THE EXPLORER

We were walking back home from Columbus circle recently and stopped to have lunch at a nearby Asian restaurant. After looking at the menu, we passed it and found Soba Noodle Azuma. We beat the rush so we got a table right away in the front of the restaurant. Very attentive service from the start. We had one tempura udon bowl set and one eel bowl. Both were very authentic and tasty but a tad salty for me. Very nice atmosphere so we had a good time.

+6

Yanisa Kham

Nice restaurant with lots of spacious seating. Enjoyable dinner, lots of vegetarian options for no frills udon and soba. Had some drinks as well and enjoyed the evening. Will definitely come back

+1

Enzo Tan

What a fantastic first experience with Soba in New York! Soba Noodle Azuma really hit the spot. We arrived around 5pm and were seated right away, which was a nice surprise. I opted for the beef soba with a medium portion of noodles (you can actually choose your noodle quantity!), and it was delicious. The fried octopus appetizer was a great starter, and the Yuzu Soda was the perfect refreshing complement to the meal. I can't wait to go back and bring my friends!

david wilson

This restaurant is a great find in NYC. Delicious Japanese foods at fair prices. In fact, the prices are quite "normal", nowhere near what many other Japanese restaurants are charging and the food is well prepared, with generous portions. They charge the same price for Small - Medium - Large bowels of noodles. Wow! They also have perfectly Grilled Fish, and really, really delicious and healthy, Soba Noodles.

+1

Mindy Lai

Soba and udon for LIFE! Out of everything we got I say you can skip the appetizers and just go for the soba and udon! The apps were a little salty and over done but they’re good at their noods! The desesrt we got was yum but the “edible” / decorative flower was kinda sad. Service was great! Very attentive and kind servers!

+3

Alex

The beef soba was pretty good, I would come back to get this. I ordered a side of shrimp tempura that wasn't great. 3 pieces that are not very crispy. Very limp. Especially for 9.50 , not worth it at all. Service was just ok, I'd say nonexistent. My water was never refilled, the wait for my food was a bit long, and my bowl came after two people who arrived after me. I will still come back for their beef soba when it is less busy

Tom L

This is a super popular place. They do not accept reservations. We had a very short 5 minute wait. We ended up with a very pleasant booth for three. Their menu is vast. It is difficult to make a decision. We went with the soba noodles with vegetable & shrimp tempura. The medium sized bowl is perfect. The 300 g large is rather massive. The tempura frying was very delicate. The soup was pleasant but from our perspective maybe needed a tough more unami (but honestly we are not experts). Asahi beer went very nicely with our meal. Service throughout was relaxed and efficient.

Anita Leung

4.5 rating. They gave us ice cream instead of the mochi like in the picture. Lots of seating when going in to eat around 6 on a Wednesday. Grilled yellowtail was delicious. Got a 300g soba which was enough for two people.

mag huang

Soba got dry towards the end, overall just average taste. Service at front table was not friendly and told us to stand aside and wait even tho it was not crowded and many empty seats. But service at the table was great and efficient.

Alan Lau

Personally I think it was ok. The soba tastes bland for me, I guess that’s just how the soba supposed to be. But I feel it’s authentic and refreshing. The sashimi and tempura are fresh. I like the matcha ice cream that comes with the set. The seafood pancake is crispy outside but mushy on the inside. I would prefer it to be more solid.

David Vander Meer

Soba Noodle Azuma is a welcome breath of calm in the middle of Midtown. Their house-made soba is the real draw—earthy, fresh, and executed well. I went with the cold soba and tempura, and both were excellent! I love that you can choose between 100g, 200g, or 300g portions for the same price—it’s a small detail, but it shows thoughtfulness. My love ordered the sukiyaki-style nabeyaki udon, and it was rich and flavorful—a warming bowl of comfort. We also shared the dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelette), which was delicately seasoned and slightly sweet—a simple but elegant starter that paired perfectly with our meal. Service was efficient and kind, and the space feels traditional and peaceful. This isn’t a flashy spot, but it’s full of quiet excellence. One star off only because the menu is fairly focused—fantastic for soba lovers, but a little more limited if you’re looking for variety. Still, a great find in Midtown. We are unfortunately starved of quality soba in Vegas, but make a point to get it whenever we have the opportunity. This was our second visit to Soba Noodle Azuma, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if we found our way back the next time we’re in New York City.

+7

P

It's been my second time and I was a bit disappointed with the food. I ordered a mini tempura with rice and it was soggy - it came out super fast (faster than the salad my friend ordered) and it seemed it had been fried a while before I ordered. I'm giving it 3 stars just because I had unagi in my first visit and it was good, albeit small. Pictures of both foods below