Soba Ichi

Japan 🇯🇵 was one of my favorite countries to visit and travel to. I loved how many shops and restaurants made and sold only one particular thing. The passion and attention to detail was present. They made that one thing very well. One day, I was searching for a place that made only fresh Soba in the city of Osaka. By the time I found the place, a sign on the door said the restaurant was sold out of soba and closed! Disappointed for the the day! Soba Ichi (Oakland) makes really good fresh soba. Light and natural clean sharp taste to the noodles. Side order of rare duck breast adds to the experience. Instructions are given on how to cook it at home. The gelato is gently sweet.

+6

Love this place. I had the hot & cold tempura soba, duck soba, and veggie soba, and hot broth with tempura is my favorite. The noodle and batter texture are perfect, and I like to save the citrus zest (?) for the final spoonful. Such an elegant and flavorful dish! Goopy mountain yam salad is fun to eat! I enjoyed the the crunch, slime, and toastiness. The croquette & tofu are both reliably good too. Pressed sushi is okaay. The kombu cure makes it feel homey, whereas I usually prefer to taste the sweetness of fish in sushi.

Back here again for dinner with my food industry friends and it was just as delicious! They have the entire outdoor space and an indoor space now as well! You order first and get a number for the food to be delivered to you. I ordered the cold soba with tempura but only veggie bc I'm allergic to shrimp and they easily accommodated. Still super delicious and high quality. Perfect for the warm weather right now. I also got their desserts and they were both INCREDIBLE. I'm still craving the pudding which tasted like Filipino leche flan. Come here when you want the highest quality soba and tasty desserts!

Had the sashimi appetizer and hot soba with duck breast. Both were delicious but the sashimi was incredibly fresh and buttery smooth. Paired with real wasabi and soy sauce it made for some of the best sashimi I’ve ever had. Really enjoyed the duck soba as well with a nicely balanced broth and a solid amount of duck with the noodles. I wish there were a few more noodles in the soba for the price, but it was delicious nonetheless. Not cheap, but the food is excellent. Outdoor patio was also great on a warm evening and service was quick.

We saw Soba Ichi on the Bay area show called Check Please and were immediately interested in checking them out. When we were reading the reviews, it almost convinced us not to go to the restaurant but we still took our chances and we were glad we did. A lot of people mainly mentioned the food being overpriced but I think it was worth it for the quality and depth of flavor of their food. Their soba noodles are handmade in restaurant and has a good bounce and chew to it. This restaurant is as close as you can get to authentic Japanese food and atmosphere. They have a nice inside and outdoor atmosphere with a zen bamboo fountain trickling water, which is calming too. We ordered the smoked salmon appetizer and cold soba with tempura. Everything came out great. Salmon was super smooth, melted in our mouth, and tasty. We like to make soba at home with the dried store bought noodles, and those dont stand a chance against the noodles at Soba Ichi. The server was very polite, quick to fill up our waters, and good about checking up on us. The server also mentioned that they will have different seasonal appetizers. We're curious to check out their different options when we go next time. This restautant is also next to a Japanese sake brewery and offer a good selection of freshly brewed Japanese sake. I heard great things about their sake and drinks. Wouldn't be able to come too often because we live a distance away, but we definitely plan on coming back!

Been here twice and it lives up to the hype. Both the hot and cold soba are excellent, though I have a slight preference for the cold soba. The soba tastes similar to those you’d find in Japan itself (though the prices here, though OK, are higher than across the Pacific). The atmosphere is very cute, good for dates, and the service is friendly. Will be back again.

+4

This place is totally worth the hype and deserves its reputation and Bib Gourmand. The soba brought me back to one of the best meals I have ever had, at a traditional old school soba joint in Tokyo. I certainly can't claim to be a soba expert, but all of the flavors and textures in the cold and hot sobas here went together perfectly and reminded me of that long ago meal. The tamagoyaki was excellent. The tempura was light and airy and crunchy in just the right way. The ebi croquettes were out of this world good. The fiddlehead ferns were unexpectedly awesome and a real treat for us, since we've never had them before. The pressed salmon was just "okay" and was the only component of the meal that wasn't even better than we'd hoped. The Okinawa mochi was probably the best mochi I have ever had. The service was excellent, as well. Oakland is lucky to have this gem of a restaurant.

+6

Great hidden restaurant with a nice indoor atmosphere (and more social outside area too). The soba was delicious, and the sides really stood out to me. I recommend the soba cha gelato as a dessert

One of the best and most unique culinary experiences I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I really enjoyed the Orion beer, and Shibata Black saki, I have never had or seen either brand before. The Ten Seiro, Kamo nanban and the tamagoyaki were all delicious. The duck was exquisite and the broth had so much flavor. The broth didn’t rely on salt or soy, just the essence of duck. The Salmon Pressed Sushi was the least impressive dish. It was good, but very basic. I would like to try everything on the menu. So many unique dishes perfectly executed. The fiddleheads were surprising, with so many unique and flavorful dishes, I was surprised how much I enjoyed them. The sauce was peanut based but not too sweet, and so delicate. The sauce didn’t overshadow the flavor or ruin the crispness of the fiddleheads (kogomi goma-ae). The ebi cream croquettes were perfectly fried and the flavors melded together so perfectly it seemed exotic, so creamy and there was plenty of shrimp in every bite.

+6

As a vegetarian, I felt I had delicious options. The sake, made in the same complex, was very good. I will be bringing friends and family back to this gem.

+6

Amazing place with great food and sweet intimate atmosphere. I highly recommend ordering the cold soba with tempura set. That or the duck breast hot soba it's amazing and the duck was perfection. Last but not least the serving staff was very attentive but not overly so. They start your dinner with a hot towel to cleanse your hands and warm your soul~ throughout the meal they are very attentive making sure my water was filled and pay special attention to see if I'm enjoying my meal. Highly recommend this for anyone who would like to try authentic soba noodles.

+6

Soba Ichi serves delicious and authentic Japanese food. The duck appetizer was especially good — tender, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The interior has a traditional Japanese look, creating a calm and authentic atmosphere. Service was friendly and efficient too. It’s a little on the pricey side, but the quality makes it worth it. I arrived around 5 PM when they had just opened, and there was already a long line — a clear sign of how popular this place is. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy real Japanese cuisine.

I had the cold soba with tempura. Really refreshing for a hot night. But aside from that, the noodles was high quality and dipping sauce was to my liking. Definitely worth a trip. The only thing i didnt like was that the line was long even if it wasnt full yet, it takss forever for each person to make an order

Although it’s not cheap for relatively simple Japanese food, and they don’t have full table service, it is a beautiful atmosphere and I really enjoyed it and I would come back. I had the warm soba with fried shrimp tempura. And we had one appetizer each. We did have dessert but not Drinks and it was $60 each after tax and tip. It’s a little strange that the gelato is served in the paper container, but it was tasty. The mochi dessert was also very good and maybe a little bit more special having a couple different fillings.

Second time coming and it was as good as the first time. Hot and cold dishes are both great and really tasty. The egg appetizer and hojicha gelato was very good. Parking isn’t the greatest. Not the biggest con. This place is great.

Great food and very beautiful and peaceful setting outside (they also have indoor seating). Last time I was here, I tried the cold soba, which I didn’t like very much. But I wanted to give it another shot, and this time, I tried the hot “Kake Soba,” which is basically the plain soba without any meat or toppings. It was absolutely delicious. The broth was flavorful and rich. I also tried my friend’s Corn Cream Korokke, which was crispy, creamy and packed with flavor, and a piece of her duck from the Kamo Nanban duck Soba. The sashimi and tempura soba also looked delicious, so I definitely want to come back again to try more things

I’m so happy to have stumbled into this place. It was a delightful dinner. I highly recommend this place to people! The grilled duck and meatballs is a dish to not skip!!

Fan Zhao

Soba Ichi serves delicious and authentic Japanese food. The duck appetizer was especially good — tender, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The interior has a traditional Japanese look, creating a calm and authentic atmosphere. Service was friendly and efficient too. It’s a little on the pricey side, but the quality makes it worth it. I arrived around 5 PM when they had just opened, and there was already a long line — a clear sign of how popular this place is. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy real Japanese cuisine.

Ray Anthony Roderos (Knight)

I had the cold soba with tempura. Really refreshing for a hot night. But aside from that, the noodles was high quality and dipping sauce was to my liking. Definitely worth a trip. The only thing i didnt like was that the line was long even if it wasnt full yet, it takss forever for each person to make an order

ari salomon

Although it’s not cheap for relatively simple Japanese food, and they don’t have full table service, it is a beautiful atmosphere and I really enjoyed it and I would come back. I had the warm soba with fried shrimp tempura. And we had one appetizer each. We did have dessert but not Drinks and it was $60 each after tax and tip. It’s a little strange that the gelato is served in the paper container, but it was tasty. The mochi dessert was also very good and maybe a little bit more special having a couple different fillings.

Jason Wong

Great food and very beautiful and peaceful setting outside (they also have indoor seating). Last time I was here, I tried the cold soba, which I didn’t like very much. But I wanted to give it another shot, and this time, I tried the hot “Kake Soba,” which is basically the plain soba without any meat or toppings. It was absolutely delicious. The broth was flavorful and rich. I also tried my friend’s Corn Cream Korokke, which was crispy, creamy and packed with flavor, and a piece of her duck from the Kamo Nanban duck Soba. The sashimi and tempura soba also looked delicious, so I definitely want to come back again to try more things

Roland Lacap

I’m so happy to have stumbled into this place. It was a delightful dinner. I highly recommend this place to people! The grilled duck and meatballs is a dish to not skip!!

R C

Second time coming and it was as good as the first time. Hot and cold dishes are both great and really tasty. The egg appetizer and hojicha gelato was very good. Parking isn’t the greatest. Not the biggest con. This place is great.

Nikhil Shankar

Been here twice and it lives up to the hype. Both the hot and cold soba are excellent, though I have a slight preference for the cold soba. The soba tastes similar to those you’d find in Japan itself (though the prices here, though OK, are higher than across the Pacific). The atmosphere is very cute, good for dates, and the service is friendly. Will be back again.

Mary Lang

As a vegetarian, I felt I had delicious options. The sake, made in the same complex, was very good. I will be bringing friends and family back to this gem.

Walk in accepted but the wait time is long even though the line is not long. I got there in Friday afternoon and waited for almost 20 mins to order. The owner/ cashier was not nice, when we have 5 adult and 2 elders and order 5 main dishes and 2 side dishes, she was showing attitude. Food took appx 30 mins to arrive. The portion is small. I don't recommend the cucumber dish ($10)

Not much to say about this restaurant other than it's authentic Japanese soba served in a somewhat cozy setting. They have outdoor heating for most of the outdoor seating, but not all unfortunately. Didn't get a good look inside but they do have tables all around. You order and pay upfront before sitting down. The staff are very attentive and will refill your water right away. My only problem with the food is.. it's expensive even for Bay Area standards. Each soba we ordered was $25 before tax and tip. I know soba is more rare than ramen, but this is kinda crazy.

I DO like their food, the staff were very kind and attentive. Amazing handmade soba, and they have open kitchen once you step in. The cozy space is also quite nice and feels like im in Japan now. But when I first time in here, the first impression is not really good. They only accepted reseervation, but they told me that they dont have any available that night, but I checked via RESY, they have lots of spots.... And the fact is, they do accept walk-in, but I dont know why they told me not at that day.... Anyway, I do like their soba, all type, all broth! Definitely will back again.

+6

Overall was tasty but a bit on the salty side. I didn't like the cashier up selling us. Yes there are two of us and we ordered 2 appetizers and 1 noodle. We had a 3rd appetizer in mind but was told it's just miso paste so we opted out. And then she goes to say oh appetizer 1 is small and appetizer 2 is little with her fingers showing us how small it is. We ended up getting another noodle which we didn't want to bring home or waste so we stuffed ourselves to suffocation. (We had a late lunch and wanted to try this place.) This totally soured our experience. She did the same thing with the group before us too. That's why the 2 star for service. The wait staffs are awesome though. And hats off to the soba master for making it from scratch! Oh and from the picture the portions werent little little as claimed by the cashier. If you have a minimum charge per person, state that. I'd be happy to comply. If not, up selling is the worst strategy.

Arrived 20 minutes before opening, and a line formed behind me, about 20 people. I had the tempura soba, warm. Broth was good, noodles were of good texture. Tempura was a reasonable portion, maybe slightly smaller than I expected but still good. I liked it. The interior seating was clean and comfortable. Staff were attentive and friendly. The exterior is definitely the low point. Located in an industrial area of Oakland with lots of abandoned cars, dilapidated buildings, trash everywhere. Typical Oakland dump. The barbed wire on the fence surrounding the restaurant tells the tale. $26 including tip for one meal feels really high for what you get. It’s authentic, 手打ちそば. But I went in there wanting a quick, solid meal, and was disappointed because these guys really want to squeeze you on side dishes, alcohol, etc. Similar to Ippudo in the Bay Area. It can’t just be a simple bowl of noodles. Ultimately, delicious but disappointing.

I’m so glad we are getting more specialized Japanese restaurants! This restaurant does a great job with their soba. While somewhat pricey, this is a great place to try really good soba for the first time. The tempura on the side is really good too, especially with the flavored salt.

Really nice authentic Soba place! We had the Mackerel, which I never had before, and it was really good. Definitely recommend it. You can ask for the fish itself to be fried after you are done with it. Even though it tastes good, it’s still pretty hard to it due to the bones 🦴 I had the duck soba and it was just ok in my opinion. I think the soba could use a little bit more flavor. The rice beer in the pictures was amazing!

+2

I heard about this place from the Michelin guide and I am very glad that I was able to visit. This is the first time I've tried soba and was unsure of what you expect. At Soba Ichi you start by getting into line and ordering before taking your seat; there was two parties ahead near the time that they opened but I can see how this can be an issue during busy hours. The menu left me wanting more in the drink department for something more familiar such as an IPA but the food options were on point. I ordered cold soba tempura. The noodles were smooth with a little bite and chew to them. The dipping sauce was fantastic. It was not overly salted by any means and has tremendous depth of flavor to it. The assorted tempura consisted of a shisito, shrimp, squash, and a mushroom that was lightly fried to absolute perfection. The dish came with additional seasoning, onion, and wasabi. Service was excellent by keeping the water glass filled. I love this place and look forward to returning again soon.

I really liked their cold soba with dipping sauce and garnishes, along with shrimp and kabocha tempura. The noodles had a nice chewiness and leaned toward a firmer side, which I enjoyed. The tempura was light, crispy, and not greasy. Highly recommended!

Was here for early dinner on a Saturday with a friend, the line for food was long but the food did not take long to arrive. Roadside parking is scarce so expect to walk a block or 2. As the name suggests this is a soba shop so expect most of the menu to comprise soba dishes (both hot and cold) and appetizers - just a single page. We had both the hot/soup soba and cold dipping soba and both are pretty good. The broth is not overly flavorful and the soba texture is good. The seared duck breast with meatball appetizer is really good too.

Good food, but expensive for what it is. Very authentic and has a similar flavor profile as some of the noodle places I've had in Japan. I ordered the duck soba and the soup was quite bitter and medicinal. I can see why some people like it but personally not for me.

This was a nice soba spot with good food and a very chill atmosphere. There is indoor seating and a larger outdoor seating area. You order first and then wait to be served. The fried chicken was tasty and very juicy. The soba was cooked perfectly and the dashi was good! Overall a great meal.

Ordered 4 items: Umeshu with soda, Tamagoyaki, Kamo Nanban, Hojicha gelato One star off as the duck breast slices still have unplucked feather on the skin that made the dining experience imperfect. Soba should have mixed with flour as I don't think it's 100% buckwheat based on the texture. The Hojicha gelato is surprisingly awesome!

i recommend coming some minutes before they open to avoid a very long line! i arrived 5min beforehand and there was already several groups in front of me. i ordered the corn korokke and the hot ebi ten soba. there was a tiny fly fried on my tempura lol but they quickly replaced it with a fresh set. the soba was okay, but i honestly think i’m just not a fan of soba in general.

Wee Khim Lee

Was here for early dinner on a Saturday with a friend, the line for food was long but the food did not take long to arrive. Roadside parking is scarce so expect to walk a block or 2. As the name suggests this is a soba shop so expect most of the menu to comprise soba dishes (both hot and cold) and appetizers - just a single page. We had both the hot/soup soba and cold dipping soba and both are pretty good. The broth is not overly flavorful and the soba texture is good. The seared duck breast with meatball appetizer is really good too.

yu cheung

Good food, but expensive for what it is. Very authentic and has a similar flavor profile as some of the noodle places I've had in Japan. I ordered the duck soba and the soup was quite bitter and medicinal. I can see why some people like it but personally not for me.

Sam

This was a nice soba spot with good food and a very chill atmosphere. There is indoor seating and a larger outdoor seating area. You order first and then wait to be served. The fried chicken was tasty and very juicy. The soba was cooked perfectly and the dashi was good! Overall a great meal.

Sonia Garcia

i recommend coming some minutes before they open to avoid a very long line! i arrived 5min beforehand and there was already several groups in front of me. i ordered the corn korokke and the hot ebi ten soba. there was a tiny fly fried on my tempura lol but they quickly replaced it with a fresh set. the soba was okay, but i honestly think i’m just not a fan of soba in general.

Angela Leung

Ordered 4 items: Umeshu with soda, Tamagoyaki, Kamo Nanban, Hojicha gelato One star off as the duck breast slices still have unplucked feather on the skin that made the dining experience imperfect. Soba should have mixed with flour as I don't think it's 100% buckwheat based on the texture. The Hojicha gelato is surprisingly awesome!

Pedro Vicente

Really nice authentic Soba place! We had the Mackerel, which I never had before, and it was really good. Definitely recommend it. You can ask for the fish itself to be fried after you are done with it. Even though it tastes good, it’s still pretty hard to it due to the bones 🦴 I had the duck soba and it was just ok in my opinion. I think the soba could use a little bit more flavor. The rice beer in the pictures was amazing!

Yummy and awesome spot! Really delicious food, but the soba noodles are not gluten free. They are made with 20% flour and 80% buckwheat and it wasn’t clear online. There are other options - I got the sashimi and a really great salad, but wish I could’ve had the soup. Great place though

We were a group of five and ordered five appetizers, three desserts, one soba each, and one drink per person. Even after all that, we were still a bit hungry, and the bill came out to over $50 per person. The soba was quite mild in flavor, and the tempura was decent. Among the appetizers, only the salmon was really good. Overall, the food was just okay. We had to wait in line for a long time, and the service was very slow.(the cucumber appetizer, you could make it at home, don’t deserve it)

My favorite foods were the Kamo Korokke and Beef Tataki Salad with Yuzu Dressing. I also ordered roasted duck Soba (Kamo Namban), but the smell of the duck was too strong for me. I should have ordered a normal one. I tried my friend’s cold Soba, and it was delicious. Cold soba might be better than hot, even in cold seasons.

L

My favorite foods were the Kamo Korokke and Beef Tataki Salad with Yuzu Dressing. I also ordered roasted duck Soba (Kamo Namban), but the smell of the duck was too strong for me. I should have ordered a normal one. I tried my friend’s cold Soba, and it was delicious. Cold soba might be better than hot, even in cold seasons.

Rachel Hayes

We were a group of five and ordered five appetizers, three desserts, one soba each, and one drink per person. Even after all that, we were still a bit hungry, and the bill came out to over $50 per person. The soba was quite mild in flavor, and the tempura was decent. Among the appetizers, only the salmon was really good. Overall, the food was just okay. We had to wait in line for a long time, and the service was very slow.(the cucumber appetizer, you could make it at home, don’t deserve it)

I have this place on my wishlist for a long time but it was quite a disappointment. The appetizers were pretty good tho the portion size was sad. The problem was the noodle. I grew up eating soba noodle. The noodle is supposed to be chewy and has a smooth texture. But the noodle here was nothing like that. My friend ordered the duck soba and the duck breast tasted sour? We double checked with the waiter and they replied in there was no problem with it. But to me it tasted horrible. Very overpriced as well considering there’s not much garnish The only thing I’ll highly recommend is the mochi as dessert. Very very chewy and good flavor.

Food was not bad, the appetizers we ordered were lukewarm as if it was cooked hours ago and kept reheated. The soba dishes were fine, but it is nothing special. I recommend finding somewhere else to eat. Service was fine, and water was never refilled (I even paid with tips ahead of time). They don’t check on you. Overall I wouldn’t come back again, especially for the current pricing.

William Alexander

Food was not bad, the appetizers we ordered were lukewarm as if it was cooked hours ago and kept reheated. The soba dishes were fine, but it is nothing special. I recommend finding somewhere else to eat. Service was fine, and water was never refilled (I even paid with tips ahead of time). They don’t check on you. Overall I wouldn’t come back again, especially for the current pricing.

Food took quite some time to come for our table of 6 and despite this it was not very hot. Taste is a bit disappointing, the broth was extremely salty, it almost tasted like soya sauce was spilled. If you ever had soba in Japan you would be questioning some of these other reviews.

[Too Long Waiting] We arrived before 6 PM but weren’t able to place our order until 6:30. While the appetizers came out fairly quickly at 6:38, we had to wait another 40 minutes for the main dishes, which didn’t arrive until 7:16. [Food Quality] We ordered the Tamagoyaki, Kamo Misu Aburi, Ebi Ten Seiro, and Nishin Soba. The Tamagoyaki was mediocre — honestly, you can find better versions at many sushi spots in the Bay Area. The Kamo Misu Aburi was tasty but too salty on its own. It would’ve been much better if served with some rice or bread to balance it out. The Ebi Ten Seiro was also good, but the tempura portion was confusing. It came with 2 shrimp and 1 shishito pepper, even though the menu said “with 2 shrimp & shishito tempura,” which made us expect 2 shishito tempura as well. The Nishin Soba was unfortunately the weakest dish. The herring was overly sweet and had a strong fishy smell, which made the broth unpleasant. I ended up adding all the shichimi just to mask the off-putting flavor.

food was decent. refreshing bowl of noodles but I would not go out of my way it was pretty busy when I got there. you order at the counter and waited maybe 30 minutes to order, no problem. however after I ordered it took 54 minutes to get the food. 54 minutes!! I understand it is a locally small business dealing with recent large crowds. there needs to be a better system to indicate what the wait will be after you have already ordered and paid for your food, because near an hour is too long

Hyungsuk Yoon

[Too Long Waiting] We arrived before 6 PM but weren’t able to place our order until 6:30. While the appetizers came out fairly quickly at 6:38, we had to wait another 40 minutes for the main dishes, which didn’t arrive until 7:16. [Food Quality] We ordered the Tamagoyaki, Kamo Misu Aburi, Ebi Ten Seiro, and Nishin Soba. The Tamagoyaki was mediocre — honestly, you can find better versions at many sushi spots in the Bay Area. The Kamo Misu Aburi was tasty but too salty on its own. It would’ve been much better if served with some rice or bread to balance it out. The Ebi Ten Seiro was also good, but the tempura portion was confusing. It came with 2 shrimp and 1 shishito pepper, even though the menu said “with 2 shrimp & shishito tempura,” which made us expect 2 shishito tempura as well. The Nishin Soba was unfortunately the weakest dish. The herring was overly sweet and had a strong fishy smell, which made the broth unpleasant. I ended up adding all the shichimi just to mask the off-putting flavor.

Daniel Liao

Food took quite some time to come for our table of 6 and despite this it was not very hot. Taste is a bit disappointing, the broth was extremely salty, it almost tasted like soya sauce was spilled. If you ever had soba in Japan you would be questioning some of these other reviews.

Billy Davies

food was decent. refreshing bowl of noodles but I would not go out of my way it was pretty busy when I got there. you order at the counter and waited maybe 30 minutes to order, no problem. however after I ordered it took 54 minutes to get the food. 54 minutes!! I understand it is a locally small business dealing with recent large crowds. there needs to be a better system to indicate what the wait will be after you have already ordered and paid for your food, because near an hour is too long

Food is good everything I’ve been here but I am now unfortunately gluten intolerant now. The website had no information what the soba noodles were made of and no mention of gluten or gluten-free. I called the restaurant directly and had asked if the soba noodles were 100% buckwheat, and the woman on the line had said it was. After a long wait in line, I got to the front. When I had gotten there and asked to double check, I was told it is not gluten-free and contains wheat along with soy in the broth.