Izakaya Raku — Restaurant in Grover Beach

I enjoyed this tiny casual restaurant for its reasonably-priced food and innovative touches to standard Japanese food seldom found elsewhere. Unlike too many Japanese restaurants, I like the way they season their food without being heavy-handed with the sugar. Their staff is knowledgeable, helpful, young and funky with a good sense of humor like their menu and digs. They had a big laugh when we told them that we prefer them over Kanpai Restaurant in Shell Beach. My favs included Agedashi Mochi, a wonderfully chewy inside with crunchy toasty outside served in a light savory dashi broth garnished with grated daikon on top. We also like their Octopus Balls (poor male octopi! 😉) aka takoyaki. Although they were flat-topped and not perfectly round and crisp as I prefer, I consider us lucky to discover them there. I enjoyed the sushi roll that had no rice. My husband like the grilled squid. My sons enjoyed the generous-sized serving of the mild-spicy, Raku Ramen. My brother's bento box was the largest I have ever seen! So if you're in Pismo Beach, take a short side trip to Izakaya Raku in nearby Grover Beach. Sorry the six of us were so enjoying the food that we forgot to take photos! Next time we're in the area,...

Frustrated by Izakaya Raku's No-Kids Policy

Recently, our family was looking forward to trying the much-talked-about Izakaya Raku, known for its authentic Japanese cuisine. Unfortunately, our excitement quickly turned to disappointment when we learned of their strict no-children policy upon calling to confirm our reservation.

This policy was not clearly communicated on their website, which led to significant confusion and frustration on our part. As parents, we appreciate restaurants that offer a family-friendly atmosphere, and the lack of clear communication from Izakaya Raku meant we had to abruptly change our plans and look for another dining option that welcomed all members of our family.

While I understand that some establishments may choose to cater to an adults-only clientele to create a specific ambiance, Izakaya Raku's approach felt exclusionary and out of touch with the family-friendly community surrounding it. This experience left us feeling unwelcome and unlikely to recommend the restaurant to others with children.

It's disappointing when businesses do not consider the needs of the broader community, and in this case, it prevented us from enjoying what might have been a delightful...

Second time eating here. First time was good food with mediocre service; however, last night's experience was horrific. Even though we were seated prior to four other parties, the wait staff took the other tables' orders prior to ours. In our party we had 5 adults and two children which unknowingly warranted a mandatory 18% gratuity. The main problem was that it took a full 60 minutes between the first person served until the last person at our table was served; this is not worthy of 18% gratuity. One person at our table did not receive her roll until everyone else had finished. Wait staff forgot the miso soup and rice. Miso soup came after two reminders at end of dinner (60 minutes later) and rice never came, yet we were charged for rice. If you are wanting good sushi with good service, there is so much more to choose from within a 10...