Raku - Las Vegas

Everything was incredibly tasty! Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

This was my first time dining at this restaurant. I believe they should provide a warning that groups of 6 or more will be required to order the chef's tasting menu exclusively. It would be helpful to alert those with large groups who may not want the tasting menu. The food was decent, although I would have preferred the option to choose from the regular menu. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant, but I was disappointed that I was not able to try other menu items.

Service: Dine-in Meal Type: Dinner Price per Person: $30-50 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

I had several Omakase restaurants in mind, but they were all fully booked a month in advance. Raku, however, does not have a set time block for Omakase; you can enjoy it at any time during your meal. Reservations are highly recommended due to the small size of the restaurant. We opted for the premium course ($120) over the deluxe course ($150). Raku specializes in Robat'a style grilling over hot coals, and we particularly enjoyed the half-grilled meats, vegetables, and seafood. The house-made tofu had a texture similar to fresh ricotta, and we were advised to try it with both their special soy sauce and Japanese green sea salt. Our meal included dishes such as bluefin tuna with caviar, amberjack, striped bass, pork skewers, A5 wagyu skewers, asparagus wrapped in Japanese rice cracker with prawn and Kobe beef, fried fish, enoki mushroom skewers, and foie gras. The weakest dish was the foie gras, but the green tea creme brulee with green tea ice cream was a standout dessert. Overall, we enjoyed the variety of dishes, but felt that the experience was slightly diminished by seeing mass-produced dishes being prepared in the kitchen. If we were to return, we would likely just order dishes a la carte. We would rate our experience at Raku a 3.5, rounding down to 3 stars.

Everything was fantastic, the portions are quite small so be sure to order more than you think you'll need. Don't forget to try the foie gras bowl, the butter scallops, and the Kobe beef with wasabi!