A lot of people aren’t too keen on the idea of sushi … raw fish? Still, sushi comes imbued with a certain sexiness, an attraction worth getting close to.

That seems to be the thought behind RA Sushi Bar and Restaurant, a small chain launched a dozen years ago in Scottsdale, Ariz., then bought and expanded by Benihana Inc. RA Sushi builds its reputation not so much on outstanding seafood offerings but on experience. It’s a magnetic, clubby space where Japanese-inspired fish dishes can be had along with cutesy cocktails and easy-to-down servings of decorated maki, the traditional rice-wrapped rolls cut into bite-sized pieces. (And, sure, if you drag Grandpa along he can have a filet or beef teriyaki while he grouses over the sound and the small type on the menu.)

This RA Sushi outlet opened in August on the ground floor of the hip Aloft hotel in Leawood’s new Park Place development. In the evenings it fairly pulses with a dance beat and an overhead nightscape of stunning red globes. As the crowds have discovered, RA Sushi is all about the vibe.

And it’s a good vibe, confirmed a 20-something friend as we sat at the sushi bar one weeknight. That feeling was not universally shared, however, on the night that four of us somewhat older patrons sat in the main dining room. (Hmmm. Were we deliberately shunted to the back of the room?)

That tabletop dinner had its high points: a sharable cauldron of miso hot soup; a simple, crunchy-spicy bowl of cucumber kimchee; a tangy, textured plate of sesame lemon whitefish.

But just as often we found ourselves wondering about blandness and inconsistency. Several dishes sounded promising but delivered less than they should have.

Everything that was right and wrong about the meal could be summed up with a large entrée bowl of noodles: The udon, or wheat noodles, topped with spicy teriyaki chicken, were pleasantly plump, chewy and enlivened with a glazing of chili-kicked teriyaki sauce. On the other hand, the nuggets of white-meat chicken were overcooked and dry, as if the kitchen staff weren’t paying attention to quality control.

Similarly, a plate of pork gyoza potstickers appeared like weary stragglers, unadorned on a white plate; supposedly sautéed, they seemed undercooked and over-stored.

The menu is long — there’s also a lot of “sushi 101” to read — and aside from typical sushi-restaurant offerings of nigiri (raw fish on rice), maki (rolls) and sashimi (just the fish), there are lots of creative presentations, seafood or otherwise.

A tuna tataki came in a volcanic arrangement of vertically positioned planks of fish and a crackling spray of crispy threads. The downside: The tuna, which at some pre-assembly point might have been seared, seemed overchilled and nearly flavorless.

In a tasty mango lobster roll, the rice is filled with a “lobster mix,” avocado and cucumber and topped with a thin patch of the orange fruit. That fruit spin is the kind of thing that cuts straight through the fear of exotic cuisine. Similarly, cream cheese makes a frequent appearance in the maki offerings and undoubtedly helps explain why the flamboyant “Viva Las Vegas” roll is among the most popular offerings.

On a second visit, five sushi chefs worked constantly filling orders over the two hours I spent at the sushi bar. Because I sat down before 7 p.m., I qualified for a generous happy hour (3 to 7 p.m. daily) on appetizers (half price) and a few sushi offerings.

The “RA”ckin’ shrimp appetizer, with a light and peppery batter, is served with a ginger teriyaki dip. The combination of crusty exterior and hot, firm shrimp inside was a pleasant surprise, and the fusion of flavors represents the best of what RA Sushi is all about.

After a sashimi serving of top-of-the-line bluefin toro (tuna belly; $18), which showed as a buttery soft morsel hinting of sea water, I asked the server about freshness. Daily, she said; fish is flown in daily. A little later one of the sushi chefs told me otherwise: Fish arrives twice a week.

In my experience, the better fish offerings came in nigiri and sashimi servings, cut thicker and served to order, rather than some of the appetizer or “tapas” preparations, which might have been made in advance.

At the dinner table, we took our server’s advice and went straight to a couple of the banana-based desserts. A “banana split maki,” with a little chocolate inside and wonton wrapper out, indeed had an inspired presentation on a long narrow dish; kudos to the server who, after one of the pieces toppled over as he headed to our table, instantly retraced his steps and had the dessert replated.

In the end, though, I wanted to be wowed by the dish more than I was. Again, an underwhelming palate moment, but, perhaps indicative of the seductive trance RA Sushi can generate, I will say we downed it all.