Q: negative

A: You know, the food was okay overall but my first 15 minutes here was painful. There was a massive line-up upon walking in the door and no one to take our names and seat us. After a long period of confusion, we realized that half of the line-up was for people trying to pay their bill. I had to use Assertive Crystal and get us seated before I pulled my hair out. Apparently Assertive Crystal scared the befuddled hostess and made a few waiting patrons angry, as I suspect we were seated too early. Oops. None of this should have happened. Clearly the current staff are not cut out for this madness. I had a very plain breakfast and somehow the toast wasn't good. They put way too much butter in the center and the crust was a bit too hard and dry. I didn't think you could screw up toast but it was the first time ever that I wasn't happy with it. Everything else was acceptable and my spouse enjoyed his omelet. His glass of orange juice was massive. I thought the atmosphere and decor was a little weird. They were prepared to celebrate Easter but it looked like the entire restaurant was decorated by a Kindergarten class. Maybe it actually was. We ate here because it was convenient and I'd only go back if that were the case again.

Q: negative

A: The pros are the outdoor seating and the BBQ dishes. Other than that, the food is not good. The BBQ combo platters are really good and you get a lot of food. I have tried other dishes, a grilled chicken salad, and it pretty much consisted of bagged lettuce with five pieces of grilled chicken breast. Outdoor seating is nice, though.

Q: positive

A: Over the past 4 years or so, my rating for Soba has regularly swung between 3-4 stars. Because my experiences during recent visits have been positive, I am hoping that the 4 stars will stick this time. One of Soba's consistent strengths is its ambiance. It offers a swank, contemporary atmosphere (and, unsurprisingly, with an Asian feel). The lighting is soft and pleasing -- great for romantic dinners, but still appropriate for business meals as well. The menu also reflects a contemporary but Asian influenced theme. The dishes are a little less innovative than Tamari's, but they are generally well thought-out and well prepared. I especially recommend the beef short ribs (strong and complex flavors) and the fillet mignon (super tender and juicy). The kitchen sometimes seem to have temperature control problems. I have had disappointing seared tunas (over done) and on a recent visit, my "medium rare" fillet would probably be considered "very rare" by most restaurants in Pittsburgh. The dessert is overpriced, but I have a special soft spot for the perennial chocolate maki.

Q: positive

A:
We love this place! As a warning the wait staff is not the best, this is why we always try to sit at the sushi bar. They are much more attentive than the ladies that do the serving. Also it is a bit confusing on who your waitress is because there are several different people filling drinks. But if you are patient and do not mind the service, the food is excellent. They also have great happy hours every day on sushi, appetizers and drinks. Fresh ginger as well!!