Namiki Yabusoba

What a gem! This was our last meal after three weeks in Japan, and it was a winner. Beautiful restaurant run by very nice women in the front of house. It started with Soba-​yu brought to the table while we looked through the menu. We opted for a wonderful cold soba with a generous topping of torn nori and a sublime dipping sauce (when finished, more soba-​yu appears that is poured into what remains of the sauce). Our other dish was an exquisite tempura of shrimp and vegetables with a bowl of soba in a soy-​based broth.

Really nice, homely soba place with half and half normal seating and Japanese style seating on the raised floor with your shoes off. Super kind staff. Wife and I both got the duck soba soup, which was very good. Duck was a tad overdone. Broth was superb. Noodles were excellent. Didn’t get any tempura– probably should have. Obviously a popular local hangout — no wait when we arrived but the place was completely full so we shared a table with another two gentlemen.

I’ve been traveling around with my thick Lonely Planet travel guide and this restaurant was recommended. We decided to try something else, as we’ve been eating sushi straight for the past few days. I went exactly at 11:30 am when they opened, and there was a line! There was a line full of Japanese people and I knew the soba would be different from what was served in the States. An elderly lady greets you at the door and ushers you in when there’s a seat available.
We tried the cold soba with potatoes and hot soba with tempura. After eating this… I turned to my sister and said, ‘I don’t know how to appreciate soba.’ Because it doesn’t really taste like anything, there’s no flavor. I can’t dock any stars, because in all honesty, I just don’t know how to appreciate soba. I can tell you the tempura was really good. They used a different type of batter and each bite was so crunchy. I can definitely see myself coming back for the tempura!

Soba was one of the few meals left on our «must try» list for Tokyo, so since it was a hot day we decided on soba for lunch! It was late in the day for lunch (around 3pm), so the wait was only a couple minutes before we were seated. At first we were confused because the hostess kept on pointing to a four seater table with two people already there, and then we realized that the whole restaurant was shared seating. A little strange at first, but extremely efficient! We were given the option of waiting for a Western table, but we didn’t mind sitting on the floor at the traditional Japanese table.
I ordered the tempura soba, and my bf opted for the regular soba. The tempura was fantastic and the soba was very high quality and tasty. The dipping sauce was also good and used for both the tempura and the noodles. Service was quick, and it was a treat to have delicious cold noodles on a hot day. The price, at around 1600 or so yen for the tempura/​soba combination is a little pricey than some other places, but you definitely get the quality that you pay for. A memorable meal in Asakusa!

The highlight of this shop is the old ladies that wait on the tables!
We got lucky around 3PM and there wasn’t a line (which also prompted us to get lost trying to find the place). There are two options for seating — either on the tatami or standard tables. We ordered the grated mountain/​baby potato dipping soba. We struggled a little because the sauce was already on it — and we never seen anything like it before… #foreignerproblems
It was still good! There were scallions and wasabi on the side and kettle of soba broth. I’d probably opt for the mori plate noodles with shrimp tempura. I would’ve given it 3 stars based on my personal food experience, but the old ladies bump it to a 4!

Lovely soba shop, close by Asakusa.
When you’re in Tokyo, chances are you’ll be visiting Asakusa and Sensoji Temple. Namiki Yabu Soba is a short walk away, and you will be able to find it easily by the line that goes out the door.
We came here on our second day in Japan, and it was exactly what the doctor ordered. I had the regular cold soba, and hubby had the duck soba, which he always orders at soba shops, and it was the best we’d ever had. Definitely worth the wait.
I love soba, and there are so many great soba shops in Japan so I can’t say you need to make a special visit to this place. However, if you’re in the area, you can’t go wrong with a traditional soba shop with a sweet old lady that is regulating the line outside. Always polite and sweet, she made the waiting a little less painful.
Chances are you’ll be sharing tables with strangers, so don’t be shy. Although this being Japan, people keep to themselves and are quiet.
Wish I could go back! Simple and delicious, and we all know that is the hardest to pull off.

Me and the four random ladies at the shared table with me all ordered ten zaru soba and it was quite tasty. Good noodles, excellent tempura (which only comes with a 2 shrimp and 1 shishito pepper), and tasty tsuru. It didn’t strike me as a particularly special meal but the line outside might suggest otherwise.
I like the army of old lady waitresses. They were super nice.

Admittedly it was my first cold Soba experience but it was fantastic. Great setting (don’t be afraid if the line), great service, and the Mori Soba & Zaru Soba were great.
Tasty noodles and delicious Tsuya dipping sauce. I also enjoyed the tea (or bouillon?) they served in the Tsuya bowl when you’re done with the noodles to help you finish sipping it.
I would highly recommend this on a hot day.