Raku - It's Japanese II

small restaurant on the uws with great tasting items! servers are very quick with taking orders and always made sure to refill our cups. my roomies and I came during early dinner time and there were already quite a few people there. dim lighting but easy going atmosphere. calamari was tasty with the spicy mayo, but felt like the portion was pretty small. had a great chewy texture and salted well. I got the nemo roll and it was surprisingly sweet, so I paired it with soy sauce. texture wise it was a lot creamier than I expected... I thought the salmon would be crispy like the menu stated, but overall still good!

Rating: 3.5 stars My friend and I came here for a quick, early dinner around 5:30 PM on a Monday night. We made reservations beforehand to make sure we were able to sit in their booths. Service itself was good and quick. We were able to order, get our food and finish eating in a timely manner. We ordered the gyoza, age tofu and a specialty roll. Though it was fairly no frills. Everything came out quickly and was tasty and hit the spot. All in all, a nice option for a quick dinner.

Stopped in here for lunch. Nice selection of Japanese food from Udon to Sushi. Small cozy restaurant on the Upper West Side just off of Columbus at 76.Nice lunch special that comes with a soup or salad. Sushi was super fresh and each roll was a nice size. Ginger dressing was the best I've ever had. Service was excellent and everyone was friendly. Definitely a solid find.

We walked in as a party of 4 without a reservation on a Sunday afternoon around 2:30pm. We were seated immediately. I ordered the bento box. It comes with rice, choice of miso soup or salad, then a choice of entree and sushi roll. It comes with ice cream for dessert. I highly recommend the bento box for good value and large meal if you are hungry. The miso soup was hot and the spicy tuna roll was tasty. I chose tempura for my bento box and it was a large serving with an assortment of shrimp, zucchini, broccoli, sweet potato and more. The waiters are friendly and the restaurant is on the quieter side so it is perfect to catch up with friends with some sushi.

Fantastic sushi fresh, imaginative, and beautifully presented. Very nice, welcoming and professional staff. lots of pick up and delivery at the sushi bar detracts from the nice tranquil setting a bit.

BOMB! SO BOMB! I've been looking for a sushi spot in the uws that is both affordable and delicious! I find that a lot of sushi places in NYC don't have unique rolls, it's usually the basic/"plain" rolls without the crazy sauces, etc. (not sure if that makes sense), but I want my sushi to be decked out and Raku did just that!! We started with the brussel sprouts and the yellowtail jalapeño with yuzu. Such great starters, delicious, light, and cooked to perfection! For our rolls we ordered the millionaire, billy joel, hobbit, and the crazy dragon! We I tell you we ate it up! It was so good we still can't stop talking about it. It was so filling, but didn't make us feel disgusting after! We will definitely be back! With everything it was about (~100). Worth every penny!!Great service as well! Cute and intimate. Perfect for a date night.

The restaurant is relatively small and somewhat popular, so there may be a short wait for a table and slightly rushed service to accommodate other guests. Looking past that, the food was wonderful.The bento box is a great deal, providing an appetizer, soup/salad, entree, sushi roll, rice, fruit, and dessert at an amazing price ($24 in this case). I ordered the tempura bento box. The tempura had a nice crisp and included two shrimp, sweet potato, eggplant, broccoli, and mushroom -- an unexpectedly amazing quantity and variety. My only complaint there is that the bottom-most piece became soggy, so perhaps a second paper underneath would have helped. The spicy salmon roll I selected was great, with a good flavor, texture, and size. The miso soup was served at a nice warm temperature, the wasabi shumai was good (though a bit too much wasabi for my tastes -- they will warn you of its spice when you order it), and a slice of orange was included as well. The ice cream scoop was a good size and there are a few flavors to choose from.As an added bonus, the restaurant is situated conveniently right by the American Museum of Natural History and Central Park, making it a great place to stop by after a fun day exploring. Overall, great food in a great location at great prices!

I have to admit, my previous review wasn't so great of this place, but now that I have gone in several times, I've made it my official neighborhood go to sushi restaurant because the sushi is fresh and the service is superb! They also have unique sushi rolls I love, like the "millionaire roll". It's normally booked out, but that is a good sign for Me. I love the ambiance because they put lucky cats on the ledge of the booths.

Perfect traditional sushi spot for dine in or take out. Friendly and attentive staff provide excellent service. Extensive menu with great deals on bento boxes. The fish is very high quality. The atmosphere is comfortable and unpretentious. My wife and I dine here regularly after finding it about a year ago and are delighted that it is also kid friendly.The millionaire and sabito rolls are my absolute favorites...I also highly recommend trying the special rolls that are written on the boards throughout the restaurant (see pics).

So happy to have a local restaurant serve nighttime bento boxes. Excellent quality in neighborhood gem category. Bustling ambiance with responsive service.