Yuraku

Reviews 5

ME

Melanie Kurimchak

We came here on a recommendation from some of my husbands friends and I had high hopes for this place. The restaurant is pretty small and densely packed with long tables. Theres a long bar on one side and the buffet area is near the back. We came for a late lunch a few weeks ago and it was packed. Thats a good sign, right? We sat down at a long shared table and asked for a couple menus. The girl sitting next to us told us she was having the lunch buffet and had a few pieces of sushi which surprised me. I didnt think they would have sushi in a buffet. Eating sushi thats been sitting out is a little off-putting to me and although the buffet is "cheap" as described by said table-mate, we opted to order off the menu. We were in the minority ordering off the menu--most people seemed to be there to enjoy the buffet. Starting off, they brought us a tempura-fried banana roll and some sort of Japanese relish along with one of the tastiest salads Ive ever had. The veggies were crisp and fresh and the sesame-peanut dressing was really, really good. The staff were friendly and speedy, prices were quite reasonable and the sushi selection is extensive. There were several pages of sushi and maki options. We ordered a spicy salmon roll, a volcano roll, a tuna tempura roll and a crabmeat roll. The presentation was stellar--all the rolls looked really beautiful. However, they were all room-temperature when they got to our table which grossed me out. As far as Im concerned, when youre eating raw fish, it needs be cold. The spicy salmon wasnt very spicy at all. It just tasted like pureed salmon. The hunks of fish that were wrapped around the rolls looked vibrant and fresh, but again the serving temperature wasnt optimal. The crabmeat roll was just imitation crab meat rolled up in seaweed and rolled in rice. Really nothing to write home about there. The volcano roll was weird. The roll itself was decent, but the topping--which I still, to this day, do not know what it was--tasted like broiled sweet potatoes. And there was a ton of it. It was equal to the thickness of the maki roll below it. We ended up scraping off most of that topping and just eating the rolls. The tuna tempura roll was far and away the best roll we got. It was big and really tasty. Overall, this place isnt bad, just not nearly as good as I thought it would be. I left with a bit of a stomach ache although I cant really pinpoint if it was because the sushi was bad or I was just reeling from the room-temperature fish. Although this place isnt our regular sushi place, its decent and worth trying again.

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KH

Khoi Nguyen

Huge fan of this restaurant. My family and I have dined here for over 10 years. A family friend works in the fish industry and sells to Yuraku. He told me they only buy the freshest high quality fish here. Recently dined here for lunch. Buffet runs around $16 they give you a discount of around 10% if you use cash. The lunch rolls are always well prepared. You get an assortment of California, Futomaki, salmon, tuna, eel and shrimp rolls/nigiri. Rolls here are quite large and packed with plenty of fish. Hot food bar has chicken wings, vegetable tempura, bulgogi, friend banana and the seasonal frozen food filler. Usually consists of frozen Taquitos or PIZZA ROLLS. Its just funny because every 6 months they change it with something else. Im a big fan of their vegetable/ fruit station. You get seaweed salad, tofu, fruit salad, and fresh fruit. Dinner here is always great. I love their yellowtail, smoked salmon, and the yellowtail. I recommend coming here right when they open. At 11 AM or 6 PM so you dont have to wait to long. Lines get so long that many of the waitresses give you your check right after your first plate and nudge it closer to the center of the table to make sure you dont stay to long. If Im every in the Gaithersburg or Germantown here and craving sushi this is my go to spot. Flavor and quality is always consistent and I never leave disappointed.

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CA

Carey Lott

I was in Gaithersburg for training, and I was looking for a sushi restaurant that took my AmEx corporate card. I found Yuraku and Chef Sonny in a "hole in the wall" spot on the end of a strip mall in Germantown, MD. I ended up going back at least 5 times that week sometimes for lunch and dinner. I enjoyed sitting at the sushi bar and watching Chef Sonny make original creations for the customers while he interacted with the customers. That is the place that I became intimately familiar with the term chefs choice. Everything the chef made was excellent. The sushi was always fresh and delicious. If you are not familiar with Sushi (nigiri, maki, etc.) then come to the lunch buffet where you can try everything on the menu. They have other items on the menu and buffet that look good, but honestly I have never eaten anything their except the sushi. The one downside that, personally, is still a positive is the size of the place. It is small and stays extremely busy/packed. You may end up waiting for a table or spot at the sushi bar, but it will definitely be worth the wait. Especially if you can get to the bar and meet Sonny. I am still waiting for my next opportunity to go back to Gaithersburg, so I can again enjoy the best sushi that I have ever tasted.

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TI

Tim Grunwald

Lets start with the fact the food is good. The reason for the low review is two fold, first the restaurant is run down, really run down. Yes, the restaurant has character, but that is no reason to let the restaurant deteriorate the way it has. When is the last time they painted? Cleaned the vents? Fixed old ceiling tiles? Bought new dishes? All the food we were served had chips in the dishes. They can afford to renovate the restaurant. They are very, very crowded with long waits. They do a huge carryout business. The second reason for the low review was the service. There is always a wait, but that doesnt mean that the servers should seem impatient. It would of been nice to get help ordering from the huge menu. Removing plates off the table just as Im taking the last bite is not relaxing. Serving hot tea (luke warm) from a plastic water pitcher doesnt seem right. Putting the check down on the table when Im still eating is rude. Dessert? Setting up a table for eight next to us in a way that no one could get up is also rude. I should of taken a picture to post, because no one would believe they would do that. Maybe the 3 stars is too generous.

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JA

James Kile

I always thought this was decent sushi place to go but very this pointed this time. 1)Price--not cheap compare to other sushi restaurants. REMEMBER WHEN YOU ORDER NIGIRI Here, YOU ONLY GET ONE PIECE. Most sushi restaurants offer two pieces of Nigiri for one order. 2)Quality of fish--Not a good quality fish. THE FISH HERE IS C- GRADE FISH. SUSHI TASTED LIKE CHEWING ON RUBBER PIECES, HAD NO TASTE WHAT SO EVER. 3)SERVICE--So disappointing, After receiving check, I realized they forgot one order of nigiri but they charged me for it. I pointed out to the server and this is what she said "Ill take that off check". Didnt even asked if I STILL WANTED IT. check or youll be scammed. Also, Servers are hanging out in the corner being loud as they can be laughing and hanging out having good time, not taking care of the tables. IT took them a while to take our order. SO many servers are there but still cant provide decent service. Its like they are there to hang out instead of working. I will not return. Its not worth the drive. RATHER go to local sushi place and get better quality sushi and better service for cheaper price. ITS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE.

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