I'm posting this review in multiple places in hopes that it receives the attention it deserves. Today, I visited So Ba and waited for approximately 20 minutes on a night that did not appear to be especially busy. I stood near the bar, where both the bartender and the server handling to-go orders clearly saw me. Unfortunately, at no point did anyone acknowledge me, greet me, or ask if I needed assistance. After waiting, I decided to leave because it became clear that I was not going to be served unless I went out of my way to get someone's attention. Before leaving, I asked to speak with a manager and was told there was no manager on duty. I then asked for the manager's name and was told it was Jen, but again, that no manager was available to assist me. My concern is not only the wait time or lack of service, but also the fact that I could not help but notice what appeared to be a possible racial bias in who was being acknowledged and assisted. I have been going to So Ba for almost 15 years, and this is the first experience I've had like this. I'm not sure if there is new management, if this was simply an off night, or what led to the lack of service, but I left feeling extremely disappointed and unwelcome. I truly hope this is addressed, because long-time customers should not have to wonder whether they are being ignored or treated differently when simply trying to patronize a business. read more

It's just not the same anymore. With high turnover and inconsistent food options. It can't be trusted like it did back in the days before Covid. Did they have a change in ownership? I think the things that get me the most are the flies and gnats that are in constant battle with territorial boundaries. The flies are pretty buff so when you swing they hit back. They must be eating really good in the kitchen. The tiny gnats seem to fly fearlessly around the bar so I think they have been dipping into the whiskey when the bartender is not looking. I'm just not sure what it is but it's not what it has to be read more

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Food was so flavorful and delicious! Cozy ambient vibe with great service. I definitely recommend trying it out. read more

So Ba - Grilled chicken over fried rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Don't be fooled with the small and older exterior. Soba is a long time favorite and the inside is full of kindness, flavor, and happy tummies. I didn't think I could love Soba anymore and then I tried a different dish on the menu and I fell in love all over again. Soba is my go to place for a hot bowl of yumminess that is pho. Georgia summers are HOT though and I just couldn't imagine a hot bowl of soup on my most recent visit. I decided to branch out and try one of the Com Tâm (broken Jasmine rice) dishes. I got the Vietnamese fried rice with marinated cubed filet mignon and added a fried egg. WOW!!! The flavor was fantastic and the steak was tender and perfect. I liked that the rice had a bit of sauce and flavor and that there were fresh veggies on the plate. It was a fantastic meal that I completely finished. I insisted others at the table try the steak and they were equally impressed. Our servers are always great. This time our server was extra helpful. He had suggested the dish I tried and shared that it is a very popular dish. I can see why and I appreciate that he knew the menu. I'll be back many times, I'm sure and after branching out on the menu, I'll be sure to try something else next time. read more

So Ba - Com Bo Luc Lac - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

It was my first time coming here and I got a noodle with pork bowl. I like how everything tasted so fresh and crisp but I was hoping that the bowl had some sort of sauce to it so it wasn't so dry. I added some of the spicy chili paste, which helped a lot. Next time I definitely wanna try the pho! read more

So Ba - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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This was 2nd time coming here & the 1st time was much better than the 1st! I sat down & the bartender gave me menu & said someone would be right with me....no one ever came & she ended up taking my order. I wanted to get something to drink & no one ever came back & when I told the server, he basically walked off on me. The customer service was a big disappointment. read more

Excellent pho, a must-get on a cold and dreary day! Me and my partner had the unfortunate timing of going on the first cold day of the year - the restaurant was incredibly crowded and backed up with mobile orders. Wait time was very long, but once we got our food, we forgot about any issues we had experienced. Atmosphere inside is very cool, both cozy but also modern and industrial. All in all, a great find tucked away in EAV. Just make sure you don't go at the dinner rush. read more

First timer! Walked in on a Saturday night dim lighting and few spots to sit, like a hidden gem Within the area. Our waiter was super attentive and didn't feel rushed, We Ordered lemon drop martinis and chicken Pho. Loved that the broth had a special flavor that many other places don't have, it was a bit disappointing to only have about half the bowl full on a large selection to be charged for me. Small problems but those things matter. We noticed lots of take out being done so obviously the food outside of the Pho Is amazing! Will return again though! read more

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The vibes and the experience are top notch. Don't tell too many people or it'll continue being packed. Best thing in EAV with the food being consistent asf. read more

So Ba used to be one of my favorite Vietnamese spots in the city, but today I was very unimpressed. The spring rolls were sloppily made, and were brought to the table with no side plates. Had to use napkins, and of course they stuck to the rolls and became a mess. The main course I had was the #11 small Pho with beef brisket. It was ok. I don't think I'd come back for it. They also offer a coupon of %20 off on Yelp, and the manager did not honor it stating they don't use it. False marketing is always a bummer. read more

So Ba - THEY DO NOT HONOR YELP COUPONS- FALSE PROMO - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Excellent. The brisket pho and the shrimp pho was amazing. The egg rolls and veggie rolls awesome . The waitress was attentive. We'll be back soon ! read more

So Ba - Menu - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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I've come here a couple times before for Pho, and it's always delicious. This time I tried a fried rice dish with beef short ribs and it was pretty good. The short ribs were a little chewy, but the flavor was delicious. The pickled veggies that came with it were sooo good. I finished everything on the plate! If the service was a bit better, it would've been a 5star visit! read more

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Pretty good Vietnamese in East Atlanta! I ordered food on the phone, and pronounced the names the way it was listed, in Vietnamese, but the lady on the phone didn't recognize it so I described the dishes - "special" rice dish and the vermicelli noodles with beef, shrimp and egg roll. I drove to pick up the food and got a bit lost. There's a parking lot that I pulled in to/GPS took me to, that has a restaurant and a cigar lounge, but found the restaurant a few doors down. When I got there, there was a friendly dude in front who greeted me. I said I had a phone order and he directed me to the bar. Two ladies were there working with a few patrons sitting at the bar. I had checked in which gave me %20 off my bill. She brought up my order and applied the discount. I did see on the receipt that they added a 10% to go fee. Not sure if that's always done or because I applied the Yelp discount? Anyways, got my food and it was delicious. I had the noodles and got my hubby the rice - which he ate after he got home from work. It was the broken rice, which is always a plus. Overall a good spot for Vietnamese - pretty authenthic! read more

So Ba - Bún Thit Nuóng Cha Giò - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Such amazing service, they were so nice and welcoming and the food was amazing. The atmosphere was great too, it was my first time here so the server gave me my coffee for free. 100% recommend! read more

Went back to SoBa after a long hiatus. It was cold and we were looking for something that would warm us up and be good! SoBa came up. We reflected on our last visit and decided we would give it a try but this time with takeout. Huge improvement from last time. Even saw a familiar face behind the bar. Food was delicious - so good we will be returning over the weekend. read more

This place is a great spot for Vietnamese in East atlanta. The service and vibe is similar to other East atlanta spots and they are understaffed so expect to wait. Both bun and pho were fantastic. Definitely recommend trying this for a a differnt experience from Buford hwy read more

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We tried to come here one Friday night a month ago and it was too packed to consider waiting! We learned our lesson: on "peak" nights, go early! When we came back a different Friday right after opening there was no wait, but it fills up quickly. So Ba is a cool spot, with a nice focused menu with all the standards. We had the vegan spring rolls, and the bun (vermicelli bowl) with egg rolls/pork/shrimp and my dinner buddy had the broken rice with tofu. Everything was tasty, the bun was a very solid version of the classic. I wish the order of spring rolls included more spring rolls (especially for the price). The drinks here are good, and pretty strong! Can recommend the bourbon honey and the bee's knees. read more

Decent food at So Ba, but I was pretty disappointed in the service. Our waiter was nice but not the most friendly, seemed to want to go quick through our orders. We ordered two drinks that were delivered to another table, and we weren't able to get anyone's attention for that until getting our entrees. I am bad at using chopsticks and couldn't flag anyone down to get a fork, so I grabbed a spoon from the waiter station. Overall just kind of a weird service experience. The food was pretty good, it needed quite a bit of sauce but the meat was plentiful and was cooked perfectly. I enjoyed my limeade, too. Everything was a little overpriced for the experience but I'd give it another shot. read more

So Ba - 22 - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Great service, great food, great drinks! Try the ginger margarita! We really enjoyed our meal and our server was very attentive, friendly and helpful. read more

So Ba - Grilled chicken vermicelli - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Parking: street parking, I didn't see that they had a parking lot. The food was not bad but service was awful. We came at a non peak time, around 2pm on a Sunday. There were probably about 4 tables there including ours so the bad service is inexcusable. We had to keep waiting for everything and waving the server down. At one point we just got up and paid at the bar after we got our checks. We ordered the spring rolls ($5, kind of pricey) and a medium pho ($11) for each of us. I got the #14 which was basically the combination. It was not bad.. but not great either. I'd probably only come here if it's convenient and I happen to be craving Vietnamese. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to revisit. read more

So Ba - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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I really want to LOVE this place and give it a 5 star review but the bar needs an upgrade. I waited 30 minutes and had to ask two times for my cocktail and this is not the first time. The pho is really good but the service needs improvement for the price point. So Ba has SO MUCH potential as a staple and I really hope the owners invest in making it irresistible! Will edit review based on improvements. read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. This is by far the best Vietnamese in town. The tofu appetizer is soooo delicious and I don't normally eat tofu. Ordered the #25 today for the first time and the beef was so tender and cooked just right and the fried rice was amazing! My boyfriend had his favorite which is the #24 which is also consistently delicious. read more

So Ba - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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First off, the atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing. My family and I chose to sit outside - and I really enjoyed how the place was set up. We ordered the spring rolls which were absolutely delicious and were probably the best spring rolls I've ever had. The dipping sauce that came with them was phenomenal. I got the steak and brisket pho which was great, broth was delicious, and with all the toppings I added it only elevated the experience. The Com Bo Luc Lac was AMAZING. The filet mignon was cooked to perfection - tender, juicy, and seasoned nicely. The rice and veggies that came with it only complemented the dish. We were all very impressed with our food. Excited to come back to Atlanta to eat here again! Great experience. read more

I'm a true Vietnamese and born in Saigon too. I know real authentic pho when I see one. This place is it, for other reviewers that try to break down a restaurant and compare it to Buford highway, shame on you. It might not be Buford highway because of the many competition, but the standard is up there. I give the broth 5 stars for being authentic. This place has come a long way for more than a decade. read more

So Ba - Large pho dac biet - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I ordered a vermicelli bowl and am very sad about this tiny portion of noodles! It's strange bc there is plenty of pork, but barely any noodles to eat it with. Maybe a packaging mistake but disappointing given that it cost $16. Might be better to dine in next time. read more

I go here for one dish--the salt and pepper tofu. It's delicious!! Soft pillowy cubes of deep fried tofu that are light and crispy on the outside. It's served with dried peppers, onions and jalapeños. It's a must try. The rest of the food is mediocre at best. I add fried rice and veggies to the order to fill up but the veggies are tasteless---steamed with no salt, pepper, or seasoning at all. The ambiance is dark and dim unless you sit outside. I always order to go and rush home before the steam makes the fried tofu soggy. read more

I patronized So Ba this evening it was my first experience. It was an okay experience nothing to boast about. I will say this familiarize yourself with the menu prior to arrival. Please arrive before 8:45pm. Apparently, they run out of things after 8:45pm and the staff is ready to go (and it clearly shows). I really enjoyed the pork egg rolls and the #25 (Fried rice /filet mignon). The Moscow mule was tasteless and watery. I should have sent it back but I didn't want to come across "difficult". The waitress lacked personality, customer service skills, and professionalism. She rushed us through every step of the ordering process. After, we ordered appetizers we had to ask another waitress to take our dinner order. Our waitress was not attentive at all. I asked why the rush and she replied, "we need to leave so the other restaurant can open". I'm not sure why as a customer I had to own this particular circumstance but we graciously paid our bill and departed. Mind you, she never once said thank you or you're welcome. However, the other waitress did tell us goodbye and have a nice night. I don't know maybe our waitress was having a bad day. Who knows it's not my issue! I would probably order takeout next time rather in person dining. IJS read more

East Atlanta!! Where have you been hiding this gem ? Vibes are like a vietnamese dive bar which I lovvveeee. The service was great, Kate was very sweet and Maggie and I had a great convo about nails LOL and was awesome cause she made the best reccomendations for us for our dinner! We tried the salt and pepper tofu and jalapeño lemonade which were both SO good. Definitely gonna try to make jalapeño lemonade at home now. The tofu made a great app! Pho was very filling, I usually don't finish a small as the portions are usually alot and I definitely would say their portions are on par with most pho places. #12 is my fav! I can't wait to come back here next time I'm in town and take photos next time (I forgot this time don't come for me) Until next time! - You fav smol foodie @ SpicyAivy read more

I got #38 to go, which is the grilled pork, shrimp & eggroll over vermicelli rice noodles & a lettuce, cilantro & bean sprout mixture with a side of sweet fish sauce. It was delicious! I'll definitely be back. read more

So Ba - #38 Grilled Pork, Shrimp & Egg roll over vermicelli rice noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

So Ba is probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I eat there once a week. Angus's take on pho is fantastic and the salt and peeper tofu is phenomenal. Not a vegetarian? Cool, neither am I. I still order it every time. And you should too. Because it's goddamn delicious. I love the ambiance inside. Dark and cozy. Staff is always friendly. Now they have a small outdoor patio! My only complaint (and thus lack of five stars) is that it seems like they never answer the phone. At least 50% of the time I try order takeout by phone, they don't answer. Their ChowNow is set to delivery only so I can't use that either. read more

Always good,always fresh, always affordable. Sometimes you have to wait a while especially on weekends, but the service is great! I love the very relaxed chill vibe in my neighborhood. Been coming here for years! Never disappoints. read more

Overall satisfying experience. Starting with the goi Chuon thit nuong- the grilled pork was delicious and the basil mint filling was refreshing as an appetizer I got the pho tai chin nam medium size bowl. The meat was well cooked and seasoned. The grilled chicken in the Bun ga Nuong was flavorful but a little dry for me. read more

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Clean restaurant, friendly service, excellent drink! I sat at the bar so service was pretty quick, and I arrived when they opened at 5. The bartender was very friendly, and since it was my first time she took 20% off! The food was simply Delicious! I ordered a large Pho and had enough for three days! The salt and pepper tofu appetizer was amazing and enough for a meal! The shaken beef is also a must try!! read more

So Ba - Large vegetable Pho. Delicious! - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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A hidden gem full of pleasant surprises! One of the first things that you notice when you step into this restaurant is that the vast majority of customers/patrons are non-Asians - this typically would be a signal or indicator that the food is not authentic or may not be appealing towards the Asian palate; however, in this case the Vietnamese food was absolutely delicious & authentic and I strongly approve!!! Food: Pho - both the beef noodle soup and the vegetarian pho were both excellent tasting. Com tam (broken rice) - delicious pork chop, shredded pork, egg quiche, fried egg with assorted veggies Ambience: Dimly-lit, modern trendy hole-in-the-wall restaurant/bar Service: Interesting that it is almost entirely staffed by non-Asians; whites, blacks, hispanics. read more

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Great spot for pho! You can order a small, medium, or large. Usually I can never finish my pho. I ordered a small despite being so hungry and tempted to get a medium. The small was the perfect size for me and I ate it all. So if you usually eat the majority of your pho I suggest getting a medium or large, but if you are like me and all the broth makes you super full then get a small. Excellent service and in a fun area. read more

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Tried to eat here today and was met with a very rude waitress. It was so odd for the restaurants in that area. She acted as if we had a personal issue, I just cancelled my order and went to the pizza place up the block. I might try again in the future and just switch servers if she's there since I've eaten here in the past and enjoyed it. Taller black lady, shorter hair, not thin. Definitely not cut out for customer service. read more

A divey pho restaurant & bar. What more could you ask for? It's cozy, the service is personable, the crowd is cool and the food is amazing. Get the #12 and a Mexican Coke for the best pho experience. read more

So Ba - Pho Tái Chín Nam - Vietnamese Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

So Ba is a Vietnamese restaurant that opened in East Atlanta Village in December 2009. So Ba means 3 in Vietnamese. As a frequent eater of Vietnamese food in metro Atlanta, particularly on Buford Highway and in Gwinnett County, I can vouch for So Ba's authenticity. They serve legit pho (noodle soup), bun (vermicelli noodles), and com (rice dishes) here with a few subtle differences. That is a good thing because in a neighborhood like EAV, I was afraid So Ba would turn out to be one of those Americanized Asian (possibly Asian fusion) type places. So Ba doesn't look like the typical Vietnamese restaurant you'd find on Buford Highway. In line with the surrounding neighborhood, the restaurant is more hip and has a cool, laid back vibe. There's an enclosed patio. Late at night, the bar next to the patio becomes Octopus Bar (http://www.yelp.com/biz/octopus-bar-atlanta). The restaurant is popular and on weekends, it can be hard to find a table. Along with pho, bun, and com, So Ba has appetizers like cha gio (ground pork egg rolls) and goi cuon (fresh shrimp spring rolls). Apps run about $5-8 each. One app I recommend is the dau hu rang muoi ($8) -- salt and pepper fried tofu with sauteed onion, spring onion, jalapenos, and red chili peppers. Admittedly, it's loaded in sodium, but extremely tasty and potentially quite spicy depending on how potent the batch of peppers are at the time the dish is prepared. The fried tofu is delightfully crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. Pho, bun, and com are Vietnamese comfort foods. The noodles used in both the pho and bun dishes are made of rice. The rice used in the com dishes is broken (or fragmented) rice. Prices for these dishes are more expensive than their counterparts on Buford Highway. So Ba is $2-3 dollars more in several instances. A small bowl of pho is $9, medium $10, and large $11. Prices for the bun and com dishes are in the $10-13 range. My favorite pho to order is the pho dac biet. This is often called a "special combination" pho or pho "with everything." The noodle soup comes with the following meats: eye round steak, well done brisket, flank, soft tendon, and tripe (stomach). I like having all of these different meats because they make the broth heartier and there is a nice variety of textures and flavors to eat. It's good stuff. The pho broth is fragrant and delicious. Also included in the bowl are chopped cilantro, spring onion, and white onion. On the side is a self-serve plate of vegetables including basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno, and lime. Unfortunately, So Ba does not stock culantro, which is one of my favorite pho condiments and is served standard at other pho places. This omission is probably the most disappointing thing to me about the restaurant. Don't forget about the table-supplied Sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce (brown stuff), and chili garlic paste. All are great for putting directly into the pho and/or for using as dipping sauces for the meat. The latter is my preferred method. Bun is often an overlooked Vietnamese dish because pho's popularity overshadows it. If you still want noodles, but don't want a soup, order bun. I suggest bun thit nuong cha gio, a classic. This dish consists of a bowl of rice vermicelli noodles topped with grilled pork, a sliced egg roll, and assorted veggies like carrots, radish, and cucumber. The pork is mouthwatering and the egg roll is crispy and savory. This dish is served with a side of nuoc mam (fish sauce), which you should pour into the bowl for extra flavor. Overall, this dish is very flavorful and satisfying. Service is OK. It can be slow at times. When the restaurant gets busy, completed tables can go uncleaned for 15-20 minutes at a time, making the dining area feel messy. Overall, So Ba is a good option for authentic Vietnamese food in East Atlanta. It's a step below the Buford Highway/Gwinnett stalwarts, but is definitely king in this part of town. The restaurant is located inside what looks like an old house off of EAV's main drag. There is no parking lot, but plenty of street parking should be available on the primarily residential neighborhood streets. Side note: So Ba has a pho eating challenge. It's called the Pho King Challenge. The challenge is to finish one Pho King Challenge competition-sized bowl of pho within 60 minutes. I was told by staff the competition-sized bowl is equivalent to 3 large bowls. Photo: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/so-ba-east-atlanta-village-atlanta?select=j7i3LB0LLjixsga2SanzRw#TRhDYGDIwsUwn6FvvECn7w. Over 65 have tried. Only 1 has succeeded. The original prize was $333, consistent with the restaurant's name. Today, the prize is a gift certificate. I think it's $100. Win or lose, you get a t-shirt. The entry fee is $25, so it's not a terrible deal when you think about it. read more

This is a great place for solid pho at a reasonable price. Great spot to have a chill meal and a drink in non-covid times, and their new covid system was smooth and safe! Loved their fried tofu appetizer. read more

Wanted to find a Vietnamese place in Atlanta. I love Vietnamese cuisine. Found So Ba, read the reviews & decided to give it a try. All four of us plus our friends we were visiting. We did manage to find it. It's off the beaten path, from the outside it looked questionable. I decided to take look inside before we all piled in. It was divey inside to say the least, reminded me of CBGB's in NYC. I did see a few occupied tables with family & decided it was ok. This was about 3PM, not prime time. Our waitress was most helpfull. Appetizers: 2 orders of Spring Rolls & as per our waitresses suggestion Salt & Pepper Tofu - absolutely delicious. Entrees: 2 orders of Shrimp & Grilled Pork over noodles, Grilled Chicken over rice, Grilled Shrimp over rice, Grilled Shrimp & Pork over rice with sunny side up egg & Grilled Pork over rice. I was somewhat disappointed - a bit Americanized...too sweet, not enough sour, salty, spicy, pungent...The Tofu appetizer had all those flavors. All in all it's A-OK. But do try the tofu. read more

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