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Rakuzen

3.2 (345 reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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RAKUZEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Rakuzen

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Reviews With Photos

Beef Negimaki, Kimnchee Plate, Double Dragon Roll, Kani  Roll

I came in for lunch for the AYCE. The service is good, but it's awkward. They kind of just stand around waiting for you to call them. Feels like you're being watched. Or maybe it's just because I dined in alone. Inside is neat and nicely decorated. I ordered a number of things, but everything wasn't good. I would even argue that all of the food isn't fresh. If you just want sushi, that is a safe bet and I would absolutely come again just to eat it. It's not the best in the world, but it's fresh and tasty and they have a good selection for $40 AYCE. The crab Rangoon is very fresh! I don't know how they prep these or if it's so fresh because it isn't prepped and frozen, but I ordered it 4 separate times. I would come back and try more food items like fried rice, ramen, etc. Would not order again: Beef Negimaki - very tough beef and weird seasoning Spicy beef empanadas - not very fresh, the empanada shell seemed refried after being frozen. Some parts of it were too hard to eat. Bleh. Thai basil - it was broccoli, string beans, onions, and chicken pieces with a weird sauce. I assumed it was fried rice, but no. I sent it back. Kimchi - the taste was OK, but it wasn't very strong in flavor and looked like added some "kimchi juice" on cold wet cabbage. Rock shrimp - not fresh AT ALL. Dirty shrimp in tempura batter with lazy sauce on top. Happy it was only a few pieces because it was so poorly made Tempura - I got shrimp and again, the quality was not that great. Would order again: Sushi Kani salad Crab Rangoon

Horrible

Horrible experience sushi was not fresh The wasabi and ginger was so old: I have came here for years.

Esther L.

The sushi was pretty good decent quality. The appetizers though were amazing with abundance of variety and great quality especially the beef. A bit pricey in mid $30s but honestly could be my new go to AYCE sushi as long as they keep up the quality especially with appetizers too. They also have a sashimi version for $10ish upgrade if you prefer. Only main complaint is not the cleanest dining area especially with sticky tables.

All-u-can- sashimi!
Jenny L.

Had dinner here with a large group of 10. We had the sushi sashimi buffet. Service was fast. Food was decent -with a huge menu to order from for an all-you-can eat 90 minute sashimi buffet. It was a lot of fun trying out all the menu items. Ambiance is very casual of course, so glad I wore those stretchy pants! I wish the buffet menu came with dessert though, but I did improvise and order a fried banana off their appetizer menu as my sweet ending.

Interior
Nelson Y.

Brooklyn has no shortage of AYCE sushi spots, and most of them are pretty average. Let's be honest, when you go to these places, you're not expecting fine dining--you're just hoping the food is decent, you get your money's worth, and that you won't regret it later. I usually hit up Sake on 86th, which is chaotic to say the least, so Rakuzen was a much-needed change of pace! From the moment you walk in, the staff greets you, refills your drinks, and checks in throughout the meal. The service alone makes this place stand out compared to other AYCE sushi joints. Plus, it's spacious, so you're not packed in like sardines. There were a lot of people dining when we went, including big groups, which tells me this place is definitely popular. As for the sushi, the quality was great--way better than what I've had at Sake. I'll definitely be coming back and hope it stays a hidden gem!

Kyle N.

I love sushi. I'm not saying this is the best sushi but it's pretty good as AYCE sushi restaurant. A lot of selections and they also have sashimi. They also have a wide variety of hot appetizers which I love. Shrimp tempura and the short rib is one of my favorite. Don't sleep on the mozzarella sticks. It's a weird combo but pretty good. You mark your order in a paper and just check off what items I want and how many. The servers are very helpful. They fill your water pretty quickly and come often to the table and ask if you want to order more. We ate on a Friday night and we were able to grab a table fairly quickly for four.

Lily W.

I wanted to update my review since I had came back yesterday and really enjoyed my experience this time around. I came around 12pm on a Sunday and it wasn't too busy since most people were likely celebrating Chinese New Year at the parade in the neighborhood. I got sat quickly and I immediately noticed that the "sashimi" menu option was no longer provided. Last time I came, I tried out that menu but unfortunately did not think it was worth the extra $10 as the fish did not really taste fresh. This time around, I ordered a lot of sushi a la carte and I was really happy to see such nice cuts of fish and even the smell of them vastly improved. They also tasted really delicious and I ended up ordering 3 more rounds. My favorite was the salmon and white tuna. They were nice cuts that tasted fatty and not slimy. I think I will continue returning here, but I may choose to go at earlier times where it's less busy. Perhaps last time it was just a matter of the supplier but I look forward to my next visit here!

look at this insane rice to fish portion?
Lillian L.

I've been coming to this restaurant since it first opened, and at the beginning, the food was amazing. The portion sizes were generous but well-balanced, the service was fast, and the quality of the ingredients--especially the fish--was top-notch. It used to be one of my go-to sushi spots because of how fresh everything tasted and how well-crafted the sushi was in terms of fish-to-rice ratio. However, over time, things have declined significantly. I'm not sure if it's due to COVID, a management change, or new sushi chefs, but the quality has taken a noticeable downturn. When I visited recently, I was shocked by the amount of rice they now serve with each piece of sushi. It felt like they were padding the rolls and nigiri with excessive rice to make up for using less fish or meat. It wasn't just a small difference--it was to the point where each bite felt unbalanced and unappetizing. One of the biggest disappointments was the scallop nigiri. I remember when they used to serve a whole scallop per piece, which was flavorful and had a nice, delicate texture. Now, they give you only about 1/4 of a scallop, but they double the amount of rice underneath. It's a clear downgrade, and it makes the dish feel like a filler rather than a well-crafted sushi piece. To make matters worse, if you don't eat all of the rice, they charge you extra per piece. This policy feels unreasonable, especially when they are clearly overloading the sushi with rice instead of properly portioning it. Another frustrating thing I noticed is that when you order one appetizer, they give you a massive portion meant for 6 people to fill you up before you can even get to the sashimi or higher-quality food. For example, I ordered one kani salad, but they brought out six platefuls of it, making it obvious that they were trying to stuff customers with cheap fillers. And just like with the rice, if you don't finish it, they charge you extra. It really feels like they are prioritizing saving costs over providing a good dining experience. While I will say that the service remains good, that alone isn't enough to justify coming here anymore. The food quality has dropped to the point where it's just not worth the price. And I'm clearly not the only one who feels this way--the restaurant used to be packed every day, but now it's often nearly empty, with only one or two tables occupied. That's a huge red flag that regular customers have noticed the decline and have stopped coming. At this point, for what they charge, you're better off going to a regular buffet--you'll likely get better sushi there for the same or even a lower price. It's disappointing to see how much this place has changed, but unless they fix their portioning and return to their original quality, I can't recommend it anymore.

Yuming C.

This place was very empty when I went on Friday around 4 PM. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted. I had placed an order online and was picking it up, so they checked my order for me and then told me to have a seat first because it wasn't ready yet. Once my order was ready, they asked me to double check my order, which was correct. As for the taste, the sushi was very delicious in my opinion. However, the sushi rolls would break apart as I pick it up, so that was quite disappointing. All in all, I would try this place again because it tasted pretty good.

Christina S.

The service was amazing! They were very sweet and were quick with providing me the services I requested. I can not wait to come back to this place! The appetizers and sushi were really good too!

Milan B.

Prices went up but who's didn't. Food is decent.... The girls are pretty nice. They offer buy one get one 1/2 off on drinks. Sake based. Sushi could have less rice.

Mia V.

Came here after a hot day at Coney Island. For AYCE sushi, this place is pretty nice, in my opinion! It wasn't busy when I arrived and the staff were very nice and efficient. The rolls themselves were fresh and tasty, and for appetizers being included and the wide array of options, the price is worth it in my opinion. I would very much like to come again to try more!

Sashimi Appetizer, Yuzu Miso Salmon
Heidi M.

This is one of those all-you-can-eat places where you have to manage your expectations a bit before coming. Don't expect the best service or the highest quality of food. Know what to order and what to avoid. It's Chinese-owned (I believe), has a very casual atmosphere, and you basically get what you pay for at just $25ish per person. There's bound to be some hits and misses, but either way you will be walking out so very full. Let's start with the bad. I would not recommend the Spicy Kani Salad (not fresh; I can make it way better at home) and the uni (just don't even try it). We're also not fans of cooked sushi rolls (rolls that do not have any raw fish) so we didn't like the 8 Avenue Blvd Roll. That's more personal preference, so we felt like we didn't have to order that one. Now for the HIGHLIGHTS: Seaweed salad and shrimp tempura were pretty solid. Highly recommend the Yuzu Miso Salmon sashimi app. As for the sushi a la carte and rolls - eel cucumber, spicy tuna crunch, spicy salmon crunch, ikura, scallop, yellowtail... all good. I'm curious about a lot of the items on the "appetizers" section, which include an extensive list of hot cooked foods (rice, noodles, dumplings, proteins, etc.) - some of them seem very questionable so I wouldn't risk it but there must be some things that I didn't get to try that must be good too. Overall not a bad spot especially since AYCE sushi options are so limited in Brooklyn!

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Food was good but the sashimi wasn't fully thawed when served. Service was quick and the servers were very attentive.

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Page 3 of 9

Ask the Community - Rakuzen

Hi, Do u have a ayce sashimi upgrade for 5$ extra? I heard the location in queens has that but not sure about this location. Update- I went to the Brooklyn location today and they told me that the ayce sashimi is only for the queens location

You have to tell them you want sashimi AYCE they will upgrade for you

How much is the lunch buffet option during the weekends? And do they have a time limit?

Same price and time limit is 90 minutes

? How's the sushi? Fresh? Sashimi you only get 1 per all you can eat person? What else they serve besides sushi? For all you can eat? Is it really stuff your face?? And someone said they saw a roach? For realzzzx of that idiot was just mad?

Lunch $15.99 and dinner $22.99

Do you accept credit card?

Yes

If there are 3 people to go and eat, how much would it cost per person adding tax and service tips?

They have all you can eat menu, lunch is $13.99 and dinner is $21.99. The dinner all you can eat menu has more variety, you can ask them for a dinner menu during lunch if you want, you'll pay $21.99 but I suggest it strongly because they will give… 

How much is it if I go here with one friend?

Dinner $21.99 per one person Lunch $13.99 per one person

If there is 4 people to go to eat, what is the total price adding the tax and service tips?

$28.00 per person

View All 10 Questions

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Ozakaya

4.5(386 reviews)
3.9 mi•Prospect Heights
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Very busy Japanese restaurant and highly recommend making reservations way in advance. Fish here is…read moreserved very fresh. My friends and I ordered the ozakaya donburi set, chicken karaage curry, kaki fried and a5 fried rice. The fish was buttery delicious. Loved how they serve a hot broth at the very end of your donburi set. Save some rice at the end for a nice experience to end your meal. The a5 was fatty and the karaage was fried perfectly. The restaurant was very busy when we went on a Saturday afternoon. The back dining area was crowded and very full. Our food came out quickly and i will definitely be back try some of their uni dishes. Highly recommend their donburi sets.

Ozakaya is a cute Japanese spot serving a variety of dishes, but their sushi is the star. Even on a…read moreweeknight, they were quite busy. The tables are a bit small and tight though, so they brought out our food in courses. We started off with the Kaishin Don ($45), which was perfectly plated over a bed of rice. This one came with a good amount of uni, which was much appreciated. Then we had the Ozakaya Donburi Set ($49), which is such a fun one. You have a raw egg to mix into your seafood bowl accompanied with some pickled veggies and sliced sashimi. Once you've ate more than half your bowl, you can get a broth that finished cooking your fish and turning the rice into porridge. The broth is savory and tangy, which gives it such a nice and refreshing flavor. We enjoyed both of these dishes a lot and it was fun to make your own handrolls. Then came the Mentai Pasta ($19), which is sadly one of the worst things I've ever ate. Not only was there barely any Mentai flavor, but the mayonnaise completely overpowered everything. I couldn't get over how I might as well have ate a spoonful of mayo on its own; that's how rich and heavy this dish was. The bacon was overcooked as well but somewhat cut all the mayo. I even tried to add some soy sauce but there was no saving this pasta. We ended up tossing the rest of the dish and I am not one to waste food. I even tried to complain to the waitress but she just ignored it. It was unfortunate because the other dishes we had were amazing. Luckily we were still able to end on a good note as we ordered the Oshiruko ($12) for dessert. This came with two scoops of matcha ice cream, grilled mochi, and red bean. Everything went well together and the matcha was strong. It's wild how good and bad some of the dishes were here. Definitely stick to the sushi and rice bowl dishes and whatever you do, DO NOT order the mentai pasta unless you love mayo.

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Tora

Tora

4.5(67 reviews)
6.7 mi•Bushwick

The reviews here are true! This place is bomb. The food has to be the most delicious ramen I've…read moreeaten in awhile and I eat a lot of ramen. Everything was delicious, hot and it was delivered quickly. The prices are up there however the food is worth it . I ordered a ramen bowl with the corn ribs. My partner ordered the salmon and I forget what the order item is called but damn it was good. Please stop by and give them a try it's absolutely worth the price

Cuisine: 8 Service: 7…read moreDecor: 7 Value: 7 Overall: 8 Another Thai owned Japanese restaurant specializing in izakaya style cuisine in Bushwick. It's been open for a few years, so clearly it has a good enough formula to keep the neighborhood happy. I have been here once before, but returned last week after dining several meals at Tomoni in Jackson Heights. Apparently, the owners are friends. Nonetheless, I needed to make the comparison. After my first few bites of their Tora Don and Chirashi Don, it was clear that this restaurant has the better quality seafood. Each slice of sashimi had vibrant colors, clean taste, and the proper texture. Tomoni is not bad, but fall slightly short of this caliber. With that said, there is an even farther gap between their rice quality. Though Tora is very good, Tomoni produces nearly perfect texture and acidity for my taste buds. Other than the best omakase restaurants in NYC, Tomoni shines as one of the best versions of sushi rice in the five boroughs. Service is good and space is cute. If I have a craving for some decent Japanese food, I would drive 20 minutes here for a meal anytime.

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Tora - Dining Area

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4.5(22 reviews)
4.8 mi•Bedford Stuyvesant

While wandering through Bed-Stuy on a weekday evening, my husband and I decided to try out this new…read moresushi spot. It wasn't terrible--but I had a lot of mixed feelings. Food: 3/5 I'm a huge sushi fan, so I was excited when I saw a deluxe sashimi set on the menu. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark. The scallop was thinly sliced and lacked the rich texture I was hoping for. The salmon and other cuts were decent, but short and oddly shaped--chunky yet small, which made the whole presentation feel a bit off for something labeled deluxe. We also tried to branch out and ordered the short rib entree. For $21, it was shockingly small--definitely a single-person portion, not sharable. I added extra ikura to a salmon donburi bowl for $2, but it was barely a teaspoon's worth--just enough to say it was there. Oddly, the salmon slices in that bowl were thinner than the sashimi we had just eaten, and overall, it left me still hungry even after sharing a maki roll. Lastly, my husband ordered a green salad, which somehow took the entire meal service to arrive. When it finally came, it was just plain romaine, cucumbers, radish, and dressing. For a dinner that clocked in at over $150 (after tip), we definitely left underwhelmed. Service: 3/5 This part wasn't bad, just confusing. We were seated quickly, but the pacing of the meal was strange. Our seaweed salad and soups came out promptly, but the green salad came last, after the hot dishes and nearly after my husband finished eating. Also, a small thing--but when I'm paying $16 for four oysters, I want to know what kind they are. The menu just said "West Coast oysters," but our server couldn't tell us the variety or origin. Not a huge deal, but it added to a general lack of polish that didn't quite match the pricing. I don't think I'd return. For the price, there are better sushi options in Brooklyn with higher quality, better portions, and clearer service. Still, I appreciate new spots opening up in the neighborhood, and I'm always happy to try something new. Hopefully they refine the menu and service with time.

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Izakaya Tenzo - Ambience

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Rakuzen - sushi - Updated October 2026

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