Around a 15 minute wait on Friday night. Came to try the frozen beer and left super satisfied with…read moreall the food and drink we ordered. - Frozen kirin: on the stronger side of beers, so delightful. - Kimchi cream udon: sits right on the palate. Kimchi isn't too strong. I wasn't hungry coming in but finished this easily. - Yellowtail carpaccio: very fresh, love the marinade. - Yuzu-kiki: good if you enjoy sweet cocktails!

First time coming here came recommended from a friend to meetup for another friend from out of…read moretown. It was Sooo good! It's pretty convenient location right by midtown in the basement. It was right next to a favorite Korean restaurant of mine as well that I haven't been in a while. Very busy when we got there for a table of four. They said may take an hour but thankfully we were called in about 20 minutes and we were close by having a drink because we had 10 minutes before we lost our place. Got the garlic fried rice, the cold soba, chicken karage, a sushi roll, corn, skewers and the kimchi udon noodles. EVERYTHING was yummy & delicious! Definitely going to return.

I LOVE RAKU! Came here for lunch shortly after getting back from Japan because I was having some…read moremajor udon cravings, and this definitely hit the spot! We tried the ankimo, which was good, but the dipping udon was easily the highlight for me. It was SO delicious and exactly what I was craving. The restaurant itself is super cute and cozy, making it such a nice spot for a comforting meal. We did have to make a reservation, so I'd definitely recommend planning ahead. Overall, such a great experience and somewhere I'd happily come back to whenever I'm craving udon!

Raku is a Japanese chain in NYC that specializes in udon noodles, bowl dishes, and some favorite…read moreJapanese comfort foods. We decided to visit their East Village branch and were seated at the bar on the right side of the restaurant with a different entrance as well. We started with sabazushi; three mackerel pressed sushi and karaage chicken together with our favorite Japanese beer. We thought that the sabazushi stood out; it was delicious and presented well. For hot udon, I opted for nabeyaki; it is a mix of chicken, sea eel, fish cake, shiitake mushrooms, and served with 2 shrimp tempura. It was a good choice for a cold Saturday evening. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner here, and there are other dishes that we would like to try next time.

YUM! I've had this place saved for a while, and made a reservation ahead of time for dinner on a…read moreFriday night. The inside is so well laid out and decorated, and the vibes are great. We got the corn ribs, pork tenderloin katsu, and the mackerel sushi. The corn came out first and omg - this is some of the best corn I have ever tasted. The seasoning on it is so perfect sweet savory and so addicting! Best item by far. The katsu was also perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, without feeling too greasy. It was quite a tiny portion but it's nyc lol. The only item we didn't love was the sushi - for me it was just a bit too much ginger and wasabi and since it was pressed it was already a part of the sushi so it was hard to separate. Overall though, this is a great spot for a nicer dinner!

It was a good dining experience, but nothing to write home about. I'd give 3.5 and wouldn't…read moredissuade anyone from trying it and making their own opinion. For three people, we paid about $200ish and got: - 2 beers - $21 Ebi Katsu - good but basically prawn tempura with flakier coating - $ 15 Konban Corn ribs - YUM - $17 Karaage - good, standard Izakaya - $15 Shishito peppers - LOVE - $36 Sushi set - Solid 8 pc nigiri - $22 Yellowtail crudo - refreshing w/sweet citrus - $24 Umami Tobiko Clam Pasta - get it! - $14 Konban Corn ice cream - so cute & corn-y! It's a lovely little date night or intimate dinner experience. Quiet, clean, and sets a nice mood. The food, again, was good but with all the great Izakaya in NYC would I come again? Not sure. If you do, definitely order the corn items and the clam pasta!

Last night's dinner was well worth the 1hr 15min wait! I stumbled upon Raku from my Yelp search of…read morenearby places and seeing the fantastic 4.6 star rating, I thought let's give it a try! This is my first time enjoying udon noodle soup in NYC so let's see what it has to offer and it did not disappoint! We sat at the large communal table in the back - VERY loud talking so would recommend a booth or the seating in front of the restaurant if you prefer a quieter dinner. My coworker ordered the Chikara (mochi with chicken hot udon) with a side of veggie tempura, this was recommended by our server. I ordered the Niku + spicy oil (most popular udon with beef short ribs and honeycomb tripe) with side order of shrimp tempura and sansai vegetables. Food came out quickly within 10 mins and was piping hot served in fun pots! This amount of food was more than enough for 2! I wanted to order gyoza but next time! Broth was savory, beef and tripe were both very tender, tempura was lightly battered and fried. The vegetables had a nice pickling, nice crispy. My coworker really enjoyed her mochi. I even tried a sip of her broth and it was so flavorful! Chicken was soft and juicy. This was my favorite dinner during our stay in NYC thus far, I can't wait to come back! Dinner ended up being $88 in total after tax which I think is a great deal. Highly recommend Raku for those wanting to try Japanese noodles, either hot or cold!

Friend made a reservation for 4 on a Sunday night around 7 pm. Don't think you'll be able to walk…read morein during these busy weekends unless you have a rez.   We did have to wait a few minutes for our table and we were seated in the back (a little hot because we were near the kitchen)   I opted for the seasonal mushroom udon and the table got the 6 piece karaage and the spicy cucumber salad.   I don't know if I can continue justifying a $16 cucumber salad but the karaage was delicious.   I liked the mushroom udon and felt like the broth was very flavorful (only vegan upon request) but next time, I'd like to try the cold udon. Service was really good and they checked in on us a lot.

Kind of blown away by this spot here after unexpectedly walking in. I genuinely enjoyed every…read moresingle dish here. (And we got a lot!) The Kimura Roll is addicting. I hated having to share this because it was that good. Warm, savory sushi bites but it never fell apart. The Collagen Hotpot is also a standout. At first glance, it looks very bare and almost lackluster, but I could not stop eating this. Very hearty and cozy. My favorite dish is actually the almond tofu dessert though. Such an unassuming sweet treat. It melts in your mouth and packs the most delightful yet simple flavors. The workers were very attentive and hospitable too. Absolutely will be coming back.

When I called to change the time of our reservation, the woman on the phone was very friendly and…read morehappily accommodated my request. When we arrived, we were seated right away in a spacious booth. The food was very good overall. My favorite dish was definitely the spicy tuna crackers--they were delicious! The sushi was also very fresh and flavorful, although I felt it was a little over-sauced, which took away from the flavor of the sushi itself. Overall, we had a really nice meal and a great experience. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others!

A perfect spot for a comforting bowl of udon, but with a modern and elevated interior!…read more The weather was on the hotter side, so I opted for the cold udon with vegetable tempura, and it was a light and refreshing meal! The dipping sauce went well with the udon, and the tempura was light and crispy. The hojicha latte was also good, but I wish it was a little sweeter. A unique standout was the complimentary frozen grapes they gave at the end of the meal, it was surprisingly good for how simple it was. The interior was modern and sleek, it would be great for both a special or casual meal. The servers were also very nice and gave us recommendations. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in the city!

Just to forewarn you, Raku (along with their other locations) doesn't have any signage, so it's a…read morebit difficult to find (it's just a black textured exterior), and there's also nowhere to wait for a seat. Just put your name down and wander around the area until they text you that your table is ready. Ordered the tantanmen, which was very rich and deep-flavored. The noodles are thinner (but still chewy) compared to the classic Raku udon, which they're known for, so I'd probably stick to the original next time. Strongly recommend the chicken karaage. Prices are about $20-30 per entree and the bathrooms and general interior is very clean.

Needed some small bites after work before going to a Broadway show and Sozai came up on my search…read more They were packed around 5:30 PM with the happy hour crowd so I was glad I made a reservation. Their reservations also book up quickly. I made my reservation a week before. We were seated in one of their booths which was cute, comfy, cozy, and clean. It was just my husband and i. They have good happy hour deals, but I don't remember how many dishes we ordered were on HH. We got the tako wasa, chicken karaage, kibinago, and mentaiko pasta. All were great! All my favorites and perfect for a quick dinner. Their menu is pretty extensive -- I wished we had more time to order a bunch of other dishes. Good portions for sharing. We were surprised we had some leftovers. Definitely a good spot for groups to order a bunch of tapas and mains. Service was good and the food and drinks came out within good timing. We'll definitely have to go another time when we're in the area with some friends and order a lot more. Can't wait to return.

Cozy and lively Japanese izakaya restaurant in Midtown offering a wide selection of quality…read moreJapanese cuisine. I started off with the Hotate Carpaccio ($18) - these Hokkaido scallops tasted fresh and delicious. The ikura (salmon roe) on top was a nice addition. For my main course, I got the Unagi Don ($34) - this was also very good, although nothing too out of the ordinary. I thought the price was slightly on the higher end. The portion size for this (and in general) is not particularly large, but still fine. The restaurant interior is quite narrow, which leads to a lively atmosphere that can get a bit noisy at times, though not too bad. It's decorated in a classic Japanese restaurant style with booth seating as well as bar seating. I was able to get a walk-in table on a Saturday night after just a brief ~15 min wait. The staff are friendly and the service speed is quick. Overall, I think Sozai is a great option for quality Japanese food in Midtown if you are craving any type of Japanese cuisine.

I was in the midtown area and stopped by Yakitori Totto for a quick lunch! The entrance indeed is a…read morelittle hidden but the door is behind the door to Azuma and take the stairs up to the second floor. Loved the more traditional izayaki vibes and I could smell/hear the grill as I walked in. The chicken meatball and the hanger steak were both very tasty, tender, and well-seasoned. I'm not a huge pork belly fan, but I was surprised at the ratio and how it wasnt overly fatty. The king oyster mushroom was kinda buttery in a delicious way and the shiitake was classic with a nice smokey-ness. The unagi don came with well-cooked eel. The accompanying tamago was very smooth and custard-y with a radiating miso flavor that I really enjoyed! Ratio of rice to ingredients was also great! The fried shishito peppers were tasty with the salt and lemon. Food came out quick and staff were polite. Haven't heard of this place until today and I look forward to going back!

This had been my favorite restaurant in NYC for decades. Every dish was perfectly grilled, each a…read moreunique delight, perfectly seasoned in its own way. There was traditionally an hour wait at least during prime meal time. People would sit in the chairs that lined the entry hallway because it was just that good. Over the years, I spent so many evenings sitting at the yakitori bar meeting other people who also had a deep love for this restaurant. When I came to NYC for a weeks visit, I'd often eat her three times even though there are so many great places to eat. Something happened over the past 5 or 6 years. Maybe it changed ownership? I should have known when I walked in to a restaurant that was half full. Some of the recipes of old favorites have changed. Most importantly, some of the skewers were tough, dry and over grilled. And everything was presented in the same way, and everything slathered in the same yakitori sauce instead of each dish arriving grilled to perfection and presenting itself as its own particular delight executed from the imagination of a chef who truly cared.

This was our second visit, and both times delivered a great meal. It is an intimate spot, and…read morewalking in on a weekday morning meant we had the place entirely to ourselves. Soft Japanese music played in the background, creating a calm, relaxing setting. They started us off with hot tea while we looked over the morning menu. Breakfast keeps things simple with a single set meal where you choose your fish, select how many vegetable sides you want, and add optional extras. Our cook was friendly and skilled at the counter. Our set included roasted cod, white rice, miso soup, tamagoyaki, tsukemono, and seasoned vegetables. Every single item tasted fresh and well-balanced. Between the quiet setting and the quality of the cooking, it was a standout morning.

Came here a long time ago bc I heard how good their sushi sets are. If you are a sushi lover and…read morewant something homey you will definitely like Okonomi. It's nonfussy, and although not the cheapest sushi, it's definitely not super expensive/omakase level. It's a small space with a giant bar for seating and maybe a few tables - the owners are definitely passionate about Japanese cuisine and you can definitely feel that as you chat with them a bit. The menu is small, but dedicated to quality, and you will make your choice quite quickly. All the fish was fresh, large pieces, and really really clean tasting. The soup was delightful and paired wonderfully and everything was presented quite nicely. The grilled fish was also tasty and really tender.

This restaurant is located in midtown Manhattan. The atmosphere is just like going to a local…read more Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. They have a simple menu. We had Berkshire pork loin set B, Queens set katsu set A, Manhattan set B. And an appetizer aged dashing tofu and tuna poke. Everything we ate was excellent. Price is reasonable. The Berkshire pork was extremely delicious and tender. On the Manhattan set, the 2 shrimp prawns was very big, juicy, crispy and cooked just right. On my Queens set, I had the fried chicken with pork lion. The spices on the pork lion and chicken was very flavorful and crispy. The only thing is service was slow. But overall, atmosphere was just like going back to Tokyo. I would go back there again.

This is my go-to restaurant for katsu in the city. Any katsu set you get will not go wrong. The…read morecrispiness of the katsu is just right, and you will not regret it, besides not picking another one. When it gets busy, there is usually a line waiting at the door, sometimes extending outside. If you have a reservation, you will not be seated until the whole party is there. One small note: if you are seated in the back, the cell service is really bad, but who needs their phone when you have good company and good food.