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    SOBAR

    4.1 (200 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    SOBAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
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    Recommended Reviews - SOBAR

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    Ribeye soba - NEW and popular
    Sandra C.

    This place is a diamond and James is AMAZING. Everything he recommended was incredible. My husband and I went here on date night on a Tuesday. It definitely could've been busier but honestly, it really didn't matter because the food and service were fantastic. The bar area where you eat has elegant wooden chairs, and there are only a few tables where you can actually sit down at a traditional western style table and eat. You absolutely have to get the premium sake sampler. The pours are generous and the sake is very good.

    Karaage- perfect juicy
    Kevin L.

    Excellent service and sake execution from James. Nice clean chewy texture of soba. We had warm broth and Zara, both amazingly high quality and perfect. Same flights absolutely delicious, with James explanation, we knew which would be our favorites , but all were refreshing. Otafuku has always been my go to, but SOBAR is a very nice new addition for me. One of the best soba ya in LA.

    TG - Special Appetizer Plate
    Rachel C.

    Really delicious soba noodles! Staff were kind and helpful. Found free street parking right out front for dinner time. Will need to put money in the meter for other times. Can't go wrong with the mushroom scallop soba noodles! Clean and bright interior. Make a reservation before you go

    TG-Scallop Shiso Maze Soba
    Arnold T.

    Stopped by for cold soba on a hot day and this just hit the spot. We were on a semi-rush and staff was understanding and we got our food, ate, and out the door in less than 45 minutes. We got the special lunch combo for $17. We ordered the Ribeye Niku Soba with Karaage and my friend got the Scallop Shiso Maze Soba with Tendon tempura bowl. Refreshing and perfect for the weather. The ribeye soba was meaty and flavorful. The tempura bowl and Karaage were were perfect compliments to the soba, filling and provides a nice contrast to taste and consistency. Service was friendly and attentive. Interior was clean and welcoming. Only street parking is available, though, so be prepared!

    Katharine L.

    Came for a friend's birthday and we made a reservation for 4. There was only one other party in the restaurant for dinner but it was on a rainy night. So shared the duck appetizer, some tea, and ordered different noodles. The food was all very yummy but they are on the pricier side a bit. I could not finish my food as it was a good amount! Tea was also very interesting and flavorful. The vibes are kinda like a date spot. The seating is a couple tables and a bar like seating. Next time I'd like to order my tempura crunchies on the side of my soba so they don't end up getting soggy. Otherwise I really enjoyed it.

    Zaru soba with shiso sauce
    Luke Q.

    The atmosphere is clean and minimal, centered around a U-shaped bar that adds a welcoming touch. Near the entrance, a display of sake bottles sets the tone, offering a glimpse into the restaurant's curated taste. It feels like a great spot for a solo meal, especially if you're looking for something calm and thoughtfully prepared. We visited for a weekday lunch. With only one chef on duty, the service was understandably a bit slow, but still attentive. We ordered the special appetizer plate, along with two types of zaru soba -- one with shiso sauce and the other with tororo. While the appetizer plate felt slightly overpriced given the portion size, I appreciated the care put into each item. That said, the grilled rice ball and salmon could've been warmer -- possibly a result of limited staffing. The soba itself was excellent, with a pleasantly firm and tangy texture. The shiso sauce, however, leaned a bit too salty and thick for my taste, whereas the tororo sauce was well-balanced in both flavor and texture. After finishing the noodles, we asked for sobayu (hot water mixed with buckwheat flour), and once again, the shiso dipping sauce remained too salty to enjoy even when diluted -- but the tororo sauce paired beautifully with it, enhanced by the delicate sweetness of fresh wasabi.

    Zaru Soba with a side of chicken karaage
    Edward S.

    At Sobar, you're here for a calming experience at the U-shaped wooden live edge bar. As you listen to relaxing jazzy grooves, the team creates handcrafted soba noodles. Zaru Soba: The chilled soba is on a round bamboo sieve. The thin noodles have a subtle almost nutty flavor. They are firm and a little slick. The tsuyu is soy sauce plus dashi with a plate of scallions and a bump of wasabi. You pick up some of the soba and dip it in the tsuyu. The flavors are very precise, distinct, and understated. The friendly staff is happy to share their culture. They shared some new age sea salts for a non-traditional flavor boost. The salt flakes add jolts of yuzu and matcha. When the soba is finished, they'll bring a teapot. Pour the starchy white soba cooking water into the tsuyu so it becomes drinkable. The warm and savory soup is a comforting treat to end the meal. Chicken Karaage: The chicken is outstanding - plump and super juicy - as if they would burst. The big golden dark meat pieces are battered and fried to perfection. I could easily eat a bucket of these. Parking is bountiful in the adjoining residential streets. It's a joy to walk through this very calm neighborhood filled with blooming flowers.

    Kakiage soba (warm soba with fried shrimp, scallops and veg)
    Abba Z.

    Delicious soba. Chill environment. Prompt and helpful but not overbearing service. I had the Kakiage Soba and the Special Sake Sampler. Both exceeded my expectations and I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

    Scallop Shisho Maze Soba
    Jonathan C.

    Came here for their anniversary celebration and was seated promptly at open. Overall consensus on this place is it's nice, clean, and simple. Although you do pay some West side mark ups for Asian food, the soba was still enjoyable. Their most popular dish, the Ribeye Niku Soba, skimped pretty hard on the ribeye but the scallop which was also the same price had just as much if not more protein than the ribeye. Would recommend this place only if you don't want want to go far from the west side for soba.

    Andy M.

    A small but very beautiful and clean restaurant specializing in soba. Their tempura is crispy and light, the agadashi tofu is perfectly fried and the broth delicious. The eggplant was an expected flavor bomb. So so good! I love a classic cold dipping soba. It's so comforting and SOBAR definitely hits all the notes. They have some interesting dipping sauces in addition to the classic. Some of the swings are a miss, but others work ok. Overall, an excellent soba place that I wish I had locally!

    SOBAR Premium Matcha-Hi
    Brian V.

    Relatively new spot (I think they have been open about a year or less as of early 2025) that specializes in soba noodles. With a pretty streamlined menu and a minimalist wooden decor inside a pretty small spot, this place feels like a cozy, sleek spot to grab some delicious Japanese food. Before coming here, my mind was already made up. I had to order the Kamo Negi Soba. I really wanted to savor the noodles and asked for the yuzu and matcha salt. I took small bites of the chewy, delicious noodles using the different salts and really trying to showcase the flavor before dipping the noodles in the broth. Such a simple, wonderful dish of beautifully crafted noodles. Minimalist like the surroundings at the bar. In addition to having the delicious noodles, we wanted to try a couple of the sides as well. We went with the nori-shio potatoes and agedashi nasu (eggplant). Both sides were very good and had wonderful texture. I'm a big fan of eggplant and that dish really hit the mark for me.

    Stewart L.

    I heard about this place through the LA Times. It's on the corner of Washington and Centinela. I found street parking 2 blocks away; the closest street has residential permit parking only, and there is metered parking on Washington. There was no signage on the restaurant before opening until they pull down a cloth screen that has the Sobar name. Next door is a vegan Japanese restaurant. I came for lunch. They take reservations by phone, but I was not asked if I had one. There was a single person in front doing everything. She was quite strict about where to sit. There is the main U-shaped bar in the middle, with another counter facing the wall and maybe 2 tables in front. Sobar specializes in ju-wari soba, made only from buckwheat flour and water. For weekday lunch, they offer their $35 Signature Sobar Lunch with Zaru soba (several soba and dipping sauce options) and 4 small dishes, in my case cabbage, salmon sashimi, grilled duck, shrimp tempura handroll. They also had a $17 Special Lunch combo (choice of soba and side + cabbage), or several a la carte soba options. I went with the Signature lunch. It sounded like a lot of food but it was not. The handroll was pretty traditional, but the salmon and duck were rather unique and delish. The cold soba was fine, I chose the traditional tsuyu dipping sauce with scallion and wasabe. I asked for yuzu salt (per the LA Times). I'm a soba novice, so I dipped the soba first in the salt and sauce bowl, then eventually just dumped the soba in the bowl and sipped up the leftover sauce like tea at the end. Perhaps Neanderthalic, but no one noticed or chastised me. The server, perhaps used to working alone, was an efficient whirling dervish, my meal was complete in less than an hour. I could have eaten more.

    Interior
    Priscilla K.

    Food 3/5 Service 3.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Sobar is very average compared to its price range. We spent close to $170 for dinner and nothing wow-ed us. I don't mind paying for quality food that makes it worth its value. With soba, you can easily make it at home and to pay an exorbitant price for soba seems a tad unreasonable. The appetizers were also very average; they look nice, but the taste is nothing spectacular. They ran out of the matcha tiramisu dessert which was one main reasons I wanted to try this place in the first place. All in all, I'd say Sobar is overpriced for what they offer.

    Tuna and salmon hand roll

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    2 months ago

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    Thank you for coming ! we look forward to welcoming back you soon

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    1 month ago

    I love this place. So fresh, kind servers, and absolutely delicious soba. Closest I've had to Japan.

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    Masato M.

    thank you for the review ! we look forward to seeing you soon !

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    3 months ago

    Never had cold noodles but you also have the option to choose warm broth. Regardless, it was Delicious! Definitely will stop by again.

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    Page 1 of 5

    SOBAR Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - SOBAR

    Does Sobar have alcohol beverages on the menu?

    Yes, primarily Sake, though there is also wine beer and some cocktail options.

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    Hangari Kalguksu

    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4
    (3.3k reviews)
    8.8 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    10 years in business

    Hangari is absolutely worth the wait. The restaurant is very lively and crowded with people who…read moreknow this spot is good. What seemed like a deceptively simple bowl was one of the most delicious and flavorful meals I've had - I'll be thinking about my bowl for a long time. I got the plain kalgaksu, mainly because it included pork potstickers. The anchovy broth isn't fishy (which I was concerned about), it's deep and full in a way that's hard to describe. It penetrates the noodles and potatoes well. The broth is similar if not the same between most bowl types. The cold noodles were also delicious, which a couple of my friends ordered. Quite large portions, as just about everyone had to take some home. They also have bibimbap if you're craving a rice based meal instead. I can't wait to come back - maybe not on a Saturday night next time so I don't have to look so long for parking!

    Good but not amazing. I was expecting to be mind blown by the amount of people who rave about this…read moreplace but I think it is pretty on par with many other Korean places in ktown. I especially wanted to try their bossam but didn't think it was out of the ordinary. With that said, food was still very good. Parking was difficult to find (obviously it's ktown) but they do offer valet. Food comes out very quick. I would recommend coming with a group because portions are large so you can try many things.

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    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU
    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU
    Bossam jowl combo
    Bossam jowl combo
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    Afuri

    Afuri

    4.4
    (946 reviews)
    11.6 mi
    $$

    I love yuzu shoyu ramen. It's hard to find a place that serves yuzu flavored ramen, so I was…read moreexcited to see that Afuri is known for it. I had it in Japan before and it was delicious! They offer Yuzu Shio (salt broth) and Yuzu Shoyu (soy sauce broth) Ramen. I went with Yuzu Shio ($19.50). The yuzu gives it a refreshing/bright taste that really cuts through the fatty broth and pork. Yuzu Limeade ($7) and although I liked the drink because it had a strong yuzu and lime taste, I wouldn't recommend getting it with a yuzu flavored ramen because it takes away the yuzu flavor in the ramen. Service was friendly and attentive. The space is open and bright. We paid for parking just to the side of the restaurant so that we didn't have to deal with street parking.

    Good ambiance, definitely. Good service, yes. Good food, yes. Good value.. no, not really…read more Came for their 6th anniversary where it was 50% all ramen. Got their signature Yuzu Shio which was about $10 (normally $19.50!!), as well as their Afuri Roll which the server recommended ($23). The ramen rather had a small portion, but was balanced and pretty good - and the broth was definitely on the lighter tasting side, good for people who wants a cleaner taste. I ended up using chili oil on the side to spice things up. The Afuri Roll wasn't anything special, and a bit on the dry side but it had a nice variety of different fish inside. Overall, considering all the other competitive ramen joints in the area that have a more competitive price/portion/variety, I'm not sure if I'd give this place another go given the price. Great vibes though!

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    Interior
    Order at Toast tab https://order.toasttab.com/online/afuri-los-angeles-688-mateo-street
    Order at Toast tab https://order.toasttab.com/online/afuri-los-angeles-688-mateo-street
    Uni Toast (special)

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    Uni Toast (special)
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

    4.4
    (1.8k reviews)
    11.4 mi
    $$

    This was one of those places I knew nothing about, discovered randomly when looking for places to…read moreeat nearby, took one look at, and said to myself that I definitely needed to try it. Dropped by on a Saturday evening with my brother, no reservation. I was worried we'd be stuck waiting for an hour or more for a table but we were seated in less than ten minutes, despite the fact that it was a full house. The menu has an interesting assortment of traditional Italian pastas, Japanese classics, and Japanese-Italian fusion dishes. It's not a huge menu, but is just the right size to have a number of dishes I wish I could've tried all at once. I went with the bacon and mushrooms Japanese style sauce, which was a dashi and soy sauce base with bacon and mushrooms and a garnish of grated radish and nori. This was incredibly delicious, unique, and a true blend of Japanese and Italian flavors. The bacon was phenomenal and there was a generous amount on the plate. My brother got the arrabbiata. He asked them to not make it very spicy, but it still had a good kick (I definitely wouldn't have asked for it to be milder, but to each their own). The flavors were rich. And in both dishes, the pasta was cooked perfectly. Dinner comes with a complimentary salad and rolls. Our food came out fast, and our server was friendly. The owners were really nice, welcoming people. I loved the vibe of this place, with its dim lighting and quiet, laidback atmosphere. PASTA e PASTA is a gem and absolutely on my must-return-to list on my next trip to Little Tokyo.

    This is my second time dining here and each experience gets worse. The pastas are decent I do wish…read morethey had different options of noodles and for the price it isn't bad but what led to the two star rating is the service!!! It was not busy at all we got at right away and there was empty tables but our server could not remember a single request we asked for . We asked for Parmesan, the check along with Togo boxes on separate occasions (which I think are quite normal requests to ask for ) he forgot all of them and we had to ask his co-worker. At the end of the meal he apologized for forgetting the items and asked if we wanted a Togo bag for our meals which as you guessed he forgot again. I'm sorry but the restaurant was at like 20% capacity. Also they messed up on part of our order. All and all we will not be returning again Also the gratin we ordered was very hard to eat.

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    Inside
    Inside
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

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    SOBAR - japanese - Updated July 2026

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