I got the mixed sushi and sashimi, some of it was rubbery and chewy, I can't tell you which ones because nothing was marked on the plate. For those of us who are not experts at identifying raw fish by color and texture, it would help if they had tiny flag labels indicating what is what, this way I could go back and order the ones that melted in the mouth and avoid the rubbery slabs that seemed artificially colored. There's also no mention of where they get their fish and when (daily chef market selections? Wild salmon?), either at the restaurant or on their website, so I can only assume they get the 'usual' items from regular seafood distribution companies. read more

While the food was good, the service was terrible. The server was rushing us through every step of the meal. There was no wait so it was completely unnecessary. We were then scolded by another employee about ordering food to take out. Never had a problem like this at the Bethesda Row location. read more

This is my go-to sushi place in DC. The food is consistently great and the staff is so nice. I usually get the crunchy spicy tuna or spicy salmon rolls with soy paper and the tuna and salmon sushi to start. It's always delicious. The shrimp and vegetable tempura is also a favorite. I've had the Korean bbq hanger steak before and enjoyed it, just wish the serving size was bigger. I recently had the ocean spring roll and wasn't disappointed. I would recommend any of the above but they have a big menu so you'll find something you like. There's convenient parking at the Giant, but the restaurant doesn't validate. They are also pretty busy on most nights so make a reservation a bit in advance. The wait time generally isn't too bad but the sushi bar gets packed. Definitely recommend! read more

A great addition to the neighborhood and always bustling! Came here for dinner and happy hour - both times the food was consistently delicious and the attention by the staff was just right. Happy hour specials only at the bar but so worth it. The Korean BBQ hanger steak is my favorite appetizer on the menu - I would not have thought to try it but the flavors are so interesting and burst in your mouth (got it both times as well). Crunchy shrimp and crunchy tuna were perfect - we tried the Alaskan roll but the yellowtail was too fishy. When we told our server she immediately took it back and off the check. Great food, great atmosphere, great spot to our neighborhood!! read more

Meh. Sloppily assembled rolls. Service slow and absent enough I had to ask the host to find her so we could get the bill. Tried four different rolls and taste was okay but ordinary. read more

I used to love Raku, in all three of their locations. I had not been to any of them for year and was excited to go back to the restaurant in Cleveland Park (and eventually try the new iteration of my favorite location in DuPont Circle). Needless to say, the summer roll, which was always delicious, was bland and not cut like it used to be. The curry soup with shrimp was inedible. Too salty and not enough noodles. The waitress admitted that it came out a package and was then just heated. She claimed it was the same as ever, but was not. As for my dining partner's meal, a plain fish dish, she said it was okay--not worth the price though. Speaking of the waitress, my part of the bill was $30--I gave her $40 in cash. When she did not come back with the change after 15 minutes, I questioned her as to my change. She said, I thought you said I can keep the change. Needless to say, I will never return. One extra star for nostalgia--eat here now at your own risk! read more

Great dinner and great service at a good price. The pumpkin ginger soup was wonderful. We had two different sushi rolls which were good but could have used a bit more flavor. Everything else was absolutely delicious. Try the bread pudding for sure. Will definitely be back! read more

Food is good, service is awful, three people before me waiting at the counter to pay because they had waited so long for their check (which never arrived), people with reservations waiting an hour after planned time, no table, I waited 40 minutes before the host showed up. They need a manager! read more

From the moment I walked into Raku, I had a feeling that I was in for an amazing meal. From the color changing ceiling to the interesting wine display, the look of the restaurant is stunning. There is indoor and outdoor seating and we were seated at a table inside. We ordered an assortment of sushi, including a spicy tuna roll, "Seoul" train roll (tuna and kimchi), wasabi dynamite roll (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and wasabi flavored fish roe), and a volcano roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, eel, avocado, cucumber, roe, spicy mayo, and eel sauce). First of all, let me tell you, this is some of the best sushi you can get anywhere at around a dollar per piece. On all of the rolls the rice was superb, some of the best sushi rice I have ever tasted. The spicy tuna was very good, spicy but not "my mouth is exploding" spicy. The volcano roll was probably my favorite roll of all four. It somehow blended so many flavors into a near perfect piece of sushi. Personally, I thought that the wasabi dynamite roll was pretty good. However, anyone who does not like the taste of wasabi should stay away from this sushi, due to the strong presence of a strong wasabi flavour. I did not like the "Seoul" train roll. I felt as though the flavours were a bad combination and the roll tasted nothing like I expected. If you are going to Raku I highly recommend that you get some sushi. There is such a wide variety of sushi that anyone from the vegetarian to the pescatore can find sushi they will love. The atmosphere at Raku is amazing. One of the coolest parts of the restaurant is that you can watch the sushi chefs make the food right in front of you. It really gives an authentic feeling to the meal. The bathroom gives you the feeling that you are in Asia, due to a sink filled with rocks and a waterfall like faucet. Overall there is a great atmosphere to the restaurant. For the most part, the service was good. The moment we entered we were greeted and given a table. Our waitress was polite and our food came out very quickly. The only complaint I had was the water. We were given a large pitcher of water to start with which we quickly exhausted between the four of us. Once my water was gone, I had no defense against the aggression of spicy asian food. It wasn't until we flagged down our waitress that we were able to get another pitcher of water. The skinny: Raku is an authentic asian restaurant with a massive arrangement of amazing sushi. Anyone from the self proclaimed "sushi savage" to someone who wants to try sushi for the first time would enjoy this restaurant. You will not only enjoy the food but also the experience. read more

Used to be my favorite place at the DuPont location. Finally walked up here on a Saturday and I was told they had just closed for two hours - on a warm Saturday afternoon so no seating yet the restaurant was a third full with people just ordering. Came back again, ugh, food is average. The calamari used to be the best around. Raku is just not what it was in DuPont Circle. Pretty average now. read more

Was here on a friday night for dinner with a friend. We had good food and good sake. Our waitress was a bit inattentive but besides that I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Great sushi and noodles. Best sushi I've had in DC. Family came in for lunch, I loved the crab roll and spicy salmon. Wife and kids loved the noodles. Waitress did a great job explaining the different rolls and making recommendations. Great restaurant, especially for lunch with no wait time. read more

Came here for lunch a while back. So good we ordered more sushi after the first round.

The food itself was quite good; but service left something to be desired. The ladies taking orders and seating you were not welcoming or friendly! i have been there 3 times (for the food) in the last 2 months, and every time its been the same (lukewarm treatment). If you are in the service/restaurant business, learn to treat all customers without prejudice! Management needs to better train staff on how to treat all customers equally including non-white customers!! read more

The ambiance is fantastic. We sat outside when it was a chilly night, but we were warm and toasty under the heaters and our server was very nice. But I felt like everything was kind of crowded onto our table at once without giving us the opportunity to finish one thing. We got edamame for the appetizer, which was delicious. But then a few minutes after the edamame appetizer arrived they brought out the pumpkin-ginger soup and then a few minutes later they brought out the sushi and roll combo. We actually were glad to have a bench that we put some things on because all of this food didn't fit on the table. Part of what I love about Japanese food and sushi in particular is the care with the presentation and how you have a serene tablescape. This felt cluttered and rushed. We ordered the sakura cherry cocktail which was much too sweet and had no nuance to it. I love cocktails because of the interesting combination of flavors you usually get and I hoped that this being the "bar special" for the night it would be really interesting, but it just tasted like cherry and simple syrup. Very disappointing. The plum wine was supposed to be a dry plum wine but was really, really sweet. More like a dessert wine. And the pumpkin-ginger soup was kind of blah. I've made better at home. It was not at all Japanese, which I was really excited about having a Japanese take on pumpkin-ginger soup - it was more like Panera Bread. It didn't go with the overall theme. I could have been fine with all of this if the sushi and rolls had been good. Sadly, the fish just didn't taste fresh and the flavors were kind of blah. Good sushi with quality ingredients just has something about it that this definitely didn't have. The total bill was $50 and we ordered cheaper items on the menu. There was nothing about this meal that warranted that price tag. Its too bad. I really wanted to like this place. read more

Best best best absolutely best place for curry noodle soup. It's a crime how delicious it is. The wait was forty minutes but so worth it. I rank this place best for curry noodle soup in DC. Great service too. read more

Good sushi, good duck, good steak, ok drinks. Plus, if you park in the giant garage, they validate. Our service was amazing; friendly and prompt. I'll definitely be back. read more

I come here very often and am really picky about my sushi. This place is delicious! It's some of the best sushi I have ever had. Their green monster roll & deluxe spicy tuna roll are amazing. I'm also a huge fan of their Banana Foster dessert (comes with green tea and vanilla ice cream - yum!). The service is always great, too. If you're in the area, highly recommend. read more

Stopped by after work with a few friends. It was a good time but the food was lackluster at best. The server was rude. Now it burns when i pee and she won't return my calls. There are much better options close by. read more

Best Japanese restaurant Ive Been! Everytime I go here they treat me with great service and the food here is delicious! I couldn't ask for more! The bento boxes are awesome! read more

So glad that Raku came to Cathedral Commons! Their sushi is absolutely amazing, probably the best I've ever had and it's great even for those who don't like sushi. Great food and great atmosphere. read more

Best food and best sushi I have ever had. I highly recommend the crunchy spicy avocado roll, and the red coconut curry noodle soup. You will not be disappointed. read more

I ordered the beef tenderloin bento box! It was Veterans day and I came in for lunch time. The place is cozy and warm. The bento box was delicious. I have never in my entire human existence tasted beef tenderloin that was so tender. The bento box came with like 6 california rolls, beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and spinach. The other sections had this green bean and portobello mushroom salad with parmesan cheese and this delicious type of dressing. The other sectional had a house salad and then there were three dumplings that were fried. I think shrimp was in them. This whole bento box was wonderful. I really really enjoyed the beef it had a demi glace type of brown sauce/gravy. My mashed potatoes were stone cold tho, not sure if that is part of the presentation or if potatoes are supposed to be served cold. Overall 5 star experience. I also ordered a volcano roll which was also great! Had a tad bit of spiciness and the eel and mayo really make it rich and delicious! Will be back for sure! read more

It's not the fastest service in the world, but the food is great. They have wonderful sushi and even better soups with plenty of vegetarian options. read more

Great ambiance. This is quality sushi. Typical Asian fusion menu items. Great presentation. Nice hearty portions. Classy but not pretentious. Highly recommend! read more

it's pretty good. the food is great and has such variety to choose from. the service is good. the place is very new and the interior is very modern. it looks clean and well run. i prefer the food and service here than the ones in bethesda. read more

I'm not a fan of sushi. In fact, I've only had sushi three or four times, total. That being said, this place is very tasty. The service is polite and not overwhelming. The food is of superior quality and the dining area is very nicely decorated; it is obvious that this is a relatively new restaurant. The Alaskan Roll is small but very tasty and the Jo Nigiri Assortment has various great tasting rolls. read more

Best Sushi in DC! Great service. Polite and prompt. Love the atmosphere: open, modern and airy. Their low carb options are awesome: riceless rolls and the shirataki noodle option in the Tokyo Dashi Broth. Agedashi Tofu is a great appetizer. If sushi is not your thing, they offer entrees from chicken to ny strip. They even validate parking! read more

You cant go wrong with Raku. They are not cheap but if you want sushi that is well made and taste great, it is worth it. the service is always excellent. read more

We used to eat at the Dupont location all the time and now have started going to this location. Everything about this restaurant is the best. The food is fantastic! Go for lunch (even on the weekends) and get a bento box. Also, their noodle soups are delicious. Their maki rolls are also great! The pricing is very reasonable. On top of that, the service is always amazing - kind, professional, friendly, and quick. To top it off, the decor of the restaurant is beautiful. We will continue to come back here frequently! read more

Great restaurant - sashimi was fresh, noodles weren't soggy, service was awesome! Will come often in the future.

I love this restaurant. The food is just superb and the service has always been great. BUT... the last 2 times I've been there (this week and last) the mosquitoes around the outdoor tables have been worse than a jungle swamp in Cambodia. AND THEN - I saw one of the waitresses pouring waste water down the outside drain thru the grates in the sidewalk that are right in the middle of the outdoor seating area. I said to the hostess, "that might be the source of your mosquito problem". She says, "Oh, that's just the grate that goes down to the metro tunnel." And I said, yeah... "That's probably why you're having a mosquito problem - they're breeding in the waste water down there." And then I thought, it's probably illegal to be dumping waste water thru a grate that goes to a metro tunnel and not the sewer line. Anyway, I found this water dumping practice a bit disturbing. So, unless you're immune to mosquitoes, EAT INSIDE. read more

This is a fantastic place to eat if you're a sushi fan. I can't speak to the bento boxes and other items, but all the sushi I've had has been superb. My wife and I really enjoyed the crunchy spicy tuna, the tempura roll (sweet potato and shrimp), the salmon rolls, basically all of it. I don't like roe very much, so I can't comment on that either, but given the quality of the fish and the service I'm sure all the food is great. We even went while my wife was pregnant and the server was very careful to make sure the vegetable rolls were prepared away from the raw fish area. So, I think if you're a vegetarian, you're in good hands. It can be a bit pricey to get the signature rolls, but it's a nice restaurant and you pay for what you get with raw fish. The outdoor seating is great in nice weather, however it's a bit close to the bus stop and we were getting some residual smoke blowing our way from a smoker waiting on the bus. That wasn't Raku's fault, just a heads up to those with sensitivities. read more

Visited the Wisconsin Ave location in DC for the first time...Wow!! What a gem. Appetizers were fantastic and the sushi was fresh with great flavor. Will definitely return. read more

Dinner last night was AMAZING!!!! Everything was delicious. Initially we planned to have dinner at the Mexican restaurant next door. My 7 year old loves sushi and convinced me that we should eat at Raku. The server was delightful. She helped my sons with their chop sticks. She was attentive throughout the entire meal. The food was YUMMY. The patio atmosphere was comfortable. We will definitely return again. THANKS for a WONDERFUL meal!!!! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants! I usually go during the lunch hours to get the salmon bento box and it never disappoints. Highly recommend. read more

Went for Happy Hour. The sushi was delicious and the prices were discounted, along with the wine prices. The bartender was friendly, but inattentive. read more

This is a hidden gem. The sushi is phenomenal and I love the curry soup with udon noodles! The space is a little cramped and I feel like I'm sitting with the people at the table next to me. Also, I feel like I'm being rushed to pay and leave. I understand there is a wait, but it's not the best customer service. The food is so delish, however, that I will still keep going. read more

Raku provides decent food in a lovely ambiance. The food was good. Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely tasty and fresh.

I've been to both the Bethesda and DC locations. I love their sushi!!! They have unique twists and specialties. They specialize in all items on their menu, so you will not be disappointed. This place is easily the best sushi in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. read more