Sobaya

Watch the chef handmake your sobu noodles while you wait. Yes it's a bit packed, but worth a short wait (don't wait more than 20 mins). Get the sobu noodles, and enjoy a taste of Tokyo tucked away. Great portions, a fun place to try with someone who wants to try real Japanese w/o sushi. Don't go with more than 4 people, it's too small. Very friendly staff Pros: Great Value, Delicious, Ambiance Cons: , Maybe a wait more

One of the best noodle places in town. A little crowded but who cares. Service always attentive and an amazing variety of noodle combinations. Great place. more

For a simple, no frills, and efficient meal, you cannot do much better than this place. The restaurant is so clean, and the food so immaculately served that I feel guilty every time I go there in a not-freshly-pressed shirt. Personal highlights are the Curried Udon and the Unagi. The staff are also very polite and generally knowledgeable about the fare. It can get a little packed at times, and the a/c is could be a bit colder - but then again, it is a noodle shop. Pros: Curried Udon, Cleanlines, Staff Cons: A/C more

As a novice Japanese food eater, I really enjoyed Sobaya's dishes. Even though I made the faux pas of ordering two entrees instead of appetizer/entree, I enjoyed every bite of both my dishes-- noodle/veg. soba and tuna steak. The tuna steak especially was very flavorful and succulent. My only dislikes were that the ambience could be a little cozier--it seemed rather plain in there, the waitress expressed disapproval at my unorthodox choice of orders, and the cramped dining area--but that's par for the course in NY! All in all, thumbs up, and I will bring friends back for more! It seems to get very crowded in there so come early! Pros: Tasty food, Medium Prices, Clean Cons: Crowded, Cramped tables, semi-nice waitstaff more

So the catchy title stinks. But this is another of the Japanese restaurants along E.9th/St. Marks Ave area that stands out. The food is both authentic and fresh; and the staff is very helpful and friendly. The biggest problem is that the restaurant quickly fills up (the counter included!!!) so I've had to abandon eating at Sobaya to eat anywhere else but Shiraku (Dallas BBQ...waaah!). Though if the restaurant got bigger, the service and quality of the food would probably suffer. I'm big on ordering the vegetarian or chicken/egg dishes with either soba or udon noodles. The boiled spinach with sesame sauce appetizer is absolutely wonderful. Pros: Fresh food, Inexpensive, Variety Cons: Crowded, Que quest ce ambience more

For under twenty dollars for a filling, delicious, and healthy meal come to Sobaya. I tend to stick with the steamed Spinach and Salmon Chiriashi, but the entire menu is good. I think J_Hunmters review was on the money, but for the Soba Houses iu the Big Apple, Sobaya is great. Also J_HJunter thinks Kiev has a ""10"" for ambience, so he's probably confused. Pros: great fare more

As a rule of thumb, quality Japanese food is found in Japanese restaurants OWNED and MANAGED by Japanese. Sobaya is no exception. The noodles, soba, etc my group ordered were all good (we shared). The noodles are very fresh and well made, and the broth tastes right. A bit expensive for what they offer, but it's far superior to Menchanko-tei, for example. Probably one of the better, most authentic Japanese noodle shops in NYC. Pros: quality noodles Cons: small portions more

Lunch boxes are a good deal and the eel is OUTSTANDING. Hot or cold, it is hard to find a comparison for the noodles. When I went for lunch last week I got the sashimi tuna lunch box, reasonably priced however it didn't compare to the quality of the eel. Definately worth a shot! more

I love this place. The service is great. Everyone is enthusiastic and friendly. I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table, even when it's really crowded. Food is very good. I heartily recommend the clear soup (great smokey taste) both as an appetizer and/or as an entree with soba. Desserts are also tasty. Appetizers and sake also very good (although the appetizers come in very small portions), but expect a steep bill if you partake. Another plus: clean bathrooms! more

Soba-ya, literally ""soba shop,"" is overpriced and mediocre. Although the food is prepared correctly, I have visited many restaurants, in Japan and Michigan, that better expand on the soba theme, for less cash. The concept of Soba-shop, as it appears in Japan, developed out of a need for quick, cheap, tasty food, consumed after visiting a temple or shrine. Soba-ya is neither quick nor cheap and the food is quite bland. For Soba-ya is a mere bastardization of a good concept. In my opinion, it lives up to none of the soba/temple restaurants that blanket the Japanese countryside. Pros: traditional Cons: overpriced, mediocre, bastardization more