Yabuhan Soba — Restaurant in Otaru

The food was good and pretty good. Our genuine feedback was that they are probably catered to serve cold soba and that is it's specialty and rightfully so. A solid 4 star for the food.

However, the service staff all lacked genuine smile and warmth and was terrible.

Especially - the attitude of the receptionist (Kitajima - 北嶋) leaves much to be desired.

While we have patiently waited in line, and our party of 6 was split into 2 groups - 2 in front and the rest behind. Separated by the 2 visitors, there was 2 customers that was standing in front of our party of 4 that arrived later.

Our first party of 2 went in first and then subsequently 4 of us followed, however they asked us to go back out as it is not our turn yet. Not a problem - but this did cause us to now be in line behind the group that was later than us.

The receptionist asked if we were in front of them and we replied (in fluent Japanese) that our name is already on the list.

She replied in keigo but used an impolite tone that she heard us and proceeded to disregard us and ask the people in front if they were indeed first before us. This is insulting.

Keigo is meaningless without context and Ms. Kitajima confirmed the hidden secret and stereotype that Japanese people is polite on the surface but not really kind.

While this is a one off situation during our 3 week trip in Japan - I believe behavior like this should be highlighted and stamped out.

Furthermore, they kept speaking to my wife and ignored my sister which lived in Japan for 10 years now and speaks fluent Japanese. Why? Is it because one looked more "japanese" than the other?

Again, I have to stress - keigo is meaningless without context and this problem is something Japan will have to acknowledge and stamp out.

However, I wanted to acknowledge the lady with the kimono - probably the lady boss, she was friendly and with a smile and was genuinely polite during the payment phase.

Until next time,...

Delicious food, excellent service, and overall a wonderful find in our “treasure hunt” through Otaru! I went for the curry soba, my wife went for the traditional set with tempura, and our picky-eater kids each opted for a bowl of hot kake soba. We sat on the tatami mats in the back and greatly enjoyed our meal! Soba noodles were delicate in flavor, perfect firmness in texture, and the broths all bursting with umami. There was not a drop of curry left in my bowl when we left! Arrived at about 5:15pm and there was a short wait, but we were seated within about 20 minutes of arrival so it wasn’t too bad at all. There is an English menu with pictures that you can browse while you wait, but also an extremely helpful & informative website with highly-detailed explanations of each dish. I recommend browsing the website while you wait outside, and finalize your selection while you wait inside. Once we got seated and ordered, food starting coming really quickly. LOVED the fried soba noodle welcome-dish and please do not miss the locally-made fresh (or fried) tofu - we went for fried and the toasting on the outside was a very nice touch. They open at 5 and close at 8, or whenever the soba noodles run out for the day (whichever comes first). Really appreciated the kids’ cutlery sets with plastic bowls! ¥7000 for the four of us, including 2 appetizers and a small bottle of local sake, and they accept credit cards. Everything here is made by masters, with love for their craft… you really cannot go wrong....

23.10.25 (Dinner) We waited approximately 30 minutes for a table, which was understandable given how busy the restaurant was. The crowd comprised a good mix of locals and tourists, a sign of the restaurant’s popularity.

Our group ordered three tempura sets and one pork bowl set, along with two side dishes – squid and pork belly. We chosen the Jimono-ko (local) over Nami-ko (imported). The soba quality was commendable, and the hot broth stood out with its rich, well-balanced flavor.

The pork bowl was satisfying, with tender meat and a pleasant savory balance that wasn’t overly salty. The pork belly side dish was particularly memorable — tender, flavorful, and reminiscent of dong po rou, a Chinese-style braised pork. It was an unexpected highlight of the meal.

However, the tempura was less impressive. The batter lacked the crispiness we anticipated and turned rather soft, especially after being dipped into the broth. As for the squid, is not worth it. The texture lacked the chewy and freshness.

Service was another strong point. The staff were friendly, attentive, and able to communicate effectively in English, making the dining experience smooth and welcoming.

Overall, it was an enjoyable dinner with quality soba and excellent side dishes. While the tempura and squid fell short of expectations, the overall experience was pleasant and still worth a visit for soba lovers. I would had given a 5 star if not for the tempura and squid. Total...