were generous with the tuna portion and and it was very good. Then we tried the ginger pumpkin soup which had great flavor, and that rich texture that you find in cream based soups. Yet I am pretty sure they achieved this through blending technique rather than cream. On to the chicken cabbage salad that was nicely dressed with generous chunks of chicken. We completed our meal with five spice duck that has the sweet cherries, a five spice sauce, and spaetzel. The meat was tender with very little fat. I suggest you have it medium done. Although we didn't have fish tonight, you can be confident when ordering fish here. We especially like their sea bass and their bronzino. So if you are in the mood for Japanese, and don't want to break the bank, look no further than Raku. read more

See all

Consistently delicious sushi and great service! Variety of choices on the menu if you are looking for Asian cuisine but not in the mood for sushi. read more

Raku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came to have lunch with a friend and was pleasantly surprised by the aesthetics of the place as well as the freshness of the food. We ordered the salmon apple kumquat appetizer and it was amazing. The flavors that came out after each bite had us awestruck. The rolls and sashimi were like other good sushi places, nothing out of the ordinary. I will say though, the rice that came with the sashimi was just regular white rice... it would've been 10x better if it was the flavored sushi rice instead. Overall, had a good experience :) read more

On quality, atmosphere, service and cost you get what you pay for here - deliciously fresh fish, a comfortable chic room, fantastic service and a menu full of sushi options that feels and tastes like something mid to high-end. The menu does offer some entree options with meat, fish and pure vegetables. The other 60% of the menu is sushi with plenty of variety and assortments to go around. My guest and I shared five different rolls of sushi a la cart, seaweed salad and dessert. I tend to like my sushi crunchy (fried - a guilty pleasure) and spicy, and there was no disappointment here. It also helps that we enjoyed dinner out on the sidewalk patio. Overall, the food is great, as is the service. This establishment deserves a shot if you really enjoy Japanese food, specifically Sushi. read more

We headed to Raku with a group of seven for a friend's birthday dinner. Even though they had a full restaurant, the hostess didn't bat an eye when we said it was a group of seven. She quickly found a large booth for us and was able to slide an extra chair on the end, so we comfortable fit. The service was friendly and quick and they even gave us a complimentary dessert for the birthday boy--amazing bread pudding that used croissants! The atmosphere is trendy, but not snobby. The decor is really well done through out and was stunning to look around at. While I'm not a sushi person, everyone else really enjoyed the various rolls they ordered. I actually got the NY Strip Steak and was very impressed. It was cooked perfectly and had a ton of flavor. We live just down the street and will definitely be going back! read more

Everything was so good. The server she was super fast. Very trendy place. Outside patio has a generous amount of seating. Was busy during dinner hours. Our orders came out swiftly , no complaint here. read more

See all

We have started ordering out our sushi here for pick up for our cozy Friday night movie night at home. Great sushi, convenient and has been very consistent in quality without being over the top expensive. The Uni (sea urchin) and Spot Prawn are great. The Portabello has a little Meyer lemon on top which gives it a surprising, yummy citris kick. If you like kim-chi, run--don't walk--for the "Seoul Train Roll" (not for everyone). Also. this roll is out of this world: Chilean Seabass Tempura Roll 5. OMG! Non sushi recommendation: red coconut curry udon "soup" (more like hearty noodle coconut milk curry heaven). That toasted garlic on top, soooo good. All they need is a roll with jalapeno, and PLEASE ADD a small side salad to the dinner menu or throw one in with entrees (they have a large, stand alone chef salad).That would be awesome. read more

Came here on July 4th for a nice late afternoon lunch. One of the few places around the city that was open. Even though it was a rainy day, we sat outside under the canopy. We got there around 2:30 PM and they were closing for lunch at 3 PM. I knew this because I called ahead to check if they were open. Our waitress let us take our time to look through the menu since it was our first time there. Did not rush us at all. Service was great. Our waitress was so attentive and made sure we didn't need anything and that our cups were never empty. I ordered the sushi deluxe. Came with salad and miso soup. Sushi was ok. Fish was fresh. Nice fish to rice ratio. They used fresh wasabi on the fish, which I appreciate. Not many places use fresh wasabi. I am definitely coming back. Finally a decent sushi place in DC!! read more

See all

Overall very good. I would stick to sushi here though... the Calamari was rubbery and was only strips... no rings or tentacles. :( The sashimi bento box is good- the salad and veggies are awesome. The sushi and sashimi are very fresh. But the fried shrimp things are just okay. Very fresh fish- I will stick with sashimi and sushi if I go again. Also, best miso soup I've ever had!! Very flavorful. read more

Went here on a Tuesday night and to my surprise there was about a 20 minute wait for a table. Minus the wait - the rest of the experience was great! The vegetable tempura was crispy and light. Not greasy at all. I love spicy food - so I had the crunchy spicy tuna and the crunchy spicy salmon. Both we delicious and presented nicely. The decor is very fun and the even the bathrooms are interesting - with unique stone sinks. Very good! Will definitely go back! read more

We have been there three times since they opened. It became a neighborhood favorite for us. We always find something we like on the menu. Crispy octopus, meso noodle soup, herb salad, and very fresh sushi. We always prefer outdoor seating although their indoor ambiance is good. read more

Food: The good was good. This was prom night, and we were trying to make it to a party. We were late, but not because of the restaurant. The sushi is good, the soups are very good. I would suggest asking what is best, as the menu is to extensive and complicated to get a good sense of it unless you eat at Raku regularly. It isn't cheap, but by the same token isn't too expensive. Service: The service was good. We were trying to move quickly and were accommodated. Ambiance: The mood is good. You don't feel like you're eating in the midst of 100 other people, each table is a kind of private affair. The Japanese theme is also quite nice. read more

Excellent food, we had the pulled pork bao and 4 different kinds of suhi rolls and everything was so tasty. Also had the poached pear for dessert, as well as green tea ice cream. Everything was perfect! read more

I always shy away from raku because there are so many places where you can get sushi for half the price. But every time I decide to treat myself I am reminded of how much better this sushi tastes. Even the basic rolls are truly incredible. Udon soup is also always a great choice! The Philly roll is like no other Philly roll anyplace else! read more

Raku - Philly in the back One of the spicy tuna And a crunchy shrimp All good but the Philly roll amazing!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Solid sushi with great happy hour prices and ice cold beer - what more could you ask for? My husband and I sat on the patio and watched the neighborhood go by on a week night. Will be back! read more

Great service fresh sushi and happy hour prices are really good I have dined in for both lunch and dinner and had carry outs for dinner and everything has been accurate and fresh to my standards. I tried the Spicy Korean Roll it was amazing with a small amount of kick probably from the kimchi. read more

Thank you so much for a fabulous 16 th birthday celebration! Outstanding sashimi! Amazing scallops and tuna. Our waitress Fon was great. Can't wait to come back! read more

By now, I have been to all 3 Raku locations. I can now also confidently say that I will not be returning to this location ever again. My SO and I went on a Friday night, near closing time. NO ONE greeted us, most of the wait staff were eating or doing their tasks. Despite the fact that we called to make sure that they were able to seat us. They saw us, but they were obviously annoyed/bothered by the fact that more customers walked in. We requested to be seated at the sushi bar. None of the sushi chefs greeted us when we were seated. Apparently, it is taboo to interact with customers, just by the way that all the staff acted. We ordered the tuna tartar, which was albeit a bit salty, delicious since it came from the kitchen. The sushi rolls, however, were completely on the other end of the spectrum. The rice tasted old and hard, the rolls seemed like they were made in a rush as they were falling apart as we picked them up. The worst part was the fish - they appeared to be dry, tough/chewy, old and almost translucent, in the worst way possible. We did not want to wait for fresh rolls to be made since we were so hungry, as well as the fact that we did not want to inconvenience the sushi chefs. They were already cleaning up the display fridge and rewrapping the already old fish and putting them away. By the way, I did not see any date label on the fish, curiously questionable. The best part was that right after we ordered a rainbow roll, it was brought to us after a minute! While we were working our way toward it, one of the sushi chefs extended his arm to serve us a rainbow roll that he had just made. Basically, we were served someone else's reject. YUM. I attempted to contact management about my experience, hoping that they would want to rectify the situation. Not to my surprise, they must be adhering to the taboo theme pretty strictly, no one has contacted me. If you absolutely have to go to Raku, I would recommend going to the one in Bethesda or DuPont. Or maybe try a real Japanese joint such as Sushi Taro. Just a thought. read more

Great sushi. Not cheap but not exorbitant, either, and it's significantly better than similarly-priced places in the area. Service is reliably good. It's our go-to place for a nice dinner out in Bethesda. Reservations are a good idea, otherwise you might wait a while during peak hours. read more

I went here with two friends on a Friday night, we were seated quickly and our server was helpful and very sweet. The food also came out quickly and was delicious. I got the red dragon roll and their korean BBQ pork appetizer. Both were phenomenal and presented well. Our server was also very sweet splitting the check when one of my friends had to cut out early. Overall great experience. read more

Raku - Their red dragon roll, it is as delicious as it looks! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Loved the beautiful colorful decor and the happy vibe of the diners and staff. Went on a Sunday at 6:30 and did not expect to see the place full, but clearly this is a well-loved neighborhood spot and there was a line when we left. Service is friendly and efficient and the food was fresh and delicious. Beers were excellent too. Wish I lived closer to this place! read more

I got two items: the rib appetizer was amazing, but the curry bowl was only decent, mostly because the beef wasn't at all tender. Service and presentation were great. read more

We live in the neighborhood and it is always good every single time we come! Never disappoints! Try the spicy crunch shrimp roll!

The non sushi choices were limited. I usually go with a bento box and share a roll with my wife. The only 2bento box choices were a veggie bento or a deluxe bento box that was $40... we ended up ordering 3 different sushi rolls(2 by our waitresses recommendation) all were very good. I would definitely look to stay away if you aren't a big sushi fan as you will probably run into a limited menu. read more

My sisters and I decided to dine at Raku at the last minute. We enjoyed our drinks and the meal so much so that the table next to us ordered our exact meal. The Lemon Branzino was amazing and the Sea Bass Sushi was fresh and flavorful. I usually visit your Bethesda location however I shall return. read more

See all

Very good sushi - both taste and portion size for nigiri and sashimi. Service was also excellent, and the restaurant has a very nice ambiance as well. I'm a sushi lover, and this place definitely has a very nice selection of maki and appetizers in addition to great fish. Separate gluten-free menu was also very appreciated. Visiting from Boulder, otherwise I'd definitely be back soon! read more

Kind of expensive for what you get, but the curry and bento boxes are fairly close in flavor and presentation to what I ate when living in Japan. read more

If there was no stars I would put it! I usually always order the same thing rib eye bento box; the meat was reheated many times with a very bad taste and they said that's the meat they have, meaning even if it's bad, it's this or nothing!!!!!! read more

Best Sashimi in town. Every fish, every bite is amazing. Don't fill up on rice get the sashimi assortment. It's looks like a work of art. Service is amazing too. read more

The spicy red curry udon was to die for. Awesome atmosphere, great food, reasonable prices.