I can safely say come here if you're willing to wait. I lined up one hour before opening and there was about 6 people ahead of me. Great, I'll be the part of the first wave. I was wrong. The parties ahead of me started to grow as some folks had someone holding up the line while they found parking, etc. I was part of the second wave and got seated at 12:30. A self service tablet where you place you order and then get seated. Do not place your order if there are no open tables! I went with the cold soba with shrimp tempura. Total was $20. I really enjoyed my meal! It was just enough so I left with my belly full with space for matcha. I don't think I would come again unless I was part of the first or second wave. The line grew as I left the restaurant . read more

We got there at 11:20 am and got seated at 12:58pm. Had high hopes for this place because it was so hyped on social media. The cold soba and fish cakes were definitely highlights, but definitely not worth the 2 hours we had to wait. The cold soba noodles had a better chewier and bouncier texture than the hot soba, and the cold broth had a much more enjoyable tangy kick than the more subtle flavor of the warm broth. Overall, the chicken tenders, mochi, and scallop tempura were all pretty well done, but also nothing to write home about. read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have heard of this place as a top soba place in the area so we had to try when we were in the area. Parking is difficult to find in the area and my SO was able to find a spot after circling several times. We arrived a few minutes before 12pm on a Friday and the line was pretty long even after the first wave went through. We took turns waiting and even grabbed food and drinks from nijiya to hold us over during the wait. An hour and a half later, seats emptied and we were able to order. The seating area is small with 11 seats and they play jpop. The experience feels very close to how it would be in Japan where you queue up, order and sit and wait for your food to be ready and bring the tray back when you are done eating. I got the duck meat hot soba and it is flavorful and fresh. The ingredients independently shined in their own ways. My SO got the fish paste hot soba and his was also delicious. He also got the wagarashi mochi and it was chewy and sweet. We could not get enough of the food. We concluded our meal with a drink of the soba-yu. It's rich in nutrients from the buckweat noodles and honestly, I wish I ordered 2 more bowls... This place is well worth the wait read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Sobakatsu serves tasty food, but the long wait and very limited seating (only 11 spots) made the experience a bit less enjoyable. The mochi was incredibly soft, and I really liked the tempura. The chicken wasn't my favorite because it had a slightly sour flavor and the outside wasn't as crispy as I expected. Overall, it was a nice meal, but I'm not sure it lived up to the wait. read more

Sobakatsu - Zaru soba, vegetable kakiage, chicken tender, and warabimochi - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Totally worth the wait in line, I promise!! Decided to have my birthday lunch here because it is so hard to come by delicious soba noodles and I've heard so many great things about this spot. Came around 1pm and waited in line for about 40 minutes. Once you are next in line, I recommend waiting until seats open. Then you can order and pay and then take the next available seats. Mind you, it is not the most spacious interior and you better get cozy with those around you. It's totally worth it and adds to the experiment. I genuinely enjoyed reading about the soba noodle creation here and getting to watch the chef's put the dishes together behind the counter. The soba noodles are just the best to slurp. I ordered the cold soba with tempura and was reminded what love felt like. The soba noodles had the perfect bounce and flavor and when you add the tempura into the mix, it becomes a whole amazing meal! This spot is my favorite soba spot in the bay and will be in my rotation despite having to wait in line. Good things come to those who wait! read more

Sobakatsu - Ten Zaru - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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New soba spot close to the Japan Center mall! They made fresh soba (buckwheat noodles) and it's delicious. The menu is very simple, they have different cold or hot soba options. Each set comes with different sides. It's a small spot with 11 seats so you'll most likely have to wait in line. It's not a spot for groups since the seating is very limited. I would not recommend coming with a party larger than 2. We lined up at 11:30am on a Saturday, but didn't make it to the first seating. Once you get in, you order on a tablet. They call your number when it's ready and you bus your own tables. The soba is worth the wait! I got the Ten Zaru soba, it came with a pretty generous portion of noodles which were perfectly bouncy and went great with the dipping sauce. I got it with the shrimp and vegetable tempura, it was crispy, light and so good. Some of the best soba meals I've had! read more

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Went here one month ago with one of my friend. I remembered it was a very rainy day and we waited in line around 1 hour. Place inside is very very small. I tried the hot soba because it was cold outside and I needed something hot. I don't know but for me the soba was just cold spaghetti, nothing more than that. I wasn't really impressed. I can say the portion is very big that I had almost trouble to finish them. read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Most of the time there was a long line. Drive by and saw an only 4 ppl was waiting that day so we finally stop by to try this place. Very small place inside. Wait in line, order at the kiosk, sit down, eat and leave. Simple menu. Nice owner. read more

After reading reviews, I knew we had to arrive early. Came at 11:30 am this Monday and there was already a line curved up the street....we were no where close to being in the first seating so decided to brave the wait and go for second seating. We ended up sitting by 12:50 pm. It felt like we were transported back to Japan! This tiny spot was so cozy and you can see the two chefs with such great attention to detail. You order on an iPad and food took a while to come, but you can tell they make each item fresh. Our order: -Cold Soba with veggie and shrimp tempura and I have to say WOW. The soba texture was so bouncy and it went well with the sweet sauce. Don't forget to add wasabi to the sauce-- such a game changer. The tempura was lightly battered and cooked to perfection -Kamonanban: so warm and cozy. Soup is very sweet -Chicken Tenderloins: moist and flavored so well. The ume and shiso added complex flavors to such a simple dish -Warabi Mochi: soft textured with just the right amount of soybean powder and syrup. I could have eaten a whole order myself Highly recommend this spot but maybe try coming at an off time or be prepared to wait for a very long time. read more

Sobakatsu - Menu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Do one thing and make it the best! Soba noodles perfectly prepared. Service is self directed Ambiance is clean and efficient with the tiny space. 11 seats max I had the cold soba with shrimp and veggies tempura. wonderful and took me back to Japan . Next time hot soup soba with pork belly ! Took photos with Soo the boss/chef ! JYW highly recommends ! read more

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Everything you've heard is true. The wait is no joke. The soba is divine. Each bowl of soba is made to order. The restaurant is small and cozy. Line: We went off hours at 2pm and still waited over 1.5 hours. The line does not move since there are only 11 seats inside (2 tables of 4 and 3 counter seating). So while you think you're just around the corner in line, know that is about the 1 hour mark. Food: Outstanding! There are basically 3 options in either hot or cold version. I tried the duck soba ($25) and would just get the regular simpler ones next time, if I get enough courage and patience to wait in line again. The home made waramochi is more of a dessert and it is really good! The fish cake is home made too and was also good even if you're not a fish cake fan. If you're lucky enough to see the inside of the restaurant, congratulations! Once inside, you'll order on the iPad yourself, wait for a table to open up and hope it's the right number in your party. Then they'll call your number when ready and get ready to bus your own dishes back to the counter when you're done. Oh, don't forget to try the soba "tea" they put by the door. And if you're getting the cold soba, you'll want to ladle some into your soba dipping sauce at the end and drink it like a soup. Verdict: I hope I have enough courage to come back. It is very very good soba but 1.5-2 hour wait is a bit insane to stand outside in the SF elements. read more

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Lives up to the hype. Cute cozy spot with authentic soba and tempura. Broth is outstanding. Worth the wait. Go early, when I went they were out of soba before 3 on a rainy monday! read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lined up for lunch here after they opened on a Saturday afternoon and had to wait 2 hrs, which was to be expected since there's only a few seats inside and you have to wait to seat yourself after other people are done. I tried both the cold soba and the hot soba, and I preferred the cold soba for its texture. I loved that they had hot soba-yu to mix with your leftover dipping sauce for drinking afterwards too. Overall the soba here is super authentic and fresh, but I wouldn't wait 2 hrs next time. I would line up at least 30 min before they open and try to get in the first seating read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best soba in SF but probably not going to be for long until more new soba shops open. Compared to Soba Ichi in Oakland, it's neck to neck. I slightly preferred the dipping sauce from Sobakatsu. The warabi mochi was really good. Strongly recommend adding it to your order. It's a self-served restaurant so don't expect much service. There was only 11 seats so sometimes you might have to split up the group or wait for the table to be ready. We waited for 50 minutes before they opened and luckily got in the first around. The line got really long after we left. read more

Sobakatsu - Cold dipping soba with shrimp kakiage and warabi mochi - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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There's only like 12 seats in the restaurant. We waited 45 min before it opened and were able to get seated during the 1st wave. Once you go inside, you'll order on the tablet and grab a seat. They'll call your number when the food is ready. We got the cold soba set with scallops and shrimp tempura. We also tried their chicken. Highly recommend their cold soba. The chicken was okay. They also have free broth next to the entrance for you to enjoy with the meal. read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I found out about Sobakatsu through another content creator on instagram and decided to come check it out with some friends. We figured the day after Christmas, on a rainy day, might be our best bet to avoid the long lines. The restaurant opens at 12pm and we got there a little after 11:15am and the line was clear. Within the next 10mins, lines started forming up the hill. So if you want to try it, try and get in within the first 2 waves or you'll spend waiting for a decent among of time. The restaurant is fairly small with 11 seats in total, 2 tables of 4 and a bar counter with 3 stools. For most of the meal experience, it's self serve. You order through a tablet, pick up your food when your number/name is called, and get the water and soba broth from the little table stand. When you're done, bring the food tray back to the owner. Now, for the soba itself! My friends and I decided to get the tenzaru with tempura (there's a few versions of tempura to choose from). Both the soba and dipping sauce was delicious! The buckwheat flavor came through nicely and the noodle texture was chewy yet light. Unlike the ones you get in a packet and make at home. The tempura was okay, not the most amazing and I felt the portion was a little small for what you're paying for. I would come back just for the noodles and maybe try the hot soba next time but probably won't want to wait in line for 2 hours. read more

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Got here at 11:15am and was first in line before the 12pm opening on the Thursday after Christmas. The fresh soba is chewy and is so much better than soba as a dry noodle. We all got the cold soba with the dipping sauce. As all the other reviews mentioned, there's a table of four, two tables of two, and three seats at the bar so the wait might be long if you don't make the first seating. read more

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This place opens at 12pm and I heard people can wait up to 2 hours just to dine here. We arrived at 11:30am, there is already a line out the door and round the corner waiting. There are only 11 seats - 3 at the counter, and 2 tables that seat 4 each. There is a small table by the entrance that served soba-Yu, which is the starchy water from boiling soba noodles. You add it to your dipping broth after you finished your cold soba and drink the resulting soup. This is a fast paced, eat then go establishment. Service is quick. My friend and I were #12 and #13 in line so we had to wait for a seat to open up. While waiting, we ladled some broth to sip on to stay warm. Our wait was about 20-25 minutes which wasn't too bad. In the meantime we got to throughly browsed through the menu offerings. BTW the combo deal (add Inari sushi to certain sobas for +$4) is no longer being offered. We order the duck soba (Kamo nanban) and kitsune soba along with 2 sides, fried chicken and soba warabimochi. The sobas were hot and nourishing. The broths were incredibly flavorful yet not heavy or overly salty. Portion size was just the perfect amount. The chicken tenderloins were crisp and juicy. I love the hint of ume and shiso with chicken. The soba warabimichi mochi was a nice sweet accompaniment to the savory meal. The costs of a meal here may be a bit more (in the $20s-$30) than say some ramen places in the area but if you are looking for a different, Japanese, healthy, quality noodle dish, give the soba here a try and check out Sobakatsu. It was so good that I will definitely be back. Also, they are going to serve toshikoshi soba for $10 each on new years eve from 10pm til they run out as a new year special! read more

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I waited 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon. The line moves extremely slowly as they only have 11 seats inside. You order at the self order kiosk then when they call your number you go to pick up your food. Note that the machine isn't live so sometimes things will be sold out but the machine won't tell you. I ordered the inari sushi but it was sold out so I asked if they could give me the warabi mochi instead. The owners were very sweet and said that was alright. Or else they would've refunded me which would have been fine as well. I don't eat enough soba to be able to differentiate this handmade soba from store bought ones but it tasted pretty good. It's al dente and you can really taste the buckwheat. The sauce was a bit light but I added the wasabi for more of a kick. The star of the show was the tempura for me. I loved the vegetable tempura because the batter they used was incredibly light but so crunchy and not oily, just perfection. The scallop kakiage was disappointing as they used small scallops which were a bit dry. But that's my fault because I thought this was scallop tempura. The shrimp tempura that everyone else was ordering looked amazing so I recommend that instead. The warabi mochi was really delicious, just the right amount of sweet and oh so soft. Overall, a pretty good meal but I would not line up for 2 hours for it. I think tops 30 minutes wait and I'd dine here again. read more

Sobakatsu - Cold Ten Zaru with scallops & vegetable kakiage and an order of warabi mochi - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

We arrived at 12pm on a Saturday and ended up waiting a little over 2 hours. There are only 11 seats inside, so if you don't arrive really early, you'll have to wait. When we left at 2:40, there were still about 15 people waiting in line. I ordered the special yuzu Niku soba with shrimp tempura, and my husband got the cold soba with scallop kakiage. I think the yuzu was unique but personally about halfway through, I didn't prefer the yuzu flavor anymore, so if you love yuzu, it would be great! The owner is very kind and tries to serve the food fresh and timely. Because of the wait, I wouldn't come back. However, if I had to only wait 15 minutes, then I wouldn't mind. read more

Great new addition to Japan town area! Went there around noon and waited around an hour and 45 minutes. There's only 10 seats inside so each round can take around 30 minutes. There's only two people working there, but they're able to manage time to their best of their ability. Once a party sits down, the next group in line can go in and place their order. From there, you wait until a table opens up and then you get your food. We got the Zaru soba, ten zaru with scallops, and butakakuni soba. For the cold sobas, they had a nice chew and flavor. The scallop tempura uses small scallops and I enjoyed them a lot. Their warabi mochi is on the softer side and also made with buckwheat. I usually like them with more chew so I'll pass on that for next time. For the butakakuni, there's a generous slab of pork belly that's super tender and flavorful. Unfortunately, due to the wait I don't think I'll come back any time soon. However, it's a great spot if you're craving soba. read more

Sobakatsu - Zaru soba - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

My first soba experience. I'm hooked. I'll preface this review by saying that if you're not keen on standing in a line for a very long time, this place might not be for you. The joint is tiny, with a max of 11 chairs inside. You can't do takeout. Only come here if you have PLENTY of time to spare. There are two people cooking EVERYTHING. This is a restaurant for the patient. That being said, the food is worth it. I'm serious. The guy next to me had a straight up Ratatouille moment when he started eating. He got emotional and said it reminded him of his mother's cooking. I'm not joking. I had the zaru soba (cold soba). It was so fresh. The noodles were bouncy, the dashi stock was the perfect savory companion. The kakiage was this perfect crisp treat- not too heavily breaded, with a nice airy crunch. Pack your patience. It's worth it. read more

Sobakatsu - Zaru soba - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

We ventured out to SF for this highly rated soba noodle spot located in Japantown. There has been a deficit of a good soba restaurant in the Bay Area so I'm glad Sobakatsu has finally arrived. We arrived 15 minutes before opening. We ended up waiting outside in unbearable 77 degree sunny day for about 1.5 hours. The interior is quite small. With about 12 seats inside with a small bar seating 3. The space is quite tight so you can expect to be seated quite closely to other customers (just something to consider). This spot would be ideal for single or couples looking to dine in. The interior is nicely decorated with an authentic Japanese feel. The wood accents add some warmth and comfort to the ambiance. Theres a QR code you can scan to learn more about soba. I like how authentic this experience was- it truly took me back to Tokyo with its small ma & pop restaurant space. I ordered the hot soba noodles with prawn tempura. The soba noodles were chewy with a strong buckwheat flavor. The soup was on the salty side with the dashi undertones shining through. The noodles got soggy pretty fast so maybe I would order the cold version next time so they stay more al dente. The tempura was your standard fare of tempura. The batter was crispy and light. The shrimp were small rather than your typical long shrimp but they sure were sweet and snappy. I wish it came with a dipping sauce since the batter was bland. I liked the pumpkin tempura the best! The mochi was delicious. The texture was soft with a nice chew to each bite. The powder on top added a refreshing soybean flavor. It was the perfect way to end the meal. Parking in Japantown can be pricey and the shop closes on Sundays so plan accordingly. We had a great experience and enjoyed the food but would likely not wait an hour and a half (let alone even one hour) for this meal again. Worth the try once though. read more

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came on a Friday for lunch and arrived 10 minutes before opening. There was already a line and we ended up waiting over an hour so probably get there earlier if you don't want to wait as long. As for the food, we ordered hot and cold soba. Definitely recommend cold over hot because the cold is a lot more firm and chewy. Hot was just way too soft for my liking. Tempura was very light and crispy. We also ordered the warabimochi and it not compare to the ones I had in Japan but it was still a great way to end the meal. due to the long lines, I don't think it's personally worth the long wait for me so I don't think I will be back any time soon. The meal was very refreshing so def still enjoyed my meal read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was just in Japan during the summer and this place was just as good! I came in on a Tuesday, got in line at 11:30am and was 5th in line. Now to be honest I wouldn't wait longer than 30 minutes for this place. Soba noodles are just a simple food that it doesn't really deserve an hour long wait, anywhere! Service was great, you order on an iPad and then they call your order number to grab near the front. Everything is pretty much self service. Broth was perfect, not too fishy and the soba noodles were bouncy and chewy. Shrimp and vegetable tempura was perfect as well. The mochi dessert was ok, I'd prob skip that next time and just head to Japan town center for matcha ice cream or something like that. I was full for hours. Biggest takeaway is line up 30 minutes before opening on a Tuesday - Thursday and I think you should be just alright! read more

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Lovely japanese run soba shop right on the edge of Japantown with a small hometown shop vibe. We came in for late lunch -3pm on a Tuesday and were seated right away. We ordered two cold soba sets, the vegetable set w/ kakiage and the fish cake set. Each came out to about 20$. The soba had a great chew and nutty flavor. Was very refreshing as it was hot that day. Looking at the menu - I saw that this soba is specifically Aurora Organic Soba from Maine, which I thought was interesting. The kakiage was crispy, light and not oily and the fish cake was pretty standard. The men running the shop were very friendly and helpful with ordering. Overall great spot to have lunch or a light dinner! If you plan to come on the weekend or at peak hours, note you will probably wait a bit like other reviewers mentioned as this place can get full really fast as there are only about 12 seats available (table for 4, two tables for 2, 4 seats at the counter) read more

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A truly delicious spot in Japantown, it's no wonder that it's popular. My brother and I decided to go on a rainy weekend, when we thought the line would probably be shorter. We got there 30 minutes before opening, but even though we were 6th in line, we unfortunately did not make the first round of seating as others had been savings spots for other people. Despite this, we were able to wait inside, and the guests were very nice, getting out of their seats after eating their food that had come very quickly already. We probably waited a total of 50 minutes. The food was incredible. I got the hot soba with tempura while my brother got the cold noodles with fish cake. Both were delicious in their own way. The tempura was crispy and flavorful and the rice cakes were incredibly delicious. I definitely would want to come back, but find it hard to due to the wait and the fact that the restaurant is so small. I also do believe the food is a bit overpriced, especially compared to the cost of soba in Japan. Still an amazing spot is you're able to forgo most of the wait. read more

This is literally the best soba spot in all of San Francisco. Hands down. The only other comparable spot in the Bay would be Soba Ichi in Oakland, but this is definitely the best in all of San Francisco. 11 seats only. No reservations, first come first serve. If they sell out, they close early so I'd recommend you definitely come before closing. At 11:45 am on Veteran's Day, we waited for about an hour for 2 people before being seated. Self serve ordering and self service pick up / drop off of food. We got both the cold soba options for tempura and scallop as well as inari sushi. All of it was SOOO good. Soba was perfectly al dente and the tempura was lightly battered and perfectly crispy. Inari sushi was a nice little sweet treat tooo. Highly recommend! read more

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I saw on social media that a shop in sf opened that went viral for fresh soba noodles popped up near Japantown and I knew I had to try it out so here I am. I ordered the cold soba noodles with tempura and it did not disappoint. :) The cold soba noodles are served with this soy dipping sauce that adds soo much flavor to it. I also really like that the chilled buckwheat noodles are chewy. You can get either hot or cold soba, but they recommended it cold. The tempura was pretty solid as well. The service here was good, you can tell that they have a passion for soba. The shop is really small and only has 11 seats. I heard this place can get packed and sell out fast however when I came here I was the only one here lol. Try it out if you like. :) read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had to wait 30 minutes ~4 pm on Saturday and then saw them close the line ~5 PM as they were out of soba. The tempura was delicious, so fresh. I got the scallops one and there wasn't anything wrong with it but it just wasn't my fav. I ordered it with the warm soba and it so hit the spot on a windy/slightly rainy day. I was extremely content. Also sampled some of my friend's cold soba and the noodles were imo perfectly cooked. Would I wait more than 30 minutes for this? Hmm unsure but if less than 30 minutes I would totally get. read more

It was 10:45 a.m. and we decided to see what all the soba hype was about. It must have been in my soba stars. We scored player parking right in front! Was it worth the 75 minute wait? I think so because we met very nice people in line and had great conversations about our Japan trips and stories about SF. So the wait time flew by. But, will I do it again and wait? I'm not sure, but most likely not. The doors opened exactly at 12 noon. On schedule just like the bullet train. We ordered the tenzaru soba with shrimp tempura, a side of inari sushi and the warabimochi. Seems like the norm for one's first visit. The texture of the soba was good. My noodles were fine, but my BF's were all broken in small pieces. We personally could have used a tad more wasabi for the soba sauce. The shrimp tempura had a nice crunch and was tasty. The inari sushi and mochi was okay. Just wanted to try it since it was on the menu. What we liked most about our Sobakatsu experience is that it brought us back to our trip to Japan. Ordering on an iPad and sitting in a small cozy restaurant. This yelper says, "If you have the time to wait in line, then it's worth the slurp." read more

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SF's newest Soba place! Located on a corner in Japantown, this restaurant fits 2 four-person-tables and 3 counter seats. My friend and I started waiting around 12:30pm and got to order at 2pm. We got our food in 10~ minutes. I got the cold Ten Zaru with shrimp & vegetable tempura - $20. Everything was made to order and you can tell how fresh the tempura. The broth was clean and noodles were light. This is authentic Japanese soba! Personally, soba as a food is ok to me so this was indeed ok. I can see how people would like this cool + light meal in the summer but I would not wait 1.5 hours for it. Overall, you should try it if you like soba with a light broth! read more

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The tempura is light and crispy, thin batter. The broth was flavorful, I just wished my noodles were a little bouncier. We got there pretty early, but just missed the first round of seating. Although there were only 3 groups ahead of me, we still waited for 30min or so (waiting for the first group to finish). Not sure I'd want to wait every time, but this place is def worth a try! read more

Sobakatsu - Tempura soba - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was craving cold soba since I came back from Japan and this hit the spot! The restaurant is pretty small and I heard they sell out, so I ended up coming around 4 and there was no line and there were open seats! There are hot soba noodle options as well, but the waiter recommended the cold soba noodles as his fave so that is exactly what we got. I got the fried fish cake one (which apparently they make in house!), and the fried scallop one The noodles were cold and refreshing, but the perfect texture and chewiness. The dipping sauce was also tasty especially with the wasabi, I ended up dumping most of it in for an extra kick! But the cherry on the was the fried fish cake. It wasn't super fishy and seemed to have a good balance of green onion and scallion flavors into it. I will definitely be coming back if I ever want my cold soba fix!!! read more

Sobakatsu - Fried scallop and fried fish cake cold sobas - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Sobakatsu is great, but expect a line. With not that many seats available, you do have to arrive or plan to eat during a time that is not extremely busy or you can expect to wait 30mins+ for a spot. The noodles are fresh and flavorful and the tempura is crispy. I will gladly dine here again. read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Recommend eating here alone. Space is limited, because there's about like ten seats inside. Food was delicious, however really don't understand the hype about this place. The buckwheat soba noodles were fresh and delicious with the sauce, but tasted kind of bland to me. Ordered the shrimp tempura which was crispy and fresh, but didn't find anything special about it. Maybe I didn't order the right dish to WOW me, or perhaps I'm not a soba noodle girlie. Best time to go is a weekday between 12-2pm. read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

===TL;DR=== - Tenzaru soba - cold: shrimp + veggie tempura - Butakakuni soba - Inari - Warabi mochi (let him know as he inputs this item) ===TMI=== Not so hole-in-the-wall soba place!! Located near but not the heart of Japan town in its quiet corner. This place is solid, classic and cozy Japan vibes! Small but mighty as it sits around 11 people. Though they close at 7pm, they might close earlier depending on when they run out of soba noodles so suggest to get there earlier than later. Everything was amazing. Simple staples provided a clean taste palette, nothing fussy. You really can't go wrong with the soba and tempura combo. Throughly enjoyed the inari and mochi!! There were baskets near the entrance if you want to put your personal belongings down since it's such a cozy place. Water station is also located at the entrance. 2 people shop so be patience! Would visit again! read more

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A tiny spot in Japantown that really hits the spot! We got here about 30-40 minutes before it opened and just made the first seating of 11 people. Two owners were really friendly and asked if we had any questions about the menu. We got the cold soba with tempura shrimp and vegatables and a side of the inari sushi. Portions were decent and generous amount of soba, and loved the fresh wasabi as well. I was very surprised by the tempura, especially loved the shrimp and thought this was actually the star of the show. It wasn't too oily and felt very fresh and light. Overall a great experience but you do have to go early to get a spot or be prepared to wait! read more

Sobakatsu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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SF Soba Sobakatsu is San Francisco's newest soba shop Serving dine-in only, the small spot had a queue lining around the corner spot near Japantown The menu features freshly house-made soba served either cold (zaru) or hot (kake with broth) A variety of solid tempura add-ons are available including daily specials such as plum chicken and fresh fish cake The cold soba with dipping broth was the clear winner at our table with the delightful warabi mochi providing the picture perfect finish Zaru Soba Surimiten $22 ~ Soba with Deep Fried Japanese Fish cake / Kamonamban $25 ~ soba with sliced duck breast and Japanese leek / Soba Warabimochi $6 ~ traditional Japanese dessert Sobakatsu (San Francisco, CA) Dining is indoor only (3 counter seats, two tables of 4) with no reservations. All credit cards accepted read more

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Solid soba! We went on a weekend around afternoon and there was a long line ahead of us already! We waited for around 45 mins before getting seated. There is a limited number of seating inside. The ordering was fast once we got to the front of the line. We got the cold soba noodles. One with homemade fish cake and another with shrimp and veggies tempura. I prefer the tempuras more! Both were delicious. The dipping sauce was a mix of soy sauce and dashi, I love it, it was just right for the soba. The wasabi gave a nice hit too! The noodles are made just right - good texture for soba. We also got the soy bean powder mochi, I liked it but doesn't stand out as much as the soba noodles. Overall, we enjoyed our meals! Only downside is that the line is long. read more

Sobakatsu - Shrimp and veggie tempura cold noodle soba - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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