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Sobo Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for Sobo Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The polenta fries were awesome." In 5 reviews -
"The seafood chowder still haunts my dreams." In 5 reviews -
"...yam soup, baby greens with shredded beat and jicama with..." In 2 reviews
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
We came here on a recommendation from my cousin to try their margaritas, and wow, after one sip, we knew she had directed us to the right place. It wasn't served in a proper margarita glass (a major faux pas for my mom, who loves a big salted rim with her margarita) but on the upside you got a large drink that definitely did NOT skimp on the tequila. Trying to finish two of these would have been a dangerous proposition. My dad also had a very tasty caesar that came with delicious pickled green beans.
Happy with our beverages, we decided to stay for dinner. I had the chicken enchilada which definitely had a "west coast" twist - even moreso than the Tex-Mex style "Mexican" food we normally find in BC. The enchilada itself was filled with a delicious mixture of mushrooms, yams and goat cheese, and the chicken was on top of the enchilada with the melted cheese and enchilada verde sauce. The flavours were amazing and this was definitely by far the best enchilada I've had in recent memory. The plate was enormous, too - come here VERY hungry!
Also, on the off chance you have room for dessert (the drinks and the food destroyed any chance of that for us this occasion), there are desserts including several gluten free options which looked very interesting. Speaking of gluten free, the menu specifies which items are GF, which I really appreciated.
We liked the place so much we ended up coming here a second time during our stay for a drink and ordered the ceviche as an appetizer. It was also excellent; very refreshing with a great citrus flavour.
My only minor criticism of the place is the fact that it is slightly lacking in decor and atmosphere. Also, the patio is quite small and the restaurant is slightly removed from the main strip, so it's lacking the amazing waterfront view of some other places in town. That said, Tofino overall is so beautiful it's impossible to escape that beauty just because you're not directly on the water, so really, you can't lose.
Combine all of this with our friendly server, and we had a memorable experience that will definitely bring me back here my next time in Tofino. -
Review from Meana k.
4/10/2012
Food is great.
Service is mediocre.
Ambiance is a dressed up hippie cafe.
Prices need adjustment.
Ceviche special for $14 - excellent.
Duck confit for $12 - best thing I ate there. You must order this.
Albacore tuna with falafel and soy tahini for $26 - interesting mix of flavors. Falafel was dry and tahini was too runny. Greens and slaw were good and fish was good although slightly overcooked.
Special mushroom enchilada with rice and beans for $22 - pretty good although not worth its price.
Macarons for $1 - best value you'll find since these things are larger than normal.
Service is where they fell most flat. If I'm paying $100 for two of us, at least provide me service with a smile. There was one server who was super sweet and sociable, but unfortunately she was not our server. Ours was not unpleasant but had a hard time emitting any warmth or personality at all. Oh well. Guess I was there for the food....right? At that, wish I could warm up to 4 stars but just can't. -
Review from Matthew L.
4/14/2012
This place was recommended to us by the captain of our boat ride to Meares Island, and we were a little skeptical but the food was excellent and not too expensive. I had the Aztec bean soup (slightly spicy) and the salmon fish taco (with a delicious fruit salsa)...even in very urban settings that kind of neo-Latino cuisine is often a disaster, but Sobo did it extremely well.
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Review from Andrew H.
Courtenay, BC
Excellent lunch! I had the Thai Chicken Roti and my wife had the Salmon Breakfast Sandwhich. Dessert was the amazing Chocolate Bomb. Cost less than $40!
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Review from Kate W.
Vancouver, BC
4/27/2011
This place has definitely gone downhill over recent years. I used to go long before they even moved to this location. Ambiance and decor is STILL lacking here, feels like a cafeteria.
We ordered the shitake tofu pocket, quinoa curry, a pasta dish, fish tacos and the beet salad. The only thing that wowed was the tofu pocket, honestly. Curry had too much citrus and overpowered the entire dish, fish tacos were not the best (sorry for those die-hards), and the beet salad was very boring and lacking something special [candied nut or something].
We even gave desert a try with the chocolate brownie, which had suspicious really hard crunchy (not in a good way) burnt bits of sugar on the bottom. It really underwhelmed. Not to mention the service! So cold and rushed and impersonal. Dropped the bill on our table while we still had half a bottle of wine and continued to stop by the table with the debit/credit machine to see if we wanted to pay, so pushy.
At the end of our meal we had written a little note about our service and underwhelming meal and slipped it to the manager on our way out, who proceeded to listen but actually ripped it up in his hands while speaking with us.
Too bad SoBo, we had a good run. With places like the Wildside and Breakers serving up delicious food I have no need to return. -
Review from Lydia Chur E.
7/23/2011 3 photos
Sobo was my daughter's favorite restaurant during our recent trip to BC.
We ate lunch here, service was a bit slow.
She had the pan-fried lingcod with red pepper sauce, grilled asparagus, carrot and broccoli and a potato herb cake. She loved it!
I had the coconut yam soup, baby greens with shredded beat and jicama with soy ginger dressing, shrimp cakes with tartar and the slightest bit of horseradish. All were well-seasoned, not salty and very flavorful.
This restaurant actually brews its Ice tea, too bad they didn't offer sugar/sweetener.
Don't forget to check out the men's room door. -
Review from Holly L.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2010
The food is pretty good -- I like the miso soup with udon noodles. The polenta fries are also good.
The service is painfully slow -- busy or not. It takes forever to get your drinks and then your food. We were getting up to walk out when the server came over with our lunch. Then charged us for refills. -
Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
3/5/2011
I can't say much about how long it took or decor, ambience etc but man, the food is awesome! I ate take out and it was yum!
Polenta fries are awesome, perfectly crispy and fluffy in the middle. Had the halibut with roasted broccoli and cauliflower and a huge ball of fried potato mash goodness. Oh lord. So good.
Highly recommend it if you are in Tofino. -
Review from brittney k.
New Westminster, BC
5/3/2011
Yum!
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary dinner after numerous people recommended it. We are very happy we listened!
The food was FANTASTIC! We have the special starter which was tender, crispy duck with small green-chive crepes. For the main course, my boyfriend has the seafood special which he really enjoyed and I had the BC Spot Prawn gnocchi which was fabulous! The food really stood out as something different, innovative and fresh!
The servers were friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is quite casual but there are nice large windows, great art on the walls and candles on each of the tables. It is the only this I would improve on. There isn't much of a view but the food makes up for it... and besides, in Tofino, you get gorgeous views everywhere else anyways!
Aside from that, I HIGHLY recommend SOBO to anyone visiting Tofino! We will definitely be coming back the next time we're in town! -
Review from Liz K.
7/22/2010
I really can't get over the existence of pizza in canada, but hey if you can make it well, go for it. It always seems to be neapolitan style here, too.
Food is great, great atmosphere... Annoying children. Avoid if you do not want to be crowded by tourists and their whiny kids. Service is a bit slow as well. -
Review from Adam Q.
10/3/2011
Really great meal. Fresh, in-season food... good service. Pricey but not too much so. Certainly well worth it price. Also seems like the local favorite "nice" place.
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Review from Joe L.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
The restaurant has a bakery in the front and a casual bistro at the back.
We stopped by for a light lunch before heading off to the beach so we went light on our orders. The polenta fries were awesome. Each steamy hot wedge was deep fried golden on the outside and filled with creamy polenta inside. I would pass on fish tacos which were rather disappointing. The taco shells were store bought taco shell. Shredded cooked salmon mixed with a chunks of white fish was rather underwhelming in terms of texture and taste. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
12/11/2008
Three reviews and no mention of the fish tacos? Those are what made this place what it is and they're amazing - a blue corn taco stuffed to bursting with fresh salmon and topped with a fruity, spicy salsa. It's messy and delicious, and goes perfectly with the smoked wild fish chowder. Oh, I'm getting hungry enough to jump on a ferry and drive for 3 to 4 hours, just to have one.
I'm sure everything else on the menu is just fine, but the fish tacos are what make Sobo a destination. -
Review from Larry M.
5/28/2011
While the setting is Euro-moderne and looks more like a cafeteria, the cuisine and service is top rate. We especially liked the bouillabaisse (Seafood stew).
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Review from Scout S.
8/31/2010
Start out with a fresh brewed ice tea served with some lime and a sprig of mint...or better yet a triple margarita with fresh squeezed lime! The polenta fries are a surprise and I fell in love with their fluffy middle and crispy outside...I hope to duplicate them in my own kitchen soon! The local fresh shrimp cake was so fresh, tasty and really creative...I saved some room because the blueberry pie and homemade ice cream was on my mind...boy I was happy that I did...Phenomenal! I also partook in a homemade peanut butter ice cream sandwich ...best I have ever had...this is a must go place when you visit Tofino!
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Review from Tim C.
Vancouver, BC
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing food and drinks!! The margarita hit the spot on my first day in town. Out of this world Brie and Pear Chutney pizza. Must revisit before heading back to mainland.
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Review from Pete S.
6/1/2010
for me, sobo is the epitome of value for money. you will walk out of this restaurant having spent $20 on a selection of amazing dishes and feeling totally satisfied with every penny you left inside.
the standouts on the menu:
- seafood chowder
- fish tacos
- buckwheat noodle salad
- flourless chocolate bomb
- polenta fries
the thing is, you really can't go wrong here. order a few dishes to share with your friends and everyone will have a blast. this is my favorite restaurant in tofino, hands down.Listed in: good coffee, surfing food
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Review from Tavis C.
Toronto, ON
12/18/2010
I will keep this brief: go here. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. I would agree with the majority of the reviews that cite the service as suspect. That said, the food... THE FOOD! It is nothing short of superb; furthermore, the prices are nothing short of reasonable. Straight up, Sobo was my favourite restaurant I visited in the area. The seafood chowder still haunts my dreams.
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Review from Gordon O.
9/1/2009 1 photo
Incredible food, weak service. Very nice but slow motion... No worries, just make sure you have time to enjoy the amazing food.
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Review from becca k.
10/20/2008
My tummy can be found at Sobo. the mushroom inari were amazing, as was the pumpkin and turnip soup and veggie pizza. Really, I'm still stunned.
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Review from Bill E.
3/28/2010
Um, the killer fish taco's are exactly that, KILLER! Have them with the salad and have some of the seafood chowder too! Then, when you leave, grab a molasses cookie to munch on as you walk down the street!
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Review from Tinella T.
Vancouver, BC
7/31/2009
Very nice restaurant. I loved atmosphere there, friendly staff and delicious food. We were there last week for dinner and had salmon, halibut and chicken. All were delicious. Then I wanted to try their special chocolate bomb cake, but I was already too full from the main course :) Next time :)
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Review from craig j.
10/15/2008
This placed was excellent (they over cooked my scallops in my opinion but my wife likes them that way so it is hard to ding them for it). The menu is cool and creative, everything is fresh, service is friendly and prices are excellent. The place is more like a cafe but don't let it fool you it is worth at least a lunch and dinner trip on your next holiday.
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Review from Rob C.
9/6/2009
Cool place with a laid back Tofino attitude. Menu featured all kinds of good things and great desserts. My family and I loved it.
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Review from Dr. K.
9/23/2009
Yummy food, especially given the limited options in this area. We had the fish chowder (which was smokey and delicious), the shrimp and crab cocktail (which was good but a bit overwhelmed by the gaspatcho it came with), and a crispy chicken taco, which was solid. Definitely stop by if you're in the area.
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Review from Jod L.
8/26/2008
one of the last of the hippie dippy breakfast & lunch places that thrived when Tofino was a real counter culture town-its in a shiney new spot, much more spiffy looking but the foods the same healthy, yummy cooking-breads, salads, sandwichs-its delicious and you don't feel ripped off
