Raku
Authentic Japanese restaurant · The Asian District ·
Japanese robata grill with extensive sake list and tasting menus
![Raku by Raku [Official Site]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66703684/Salmon_Ikura_Don_at_Raku.0.jpeg "Raku by Raku [Official Site]")
![Raku by Raku [Official Site]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66711617/Ginger_Pork_Bento.0.jpeg "Raku by Raku [Official Site]")
Japanese robata grill with extensive sake list and tasting menus
"In a tiny, minimalist room in a Spring Mountain Road strip mall, this chef‑magnet izakaya delivers sashimi at the pinnacle of quality—treated like treasure by Mitsuo Endo—and a robata menu of skewers grilled over binchotan. Call ahead (especially for omakase), pull up next to off‑duty Strip chefs, and join the die‑hards who had Raku on their dining bucket list." - Andrea Bennett
"Raku is one of the top Japanese restaurants in Vegas, with a menu of oden recipes and robata cooking. They import binchotan charcoal and condiments directly from Japan, and you can often find other chefs and hospitality workers eating here late (they’re open until 1am every night). Call at least three days ahead to reserve a premium or deluxe omakase, which is the best way to have a meal here. Both tasting menus start with homemade tofu before the mixed appetizers, sashimi, grilled meats, a daily fresh fish, and dessert. Pair it all with something off their long sake menu." - emmy kasten, andrew ryce
"Every chef in town stops by Mitsuo Endo’s tiny restaurant in Chinatown for small-portioned Japanese robata dishes cooked over a charcoal grill. Diners can order a variety of items since most start at $3, or try the omakase with a flight of food chosen by the chef for $75 to $100. Inside the moody restaurant with sleek metallic details, order the agedashi tofu with salmon roe and a vinegary dipping sauce. The green tea soba noodles with poached egg and bonito flakes are texturally satisfying and the hot skewered yellowtail is seasoned in all the right ways." - Janna Karel
"It’s worth it to venture off the strip for dinner at Raku, where you can sample through the menu of izakaya-style dishes, including lots of grilled meats, noodles, and sushi dishes. If you’ve got a big appetite, opt for the chef’s tasting menu, which will give you the opportunity to sample all the hits." - Janna Karel
"Raku, the off-Strip Japanese charcoal grill already beloved by food lovers and local chefs, offers a dizzying selection of unusual small dishes. Connoisseurs and newcomers will be equally delighted by the variety of dishes created for the $150 seasonal Kaiseki tasting menu. The 15-course evening can take as many as four hours to complete. Dishes like intensely creamy homemade tofu, Iberian pork skewers, and wagyu are all favorites here; a less intensive 10-course option is available for $120." - Janna Karel