Set in an assuming strip mall that's actually brimming with notable eateries, Raku is a favorite among chefs and foodies alike and is the closest you'll come in Las Vegas to traditional Tokyo robata dining -- in other words, a concept much closer to Spanish tapas than to a typical American sushi joint. The diverse menu of small-plate delicacies is complemented by an extensive sake menu.
*Raku Sweets, located next door is open Mon-Fri, 6 p.m.-midnight; Sat, noon-midnight; Sun, noon-9 p.m.; Lunch is served Sat & Sun, noon-3 p.m. No reservations accepted.
*Reservations must be made by calling.
This restaurant was re-reviewed in the December 2009 LVA; some of the information contained in the review may no longer be accurate. This is one of those places that gets better after a few visits, because you begin to figure out what you like best. On this visit we went with some old favorites—green hot chili pepper ($2), potato with corn ($3), and asparagus with bacon ($2.50)—and discovered a new one, lamb chop ($5). Do you see those prices? Amazing, especially since most dishes (not the lamb chop) come with two or more samples. Yes, these are small plates and you have to order several, but if you stick to the low-cost tasters, you’ll have a hard time racking up $50 for two. Of course, it’s more fun when you’re also partaking of the many brands of sake and beer, but that’ll cost you. On this visit, we spent $39 on food, but $79 on alcohol. See our full review of RAKU below. This restaurant was reviewed in the March 2009 LVA; some of the information contained in the review may no longer be accurate. A few months ago we began hearing about a great Japanese restaurant hidden away in a strip mall on the west side. The buzz grew: “Best Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas and maybe the U.S.,” claimed a few food bloggers. Then local food critic John Curtas named its proprietor, Mitsuo Endo, “Las Vegas chef of the year.” It turns out that Endo ran the New York restaurant Megu before moving to Las Vegas. Hmm, successful chef leaves the big city for a nondescript presence in Las Vegas—maybe another Lotus of Siam? Raku is a tiny place located in the back of little mall at Spring Mountain and Decatur (it’s a bit hard to find—look for Ozzie’s Bar and turn into the lot). It’s not a sushi house, it’s an izakaya, which is the term for a “drinking house that serves food.” You can get fish here (bluefin tuna was one of the day’s specials), but most of the dishes are meat- or vegetable-based, and there are about 75 choices. We tried nearly a dozen different items, our favorites being Kobe miso skewers ($8), foie gras ($14), asparagus wrapped in bacon ($2.50), and deep-fried tofu ($9). Yum! A massive pitcher of draft Kirin was $24 and a flight of sakes was $12. The place was packed with people drinking, eating, and laughing. Fun! This really is one of those places—something you’d never expect to find in Las Vegas, but that you’ll keep going back to (just like Lotus). You pretty much just sit down and have at it, ordering whatever catches your fancy until you’re stuffed (and the bathroom, covered in rose petals on the day we went, is another one-of-a-kind)