Udon specialist offering noodle soups & other Japanese bites in a stylish, streamlined interior.
At a glance
#146 of 756 Restaurants in New YorkLocalGuideWorld score: 4.50
Rating breakdown
-
5 ★73%
-
4 ★17%
-
3 ★4%
-
2 ★2%
-
1 ★4%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Raku?
- Raku is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 1,017 reviews.
- How does Raku rank in New York?
- Raku is #146 of 756 Restaurants in New York by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
- Where is Raku located?
- 342 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003, United States — 2.4 km from the center of New York.
- How can I contact Raku?
- Phone: +1 212-228-1324 · Website: rakunyc.com
It's super tight inside. I can only speak for my meal (takeout). The hot sake is good. I ordered nameko and Wakame, vegan. I was told the food would take 20 min, got it in about 10min. It wasn't good. The noodles had no flavor. The broth was under seasoned. I wanted to go back but after eating the food, that's a negative for me. As a vegan, it was horrible and overpriced (with small portion). Sucks because I'm a soup connoisseur esp for ramen and upon, defly the worse.
Delicious udon and tempura. The restaurant has bought inside and outside tables. The outside area had fans but on the day that we went it was still very muggy. Services are good but if you sit outside then it can take a little while to get the staff's attention. The food portion is good. I would recommend ordering the hot udon and some tempura.
Really good udon here. The broth is well-seasoned and doesn't feel heavy at all, very thanh. The beef one has some sesame oil, and the chili oil is not spicy at all. I didnt really like the nishin one, the herring is a little lame.
Best udon in nyc! Their chicken karage was also very good. Would recommend their hot udon over their cold udon but the cold udon was also solid. The fried bean curd udon was really good as the broth was the store and there was no protein in the dish to overshadow it. Compliments the noodles very well.
After a long night of drinks, we made a stop here and we were not disappointed. The duck udon warmed my soul and it was seasoned perfectly, not too salty but plenty of umami. The tempura is fried nicely and the karage was a perfect crispness. We also got a katsudon to share which was the worst of the items but it was still decent. Service is very friendly, highly recommended!
I’ve been going to Raku for around five years now. They serve the best udon in the city, with some of the best tempura to boot. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve maintained the same quality over the years. It’s gotten to the point that, when it comes to udon cravings, it’s Raku or nothing.
For first timers, I highly recommend the ebiten udon to get a taste of the restaurant’s style. Eat the noodles one at a time. I jokingly describe it as savory boba.
The udon has a supple, bouncy texture that can only come from being freshly made in-house. Most Japanese restaurants that serve udon—but not exclusively udon—use the frozen stuff in supermarkets. Raku is one of the few that make their own udon.
It’s not only the texture of the noodles: everything else is flawless. The broth is a perfect balance of fishy, salty, and sweet. Other restaurants Americanize the broth by making it too sweet; Raku’s broth is the way it should be. The tempura is light and crisp without being oily. Any excess oil is absorbed by the paper it sits on. And, they provide umeboshi as a palate cleanser in between bites in case we are starting to get tired of the bowl of noodles.
Raku offers vegetarian options, but the broth feels so unsatisfying in comparison that I’d recommend a cold dipping udon.
For first timers, I highly recommend the ebiten udon to get a taste of the restaurant’s style. Eat the noodles one at a time. I jokingly describe it as savory boba.
The udon has a supple, bouncy texture that can only come from being freshly made in-house. Most Japanese restaurants that serve udon—but not exclusively udon—use the frozen stuff in supermarkets. Raku is one of the few that make their own udon.
It’s not only the texture of the noodles: everything else is flawless. The broth is a perfect balance of fishy, salty, and sweet. Other restaurants Americanize the broth by making it too sweet; Raku’s broth is the way it should be. The tempura is light and crisp without being oily. Any excess oil is absorbed by the paper it sits on. And, they provide umeboshi as a palate cleanser in between bites in case we are starting to get tired of the bowl of noodles.
Raku offers vegetarian options, but the broth feels so unsatisfying in comparison that I’d recommend a cold dipping udon.
Service is excellent, Atmosphere is excellent. Went with a large group so we all sampled the different broths and honestly they are just ok. Had the Niku,Nameko,Mapo Tofu,TanTan,Gyunan. The amount of meat you get is little and also the amount of veggies is sparse. For the price you can go somewhere else and get much more add ins for less price. Udon noodles are excellent. Appetizers we ok, nothing to write about. Wouldn’t personally recommend.
The best udon ever. So bouncy… so tasty…. Tried to come back here on our last day in NYC and it wasn’t open. I didn’t stop sobbing till I got back to Sydney
Explore More
Nearby Places
View Place
East Village Playhouse
View Place
MILON
View Place
Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant
View Place
Sigiri
View Place
Duals Natural
View Place
ATM Cash Express
View Place
The Headless Widow
View Place
The Chippery NYC
View Place
Miso Sushi
View Place
SenYa
You may also like
Similar Places
View Place
Jeju Island (Jeju Do)
View Place
Sapporo Rivergate
View Place
Sankyu Sushi Japanese Restaurant
View Place
Uminoya Sushi & Hibachi Restaurant
View Place
Osaka Sushi & Grill Bar
View Place
Chiba Japanese Restaurant
View Place
Chiba
View Place
The Best Sichuan
View Place
Arigato Sayonara
View Place