Kaz The Soba Place

Food here was delicious and hot. Came for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of food. The staff was very nice and offered suggestions for the meals. Everything looked good on the menu, but I decided on a noodle dish and then had some of the shared tempura dish that everyone at the table tried. Thankfully, I decided on a half bowl option as there was so much food. The tempura pieces were amazing. Perfect texture and taste, the pieces were large in size and offered extraordinarily flavor. While the restaurant is small, there is indoor and outdoor seating so even if you do need to wait, the line would move fast. There are a number of delicious options, so I'll definitely go back to try another dish.

This is one of my buddy’s favorite places. The Osaka dipping style soba was quite an experience and just a genius way of enjoying the meal. The small candle keeps your broth warm so you can enjoy a leisurely meal and every bite is warm and fresh tasting. The noodle texture was perfect and the broth had an amazing concentration of flavor. I will definitely return

Amazing Tempura, the owner is very nice and I enjoyed having authentic Soba Noodles for the first time. For more food and travel ideas follow me on insta@northern_maverick

First of all, the best soba noodles in LA, 100% organic buckwheat freshly made - that's the best you can get. And the vegan Tokio hot broth is a really strengthening and soothing meal. The fine-cut nori seaweed is so yummy! Loved it so much! Special thanks to Seiko, she was a great staff, who talked to us so friendly. Thank you and see you next time!

Soba noods! Great place that is a bit small, but very friendly service and straightforward menu. The price is great and you get a good amount of food for it. They have soba in broth or separate for dipping. Very flavorful and simple which it should be! Worth checking out in Sawtelle!

Didn't order soba this time bc I was in the mood for a tempura bowl. Great tempura (2 shrimps and an assortment of veggies). Wish it came w the dipping sauce though so I just used my husband's soba broth. It was a lot of tempura for me personally so I shared it with him. they have a good selection of food. Only have been here twice but should def come more often !

First time here, it's ok. I had the Osaka main soba entree with the dipping broth. I found the broth to be overly salty. The shredded beef was soft and tender. My friend had the hot Tokyo soba soup which was not spicy at all. A little pricey at $17.50 each but it's in the newest building on sawtelle with high rent so prices are typical. Friendly staff and no line while most places were packed on a Tuesday night.

Had a great little dinner here. Everything felt like it was made with care and service matched that energy. Little place but it was full on a Monday and even though there was only one server she handled it very well. Food was amazing and felt like the kitchen cared about putting good food out to us and it showed. Not too bold of flavors but everything was still hearty and clean. We had the tempura, chicken karaage, pork bowl, and soba dipping noodles (the Tokyo?)

I am a Japanese chef in Oregon, and visiting LA. Im a native . Anyways, as a chef I always look for the best of the best. And let me tell you this is the best soba in Los Angeles and Beyond. Growing up in a Japanese household I ate a lot of soba. But it was all the imported stuff and dry soba. Kaz makes their soba from scratch with Organic buckwheat! This is a first for me in the USA. I used to be an absolute fanatic for ramen and I still am, but I developed a glutensensiKAZ ity that renders me useless..... so went out to Sawtelle, and I came across this soba shop. The owner greeted me with such warmth and welcome. I instantly felt like I was home. As I read through the menu I saw a very nice spread of interesting, authentic food for my childhood. They even had one of my favorite ways of eating soba, with Yuzu Kosho. Also known as a Yuzu lime pepper paste. This creates a Citrus Aroma that accompanies the earthiness of the book we and the broth that complements everything. I was surprised to see that it was on the menu! Naturally I ordered it., and not only did I devour it i ordered another bowl of soba. And finished that too! It's safe to say is the best solo experience in my life. Anytime I'm craving a soupy noodly dish, im going to KAZ the Soba Place!

This is my favorite place with handmade soba noodles! Although it's a little far, I love their classic Tokyo soba. They also offer fancy soba that always look tempting, but I simply enjoy the simple soba. Sometimes I order extra sides (e.g., shrimp tempura) to enjoy with the soba. We were seated quickly and the food was prepped fairly quickly as well. The food is prepped when ordered so the noodles are perfect when the bowl is brought to the table. They are exploring new items and are advertising a soba wrap. It's very good for Togo and love the buckwheat wrap. If you're interested in handmade soba noodles, come check this place out! There are only a couple places in LA with this specialty. Overall, it's nice intimate restaurant. It's not loud and great for small group or couples. They also have outdoor seating if you're interested. Parking is available on the street.

TL:DR - Good soba noodles, weird soba sauce flavor. Located on Sawtelle amongst the other noodle shops is Kaz the Soba Place. It rounds out the trifecta of popular noodles; there's ramen, udon, and then there's soba. If you don't know anything about soba, it's a little bit firmer of a noodle and made with buckwheat. (If it's made of 100% buckwheat, then it's gluten free. Just check with them to make sure.) I had to try this place seeing as it had been around for a while competing with some of the more popular noodle shops in the area. I got "The Osaka" a hot soba dish that comes with a little bit of sukiyaki beef and was something a little less traditional than other soba dishes. I kind of expected a sweet savory dipping sauce, that was warmed up, however, I got this spicy sweet sauce that reminded me more of a mabo tofu type of flavor than anything. Usually soba is a refreshing light food, but this made me feel like I was in a steamy sauna. The spice level wasn't hot, it just gave that impression. Honestly it was kind of weird, and I don't think it paired with the soba very well. I think the next time I'll go with the more traditional soba route because at least then I'll be able to taste the flavor of the noodles. I think my biggest gripe though is the price. At $19.25, The Osaka is basically a serving of noodles and sauce, and not much more. It's kind of underwhelming, I'd at least hope for something more to justify the price. Overall, if you wanna try a different noodle type, then I'd suggest going to Kaz. If you like soba, then I'd suggest going with the more traditional soba, rather than The Osaka.

4.75 Rating - This is re. their Gluten Free Soba dishes: Walked in and asked if they really had gluten free soba noodle and gluten free broth. Immediately sat down when the waiter said yes. This is the 1st time in years I had soba; after I was diagnosed with gluten allergy/intolerance. Was advised that 3 dishes in the menu are able to be modified as gluten free: Yuzu pepper Soba, Tokyo Soba, and I forgot the 3rd one. I ordered the Yuzu and Tokyo Soba. Yuzu pepper Soba: Let me tell you that the soup was much better that I thought it'd be. Its sourness mixed with the savory taste in sizzling hot served me well that moment - when i felt little cold since it was little chilly out. The noodle didn't taste gluten free or whatever GF soba tastes like. You wouldn't know that it's GF. It's not mushy, not al dente - just perfect. This soba came in a big bowl and they gave you a decent portion of the noodle. Came with grilled chicken. You could taste the smokiness of the chicken, blend well with the savory of the soup. Tokyo Soba: GF noodle - same as above, hold its own - not mushy and ready to be eaten and dipped into the gluten free broth. Plain but not so plain in your mouth and tummy. Perfect for a quick bite. I'm always in a hunt for a great gluten free places that serve great food, great customer service and kind people who understand dietary restrictions/allergies. Can't wait to go back and try other ones that can be modified as gluten free. :) * Tempura dish shown in pic - not mine :)

My friend recommended this soba shop so I had to stop by. I came during an off hour so service was quick and my order came out within minutes. I got the Tokyo hot soba that came with several pieces of fried tempura (shrimp and vege). Since I came on a cold day, this was perfect for the belly to warm up your entire body. The soba tasted fresh and the broth was light yet just enough flavor to satisfy the pallet. The tempura was not heavy as you would expect from some places, but rather, air-ry with a light crunch. You can also taste the freshness of the ingredients. The price is a bit steep but I guess that's expected on the west side nowadays. Parking can be a challenge sometimes but I usually find street parking in the adjacent streets.

Loved everything we got, the soba was the perfect texture and dipping sauce for cold tokyo was very flavorful and tempura was perfectly fried! lime soba was really interesting, at first it was flavorful and refreshing with just the right amount of sourness but after a while it became a little too much. definitely worth a try tho and probably better to share with others! the tan tan tofu was really good mainly because the delicious meat sauce on it they have a cute interior and the server was very nice, he noticed I was picking off the green onions and I told him I didn't like it, and he personally had the chef take off the green onions on my entree without me asking which was very considerate I always come to sawtelle and am very happy I got to finally try this spot, will definitely come again!

Decent place for a light and refreshing lunch. Service is timely and accommodating. Noodles are a bit on the thicker side.

I've seen Kaz whenever I'm in Sawtelle, and I ended up coming here for lunch. Got the 100% buckwheat soba (cold) with the Osaka bowl (with sukiyaki beef and soboro). Portions were generous, which for $22 was decent enough. I enjoyed the 100% soba, which was nice and chewy, very refreshing on a warm day. But the Osaka bowl was INCREDIBLE: wonderfully fatty from the sukiyaki beef and flavorful from the soboro, which also had a spicy KICK, whew! Overall, a solid meal. Kaz is a great alternative to the million noodle spots on Sawtelle and definitely underrated. Worth a go!

A friend selected this location for our rather rainy Sunday brunch. Located on the infamous and bustling sawtelle Ave, I was excited to get some hot noodle soup to satiate my hunger. We were immediately seated before the rain picked up and were handed our menus as well as waters right away. Normally, I enjoy cold soba with a dipping broth but because of the weather, I decided to try their hot Tokyo soba with a side of soft poached egg and tempura on the side. The tempura was absolutely a great choice; I was concerned that it would have been greasy from prior reviews but I did not encounter that same issue... the veggies were light and crispy and the shrimp was very flavorful. I was a fan of the way the hot soba tasted, however, I wished that they didn't cut the noodles short as I do enjoy slurping longer strands. I would definitely try to come back for their cold soba offerings at a future visit, I might just stick with ramen or tsukemen across the street for hot soup.

Pretty disappointed. We did not finish our meal. Great concept. Not great execution. We need a great hand made soba place in West LA. Tempra was greasy. Noodle needed to be cooked a bit longer. Dipping broth was lukewarm. Broth should be hot or cold. I am sad as a Japanese person. I hope they reevaluate their details.

Really nice soba restaurant in Sawtelle. I'm not normally one to order soba when eating Japanese but it's what they specialize here and it's definitely worth eating. The soba here is thicker and has more flavor than the dry ones you'd get at the grocery store. They offer a variety of styles and we got the Osaka with dipping sauce and the hot Tokyo. The Osaka was loaded with flavor in the dipping sauce and had a nice kick. Plus they give you a little candle to keep the sauce hot which is a nice touch. The hot Tokyo was great on a cooler day with the clean broth. We also got the tempura and it was pretty good but tasted like it was fried in old oil, so took away from it a little. Definitely a good option if you want something a little healthier and lighter.

Had the Vegetarian Curry Soba and it was delicious. Highly recommend. The staff were friendly and helpful and the restaurant was really clean. I would definitely go back.

Kaz is a cool restaurant with fun, delicious asian fusion offerings. I really enjoyed my entree with amazing noodles and dipping soup. The large tempura portion was excellent. The location can't be beat on Sawtelle with the plethora of happening asian restaurants. Recommended and prices are reasonable.

A very large group of us descended on Kaz a few months ago and they were beyond gracious on helping us combine tables as yet more and more people showed up to join our group. It may have been 20 in all! I assume that's most place's nightmare with that size group but they were really nice and accommodating and we were very appreciative (since it's not a huge restaurant) Kaz has a unique menu that consists of a mix of both cold and hot soba noodle dishes - good for both summer and winter. We heard the tan tan edamame was good so we ordered one or two orders - downside was we didn't realize the sauce contained peanuts so my husband wasn't allowed to eat it. We shared several other appetizers and everyone at the table ordered a wide variety of main dishes. I ordered the spicy miso-soba with an additional soft boiled egg (doesn't come with one, but I love having one with these dishes). The broth and noodles were good - not particularly spicy, but the flavor was still good. Egg was delicious and cooked perfectly. Definitely a cute spot to stop in for a quick meal or, apparently, a big ol' feast with friends.

We ordered the Osaka bowl, The Tokyo and Half Tokyo with Osaka bowl with 100% buckwheat soba and tempura fish. I'd recommend all dishes except the fish tempura. It's 4 tiny slices of salmon for $8.50 is rather pricey. The Osaka and Tokyo soba are cooked perfectly with nice texture. The sweet and spicy sauce for the Osaka bowl is delicious. It's actually not sweet and it goes nicely with the sweet sukiyaki beef. I don't like the 100% buckwheat soba as much as the regular (80% buckwheat) soba. The regular has more texture that I prefer than the 100% buckwheat soba

Really wanted to like this place. I've tried soba a plenty of times(being asian) and was intrigued by the lime soba and Osaka soba they had on the menu. It was underwhelming to say the least. The Osaka hot soba was lukewarm and flavorless while the lime soba was not only WAY TOO sour and had a bitter after taste. I usually really like food that has lime/lemon in it (like i drench my food in lime) but this was not it. You barely get the flavor of the broth and only get bitter lime. I get the noodles are buckwheat but it was a bit too thick and stiff. We also ordered green onions on the side hoping it would help with the flavor for $1.50(for a spoonful..) and it didn't help. Both my husband and I didn't finish our meals. Service was okay but we were the only customers there. The tempura was good though. However, it is on the expensive side. I recommend Nong La if you're craving noodles which is two stores down!

Yelp delivered yet again when we were in search of a place to lunch on Sawtelle Boulevard! Kaz is quite possibly the best soba I've ever had in SoCal next to Tanakaya in Tustin. Our server was friendly and attentive which is what you hope for. The restaurant is on the smaller side and they offer seating both indoors and out. They also have a single restroom inside for customers. According to their website, their "buckwheat is made from organic buckwheat flour produced by contract farmers in Linneus, Maine...Kaz's soba is characterized by their aroma and their smoothness." Their soba is noticeably bigger and thicker but not at the expense of taste or freshness. We enjoyed the traditional soba set which they have dubbed the Tokyo as well as the Osaka, one of their signature soba bowls served with sweet and tender sukiyaki beef and hot soup. Both orders were nutritious and delicious! We also shared a small chashu bowl because who can turn down pork belly? We don't make the trek out to LA much anymore but when we're up on the Westside, it's an absolute must to grab a meal on Sawtelle Boulevard. With a number of Asian restaurants competing up and down the street, my hope for Kaz is that they become a permanent fixture so we can visit again in the future!

Soba craving satisfied! I've been here a few times, both for dine in and take out and the food has always been delicious! The staff are very friendly and if you plan on bringing you dog there's outdoor seating! Their tempura is delicious and doesn't taste heavy. It's a light crispy texture!

The spicy miso soba was so good! Loved the pork in it as well and didn't think it was too spicy. The tan tan tofu though was spicy or spicier than the soup. The service was good and enjoyed it all. No long wait either.

Soba noods! Great place that is a bit small, but very friendly service and straightforward menu. The price is great and you get a good amount of food for it. They have soba in broth or separate for dipping. Very flavorful and simple which it should be! Worth checking out in Sawtelle!

Located in the heart of Sawtelle, Kaz The Soba Place is an excellent dining option often overlooked. With Tsujita, Killer Noodle, Daikokuya, and many other top notch restaurants in such close proximity, the competition in this neighborhood definitely isn't lacking. I'll admit, it took me way longer than it should have to check this place out. The menu has a lot of great options, and the food is delicious and flavorful. For my main dish, I ordered the Yuzu Pepper Soba, priced at $16.75. Topped with grilled chicken, I would not hesitate to order this again. The organic soba did not disappoint, and the broth was exactly what I was looking for. I believe my friend ordered the "Tokyo" item under the authentic Japanese soba section ($13.75), which is another solid option if you want something more traditional. Either way, you can't go wrong. Go ahead and check this place out!

Kaz has been on our list of places to try for a while and we finally got around to trying it! Loved the concept of a soba restaurant and they have a variety of types beyond the classic soba which was cool. We came on a Monday around 12pm. Half of the tables were seated when we got there but by the time we were leaving, all the indoor tables were full! They have both indoor and outdoor seating. There was only 1 server but he was super attentive and was quick to help customers even when it was busy! We got the Osaka and the Tokyo with Kakiage Tempera topping. Their noodles are homemade so the texture was different from other sobas I've tried. I wish it was a liiittle chewier. For both dishes, the broth was pretty light, I wish the broth had more flavor or was a little saltier. The sukiyaki beef in the Osaka was super good especially when dipped in the sauce, so yum!! Since the Osaka is a hot dipping soba, the soup had a little candle under to keep it warm. For the Tokyo, we got it with the extra Kakiage Tempera topping. It comes with 2 pieces and was yummy! Although the portion doesn't look huge, I was stuffed by the end of my meal! Overall, it was good and the noodles are handmade which is great but the dipping sauces could be a little saltier/more flavorful. Out of what we tried, I would recommend the Osaka!!

Been wanting to try this place for awhile and was not disappointed. Got there early around 6:30pm so getting seated was a breeze. The atmosphere inside is simple and clean with a video about the making of soba noodle playing which was fun to see if you are unaware of the process. I ordered Combo 7: Tempura rice bowl + Tokyo Soba with the 100% buckwheat noodles (cold) and my partner ordered the Osaka soba noodles (hot). The Tokyo soba: fresh, subtle, and the dipping sauce add just the right amount of flavor to the noodles. Don't skimp on the dipping it really matters. The tempura rice bowl: again fresh and subtle. Perhaps could have been a bit more flavorful but I added the sides of tofu and seaweed and it made it quite tasty. The Osaka soba: I really liked this one it has a nice little kick it at the end and like everything please feels very fresh. The service over all was good, not overly attentive but I got everything I needed. They gave me plenty of bowls to pack up my leftovers which I only had due to their generous helpings of the soba (gladly took home for lunch tomorrow). 100% would go again and would recommend to anyone who likes soba or is looking for something outside of the ubiquitous ramen joints in Los Angeles.

Wandered into Kaz the Soba Place on a weekend for lunch with my fiancée and mom. It was getting a little crowded, but we managed to snag a table inside. Food: - Chicken Karaage - very underwhelming and should not even be considered karaage. Karaage is usually cut into bite-sized pieces that are battered and fried to be crispy/crunchy and light. This was just a whole breaded chicken that was fried, cut into pieces like a katsu, and was not crispy at all. Not sure why it was mentioned so much in other reviews. Definitely would not recommend. - Osaka Soba - The soba is served with sukiyaki beef and then a side of the sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Honestly, it was pretty okay for a soba dish. The broth got cold quickly and there were a decent portion of noodles, but I wouldn't go back just for the dish. Originally, I wanted just a traditional cold soba with tempura on the side, but found it was way more expensive to make your own soba al a carte with the tempura options than order one of the "fusion" soba dishes. I think if you are into the "fusion" soba dishes than this is the place for you, but either way I think it is overpriced for the soba dishes. In the general area, I would recommend Ichimi Ann Bamboo Garden as a hole-in-the-wall authentic soba place or even just the prepared soba from Nijiya or Tokyo Central. I was wishing this place would be similar to Cocoron in NYC (popular dipping soba restaurant), but obviously expectations fell way short. Overall, I think there are better places in Sawtelle especially for noodles, so I would try those over this place most days of the week.

Ambiance: simple decoration, limited outdoor seating and indoor dining too Service: very friendly and provided useful suggestion Food: simple menu items and specialized in soba noodles KAKIAGE TEMPURA - **** Shrimp, vegetables carrot, onion, cut like sticks are the main ingredients that are then deep-tried with tempura batter, very crunchy, recommend CHICKEN KARAAGE SOBA - **** Deep fried chicken breast, crunchy on the outside and juicy inside topped organic soba, served with hot dipping broth, recommend SPICY MISO SOBA - *** A twist on Chashu Soba, with a spicy miso soup, overly salty, average taste Price: moderate portions and decent prices, it costs about $25 per person

Kaz The Soba Place was a random find through Yelp. We know we wanted noodles for dinner, preferably something warm. We weren't exactly too hungry either because we had a large lunch, so Kaz sounded like the perfect light, comforting dinner. I believe we got there around 6PM on a Monday, and we were the first ones there initially, but by the time we ordered, the restaurant was half full already. We both wanted to try their Tokyo Soba with Tempura combo. It included a bit of most all the tempuras listed on the menu. I opted for the Hot Tokyo Soba (100% buckwheat) while my partner got the regular (cold dip). We also ordered a plate of Fish Tempura and Tofu Salad as appetizers. I had originally through the Fish Tempura would be made with smaller fishes, but it I think it was made with salmon. It was just an assumption, but the fish tempura was pretty good. The fish itself was just a tad dry, but the batter was good. Thin and crispy. As for the Tofu Salad - this was reasonably priced and a good starter. Salad was pretty fresh and there were plenty of bite size tofu pieces in there. It came mixed with a nice and light dressing to complete it. Neither overdressed or underdressed. Finally, the main course - the Hot Tokyo with Tempura! The broth was umami and light. It was just what I needed for a chilly night. The Soba noodles itself was just a tad softer than I would have liked, but it was still really delicious. I sampled my partner's Soba (cold), and it was slightly chewy, which was perfect. If the weather was hotter, I'd definitely go for the regular dipping Soba. Finally, the tempura! I have to say that this portion of tempura was great! I also really liked how much variety they gave. My favorite would have to be the starchy vegetables. The one thing I liked less was the shrimp tempura. It was overcooked, but all the other tempura was fried well. Crispy and light on the outside. All in all, we both really enjoyed our Soba. We don't get to enjoy this in the Bay as much because there's really not much options there that are reasonably priced. Kaz is really reasonable, food was delicious, and service was great. Solid 4.5 stars!

Staff is nice at this causal spot. Pricing and portions are as expected. Parking can be tricky. Food was not my thing as this was my only soba experience but if you like soba please go.

4.5 stars is incredibly over-inflated and super misleading. I was so excited to try this place because of all the stars, but it was just not good. The soba texture is completely wrong. It did not have the bounce texture it's supposed to because it was horribly overcooked. The flavor of the sukiyaki beef was decent. However, the dipping broth, which is supposed to be piping hot, was room temperature. When I asked that they microwave or reheat it for me, they gave me nasty attitude. They messed up a batch of onsen eggs and severely undercooked them to the point that the egg whites were viscous and clear instead of white. When they took it away, they admitted that they messed up the batch of eggs. Then they acted like it was such a favor on their part to remove it from our bill. Bro, I didn't get an egg, of course you should take it off the bill. The tempura, which is fresh-made to order, was the only good thing about this place but even that arrived 15 minutes late, well after we had gotten our soba, even though we had special placed the order 5 minutes earlier than the rest of our order to get it sooner. Turns out they had forgotten our order, even though there were only 3 other tables of patrons. It was also too expensive for what it was. The service was pretty bad. The 2 waiters were nice enough but spent most of their shift on their phones or talking to each other while the food just sat on the counter for 5+ minutes. I had to get up from the table to get the waiter's attention so we could order our food and had to get up and get my own water because they were so preoccupied with their tik tok.

A newer restaurant to Sawtelle so it's nice and clean with good ambiance. More importantly, the food is delicious and high quality. I can tell the quality of the ingredients and preparation are high. I love their lunch combos. The soba is top notch and the tempura is lightly fried with a great crisp to it. The server was super friendly. One of my go-to spots now on Sawtelle. The other older places on Sawtelle seem to be losing their luster, cleanliness and quality.

I enjoyed my time at Kaz. Our server was hospitable and the food came out in a timely manner. The texture of the soba was great and the chashu was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth. This location had a nice ambiance and I enjoyed the soba making video that was on the tv. The spicy miso was flavorful, but I felt like it would have done better in a smaller portion as the flavor felt like a little much after I had half of it. This place is on the pricer side the soba came out to be around 22 after tip and tax.

Had the Osaka today and the soba was yummy. Tempura is also very fresh. The beef & sauce were a both a bit too salty but perfectly spicy for my liking. Overall enjoyed the vibe. Would definitely have osaka noods over ramen any day~~ #guiltypleasure

While I was walking around on Sawtelle, I saw this place and immediately knew i had to try it. I got the Tokyo (organic soba in Tokyo-style Konbudashi dipping broth) and added sukiyaki beef. The soba noodles they use is thicker than the kind that I'm used to, which made it a lot chewier, loved it. They were also very generous with the side of sukiyaki beef! I shared an order of Tan Tan Tofu with my friend as an appetizer, and it was actually so bomb. The sauce used is very much like the Dan Dan sauce you find at Chinese places, and it went so well with the tofu. Really enjoyed my meal here.

I LOVE this spot!!! Here's the rundown-my partner and I wanted to try killer noodle as it was a cold night and ramen sounded amazing. The wait was over an hour and we were starving and so we stumbled upon kaz and we were seated immediately. We ordered the fried tempura platter which was so fresh and delicious-not too greasy too. But the highlight of this meal was the spicy miso soba! It was packed with flavor the spice wasn't too intense and I've gone to this place at least once a month now because it's so so good! This spot is totally overlooked by other overhyped ramen spots, definitely give it a try.

Small restaurant specializing in soba! Service was friendly and quick on a weekday afternoon. There's both indoor and outdoor seating which is always appreciated. I ordered the Osaka and crispy Japanese potatoes (tempura). The broth was flavorful and not very spicy at all. Broth temperature was warm initially but became cold quickly despite the tea light set up below it, bummer. Noodles were thicker than I'm used to which added to the unique texture. The tempura itself was light and crispy. Overall, a pretty good experience! It's hard to find a spot that specializes in soba and I think they do it pretty well!

Curry, soba bowl with veggies. The taste is ridiculously good. The curry is thick. but still malleable so that it sticks to every bite. Everything we tried tasted fresh. Great service too!

I wish I could say that I enjoyed the lime soba, but I actually didn't get to eat it because the person who packed my to go box didn't bother to put the soup into a plastic bag or tape down the lid, so the lid opened in the paper take out bag and completely soaked into the passenger seat of my car. This is really terrible service and serious lack of thinking around how to send home to-go items. When I tried to call the restaurant, no one answered at 7:40 PM. I also don't understand why there is a default tip of 18% on the credit card reader when they can't even learn how to package a take out order. I can't get my money back because no one's answering the phone and I can't actually enjoy the meal because I didn't get to eat it. Not at all shocked that there was no one in the restaurant when I walked in to put in my order. By the way, where should I send the cleaning bill for my car seat? Incidentally, let me share with you the picture of the six dollar tofu appetizer, which is five slices of tofu and two sauces. This is the most expensive non-meal I've ever had when you add in the cleaning too.

I have been in a bit of a soba noodle craze since this past summer and have been meaning to check this place out. I dropped by on a weekend night and it was surprisingly not busy compared to the 1+ hour wait times for the other noodle places on Sawtelle. I ordered the cold Tokyo Soba, the tempura rice bowl, and chicken karaage. Tokyo Soba (Cold) - You could definitely tell the soba is made fresh, in-house. The noodles were slightly thicker and had a more rustic texture compared to the store-bought stuff. The difference is akin to having dry pasta vs. fresh pasta, which was refreshing. However, the dipping sauce (mentsuyu) was very underwhelming to be honest! I prefer more sweetness and complexity, but the sauce tasted like straight soy sauce & wasabi you dip nigiri into. Tempura rice bowl - I enjoyed this much more than the soba. The shrimp and vegetables were perfectly fried and coated in a sweet and savory tempura sauce over plenty of rice. Chicken Karaage - This was really just a chicken cutlet vs, "chicken karaage" since it was a dry chicken breast but came with a good dipping sauce. I really wanted to like this place but the mentsuyu was a huge letdown and hard to overlook given this is a soba place. Other than that, the restaurant space itself was beautiful/clean and the service was great which is why I'm rounding up to 4 stars.

They let us bring our cake for my younger sister's birthday and also let our dog and family sit on the patio! The soba served with dipping sauce was decent and the other dish we got definitely had a spicy kick to it but was still enjoyable! I do wish the soba had been a bit more cooked before it was chilled but overall well balanced and definitely felt full with two bowls between the four of us. We got tempura too and that was good too! It was a bit chilly and they did turn on the heater outside but I definitely wish it was a bit closer to us.

First time here, it's ok. I had the Osaka main soba entree with the dipping broth. I found the broth to be overly salty. The shredded beef was soft and tender. My friend had the hot Tokyo soba soup which was not spicy at all. A little pricey at $17.50 each but it's in the newest building on sawtelle with high rent so prices are typical. Friendly staff and no line while most places were packed on a Tuesday night.

I'm a huge soba lover and this place doesn't disappoint! I loved the Shanghai which is a dip style soba where the soup is on the side. It's a sweet sesame and spicy chili based Tan Tan soup. The tempura was also light and airy! If you're craving soba noodles, you should check out this place!

We were craving soba, so decided to check Kaz out, and there was no wait on a Tuesday night. We ordered the tempura platter, the osaka, and the curry soba. The tempura was good but the soba felt off somehow. It was super thick and less pliable than traditional soba if that makes sense. The flavors also felt really overwhelming and not as light and subtle as normal soba. I would have preferred if they started off with a more solid base before fusion-izing the soba. Overall, probably will not be back since the same street provides some stiff noodle competition.

I've had their food twice now, once in person and once delivery. Overall the food is pretty good. First off we didn't have too much trouble getting a seat which is always welcome. Service was very weird when we went, our server seemed a bit zonked out or tired, not sure, but he was a bit hard to communicate with. Aside from that, I've found the food here to be pretty good. I knock off a star because it feels overpriced, in my opinion, relative to the quantity of food. As in I didn't feel really full after eating here. Overall food is good and refreshing, but weird service and price would keep me from going too often.

So glad I got to try this place because it is delicious! First off, their tempura is fantastic. Their tempura order came with 2 shrimp and like, 10 other vegetables for $9.50. This is a steal as it's made to order, light, and crisp. I got their Hot Tokyo, which hit the spot as I wanted something comforting but not heavy. Their noodles are thicker than the soba noodles I'm used to and less nutty. It was divine eating with the tempura. My partner got The Osaka, which was good but the dipping soup it came with became cold quickly due to the dipping noodle nature. Would probably skip unless they found a way to keep the soup hot. I would definitely come here again as a light soup option! Even if I was craving udon over soba, I'd still come here for the tempura accompaniment ;)

Kaz is the spot to go to when you're craving comfort noodles, but still want to eat healthy. I ordered the Hot Tokyo with sukiyaki beef. I also added a side of cashu chicken, bok choy, and spinach. Absolutely delicious. The broth was clean and light, but also savory, soothing and tasteful. Both the beef and chicken were tender and flavorful. And the soba noodles were pure comfort. I loved the fresh buckwheat taste and slightly firm consistency. Put together, this was a delicious and healthy bowl. Want some authentic, Japanese noodles but also a healthier option to ramen and udon? Then soba at Kaz should be a no-brainer.

Kaz Soba Place makes fresh handmade organic soba noodles. If you're gluten-free, they make 20 servings per day. The service is always friendly and quick. They are a nice option on Sawtelle when you're craving something light yet satisfying. For the food: Everything is made to order, including tempura. Order the daily special on the board and split with the table. For those hot summer days, there's nothing more refreshing than the cold Tokyo bowl. For the more adventurous, the Genova bowl has fresh basil and tomato (pesto vibes). The Signature Osaka Bowl + Soft Poached Egg is delicious.

Soba is super refreshing during the hot weather and this place has handmade noodles! I highly recommend the tempura- it is so fresh, lightly battered and has a great crunch. My friend is in love with the yuzu pepper soba which has a very citrusy flavor with tender chicken. I would recommend this if you like strong citrus flavor. The Osaka was good too with sukiyaki beef and a flavorful dipping broth- this is their signature dish. Overall, the food was delicious and the service was great too.

Nice no-nonsense stop for soba noodles - simple and friendly service, exactly hits the spot if you're looking for soba

I really wanted to like this place, especially because housemade udon like Marugame Udon and Marugame Monzo has such a chokehold on me, I was really excited to try housemade Soba! As a place called "Kaz the soba place" I was expecting the star of the dish to be the soba noodles. But it was quite the most underwhelming experience. The noodles were thick and hard, sadly not a bouncy and chewy texture. I got the Yuzu Pepper Broth Soba (subbed beef for chicken) and the Osaka. The Yuzu broth was a 10/10. It was a clear, clean broth with a generous punch of yuzu essence. The beef was also really flavorful. However, the Osaka is advertised as served with dipping sauce. But the sauce was thin and did not cling onto the noodles at all. It was more of a "soup on the side" type, which was a little disappointing.

I was visiting SoCal and dropped by this spot in Santa Monica for lunch with my friends while being served by our friend Jeremy. This soba place is particularly small but the ambience is nice and clean! On to the food, we ordered several types of soba dishes as tempura which were all very tasty! I especially was a huge fan of the mixed tempura which was perfectly cooked and not very greasy.

I was surprised, to be quite honest, to find there was a place that served mainly soba! We love soba and were happy to try it out. It wasn't busy on a Saturday lunch time (I think everyone tends to flock to the ramen nearby), which was great for us because there wasn't much wait time. Just a reminder, soba is much healthier and less oiler than ramen! Also a better alternative to udon since soba buckwheat has more health benefits than just white flour, which is what udon is. I love them all, but I choose soba when I need to cut back just a little :) I tried the unique seasonal menu, the lime soba. With lime and jalapenos, my husband described it aptly by calling it the Mexican-style soba. I enjoyed it! It's a nice spicy variation to the traditional kick of wasabi. My husband tried the traditional cold zaru soba, called the Tokyo on their menu. If you like soba, the zaru soba is the best! We immediately noticed that the noodles here were thicker than the store-bought kind. That usually is a sign that it's hand-made, which they are at Kaz based on their website! The staff was very friendly, and they had a quick easy checkout right at the table. We will be back!!