SOBAR — Restaurant in Culver City

A sleek, modern space with a rectangular bar at its center, a focal point where all the action unfolds. It is where all patrons gather around. While the portions may lean towards the petite side, the flavors are on point.

I kicked things off with the albacore crudo style sashimi. The tender tuna, bathed in tangy blood orange vinaigrette and topped with crunchy chili garlic, was a fresh, flavorful start. The spicy yaki edamame—a semi-unique twist on the classic—was pan-fried and tossed in a citrus pepper paste and soy sauce. It turned a simple side into something I couldn’t stop popping.

The shrimp & vegetable tempura was crispy and satisfying—tempura done right. Light, crispy, and perfectly paired with a dipping sauce that hit all the right notes. It’s exactly what you want when you think of tempura, with shrimp that snaps and veggies that add a pleasant variety. Then there’s the mongo ika tempura, where tender squid gets the tempura treatment. If you’ve never had squid tempura like me, this is your chance to be pleasantly surprised. The spiced salt and a squeeze of lemon added a bright, balanced finish to every bite.

The gindara saikyo yaki was one of the highlights. The black cod, marinated in saikyo miso, was so tender, the flavor so deep, leaving you only with the wish that it came in a larger portion. The ao-nori bagged potato might just be the most playful dish on the menu. Served in a bag like an elevated snack from your childhood, but better. The novelty of the bag only adds to the experience.

Finally, the ribeye ku maze soba—this is the dish you come here for. Cold soba noodles in a savory broth, topped with slices of ribeye and a poached egg, it’s hearty and satisfying. The noodles were cooked just right, and the broth tied everything together. To wash it all down, the lemonade soda and a yuzu soda were refreshingly crisp palate cleansers between bites. They’re like a cool breeze on a warm day—just what you need to round out the meal.

SOBAR is a great spot for a casual and delicious meal. The dishes may be on the smaller side, but the flavors are anything but. The service is solid and efficient, ensuring that your dining experience is as seamless as the restaurant’s modern design. If you’re feeling hungry, order a little extra—your appetite will thank you...

Went in around 9pm, it was surprisingly pretty full but had two open seats for us. The inside was really nice with a very modern minimalistic ambiance and seemed like a great date spot.

We ordered 2 appetizers and 2 sobas - the food in general all came out relatively slow. Appetizers came out first, the Kakiage fritters were recommended by our server, but honestly fell pretty short. The Kamo Yaki duck was delicious, but definitely not worth the price point for the amount we got. The sobas took over a half an hour to come out when we had already finished both the appetizers way beforehand.

Servers were nice, but seemed a little understaffed and stressed/frazzled. Soba noodles were refreshing, but felt like the dipping sauces were a bit underwhelming. The Traditional Tsuyu was good, but wasn't flavorful enough compared to other sobas I've tried in the past. I was really excited for the Spicy Sesame, but unfortunately ended up preferring the Traditonal Tsuyu, which was still a little bland for my taste. Overall, couldn't justify the price point for everything we ordered.

There's a mandatory 18% service charge which I was not aware of. We ended up paying a little over $100 for 2 people and left feeling unsatisfied. Had high hopes and was really looking forward to trying Sobar, but unfortunately will not be...

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...