1st time trying soba and we LOVE it. Perfect amount of spiciness, perfectly-sized portions, and loved the tempura. No complaints and we’ll be back !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brooke T.
4.5 stars is incredibly over-inflated and super misleading. I was so excited to try this place because of all the stars, but it was just not good. The soba texture is completely wrong. It did not have the bounce texture it's supposed to because it was horribly overcooked. The flavor of the sukiyaki beef was decent. However, the dipping broth, which is supposed to be piping hot, was room temperature. When I asked that they microwave or reheat it for me, they gave me nasty attitude. They messed up a batch of onsen eggs and severely undercooked them to the point that the egg whites were viscous and clear instead of white. When they took it away, they admitted that they messed up the batch of eggs. Then they acted like it was such a favor on their part to remove it from our bill. Bro, I didn't get an egg, of course you should take it off the bill. The tempura, which is fresh-made to order, was the only good thing about this place but even that arrived 15 minutes late, well after we had gotten our soba, even though we had special placed the order 5 minutes earlier than the rest of our order to get it sooner. Turns out they had forgotten our order, even though there were only 3 other tables of patrons. It was also too expensive for what it was. The service was pretty bad. The 2 waiters were nice enough but spent most of their shift on their phones or talking to each other while the food just sat on the counter for 5+ minutes. I had to get up from the table to get the waiter's attention so we could order our food and had to get up and get my own water because they were so preoccupied with their tik tok.
Danny Y.
Staff is nice at this causal spot. Pricing and portions are as expected. Parking can be tricky. Food was not my thing as this was my only soba experience but if you like soba please go.
Amy
Tasty vegan options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hyun K.
Really wanted to like this place. I've tried soba a plenty of times(being asian) and was intrigued by the lime soba and Osaka soba they had on the menu. It was underwhelming to say the least. The Osaka hot soba was lukewarm and flavorless while the lime soba was not only WAY TOO sour and had a bitter after taste. I usually really like food that has lime/lemon in it (like i drench my food in lime) but this was not it. You barely get the flavor of the broth and only get bitter lime. I get the noodles are buckwheat but it was a bit too thick and stiff. We also ordered green onions on the side hoping it would help with the flavor for $1.50(for a spoonful..) and it didn't help. Both my husband and I didn't finish our meals. Service was okay but we were the only customers there. The tempura was good though. However, it is on the expensive side. I recommend Nong La if you're craving noodles which is two stores down!
Lisa D.
Loved everything we got, the soba was the perfect texture and dipping sauce for cold tokyo was very flavorful and tempura was perfectly fried! lime soba was really interesting, at first it was flavorful and refreshing with just the right amount of sourness but after a while it became a little too much. definitely worth a try tho and probably better to share with others! the tan tan tofu was really good mainly because the delicious meat sauce on it they have a cute interior and the server was very nice, he noticed I was picking off the green onions and I told him I didn't like it, and he personally had the chef take off the green onions on my entree without me asking which was very considerate I always come to sawtelle and am very happy I got to finally try this spot, will definitely come again!
Nick P
This is one of my buddy’s favorite places. The Osaka dipping style soba was quite an experience and just a genius way of enjoying the meal. The small candle keeps your broth warm so you can enjoy a leisurely meal and every bite is warm and fresh tasting. The noodle texture was perfect and the broth had an amazing concentration of flavor. I will definitely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Orson V.
Curry, soba bowl with veggies. The taste is ridiculously good. The curry is thick. but still malleable so that it sticks to every bite. Everything we tried tasted fresh. Great service too!
Eva Komarkova
First of all, the best soba noodles in LA, 100% organic buckwheat freshly made - that's the best you can get. And the vegan Tokio hot broth is a really strengthening and soothing meal. The fine-cut nori seaweed is so yummy! Loved it so much! Special thanks to Seiko, she was a great staff, who talked to us so friendly. Thank you and see you next time!Vegetarian options: Vegan options available almost of everything, no fish, without meat, clearly labeled, don't hesitate to can ask.Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free soba noodles, rice...Parking: Side street has free parking for the certain part of the day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Tokyo, Noodles
Melody W.
They let us bring our cake for my younger sister's birthday and also let our dog and family sit on the patio! The soba served with dipping sauce was decent and the other dish we got definitely had a spicy kick to it but was still enjoyable! I do wish the soba had been a bit more cooked before it was chilled but overall well balanced and definitely felt full with two bowls between the four of us. We got tempura too and that was good too! It was a bit chilly and they did turn on the heater outside but I definitely wish it was a bit closer to us.
Been wanting to try this place for awhile and was not disappointed. Got there early around 6:30pm so getting seated was a breeze. The atmosphere inside is simple and clean with a video about the making of soba noodle playing which was fun to see if you are unaware of the process. I ordered Combo 7: Tempura rice bowl + Tokyo Soba with the 100% buckwheat noodles (cold) and my partner ordered the Osaka soba noodles (hot). The Tokyo soba: fresh, subtle, and the dipping sauce add just the right amount of flavor to the noodles. Don't skimp on the dipping it really matters. The tempura rice bowl: again fresh and subtle. Perhaps could have been a bit more flavorful but I added the sides of tofu and seaweed and it made it quite tasty. The Osaka soba: I really liked this one it has a nice little kick it at the end and like everything please feels very fresh. The service over all was good, not overly attentive but I got everything I needed. They gave me plenty of bowls to pack up my leftovers which I only had due to their generous helpings of the soba (gladly took home for lunch tomorrow). 100% would go again and would recommend to anyone who likes soba or is looking for something outside of the ubiquitous ramen joints in Los Angeles.
Arnold T.
My friend recommended this soba shop so I had to stop by. I came during an off hour so service was quick and my order came out within minutes. I got the Tokyo hot soba that came with several pieces of fried tempura (shrimp and vege). Since I came on a cold day, this was perfect for the belly to warm up your entire body. The soba tasted fresh and the broth was light yet just enough flavor to satisfy the pallet. The tempura was not heavy as you would expect from some places, but rather, air-ry with a light crunch. You can also taste the freshness of the ingredients. The price is a bit steep but I guess that's expected on the west side nowadays. Parking can be a challenge sometimes but I usually find street parking in the adjacent streets.
Ron Nofar
A hidden gem in Sawtelle. No wait with no reservation, amazing soba noodles!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Tokyo
Jodi Jill
Food here was delicious and hot. Came for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of food.The staff was very nice and offered suggestions for the meals. Everything looked good on the menu, but I decided on a noodle dish and then had some of the shared tempura dish that everyone at the table tried. Thankfully, I decided on a half bowl option as there was so much food.The tempura pieces were amazing. Perfect texture and taste, the pieces were large in size and offered extraordinarily flavor.While the restaurant is small, there is indoor and outdoor seating so even if you do need to wait, the line would move fast. There are a number of delicious options, so I'll definitely go back to try another dish.Parking: For the most part, parking will be found on the side streets around the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tempura Plate, The Shanghai Soba Noodles, Shrimp Tempura
Randy Miyake
The soba was great here! First time customer and we will be coming back.
1st time trying soba and we LOVE it. Perfect amount of spiciness, perfectly-sized portions, and loved the tempura. No complaints and we’ll be back !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
4.5 stars is incredibly over-inflated and super misleading. I was so excited to try this place because of all the stars, but it was just not good. The soba texture is completely wrong. It did not have the bounce texture it's supposed to because it was horribly overcooked. The flavor of the sukiyaki beef was decent. However, the dipping broth, which is supposed to be piping hot, was room temperature. When I asked that they microwave or reheat it for me, they gave me nasty attitude. They messed up a batch of onsen eggs and severely undercooked them to the point that the egg whites were viscous and clear instead of white. When they took it away, they admitted that they messed up the batch of eggs. Then they acted like it was such a favor on their part to remove it from our bill. Bro, I didn't get an egg, of course you should take it off the bill. The tempura, which is fresh-made to order, was the only good thing about this place but even that arrived 15 minutes late, well after we had gotten our soba, even though we had special placed the order 5 minutes earlier than the rest of our order to get it sooner. Turns out they had forgotten our order, even though there were only 3 other tables of patrons. It was also too expensive for what it was. The service was pretty bad. The 2 waiters were nice enough but spent most of their shift on their phones or talking to each other while the food just sat on the counter for 5+ minutes. I had to get up from the table to get the waiter's attention so we could order our food and had to get up and get my own water because they were so preoccupied with their tik tok.
Staff is nice at this causal spot. Pricing and portions are as expected. Parking can be tricky. Food was not my thing as this was my only soba experience but if you like soba please go.
Tasty vegan options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really wanted to like this place. I've tried soba a plenty of times(being asian) and was intrigued by the lime soba and Osaka soba they had on the menu. It was underwhelming to say the least. The Osaka hot soba was lukewarm and flavorless while the lime soba was not only WAY TOO sour and had a bitter after taste. I usually really like food that has lime/lemon in it (like i drench my food in lime) but this was not it. You barely get the flavor of the broth and only get bitter lime. I get the noodles are buckwheat but it was a bit too thick and stiff. We also ordered green onions on the side hoping it would help with the flavor for $1.50(for a spoonful..) and it didn't help. Both my husband and I didn't finish our meals. Service was okay but we were the only customers there. The tempura was good though. However, it is on the expensive side. I recommend Nong La if you're craving noodles which is two stores down!
Loved everything we got, the soba was the perfect texture and dipping sauce for cold tokyo was very flavorful and tempura was perfectly fried! lime soba was really interesting, at first it was flavorful and refreshing with just the right amount of sourness but after a while it became a little too much. definitely worth a try tho and probably better to share with others! the tan tan tofu was really good mainly because the delicious meat sauce on it they have a cute interior and the server was very nice, he noticed I was picking off the green onions and I told him I didn't like it, and he personally had the chef take off the green onions on my entree without me asking which was very considerate I always come to sawtelle and am very happy I got to finally try this spot, will definitely come again!
This is one of my buddy’s favorite places. The Osaka dipping style soba was quite an experience and just a genius way of enjoying the meal. The small candle keeps your broth warm so you can enjoy a leisurely meal and every bite is warm and fresh tasting. The noodle texture was perfect and the broth had an amazing concentration of flavor. I will definitely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Curry, soba bowl with veggies. The taste is ridiculously good. The curry is thick. but still malleable so that it sticks to every bite. Everything we tried tasted fresh. Great service too!
First of all, the best soba noodles in LA, 100% organic buckwheat freshly made - that's the best you can get. And the vegan Tokio hot broth is a really strengthening and soothing meal. The fine-cut nori seaweed is so yummy! Loved it so much! Special thanks to Seiko, she was a great staff, who talked to us so friendly. Thank you and see you next time!Vegetarian options: Vegan options available almost of everything, no fish, without meat, clearly labeled, don't hesitate to can ask.Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free soba noodles, rice...Parking: Side street has free parking for the certain part of the day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Tokyo, Noodles
They let us bring our cake for my younger sister's birthday and also let our dog and family sit on the patio! The soba served with dipping sauce was decent and the other dish we got definitely had a spicy kick to it but was still enjoyable! I do wish the soba had been a bit more cooked before it was chilled but overall well balanced and definitely felt full with two bowls between the four of us. We got tempura too and that was good too! It was a bit chilly and they did turn on the heater outside but I definitely wish it was a bit closer to us.
Restaurantji Recommends
Been wanting to try this place for awhile and was not disappointed. Got there early around 6:30pm so getting seated was a breeze. The atmosphere inside is simple and clean with a video about the making of soba noodle playing which was fun to see if you are unaware of the process. I ordered Combo 7: Tempura rice bowl + Tokyo Soba with the 100% buckwheat noodles (cold) and my partner ordered the Osaka soba noodles (hot). The Tokyo soba: fresh, subtle, and the dipping sauce add just the right amount of flavor to the noodles. Don't skimp on the dipping it really matters. The tempura rice bowl: again fresh and subtle. Perhaps could have been a bit more flavorful but I added the sides of tofu and seaweed and it made it quite tasty. The Osaka soba: I really liked this one it has a nice little kick it at the end and like everything please feels very fresh. The service over all was good, not overly attentive but I got everything I needed. They gave me plenty of bowls to pack up my leftovers which I only had due to their generous helpings of the soba (gladly took home for lunch tomorrow). 100% would go again and would recommend to anyone who likes soba or is looking for something outside of the ubiquitous ramen joints in Los Angeles.
My friend recommended this soba shop so I had to stop by. I came during an off hour so service was quick and my order came out within minutes. I got the Tokyo hot soba that came with several pieces of fried tempura (shrimp and vege). Since I came on a cold day, this was perfect for the belly to warm up your entire body. The soba tasted fresh and the broth was light yet just enough flavor to satisfy the pallet. The tempura was not heavy as you would expect from some places, but rather, air-ry with a light crunch. You can also taste the freshness of the ingredients. The price is a bit steep but I guess that's expected on the west side nowadays. Parking can be a challenge sometimes but I usually find street parking in the adjacent streets.
A hidden gem in Sawtelle. No wait with no reservation, amazing soba noodles!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Tokyo
Food here was delicious and hot. Came for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of food.The staff was very nice and offered suggestions for the meals. Everything looked good on the menu, but I decided on a noodle dish and then had some of the shared tempura dish that everyone at the table tried. Thankfully, I decided on a half bowl option as there was so much food.The tempura pieces were amazing. Perfect texture and taste, the pieces were large in size and offered extraordinarily flavor.While the restaurant is small, there is indoor and outdoor seating so even if you do need to wait, the line would move fast. There are a number of delicious options, so I'll definitely go back to try another dish.Parking: For the most part, parking will be found on the side streets around the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tempura Plate, The Shanghai Soba Noodles, Shrimp Tempura
The soba was great here! First time customer and we will be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5