Katja K.

Walked in and immediately loved all the traditional decor. We ordered a ton of stuff family style with the help of our lovely waitress and enjoyed so many of the dishes. The main call out are the Plov, Kebabs, and honey cake. Also get a pitcher of their seasonal fruit Kompot. It's always nice exploring a new countries cuisine!

Claudine R.

I came here with a girlfriend because she raved about it and it was very delicious but I will say the two things that we ordered were both very heavy so I would say this is the place that's good for groups not just two girls. I favored the Qurutob with the beef. I really enjoyed the coolness of the yogurt with a heaviness of the beef. Something I did notice is when you walk into the restaurant it does smell like cigarette smoke, which threw me off. The service was great and attentive and it's a pretty big restaurant so I would say it's good for groups.

Jackie W.

A unique dining experience in Lower Nob Hill! We ordered the plov, manti with beef, Acharuli Khachapuri, and honey cake. The plov was flavorful and not too oily (which I've found with some other places), with tender beef and served with a cold salad with tomatoes and onions. I wish it had some more of the savory toppings like carrots and quail eggs. The manti was my favorite dish - chewy wrapping and juicy filling - delicious! The khachapuri was made fresh, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fulsome distribution of cheese. The honey cake was a nice flavor but not noteworthy. We also had a refreshing pitcher of creamy ayran (salty yogurt drink) to share. Ambiance was pleasant, with traditional music and garments and lamps decorating the interior. Service was friendly but not the most attentive (we ran out of water, check took a while, etc).

Chloe L.

My first time here and 100% ready to be a repeat customer!! The service was so good and the food was even better! Drinks ordered: Kompot (10/10): I regret only getting a glass because I could easily have a whole pot myself. It's just that good Ayran (9/10): personally not for me since it's sour and almost gamey to me but my boyfriend LOVES this Food ordered: Cheburek with mushroom and cheese (9/10): an amazing combination I will be getting again Barak (10/10): my favorite thing of the entire meal! Not gamey at all and the filling was delightful Chicken kebab (7/10): I thought this was good but not amazing in comparison to the other dishes. The side tomatoes were really yummy though! Acharuli Khachapuri (10/10): the gooey cheese? SO GOOD Manti (7/10): too gamey for me for some reason, I liked the barak more Napoleon (7/10): good flakiness I definitely want to come back again for the honey cake! We came right at opening but it got super busy after so I would definitely recommend going early!

Cherylynn N.

Ahhhh order envy... As the megruli khachapuri (a Georgian cheese stuffed bread) arrived at the table across the way, I was craning my neck to ogle all the hot ooozing cheese AND cheese pulls. I'll be back for you! After drinks at Propagation, we were looking for a place within walking distance and I remember bookmarking Sofiya, one of two Uzbek restos in the city. On a weeknight, we arrived to a quiet resto with one other table. M E N U Central AZN, Uzbek cuisine with sprinkling of Georgian dishes. Uzbek is best known for their hearty meat and rice dishes. Food is halal. F O O D * Manti: Steamed dumplings w/ chopped beef and onions served with chakka (4 pc-$19.99): https://tinyurl.com/4caa53yn Largest manti I've had, these jumbo XLB-like dumplings had a thin, chewy skin with a savory beef filling. Wish it was juicier and the accompanying chakka: labneh had more tang tho. * Plov: Roasted Beef w/ rice, steamed carrots, chickpeas, fresh herbs, quail eggs, homemade qazy ($21.99): https://tinyurl.com/yckch4ua National dish of Uzbek, I found this rendition of plov underwhelming. While a rich, hearty dish with tender beef and a pronounced earthy sweetness from the carrots and tang from the barberries, it was hard to enjoy with the hard rice. I'm a qazy (horse sausage) virgin and plan to stay that way. Lol! * Braised Lamb Shank w/ potatoes, broth ($27.99): https://tinyurl.com/y77d3ubj OG homestyle dish with fork tender braised lamb and veggie medley over a bed of mashed potatoes (a bit grainy) alongside shurpa (broth). It low key reminds me of something you'll find at Garden Club in SSF. * Lula Kebab: Minced Beef Skewers w/ rice, marinated onions ($21.99): https://tinyurl.com/3cztp75n Saving the best for last, this was the standout of the night! The kebabs were well-spiced and hella juicy with the onions and tomatoes adding a fresh sharp tang. Unlike the plov, the rice pilaf in this dish was perfectly cooked, tender with a bite with a deliciously rich savory flavor. If you like kofta, koobideh, or seekh...GET THIS! S E R V I C E Warm with prompt service. A M B I A N C E Cozy and inviting with traditional low tables and floor seating, decorative plates adorning the wall, and vibrant ikat fabrics. P A R K I N G Extremely difficult street parking in the TenderNob. Overall, if you're looking for a hearty, satisfying meal give Sofiya a try!

Ed U.

According to Yelp, this was my second experience with Uzbek cuisine. My first was five years ago in the same corner location under its previous identity, Halal Dastarkhan (review: https://yelp.to/MubkAEHGLA). I'm not sure if the ownership has changed since then, but the Central Asian menu still looked pretty appetizing, especially if you have a hankering for kebabs and breads with fillings. I was by myself, so portion control prevented me from being able to try a couple of their heartier signature items, Plov (beef stew with quail eggs over grain rice) and Acharuli Khachapuri (boat-shaped bread with melted cheese). Instead, I ordered the $16.99 Tashkent Salad, a unique mix of julienned daikon radish, slivers of beef tongue, egg, crispy onion, cherry tomatoes, and mayo (Photo 10). I liked the contrast in texture in this entree-size salad but could've had more substantial pieces of tongue and definitely less mayo. I also decided to try the $5.99 Pumpkin Samsa, a fairly standard turnover made with a flaky sesame-covered dough and filled with a pumpkin purée (Photo 9). An Uzbek version of samosa. It appears there are plenty of other options to consider from the Uzbek kitchen. FOOD - 4 stars...flavorful albeit with some execution issues AMBIANCE - 4 stars...atmospheric with traditional Uzbek crafts and clothing on the walls SERVICE - 4 stars...efficient TOTAL - 4 stars...Uzbek anyone? RELATED - Exploring Nob Hill? Here's a collection of places l've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/zEm98Gr48F

Tanu P.

Good halal food. Takes a bit of time to cook and serve. The soup and salad kept us fed until the main course arrived. Portion size was good. Went with family on a weekend for lunch.

Emily C.

Such a hidden gem! Such a cute restaurant and such good food. This was my first time trying Uzbeki food and I'm so glad I came! I visited on a Saturday for lunch and was seated immediately. I got the cumin lamb, which was super good, flavorful and tender, but just a bit on the salty side so I'd pair it with rice for sure! Food is prepared super fresh and everything tasted high quality. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Razan A.

Excellent surprise for our evening in SF. Friendly service, delicious food. Restaurant has an authentic feel to it. I've had Uzbek food in the past and this was superior to other restaurants. Must try!!

Gaby K.

Love this place, always had great experience. The food was delicious, especially the plov, just like in my hometown, it was flavorful nd perfectly cooked. Staff were very hospitable nd friendly. I would definitely recommend Sofia Restaurant and will be coming back again!

Anthony Z.

Super cool spot for those who are uninitiated into western asian food (in this case Uzbek). On the corner of Sutter and Larkin sits an unassuming restaurant with no eye catching decoration. We decided to try this spot after spending an afternoon in Union Square and walking around to find a spot - and it's the happiest accident we've had when it comes to food! When you walk in, you're transported to west Asia. Not many people have had exposure to western asian culture, so the decor and employees gives it an extra point in culture and authenticity. People eating inside are also of similar descent, and that's where you know you came to the right place for ethnic food. The menu has a lot of things I've never seen before, so I ended up checking on Yelp and asking service what to order -- DEFINITELY get the Qurutob with Beef and Plov as main courses. If you're here, you're here to try unique ethnic food - and these 2 are the must tries, with the Qurutob being their national dish. The qurutob was amazing and refreshing - it's basically flatbread on the bottom with yogurt, layered with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and beef on top. The taste really unique with a flavorful profile being savory yet refreshing. The plov was a good order since it had carbs (rice), and it being paired with soft carrots and the most tender beef in the world made it a perfect dish to top off you belly on. Service was amazing, and some employees even wore traditional clothing. Food came out around 10-15min, so our starving tummies didn't wait too long. They had what I assume was Uzbek TV playing with music from said country, with traditional clothing hung up and other decor placed around. This place, though unassuming, is truly a hidden gem. Prices are fair, service is good, food is great (and authentic I've heard), what more can you want?

Stanley S.

I had the opportunity to eat at Sofiya with my coworkers before the Holidays. The food was amazing and full of flavor with Mediterranean spices. I ordered the Beef Kebab Plate and shared the Megruli Khachapuri. The service and ambiance was awesome I especially liked the chandeliers throughout the restaurant. Until next time, Enjoy!

Allison W.

I've never had Central Asian food before, and this was incredible! I saw a video of this place and wanted to give it a shot. Our party of 7 got there at 7:00 PM, and the restaurant was not too busy and we got seated immediately. The waitstaff were super nice and the food all came out within 15 minutes, which was incredible given the volume of food we ordered. We got the Plov, Manti with Beef, Qurutob, Fried Lagman, and Cumin Lamb as well as Fruit Tea. Plenty for our big party! Plov: 5/5, a favorite! The beef was so tender and juicy, and the carrots provided some sweetness while also soaking in the flavors of the dish as well. I also loved the eggs! Manti with Beef: 4/5, surprisingly large! We were not expecting them to be so big, even half of one was a good size to eat so we all shared. The beef was well-flavored and the skin of the dumpling was nice and thin. Qurutob: 10/5, we had no idea what this was when we ordered it, we ordered it only because a review for this place recommended it. You HAVE to order this -- this was everyone's favorite dish! Layered flatbread with labbeh may not sound super exciting, but the flavors were tangy and cool while the flatbread was warm and fluffy, all of it combining to one of the best first bites I've had in the city. A surprise new favorite! Fried Lagman: 4/5, very good noodles with good chew! The flavors were tomato-dominant and savory. If you like spice, definitely don't skip out on the chili sauce that comes with it. Cumin Lamb: 3/5, solid dish! I wish the lamb had more cumin coated on it to really pack in the spicy, but the lamb was well-cooked! Fruit Tea: 4/5, I've never had it before and it was great! A beautiful pink color that comes in a carafe served in beautiful tea cups. I'm so glad I tried this place out! Definitely will be back just for the Qurutob alone -- it's a must try. Would definitely recommend!