Sobakatsu
Soba noodle shop · Japantown
1700 Laguna St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Highlights
Fresh handmade soba noodles, hot or cold, with tempura
Fresh handmade soba noodles, hot or cold, with tempura
"Sometimes, the best thing to do after Venmoing the month’s rent to the wrong person is to be alone with nothing but your thoughts and a bowl of noodles. Head to Japantown, where Sobakatsu’s phenomenal hot and cold soba await. You’ll probably have to wait in line for one of the 11 seats inside, but that’s just more time to reflect on the benefits of two-factor authentication." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"This tiny Japanese restaurant gained a cult following after its opening in 2024, with diners charmed by both the small space — there are just 11 seats — and the promise of fresh soba noodles. Despite the lack of a website, social media, or a phone number, as the Chronicle noted, locals managed to find this restaurant and often line up to get in. Whether you get your order of soba hot or cold is up to you, and while the tonkatsu side of the Sobakatsu menu isn’t quite up and running yet, the vegetable tempura is a worthy distraction." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Soba Ichi has been holding things down in the East Bay with its handmade soba noodles, and now San Francisco has its own soba specialist with the opening of Sobakatsu. Expect hot and cold variations of soba, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as tempura and tonkatsu options. Be prepared, however: Sobakatsu is an 10-seat restaurant, which might mean a wait depending on when you arrive." - Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria
"The world revolves around buckwheat noodles at this Japanese restaurant, and whether you go for cold or hot, they’ll have the ideal chew and wheaty scent. All of the noodles are gluten-free, and we like to opt for the cold ones, which are served with a light and sweet dipping sauce that’s also made with a gluten-free soy base. You’ll need to wait in line for one of the 11 seats to open up, but once you’re in, it’s an efficient operation. Slurp up your soba in record time, then head to the nearby Japantown malls for a lap around Daiso." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"Sobakatsu in Japantown joins the few soba-focused spots in the Bay (shoutout Soba Ichi). It’s only got eight seats and is first come, first served for lunch and dinner. They offer both cold and hot soba sets with sides of soy-braised pork, tempura shrimp, and vegetable kakiage. And if tempura is what really gets you excited, they’ve got three bowls of it with either shrimp, scallops, or vegetables. They’re still in their soft-opening phase, so stay tuned for an expanded menu. We recently checked out Sobakatsu and added it to our Hit List." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1
