If you're looking for a solid spot for soba noodles, Soba Izakaya MINAMI is a great choice. We ordered the vegetable tempura cold soba and the gyudon combo set, which came with a beef rice bowl and hot soba (can choose between cold/hot soba/udon). While the hot soba broth was flavorful, I'd recommend going for the cold soba--the fresh noodles retain their chew and don't risk becoming overly soft in the hot broth. One unique feature here is the portion size selection. You can choose anywhere from 1 to 3 portions of noodles (with 2 being the standard). The best part? You can start with 1-2 portions and add more later (up to 3 total), which is perfect if you're unsure of how much you can eat or want to enjoy fresh noodles throughout your meal. One thing to note: no sharing is allowed, so plan accordingly if you're dining with a group. Overall, this is a great spot for soba lovers looking for quality noodles and a flexible dining experience. Would definitely come back!

We came to the restaurant to celebrate Valentines Day as a family. We had made reservations with the restaurant, but the restaurant, though busy, wasn't fully packed. We had previously ordered takeout with the restaurant and we liked the food, we wanted to try it in-restaurant. We were seated promptly and the service from the beginning was prompt and friendly. We ordered a assortment of foods and the highlights were the Duck Dipping Soba, Agedashi Tofu, Fried Oysters, and Katsu Don w/Soba. The disappointing dishes were the Dragon Balls (tempura hard boiled eggs) and the beef soba. The Dragon Balls we're friend well and the hard oiled egg was not overcooked, but the overall flavor was bland. For the beef soba, the beef was tender and soba well cooked, but overall it was a boring dish. Overall though, we will be returning to try their other dishes.

I've had this spot bookmarked for a little over 6 years, however long they've been open. I finally had the chance to do lunch here with my husband yesterday (1/18/2025). We came right at opening and sat at the long counter in front of the kitchen. Wanted to check out the action! The menu has expanded from one page to six which is really exciting. They have great portions, prices, and options from appetizers, dessert, array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, rice bowls, udon, soba, katsu, combination sets, and now sushi (only served on the weekends). My husband was impressed and quite satisfied with his Nagoya Pork Katsu & Soba (cold) set. Our server Divine recommended the 2-portion over the 3-portion of soba. She was right that 3-portion is ALOT! Pork katsu was perfectly breaded and fried. Crispy and juicy at the same time. His set was like having two meals for the price of one. Delicious and very filling. My Agedashi tofu was so flavorful, with a thick broth. I especially enjoyed the hint of ginger with the shredded white radish topping. My order of curry udon came piping hot with plenty of noodles and sliced beef topping. I appreciated our server also providing optional chili powder topping on the side too. Our small pot of genmaicha was just what we needed to round out the rich lunch. I didn't get a chance to try out dessert or their drinks, so maybe next time! Clean establishment, wonderful menu choices, and professional staff. We will definitely be back to try more! PS - I encourage dining at the long counter. It was so cool to watch chef make the yakitori and add all the finishing touches to every dish. It was almost like watching Top Chef right in front of you. All her kitchen staff moved as one team despite their dedicated stations.

Soba noodles are some of my all-time favorite Japanese foods. After having a few disappointing sobas around SoCal, my wife and I came to Soba Izakaya Minami on a recommendation from a friend. Like the name implies, this restaurant is part soba restaurant, part izakaya. We didn't try anything off of the izakaya menu. Instead, we wanted to focus on their soba noodles, so we got two different versions: a cold soba with tempura and their signature soba with duck dipping sauce. This is quite possibly the best soba I've had outside of Japan. The noodles have exactly the right texture: firm, yet cooked all the way through, and chewy without being mushy. The tempura is a little bit on the oily side, but I'll give it a pass due to the outstanding soba. When you order, you can choose how many servings of soba you want to start off with: one, two, or three. Three servings is like a typical American-sized meal. There's no extra charge for this, so unless you're a lighter eater, you'll probably want three servings. Onto the duck soba. I typically like cold soba, but the hot duck broth was very interesting: rich, smoky, and full of umami. There are a few pieces of duck meat in the broth as well. I enjoyed it, but given that the prices are equivalent, I'd rather get the soba with the tempura. Laguna Hills is not the closest city to us, but we'll definitely be back the next time we're in the area and craving soba!

After two years of regular (religious) visits, I can safely say I've found my #1 favorite go-to spot for Japanese cuisine in SoCal. Can't believe it took me this long to write this overdue but well-deserved review since this place has become our benchmark for Japanese food. When we can't decide what to eat, Minami will always likely end up as a top final contender. You want soba? Boom, it's their namesake. Oh you want udon? The doneness and soup is perfect. My gf will always remind me that it's better than anything she's had in Japan. You can also have the noodles hot or cold to dip! Lately, I've been on a cold dipping noodle phase even in the cold because the wasabi with scallions mixed into the cold broth to dip into is just way too good. Outside of the noodles, the fried comfort foods are also second to none. The agedashi tofu and the lightness of their tempura are perfect appetizers, I recommend the onion rings tempura for starters. When I'm feeling down their katsudon picks me up. When it's scorching hot out, and I feel restless, their katsu curry with cold soba combo knocks me out cold into a food coma. Make sure you pair it with their ice cold crispy yuzu beer too, you won't regret it! The warm atmosphere and consistently great service from all the hardworking staff there, makes every visit enjoyable and worthwhile. Sometimes their may be a short wait, especially during peak times/days, but with ample parking and a welcoming vibe, it's become our favorite place to bring friends for authentic Japanese food. Always highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone!

Chef's kiss to this restaurant! Our servers were so kind. We celebrated my husband's bday there, and they offered to take the cake and light the candles for us, then turned off the lights in the resto while everyone sang happy birthday! Fortunately other patrons weren't annoyed. And the food. THE FOOD!!!! The minute I walked in the door and smelled all the good smells, I knew it was going to be a good experience. Our group shared the family style chicken karage and mixed tempura. I cant recall what everyone else got as I was so absorbed by my own combo meal of warm soba and pork katsu curry plate. We all ate happily in silence for like, the first 10 minutes, it was THAT GOOD!!!! Will we be regulars? Why yes, yes we will.

It was my first time at this restaurant but it was right across the plaza from Trader Joe's which made it a perfect dinner to grab after grocery shopping! We were able to get seated immediately and got our sobas in a timely manner. The soba noodles were so delicious and chewy with generous amounts of beef and egg on top. The ambiance was very authentic and decorated so nicely too. I really enjoyed my meal and experience here and I'll definitely have to come again!