Raku it's Japanese — Restaurant in New York

Raku means “happy” in Japanese, and let me tell you something, happy doesn’t even begin to cover the emotional rollercoaster my tastebuds went on. By the time we left, I was basically one “Domo arigato” away from moving to Tokyo and becoming a sushi monk.

We ordered four rolls — Crazy Dragon, Sakura, Rainbow, and California — and each one was like a different chapter of the greatest novel never written. The Crazy Dragon? An absolute fever dream of flavors. The Sakura? Elegant and delicate, like it took a ballet class before landing on my plate. The Rainbow? So colorful it made me question if Lisa Frank is now moonlighting as a sushi chef. The California? A timeless classic, like the “Bohemian Rhapsody” of rolls. No skips. No regrets.

We also crushed some edamame, miso soup, and a beer — because, you know, balance — and every bite and sip made me want to write a thank you letter to the chef in beautiful calligraphy that I absolutely cannot do.

And the waitstaff? Honestly, if kindness were an Olympic sport, these folks would’ve swept the podium. They treated us with a level of warmth and respect that made me feel like a visiting dignitary instead of the overenthusiastic sushi goblin that I truly am.

Eating here didn’t just fill my stomach — it filled my soul. It reminded me that food can be art, that service can be reverent, and that happiness sometimes comes wrapped in rice and seaweed, staring at you with spicy mayo eyes.

In conclusion: if you don’t go to Raku, I genuinely have questions about your...

We went to dinner hungry for ramen after a day in the Christmas city and found a gem! How lucky that we turn on 76 street, as we have now discovered what will surely be our favorite Japanese restaurant. There are fancier places, I’m sure, but the prices here are gentle and the atmosphere is cozy. It reminded me of all the lovely UWS restaurants that closed in favor of more flashy and expensive joints. And the ramen- it’s just fabulous; I had the Shoyu, and the broth was so rich and complex, the pork used was just awesome, melt in your mouth good and a lot of it, the sushi bar has so much to explore and the bento boxes, which you can basically construct to your taste, can get you a complete meal for $25. I can’t wait to return. Did I mention that the waiters are kind and patient, and the other customers are cheerful and pleasant, and the wooden decor is charming and comfortable? Just a great restaurant,...

The food here isn't worth the price. Ive eaten at a lot of Japanese restaurants NY and this place is just another one of those places that "looks"/"say" its Japanese but doesn't taste like it. A huge red flag is that the sushi isn't fresh and all of the dishes that my group had were extremely mediocre. And the desserts we ordered were disappointing - we ordered chocolate souffle but what we got was a hard cake with ice cream on top (same situation for the brownie we ordered as well). The souffle clearly has been refrigerated for a long time and they didn't bother to even warm it up before serving it. The service from the workers there was not pleasant either. It like they didn't know any of the dishes on their menu and their attitude was rude and unappealing. Not a pleasant experience and definitely will not come back to this place. Save your money and go...