Reviews - Raw
Reviews summary
Raw Sushi Bistro delivers inventive, flavorful sushi and cocktails in a spacious, trendy setting that buzzes when busy. Diners praise fresh, well-crafted rolls, speedy service at times, and friendly staff, though experiences vary; service can be slow, orders forgotten, and special requests inconsistently accommodated. Expect higher prices, lively noise levels, and some heavy fried preparations that may not suit purists. Overall a tempting, crowd-drawing spot—great for adventurous sushi lovers but with occasional service and consistency issues to be aware of.
Was Ryan S at Raw a mag?
I arrived at 11:30 on a Tuesday, just as they opened, and the place was quite busy. They have a broad selection of sushi and various other dishes. While the prices are on the higher side, the food was absolutely delicious, and everything I saw being served around me looked fantastic and tempted me to try more. The staff members were incredibly polite and friendly, making the experience even better. The restaurant its... View all feedback.
What Euro B dislikes about Raw:
I very frequently visit this restaurant and with every visit, l drop about $200. To day, for the first time that l was told that dining was a 2 hour limit, despite the fact that we were still ordering drinks. Apparently our $200 per visit is not enough. I figured that we spend about $2,500 a year at raw, but if that is not welcome, l will find another place that will appreciate my money. RAW, YOU ARE GOOD, BUT NOT TH... View all feedback.
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Reviews from various users
Last update : 09.10.2024
We walked in and found the place bustling, and without a reservation, we thought we might not get a table. However, the restaurant turned out to be larger than we expected, and we were seated right away. Raw Sushi is an excellent spot for sushi and hot entrees; we enjoyed everything we ordered and will definitely return. The service was exceptional. Our server was incredibly friendly and took the time to explain the menu to us. We wanted to sample several dishes, and we did! Our food arrived promptly, but we never felt rushed. Everything we tried was outstanding. The ambiance is charming, and the restaurant is impeccably clean; it’s clear they take great care of the place. We parked on the street without any issues. We ordered the Nigiri and Roll combination, which was fantastic. It came with five pieces, including a delightful California roll. We also enjoyed fried oysters, which were equally delicious—all incredibly fresh. We sampled several of their specialty rolls, including the BTS, salmon, and tuna steak, and found them to be wonderfully tasty. The snow crab California rolls were among our favorites, packed with a good amount of crab. For our entrees, we had sesame chicken and grilled salmon, which ended up being the highlights of our meal. The salmon was perfectly cooked, and the chicken was superb. The prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity of food we received, and overall, we had a wonderful experience.
Love this place but remember it gets packed fast usually a long wait 1hr or 2 but WELL worth it
This place gets busy so make reservations or get their early. It can get loud, as you might expect. I had the Ngiri sashimi combo: very fresh and quite delicious.
The food and staff were great! The decor was good, but the atmosphere for dinner was a slight miss for us. It was very packed for dinner and not a lot of space for people waiting to be seated. There is a small outdoor space to sit and have drinks while waiting, so that was helpful. However, the music was very loud, so it was hard to have a conversation with the person across from you. It has a great vibe for people who enjoy a club or bar scene. I would still go back, simply for the food. We were in a large party and enjoyed a great selection of appetizers that were amazing. Although I didn't order a cocktail, the presentation of them were very nice.
Last update : 02.07.2024
Although the prices might seem a bit steep for the 209 area, the portion sizes make it worth it. The servings are quite generous, with most dishes providing enough for two meals for those with smaller appetites. This is a place I would gladly revisit and recommend to anyone nearby.
Despite the long wait due to the crowds, it was absolutely worth it. Our food was incredibly delicious, and the service was excellent. We will definitely be returning. You won’t be disappointed! This is endorsed by The Godfather.
Came on a Saturday night with 2 girlfriends. I would suggest reservations because we had a 45 minute wait. They did let us order drinks from the bar and wait outside with them. I tried the mango sunrise, which was delicious! Once sat, we had the spicy garlic edamame and calamari. Both were super delicious. The edamame sauce was so garlicky and creamy. The calamari was perfectly crisp and tender. For my roll, I tried the BTS. This roll was fried smoked salmon and cream cheese, topped with tuna, Hamachi, salmon, tomatoes, red onions and tobiko. I've never had fresh tomato on a sushi roll before. My friends got the scs (tempura asparagus and spicy tuna with spicy scallops, spicy tuna, avocado, spring mix and tobiko) and the Dante's inferno (shrimp tempura and avocado with sesame seared tuna, fresh salmon, fried jalapeños and tobiko) I tried all of them and thought they were all really good. We also got a bottle of lychee sake. This sake is dangerous because it's so light and goes down easy. You get a nice lychee flavor.
I went there yesterday, and it was delicious! It's always my favorite place to visit after a long day at the office.
This has become our go-to spot for lunch on weekdays and occasionally on weekends. The restaurant is well-maintained, and the staff is extremely attentive. We love the food, which is of excellent quality. Their portion sizes are also reasonable compared to other sushi places in town that struggle to meet Raw Sushi's standards. Overall, we appreciate the ambiance, food, and service here. They also have a lovely bar, making it a great place to enjoy a drink and a quick bite to eat. My only tip is to be prepared for potential waits on weekends and during dinner hours, as it gets quite busy during those times. It's best not to drop in expecting an immediate table.
Last update : 11.11.2023
This was my second visit to Raw Sushi Bistro, and it did not disappoint! Today, my mom and I kicked things off with two appetizers: Fried Oysters and Garlic Edamame, both of which were delicious! For lunch, we ordered the Spicy Dragon Roll, Spicy Salmon Roll, and the Beef Cilantro Roll, which my mom absolutely loved. I also want to give a special shoutout to our server, Ryan. I've never received my appetizers and food so quickly! His customer service was outstanding. A big thank you to the chefs as well. The food was really exceptional, and the service was fantastic!
We had been eagerly anticipating our special meal at Raw, and it did not disappoint. We were seated promptly upon our arrival and placed our orders without hesitation. The portions were generous, the freshness of the ingredients was impressive, and the flavors were absolutely delicious. We definitely ordered more than we could handle and ended up overindulging! The only item I didn't find worth having again was the miso; while it wasn't bad, I felt it didn't justify its price, especially considering that most Japanese restaurants offer it for free. Our waiter was very attentive and ensured our drinks were always topped up.
I can’t say enough good things about this place! We left feeling completely satisfied with our meal. It was a busy Tuesday evening, and the restaurant was packed. The appetizers, cocktails, and main courses all exceeded our expectations. I would definitely recommend it—10 out of 10!
I was having lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in a while when the waitress overheard us chatting. She came over to our table and said, "I heard that you got engaged! Congratulations! This is on the house."
I’ve been here a few times. One tip, it opens for dinner at 5 PM on Saturday there will be a line. Getting there early helps, but when you go in they tend to move slow. It took 25 minutes until we got our order ordered. Then it was another 20 minutes until the food came. I think they need to hire more help and servers for the initial rush.
Last update : 23.08.2023
It appears to be the popular go-to place in town. Each time I visited, it was completely full, with many people waiting to get a table. Despite the busy atmosphere, the food was excellent and served quickly!
The garlic edamame was absolutely delicious, and both the Dante’s roll and the Goodie roll were outstanding. We particularly enjoyed the fried jalapeños topped with spicy mayo for dipping. My wife loves the cucumber martini, and I found their Old Fashioneds with Knob Creek Reserve to be quite good; I had two while she indulged in three!
As someone from the Bay Area, I was initially unsure about trying this restaurant. However, the fish was outstanding and met my expectations from back home. The atmosphere on a Friday night can get quite loud; adding some sound-absorbing materials would really help lessen the noise.
The food and service were excellent. I deducted a star because one of the items we ordered was forgotten, and the prices were a bit on the high side. Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Modesto is fortunate to have such a fantastic sushi place with a menu that combines traditional options with a unique twist.

