I'm usually a fan of what Big Burrito does around Pittsburgh, yet I can't fully recommend Soba to the Asian food enthusiast. While the space and service warrant a 4.5 star rating, one can summarize most dishes as high quality yet forgettable rip-offs. Not that this designation makes sense or anything at this point, but read on. I'm not going to go into the details of the dishes I ate, as they probably won't be on the menu in the near future. Soba's seasonality is something that makes it stand out, and I appreciate the sourcing of the ingredients. Speaking of the ingredients, everything is a rather high quality, which is to be expected at the price point. My scallops were deliciously meaty and sugar sweet, and my vegetarian dining companion's vegetables all tasted quite fresh. The rhubarb in my desert had a perfectly tangy, subtly sweet flavor. Proteins and veggies stand out. But the dishes, as a whole, don't warrant the price point. Soba tries to communicate subtlety in flavoring of its food, and it carries this principle of subtlety a bit too far. In fact, the food ends up being on the slightly bland, underseasoned side more often than not. For example, the broth in my entree tasted only vaguely of the soy and ginger promised, and my friend's red curry exhibited anemic spicing. Flaws in execution are similarly prevalent; my noodles and my friend's rice were too mushy. Such flaws didn't detract too heavily from the dining experience, but when I'm paying $70+ (appetizer, dinner, dessert, and drink) for a meal I'm expecting complex flavor and texture contrasts, deft seasoning, and meticulous technique. To that end, Soba fails. The meal was fairly enjoyable, and perhaps I went on an off night, but my sticker shock for good but not great food has yet to subside. read more

Great atmosphere,service and food! Had the mushroom pad Thai, rock shrimp tempura and tuna tartare!! The am going back for the tartare alone!! Perfect date night with my hubby read more

Let's start out with the goods. Ok food, decent decor, as I quite bought into the semi-successful attempt at downtown vibe in Shadyside. Now let's start with the rest. This place has a very odd crowd, from the customers to the staffs. I was dating a guy and we went here for dinner. Everyone was staring and listening to us the entire time we were there. We didn't talk much, but whenever we opened our mouths, the whole place went silent, and I caught other tables and the waiters looking at us way too many times. The most uncomfortable moment was when we overheard the table behind us talking about us, not even trying to hide the fact that they were listening to our conversations the whole time. I'm not sure if it was because we were very young comparing to everyone else there (we were about 19 and 20) or because we were an interracial couple or because of something else. Also, service was on the bad side. The guy I was with got his Chirashi entree even before appetizer was brought out, while my noodle entree took almost an hour to come out. I'd definitely recommend going to Umi which is right above Soba for more delicious Japanese food and more mellow vibe. read more

Service was incredibly friendly and quick. We started with the squash dumplings(fried) and we both said we'd eat about 20 more of them; they were awesome! I had the yellow curry with chicken. It was delicious with the perfect amount of heat...and big enough for a lunch the next day. The husband had the seared tuna and judging by what was left on his plate he clearly enjoyed it. We also had an Old Fashioned and a Mule and both were delicious. This place nailed it on every aspect...except it was probably one of the most expensive meals we've had since moving to Pittsburgh. That said, is most certainly eat there again. read more

Tried Soba for the first time yesterday. Prior to going I checked out their menu online to see what they have. I liked what I saw on the menu and with the higher prices I expected a top tier restaurant. My guests and I arrived and with it being a Saturday evening the restaurant was pretty full. Our party of 6 was seated and there was definitely not much room in between tables and that made it slightly cramped. We ordered our drinks and 4 different appetizers and entrees. The apps arrived and for the most part they were ok, we did send back the steamed dumplings because they were all stuck together and were not edible, the fried dumplings had a powerful flavor of ginger in the pork stuffing. Our entrees arrived and I ordered the Korean fried chicken. It looked pretty good but that was the best part of it. The chicken was extremely bland and oily. The Gochujang sauce on the side was a little loose and a more watery type of consistency. My son ordered 1 spicy tuna roll and it was not worth the $18 dollars. The entrees my guests had also were just average. The best part of the evening was the deserts we ordered. I did have a coffee with our desert and not once was asked if I needed more coffee when it was empty. The service was ok but definitely could of been better. Our Soba experience was lacking what was expected especially for the prices they charge. We unfortunately will not be trying them again. read more

Soba - Korean Fried Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Spring Soba Noodle Salad is always so tasty and fresh. The atmosphere is relaxing with a lovely decor. Staff friendly and seem to enjoy working there. read more

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It's a nice, intimate restaurant with an elegant setting. Valet is very professional and the staff make guest feel welcome. I had the pad Thai. There was so much food and I was very satisfied. My girlfriend had the Long Island duck which was pretty tasty from the piece I had. It took a little long to come so they comped the wine and dessert. Plus it was her birthday so that helped. The server could have poured water more often. read more

Soba - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I love that there are so many vegetarian options on the menu, including a vegetarian mushroom pad Thai, sweet potato dumplings and fried tofu. However the dumplings and tofu had flavor but were very dry and way too chewy. The mushroom pad Thai was tasty but needed more tofu and the serving was way too big. The staff was friendly and the decor was nice, but the food overall was just OK. read more

I had some high expectations of this place because of all the reviews on Yelp and also it's on several lists when I searched for "where to eat in Philly". And my expectations were not met at all. It's pricey for a sub-par meal. For drinks, I ordered a Bangkok Tea, which tasted like juice. Maybe the green tea balanced out the alcohol-ness of vodka, but it tasted like juice. For food, I started off with a lobster taco. The taco was really crispy and the lobster part itself was good. Then I got a chirashi bowl. It came with avocados and parts of my avocado were brown and clearly overripe. There was something else that happened with the dish because it was quite salty, which isn't the Japanese way. Overall: It doesn't matter to me whether a restaurant has a stylish interior. That is just the extra stuff to a restaurant experience. What matters is the food. Soba had sub-par food for extravagant prices, and that left me disappointed. read more

My mom really wanted to go here on a causal night and I was skeptical because it felt like more of a "special night" place....but I am a total convert. I LOVE it here! We sat at the bar, so there was a more laid back feel. They had a good selection of beers on tap. I love beer so it was nice to have some craft / American options at an ethnic food restaurant. We shared the crispy tofu, chicken spring rolls, pork lettuce and edamame hummus. There was SO MUCH FOOD! This was WAY more than enough for both of us and I ended up taking everything but the spring rolls home (because we finished those!). Everything tasted so good. The pork lettuce wraps were a tiny bit heavy on the peanuts, but that is the worst criticism I can come up with. Food = awesome, atmosphere = awesome, beer choices = awesome. I will definitely be back. read more

Best Asian Fusion in Pittsburgh. Great atmosphere and bouje setting. Call ahead and ask to sit near the waterfall.

Wow, we came here for our Valentine's Day dinner and couldn't have been happier with our experience. We started with the tuna tartar and pork dumplings. These tasted so fresh and delicious. The year of the ox cocktails were so unique! For dinner we had the teriyaki salmon with asparagus and avocado purée. Absolutely exquisite! The salmon was perfectly cooked and the purée was divine. The service was flawless; our waitress was attentive and gave us great recommendations. Finally the ambience is what made it really special for us. Soba is a neighborhood gem that is chic and eclectic. We are from Chicago and love going to cocktail lounges. There are only a few lounges in Pittsburgh, and I'd say this is the best one we've been to so far. Beautiful decor and intimate seating. You can't go wrong celebrating any occasion at Soba! read more

Soba - Teriyaki Glazed Scottish Salmon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I was pretty excited to try Soba Lounge for the first time - as a fan of the Big Burrito Group, I couldn't pass on the opportunity. As soon as we entered we were asked if we wanted to sit at a table on the right, or at the bar. If want a lounge experience, I highly suggest going to the bar which has couches as well as bar seats (better for groups), if you want an intimate conversation (2-4 people), I suggest being seated to the right. Food: We ordered the crispy tofu and mushroom & spinach dumplings for appetizers, the grilled salmon and spicy basil noodles for entrees, and shared the chocolate maki for dessert. Crispy Tofu: Must eat for vegetarians or meat eaters. Cooked perfectly, with a tangy sauce Mushroom & spinach dumplings: a little smaller than expected, but the red pepper dipping sauce did it in for us. The combination of flavors was great. Spicy basil noodles: Seems pretty conventional to order here, but the waitress said that it was a "signature dish." Pretty standard if you ask me, but nothing to complain about. Chocolate Maki: We were excited for this, but unfortunately a tad disappointed. The pistachio cream and nuts were a great touch for the mousse, but the pistachio crepe had an awkward, rubbery taste to it. Drinks: The management and staff have differing opinions on weather or not you can bring a drink (from the bar) to your table. To clarify: YOU CAN. Go ahead and order a drink at the bar (very good cocktails/martinis) and walk over to your table. If you're a gin drinker, I highly recommend the Bee Keeper (my favorite) and Gin Blossom. The bartenders aren't shy with alcohol, so keep that in mind. Atmosphere & Service: The waitress was super helpful, and the atmosphere provided a good medium for a great conversation. Overall, great restaurant, but a little on the pricier side. read more

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Always delicious. Pricey and they even raised their prices even more since covid but execution is always spot on and the portion sizes were a little bit better than normal. Miso black cod is unreal and the pad Thai has chicken shrimp and tofu! read more

Soba - Miso black cod, pad Thai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Intimate, sleek, and dark atmosphere. The staff is very professional and attentive. The food is well prepared, visually appealing, and filling. I appreciate the generous portion sizes here. Everything at this restaurant exceeded my expectations. Patrons, for the most part, were well dressed when I dined there on a weekend evening. Overall, this is a solid recommendation for a nice dining experience. read more

Hubby and I visited Soba on a Friday night and sat out on the upstairs outside patio. Reservations were no problem at 6:15 pm time, but by the time we finished our meal at 7:45 pm, the patio was filled. I recommend trying a bunch of small plates for a dinner that includes experiencing the wonderful tastes and textures of foods that Soba provides! We started with the Soba California roll, which didn't thrill me and was so much to share (8 pieces) that we had to cut back on some of our small plate selections. Next we selected the rock shrimp tempora satay, which was equal to "crispy shrimp" appetizer at other restaurants. Shrimp was succulent but small and a well enough portion for two to share. The spicy pork and peanuts mixture for the lettuce leaf wraps had a kick and were quite tasty and very filling with the table accompanied soy sauce. Extra lettuce was available for the asking. Last, the top winner in my book was the miso fish satay, with its soft buttery melt in your mouth texture was absolutely heavenly! We ended with the sorbet of dessert sorbet. Raspberry, blueberry and lemon were the trio of flavors available that night. Not a fan of blueberry, we opted for two lemons instead. The round scoops were tough to break apart with our spoons to taste the 2 flavors together. All of the other dessert selections looked delectable, but too filling for us at that point to try. In retrospect, we would skip the California roll and opt to try the lobster tacos, corn and Chappelle (mushroom) filled steamed dumplings or bao buns filled with pork and duck pate small plates. There were so many small plate selections of delicious flavors to choose from, that will definitely be worth a second trip! Service was attentive to begin with but waned in the later hour, especially for drink refills and getting the check. With some spicy dishes and the semi-humid (until the sun set) deck conditions, you need drinks filled quickly. I blame this on the multi-rooms and multi-levels to serve because of the restaurant outlay. It is easy to lose track of your tables and efficiently serve your patrons. All in all, Soba offered a very cozy atmosphere coupled with great food to keep us coming back for more! Well done! One star less because of the slow service! read more

Went out for a girls night. Espresso martini was delicious. Ordered appetizers to share and everything was so good. We had the edamame, pot stickers, California roll and chicken bao buns. For my entree I had the drunken noodles and I've never tasted anything more delicious in my life. The portion was huge and the filet was tender it does have a little kick to it if you don't like spicy. Again, for dessert we ordered a bunch to share and those were just as good. Highly recommend read more

I went here for Valentine's Day and had their prix-fixe menu. I actually really enjoyed everything I had, but I found some of the dishes to be too sweet. The portions were tiny, but since the flavor wasn't exceptional I thought the price was a bit high. I've eaten at Michelin star restaurants before and am used to high prices for small portions, but if you're going to give small portions I expect the food to give me "wows and mouth-opening reactions of flavor." Expect Soba's food to be good, but not memorable. The best part of the meal was the dessert. Their yuzu tart is excellent - perfect balance of tartness, sweetness, and crunch. I would come back to try their regular menu, and I would recommend this place for a nice dinner. The actual restaurant has an spacious, but maze-like layout which I appreciated. read more

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Best Tofu I've had...ever. Hands down. Excellent. Great vibe and nice, attentive service, too.

Last night my husband, two friends of ours and myself had dinner at Soba. Well attempted too... While waiting for our food, the power went out and stayed out. After the initial "we thank you for your patience "walk around we did not see our server or host until we flagged someone down to get our check. The restaurant did not offer any of us complimentary drinks or even ask how we were doing. We left after sitting in the dark for 40 minutes and got tacos somewhere else. The appetizers we had were great, but not worth sitting in the dark. read more

I've been here 3 times total. I honestly find the food to be okay. It's definitely not authentic Asian, and I think that's why I find it to be so-so. The style is Asian Fusion cuisine so the flavor profiles aren't as fresh and smooth, if that makes sense. I think it's overpriced for what it is, and I've been to Asian Fusion places that get it right too. And just be careful, last time we got the chirashi bowl my boyfriend got food poisoning. I think it was the tuna because that was the only thing I didn't eat, since it looked iffy. He was better after 1 week. read more

I tried to do a review in Open Table after a reservation but for some reason I kept getting an error message. Also the 'leave restaurant a message' did not work in OT. I wanted to review somewhere because I think Soba deserves the praise. I am rating it as great because the staff makes dining there excellent. The food is always very good (even though maybe they could make some changes periodically). But the staff it the key to this place. This reservation was 14 women for a birthday of a friend in April 2022. The staff went out of their way to accommodate all requests and to make sure everything ran smoothly including their serving a cake that was brought in from outside. The positive staff experience was across the board from the manager who took the original reservation, to the hostesses, servers and food runners. They willingly took care of any issues that occurred (eg: someone's food was too spicy) with politeness. As noted the food was very good as usual. The space they gave us was mostly private which was very thoughtful since several in this group had concerns about dining out during COVID in a busy restaurant. They did seat one couple in the same area as us, although they had initially said that they would probably not. It was not a problem for us but I can't imagine why this young couple agreed to be in a small space with 14 chatty older women! Anyway we were very happy with the experience. But I had one other thing to mention - about a time my husband and I were at Soba in April 2021 (a year ago. We have been many times before & since). We ordered out from SOBA several times during early COVID. They could not have been more conscientious about how they did things and getting it to the car. They closed when they had problems and reopened when they could; They were honest (as was all of Big Burrito). Well, we finally decided 14 month into COVID to dine out for the first time. It was last minute on a Saturday night. I called Soba and of course they were full, but after I gave my name, the hostess said "you supported us when we were closed, we'll find a table for you". I have wanted to thank them since then (I have mentioned it to waiters and hostesses but there doesn't seem a way to send an email to the restaurant, so I'm adding it here ....) That evening meant a lot to us. We sat at a table in the bar, well spaced, and the servers wore masks (so did we). They were understanding of our hesitance being out. And we felt that evening was very special in our journey through COVID world. So thanks if Soba ever reads this. read more

I loved everything about this place the atmosphere was relaxing, the staff was friendly, and the bartender recommended great drinks. The Tempura shrimp is a must try and the Salmon was perfectly cooked. As a pescatarian I love when I find places that have good fish and this is one of those places. So if your looking for a good date night place this is it. read more

A very elegant restaurant. Perfect for a special night. The entrees on Soba's menu are not cheap. I personally think that the items on their share and appetizer menu (which are significantly cheaper than the entrees) also taste better. I prefer ordering a few of these items and sharing them with friends. I'm a huge fan of tofu, and Soba makes their Crispy Tofu extremely well. I have ordered the spicy tuna roll and double salmon roll. While the rolls do taste good, I don't think they were really worth the price. I would've enjoyed an order of another appetizer instead. Soba has an eclectic variety of Asian inspired dishes, and I will be returning soon to try different items on its menu. -- taste / 4 aesthetics / 5 vibe / 5 service / 4 price for quality / 3 OVERALL / 4.2 read more

Soba - Crispy tofu (i apologize for the poor quality of the picture, but this was too good not to post) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Love Soba's sushi and $6 happy hour wines. Sometimes I just sit at the bar and enjoy a good book while I eat and drink! Very friendly staff. Great service. read more

I went here for my birthday a few weeks ago and it was amazing. We started with happy hour drinks in the lounge. They have a number of $6 cocktails. It's a really nice space. We sat at the bar, but the lounge has a lot of bench/couch type seating and small tables. It's not a huge space, but there's definitely enough room. We were there on a Friday around 6:30 and it wasn't too crowded. For our dinner reservations, we were seated upstairs and thought the decor was really nice. It was a little dark, but that was okay. We could read the menu just fine and it made things feel cozy. I also liked that it wasn't too loud. Dinner was amazing. We split 3 appetizers and an entree. This was some of the best calamari I've ever had and we loved the Korean fried chicken bao buns. The chicken was flavorful and really crispy. I'd really want to get those again or try the pork belly ones. We had tried the filet satays at a Yelp event, so decided to go with the sea bass satay and it was awesome. Really juicy and flavorful. The glaze was good too, but not too sweet. We got the miso black cod as an entree. I loved that this was just a little bit spicy and the cod went so well with the barbeque pork. The kitchen even split the entree in half for us, which made things so much easier. It was so nice of the waitress to offer. I think this was one of the best meals I've had in Pittsburgh. I really want to make it back. It was cozy and would work well for a romantic, casual meal out, or the lounge is great for a fun happy hour with friends. read more

This place is A-ok, so to speak. First, the positives: +really solid food- I wouldn't say anything is "amazing" or "inspired"- but it is high quality and delicious. + great cocktails +fantastic ambiance no matter where you are. Cons: - I wouldn't call this a con, but this is in a place that I'm just "dying to go to"- i've never walked away unhappy but I've never thought man I really want to go to soba tonight. Likewise I wouldn't put it on a list of must do restaurants in Pittsburgh - it's over priced - can get a wee bit crowded and as noted in other reviews, parking is a bit tough. Over all if you live in Pittsburgh, or you visit a lot, this place is definitely worth a try for the variety. However if you're only visiting, I would say find something more unique. read more

Fantastic food and service! Our waitress was helpful with food and drink suggestions, since it was our first time dining at soba. I came with my SO, and we ordered three small plates, an entree, and dessert. We shared everything "family style," and I was happily surprised that the kitchen actually split our shared entree into two separate bowls for us. By the way, it was the Korean-style miso black cod, which I strongly recommend! The apps were hit or miss, but one hit was the sea bass satay. I found it interesting that the ambience varies greatly, depending on where you were seated in the restaurant. We were in a very dark area upstairs, but I noticed some other parts of the restaurant had better lighting. Would recommend coming for a nice occasion! read more

We came here for my friend's birthday dinner last weekend after the Pirates game. My friend and her husband have been here on many occasions and really enjoy it; it was me and my husband's first experience at Soba. We had reservations for 6pm, but ended up arriving early, since after the Pirate game we just headed straight over. The hostess said that she could seat us right away, even though we were early. Although, this shouldn't have been a big deal since we were the only guests. My friend had originally booked a booth inside, but during the day we all agreed it wasn't too hot to sit outside. We were taken upstairs to their patio, which was very cozy and comfortable, with a nice view. To be honest, I checked out the menu in advance and was a little hesitant, since there were things that I had never eaten and some I had never heard of! However, I'm always willing to give anything a try at least once. To drink, my husband had an iced tea. I got an Asian Plum Sangria: "plum wine, merlot, peach, orange, pineapple". It was tasty and refreshing, a little sweet but not bad. I was a little disappointed, hoping that it had actual pieces of fruit it in, which it did not. Our friends suggested the Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps as an appetizer, they got an order and so did we. They were delicious! And, even sharing with the H, I was quite full from them. Since we ate a little at the game, we both decided not to get an entree. My husband got the Double Tuna Roll as his main course, which he said was very good. I went with the Crispy Calamari, which was described as having "chilies, toasted garlic, mint, uni emulsion". I asked the waitress about the sauce, which she described as not like mayonnaise, but the same consistency. And although a sea urchin, said it did not have a fishy taste. I was a little skeptical, so she said she would have the emulsion put on the side, since it normally comes drizzled on top. As I expected it would be, given how things were going so far, the calamari was delicious. It was fried, but very lightly breaded, not heavy at all. The sauce was, in fact, fishy, but I didn't mind it at all...it was also good. Besides the pieces my husband stole from me, I ate every last bite. Our friends both got dinners, my best friend had the duck. I had a small piece of it and thought it was quite good. Our waitress was very friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. My only reason for not giving Soba 5 stars is the prices. While the appetizers and salad prices seem reasonable, the dinners appear a little on the expensive side for how much you get. I was perfectly full with sharing the appetizer and the calamari. I would like to try a dinner next visit, but feel that I would have to still get an appetizer to compensate. Overall, the atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I liked how there are small little sections, so the place feels very private. Several groups came to sit outside while we were there, but it still felt intimate and not loud or intrusive. Would most definitely return. read more

Soba - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We came here for my birthday dinner and it exceeded my expectations. Soba is a pan-Asian restaurant and they definitely showed the Asian influence in their food. I had ordered the seared rare tuna and it was cooked perfectly while my boyfriend went with the salmon entree (cooked medium rare). The atmosphere is very intimate, with low lighting and candles and a waterfall wall. The food was delicious and the waiter was attentive and informative. Would definitely go back! Definitely one of my new favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh. read more

Soba - Seared tuna.... Soo sooo good - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In the last year, I have gotten through most of the Big Burrito restaurant chain, and I have now conquered Soba too. I came to the lounge area on Thursday night with a friend around 7:30 PM. We got the two last seats together, other than two at the bar, which is pretty impressive for a Thursday night. Foremost, of the Big Burrito group, Soba might have the best atmosphere. The lounge was similar to the upscale ones in New York, Chicago, D.C., etc., and I love that. The drinks were really reasonable ranging from about $9-$12, although I mostly drink in the aforementioned cities so maybe slightly higher than the Pittsburgh average. I ordered two Cucumber Collins ($11) drinks, which contained effen cucumber vodka, nigori, lime, and agave nectar. This drink was light and refreshing and definitely not weak. The wait staff was super laid back and disorganized, which is typical for this chain, but I don't mind it in this atmosphere. All in all, I would definitely come back here for a drink. Dinner is very far out of my budget here, but I am sure it would be good too. read more

Really solid food, and excellent service thanks to Bart, our extremely genial waiter. I've been to Soba twice before for entrees (thank you, Birthday Club!) and been satisfied, but tonight's sharing plates + maki dinner had me downright impressed. The shishito peppers are delicious, and a nice foil to richer, porkier dishes. The Chilean Sea Bass skewers were very nicely flavored, though we were disappointed to not be served the skin--it's the tastiest part! We also got the Korean fried chicken bao (Vietnamese style slider), and while the chicken was very authentic in its sticky sweet glaze and crispy coating, we felt the buns were missing some spice and acid...a little gochujang would have made them much more balanced. We also ordered both the double maki rolls, and they were tasty although the tuna roll didn't seem to have much of the spicy mayo. We were also tempted into dessert...I usually take one look at the menu and think "I could make that, and that, and that..." but Soba's dessert menu is quite thoughtful and creative. We got the banana split and the pretzel stack, and while both were quite tasty (the miso caramel was especially interesting), neither was particularly remarkable (the raspberry ice cream of the night clashed with the banana and caramel, and the stack needed a bit more crunch to cream). If you're into desserts, I would highly recommend saving room at least for a peak, because it's rare to find a restaurant that puts such effort into the post-dinner menu. I would be remiss if I didn't give a fuller commendation to Bart, who jovially kept our water glasses filled, offered recommendations, and ensured that everything was prepared to our liking (even going so far as to sub out the coffee-flavored ice cream on the split). He struck the magic balance of being there every time we looked for him but nowhere in sight when he was not needed. Soba is lucky to have him. read more

Definitely one of the better and more upscale modern Asian restaurants in Pittsburgh (excluding Thai food- so many good options). This was my first time at Soba after spending many visits at Umi. I would argue that Umi is the better sibling with excellent sushi options (with a hefty price tag) but Soba is a bit more approachable to the person who is less familiar with or doesn't want sushi. In all, it's a good place for a date with a desire for reasonable and modern Asian fusion. Ambience: Trendy, dimly lit and very clean decor. It suits the cuisine and is well set for small groups or a date. Not too loud but certainly not dead either. I loved the bar area- has a mix of bar and casual couch/lovechair seating that's well suited for a date or small group. Based on the clientele and set up, I'd lean towards trendy attire if you come here- not a casual place by any means. Food: Thai corn chowder- so good and very rich. I would return just for that dish. For an entree, I had the seared rare tuna. They definitely didn't skimp on my portion of tuna and cooked it well. Granted tuna is a bit bland, I was hoping for more seasoning and oomph from the Korean barbecue sauce. The ginger fried rice made up for any disappointment I had with the tuna. For dessert, the chocolate pretzel stack was fantastic- perfect mix of chocolate, sweet caramel and the salty wonton chip. Drinks: The old fashioned was well-executed. Went back for a second. Can't speak for any of their other cocktails. read more

I had read about Soba in Pittsburgh Magazine. I was intrigued when I saw that Soba was Numbero Uno according to a recent reader's poll. And doubly impressed that it was listed as one of the magazine's top 25 restaurants in the city. With a build up like that, I was very excited to dine here. We had an early evening reservation. The exterior is described as 3 story Victorian. Looked like a homely dump to me. Inside was a very different story. Sleek and modern, with a Zen like garden feel, we were excited as little kids to be lead to table on the 3rd floor near the bar area. I thought the atmosphere was tranquil and very romantic. I started with the thai corn chowder with crab meat. I was taken aback by the color, a sort of dreary gary/mustard. But it was very delicious, very spicy. My BBF had a salad that was very flavorful with chicken and fresh spring greens. We were also served an appetizer with cucumber and pita chips. For dinner, we had the filet mignon and the seafood hot pot. The filet was extremely thick and served with a nice vegetable mixture and potatoes. The flavor was amazing. The seafood looked delicious, I sampled the shrimp and they were very well seasoned. Dessert was also just as amazing. We shared the vanilla-roasted Asian pear served with a gingerbread biscuit, Asian pear sorbet and sabayon. We also shared a chai spiced creme caramel flan. It was so yummy with pumpkin seed brittle and vanilla chantilly. All in all a very special evening. Everything was wonderfully presented and service was very good. I have to agree with the readers of Pittsburgh mag. read more

My boyfriend took me out to dinner at Soba Lounge for my birthday last week! We had reservations for 7 pm on a Thursday evening, and had an absolute hell of a time parking! How does anybody live in this neighborhood? It's maddening. The lot next to Soba was full, and there's only one way in/out, so it was pretty much impossible to get out of after we realized it was full - don't even bother, just drive around until you find street parking somewhere. Our disgruntled-ness quickly wore off when we stepped inside. Dimly lit, sleekly decorated, and filled with a sense of Zen and calm, my boyfriend noted that it reminded him of the restaurants in Chicago. High praise! We followed our server upstairs, past a peaceful wall-waterfall, and to our elegant table. There was a medium-size crowd at Soba that night, consisting oddly of mostly older people and businessmen - not many twenty somethings in sight! That was a bit surprising, but fortunately the noise level was low, giving Soba a feeling of intimacy - great for a date! Our server was friendly, perky, and quick to recommend her favorite dishes. She was the kind of server who, if you wanted her to, would stop at your table to chat for a few minutes, but if you'd rather she was unobtrusive and quick, she could do that too. I started with a cocktail, the Gin Blossom, and my boyfriend got something with Drambuie that isn't on the menu anymore. I LOVED mine - it was purple! It was very floral and sweet, perfect for me. Just strong enough too - I sipped it throughout the whole meal. We started with the grilled baby octopus, which actually was great! The texture was meatier than we expected - I think we anticipated the rubbery, chewiness of calamari. But it was great! The legs (tentacles?) were lined with grill marks and the meat had a salty, savory taste. And the aioli that lined the plate? Creamy and delicious. Next, we enjoyed the lobster maki with pistachios and mango - it was delicious and fresh, presented very simply. A bit pricey for what you get, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. For my entree, I had the sea scallops with BBQ pork, and it was pretty wonderful. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and I mean PERFECTLY. The pork underneath was flavorful and tender - a bit salty, but at least it wasn't bland! The rice cake noodles were deliciously glutinous and chewy. It was a good size portion as well - I couldn't quite finish it after the two appetizers we shared, so I had to take a bit home. Boyfriend got the pad thai, and I found it a little disappointing in that it was indistinguishable from takeout pad thai. Good takeout, but still - it didn't seem heightened in any way. Which is fine, I guess, but for $19? Whoa. No. He was satisfied with it, but I was disappointed since it was a special occasion and his meal definitely wasn't of birthday caliber. At least it was my birthday and not his! I think generally the food here is very good, and the atmosphere is upscale and intimate. I'd stick with the dishes that are complex and unique. Don't go here and get the pad thai. But you won't be disappointed by the exotic offerings! read more

It is difficult to deliver bad news to anyone--delivering it to your best friend is even tougher--and delivering news that will make your best friend think you are a d__k is the worst. That would be my discussion last night regarding a job interview. At times like these, it's best to do it over a good meal. It makes everything more, well, civilized. Went to Soba at the recommendation of a friend from San Diego. Soba is a very upscale hipster restaurant that could hold it's own in any city in America. I had the mussels appetizer for dinner--it's a fairly substantial bowl with about 20 black-lipped mussels in a green curry (?) sauce with dried (small) soba noodles and some yummy vegetables. Can't say enough good things. Oh, and it was $9. Can't beat that, can you? read more

I stopped by here last night with my fiance and parents for dinner. It had been awhile since the last time that I had visited Soba and it was nice to see that they had renovated the restaurant. I have always found Soba to be a pretty cool place and these renovations have only helped. One of the most distinct parts of the restaurant is a wall in the dining room that has water coming down it giving it a waterfall-esque feel. Beyond that there are three levels of dining which is pretty unique for Pittsburgh restaurants. On this day we were seated on the second floor although I have eaten on all of them before. Finally the bar section of the restaurant is also pretty cool with a nice bar and then the surrounding tables seated down pretty low to the floor which is probably to give it an Asian feel. For dinner my fiance and I decided to start off the evening with the crispy tofu. This is one of my favorite appetizers in Pittsburgh and it once again delivered. I don't know how they get the tofu so crispy on the outside and yet still somewhat silky on the inside but they do consistently. The dish is covered with a wonderful lemongrass sauce and garnished with some peanuts, scallions and jalepenos with the jalepenos being a new addition since the last time that I had tried it. While I thought that the jalepenos added quite a bit to the dish, my mother, who normally doesn't handle any spice very well, did not and ended up with her mouth on fire. For my entree I decided to go with the Dolsot Bi Bim Bap while my fiance went with the Pad Thai. If you have never ordered dolsot bibimbap, the dish is served in an hot stone bowl with all of the ingredients on top of the rice and the rice against the bottom of the bowl which makes the rice crispy. This version of bibimbap came with beef tips, poached egg, pickled shiitake, cucumber kim chi, mung bean sprouts, scallion, nori and goju jang. While I enjoyed the general flavoring of my dish with everything mixed together, I was not too happy with a couple pieces of meat that were in my dish. They were hard and if I had to guess, they had some tendon in them which is not what you are looking for whenever you are eating pre-cut beef tips. Beyond my dish I was also able to try some of my fiances Pad Thai, specifically some shrimp from it. It had some fabulous flavor with the slight natural sweetness of the shrimp combining with the taste of grilling. The bottom line for me is that I will definitely head back to Soba again in the future. While this visit was not the best due to the beef tips (hence the four stars instead of the five stars I would have given on all previous visits), everything that I had still tasted good and I still think that Soba is in my top 5 list for restaurants in Pittsburgh. read more

Soba is one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh. It is your standard Asian fusion fare. I have a strategy I enjoy. I make a reservation on OpenTable set for right after happy hour. The cocktails are excellent. The happy hour specials make it a great time. The bar is very nice. The cocktail specials are balanced. Hard drinkers can get a strong drink, lighter drinkers can get a sweet drink. Everyone wins. Given the special, I'm willing to take risks and try anything. After happy hour, it is off to dinner. The food is great. I particularly enjoy the fried rice, ramen, tuna, and the special courses. My most recent visit was during the water festival. My meal was amazing. Finally is the desert. The chocolate maki is absolutely amazing. Overall, the drinks are great, the food is great, and the ambience is great. read more

Soba delivered again! One of the perks of being on the Big Burrito mailing list is the postcard they send every year at your birthday time for a free entree. I like to celebrate my birthday with some good food in the company of friends, so I usually select a restaurant and invite a few folks to join me. Tuesday night eight of us met at Soba for what turned out to be a truly lovely evening. We had great service from go. The staff is very professional, yet willing to engage. We were seated on the top level, which was quite nice because it was quiet and there were only a few other tables aside from ours. The roasted beet salad ($10) was a nice start. Golden and red beets were thinly sliced and piled with arugula, cortland apples, a very pretty light pink radish with green skin, cashews, and dressed with ginger vinaigrette. Others around the table enjoyed the chopped salad, tuna tartar, spicy tuna maki, and the calamari. There were no complaints and many a plate circumnavigated the table. Several of the group commented that the calamari were particularly good. There are currently three veg options on the menu, and it was a hard choice: * red curry tofu: wild mushrooms, yellow wax beans, yu choy, fried cauliflower, carrots, chickpeas, basil, steamed jasmine rice ($17) * autumn vegetable and rice cake: butternut squash, chanterelles, apples, spinach, fermented black beans, miso butter, pine nuts ($17) * spicy pumpkin and basil noodles: shiitake, baby bok choy, peanuts, fried egg ($17) I finally chose the noodles with the spicy pumpkin and basil sauce. The dish was pleasantly spicy and I liked the addition of the egg. I would have liked the bok choy to be cut a little smaller and the shitakes cut a little bigger, but these are very small complaints about an otherwise very enjoyable dish. My mother when with the autumn vegetables and rice cakes, which really weren't "cakes" at all, but more like small balls (about the size of a gnocci) made out of rice noodles. It was "too spicy" for her, but I really can't tell you what she meant because it is not spicy at all. It had a bit of a smoky rustic flavor and no spiciness whatsoever. All I know is that the rest of her dish is now in my fridge which I will be enjoying later. Dessert started out as a hard sell to my dining companions, but I had saved room--this was my birthday dinner after all! What's a birthday dinner without "cake"!?! I went with the chocolate maki: dark chocolate mousse wrapped in a chocolate pistachio crepe and sliced to looked like a maki roll. A small pile of pistachio cream sat next to it looking like wasabi and the "pickled ginger" was really thing slices of cantaloupe. A small pot of chocolate sauce mimicked soy for dipping. T'was rich and fine, however, being the ginger fiend that I am, I really wished they had used real pickled ginger! Others shared the chocolate pretzel stack, consisting of wonton 'pretzel' chips, malted milk chocolate cream, miso caramel, and a kinako truffle. My spoon may have found it's way into that pile up and I was impressed. the "pretzel" was really tasty and the malted chocolate cream complemented it well. My mother and I both agreed that the miso caramel was amazing, and while mom's concept of "spicy" may be questionable, her judgment of things caramel is not. I also heard no complaints about the black & white ice cream sandwich (dark chocolate cookies, white chocolate cheesecake ice cream, peppermint sabayon, pomegranate molasses), though it sounds like too much for me. Soba has consistently delivered a solid menu and fine service over the years. Once on the cutting edge of Pittsburgh's nascent culinary scene, they're now part of the old vanguard, but there's nothing stale about the place. Adventurous vegetarians and omnivores will all find something to delight the palate, though I can't guarantee your 70 year old mom will fare as well. read more

There have only been two superb fusion restaurants that I have been to in the world. There have been quite a few that were average and some that down right stunk. The problem with most fusion places that they rely on the principal that the sum will equal more than the parts and therefore, the parts do not have to be that good to begin with. Unfortunately Soba falls in that category. For example the corn fritters we had, if you tried the fritters on their own they were barely passable, greasy, falling apart and not much flavor - a virtual fritter failure, however you wrap that mess in the bibb lettuce, put on a basil leaf and dip it in the sauce chili-soy sauce and all of a sudden it becomes a tasty little snack. But I still have to ask would this dish not be better if ALL the components were excellent? The Thai corn chowder tasted good, but had a funny mouth appeal, grainy and lumpy at the same time and didn't look appetizing brownish yellow. We eat with our eyes, nose, taste and tactile feel so while this tasted good it didn't do so well on the other requirements. The mushroom and spinach dumplings were actually very blah, relying on the red pepper dipping sauce for their flavor. However the chopped salad was excellent, so all is not dismal at Soba. I could go on but you get the idea. The place is expensive for what you get, they should pay more attention to the parts, master making them correctly before you try fusing it into another cuisine to cover up your mistakes. Overall most people are not as picky as I am, we tried, it was good with some problems, problems that should not have been there at their price point. 3.5 stars read more