Raku

Even though the price of a bowl of udon is a bit expensive, it is worth it. The udon was soft, smooth, and chewy. The toppings on the Kani Ankake complimented the thick soup and I would recommend it to those who enjoy Chinese Egg Drop Soup. Gyunan Udon ($21) Kani Ankake ($29) Shrimp Tempura ($7) Matcha Panna Cotta ($11) The interior was small and cozy, service was amazing as well. Frozen grapes are offered for free as a small dessert.

A great downtown Toronto spot for a simple but delicious meal. Be warned there will almost always be a wait here - and a long one at that. We waited an hour and a half on a Friday night for a table of 6 - not sure if that decreases based on party size. Once we were seated, everything went smoothly. The service was great and the ambiance was bright and great for a chat with friends. Everything on the menu looks amazing so I'd recommend taking a look before hand and narrowing it down - even during my hour and a half wait I didn't fully decide on what I wanted. We ended up ordering a few appetizers to share, of which the Monkfish Liver / ankimo ($9) was a star item - this is so much cheaper than other places as well! For my main, I ordered the chikara udon ($21). It was good, but not as good as the crab udon I ordered last time. I wasn't the biggest fan of the mochi, as the texture threw me off. The soup was delicious and the noodles were the perfect texture so I still enjoyed. Overall, great dining experience. Definitely will be back to try some of the cold udons!

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, blending traditional Japanese decor with modern touches. Every dish is beautifully presented, showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients. The place is quite busy during peak hours, so be prepared to wait. My estimated waiting time was 45 minutes, but our table was ready in about 30 mins.

Great little spot for some udon. As someone who doesn't usually like udon, this is the only place I'll have it. Soup is the best part. A good selection of different soup and dry noodle options. Also have a cocktail menu for those interested. Staff are super friendly and the interior is super cute. Do note that this place is constantly busy so I highly recommend trying to grab a reservation (both times I came here there was a 45 min wait list).

Never thought I could have such tasty Udon in Toronto. I was surprised!!! The texture of the udon was perfectly chewy and soft. The soup was so flavorful that I wanted to drink it all. Although the Fried Chicken was a bit over fried and the batter of the Tempura was too thick. But I will definitely come back for the Udon:)

We turned up at half five for an early dinner, and it was already getting busy. We were 2v adults and a child, and they originally asked if we could squeeze into a two-seater. But they were really nice and moved ius as soon as the slightly roomier table became available. The handmade udon had the perfect bouncy, chewy texture. I got the PEI clams one send the food was so fresh and the broth was perfectly balanced. Quite frankly the best udon noodles I've had. We also got fried chicken, which had the right amount of crunch. It was served with a with a addictive spicy mayo.

Ordered the Kani Ankake Udon, which had a nice thick soup. We also tried the monkfish liver and beef tataki appetizers – both were good, though not particularly memorable. Overall it’s a pleasant experience.

Delicious udon, great variety of different types of udon (ie. some flavourful, some simpler, cold ones, etc). Udon noodles were chewy, broth was flavorful while soothing. Great spot for comfort food. Food is fairly priced for what it is. I’d recommend coming at opening as a line up builds up fast. Nice decor but seating is slightly cramped. Update: came back to try more of their menu items, additional pics added.

Even though the price of a bowl of udon is a bit expensive, it is worth it. The udon was soft, smooth, and chewy. The toppings on the Kani Ankake complimented the thick soup and I would recommend it to those who enjoy Chinese Egg Drop Soup. Gyunan Udon ($21) Kani Ankake ($29) Shrimp Tempura ($7) Matcha Panna Cotta ($11) The interior was small and cozy, service was amazing as well. Frozen grapes are offered for free as a small dessert.

A great downtown Toronto spot for a simple but delicious meal. Be warned there will almost always be a wait here - and a long one at that. We waited an hour and a half on a Friday night for a table of 6 - not sure if that decreases based on party size. Once we were seated, everything went smoothly. The service was great and the ambiance was bright and great for a chat with friends. Everything on the menu looks amazing so I'd recommend taking a look before hand and narrowing it down - even during my hour and a half wait I didn't fully decide on what I wanted. We ended up ordering a few appetizers to share, of which the Monkfish Liver / ankimo ($9) was a star item - this is so much cheaper than other places as well! For my main, I ordered the chikara udon ($21). It was good, but not as good as the crab udon I ordered last time. I wasn't the biggest fan of the mochi, as the texture threw me off. The soup was delicious and the noodles were the perfect texture so I still enjoyed. Overall, great dining experience. Definitely will be back to try some of the cold udons!

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, blending traditional Japanese decor with modern touches. Every dish is beautifully presented, showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients. The place is quite busy during peak hours, so be prepared to wait. My estimated waiting time was 45 minutes, but our table was ready in about 30 mins.

Great little spot for some udon. As someone who doesn't usually like udon, this is the only place I'll have it. Soup is the best part. A good selection of different soup and dry noodle options. Also have a cocktail menu for those interested. Staff are super friendly and the interior is super cute. Do note that this place is constantly busy so I highly recommend trying to grab a reservation (both times I came here there was a 45 min wait list).

Never thought I could have such tasty Udon in Toronto. I was surprised!!! The texture of the udon was perfectly chewy and soft. The soup was so flavorful that I wanted to drink it all. Although the Fried Chicken was a bit over fried and the batter of the Tempura was too thick. But I will definitely come back for the Udon:)

We turned up at half five for an early dinner, and it was already getting busy. We were 2v adults and a child, and they originally asked if we could squeeze into a two-seater. But they were really nice and moved ius as soon as the slightly roomier table became available. The handmade udon had the perfect bouncy, chewy texture. I got the PEI clams one send the food was so fresh and the broth was perfectly balanced. Quite frankly the best udon noodles I've had. We also got fried chicken, which had the right amount of crunch. It was served with a with a addictive spicy mayo.

Ordered the Kani Ankake Udon, which had a nice thick soup. We also tried the monkfish liver and beef tataki appetizers – both were good, though not particularly memorable. Overall it’s a pleasant experience.

Delicious udon, great variety of different types of udon (ie. some flavourful, some simpler, cold ones, etc). Udon noodles were chewy, broth was flavorful while soothing. Great spot for comfort food. Food is fairly priced for what it is. I’d recommend coming at opening as a line up builds up fast. Nice decor but seating is slightly cramped. Update: came back to try more of their menu items, additional pics added.

The food was very good. The noodles were slightly chewy which I personally liked. They also had a very unique shape at the ends of them which entertained me. (After all fun looking food is fun food). The fried chicken was delicious. The soup was light and refreshing which countered the oily chicken very nicely. The chicken and pork truffle wontons were huge! They used two wonton skins to make one wonton (reminds me of how I used to make wontons as a kid when I didnt know how to fold it properly - its good tho because more meat )! The gyozas actually had a unique ingredient in it - it was something crunchy (I guessed it was pickled cabbage but Im not sure at all!). Both my friend and I were unsure if we liked it. It wasnt bad but it didnt have the familiar taste of pork gyozas that we were hoping to get. The size of the bowls were huge! So when the food came the noodles only filled 30% of the bowl and it seemed like the portion size was tiny. However as I was finishing up I was very satisfied in terms of fullness. In terms of the restaurant itself it was thin and long so it felt squished - very downtown, no space vibe! There was a wait time (apparently when you call in for a reservation they dont pick up their phones - at least for us!). The wait time was only 20 minutes for us but from what I heard when we were sitting down to eat the host was telling people a 45 minute wait time! Fortunately there are many things to do (shops to see) around so the time passes rather quickly - it just sucks if you are hungry. We actually walked past the restaurant the first time because they have no windows so you had to just look for the sign and door (or in this case the giant white flappy cloth covering the doorway. Service inside the restaurant was quite speedy. The price came out to around $70 after tax and tip so it is quite pricey compared to some other ramen places I saw around. But as you can see with the table set up (the fact that they give you a wet towelette) and the good quality cutlery and bowls - its not surprising that it is on the pricier side.

Raku was highly recommended to us by friends who have gone in the past. Since we were in the area, we figured we'd check it out. We were warned ahead of time that there are no reservations and wait times can be upwards of two hours. We went on a Friday night around 5:30pm and the wait was about an hour and a half. In the meantime, the Waterworks food hall is nearby and has a few spots to sit at so we had some appetizers there. The restaurant itself was quite small and a little on the louder side, we were seated next to the kitchen so it was quite warm. As appetizers, we got the agedashi tofu and yaki nasu (deep fried eggplant, spicy miso pork, quail egg), and chicken tatsuta-age (marinated deep fried chicken). All items were so bomb, the chicken especially had chicken skin on it that was also deep fried that tasted so good and crispy. I kept going back for the yaki nasu, even though Im not that much of a pork fan! I had the gyunan udon (prime beef, tokyo negi) and it was so good and unexpectedly large- the bowl was deeper than it looked. I'd say it was worth the hype!

Came right when they opened on a weekend and just missed the first seating. But they take your number and give you a text once a table's ready. We tried a few of their udons: - zaru udon with the vegetable tempura: udon was nice a bouncy, dipping sauce was simple with the wasabi and a raw quail egg to mix in. The vegetable tempura was quite oily though. - gyunan (Canadian prime beef) hot udon - in general not the biggest fan of hot udon as the noodles typically come a bit overcooked. Flavour of the broth was nice though. Got the shiso leaf tempura which was well fried, not oily. - Kamonan (duck breast) hot udon - was okay, couldn't taste the duck flavour much in the broth. I think I'd try their donburis if I'm ever back again!

Raku is in toronto???? But also so yummy i love! I always have udon cravings and this always hits. Came after 2 for a group of 4 and had no wait during the weekdays! Usually you can expect ~15-30min wait. Space is fairly large and service is super quick. Food recs: - Jaja for summer refreshing cold noodle! - Ebiten is always a go to - nabeyaki also always solid classic

We went at the perfect time. No reservations and we got the last table. It's a very small place. But the udon was amazing. Soooooo good. So fresh. So soft. So filing. And the chicken tatsuta was good also. I could've eaten 6 more by myself.

I'd been wanting to pay Raku a visit for a number of years, and I finally made it! We walked in with no reservation and only waited about 15 minutes before we had a table ready for us. There isn't much room for waiting inside, so I would make a reservation or come prepared to walk around the nearby area for a little bit if it's cold outside. Raku did not disappoint at all; they had a few items off the menu which I always find to be intriguing. One of them was the truffle wonton udon which was phenomenal; the broth was so tasty and the udon had a deliciously bouncy texture. The wonton were welcome additions to the overall experience. The yasai kakiage udon was a great vegetarian option (substitute fish broth with vegetable broth), but the broth was a little salty. It went well with the tempura vegetables but it isn't something I would finish off the bowl for at the end of the meal. Regardless, I appreciate that this place has a good selection of vegetarian options available, and I'm sure some of the other dishes are good as well. The matcha panna cotta was a tasty treat that I would recommend trying once if you like matcha, but I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again. I would definitely return to try their chawanmushi and other udon dishes!

A great downtown Toronto spot for a simple but delicious meal. Be warned there will almost always be a wait here - and a long one at that. We waited an hour and a half on a Friday night for a table of 6 - not sure if that decreases based on party size. Once we were seated, everything went smoothly. The service was great and the ambiance was bright and great for a chat with friends. Everything on the menu looks amazing so I'd recommend taking a look before hand and narrowing it down - even during my hour and a half wait I didn't fully decide on what I wanted. We ended up ordering a few appetizers to share, of which the Monkfish Liver / ankimo ($9) was a star item - this is so much cheaper than other places as well! For my main, I ordered the chikara udon ($21). It was good, but not as good as the crab udon I ordered last time. I wasn't the biggest fan of the mochi, as the texture threw me off. The soup was delicious and the noodles were the perfect texture so I still enjoyed. Overall, great dining experience. Definitely will be back to try some of the cold udons!

I've been to the Toronto Raku location three times in the last year. I love their udon noodles, but the dessert was slightly disappointing. I've gotten a few different types of udon, but keep going back to the tantan. This time around there was barely any ground pork in my bowl, but the flavor was still good. We also got the soy milk based matcha panna cotta. I'm not entirely sure if it was because of the soy milk, but the panna cotta was runny and not fully set. Might not get their desserts again but I'd keep going back for the udon. The place is first come first serve so be sure to allot waiting time for a table. The service is always good. The staff are friendly and sweet.

So aesthetically pleasing - the inside gave me a calm and peaceful retreat from Queen Street's busy atmosphere. I've seen Raku on Tiktok and wanted to give it a try. On a hot summer's day we came in to have a quick bite and were not disappointed. I tried the cold udon and my boyfriend had a donburi bowl. Portion size was massive, kind of pricey but pretty typical for downtown fares. I'd highly recommend the udon bowl I got, dipping sauce was flavourful and pork was so tender.

We finally decided to try this place after passing it so many times. We waited around 30 minutes before we could get a table. It was pretty small inside and feels a bit crowded. The udon itself has a very different texture and shape. Nothing like the frozen udons we have tried before. The cold udon was really good! The broth that came with it was so different and the flavours just make you want to take more bites. The hot udon was really good and flavourful too. But it was cooked way too hot to the point where we had to wait for a bit to cool it down. Once it cools down, it was really flavourful too! The only disappointment from our visit was the temperas were not crispy and we found it quite soggy.

Wow. This place deserves it's accolades. It has a fantastic udon. Service is fantastic. Atmosphere mimics the narrow noodle shops of Japan. It transports you out of Toronto. Although this does mean that it is a VERY small space. You are likely sitting elbow-to-elbow with a stranger and there isn't room for large coats and bags. Have long wanted to visit but they are always so busy! Finally was able to grab bar seats on a weekend recently and was thrilled to try the following: 1. Aomori Kanjuku apple juice - delicious and refreshing! 2. Agedashi tofu - Generous serving. Recommend to eat quickly or it does get very salty sitting in the sauce. 3. Zaru cold udon with vegetable tempura - the udon is EXCELLENT. Dipping broth and toppings are great as well. The batter for the tempura was a little oily. Was surprised to find such a big menu here. Can't wait to return and try more!

Raku is always a quick and easy stop for udon, perfect for fall evenings! It can get busy, but I went on a Thursday evening closer to closing and it wasn't too bad. I got the Niku, which was beef short-ribs, honeycomb tripe, tendon, and it was delicious! The broth was flavorful, the meat and tendons were perfect to bite, not chewy, and there's definitely enough udon to fill you up. I went after a workout and was stuffed afterwards ! It's great for tables of two or if you're in the era of eating alone it's also the perfect spot!

This was my second time going to Raku! Normally I am not a huge udon fan but raku does not disappoint. I got the nabe udon which came out in a huge pot! Definitely has the nabe flavors and was served piping hot. I like the setting it is a quant little place.

Party of two, came around 5PM on a Tuesday and we had to wait around 10 minutes for a table. Place was a little small. Server was super nice! The sabazushi was well-seasoned and the rice wasn't dry at all. The pork broth was also pretty good, I got the spicy for an extra dollar but I wish it was spicier. It didn't make much of a difference.

Great broth and noodles. Service was good. Wait times are long so come early. Had the beef tripe and the crab egg drop. Both are exceptional. Sushi is decent but the noodle soups are the reason to come.

It's been awhile since I've been to Raku but it's slowly being inserted into my list of restaurants to take out-of-towners and my personal rotation of affordable date night meals. Raku has always been excellent through a variety of perfected menu items - there's simply no bad picks! Our recent visit consisted of agedashi tofu, dipped cold udon, curry beef udon and chicken+machine udon. The agedashi tofu was simple and soft tofu in a warm broth and some small amounts of bacon, perfect first bites to the meal. The udon in all of our bowls were a consistent chewy but not tough texture, able to carry copious amounts of our respective broths with every slurp. The broths were fantastic in flavour and delivered exactly what we wanted. We were stuffed and had to skip dessert, but I'd definitely be back for it next time.

A cute little udon shop (with very well-deserved hype) on Queen St W tucked behind a lowkey, minimalist entrance. I heard so much about this place on social media and had to check it out. We ordered a couple things to try: - Chicken tatsuta-age: Huge pieces of chicken! I thought it would be more like karaage but it was closer to traditional deep fried chicken. But a delight to eat as it was juicy, tender, and wonderfully flavoured. Came with a spicy mayo sauce which was yummy too! 8/10 - Kani ankake: The star of the show was this one and I would recommend everyone who visits Raku to try it. The soup was very hot and very thick. There were pieces of crab, egg, and seaweed. The udon was really soft and chewy. I found myself drinking the soup so much despite still being full, but it was so addicting. 9/10 - Gyunan: This was good but I felt it left a lot to be desired. The soup was delicious but I wished there would've been more beef. I feel like this was a standard udon dish that you could probably get anywhere that serves Japanese food. 7/10 The service was good and it was very clean inside. I had a lovely experience here!

I finally got to try this ramen shop that i've been hearing about for so long. My friends and I decided to stop at Ralph for a quick bite to eat as a last minute plan. and we were not disappointed. Although the restaurant does look a little bit cramped, we were able to get a nice booth where we had a decent amount of privacy. After looking at the menu (via QR code) we decided to order- I ended up getting the buta shabu noodles. As soon as we got our food, I could tell that this was an authentic japanese restaurant. the pork was cooked perfectly to have a smokey aftertaste, as the sesame sauce was very light and fresh and paired very nicely with the fresh noodle that i was served. Not only that, but it wasn't necessarily expensive either, so this is definitely somewhere I'll be coming back to when I'm up for some authentic noodles. Raul also gets extra points for their thoughtfulness and hospitality when it comes to their bathroom- their bathroom is gender neutral, and there is a baby changing station, complete with baby wipes and a sanitary pad to change out for any new parents!!

We were so happy to find Raku in Toronto after eating at the Raku in NYC few months ago. The udon is one of the best, shipped directly from Japan. Broth is perfectly flavored. Once again our kids ate so much so that's a big win. We were so hungry we ordered quite a bit and the server was so honest and let us know the food should be enough so we didn't over order. Great service and authentic Japanese food .

This is food for your soul and heavenly on a chilly day. I love soupy dishes and thought the nabeyaki had so many different elements and textures that gave the dish such fun eating experience. I'm very interested to try their other dishes and will be coming back on another chilly day.

It's located on one of the busiest streets in Toronto. The exterior of the restaurant is minimalist and embodies a Japanese aesthetic. I had zura (cold udon with dipping sauce) + shrimp tempura. Udon is the best I've had in town. Chewy and delicious. My cold udon was thinner compared to my bf's hot udon. Shrimp tempura was tender but batter was slightly too thick for me. Overall it was a great experience and I'd definitely come back for kitsune (hot udon with fried bean curd).

With the number of Japanese noodle restaurants in Toronto, Raku really sets themselves above the rest with fantastic flavours, casual dinning, and superb service. Got a couple of udon dishes and appetizers. Everything from start to finish was delicious. The beef tataki paired with the grated ginger, carrots, sauce, and green onions was fresh and savoury. The braised burdock was also delicious. It really brings to kind simple and clean eating. The udon mains both had such rich and well developed stocks. I can honestly say it left me craving more. We wanted to order more but just felt so fulfilled it wasn't possible. The hand made noodles also had a wonderful mouth feel. Their matsuri melon soda sake cocktail was also a great drink. Those who like melon soda will understand that how well this drink works. Overall, the prices are very reasonable for such luxurious and upscale flavours. From start to finish the experience was great. Hope to come back many times in the future to try the rest of the menu.

Hands down my most favourite restaurant in the city. Good vibes, simplistic beautiful decor, and the best udon in the city. I always forget to post my review because I'm always too busy stuffing my face. Oyako don Super delicious since I love chicken egg and rice 5/5 Egg drop udon I'll be honest I forgot the name on the menu since every time I go back I try something new. Can't go wrong with this one 5/5 Pork cold noodle It slapped so good I moaned "hoooooOOO Yeah" really good menu item if you're not feeling soupy or hot udon with a peanutty broth dip 6/5 I always make a stop here whenever I'm in the city

This was even better than I remember it back in 2021. The tantan soup is exceptional, with an addictively rich and flavourful spicy miso pork broth and those luscious, perfectly chewy udon noodles. The kani ankake udon noodle soup, made with crab in a thick egg broth, is also a cut above. We always order the same two things here, and perhaps it's time to branch out, but they're just too good to pass up. Definitely recommended. Pro tip: after you're blissfully full, head over to Drom Taberna next door for some live music.

Taste of Japan. Very simple yet delicious flavour. Hand made udon in house. Cooked to perfection. Broth was very clean but very flavourful. You can taste layers of flavour and it is not overwhelming. Restaurant is clean and very good service. Repeat is a must.

Best udon in Toronto for sure and I would say the price is matching the quality. Always busy when I've gone though and can't reserve in advance so be prepared to wait!

If you're a fan of Raku! I highly recommend this. It was flavourful and the udon was soft and delicious. to me it was nothing outstanding though! The service was fast and ambiance is a cute japanese restaurant

Given the hype around Raku, I was super excited to try it! I was a little bit disappointed because the cold udon were completely different from the warm ones. They're a lot thinner and less chewy. My friend got the warm ones and hers were thick! So for next time I'll definitely get the warm options. My broth was also very salty and there wasn't anything that stood out to me. I've definitely had better udon. Also you can't reserve so you have to use Yelp and line up in front of the store! You get a waiting time. It goes relatively fast though.

I had an amazing dinner at Raku. It's a small but very cozy place. A short wait as it was dinnertime on a Friday. The staff was phenomenal and attentive, and the food was delicious.

2nd time eating here, this place is always so busy but the service is good and the food is still great. Ordered Unatama Don this time, not Udon. It's like an Unagi Dish (grilled Eel). Yummy!

Restaurant was small, but busy. Lots of options to choose from on the menu and service was great!

One of a kind udon shop in Toronto! Specialty udon shop with udon texture that is unique to this restaurant alone. Definitely worth a try if you enjoy noodle soups. The honeycomb tripe and short rib udon is a great option, loaded with tons of meat. I also enjoyed the deep fried mushroom udon, which comes with a nice clear broth. Restaurant is nice and clean, service is good.

Saw this place on tiktok and was really excited to try it but it did not live up to my expectations. Although the udon was cooked well and tasted fresh, the soup felt very bland. My friend and I got different udon dishes that ended up tasting exactly the same which was disappointing. The highlight was honestly the frozen grapes they gave you at the end

My first post pandemic visit to this restaurant, and the udon is unchangingly excellent! Even though we were told as soon as we were seated that they only had thin noodles available that day, it was delicious nonetheless. I ordered the kaki this time, which arrived piping hot with several juicy oysters - but the main attraction was definitely the broth, intensely flavoured by the oysters, giving it a highly refreshing and slightly sweet taste. My friend's sansai udon was also up to par, with the vegetable tempura expertly fried to crispiness. Service was friendly but a bit distant, it took a couple of tries to get water but the experience was otherwise smooth. Come early (we went right when they opened at 12pm) because it gets busy very quickly! The line has not gone away despite the fact that they've opened for a while, because it's just that good. :)

I have been a big fan of Raku in NY since its opening. It was nice to see them in Toronto, and it makes me feel like I am in a town where I know. Just order whatever appeals to you. My personal favv are Nishin, Niku, and Wakame. You'll like it no matter what. The food quality, service, and interior are much like those in Soho (NYC) but their space is just smaller. The price is reasonable in Toronto for visitors from NY.

According to Raku's website, Ishizuka's menu is centered around an iconic noodle that has been a classic comfort food in Japan. Ishizuka serves his voluminous bowls of chewy and silky noodles in his signature dashi soup. In addition to an extensive udon offering, he also showcases an appetizer menu featuring some of Japan's most classic small bites. By offering a contemporary and minimalist dining space paired with warm service, Ishizuka aims to create happy memories for customers through his food. I have visited all three Raku locations so far, and each time their cold noodles have been consistently good and refreshing. While hot udon can be found anywhere, Raku is the only place I go to for cold noodles. However, if you are new to eating cold noodles, it can be a strange experience at first. When you order the Yamakake cold noodle, it comes with an egg, soy sauce, and seaweed. If it's your first time, you might not know what to do with the poached egg, and the taste may seem strange to you. But once you get past that initial bite and realize that the noodles are silky smooth and refreshing, like a can of ice-cold soda on a hot summer day, you won't be able to stop slurping them up. Furthermore, the restaurant doesn't just serve good cold noodles; their appetizers are also consistently delicious. The Chicken Tatsuta-age is a must-try; it's probably one of the best fried chicken dishes I've ever had at a Japanese restaurant. Additionally, their Sabazushi, which is mackerel pressed sushi, is also worth trying. The only downside of this place is that it's small and always busy, which can make it a bit cramped at times. My Favorite : Yamakake Cold noodle Overall Rating: 4.5/5 * Food: 5/5 * Service: 4/5 * Value: 4/5 * Ambience & Cleanliness: 4/5 Would I visit this place more than 3 times? Yes

Raku offers fantastic Japanese food in an extremely classy and distinguished fashion. The broths are fantastic- extremely rich and flavorful, yet still very light and aromatic. The hot udon varieties were my favorite- nishin and niku being standouts. The service is courteous and professional, and that atmosphere is very fine dining. Due to the restaurant's popularity and small size, there is a wait queue- so be prepared to plan ahead before you go! A great place to go to if you want to impress your friend(s)!

Some of the best udon in Toronto in the heart of downtown. Storefront is a bit hidden and the restaurant has traditional decor. Service is efficient as well. Prices are a bit high but hungry because the serving sizes are HUGE. I love how everything is made in house, including the udon noodles. I would skip appetizers. The sabazushi was just alright, not sure why it comes in 7s as well as it may be a bit awkward for sharing. If it weren't for the appetizer, this would be 5 stars.

The broth is flavourful and portions are decent. I do think it's a bit over priced for what it is. I expected more vegetables in the Sansai udon based on the description. Overall the restaurant is clean and our server was attentive.

Terrible service, waited over 20 mins for my food. Then when I got my tempura udon. I only got 2 pieces of shrimp tempura for $20+ Maybe it was my fault because I only had 35 mins to dine before an appointment, but for that price and that service, ridiculous.

Raku is a nice restuarant with an unassuming exterior but a warm and comfortable interior. We tried the Chikara Udon ($17) and Curry Beef Udon ($17) which were both hearty meals. The texture of the noodles was excellent and the soup bases were also delicious. The Chikara Udon had a gingery chicken broth, while the Curry Udon had a thicker broth. The bowls are pretty big as well. Presentation could've been better but it tasted good so not a big deal. It was a very nice vibe and I'd definitely like to try their other options!

Best udon I had in Toronto. The quality of the udon is very high - fresh and chewy. The soup base is clean but flavourful. Exceeded my expectation. Go early to avoid the line tho.

Upon entering, it's very reminiscent of restaurants I've come across in Japan, with their curtain-covered doors. My friend and I arrived on a Saturday afternoon, hoping there wouldn't be a line since they are quite popular with long wait times. Fortunately, we were seated at the bar seats immediately, where convenient hooks beneath the tables provided a place for our belongings. The service was great, and washrooms are available. The menu is fairly extensive. I ended up choosing a bowl of Spicy Tan Tan Udon, and it was served in a huge bowl. The Spicy Tan Tan comes with a poached egg, ground pork, mushroom pieces, peanuts, and peppercorns in a creamy and spicy broth. The udon noodles were perfectly springy and chewy. Although the meal left me feeling thirsty afterward, I found the overall meal thoroughly satisfying, and I didn't think the price was too bad for what it was especially because I expected smaller portions. I'd definitely come back!

THE go to udon place in Toronto. I am so happy that they're so close to home, but somewhat disappointed that they open at 12 noon. I'm more like a, please open at 11:00am, and be able to dine at 11:30am and be out by 12:30pm so that I can cram in a meal/snack before dinner, followed by a midnight snack. I haven't been disappointed with anything on their menu each time I've visited. However, my definite go to is the crab meat udon! I'm getting hungry and would like to go now

Winter for me means drinking warm hearty soups to deal with the weather and not being a Ramen fan that narrows the options a lot IMO. Raku came recommended by friends so on one of the colder days I decided to give them a try via a delivery app. I had the Kani-Annkake Udon and added Chicken Tatsuta-Age as a side the first time. Chicken is ho hum which is surprising as the Kani-AnnKake hit the bulls eye. Packed very well and has a nice thick clear broth and udon though a small portion were excellent probably the best in the city IMO. The Kani meat didn't have that canned smell thankfully and despite the heft upcharge I would order it if you like crab meat. So impressed was I that I ordered a second time very quick. I skipped the Kani and just ordered the plain Annkake Udon with a chicken add on (not recommended) and had brudock salad which is OK. I would recommend this place wholeheartedly and I feel like an in person visit is due soon.

I always love Raku for hot udon soup and noodle texture is the best in canada sofar! But jaja cold udon was little bit salty for me

I am a frequent repeat customer of RAKU, because I very much enjoy their food and service. The range of Japanese food is extensive- ranging from sushi to teriyaki, so it is easy for sushi and non sushi fans to both find a variety of meals they will enjoy. I am a huge fan of Crispy Oshi, Gyoza , and Mango Mango Roll.

Perfect udon spot for a winter day. The quality of their udon & broth is top notch. Great customer service.

We ordered Wagyu udon, beef udon and pork udon. Pork was cooked with charcoal and you can taste a lot of umami in the soup. Overall I liked the dish but a bit pricey for what it is. (It's just udon for $38)