Cold soba is a refreshing summer treat, and the Aburi Sake Toro, that seared salmon belly, was the highlight of our dinner, tantalizing our taste buds with its melt-in-your-mouth goodness!!

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Friday night. I ordered the Ten Zaru and he got the Kamo Seiro Noodle. They were both really good, although we both agreed that we liked the Ten Zaru better. The sautéed duck was pretty good and the matcha crème brûlée was ok. Overall good experience, delicious soba, and would come back.

Noodles and broth did not disappoint! Choice of hot or cold Soba dishes (tempura was delicious). Also a tasty hot Udon dish. Choice of size for most items - regular should be plenty for 1.

Delicious! I got the Ten Zaru and really enjoyed it. Did not expect much from the tempura but it was crispy and the shrimp was plumper than I expected. I personally preferred the cold soba over the hot one. Would return.

Wow, just wow. Sobaya offers faithfully Japanese noodle fare in completely authentic surroundings; I genuinely thought I was visiting Japan again. I was shell shocked by how simple these dishes' appearances were and yet how robust their flavor was. They were subtle but still powerfully soothing. Highly recommend for a light evening meal after a long walk through the city during the spring.

Japanese decoration style with great portion of soba. Everything was perfect. Great service with delicious food. Will definitely bring my friend to this place again.

+2

The sobaya is a Japanese restaurant, it is clean and has sanitizer on every table. The food is good and I ordered a udon, some duck and some dessert. The udon bowl is good, the texture is good and I like it. The restroom is clean. The waiter is ok. The food is delicious. The restaurant is quite comfortable and the lunch menu seems to be economic, there are lunch specials. There are also some Japanese newspaper at the entrance.

+6

this was amaaazzinnngggg. everything about this experience was so cozy and comfy and goooooood 🫠 the lunch special is honestly a pretty good deal: they give you a pretty decent amount of donburi and soba/udon, and it's very filling and high quality. the eel was super super soft and flavorful and amaaazzzinngggg 10/10

had the duck soba - very good, lovely texture and the broth was amazing for me. Ambience is super nice and the service from the main waiter was 10/10 - didn’t catch the name Otherwise, we were brushed out of the restaurant after paying - we were waiting for a friend to finish using the toilet (there’s only one) and usually I’d expect to be able to stay for a bit to wait - it didn’t seem too busy! Maybe it’s a NYC thing but another waiter (not our one) simply said we were “done” and needed to leave. Outside of that it was a near perfect dining experience so very happy :) Just wanted to apologise to our main waiter for one of our rude party members. Very sorry and even I am not sure why she was so mad…

Ordered the special meal set. You have a choice of eels on rice, salmon or tempura with either udon or soba (cold or hot). The meal came very quickly and it was delicious. Afterward, we ordered the appetizer, the house-made green tea creme bruise. It has a very good texture and good taste. By the way, the soba is also made in-house. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice. I highly recommend this place.

We loved this place so much, we came back multiple times during our trip to New York. It’s incredibly rare to find a soba restaurant that handmakes their own noodles—and lets you see the process in action. The care and craftsmanship here are just next level. They make a limited batch of 100% buckwheat soba during dinner service, and it’s absolutely worth it. The noodles are nutty, chewy, and deeply satisfying—some of the best soba I’ve ever had. Every dish we tried was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. You can really taste the attention to detail. This spot quickly became one of the highlights of our trip, and we already can’t wait to come back.

It was a pleasure to dine at your establishment. The udon and soba were authentic and exceptional. Thank you to your entire team for their excellent service.

+4

It's a lovely japanese soba shop. We ordered the soba with tempura and duck soba. The tempura was surprisingly fresh and good. We are visiting from Toronto and we think that there's no such soba shop like that in Toronto! It's definitely a must-visit spot!

The food is delicious, I continue to come back here often. I am always very impressed by the freshness of the ingredients and the quality of the rice bowls in particular. The tuna avocado don is my favorite go to pick, its perfect. I have also gotten the lunch special (small soba and small rice bowl) twice now and it has been excellent both times! Both the indoor and outdoor seating are lovely. The service is fine, sometimes it can be a little rushed. It is always somewhat busy but I have never had a problem being seated. The dessert places across the street are also excellent and a perfect place to go afterward!

So happy we came to try their Housemade soba! Even though it wasn't the best weather for cold soba, I loved my tempura zaru. I knew they were legit when they gave me real wasabi to mix into the tsuyu dipping sauce. The other hot soba dishes we got were also delicious. Service was fast and friendly. No wait even on Sat night. Prices are reasonable. I'd definitely come back.

+3

The vibe felt cozy and quiet, and the food hit just right - full of flavor, comfortable, and satisfying

+4

They were so gracious about my dietary restrictions and allowed me to make substitutions. They do not have much vegetarian option. The hot soups/broths are made with bonito (fish). I ended up getting a cold noodle dish to avoid the soup and got salad dressings instead of dipping sauces. I also got vegetable tempura, which was great. They have cold and hot soba options, both are great.

+1

Definitely one of my favorite places to come. They have soba, udon, and some daily specials that are really delicious. Prices are just right. There’s staff that also speaks Japanese. Definitely recommend visiting.

I stumbled upon this Japanese restaurant while walking in the East Village of New York. They serve authentic handmade soba and traditional Japanese dishes. This place has been praised for its high-quality, fresh soba. The restaurant also offers a variety of sushi, tempura, rice bowls, and other Japanese comfort foods with seasonal ingredients. You definitely need to come here for their handmade soba. So good! I ordered tempura hot soba noodle, tan tan, and match brulee dessert. I feel cozy dining here with attentive staffs. NYC doesn't really have many places that serves soba noodles, so this is my favorite one so far.

The noodle dishes were very good. The Nobeyaki, which was a seasonal dish, had one of the best broths that I have ever had. It was flavorful, rich, and not salty like many other places. I ended up drinking all of it. The Kamo Kuwayaji duck appetizer was also tender and tasty. They also have donburi bowls if you don't feel like noodles.

+1

Exactly what I was looking for, the sake was perfectly described and the tan tan men with soba was absolutely delicious. I felt well taken care of and not rushed in my dining experience.

As a Japanese culture enthusiast, this was perfect. Perfect environment, peaceful and clean, great service. As someone who has had soba many times, including in Japan, this was the best soba I’ve had. The dashi was incredibly flavorful. I’m not a huge wasabi person but their wasabi was delicious. 11/10, I will be back soon

Happy to stop by here for lunch! As a frequent visitor to Japan, I really recommend their buckwheat noodles!✨ ⚠️Although some little thing about other dishes that could be improved but overall worth to visit..! Noodles were really really outstanding, chewy but not soggy! And a ince I ordered Ten Zaru, the set came with shrimps tempura. Each of them was huge, crispy, and juicy inside..! AMAZING! For appetizer, I got sliced duck. It was tasty although slightly expensive. Last, matcha crème brûlée as dessert. I was a little bit sad because the burnt sugar didn’t go over all surface (as you may see in the photo, it only covered the middle part.) The main cream part was good, a nice twist using matcha to change this European dessert. 💕Highly recommend to people who would like to have a meal alone. The space is cozy and chill even for single visitors. Would like to visit again for rice dishes..!

+1

One of my favorite soba place in the city. Been there couple time before pandemic, love the hot soba. They also have some cold dishes and sashimi options as appetizer. Love the fried tofu and tempura soba. They don’t have cocktails, but the great sake collection. Yuzu sake is the best!

Soba no? More like Soba-ya! Came here on a chilly November night after exploring the city with my brother. We ordered hot tea, hot sake, two noodle dishes: Kamo Nanban (Sliced sautéed duck & scallion in hot broth) & Nabeyaki Udon (udon served in a pot with shrimp tempura chicken, egg, fish cake & mushrooms), and a matcha brûlée for dessert. The hot tea and sake kept us warm as we dined outdoors. My brother’s noodle dish consisted of soba with sautéed duck slices. I managed to sneak in a spoonful of the broth and it was delicious. Normally the issue with duck with me, is that I can always taste the fat from the skin in the broth as well as the meat which I am typically not a fan of. The broth was hearty yet light and the soba noodles complimented the dish well. Unfortunately, the cold did make his dish become cold fast. As for my dish, the pot remained hot throughout my meal which I did not mind at all. I did have to take out the shrimp tempura in the midst of my meal because the coating was getting soggy. Flavor wise, my dish reminded me of a Japanese version of the classic chicken noodle soup. The veggies, broth and udon were an impeccable combination. The mushrooms had soaked up some of the broth so with every bite there was squirt of broth which made chewing fun, the udon had also absorbed the broth which made the noodle not bland at all. I really loved the chicken bits (wish they added more) as it was so tender and juicy. The matcha brûlée was good. I really liked the burnt sugar topping with creamy bottom of the matcha. You can definitely tell there was a hint of earthiness/ bitterness from the matcha. Next time I come here, will probably be in the summer, where I would definitely be ordering their cold soba. Note: If you order tea, they do unlimited refills.

+1

Very nice staff and menu options. They were very busy but the turnover was quick so we were able to be sat without a long wait. Service was quick and friendly. Menu has a little bit of everything at average prices for the city. I enjoyed their specials and would definitely recommend them, the other dishes were executed very well, but some of the flavor profiles were not as exciting. Overall I would say it's worth the stop and try some well prepared food.

+1

Found another gem. It was a hot NYC summer day today and I thought that cold soba noodles would be a perfect meal. After spending some time in SoHo, we walked 20 min to get to Sobaya. Easy to find. I noticed the Michelin 2023 sticker as we arrived. We had a party of 5 so it made it a little more challenging, and the restaurant was accommodating. Ordered one of the appetizer specials, I can’t remember the name but it was tuna sashimi with a perilla leaf and avocado wrapped in soy, and it was delicious. The agedashi tofu was also very good. For our entrées we ordered the Oyakodon, the Salmon Sashimi and Roe don, the Zaru Soba with a side of pork katsu, and the Chirashi Soba with a side of the chicken katsu. All of the entrees had good flavor, the noodles were firm and supple enough, the sashimi was fresh, the katsu was lean. Overall, a wonderful meal. Each dish had fresh ground wasabi which was a nice touch We topped it off with the yuzu sorbet, and green tea brûlée. They ran out of the mochi. Both were great, but the yuzu was perfect for the weather and to finish off the dinner. . I bet that the hot soba noodles would be great as well, but that’s an adventure for next time.

+3

Loved the food here was super good. The atmosphere definitely like a Japanese restaurant.

Decent Jap food and attentive service. Ordered duck and it was very well seasoned. I’m a fan of soba and found their noodle was great/fresh. I’d come again next time in NYC.

Fantastic and flavorful Japanese food! Everything I ate was good and the service was kind and attentive. I'll be honest I don't remember the name of what I got but it was a rice dish, it might've been some kind of tonkatsu, and it was awesome. Same with the appetizer, it was some kind of seared salmon belly and it was buttery, and smooth, so so good.

Loved the cold noodle here! This place is amazing. I just didn’t like the way they rush us into ordering and finishing up our food. Other than that it was an amazing experience. 👌🏻

Ordered the kamo nanban with udon and it was deeply savory without feeling heavy, tender duck, fragrant scallions, and a broth with real depth. The udon had great chew and held the broth perfectly.

Japanese spot specializing in soba—traditional buckwheat noodles done right . Michelin Bib Gourmand winner . Cozy wood interior, peaceful vibe. Cold or hot soba with tempura, salmon sashimi, shrimp shumai—all excellent. Affordable for the quality (around $27/person). Hidden gem on 9th Street.

Gleb Kornienko

This is a quietly confident spot that rewards a spontaneous visit. I stopped in late in the day while walking by and was seated immediately, which set a relaxed tone from the start. The menu is relatively small but thoughtfully curated, focusing on quality rather than excess, and the food delivers on that promise. The atmosphere is calm and understated, making it an excellent place for conversation, something that’s increasingly rare. While it’s not the most budget friendly option, the overall experience feels worth the price. If you happen to pass by, it’s absolutely a place worth stopping for a satisfying and unrushed meal

Linfei Li

Great soba noodles and goma ae! The duck is a little overcooked for my taste, but the broth is delicious

Mei Deng

Love this place! Been multiple times, and is one of the best places I’ve gone for soba in nyc. Would recommend a res tho bc it can get busy depending on time of day. Their lunch specials are VERY value - Sake oyako don lunch set w/ hot udon: 8/10: The salmon bowl was yummy, and the udon texture was good, but would prob get the cold dipping soba instead (better imo) - Una ju lunch set w/ cold dipping soba: 10/10, The eel was really yummy, and I love their cold soba. Dipping sauce is light and refreshing

Grace Evans

Sobaya has such a pleasant and welcoming warmth that won me over the moment I walked through the door. Capturing the quiet business and relaxing atmosphere of a traditional Japanese restaurant, I felt like I was back on the quieter streets of Japan. The staff were very attentive and the food was understated yet excellent. Simple execution with incredible flavor and soul, this hole in the wall delivered everything i was looking for and more. A must visit for anyone looking for an authentic soba/upon meal with a nice variety of sake and other Japanese spirits. 10/10, I can't wait to return ♡

Raiwin M.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sobaya serves delicious cold soba and perfectly crispy tempura. Fresh, authentic, and beautifully prepared — a true Japanese taste in NYC! 🍜🇯🇵

Laura R

First time going today this spot is good I like the style , a nice menu I went for there lunch special my friend introduced me to this spot and I really enjoyed it. The food is good as well. I am adding it to my list , i recommend

Thea Pham

The cod fish was absolutely outstanding. I finished every bite, even the soba broth. The space wasn’t too crowded and the servers was nice, which made for a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience.

Denisa Rajská

The food was delicious, especially the pork belly appetizer!! Worth visitting and the prices are very reasonable for that good quality.

Grace Combs

Only wish I had found Sobaya sooner! Fantastic dipping soba with friendly staff and relaxing ambiance. The Ten Zaru is particularly refreshing on a hot day. I look forward to my next visit.

simone lamagna

This place is phenomenal. First off, vibes are SO cozy inside, it’s feels like you’re in someone’s house but like with really intentional interior decorating. Now the food, holy moly this was one of the best meals I’ve had in nyc. Hella bang for your buck. Got the seaweed salad and 2 hot noodle bowls. I’ll think about this food for years likely. Our server was attentive and very nice.

Saahil Panikar

Holy crap! This place was so good. We stopped in on the way and we're just blown away by how authentic and tasty the food was. The chicken nanban was one of the best things I've ever eaten. And the rice bowls looked so good. Definitely stop by and try this! I also really loved their hot green tea

+8

Kama K

Didn’t expect to enjoy this experience so much! Very kind service and super accommodating. I love the ambiance too! But mostly, the food. Truly the type of a meal you’d get in Japan. High quality soba and fish. Spotlight on lunch menus — great value!

+6

Natasha Fung

I really enjoyed Sobaya! All of the food was simple yet flavorful and the udon/soba are fresh made in the restaurant. Based on reviews I read, the portions are adequately filling but not over the top or lacking by any means.

+4

K M

Dined here with my son tonight. Wonderful restaurant and delicious authentic Japanese cuisine. The atmosphere was absolutely lovely and we had delicious udon and soba noodles that were top notch! My son recently visited Japan and said this restaurant made him feel as if he was transported magically and suddenly dining in Japan. Decor is on point and the staff were incredibly nice and very attentive. My son loves water and his glass was never empty as they were right on the ball checking to see if everyone was taken care of. We loved the matcha Creme brûlées we had for dessert. Also not to be forgotten were our delicious appetizers….we had the seared duck and fried chicken Japanese style. Tasty! We shall definitely return to this gem of a restaurant!!

Agnes Y

All the dishes stayed true to the basics. Among the items we ordered, the Una-Ju Don was the best, while the tuna in the Tuna Avocado Don was slightly disappointing. I visited with my son in the early evening, and it was a comfortable meal without a crowded atmosphere.

Very clean food, clean flavor and creative. Yuzu soba was really impressive, they keep it pure and simple to make an Accenture with the punch of their dishes.

Wonderful service and top notch freshness when it comes to sashimi and soba noodles. I was underwhelmed by the oyakodan (chicken egg dish) - it lacked flavor and sauce, normally the sauce would be fluid enough to coat the rice.

+3

The broth is so tasty, and I loved the noodles. I didn’t think the hot shrimp tempura soba was that good because I wished there was more flavor for the tempura. Maybe cold is the move. It was quite expensive for dinner, but I think I would come back to try a cold soba for lunch. The restaurant also got quite loud at dinner time and made it hard to hear who I was talking to.

Shrimp Tempura was good but it seems too pricy for us. Maybe it felt that because we are not familiar with NYC average food price. In LA, $4.75 for one shrimp tempura is way too pricy. We also ordered regular cold zaru soda. Soda portion is not that huge. So make sure you order large or hot soda with soup in it. Otherwise, you will be hungry. However, I have to say, service, interior, and food is great!

Authentic Japanese soba & udon restaurant 40.72964 -73.98785 Among a ton of Japanese restaurants in East Village, Soba-ya looks like and really is an ordate Japanese buckwheat soba & udon restaurant, exempt not sitting on the floor, tatami mats and leaving your shoes at the door. No other competing Asian cuisines on the menu. Co-owner and mini-mogul, Bon Yagi, prefers authenticity to flash in his restaurants. No QR-codes in this Michelin Bibi Gourmand restaurant. With loud Americans inside, soundproofing is lacking. As appetiser, we ordered in June 2023 Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese-style egg omelette, made by rolling thin layer upon thin layer of egg) and miso soup ($5). The soup arrived, but not the egg omelette, before our Yasal udon soup with mixed vegetables and mushrooms ($22) arrived. Lost in translation? The thick udon broth was hearty and flavourful. Well prepared and enjoyable. Soba-ya serves very good udon, but the service could be better. Recommended.

+1

Feels like getting transported to Japan. Customizable soba and udon with great broth, convenient service and a very zen woody atmosphere. Is this probably 10-15% overpriced? Maybe. A bottle of sake was $100. But a great meal and overall experience nonetheless.

I’ve been this place multiple times over the years and I still like this place. Not a top notch but good for soba joint. We went there for lunch. We ordered Duck soup soba and it was very good. The way they cook duck here is just right. Though they don’t use sushi rice for the rice bowl with sashimi, so keep that in mind. Potion is just right for me and kept me full all day. Service there is simple so don’t expect too much. It has been this way so it’s just their style.

The vibe itself was great as it really exhibited a traditional soba restaurant. We ordered the duck, shrimp shumai and salmon belly appetizers and they were all great starters, though the amount could've been more. The shumai actually had the texture of fish balls rather than traditional shumai. We got the lunch set which comes with soba and a choice of a rice dish. The soba noodles themselves were great although there were no additional add-ons other than the soba itself so if you're ok with that then it's fine, but I liked to get some protein alongside the hefty amount of carbs. The unagi with rice is pretty standard but still very tasty. It could just be that I'm not exactly someone who enjoys just carbs by themselves without them being accompanied by some protein and vegetables for a more vibrant tasting experience.

+4

4/5 Nabeyaki Udon -- deeply umami broth with a good variety of toppings. Very thick style udon but for me personally I prefer a bit more chew to my udon. 4/5 Chirashi Soba -- very thin style soba with good buckwheat flavor!

Soba restaurant on East 9th in the East Village. A very solid Soba joint with Sushi bowl options including katsu and Udon. We ordered the Soba set with Shrimp Tempura, and the chicken katsu with rice. Everything was above board, the only gripe was the soba volume was light for the price, but other than that, a solid experience if you are a soba lover.

+6

I can see why this place has very mixed reviews in terms of expectations. I would say my rating of Sobaya is a fair 4 stars out of 5, with an explanation of the breakdown. Ambience: I came in and was greeted immediately and service was very attentive. Service is not chatty but will immediately refill your food or take away plates. This overall contributes to the already quiet peaceful dining experience. I went to the restroom after my meal and I definitely can see the care in the amenities given in this restaurant. They have a nice bidet that automatically warms up your toilet seat. Great quality toilet paper (lol I'm serious) and paper towels. Food: I didn't have the soba this time because I was really craving Ten Don today and wanted something more homey tasting. I had the Tuna Yuba Maki $17 as my appetizer which is chopped tuna, avocado, shisho leaf and wrapped in tofu skin. The presentation was beautiful and it was placed on top of a nearly cut banana leaf. I felt like the avocado was a little out of place and overpowered the shiso but it was still pretty good. I had the Ten Don $22 for dinner. The Ten Don came out on a nice platter with a cup to pour my sauce over the tempura. Tempura was crispy and they used good quality rice. Overall I feel like Sobaya suffers from issues with pricing that everyone talks about because of the location. This place definitely serves homey Japanese comfort food if that's what you're looking for in the area. But the price tag doesn't give homey Japanese comfort food, but it's due to the location higher pricing has to be put into consideration for the establishment. I would say that a lot of small attention to details in amenities are included in this price tag from food presentation to ambience. I would come back here if I was in the mood for a Japanese comfort meal and only if I'm in the area. But not a place I expect to be wowed.

Nice broths. The atmosphere feels very original. The place is small and not so loud so you can actually have a conversation. The homemade noodels are very good. Food is nicely presented. Overall the focus is definitely on enjoying the noodels and there are no dominating spices or other flavors.

+2

Glad that we visited this place in NY. We ordered daily limited special lunch box, salmon and roe over rice and uni and mountain yam soba. The soba looks plain but can purely present the food nature flavor. Love it!

Happened to stumble upon Soba-ya because we were around East Village looking for a spot to eat. It was warm super warm and cozy inside and the staff were attentive. Their fresh handmade soba definitely hit the spot on such a cold day. They also serve a variety of Japanese dishes.

Very authentic and tasty soba noodle joint in East Village. Sobaya serves traditional soba noodle dishes and a few other appetizers plus rice dishes. I ordered the tempura hot soba since it was popular and it was my first time trying this restaurant. The dish came with 3 shrimp and 1 shishito tempura which was freshly fried and well portioned. The soup itself came with a lot of noodles and a hearty broth. The flavors tasted very traditional. Inside the cafe gives Japanese vibes and feels homey. Overall this spot is good if you’re looking for a nice and light dinner option.

the agedashi tofu and soba were pretty good. the broth is deep and flavorful and the noodles had good texture. the portion of noodles was pretty good too. the tempura was a bit too oily for me.

The food was tasty but felt overpriced . We ended up paying $120 including tip/tax for 2 mains and 2 appetizers, which felt like much more than other comparable restaurants.

Okay maybe I was having more expectations than I should have but this was just okay good 😭 we got the tofu, chirashi cold soba, tan tan noodle, and cold udon (not featured i forgot). Cold noodles is the move for the summer

Craving for Soba noodles so I decided to go there. Soba noodles were fine but the Tempura was not good as expected. It wasn’t crispy as expected and greasy. The atmosphere and the service were great.

Nicholas Hester

This place is really good! The portions are good, the noodles are good. My issue is I’m not a big soup for a meal guy. That’s a me issue and not a Sobaya issue. This is probably some of the best soup I’ve had ever, but it’s just soup. Really good spot if you like soup and noodles though!

Jean Ng

Food is great as usual but the service was a little disappointing. The server was insisting we ordered the wrong item that was given to us, then only take back and change to the correct one. Splitting the bill got confusing but in the end it worked out.

cleidy h

Finally got around to coming here for the lunch special I chose the eel with cold soba noodles. Honestly, i would be happy eating a lunch set everyday. This was a perfectly balance meal and got me the right amount of full. The eel was fatty and super flavorful, the dipping sauce for the cold noodles was okay tasted like a variation of soy sauce. My friend got the hot soba which i would recommend eating quickly as the noodles become soggy. Lastly, the green tea was amazing!! Would deff come pack the place was busy around 1 and then at 2/3 became extremely empty.

perle75nyc

As expected, the place was quite busy due to the hot weather. Watching a video of soba being made while waiting helped ease the boredom, and the food itself wasn’t bad. The tempura was crispy and tasty, but the dipping sauce for the soba was a bit too salty, and overall, the soba wasn’t particularly more flavorful compared to other soba places. Considering how busy the restaurant was, the staff seemed understaffed. The team was moving around busily, but things didn’t seem well-organized, making their efforts appear somewhat inefficient. The host also came across as unfriendly. Rather than repeatedly telling every guest, “Can I put my name on the waitlist?” and “Just wait here,” it would probably be less frustrating for everyone—and easier for the staff—if they used a proper waitlist system like many other restaurants do. It felt like a missed opportunity to improve both customer experience and staff workflow. One staff member was clearing tables, wiping surfaces, handling new napkins, chopsticks, and cups, and then using the same hand to scoop ice from the ice bin and serve drinks—all without taking a single moment to sanitize or wash their hands. It definitely didn’t feel hygienic or sanitary. When I first received my food, something felt off. I noticed that the dishes were placed upside down on the tray, so I had to rearrange them myself. I understand they might have been busy, but it really showed how unprofessional the service was.

+16

Joan V

I’ve gone to Sobaya even before their Michelin credentials. I was recommended here by a family member and recently rediscovered it while doing some solo-exploring. I always grab their daily lunch combo as it gives you a bang for your buck. (If you’re a college student in the area, you’d be a fool not to give this place a chance.) Both hot and cold soba options are solid (my brother prefers cold, I like hot) and we adore their dons. There was one time I found something wrong with my order and they were so apologetic- immediately replacing my dish with a fresh one. I was happy to receive a fresh one (tempura deliciously hot out of the frier) and finished. That’s when they gave me a free green tea crème brûlée for my troubles. They didn’t have to do that, but they were so kind and profusely apologizing for the earlier blunder that I couldn’t help but tip well and applaud their service. My water was never empty! All the food was delicious. Not too salty, not too sweet, but just right. Love Sobaya and will definitely keep coming back :)

+5

Update: I would recommend only coming here for the lunch deal (daily) or Monday-Thursday early bird dinner special (5-7 pm). Food is too pricy otherwise. I came back for the lunch deal and ordered the limited (25 daily) lunch box set ($21). Food portion is more reasonable this time and I was pretty full by the end. There is also a different lunch deal available, small soba/udon with your choice of rice bowl. Precious review: I got here around 6 pm on a Sunday and there wasn't a line but it filled up soon afterward. Place is really cute, they put lots of effort into decoration. I got a seat at the bar. I got the small cold chirashi soba ($19). Lots of people ordered the tempera set, probably should've gone for that. The chirashi topping is one tempura shrimp, one piece of mushroom, tofu, and tiny fish cake. I was so surprised when food came out and it was really tiny. The soba was ok, an interesting chewy texture; I haven't had real soba from Japan so I don't have a base line comparison. Everything else was not good. The mushroom was kinda sweet, the tofu was really salty, and the fish cake doesn't have much taste. When I finish, they gave me some hot liquid (water?) to mix with the dipping sauce to make a soup. Their Monday-Thursday early bird (5-7pm) dinner set is probably a better deal if you want to try out their soba.

+3

The food was good, my server did the bare minimal. I forgot to tip After paying the server look at the bill and requested a tip in a very expentant attidue. I tipped and server expected more. Disappointed in the service. Ambiance and food was lovely. Would go back for the food and not the service.

Avocado tempura - Absolutely amazing paired with the sauce from the tofu (the original avocado does not come with sauce) Tofu - 3/5 stars. Very rubbery outside and it was ok. Sauce 5/5 Tan tan - 3/5 sauce is great. I cant say the noodles were very good.... flavorless noodles im not sure how this place has 2 Michelin stars

dont really understand the good ratings from this place, as someone lived in Tokyo for years, I can say that their soba is really mediocre, and the duck broth tastes bad. The soba taste exactly the same as package soba and the service is also very overloaded and slow. The appetizer (salmon belly) tastes bad good but overall way too overpriced

2024/07/07: We had the Tatsuta Age, Zaru soba, and Ten Zaru soba. The Tarsuta Age was bland, the soba was good. We waited longer than normal for our food because our order didn’t go through to the kitchen the first time but our server gave us complementary matcha ice cream.

The highlight is the Salmon Skin Crisp (Deep Fried Salmon Skin with Cilantro on Homemade Guacamole). I tried my friends' soba and undo and just didn't find it all that impressive. I got the sashimi and is OK, again nothing special.

+4

The food was tasty, but...the portions were so small. Not even half a bowl full. Both children finish their adult meals fully. Many people left hungry. The portion was so small, especially for the price per bowl. Was it tasty, yes. Is that enough, up to you. We didn't have a dedicated server, but they were all ok. I was actually sad, I was looking forward to eating here and then was disappointed.

+3

Their tonkatsu was disappointing. Small and dry. I also ordered katsu and 3 “onsen” eggs but only received 2 eggs and didn’t even get the katsu. Very little soba given for the price; ur better off at ootoya—much more generous portions and their katsu+tonkatsu are actually really juicy. Radish side isnt submerged in ponzu. Their seasonal soba with the uni and roe is a ripoff. $37 for basically all noodles and 2 small slivers of uni, some creamy thing, and roe??? Limited time ramen and tomago were alright. Only the tensen ramen was more worth it to me. Really well made large tempura shrimps Staff were nice enough but also made us feel a bit rushed and easily irritable, altho it was during rush tbf Beautiful interior w a traditional vibe and heated bidet toilet seat lol

The staff's there were great and very helpful. They deserved a 4. However, the food was okay, not worth the price I paid for. It was filling but flavor was a bit disappointing. Not sure what the strong taste was, but my friend thinks it's the taste of "chen pi" (skin of clementines). The glazed sweet potatoes were AMAZING though, that was the best part of the meal. Sake was decent, too dry for my liking and my friend's, but it was good.

+1

The ambiance was great and I loved how the place was decorated. The food however was really mid and bland.. the hot soba and hot udon lacked flavor and I was so disappointed :( definitely not Michelin Guide worthy and not worth the price.

Very disappointing… Do they really craft soba in the demonstration space in the store??? No soba flavor at all. Too soft and no soba texture. It’s a quality of the one you can buy at any Japanese supermarkets by a few dollars. Cooking is also unprofessional; on the bottom of the bowl, the noodle was unloosed and in a square shape. I don’t believe those who cooked know what kitsune soba is. Need huge improvement.

We ordered the Sake Oyako Don Lunch Combo ($24) and Homemade Dashimaki Tamago ($14). The salmon was pretty good, but it was a small portion size and I ended up with a bunch of leftover rice since there were only a few pieces of fish. The hot udon was decent, but nothing special. The appetizers don’t even count as an appetizer (literally two bites worth of food) and we didn’t get the green tea that’s supposed to come with the set. For $24, this is insanely overpriced. The tamago was great, but for $14? Not worth it for 6 small pieces of egg. The food was not bad by any means, but it’s just way too expensive and if you’re spending $30+, you can find better places in East Village.

The positive: The sake selection was excellent and served in beautiful glass, chilled. Our food came quickly and the water was served with no ice and tasted excellent. Overall a pleasant experience other than the food… Negative: The soba did not taste fresh and was served overly chilled with a large clump of Hijiki that muddled the flavor of the noodle. The shrimp tempura was flaccid, tasteless and just not fresh; with tempura batter that was a heavy and oily. The dish was not the traditional woven basket so the noodles tended to get a bit wet. The service was appalling - no greeting or acknowledgement when we came in, very rushed when we were sat, and they shoved the food on the table while we scrambled to make room. Surprised this has Michelin status.

Good soba. If u don’t wanna a soba dipping noodle, then plz come, $13 plain bowl, it’s delicious! Maybe the spot has been around for a while, so service is rotating robot; ordered adds with pork & chicken katsu, both katsu were not freshly made; not katsu dipping sauce wither, asked for the katsu sauce, was told I can use the soba noodle dipping sauce instead, wow! Only smile I got was right before I chose the percentage of tipping.

+6

Ordered the tempura soba and the mushroom soba. Tempura fry was not crispy and the shrimp came out rubbery and tasteless (not seasoned). The dipping sauce did not make up for it in terms of flavor. The mushroom soba soup which is a seasonal dish was lacking in richness. The broth was heavy and flat, and the yuzu didn't brighten the dish enough. Overall, for a place that specializes in soba, I expected a lot more than what I could whip up with soba noodles and store brought dipping broth. This was a disappointment.

The location is cute, the chicken rice bowl was horrible! The chicken was soggy, the taste bland. The entire bowl was a bunch of blab put together. Disgusting to the point that 15 mins later my stomach hurt so bad that I had to vomit everything out. The server was beyond awful. To claim yourself as a wanna be Michelin star restaurant, they should do a much better job with food quality and service! Do not recommend at all!!!

Tried this spot for the first time after hearing great things, especially since it’s next to Hi-Collar, which I really liked. I ordered a katsu don for pickup, and it was ready in just 10 minutes. When I opened it, the katsu was completely soggy, limp, and tasted like leftovers that had been reheated. It looked and tasted nothing like a proper katsu don—more like a fast food version tossed together last minute. Really disappointing experience, and I won’t be coming back.

Visited Sobaya for lunch today and had a disappointing experience due to poor service. First, the server brought hot green tea to our table without looking at the table at all, a safety hazard that could easily have caused burns. When our food came out on a tray, instead of placing it properly, the server set the tray diagonally right on top of my napkin and chopsticks. Small detail, but it set the tone. Then, without us asking for the check, someone came over and shoved a payment terminal in our faces. When I tried to select a tip, the server kept pulling the machine away, making it difficult to make my choice. I ended up leaving 10%. What really crossed the line right after, the server stood next to our table and talked to a coworker while openly staring at us, clearly commenting on the tip. I asked directly, “Do you have a problem with us?” and the server just said “No no no” and walked into the kitchen. The food itself wasn’t the issue, but the service was rude, rushed, and unprofessional from start to finish. I won’t be returning.