Soba Ichi

Arrived 20 minutes before opening, and a line formed behind me, about 20 people.

I had the tempura soba, warm. Broth was good, noodles were of good texture. Tempura was a reasonable portion, maybe slightly smaller than I expected but still good. I liked it.

The interior seating was clean and comfortable. Staff were attentive and friendly.

The exterior is definitely the low point. Located in an industrial area of Oakland with lots of abandoned cars, dilapidated buildings, trash everywhere. Typical Oakland dump. The barbed wire on the fence surrounding the restaurant tells the tale.

$26 including tip for one meal feels really high for what you get. It’s authentic, 手打ちそば. But I went in there wanting a quick, solid meal, and was disappointed because these guys really want to squeeze you on side dishes, alcohol, etc. Similar to Ippudo in the Bay Area. It can’t just be a simple bowl of noodles. Ultimately, delicious but disappointing.

Back here again for dinner with my food industry friends and it was just as delicious! They have the entire outdoor space and an indoor space now as well! You order first and get a number for the food to be delivered to you.

I ordered the cold soba with tempura but only veggie bc I'm allergic to shrimp and they easily accommodated. Still super delicious and high quality. Perfect for the warm weather right now.

I also got their desserts and they were both INCREDIBLE. I'm still craving the pudding which tasted like Filipino leche flan.

Come here when you want the highest quality soba and tasty desserts!

This place is totally worth the hype and deserves its reputation and Bib Gourmand. The soba brought me back to one of the best meals I have ever had, at a traditional old school soba joint in Tokyo. I certainly can't claim to be a soba expert, but all of the flavors and textures in the cold and hot sobas here went together perfectly and reminded me of that long ago meal. The tamagoyaki was excellent. The tempura was light and airy and crunchy in just the right way. The ebi croquettes were out of this world good. The fiddlehead ferns were unexpectedly awesome and a real treat for us, since we've never had them before. The pressed salmon was just "okay" and was the only component of the meal that wasn't even better than we'd hoped. The Okinawa mochi was probably the best mochi I have ever had. The service was excellent, as well. Oakland is lucky to have this gem of a restaurant.

One of the best and most unique culinary experiences I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I really enjoyed the Orion beer, and Shibata Black saki, I have never had or seen either brand before. The Ten Seiro, Kamo nanban and the tamagoyaki were all delicious. The duck was exquisite and the broth had so much flavor. The broth didn’t rely on salt or soy, just the essence of duck. The Salmon Pressed Sushi was the least impressive dish. It was good, but very basic. I would like to try everything on the menu. So many unique dishes perfectly executed. The fiddleheads were surprising, with so many unique and flavorful dishes, I was surprised how much I enjoyed them. The sauce was peanut based but not too sweet, and so delicate. The sauce didn’t overshadow the flavor or ruin the crispness of the fiddleheads (kogomi goma-ae). The ebi cream croquettes were perfectly fried and the flavors melded together so perfectly it seemed exotic, so creamy and there was plenty of shrimp in every bite.

Soba Ichi has been on my list for many moons. And boy was it worth it. Get there early because there will likely be a line.

- Rotating special Short Rib was melt in your mouth delightful. Served with soft and chewy buckwheat crepes.

- Pressed Salmon Roll was Incredibly fresh. Wasabi packed a punch.

- Soba couldn't have been more perfect. Duck breast was tender beyond words and the tempura was crisp to perfection.

- Dessert you ask? Yes they have it and yes you need to get it. Soba Gelato was light and creamy. Kosuke's Special.... I can't even describe... apple mousse was fabulous.

This is a top 5 pick for sure.