Wayne W.
Yelp
Soho Ramen is a delicious little gem located in downtown Riverside, inside the Food Lab next to the Historic Fox Theater. There are about 8 or more places to eat in the Food Lab, with Soho being one of the better ones IMHO.
I honestly don't understand all of the low-rated reviews of this place, to be honest. I've eaten here about half a dozen times and their food has been wonderful each and every time.
For those who don't know, Soho is a Ramen Restaurant on steroids. They don't have JUST Ramen, they have a variety of other traditional Japanese fares including Udon, Yakisoba, Beef Bowl, and Rice dishes. It really is a great place to eat when you want to try more traditional, non-sushi Japanese food. My personal favorite is the Chicken Ramen.
Something I've found here that I can never find anywhere outside of Japan is an appetizer dish called Okonamiyaki. It's kinda like fried bread with savory sauce and toppings that look a little like a pizza. It's DELICIOUS and I was so happy to finally find it!
Their menu really is quite large for a small place, so you have a lot of options to choose from, especially if you're a vegetarian. The prices are a LITTLE on the spendy side but not too much, and the portions are more than filling!
The only "meh" thing I can really say is that it's one of the more popular spots inside the Food Lab, so on busy nights and weekends you can expect a wait. Also, bear in mind that they make your orders fresh, so it takes a little bit. Seating can be a bit of a pain too, but that's not their fault. This is because they are sharing seating options with all the other restaurants located in the Food Lab.
Seriously, if you're curious about traditional Japanese "ramen-shop" style food and you want a delicious taste experience I highly recommend giving them a try if you're in the area!