I been to Soba a few times and I love the food. The appetizers are particularly wonderful, so this last time I ordered 3 appetizers, then split an entree. Yeah, that works. The mussels are very flavorful: Blue Bay mussels, Thai sausage, basil, and Szechuan peppercorn. I can also recommend the Filet Mignon, which is prepared with chili garlic mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, garlic soy, and pea shoots. Delicious. I think the service could tighten up a bit, and I wish the Hostess would be a little more welcoming, but on the whole, the service was good. 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

I can't stress how incredible the Big Burrito group is. They deserve prizes. I came to Soba with two friends for the Oc Om Boc festival, and was pleased to order and eat the price-fixed ($35) four-course meal they offered. Delicious pho, egg rolls, spring rolls, duck confit, duck breast, noodles, beef and rice, fresh vegetables, and an incredible dessert of cake with a hint of banana (and a vanilla wafer). The lights were turned low, there was a wall with running water streaming down from the top, and there was some contemporary playlist in the background playing all of your NPR favorites (David Gray, Radiohead). As an added bonus, the paper towels in the bathroom were EXCELLENT--I felt so guilty wiping my hands on them and throwing them away. The menu is a bit pricey, but I don't think I'm experienced enough to judge its price vs. the food...I'm just a pretty broke college student who spends all of his expendable income on nice places like Soba. read more

Made reservations on a busy Saturday night (3/5) for me and my girlfriend....it was our first time eating out in Pittsburgh (out of towners) and Soba exceeded my expectations (coming from SoCal where there's Asian fusion joints everywhere). The Coat Check for ladies and free parking was awesome....the tandoori grilled salmon was impeccable....and this place is getting 5 Stars from me mainly for its outrageously delicious and homemade "Soba banana split." That's right, homemade chocolate, roasted pineapple, and jasmine-green tea ice cream scoops on top of banana cake and creme-bruleed (crunchy) bananas. Best dessert we've ever had. Speciality drinks were pretty outstanding too....thanks Soba!! read more

Fantastic Interior! Swanky Bar! Smooth lighting! It's all here! I've loved this place since since setting foot in the door a long time ago. It was always a 5 star experience....but in the last few months somethings different and thus the 3-star status. I'm not sure what it is...whether it's taking exceptionally long to get attention for service (here's a hint...if you get everyone drinks faster, they're probably more likely to have a better experience!), or the quality of food, or not feeling like you got the best value for the price paid when you walk out.... I haven't given up on it here yet - and have high hopes that it's just a bump in the road. read more

I eat at Soba with my parents almost every time they come to town. I'm just out of grad school and not exactly in a high paying field, so I can't afford to come here on my own. I've had a great experience every time except for the last one, when I came here with my boyfriend. I've had the Thakkali curry, the chicken ramen, and the filet and they've all been wonderful. My boyfriend is horrified that I enjoyed the Thakkali curry so much because it's a vegetarian dish and he loves meat, but it really is tasty, especially the roti. I've had a bunch of the appetizers too, and my favorite is the Thai lettuce wraps. The last time I ate at Soba, I had a less than good experience. Maybe I went into the dinner in a lesser mood than usual because I wasn't excited to see my parents (they weren't in town) and it was raining, but I just had a generally bad experience. I ordered the basil noodles and they were horrible. I've written in many of my other reviews that I do not like sweet noodles, and these tasted like candy. They were gross. And sloppy. And saucy. So I had about 2 bites and went home hungry. I don't know if Soba directly employs its valet parking attendants or whether they contract out, but I also have a bone to pick with them. My boyfriend arrived separately in his fancy Audi and they parked his car right out front. I showed up in my Hyundai and they parked it over the river and through the woods. I joked to my boyfriend that they parked mine in another zip code because it's "shabby" and not fancy like his, and the parking attendant entered the conversation and told me yeah, that's true. They park the "lesser" cars in another lot because they're afraid of damaging the nicer cars. I get it. My car isn't a luxury car, so they are less afraid of having to pay to fix it if it gets dinged up, but is he really telling me that? I couldn't believe it. read more

I have been going to Soba for the past 3 years on my birthday. It is by far my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. It all comes together so beautifully at Soba. When you walk in you really feel important. Your table feels intimate, your server is interested in you, and most importantly the food is amazing! On my last birthday in June it probably was my best experience yet. We had reservations for right when they opened because we were going to the Pirate game right after. We were the first ones there. It was hot out but we asked to sit outside because we had never done that here before. I loved it outside but it was probably a little to hot for us. We could have gone back inside but we decided to stay out and just drink some cold water. One thing about nice restaurants are that if you're really hungry you need to get a appetizer. Usually the main dish isn't big enough. That's one thing I have learned and I made sure to get an appetizer here. I got the Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps. They came out with some lettuce but a ton of meat! It was great! It was by far the best lettuce wraps I've ever had. We needed more lettuce to eat it all. It was so juicy, great spices, and refreshing. The wraps were really filling. Started second guessing my tip there about ordering an appetizer but I'm still glad that I did. For my main dish I ordered Tandoori seared Scottish salmon. Every time I come to Soba the menu is nice and challenging for me. It's not like going to a chain restaurant and you already know what to expect and what you are going to order. At Soba I like to read through the menu and see what I might like. Then you have to read what comes with the rest of the dinner. I usually take a little risk. I like Salmon but I'm not sure if I will like everything that goes with the dish. This has happened before to me at Soba. "lentils, green beans, fennel-orange salad, coriander raita, orange oi"? Will all of that work well with my Salmon? I ordered it not sure if I would like it but the small risk turned out to be a big reward! This was one of the best plates that I have ever had. It was so good. The Salmon was cooked perfectly and all the other sides on the dish worked together so well. They never disappoint me here. Each time I come here it just keeps getting better and better! I always recommend this place to my friends when they are looking to take out their love one to a special dinner. Soba will not disappoint you! read more

Soba - Spicey pork lettuce wraps to start - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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By far the best meal I had during my four night stay in PIT. Dinner kicked off with some ridiculously good Pork Belly Buns. Sandwiched in the folded Chinese steamed bun were fresh cilantro, two flavorful, tender slices of pork belly, and a slathering of hoisin BBQ sauce that was both tangy and savory. If you consider these the Asian version of a White Castle slider, then go ahead and put me down for a Crave Case. For my entree I had the Chili-Miso Black Cod. Our waitress mentioned this was a fairly new addition to the menu, and, from what my stomach tells me, it's going to be on that menu for quite some time. The black cod was delicate and delicious. The rice cake noodles were like an Asian-style gnocchi, and their slight firmness provided a nice textural change to the black cod. The sauce itself was flavorful, only slightly spicy, and included little shreds of pork and pine nuts to add to the flavor profile. Dinner ended well with the Frozen Cashew Terrine. The layers of chocolate ganache and candied cashews balanced well with the mango and raspberry coulis. The interior itself was dimly lit and had a modern Asian vibe. The wait staff was also very friendly and made some great recommendations. If I'm ever back in PIT, Soba immediately jumps to number one on my dinner list. read more

Soba - Pork Belly Buns - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I have dined at Soba more times than any other restaurant in Pittsburgh; it is my favorite! The dishes are original and creative, not like anything one can find elsewhere. I don't like tofu so much, but their tofu appetizer is fantastic - and is a large portion for a moderate cost. The chopped salad is worthy of my daily cravings. They usually have two vegetarian entrees, one or both of which can be made vegan. For a long while they had an awesome rice cake dish that I could not resist - it was a take on pesto with neato chewy rice cake noodle things and a seasonal mix of veggies and mushrooms. I do miss that one. But lately I've been getting the thakkali curry, which is pretty good too, with an interesting take on mango pickle (spicy!) and sadly, it comes with the best paratha in town. Once I had a bad experience with the rice cake dish - it came out all wrong. I was unable to complain at the table due to my company...but I emailed the manager because I wanted them to know that somebody in the kitchen didn't seem to be gettin' it. I also took that opportunity of contact to ask for a recipe for some to-die-for brussels sprouts they used to have on their sides menu that were no longer available. The response was above and beyond what I could have expected. Everything was made up for and then some. And they apparently didn't have the recipe I requested on record, but gave me a general run down of how to make it from memory; now I make them at home according to Soba's instructions every time! The drinks! Excellent. Some of my favorites are The Metamorphosis (no longer on menu, but I think you can still get it), Offer You Can't Refuse, The Dirty Pickle, La Pinta and Beauty Mark...They also have a nice selection of Sake, which is rare in Pittsburgh, however is is expensive to buy here. The atmosphere is not really my style, but it passes as a cool calm romantic space. I do get sick of hearing the same music every time I go, but there are some great songs in the mix. The service is hit or miss, and some of the servers come off as scripted (probably new). Our last server was really slow about checking on us and drinks took a long time (though it wasn't busy). And as with most Big Burrito restaurants, I don't like that there are separate food runners from servers, because it makes it confusing and more time consuming to ask for things. I prefer the bar seating and service, usually. All in all, I think Soba is Pittsburgh's best place to eat and drink. read more

After hearing so much about Soba over the years, I knew it had to be my February destination for my New Year's Resolution: one Pittsburgh restaurant each month that I've never been to! My 3 girlfriends and I made a reservation for shortly after they opened for the evening, so the space was nice and quiet for the majority of our dining experience. I ordered a glass of chardonnay ($10) to start, and the four of us decided to split the crispy tofu appetizer ($10). The appetizer portion was perfect for the four of us to snack on and could easily be made into your meal or hearty shareable plate for two. For my main course, I ordered a bowl of the Thai corn chowder ($8) and the double tuna fat roll ($14). There were so many delicious entrees to choose from, but I had to remind myself that my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, and settled on the soup and roll - I will definitely be back again to try one of their entrees: the Long Island duck & seared rare tuna dishes sounded phenomenal. Our first round of dishes was served shortly after we finished the crispy tofu: my Thai corn chowder was excellent - perfect consistency, temperature and flavor. One complaint is that the menu description for the chowder touts jumbo lump crab meat and I had one measly piece, which was rather disappointing. The other girls in my party had a couple orders of steamed dumplings, which looked good and again were large enough of a portion to make into a meal. Our waiter was extremely attentive, checking on us regularly and making sure our water glasses remained filled. This is such a subtle task, but for as much water as I gulp down at each meal I greatly appreciate when waiters and waitresses keep my glass full. It was a bit of a wait for our maki rolls which surprised me a bit, seeing as (I would assume) they take less time to prepare than other entree-style dishes. About 15 minutes after our first course was cleared, our rolls were served. I'm not sure if there was an error in submitting our order to the kitchen, but both courses that were brought out were served to the wrong person at our table. Perhaps the breakdown came when a different waiter served our food than the waiter that took our order. Obviously the fix is as easy as exchanging a couple of plates across the table, but it's something that could most definitely be avoided. Regardless of the musical plates that we played, the rolls were delicious and I soon hit a sushi wall... they say you're never to leave a soldier behind, but I had to leave one lone, tasty piece of the double tuna fat roll on the plate by itself. I had just enough to eat at that point and was mentally high-fiving myself for not ordering an entire entree, half of which would've likely ended up in a doggy bag. Overall, I am pleased with my experience at Soba and will most definitely be back. The interior is intimate and dimly lit so it would be a perfect date night spot or, as I did, a girls night out. There really doesn't seem to be a bad item on the menu. On this particular visit, they were even offering a special prix fixe menu in celebration of the Chinese New Year. It looked tempting but again, my eyes are always bigger than my stomach and I had to politely decline the opportunity. read more

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I LOVE SOBA! It might seriously be my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. I started coming here when I was an employee for Mad Mex, since we got a discount one day of the week. But my husband and I have continued coming here over the years for special occasions, because it's so good! The fried tofu appetizer is incredible. I'm a vegetarian, but my husband is not and usually doesn't like tofu - even he gets excited for the fried tofu. We have both tried various menu items and drinks here, and everything has been top-notch. The atmosphere inside is beautiful, and if it's nice outside, it's nice to sit on the covered patio. We always look forward to an occasion to come back here and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic or just delicious evening! read more

It's beautiful and dark inside, each corner has something interesting to look at or a different texture. It's a lot to take in before you even open the menu. We started with drinks (old fashioned cider for me - a little cider wouldn't have killed you on this - I didn't order a cup of bourbon over ice) and a beer for the husband. I also tried a sangria, but it was more kool-aid than wine. Onto the food! We started with three things - tuna maki, rock shrimp tempura the crab-corn chowder. Each was absolutely amazing! The tuna was super flavorful, the rock shrimp was perfectly seasoned and cooked and the chowder. Wow. I really want to go back and just bathe in the chowder. It was spicy and crabby and super thick. More like a corn milkshake. Delish! I had the seafood hot pot and J had the pad thai. The pad thai was perfection. My hot pot left me a little confused. It sounded like soup, but came out in a weird bowl with like a thick mixture on the bottom not resembling soup broth. The mussels were good, but small. The scallops were amazing. The fish cake was also very flavorful and not at all fishy, like I had had in prior fish cakes. It wasn't that any distinct part wasn't good, it just wasn't what I was expecting. read more

We've been meaning to try Soba for dinner every time we go to Umi. I'm only in town a few times a year, so we finally made this a priority. The food was spectacular and the drinks and service were first class. My wife had the whole bronzini, which I tried some of, and it was dynamite. Don't let the whole fish preparation intimidate you! My entree was the seared tuna and it was quite good as well. We enjoyed a great pinot noir that was recommended by our waiter and also had some great sparkling sake. We waited for our table in the lounge and tried some cocktails -- all receive high marks. We were seated near the water feature wall, which is a spot I would recommend. The lighting, mood, food, and service make this a great location if you're looking to impress or have a nice romantic evening. I look forward to a return visit. read more

I've had the pleasure of visiting this establishment two times over the last several months. The first time was for a fancy-pants dinner in which the upstairs portion of the restaurant was reserved and the guests were privileged enough to indulge in unlimited drinks and a very elaborate 5 course meal. Soba is very much "Asian-Fusion" in its cuisine, and it pulls it off quite well. As a vegetarian, there are plenty of options for me to choose from. Some of the dishes that stand out to me include the tofu appetizer and the vegetable curry entree. The second time I visited here, I sat by the bar, which is dimly lit, relatively quiet, but gives off this cool sort of vibe. I love it. We had a great time. Service was fantastic. My critiques would be 1.) a tad bit pricier than what I would like to pay and 2.) could up the ante on the spice level just a tad. Otherwise, I highly recommend this place. I think you'll enjoy it. read more

Went there on a weekday night around 10pm. The restaurant was already closed so we sat in the bar area. The music was nice but the drunk people siting near the window were quite noisy. I wish they could have a separated quieter area. We ordered some desserts and those are incredible. Very delicious, big portion ( can easily be shared by two people) and inexpensive ($6-8). One of the two desserts that we ordered was the chocolate maki. It has chocolate maki roll pieces (hard chocolate wrap and chocolate mousse filling), chocolate sauce as the soy sauce and pistachio sauce as wasabi. Very nice presentation and great taste, although it's a little big heavy. You might want to share it with another person. Another one was the banana split. It has two banana halves covered by crispy sugar coating, three different kinds of ice cream and a banana cake. Very tasty, and each piece has a different contradictory flavor. Highly recommend it. read more

If you are like me, and adore espresso martini's, you must check out Soba on Ellsworth Avenue! The martini is made of chilled espresso, vanilla vodka and Kahlua coffee liqueur. By far the best espresso martini in the city! They also have an excellent food menu for both the bar and restaurant. They have happy hour specials and the bar is always filled with a great crowd! Soba is affiliated with the Big Burrito chain, along with Eleven, Kaya, Casbah and Umi: all of which are excellent restaurants! read more

Came here for dinner and drinks. Initial impressions from ambience and cocktails were good. Appetizers were mostly good, especially the buns. Sushi was decent. However the red curry was one of the worst I've had. It's really pricey for the portions and quality. I might come back for a quick cocktail and app. read more

This is a good restaurant, one of the best Big Burrito spots... love the small plates and the idea of being able to grab a drink at some small bites in the bar. The pork dumplings and the the vinegar sauce... to die for!!! They have a nice happy hour M-F as well. Good cocktails. I think many entrees are overpriced, but they are good. But $24 for a chicken ramen dish... I still get it because it's excellent, but even restaurants in San Francisco and NYC don't charge this much for such a dish. The Bronzini dish is always excellent and they try to add a few other tasty specials in from time to time... but in my opinion the menu doesn't change too often. It's a good place to go when you want to get exactly what you want... meaning, whatever you had on the menu last time will probably still be on the menu. read more

I am reserving the fifth star for when we return on our own dime and order from the menu. Went here for an alumni event with my husband. There was open bar as well as passed hors devours. Then they had a buffet station for dinner and dessert. Soba outdid itself. We were about an hour late to the event, but they were still serving some hors devours. I was able to sample a miso black cod bite in a Chinese soup spoon which was a delicious bite and perfectly cooked. I also had a glass of Prosseco that my husband enjoyed as well. Then the dinner service began, which included chili garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, seared ahi tuna with korean bbq sauce, and filet mignon with a delicious sauce that I can't remember the name of. The food was phenomenal. The tuna and filet mignon were both stellar and cooked to rare perfection. I also enjoyed a Last Word cocktail with dinner which was perfectly balanced and delicious. For dessert they brought out their chocolate pretzel stack which was delicious and so wonderful with a salty and sweet combination. They also had what tasted like small lemon tart, but I can't find it on the menu. Overall I can't wait to return! The service, food, and atmosphere where all fantastic! read more

First, it's a beautiful space. It's the kind of place that would be good for a nicer date. It's also the kind of place where they offered to take our coats at the door. I tried two cocktails. The Hattori Hanzo was pretty good. I like cocktails that are sweet, but where you can still taste the alcohol. I also had the Asian Plum Sangria, which tasted like juice, so if you don't like to get that hint of alcohol in your cocktail, that'd be my recommendation. Sips of my friends' Cucumber Collins and Thai Mule proved that they can make decent cocktails at Soba. I was expecting something a little more creative tasting at a place like Soba, but I guess I can't complain about what they did have. Food-wise, we ordered the shiitake dumplings and bao buns as appetizers. The dumplings were a bit doughy. However, the bao buns with fried chicken (instead of the typical pork belly) were delicious! I wanted more. I got the Seared Rare Tuna. It came with rice, kimchi, cucumbers and onions, and a BBQ peanut sauce. I'm glad they put the sauce on the side because it was a bit overpowering. The tuna was one large chunk. I think they should have served it as two pieces and drizzled the sauce on top, but overall, it tasted nice and it was filling. I tried my friend's Miso Black Cod and it was scrumptious, like melt in your mouth delicious. The Long Island Duck was also pretty good. For dessert we shared (as you can tell, we love sharing) the Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brûlée and the Frozen Cashew Terrine. Both were really great. One thing I'd suggest would be for them to be informed as to where the fish is sourced from. I wanted to know where the tuna was from, but our server didn't know. Overall though, the service was good. read more

I've been to Soba twice and it was my first real experience with "upscale" dining. The inside is great, I was especially fond of the two story waterfall against one wall. The seats were comfortable and the pace of the service let you know that you could stick around a while and enjoy yourself. The food isn't as Asian as I expected it but still delicious. I went with the filet mignon and it melted in my mouth like butter. The sprouts on top gave it a nice, fresh crunch. The service was spectacular, as it should be for this type of establishment. My only real complaint is that after having been to Kaya and Eleven, I feel Soba could diversify their menu a bit. A few of their dishes can be found on its brother's menus and I don't think they're quite capturing Eastern food. Either way, it's delicious. read more

Went here for my husband's birthday and they have a very nice outdoor seating area. I wasn't a huge fan but my husband loved it and compared it to being on the same scale as Eleven so that's why it gets a 4 star rating. We ordered the korean barbeque ribs $12) which fell off the bone and the calamari with chilies, toasted garlic, mint and an uni emulsion ($9). My husband had the seared rare tuna - sesame crust, korean bbq, kim chi, cucumber-red onion salad, ginger fried rice and peanuts ($34) which he loved. I had the spicy basil noodles with broccoli, onion, button mushrooms, baby bok choy, orange peel, sesame seeds and fried egg ($17). I ordered it spicy but found it to have a strange taste. For dessert we had the frozen cashew terrine which had chocolate ganahce, mango-rasberry coulis and candied cashews for $8. read more

The ambiance is perfection. However, I enjoy excellent food, timely service, and well balanced cocktails. If you prefer outstanding decor over all other elements listed. Then I'm sure you will enjoy your experience. I can only hope you trust and find my review helpful. I accidentally ordered delivery from here after spending a long night working. It was horrible. The fish was tough and the other dish was simply inedible. This place is far too expensive to be serving food poorly prepared. read more

Atmosphere is very nice - quiet without feeling like a library, nice lighting, decent and eclectic music mix. Service was excellent. The clientele was mixed on Friday night - a couple with a child, two couples double-dating, people just getting drinks, etc. Onto the food. The Pacific Rim drink was fruity and not too strong, and also reasonably priced. The crispy tofu appetizer is awesome. If I lived closer, I would want it all the time. The high crispiness level means it was probably deep fried, but it's so yummy I didn't even care. Spicy cucumber raita (amuse bouche) with flatbread was also delicious. I kind of want a jar of it at home to put on sandwiches or something. As far as entrees, boyfriend had the beef brisket which he said was excellent and very tender. I had the citrus tofu curry, which was just ok. If I were a chef, I would have balanced out the very sweet citrus sauce with a little soy sauce or something savory. The portions were more than big enough. And for dessert, we had the Vietnamese coffee creme brûlée, which was beyond delicious. I generally enjoyed the meal, but would appreciate maybe one more vegetarian entree to give diners a choice. Also, a head's up: the adjoining parking lot is small, so if you have a reservation or are meeting people, make sure you allow time to find alternative parking if the lot is full. read more

The best thing about my recent experience at Soba was the service. The waitstaff were unobtrusively attentive and very friendly. I highly recommend the chicken ramen, which has fried chicken, noodles, and a fried egg. I'm not sure how you can go wrong with that combination of ingredients. The true star of the meal was the dessert - some sort of chocolate mousse and pretzel stack that was really amazing and made in-house. My only quibble is that some menu items are pricey considering what they are - I mean, $18 for fried rice? read more

Fusion is difficult to pull off well. Have you ever noticed that "Fusion" almost always involves East Asian food and American cuisine. Thai corn chowder? Are they really going crazy for corn chowder in Chang Mai? You never find, say, Mexican-Moroccan or Ethiopian-Brazilian fusion places. That would be really inventive. Instead, with Soba, you have another pan Asian-American Fusion joint, although I don't think I've been to a better one. The mussels are incredible, a meal in themselves, and a bargain at $9. I had the chopped salad, with fresh mango, avocado, mint, and just a hint of spice. The best meal I've had here was the mussels, followed by the tuna. The crabcakes are also good, made with lump crabmeat. If you feel like something vaguely Asian, but not too Asian (ex: kimchee pancakes), you won't find a better option. But if you want something truly original, you have to go elsewhere. read more

I hate to put two stars, but.. I have experienced better. Especially for the price. This was my first visit, and, frankly, it made me want to go back for the bar but not the restaurant. There were definitely good points. The service was great, and I enjoyed the cocktail that I ordered off the menu. Also, they had a couple of lesser-known cocktail classics that made me think the bartending staff know their thing. The wine by the glass menu had nice choices, too. Unfortunately, the food was mixed. I had the pork dumplings for an appetizer. The combination of flavors in the filling, dip and wrapper was very good, but the wrapper was unusually thick and distractingly chewy, even gummy (as in, it stuck to my teeth and the roof of my mouth gummy). The server said they'd just started making their wrappers in-house, and I think they need some work. I had the chicken ramen soup for a main course. It just wasn't very good. I didn't expect it to be up to Vancouver BC standards (that city seems to have a thing for ramen), but the noodles were a bit tough, and a whole lot of the flavor came from salt. This includes the broth and the chicken. I didn't really want to eat it; I just tried the leftovers, and I don't really want to eat them either. If the food were at 2/3 to 3/4 of the price I'd give it three stars. As it is, I wish I'd gone somewhere else. Clearly, other people love the place. Maybe I'll give it another chance, if I'm with friends who want to go. read more

One of my all time favorite restaurants. Has gone through a couple of face lifts with the most recent being the best. The bar side, where I go almost every time is much more comfortable and cooler than before. The drinks. I think they have a pretty decent cocktail and wine list. They are very well made and although expensive, pretty generous. Really like Laura the bartender. She is solid. The beers on tap are minimal and pretty safe bets with a few more to chose from by the bottle, but not a beer snob Mecca. The food. I really enjoy places that spotlight small plates allowing you to try many things. I can't remember a small plate I did not like and can remember a few I wish would come back.....uhhh soft shells... Usuall don't go for an entree but my wife and I split the filet one unadventurous night and it was delicious and very cleverly done. It is expensive but very high quality and It's a great place to come alone, as a couple or a group. One of BB's gems. read more

This was the last stop on the "Brother Visits Ne'er Do Well Kid Sister and Treats Her to Meals" tour. We started with the Indonesian corn fritter wraps, which were delicious with the chili-soy dipping sauce. The corn fritters should have either been a little smaller or the lettuce leaves a little bigger, however, because the combo to unwieldy to roll up and eat. The seaweed salad was good, too. My entree was the autumn vegetables and rice cake noodles--which I only realized was very similar to a pasta dish at Casbah after I took my first bite. The dish at Casbah: maccheretto with white beans, wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, rapini pesto, cheese and walnuts. Soba's version: rice cake noodles with wild mushrooms, butternut squash, green beans, arugula and sunflower seed pesto. The types of vegetables in Casbah and Soba's versions differ, but the pestos taste pretty much the same. Rice cake noodles don't really soak up liquid, though, so Soba's version was drowning in sauce. I probably would have enjoyed another entree more. I guess I should have read the menu description more carefully, but didn't think Asian fusion (Soba) and Mediterranean (Casbah) were anything alike, so I didn't expect to get the same dish at both restaurants. For dessert, we split the five spice apple tart with honey creme fraiche and crispy yam. The tart was more honey creme fraiche with some apple bits on top; it was tasty but I would have liked more apple. I enjoyed the atmosphere on a Sunday night, and our server was pleasant but didn't hover. The food's delicious--just order carefully if you've dined at another Big Burrito restaurant not too long ago, to avoid getting a similar dish. read more

Best fancy dinner I've had in town, hands down. The atmosphere was romantic, the staff was very friendly and attentive, and the food was done to near perfection. Other reviews have talked about a rude hostess, but the woman who seated us was friendly enough. Perhaps I got lucky because we went on a Sunday and it was a nearly empty restaurant? I had the tandoori salmon and my friend had the bass. Both were very yummy, and though I often don't get desert the sorbet trio was a perfect ending to the meal. I'm always wary about going to such high priced places and leaving still hungry due to small portion sizes, but I was stuffed to the brim and we had left over calamari. read more

I love the ambience here, and the fact that it is so close to my house is a definite plus! Although, it is dangerous to be so close to one of my favorite spots in the city. The tuna is my absolute favorite entree, hands down. The Korean barbecue sauce on the tuna has the perfect amount of acid and heat, and the sesame crust adds just the right amount of crunch for texture. It is served with ginger fried rice and kimchi, and both are always delicious. To start, try the lobster maki and the Korean BBQ ribs. The octopus starter is also fantastic if you are feeling adventurous. I am obsessed with the chopped salad. I could eat this daily-no joke. The combination of daikon and mango with mint and cashews is absolutely perfect. I absolutely love love love this salad. If you venture upstairs to Umi in your future eating adventures, rest assured that Umi's dessert menu features all Soba desserts. They always have a seasonal shortcake-my favorite is the plum. And the chocolate pretzel stack is pretty spectacular, despite the fact that I'm not really a chocolate person. The only person in my party who wasn't blown away by their food the last time I was here ordered the vegetarian curry option. It was just okay due to its lack of complexity and flavor. But, unless you are a vegetarian, you really can't go wrong with any of the other entrees. Enjoy! read more

I've been impressed with all of the Big Burrito restaurant group and so far my favorite is Soba. The interior is a lot nicer than the exterior space. I've driven down Ellsworth a million times and would not have imagined zen/dark themed interior restaurant (especially with their obnoxiously loud yellow, caps, bold exterior signage that says SOBA on moss green wall). My husband and I shared a sake, lobster maki, seared tuna w/ kimchi, and scallop udon. All yum. We were also surprised by the generous entree portions. What made my experience at Soba so great was the dessert menu. As much as I love dessert and sweets, I typically do not like a lot of ingredients used for desserts (ie. nuts, chocolates, raisin, certain fruits, cinnamon, & other spices). But when I saw their dessert menu, I craved almost all of them. Although my husband and I usually share one dessert, we decided on two. We had the cream brulee and dark chocolate mousse maki. Both were ridiculously scrumptious. read more

After reviewing some of the top restaurants in Pittsburgh I decided that this would be a great place to celebrate our anniversary. I had fairly high expectations and I can honestly say that they were all met! On Open Table I requested a quiet table and the request was honored, which is always a huge plus. Our waiter was very helpful and friendly, even when I asked to exchange my cocktail since I thought the one I ordered was a bit sour. Fortunately the second cocktail made with honey and gin was amazing! For an appetizer we shared the hamachi sashimi and it was perfectly delicious. For our entree we shared the ahi tuna and it was very fresh and well-seasoned. The Korean barbecue sauce served over the tuna was on the spicy side, but not too much so, the ginger fried rice and kim chi served alongside were also very good. For our dessert we shared the chocolate maki and wow, it was amazing! This is definitely a must if you visit this restaurant! It's incredibly decadent and certainly large enough to share. Taste aside, the presentation makes it worth trying: in place of ginger they serve freshly grated melon and what looks just like wasabi is actually whipped pistachio cream. I'd definitely visit this restaurant again! read more

I was recommended this restaurant by a friend a year ago and I loved it when I first went. It is dimly lit and has a very romantic ambiance. The seared tuna, made medium-rare, was warm and crunchy on the outside due to the sesame encrusted skin but still retained a nice, raw non-fishy tuna taste on the inside. The drinks are also fairly priced. Especially a year ago, if I remember correctly, it was around ~$65 for Moet Champagne which was very cheap so we ended up getting two which I guess helped the night go by easier. The lounge got busier and more vibrant as our Friday night went on at Soba Lounge. If I reviewed it last year, I would've given this restaurant five stars. Impressed with my experience the first time, I went back again last Wednesday night. I still made a reservation on opentable but it was completely unnecessary since the restaurant was pretty empty. If that's the case I recommend you asking to be seated by the waterfall on the first floor. A bottle of Moet went up to $87 so I decided not to get it this time and moved straight to the food. I began the meal this time with calamari, followed by the tuna again with the bronzini (sea bass) for myself and ended the meal with a light honeycrisp apple pudding cake dessert. I'm not quite sure what the sauce was for the calamari but it didn't go quite well with the oversized fried squid. They were not bite-sized and I've never had to cut calamari before. Even though the restaurant wasn't very busy, I was surprised the chef was still able to undercook the ginger rice accommodating the Tuna dish to an inedible level. The waiter apologized and don't get me wrong, there was great service, but I still ended up paying full fare for half a meal. For that I had to drop the restaurant down one star. There's a parking lot available right next to the restaurant but spaces are limited. Street parking around the neighborhood shouldn't be too hard to find too. read more

Truly our favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. The food is ALWAYS really good, service friendly and upbeat, nice ambiance and great cocktails: overall it just can't be beat! read more

I love coming to Soba -- everything I have ever had here has been wonderful, from happy hour cocktails and appetizers to full course meals. I can never pass up the crispy tofu (which is also great at Mad Mex) -- it's the perfect balance of sweet and tart. For dinner, I realize the menu changes all the time, but if you ever come across it, I highly recommend the butternut squash soup as a starter. It's delicious! It's filling on its own (almost), but naturally I followed it with one of the noodle bowls with chicken, which was just spicy enough with flavorful chicken and vegetables. The curry dishes are excellent, too. Soba service has always been friendly and attentive, and I love the dimly lit atmosphere and decor, particularly the waterfall wall. Meals are on the pricer side, but it's a nice night out, so it makes up for it (appetizers are around $12, meals are around $18-38 each). They have excellent cocktails for happy hour, too, even if they are a bit on the pricey side ($10-13). Soba has great ambience for happy hour, too -- comfy seats and plenty of room for chatting. Whether you come here for a drink or a meal, it's always a pleasant experience. read more

I have dinned Soba on multiple occasions and it never disappoints. I really like the decor (very fitting for menu served) and the wait staff is very knowledgeable about the menu. Since my standard practice is to ask what their favorite dishes and the most popular dishes are, a waitress/waiter that can give a detailed response is a big plus. The wine menu is very thorough and my wife and i can always find a bottle that is both of high quality and reasonably priced. For apps, we usually split the grilled baby octopus, if you have never had it, i highly suggest it. I was a little surprised on my most recent visit that they have removed the Sea Scallop entree from the menu, my wife and i had both planned on getting this meal that evening. I hope it returns soon, however, and a big however, the scallops were replaced with the miso black cod, which was absolutely fantastic. one of those meals where eat bite is better than the next, the bbq ribs and noodles remain from the scallop dish but i believe there was a llittle more spice in this dish. I also believe this is the famous miso black cod from next door at Umi, i could be wrong. get this entree, it is amazing. In summary, Soba is great for a nice meal out, food is top notch, some of the best you will find in Pittsburgh, and of course i will return soon, yet again. read more

Food is very good, not outstanding and they are pretentious. They seem to be very New York like in terms of seating trendy looking people in the front and parking the Bentley's ou front with lots of orange cones. One of the six of us got the wrong dish, but she ate it. Turns out to have been the best dish. read more

This review is more general as opposed to a single visit, and applies to Soba post renovation. Going here, the more expensive price is expected, and honestly worth it. I don't mind paying more money when the food is delicious, the service great on all levels, and the ambiance enjoyable. Soba achieves all three with flying colors. The first time I came with a large group and sat in the main dining area, and we were accommodated very well with fast flawless service. We ordered a variety of dishes and I can't say I disliked any. I normally hate tofu, but I even enjoyed the fried tofu dish. I've come back twice since then, to eat in the bar area. Whether the place was crowded or less busy, there was no variation in the high quality of food and the speed and friendliness of service, a rare accomplishment. My advice for people coming here is to order a bunch of appetizers to share. The variety of flavors and foods is remarkable and it gives you a chance to experience the diversity this kitchen is capable of without investing a lot in one dish. That isn't to say that the entrees aren't also amazing, but this will help you have an idea of what you like best here and pick entrees that suit your tastes. But don't forget to make space for dessert. Their drink menu is also quite extensive, especially their offerings of a variety of sake to suit any dish or preference ranging from a standard carafe of warm sake to some limited edition bottles. If you're in the mood for Asian food and want some great fusion cuisine, this is the place to go. It's also a great place for a date or happy hour with colleagues/clients. Happy eating! read more