We just moved to the Brooklyn area, and our first official dinner together was at this neighborhood joint, Soboku. I thought we needed something light and savory, so Japanese cuisine is what came to mind. The restaurant has a pretty small kitchen, and it is the epitome of a quaint joint. The menu is a mix of a variety of Japanese foods ranging from rice bowls to curry and meat plates. We were able to walk in easily without any issues at around 7:00 PM on a Sunday evening.
Ambiance & Service
As mentioned previously, the overall feeling of the restaurant is of a quaint and quiet restaurant. We were seated next to the window. THe overall decor was very woodsy, almost as if you’re in a rustic tavern.
The service was very quick. When we ordered, the food all came out within 5-15 minutes.
Food
July 26, 2026 - First Visit3
October 12, 2026 - Second Visit3
October 30, 2026 - Third Visit3
July 26, 2026 - First Visit
The Salmon Carpaccio ($13) came with raw salmon and scallion with yuzu-soy dressing. The salmon tasted pretty fresh, and the dressing was quite refreshing.
The Karaage Don ($19) came with fried chicken, scallion, sesame seeds with spicy soy mayo. This was basically rice with fried chicken, so I thought it was a bit heavy. The chicken was pretty good, and the portion size for this was generous.
The Kurobuta Katsu Teishoku ($21) came with a Berkshire pork loin cutlet. I love pork cutlets prepared this way, and surprisingly this was pretty good. I think I still prefer Katsu Hama, but for a neighborhood joint, the quality was quite good. The pork crust was crispy and fried perfectly, and the quality of the pork was superb.
October 12, 2026 - Second Visit
The Yuzu Soda ($6) was using yuzu syrup with club soda. This was pretty good.
The Gyu Don ($20) came with sliced beef, onion, scallion simmered in a sweet and savory sauce with poached egg and sesame seeds. The beef was a little dry, but the flavors of the sauce were pretty good. I think the rice ratio to sauce and flavor could be better.
The Buta Kimchi Don ($19) came with sliced pork, kimchi, onion, scallion with house spicy sauce served with poached egg. This rice bowl is pretty typical. The pork is pretty good and reminded me of hotpot style pork slices. Like the gyu don above, I feel they give a lot of rice compared to sauce and condiments.
October 30, 2026 - Third Visit
The Shime Saba ($18) was cured mackerel, lightly pickled in salt and rice vinegar. It’s bright, tangy, and rich in flavor, served with pickled onions and wasabi. The mackerel was surprisingly pretty good. Normally this can be super fishy, but this one wasn’t. I wouldn’t say it was the freshest piece nor did it feel bright and tangy. It was rich in flavor, and I think the wasabi accentuated some parts of it. I think this was just something different as an appetizer that I wanted to try.
The Tori Katsu Don ($18) came with chicken cutlet deep fried breaded. Along with this, there was egg, onion, and scallion simmered in a sweet and savory broth. The chicken was good, and overall the dish was simple but tasty. The cutlet was perfectly breaded and fried, and the savory broth really helped with the overall flavors of the bowl.
The Kurobuta Katsu Don ($19) came with Berkshire pork loin cutlet that was deep fried breaded. Along with this, there was egg, onion, and scallion simmered in a sweet and savory broth. Like the chicken katsu don, everything but the protein was the same. The Berkshire pork loin cutlet was the better of the two as it had more fat and more flavor to it.
Overall Impression
For a neighborhood joint, Soboku was actually pretty good, especially for the price. It didn’t try to do anything extravagant, and it offered good tasty food. If you’re around the area and looking for some fast casual Japanese food, this is a great place to check out.
Yelp & Google Jabs
This seems very authentic. We have been to Japan.
Someone should tell this Elitist that authenticity doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be from Japan. Nowadays, there are many natives moving to the US and changing up some of the traditional flavors for something more adventurous and different. I’m of the strong opinion that it doesn’t make the food any less authentic.
I was slightly disappointed because I ordered “Hamachi Kama” and it came deep fried
Unfortunately the Elitist didn’t read the menu description. On the menu, the description said, “deep-fried yellowtail collar”.
So I went regular chicken katsu. I found it a bit salty for my liking. And the dressing tasted like the kewpie sesame dressing you can find in stores.
I think this restaurant is a neighborhood Japanese meal place, and it wasn’t trying to be anything vastly different. If you’re looking to get your rice + protein fix, this will meet expectations.
Revisions
- Oct 30, 2026 - Third visit.
- Oct 12, 2026 - Second visit.
- Jul 26, 2026 - Initial revision.