Used to love the inventive --if quirky and sometimes off the mArk ---combos of this Asian Fusion place. But now it is about As standard as they come with lamb shank and salmon entrees ... What happened ? After the renovation the place lost its center ! Plus staff is slow and not very professional ... Another one bites the dust ! Not likely to return especially when the competition for novel and fun food is on the rise in the burgh!! read more

Veg Standpoint - From the start the ambience was great. The food was huge portions so order less and order more if need be. There are a few veg dishes which were nice but not amazing. Still great place to go. Good romantic dinner. read more

Great Atmosphere. The food leaves you wanting more. First time back in many years. I won't rush back. Cocktails were good but weak in alcohol. First plate was steamed dumplings with squash. The steamed dumpling was the consistency of a leather shoe. The filling was barely apparent. I shade a piece of the friend pork dumpling...which was better. I also shared the fried tofu which was good. Second course was salmon roll. I asked for it third but it was placed at the same time with the incorrect third course. It was delicious. When the error was corrected, my third course was the Sichuan chicken which was so salty it was inedible. My friendly server let me know that the manager tasted it and agreed....bizarre. Nobody chose dessert. I will probably not go back. I can get good rolls in the strip for less. The waiter was the only redeeming factor. read more

We went to Soba for a belated birthday celebration and we all overall enjoyed it but there were a couple things we didn't like. If you have a reservation for 5pm, they do not open their doors until 5pm so be prepared to wait outside beforehand. The entrees weren't as good as the appetizers as most of the appetizers were really deliciously exceptional. The edamame hummus was wonderful. It was served with taro chips which were excellent but they don't give you enough chips for the amount of hummus they give you and you will be charged $2 if you ask for more chips, which I think is a bit much, especially when you order as much as we did (over $200). My sister didn't like the $26 hanger steak which she said was chewy and sent it back. They took the steak off the bill but didn't comp her for the $19 meal she ordered instead. It was an inconvenience that she had to order another meal and the least they could do was comp it. They didn't do anything special for my birthday so be aware of this if you are celebrating something nice. There are many other establishments I've been to that give you dessert, sing to you or throw you something special to celebrate your day, this is not the place for that. My boyfriend ordered the duck ramen $22 and it wasn't good at all..AT ALL, would not recommend it! He ate most of it but the taste was off as the duck didn't compliment the ramen noodles or the seasonings they added to it, which all sat in a non appetizing soupy broth. The corn chowder $9 with crab was just ok... crab in a creamy corn sauce, not the most appetizing of combinations. The chirashi bowl $16 was good, a big bowl of sushi parts. There was a raw quail egg in it which made the dish a bit runny but the fish and rice was good and I really liked the seaweed strips added to it, though I wouldn't get it again. I would prefer a sushi roll as compared to rice with raw fish thrown atop of it. The spicy tuna maki roll $14 was good, definitely a cut above regular sushi. My mom and sister got vegetarian and chicken/shrimp pad thai $17/$21 which was a big serving and they enjoyed. I tried the noodles, they were good, not great. The steamed squash dumplings $10 were OUT OF THIS WORLD! Definitely would order those again. For my main dish, I ordered a salad $11 and sea bass satay, both extraordinarily great! I'm glad I ordered 2 small plates compared to an entree which isn't their strong suit. The szechuan chicken appetizer $10 no one was crazy about. It was fried, a lot of curry, and dry peppers and green onions. It didn't taste like chicken at all and had the consistency of dog treats. My dad got the vegetarian bi bim bap $21 and really enjoyed it. Overall, the service was good and small plates were delicious but the entrees fell short. I would come back but for small plates only. read more

My personal overall favorite. Every appetizer is insanely dank. Love their dumplings and fried shrimp. Korean fried chicken also great. Seared tuna is my favorite main course. read more

MMM my hubby and I went there for the first time tonight. Its probably our new favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. After they took our coats, we were seated on the 2nd teir looking across to the waterfall wall... We were there a lil early for dinner (530ish) So we were theonly ones upstairs, it was really nice... and quiet. Service was wonderful and relaxed. First, ordered the corn chowder, and the lobster maki for starters. I'm VERY picky about sushi, hubby loves it, and he can rarely get me to eat it. It was delcious!! I'm actually craving more now that I'm thinking about it. The corn chowder was also very tastey... but after 3 or 4 bites you're mouth needs some time to cool down!! Its got some kick, but a good kick :) Ohh, I almost forgot the complimentary appetizer that the chef sent out... I wasn't really listening to her explain it, but it was some sort of delcious hummus on a truffle infused chip... AMAZING. They should put iton the menu :) For entrees, I got the pad thai and hubby got the filet. Both were really good, the filet especially. Probably one of the best steaks I've had. Hubby gobbled down the whole thing... but i had to box up most of my pad thai... I think the sushi and the corn chowder filled me up... ANDi wanted to save room for a dessert. OMG. We shared the frozen cashew terrine. Orgasmic. This will be our new regular place, i think :) read more

Finally went to this restaurant, now I understand the hype! I loved what I had ordered. The Thai corn chowder is awesome -so flavorful. The flat bread with hummus - delicious (the hummus had a citrus taste to it). The avocado maki roll was also great. Service was excellent. We sat outside on the balcony - beautiful and comfortable. read more

The food is really good here, I always get the calamari! I would stay away from the lobster rolls though. The atmosphere is really awesome, I usually like to sit by the bar... usually in one of the comfy couch/chairs. The lighting sets the mood, and they have a TV which is good for when you want to keep an eye on the game but not be completely absorbed with it. They make awesome drinks, and the service is pretty good. Great place to bring a date or come with a buddy to get a drink and an appetizer before heading out on the town. read more

To start off with, let me tell you that I am big fan of this restaurant and the only reason Im writing this review is to praise it. SOBA has been my favorite restuarant in Pittsburgh that has class, good food, flavourful and each food is served with very good presentation. This restaurant has been the restaurant of choice for any occasion- celebration of job, or birthdays. Being a vegetarian myself, they really dont have many options for vegetarians. but they ae ever so accommodating to make any pasta customized for vegetarian taste buds. let me summarize the experiences- 1) the staff is friendly, polite and explain any dish to you if you ask them. 2) lovely lovely ambience. i love the water fountain inside the restuarant. 3) food is flavorful. a tip- the sides listed on the menu are usually small eats and work marvelously as an appetizer for two-three people. make sure you try them. 4) the presentation of the food is really good. matches with the flavor. 5) not a slow service 6) good selection of wines. again the staff explain the best combination for every meal. 7) desert- is top of the world. my personal recommendation- try the chocolate maki. its a desert that is truly creative and deserves five stars. it has chocolate mouse stuffed inside what is similar to a rice roll, instead its a chocoltae crepe. the wasabi is substituted with paste made of pista chocolate sauce becomes the vinegar and of course, ginger is as is. this is by far the best desert i have ever tasted in pittsburgh at any restuarant. if you are looking for a romantic friday evening, or your first date or just a classy restuarant for celebration then i would highly recommend this. just be aware that the food is a little pricey and can easily run up for more than $100 for just 3 people including drinks. read more

Soba is hit or miss for me. The cocktails are awesome, particularly when $6 during happy hour. You can't beat lavendar syrups and St Germain. I've had some great dishes - the corn soup and the pad thai- but some have flopped. The lamb stew, for example, had delicious flavor but besides the veggies was almost inedible because the lamb was tough as leather. I feel like mistakes like this shouldn't happen at these prices. read more

I love this place. It is right across the street from my office. Great food and drinks and the ambiance is sweet.

I am new to Yelp - even though I haven't been to Soba in awhile it is my absolute favorite place to go for a nicer meal in Pittsburgh. If I ever have the choice - the Seared Ahi Tuna with BBQ would be my last meal on earth. The atmosphere, the service, the food, the drinks (Pickle Martini!), everything is always on point. I highly recommend Soba! read more

We recently had a phenomenal meal here. Wow I typically get the seared tuna as a main course because it is one of the best meals around, this time we decided to go with appetizers. I am glad we did. The rock shrimp tempura, lobster roll, and calamari were exceptional. But the Chilean sea bass was as good as it gets. I'm excited to go back to have the Chilean Sea Bass and the seared tuna. Perfection! read more

Love this place. Always get a great meal and the bar area is great for post-meal drinks. My favorite is definitely the Seared Tuna...always cooked to perfection with great sides of Kimchi, peanut sauce and rice. Appetizers are excellent as well. read more

We came here for my birthday and the experience and food was great! It's beautifully decorated and had a very nice outdoor terrace that we were seated at. Everything we ordered was very flavorful and the portions were larger than what I was expecting which is never a bad thing in my book. Our waiter was also so nice I wanted to be best friends with him, haha. Safe to say I had a wonderful birthday and would definitely come back. read more

The soba cocktail hour (their fancy way of saying happy hour) is a straight-up excellent deal. Delicious, complex cocktails that normally run $10-12 are $6 apiece. And they're pretty strong! As for the food, I can only comment on the appetizers. They're overall tasty, although by no means spectacular. The Korean kim chi pancakes are delicious, filling, and a good option for sharing. I've only sat in the lounge area, which somehow manages to be both sleek and comfy. When it's summertime and you get one of the seats next to the large windows facing onto Ellesworth, well, it's pretty divine. read more

I really like happy hour here. Friday gets packed and the happy hour drinks are to dye for. The food I'd over the top. You must try. Dress stylish for it is a funky upbeat feeling to the place. Hope to see you there. read more

Love Love Love the new lounge. Finally Pittsburgh is getting it. everything these owners touch become successful .... they have magic minds. Atmosphere is very hip but not cold. Food is good most of the time and drinks at happy hour are fabulous. Hope to see you there..... read more

I had dinner and drinks with a group of 7 just before Thanksgiving. Soba was one of the few places in the area that was able to accomodate a Friday night reservation for that many people in a short time, so that was great. The drinks are good, and the wine list is decent. We were there at Happy Hour time, but you have to go to the bar yourself for the Happy Hour offerings and prices, which was a little annoying but not a big deal. However, my husband ordered the Manhattan off of the Happy Hour menu, but the bartender made him the regular one, which was twice the price, even though he pointed to the HH one. Not sure where the miscommunication was there, but then the bartender did not offer to remake or take back the incorrect drink. Again, not a huge issue, just a little grievance. Overall the food was just ok, I did not find it specatcular to warrant 5 stars. Casbah is still our go-to restaurant in the Big Burrito group, but Soba is nice for a change. read more

My husband and I went here recently to celebrate his birthday. We decided on the crispy tofu and the four-course tasting menu they were offering for the Chinese New Year. Every single course, from the dumplings to the dessert was delicious. Our server was very polite and knowledgable as we're the food runners. We will definitely be back. read more

Amazing food, lovely atmosphere. Lot of the menu changes seasonally. We probably come here twice a month. I try to avoid ordering the same thing over an over (the fillet mignon is just outstanding), and I have never been disappointed. It's a bit on the pricey side, but I think it's worth it for a date or even a group night out. The upstairs covered patio area is great in the summer time. read more

I went to Pittsburgh for the first time to visit my friend and we were trying to choose a restaurant for dinner. Like I do when I visit any new city, I researched the best restaurants in the city based on yelp, food websites and word of mouth. My friend and I came across Soba as a highly regarded restaurant. Friends who live in Pittsburgh mentioned that Soba was a great choice. The interior of Soba reminded me of a restaurant in NYC. The inside looks very modern with a lot of wood and glass material and is spacious with multiple floors. There is complimentary valet parking at Soba which makes parking easy. We chose the crispy calamari as an appetizer and shared the thakkali curry and pad thai for the entrees. The crispy calamari was okay - similar to crispy calamari I had at other restaurants. The thakkali curry was very salty and there was not enough liquid to balance out all the vegetables. We had trouble eating the curry as the sauce was very pungent. The pad thai was nothing spectacular - definitely had better in NYC and Philadelphia. The portion sizes of all the food that we ordered were very generous. I did not appreciate the lighting in the restaurant as it was very dark and I could barely read the menu or tell what was in my food. Unfortunately, we may have ordered the wrong food as we heard such great reviews about Soba. read more

Soba is my absolute favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. Soba is consistent with high quality service and cuisine. I have been going to Soba for well over 10 years, and I have never been disappointed. I highly recommend eating the pad thai and washing that down with a fussy monk or two. Soba also has great happy hour specials. I highly recommend you visit Soba! read more

This was a great all-around experience. I visited in late March, but have just now gotten into Yelp. The wait staff was very knowledgeable and checked up on my party often. The atmosphere was elegant and the food was extremely well executed. For an appetizer, I had the tempura fried rock shrimp drizzled in a spicy sauce. They were fried to perfection and the spice was tasty and not overwhelming. For my entrée, I had the tuna tartare with taro root chips. The tuna was evidently fresh and well seasoned and the taro root chips added a nice textural element. My mother had pad Thai, which she says was excellent; pad Thai can so easily be mediocre. For dessert I sampled the condensed milk ice cream and one of their many varieties of tea, I believe it was something with lemongrass (in all honestly, I selected one at random because I was so sure any of them would be delicious, and I was right). If was a lovely finisher to a wonderful meal. I would definitely come here again. read more

Easily one of the better places in town and parallels great Asian around the country. Certainly not quite up to Hakkasan or Nobu standards, but on a trajectory. I have been happy nearly every time and have been here about a dozen times over the last year. Bar staff very attentive and good. My favorites are Bao buns, filet satay, dumplings, Burmese tea leaf salad , most of the sushi and sashimi , some noodle dishes. Haven't really gone through the entrees in a while, but I'm sure they are very good. All in all , a great dining experience 4.5/5). read more

Went to experience their summer Vietnamese fixed four-course meal. The offerings were delicious, well presented, and comprised an excellent menu. Two concerns: first the speed of serving each course was too fast. As soon as we finished the appetizers, the second course was served. The only well timed service was the final item, dessert. Second, the main entree had some improperly prepared pho noodles....under cooked and quite hard and clumpy....however, upon request an additional serving of properly prepared pho was provided. Aside from those issues...the four course meal was excellent. read more

Well I usually don't write reviews but I had to say that the food is not worth it. We had a variety of dishes and none of them were good. The word fusion to me means that it is prepared in a combination of styles. However hear it seems to mean Asian food prepared by non Asians. The California roll which does use a good amount of real crab meat doesn't meet the quality of an average sushi place. I also tried the fried Vietnamese spring rolls which were soggy and bland. Some of the cocktails were good but the pours were light. Sorry but I can't recommend this place. read more

This is a great spot for a nice date. The service is impeccable and the food is unique and fabulous! I have been for just drinks and appetizers and also for a full dinner, it doesn't matter they treat you respectfully and well. The atmosphere is also very attractive. read more

Delicious cocktails! We dined on five or six starters -- all were wonderful -- dumplings, ribs, salad, chicken wraps, lobster corn chowder -- great service, lovely atmosphere. Thank you for a delightful evening. read more

*****This is what fusion Asian cuisine should be! ***** The chef is very innovative. Try the Tandoori Salmon or the Long Island Duck with bokchoy. The greatest surprise is the Thakkali curry, Asian veggies in fragrant curry sauce. Sumptuous meals and great presentation. read more

Amazing atmosphere, a little too dark but still very very pretty and if that's all I was rating, it would be 5 star. However, I was unimpressed with dinner. The Korean ribs as appetizer were stale, NOT fresh by any means and overcooked. The tandoori salmon sounded and looked wonderful when it arrived and the salmon was cooked medium-rare, but I wasn't a fan of the overall dish and had to ask for lime, hot sauce, salt to be able to eat my meal. I was really hoping I would be blown away but unfortunately, I was not. However, others ordered different dishes which appeared delicious so maybe just don't order the Korean ribs or the salmon. read more

The crab meat corn-chowder appetizer is the finest appetizer I have ever had in my life. I have been to most of the great restaurants in New York City over the past 30 years, and that statement stands. Just fabulous. read more

Kudos to Rachel C. and Yelp for having an Elite event SO GOOD that it brought me back to Soba almost immediately. I joined the fabulous Jonathan D. for a birthday dinner last night. At my suggestion, he ordered the Korean Fried Chicken (the Yelp sample was sooo good, I had to see what the entrée was like). At the recommendation of our fabulous server Albert, I tried the Pad Thai. I wouldn't usually order Pad Thai outside of the food truck in the Strip, but he assured me that it was above and beyond the regular Pad Thai...and he was RIGHT. This delicious monstrosity is sure to feed me for days. It includes tofu, shrimp, chicken and I swear 4 lbs of noodles. It's definitely the best Pad Thai I've ever had. Throw in excellent server and a killer ambiance, and you've got one of Pittsburgh's greatest restaurants. I hope to see a few more entrée selections in the future, but other than that, it's perfection! read more

This place was good! My fiancé and I went here last night on a whim. We had no idea it was so...dressy inside, so we were a little underdressed. (Jeans don't seem appropriate here.) But hey, that's life. The atmosphere is romantic. Dim with bamboo features and a very zen waterfall wall. I had a delicious tequila cocktail called El Jefe, that I would order again in a second and my fiancé had a Flying Dog beer. He ordered two appetizers for his dinner (shrimp spring rolls and a pork stir fry type thing) and I had the crispy tofu and chopped salad. Everything was very tasty. My only gripe was I felt like it was pretty expensive for what we got... We spent $75 all told, and we didn't even hit the "entree" side of the page or have multiple drinks a piece. Still, I would definitely be back. This is definitely the kind of place I would go for a special occasion or the next time my folks are in town. read more

I have always enjoyed going to Soba but the atmosphere is even more inviting and enjoyable now that they have renovated and expanded the restaurant. It is still a bit pretentious more so than any of the other restaurants in the Big Burrito group, but I'm willing to overlook that because the food is so fantastic. They always have a decent wine list, though on my most recent visit my friend and I were disappointed that they did not have a Reisling available by the glass. She opted for the Louis Latour Pinot Noir and I opted for the amber cider which was delicious. We shared the Lobster Roll which was fantastic though I have noticed that the size of the individual rolls are now almost half the size they were from about 2-3 years ago however they are still absolutely delicious. For dinner we both ordered the Pad Thai which is always delicious choice particularly if you love Pad Thai - I've never had a bad dish of it here at Soba. If you love spicy food be sure to ask them to bring the spice trio of chili sauces with your meal. Some of my other favorite items on the menu are: the crispy tofu - many times when I've dined alone in the lounge area I've ordered the crispy tofu and the seaweed salad - it's a nice light dinner option and probably the best tofu that I've eaten at a restaurant - great option for vegetarians. The corn chowder has a bit of a kick to it, is full of complex flavors and the crab is always tender and fresh. The Korean bbq ribs literally melt in your mouth - my sister-in-law is Korean and makes the family Korean bbq when her and my brother visit from California and it's always delicious, but Soba's Korean bbq ribs blow my sister-in-law's out of the water - they will make your mouth water. If you like steak, then the filet mignon with the chili garlic mashed potatoes will have you in heaven. I only eat beef a handful of times each year and typically it is on my birthday when I indulge in Soba's filet or on occasion when I'm at Eleven and order the Eleven burger. The duck is also spectacular and I would highly recommend it as well. You honestly cannot go wrong with almost anything on their menu. The food is consistently fresh and delicious! I will definitely return to Soba time and again. read more

How have I not reviewed Soba yet? Well, let me remedy this oversight directly. WIth this review I have now completed a clean sweep of all big burrito restaurants and I believe have not give one less than four stars. This is a testament to this talented restaurant group which recently gained national attention by being named a semi-finalist by James Beard foundation for restaurater of the year. That's it Pittsburgh we are getting more and more attention with the national food scene. So, I've been here a million times (well, not literally) and was here last on Wednesday for business prior to the Pitt game with Mike and G. W. (not our former president...he hates asian fusion). The space is beautiful and I spend most of time at the bar where they serve the full menu. Howeve, a couple tidbits on the dining room. It's three levels with a bar on the first and third level I believe an also a deck for al fresca' dining. The first level is beautiful earthy tones, white linens and really comfortable chairs with some bench seating on the sides and four tops scattered about. The ceilings are very high and there is a staircase in the middle of the room. The top floor has very nice wood floors and a small wood bar. The lighting is intimate and flattering. The bar itself is pretty large with bench seating on the sides and nice comfy leather chairs for lounging. I believe the doors open up to the sidewalk in the summer. The service is always adequate, but not necessarily friendly I'd say. I usually get this bald fellow who is nice enough, but probably wouldn't engage in conversation if I was by myself. One small complaint is that they tend to keep the bar really dark, which I like if I'm trying to hide in the corners while I drink away my concerns, but if I'm on a date I'd prefer a little more light. The menu seems to me to not change that frequently and I rarely hear them offer features not already on the menu. I guess it's because I've been here so often, but I wish they had more options. We started Wednesday with korean barbecue ribs, chicken spring rolls and calamari. The barbecue ribs were probably the best thing I had there all night. They were well seasoned, fall off the bone and a healthy portion for only $9. The chicken spring rolls were forgettable and the calamari was just "ok". It was served lightly breaded, but lacked any real flavor. We all drank relatively reasonably priced wine for under $10 a glass. G. W. and I ordered the seared rare tuna, which is a very healthy portion of fresh quick seared good quality tuna with a sesame seed coating. It's served with house made kim chi (really spicy) and ginger fried rice. It's a safe choice and probably the most popular entree on the menu. Mike had the seafood hot pot, and I think he was the winner with best entree' choice. It was a delicious curry broth served with rice on the side overflowing with mussels (fresh), scallops (cooked perfectly) shrimp and I thinkI may have even have tasted sausage. We skipped dessert. This is a good place for some drinks and even a nice meal, especially if you don't come here often. Congrat's again big burrito group for the James Beard nom. read more

I have been a regular customer for so many years I can't even tell you how many. But lately, I notice a slight drop in quality in the food (subtle changes like the chips that accompany the tartare). And I do not at all like that there are ever fewer small plates to choose from, rather being forced to get a plate to "share" when we dont' want to share. The service has dropped a bit too. The servers used to be so professional that it felt like NY. Still better than most places but I am disappointed that Soba has not been able to maintain the level of quality that brought me there in the first place. It may just be that now that there are so many other good new restaurants, there are just not enough quality servers to staff them all. The menu has become too predictable and boring. Kind of flat. Like the kitchen is no longer inspired. It feels like the energy has gone into building the addition rather than the food and service. I am writing not to complain but rather to encourage everyone to perk up and go back to the lovely choices, presentations and service that brought you to be voted one of the city's best. As you know, if you don't constantly maintain your standards in this business, you'll sink into oblivion. And i'd hate to see that happen! read more

Soba Lounge appears to be the only sign of life in Shadyside. Moderately trendy 20-40 something year old crowd makes the scene, and seem only too happy to make room for you. Popped in here only for a nightcap after our lousy Taco Bellesque dinner at the Shady Grove and it was the highlight of the evening. I've been coming here off and on for years, and the espresso martini is my favorite choice, at only $8 per glass! Comprehensive beverage menu featuring some excellent wines as well as the darling cans of Sofia champagne. As a matter of fact, this is the only bar that I have seen offer these besides Coppola's restaurant in North Beach. if you don't know what they are, it's the grown up girl's take on those Minute Maid drink boxes that your mama packed in your lunch, and definitely a girly drink, but a bit pricy at $11 per can. Next time I return, I plan to dine here and I can see Soba Lounge being my "Bar away from SF Bars." read more

Food was okay. Service okay. A bit expensive for the quality of food served. Thai corn soup jumbo crab??? Good lucking finding a piece of crab meat. Pad Thai at a fusion place? Not good at all...Better go to a real thai restaurant for pad Thai. Tandoori Salmon was average. I still don't understand why they served their fancy cream soda warm. A cup given with no ice and a bottle of soda? Why weren't their any ice in the glass? Who drinks sodas at room temperature. This restaurant maybe was trying to be too fancy and forgot the basics of ICE. Maybe it is really just me who prefer cold sodas. Overall it is okay, but not justified by the price. read more

Went to Soba to celebrate my sons birthday. Quality of food was not at all what was expected for the price. We have eaten there several times in the past but not sure that we will be going back anytime soon. read more