I have been to both Sobakoh and Honmura An, but it is Sobaya I keep coming back to. If I was judging them based on plain soba, Sobaya might not come out on top, but it is the breadth and creativity of their menu that I value most. And the soba ain't bad either. My favorite dishes are the tuna steak-don (seared tuna with garlic sauce over rice), buta kakuni (pork belly in broth with hot mustard and a soft boiled egg), and ikasumi (cold squid ink soba with squid tempura). Their menu is always evolving with the seasons, which is both exciting for trying new things and disappointing when they take off a loved dish. Sobaya is one of the least expensive restaurants for high quality Japanese food in NYC and for that reason I usually eat here about once a week.
Pros: Great food, great service, great value
Cons: Crowded dining conditions with little ambiance
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