Zoba Noodle Bar
1565 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL, 60201
Zoba Noodle Bar Menu
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Appetizers
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Soup
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Salads
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Entrees
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Zobas Homemade Noodles
Healthy Meal suggestions for Zoba Noodle Bar
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Appetizers
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Soup
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Salads
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Entrees
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Zobas Homemade Noodles
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Address :
1565 Sherman Ave
Evanston, IL, 60201 - Phone (847) 328-9622
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Sarah E.
We went to Zoba for the first time last night and were really surprised. The space seems to have had a run of restaurant failures, so we were skeptical to try out Zoba. After hearing good reviews from our neighbors, we went and were glad we did. The food is really good, the noodles wonderful, with lots of meats and veggies (Crazy Noodles). My fiance had the Tom Kar soup (with noodles) and it was equally delicious-a perfect balance of lemongrass, mushrooms, chicken and coconut cream. In response to the last reader who mentioned that the food isn't spicy enough, I agree and asked for a side of hot sauce. The waitress also mentioned that you can request your dish spicy and the cook will add chilies, which we will try next time. Our server was excellent and the dishes came fast (but not scarily fast like other thai restaurants which make you wonder how they prepared them so quickly!). The dishes are huge so come with a big appetite or leave with a doggie bag for the next day (re-heats well).
(5)Lela B.
I love the homemade noodles- never had that before for asian food. yes, the crazy noodles are great.
(4)Jon W.
My experience with their lunch special wasn't. The impatient and graceless service provided no enhancement to the ordinary thai noodle dish I ordered...and the room was not busy.
(2)Michael V.
Went to Zoba on a Friday afternoon with a few people from work. At 1 pm we were just about the only people at the restaurant, surprising given it's location smack dab downtown Evanston. Our waitress was very friendly and was helpful in answering a few of our questions about what dishes came with the homemade noodles. I don't recall the exact name, but I ended up getting some spicy chinese noodles with chicken. It was offered as a lunch special, which turned out to be a great deal! The portion size was still pretty generous and the total bill, with tax and tip, came out to $9. In this day and age, especially in the city (errr however you want to think of Evanston) that's hard to beat. The restaurant was bring and clean and the food hit the spot after a long 3 hour work meeting. Would do a work lunch here again soon!
(4)Sandeep G.
This is one place that beats all Tin Drum, P.F.Chang and Panda Express by a mile. Great food, great service and great price.
(4)Priya G.
I usually don't like Pad Thai, but Zoba's Pad Thair is delicious. Also the Thai Spicy Noodles is amazing!!
(5)Maya P.
Food was just okay. I had the sesame tofu and loved the texture but the sauce was sickeningly sweet and oddly orange. My friends pad see ew was delicious and I was jealous I didn't get that. The ambience is pretty cute but my cup was dirty and that grossed me out. I'd give it another shot but definitely wouldn't get what I got again.
(3)Jenny H.
I've always been a fan of Zoba Noodle. Granted, it may look a little dingy, and service isn't all that friendly, but the food is cheap, and good. I love zo's crazy noodles with chicken. It's 6.95 for lunch, and 7.95 for dinner (plus a 10% discount for Northwestern students). The Thai iced tea is good too. I actually get cravings for their noodles (I wonder if they use MSG....?). They're supposedly handmade, and they're delicious. I have tried a few other items on their menu, but I always go back to the crazy noodles, which are my absolute favorite. The portion is decent sized, and I usually have leftovers for the next day.
(4)Melanie R.
Ate here for the first time for lunch this past Sat (Nov 8). We had the chicken satay for an appetizer - the best part of this was the peanut dipping sauce. We were disappointed that this place doesn't have spring rolls. I had the Pad Thai with chicken and it was just "OK". A little too sweet. My husband had the crazy noodles with beef, chicken, and shrimp. He was really disappointed that there were only two pieces of shrimp in the entire dish. And the dish was COLD. There was only one waitress for the whole place but she was efficient and polite. At the end of my meal, I went to use the washroom and the waitress ran in front of me and said she had to check the toilet first - that someone had told her it wasn't flushing. She went in and checked it, came back out and said it was OK. The washroom itself was a little dirty and smelly, which was really off-putting considering that they say you can tell the cleanliness of a restaurant's kitchen by its bathroom. We won't be eating here again. There's gotta be better Thai restaurants in Evanston.
(2)Jane W.
There are so many of these generic asian places in Evanston (Zoba, Cozy, Joy Yees, etc.). Not used to having places like this back at home, so they all kind of blend in with each other after a while. Been here a few times, everything is okay. Food is average (portions are okay, quality is decent, flavors are whatever), service is polite but can be slow, interior is clean but not memorable. During my most recent visit I got the Tom Yum soup with udon noodles and seafood. Flavors weren't bad but the seafood tasted like it was frozen and not of the best quality (overly chewy calamari, one sad looking piece of scallop, a mussel that kind of crumbled in my mouth). It is BYOB which is cool, but so are many other places in this area.
(3)Sharon C.
I went yesterday for their first hot pot day with a 40% off coupon, which made the meal super affordable (about $7.50 a person). It was easy to make a reservation, but avoid asking too many questions on the phone - it was pretty difficult for me to make the lady on the phone understand what I was saying. We ordered the combination set, with extra enoki mushrooms, bok choy, udon noodles, sliced pork and taro. We also tried the spicy broth and all eight sauces. I did like the combination set, but they forgot a couple of the things that it was supposed to come with (scallops and chicken). We didn't notice until we started eating, so we didn't point it out. It was still a fair amount of food. The bok choy was a little limp, but still okay; the meat was pretty fresh. The spicy broth was really tasty. Of the sauces, I think the most interesting one was the wasabi sauce, which a lot of people at my table liked, even those who didn't like wasabi in general. If you're going for the real hot pot experience, the two more authentic sauces would be the XO sauce and the barbecue sauce. The hot pot bowl was also pretty small. The service was a little lacking; they were nice enough when you could get one of them, but at most times during our meal they weren't even in sight. It wasn't a particularly busy night, either, so I don't understand why. Halfway through the meal, though, they started coming by more frequently. I think they also failed to realize that we would need broth refills, so, when we asked, they started bringing it to us in a clear plastic water pitcher - kind of gross looking, to be honest. We were also seated next to the window, and there was kind of a draft - it was pretty cold.
(3)Juan T.
Ugh, pass on this one. My wife and I walked by this place and decided to try it one cold, rainy evening in Evanston a couple of months ago. We've both had our generous share of Thai food both in LA and in Thailand, so we know what to look for. There were maybe 4 other people in the entire restaurant, and service was still slow. We actually had to call into the back kitchen to get someone to seat us. We weren't terribly hungry, so we ordered two staples of Thai cuisine: the Tom Kha Gai soup and Pad Thai. Both were incredibly disappointing. The Tom Kha Gai was watery and not even in the least bit tart or spicy with a lot of ingredient substitutions that made it taste like a completely different dish altogether. The Pad Thai was bland and unseasoned, was pretty unappealing to the eye and seemed like an incomplete dish that was thrown together in a hurry. We didn't finish the food. Staff (though slow) is friendly but overall a disappointing culinary experience.
(2)Kerri P.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon - the menu was quite inclusive of different Asian cuisines, they had Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and more... dishes you'd expect to see. I had the Yaki Udon with chicken and it was actually very delicious and had a fair amount of vegetables in the dish. The dish had a char-grilled sort of flavor, and the sauce was very flavorful. The udon texture itself was not bad as well -- but I still wish I got the handmade noodles. Might be back for their lunch specials just to try their handmade noodles!
(4)Benison C.
I will never get oba Zoba They have the best and most affordable Thai food in the dirtyE. I usually get either the pad thai or crazy noodles with chicken or beef. The food is well-cooked and prepped, and the wait is never long. This place is also byob so I always get to sip on some o that good good while stuffing my face with more or less the same. The waitress there is very friendly and they also deliver which is on point. Place is great to bring friends with GET THE HOME MADE NOODLES. THEY ARE LIFE CHANGING
(4)Elizabeth P.
I really enjoyed this restaurant!! It was cute and pleasant. The staff was wonderful. The food was filling and fresh- not greasy. Not the best Thai, but if you like penny noodle, you'll like this place.
(4)Karen G.
My friend and I came here when it wasn't too crowded, and we had to wait 10-15 min for our food, which is understandable since everything is freshly cooked. But keep that in mind if you're starving. I had the seafood noodles with gravy which was on the chef's recommendations part of the menu, but it was honestly just okay. The dish was 40% noodles (which were big and crispy - I didn't expect that), 40% veggie (of which 60% was carrot... Really?) and 20% seafood. Not the best.
(3)Kira V.
Really great noodles but I have to tell you that the salmon on my pad Thai was cooked to perfection. Skin and all just the way it should be. The soft shell crab was also delish and don't forget the Thai coffee!
(4)Brooke L.
I've had their food multiple times during dinner, delivered, and it was decent. Today my boyfriend and I decided to go for lunch. I got the lunch special Pad Thai with shrimp. The shrimp tasted as if they nuked it in the microwave, very chewy and rubbery and fishy tasting. The Pad Thai was so sweet it was on the verge of un edible. I've had that dish in the past here and it wasn't as bad as it was today. The waitress forgetting one of our drinks and brought us fried dumpling instead of steamed, I wasn't to upset about that, everyone has a day, but the food was over all not good for lunch. Maybe I'd order delivery in the future for dinner again, but it taste much fresher at night.
(3)Liza P.
The atmosphere here is nice and clean, and the food is great. I've also ordered from here, and they deliver pretty quickly. I'd recommend the Crazy Noodles.
(4)Al O.
Food is tasty and reasonably priced. Service is good and the place is clean and uniquely decorated (I guess this includes the copious amounts of leopard print duct tape holding the seat cushions together.) It's not the finest authentic Asian cuisine, but it's a nice casual lunch/dinner spot.
(4)Manoje P.
Padthai is so good. The taste, particularly the shrimp, is authentic. As someone from Thailand, I recommend it
(4)Anna S.
I love their crazy noodles! The fresh noodles are amazing. A great quieter restaurant during the week. They also deliver a lot faster than the other noodle restaurants in Evanston.
(4)Sophers M.
This place isn't great. Their ramen doesn't use traditional Japanese ramen noodles and is more like udon than anything else. The broth was not very flavorful, either. The restaurant itself smells strange, and I found a small gnat in my food, which was displeasing. Would not go back.
(2)Ashley J.
Literally the worst sesame chicken I've ever had. First of all, I asked for it to be "hot" on the drop-down menu, and it came out bland and sweet, no spice at all. Second, the portion was pretty small. Lots of watery sauce and little flavor. Never going again. Seriously, don't ignore this review -- it wasn't good. Noodles may be another story.
(1)Daphne L.
Had lunch for the first time today at Zoba, overall it was enjoyable. The service was good, very quick turnaround, and affordable lunch specials. The noodles are homemade, and, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed them, and could absolutely tell the difference. Rumor has it that the tom yum soup is to DIE for, so I'll make a return visit and report back.
(3)Julia N.
Zoba gets points for accommodating our large group. The food, however, was just ... meh. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, as usual, and was disappointed by the overwhelming sweetness of the dish (not even a hint of the deliciously tangy tamarind!) My leftovers were extremely suspicious; the whole dish had a strong mayonnaise-like flavor to it.
(2)Sarah A.
This place is one of my favorite spots in Evanston. For me it ranks high because of the service, the coffee, and mini-appetizers during lunch. Things you cannot miss: Crazy noodles, Crab Rangoon, Thai Iced Coffee, Mango Sticky Rice Dessert. I've had a bad dish here once. I think it was some sort of stir fry. (Knocked down a star for that and some of their generic dishes). I wouldn't recommend anything other than the crazy noodles or rama tofu (sweet peanut sauce and tofu with a side of broccoli). The salads and side dishes are good, but no surprises there. Stick with what they do best in my opinion. My boyfriend does not like noodles, but he likes the noodles at this place. Also, this place has the best thai iced coffee in the area, which for a coffee-lover like me heavily sways my decision for a meal. The crab rangoon isn't like the typical ones available at joy yee's or thai sookdee. These are lighter and not overly fried. For lunch they have those $1 mini-appetizers which give you 2 pieces of gyoza, tofu or crab rangoon, so it's nice to have that and not get the whole appetizer just for myself. I tend to crave the mango sticky rice dessert once in a while, so it's nice to have it available in a place where I also enjoy so many other things. As for the service, I've only had great experiences. The owner knows what I usually order and is friendly.
(4)Arin W.
This place used to be really good, but it's gone dramatically down hill. My sesame chicken was soupy and the chicken didn't have breading. To be fair the bird's nest rolls were really tasty.
(2)Joshua N.
It took me a really long time to try Zoba, but I finally made it in. The menu is a pretty large selection of noodle dishes with Thai and Japanese inspiration. I had the pad see ewe with house made noodles and some crab rangoons. The house noodles were fantastic. They definitely help set Zoba apart in the sea of Evanston Thai places. If nothing else, they're worth the dollar up-charge. It was extremely quiet inside and they were playing some Eagles acoustic stuff in the background. The liveliest thing in the restaurant was the tank of goldfish next to our booth. So I guess if you are looking for a peaceful meal out on a Friday night, this is your place.
(3)Thom B.
Always a solid choice. VERY nice staff and good food. I recommend the Mongolian Chicken.
(5)Yanyao N.
This place is weird. It took me a long time to come in here. I was hesitant. I mean, when they took over the closed Viva La Crepe space, they didn't even change the sign completely. If you inspect closely, you'll see a little French chef sauteing the words "Zoba Noodle Bar" in a pan. Not good. But, being a noodle monster, we eventually made it in on a cold Friday night. There was one other table dining in there and our server was a little awkward. I did get sat in a booth next to a tiny fish tank though! That was fun. I made faces at gold fish during the meal. Good lord was it quiet in there. The whole "selling point" of this place is that they have homemade noodles. I like that. However, you have to pay an extra $1 if you want them to use those noodles in your dish -- why not just use them and don't buy other noodles? Weird. J really likes the homemade noodles when he had the pad see ewe. I ordered the awesome cold night fighting tom yum seafood NOODLE soup. 1) Tom yum soup rules. 2) Seafood rules. 3) Noodles rule (the most). I was so happy to see my bowl come out! Holy moly! So many pieces of seafood in there! But as I pushed my chopsticks through my bowl, I did not discover any noodles (at a noodle bar? Hello?). At first we spotted what looked to be a few noodles, but they turned out to be onions. So, I had to ask for noodles and our server was nice about it but also awkward. At the end of our meal, I was full of noodles and happy. So, I did enjoy the place. However, Zoba faces some fierce competition in Evanston (Thai Sookdee downstairs, Cozy Noodle down the street, Joy Yee down the street, etc etc) and will probably lose out most of the time. I did have a decent meal there and got to hang out with some gold fish though. Maybe on a lonely night I will return!
(3)Sandy N.
Honestly, I really wanted to keep loving Zoba. Their pad thai was addicting, and the service was really great. Now, though, their portions are really small and they don't really seem to care how it comes out anymore. The shumai looks like it came from the freezer section, and the pieces were tiny.. the dish was $4.95. Really? $1 each?The last time I came, the tofu had gone bad. This time it was a bit sour as well. The lack of attention to detail is really disappointing. I don't think I'll be back.
(2)Charley C.
Well Prepared - Cooked Right - Served Beautifully - Little Details taken care of - and EXTREMEly friendly and attentive staff. I gotta say there are a lot of choices in Evanston, a lot of very good choices. And I keep coming back to Zoba. Thai noodles one night and ginger chicken another and both had wonderful subtle flavors with the noodles and vegetables cooked to perfection, Tasty, not overdone - just perfect. there are real clean your bowl and want to like the plate dishes. I also had the sesame chicken dumpling and again beautiful presentation, sauce and I guess I want to go back again after writing this review!
(5)Marissa O.
We love Zoba! Service is GREAT! Very friendly and personable. Food is quick The food is probably our favorite in Evanston. Especially for the price! Get the Panang curry!!
(4)Katie T.
I went to Zoba Noodle Bar for the second time last night with my family and will have to reiterate the recommendation to not go wrong and get noodles versus the other things on the menu. The first time I had gotten their crazy noodles and really enjoyed them. This time, I decided to branch out and get the red curry with softshell crab which was more disappointing/smaller portion than I would have liked. The softshell crab also had more fry mix than crab so that was disappointing as well. I did try the other things that my family got (most of them noodle) and think they have a really good pad thai. If possible, try the homemade noodles; they're very very good and only a dollar more for a unique experience to Zoba.
(3)Sara L.
It's only getting this many stars at all because the food and the Thai iced tea were really good - other than that - less than satisfied. For a place that doesn't offer pork as a meat option and up-charges the beef (really? who does that?) - you might actually want to give some to your customers. I paid almost $9 for Panang curry beef and the container was barely a quarter full of food. Like I said, it was good food, just not enough for the price. A $15 minimum, plus a delivery fee, plus paying extra for beef and barely getting any? Never again.
(2)Michelle Y.
Zoba's selling point is that they offer homemade noodles, but I have to scratch my head at the notion that the base menu offering for noodle dishes contains packaged/dried noodles with the option to 'upgrade' to Zoba's noodles for a buck more. Why not just offer only homemade noodles if noodles is precisely what your restaurant is all about?? Ordered the crazy noodles and I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt that these noodles were not homemade (actually, there isn't even a homemade upgrade option on this dish) because they were overcooked and somewhat mealy. The sauce was a thin soy-sauce concoction with flavors that were underdeveloped and didn't quite mix together. My friends' dishes were similar. I know, I know, it's a cheap thai noodle place in Evanston. I'm not asking for miracles here, but I will say this is probably my least favorite thai place of the 67 other thai restaurants located within a mile radius. 2 stars for not being inedible and offering BYOB.
(2)Stacy T.
My first experience with Zoba, we had ordered through Grubhub, and part of our order was missing. By the time we realized, it was late. I called and told them about it and they were totally apologetic, and offered to give us a credit for next time. The food was delicious. We decided to try again, and I called this time, giving my order over the phone. I was really impressed that when I mentioned the credit, she found my name and the amount of the credit right away. There was no hesitation. I really appreciate it Zoba! Good customer service is rare these days.
(4)Kit G.
A cute BYOB in downtown Evanston that is also open for lunch. Their noodles are homemade, which sets Zoba apart from the other Asian restaurants in Evanston. They deliver, but charge a $3 fee, or you can pick up - but the take out minimum is $15 which is slightly obnoxious if you just want to order lunch for 1. The restaurant itself is cute. It is casual, but nice, with cosy booths. I ordered the sesame chicken dumplings and pad thai. The pad thai had a tiny slice of beet in the shape of a heart on top. Cutest thing ever. The pad thai was pretty good.
(3)Feisty E.
I love it. I really can't figure out why it's so often empty - the food rocks, and it's cheap. Clean, cozy, lots of booths, spread out, no waiting or get poked in the ribs struggling for space like many other *fusion* places have you do. We've gotten a green curry few times, crazy noodle few times, rangoon and the coconut flavored (it's not sweet, no worries) soup with chicken. Found everything fresh and delectable. Crazy noodle came jam-packed with proteins (we got a combo) and veggies - and the homemade noodles are just perfect. Mildly flavored but has some complexity. You can get a noodle dish and a large soup bowl, which is plenty for two- just $16-18 before tip. Piping hot and yummy. We were mildly embarassed because last time we cleaned *every* crumb off the plate aside from a couple of shrimp tales... but after the gym, we were starving and just tearing into stuff like mad people. Hopefully it was a testament to the quality and a compliment to the cook. We'll definitely come back for dinner - had a few lunches there so far. Also, the service is very quick and attentive without being annoying. Highly recommend it. Great eats for a cold or rainy day, especially. I want to mention that Zoba is so much better then Lulu's across the street... the latter was a huge let-down. $40 lunch (two entrees and one app), very mediocre in every way. Very bready mandu, weird dipping sauce, gristly meat in kalbi. I'm all about value so when walking by Lulu's, I feel like holding up a sign saying "You've been pawned! Better everything across the street!" But I just snicker instead. I guess Lulu is good for kids, see lots on weekends mid-day. Oh yeah.. go Zoba! ########## Sorry, took one star away... on a last visit one of dishes (crazy noodle) arrived cold/room temperature. Where they busy? Nope. In fact, we were the only ones in the shop. I still like Zoba... just not as much.
(3)Timi C.
I only had their delivered noodles. The portion was on the small side, but tasty. Not really worth the price. My friend's steamed dumplings were small and overpriced.
(3)Ju L.
Came here on a hot day for a light dinner. Got the spicy noodle salad (expecting something small, cool, and light, especially because it was the cheapest thing on the menu at $6), and was surprised that it was a heavily sauced and decently spicy heap of warm noodles on lettuce leaves. It was supposedly made with homemade noodles but the noodles themselves were not notable. Still, it was spicy and it was noodley, so I devoured it happily. The appetizer sampler which a friend got was 8 pieces of generic fried American-Asian food: eggrolls, fried shrimp, DEEP-FRIED shumai (WTF? who does that?), and the ever-present offender, crab rangoon-- not worth his $9. But another friend's cucumber salad was adorably presented (curls and curls of beautiful green cucumber!). The entire place was empty when we went, though the decor was adorable and the open-air seating was a nice touch. But this is very much a "noodle bar"-- meaning, they probably have all the sauces pre-made and then just hurl them with whatever form of starch you order, flash-boiled. And for that I'd rather go to Noodles&Co on Church. For real Thai noodle dishes with some more composition, I prefer Cozy Noodles on Davis. A-OK indeed, and service was friendly, but I don't expect this place to stick around for too long.
(3)Ehow C.
Nice service staff, good seating. They probably have the Tom Kha soup I've had in Chicagoland (still not #1), and their noodle dishes are very consistently good. My recommendation: Zo's Crazy Noodles
(4)Mrs. K.
Immediately after noticing the lack of patrons at Zoba's, I was distracted by the loud sound of water running into the fish tank. I don't think I'm over-reacting about this. It was quite loud. Maybe if there were more people talking and eating, it would blend in with the white noise. When we dined here, it was hard to hear myself think. Granted, it was a weeknight... The menu was nothing special. I ordered the Pad Thai since nothing else seemed appealing, although homemade noodles sounded delish. It was okay; nothing to write home about. The promise of homemade noodles left something to be desired. Another turn off was the plastic cups we used for water. I'm pretty sure my grandma had the same ones in 1993. I used to drink Kool-Aid from those cups until I got sick. Overall, I could take it or leave it.
(2)Larah K.
Homemade noodles + BYOB. Enough said. Their yaki soba is the best I've had. Delicious enough to prompt frequent drives to Evanston all the way from my home (downtown). The waitresses there are so sweet and personable, and they'll even remember your name. Open a downtown location! I, alone, could keep you in business. :)
(5)Manny S.
Overall, just good food. I'd rather not use the trite phrase that there are hits and misses, but rather there's outstanding and not bad. I'll admit that I've had some better Tom Kha at other places but the one thing that sets themselves apart from other Asian noodle joints is the homemade noodles. The service is above average and good prices for the quality and quantity that you good. This place exemplifies the heart & soul of what makes the independent restaurants in Evanston well-known. Please support places like this over restaurant chains that are bleeding into downtown Evanston.
(4)Jill J.
I ordered crazy noodle today, it tasted pretty good, it's definitely a Thai style noodle place. Then I noticed everyone here liked their Pad Thai, that further confirmed my original idea. So I think it's pretty safe to order their other Thai dishes too, I will test them out next time!
(4)David R.
Zoba is relatively new and hasn't seemed to find its feet yet. I've eaten once in the dining room and once for takeout, and had vastly different experiences. Neither visit have they had any other customers; I wonder if they will be open long. When I ate in, the service was warm and attentive, almost obsequious. Last Thursday for takeout, the lone clerk was indifferent and couldn't answer my question about a dish on their specials menu. I would place the thai ginger, pad thai, spicy basil, and cucumber salad all in the B range. The salad lacks onions, which is a disappointment. The shrimp roll appetizer is the best dish that I've tried so far: five shrimp fried in a light, not greasy, wrapper and served with a great tangy sauce. Zoba features homemade noodles for a dollar. I got these with my pad thai, and I'm not sure that they are worth it. I could tell that they were different, but the dish wasn't improved by their presence. Unfortunately for Zoba, there are better Thai/noodle options in Evanston.
(3)Sandeep P.
If you're looking for noodles in Evanston, don't look further than Zoba's. That's a tall statement, with Joy Yees, Ruby of Siam, and countless other Asian restaurants nearby, but Zoba's simply takes the cake with their homemade noodles. And yes, those noodles are as good as they sound like! I am a big fan of Asian cuisine, and Zoba's meets all my criteria for a great restaurant. They make you feel right at home from the moment you walk in, there's always prompt service (I've come here before when I'm in a rush but need something substantial to keep me going), and the food is to die for. I personally love the Crazy Noodles with Chicken, but friends have loved everything from the orange chicken to crab rangoon. It speaks volumes about a restaurant that every time I bring a friend here, they become lifelong customers. How do I know this? The restaurant owners recognize me and greet me! On top of all this, Zoba's is very affordable- usually 8.95 for a chicken noodle entree. If you're a student, they'll also take off 10% if you show them your Wildcard. What more can you ask for? One tip: the lunch portions are the same size, yet cost a dollar less. A great deal for lunch if you ask me.
(5)Bryan W.
Super nice owner and the best Crab Rangoon around. We wanted to try this place on 4th of July but like the rest of the world they shut down for the fireworks and what have you. So we went there yesterday and it was really good. The noodles were yummy and they don't skimp on the portions. Plus they deliver throughout Chicago, which is perfect for the next time I want some noodle lunch or dinner, but don't feel like going out.
(5)Lara M.
A couple weeks ago I would have definitely given Zoba's 5 stars but after their last performance a docking is in order. Usually, Zoba's can be counted on for delicious, and from the looks of it widely acclaimed, home made noodles. They are quick to deliver to my area and they are pretty affordable. The downside for me was that the last time I ordered from Zoba's, my meal tasted down right over cooked. Even my home made noodles were bland and mushy. The egg in my Pad Siew was tough and the beef was mealy. It was extremely disappointing. I will give them another chance though because I am at heart an optimist and they have come through for me so many times before.
(4)Ann J.
Ate here on Friday night and we were looking for inexpensive Asian. We've lived in Evanston for 13 years and have tried 90% of the Asian restaurants in town. Wanted to try the homemade noodles. I got the pad thai chicken (which I order any place that has it, to be able to make comparisons), and my husband got the crazy noodles. We both loved our dishes. The homemade noodles lifted both dishes, and the other ingredients were fresh. The dishes were seasoned perfectly and had the right amount of sauce (not too dry, not too wet). The restaurant was clean and tastefully decorated. There were five other tables with diners, so it was not super busy. Parking is a little challenging, but normal for downtown Evanston. (Located next to Pete Miller's.) Staff was prompt and friendly. Food was prompt and hot. I have been craving them since, which is a good sign. They have moved up into my #1 spot for pad thai in Evanston. My husband and I didn't order drinks, the tab for both dishes came in at $20. We'll be back and will be referring it to friends.
(5)Dee W.
My husband and I came by here for lunch one day and we were seated right away. Their decor is very friendly and warm. We opted for the noodle soup and were very sad to find out that the steak tataki was already out for the day. We were surprised when our dish came dry (soup usually means that it's wet at least or in some sort of broth) - the waitor apologized profusely and even gave us a free noodle appetizer on the house. The noodles are really good - the homemade taste is great. The soup was perfect for the cold rainy day and definitely hit the spot. I recently discovered that you can also pick up gift certificates from restaurant.com for here, as well. We'll be back again to use our new gift certificate and the hubby will be taking advantage of the BYOB policy!
(3)Lindley E.
While I love the idea of fresh, house-made noodles, this place was nothing short of a disappointment. Don't bother stopping in unless you live in Evanston, and even that, I warn you, is an iffy proposition. I really couldn't figure out what it was trying to be. Pan-Asian panderer? High concept, low labor franchise opportunity? The menu is all over the place. There's no vision in particular except sauce+home made noodles. And you pick the sauce (or broth). And sauce (or broth) could be from anywhere, though there's a strong Thai feel to many of the choices. Essentially it is the neighborhood Asian joint that hasn't yet placed a stake in the ground in terms of identity. It is neither authentic nor interesting. And that's middle ground that no restaurant should occupy. Nothing special here, folks. Move on, move on.
(2)Chris R.
We went here a few weeks back and it is time to review it. As mention before, my wife and I just moved here from Tokyo and traveled throughout Asia. In terms of ambiance and service it is quite good, although I was shocked that they did not have mustard (chinese hot kind) to put on their shu mai. That is the normal way to eat them in Asia. The Tom Yum Kun soup was way to sweet as well, i think they used ketchup in it for coloring / flavor, but it is the wrong flavor. Lastly, my wife has a very sensative stomach for MSG and she has one of her worst reactions ever after eating there. I have the distinct feeling their broths are loaded with MSG.
(2)Jesster A.
While our experience was closer to Lindley's than the other reviews - the food (what we ordered anyway - and I can't even recall what that was!) was mostly lackluster - though the servers were stellar. However, based on the other reviews (especially Dee W.'s - as she's NEVER led us astray) and since we do love homemade noodles and we do live in Evanston - we will definitely give these nice people another chance (and this time try the CRAZY Noodles and one of the sauces that Lainie P. recommends. I'll keep you posted!
(3)Lainie P.
One my favorite new discoveries. The homemade noodles really make a difference in what would otherwise be a standard noodle bar menu. These noodles are fabulous: Firm yet also tender and elastic. I've tried the noodles in their "spicy" sauce, a panang curry, a creamy peanut sauce, as well as a spicy basil sauce. I actually prefer the lighter basil and spicy sauces, as they showcase the noodles better. Dinner portions are huge: I typically get 3 meals out of each order. Keep in mind that not every dish is made with homemade noodles. If in doubt, ask your server. Parents: They do cater to kids here, and even have a dish of plain homemade noodles, which will likely make even finicky eaters happy. Good thai ice coffee and tea, hip decor, and super friendly staff. Strongly recommended.
(4)Taylor M.
A nice, surprising find. Good stuff. I forget that it is there, but I enjoy it every time that I have been.
(4)Aamer G.
This place is Amazing! I Ive been twice and intend on becoming a regular here. The staff is awesome, very friendly and accommodating (good with substitutions). The restaurant is relatively new thus very clean. The food was really good, I highly recommend the homemade noodles.. (Zo's Crazy noodle). Drinks... Alcohol- BYOB For the non alcoholic drinks, the Japanese 7 up was something different and quite nice! I also recommend the Ice green tea.
(5)jeverr w.
Five things i love about Zoba Noodle Bar 1 the location in evanston il is closeby 2 the big friendly smiles of the staff :) 3 the decor of warm colors and interesting art on the walls ( ask to see "Chop sticks" i) 4 interesting menu and comfy seating not crowded at all 5 the food ! it was not too spicy !
(3)M R.
Nice little place a little out of the heart of downtown but it is worth it.
(4)Katie F.
Zoba is by far my favorite noodle place in Evanston -- and there are quite a few of them. I have never had bad food here, and the service is always quick and friendly. The place itself is cute, clean, and quiet. I always get the same thing here: Crispy Chicken Teriyaki Noodle. And it's always delicious. Though, I will say, sometimes it is slightly better than others. Their recipe seems to change a lot. Always good, though. I've also had the crab rangoon here and it is tasty. A little bit too peppery sometimes, but still good for crab rangoon. The portions here are very reasonable -- as a petite woman, I can finish a whole entree but I'm never leaving hungry.
(4)Ann C.
I have some friends that love Zoba, but I just don't understand it. I ordered the Udon and I've had better cup noodles. Seriously, it had green beans in it. Gross gross gross groooooosssss
(1)Mike T.
This noodle bar is a great place to dine if you have a craving for homemade ramen and other noodles. We've tried a variety of things on the menu, such as curry fried rice, udon, chicken curry, thai noodles, and they are all pretty good. The portions are medium size, not too much food, and the ingredients do taste fresh. I also had a chance to try Japanese sprite for the first time here, which was good. It is a nice place for a relaxing Sunday lunch with the windows open in the summer time.
(4)Rana H.
Just tried it for the first time for lunch today. Walked in and they were super friendly and had free wi-fii. I ordered the $1 crab rangoon appetizer and it was DELICIOUS! I love crab rangoon but this was by far the best, with a light and crispy outer layer (as opposed to the usual thicker crisps) and the inside was amazing with a perfect hint of garlic (that I don't usually taste in crab rangoon). The house noodles are wheat, egg noodles and also amazing. 5 stars, and I'll definitely be going back.
(5)Uyi O.
I was craving Thai food...something spicy with rice. That's just what I got. Spicy Basil Fried Rice, and Tom Kha soup on the side. Adding the extra hot sauce to my fried rice made a perfect combination for my taste. I ordered a take-out, but the place looks nice and clean. The portions may not be as much as you would expect for the price, although the food tastes good.
(5)Team B.
We went there when it first opened, and were not very impressed (thin curry that dripped off the noodles). At a neighbor's recommendation, we gave them another chance. Fun and tasty! They seemed to have worked out the kinks and have excellent food and service now.
(5)Lisa F.
Amazing! I love this place. The food is perfectly executed with fresh ingredients of high quality. Did you notice they make their own noodles?! The owners are super nice and welcoming. The decor is very fun and bright. My fiancé and i go at least once a week. It's truely one of the best pan Asian places we have found in any major city.
(5)Jade T.
3.5 Stars Zoba Noodle Bar is more of a Thai restaurant, but it definitely has its Pan-Asian influences. There are other, more authentic Thai restaurants in Evanston, but I decided to dine there for the first time today for lunch. I had an immense craving for Pad Kee Mao aka Drunken Noodles - a popular spicy and garlicky Thai noodle dish. Zoba has very affordable lunch specials, and Crazy Noodle (same name for Drunken Noodles) is one of their lunch special options. It was $6.95 for the dish with tofu or chicken (bleh). No, it doesn't include an appetizer, but the lunch portions are huge. I actually enjoyed my Crazy Noodle, despite the fact the noodles were soft and ramen-like, not wide and flat like the authentic recipe calls for. My only complaint was the greasiness and meager amount of vegetables. Nevertheless, my dish was delicious and the homemade noodles made it more unique. It wasn't spectacular, but it certainly satisfied my appetite and the price was easy on my wallet.
(4)Chris M.
I might be the only one to not like their homemade noodles. Maybe mine weren't cooked right, but I got some real mushy noodles. The wonton soup was amazing, best so far I've had in the neighborhood. Veg was fresh and not overcooked, same with my chicken, kudos to you guys. I'll try their homecooked noodles again because maybe mine were just from a bad batch.
(3)Natasha M.
This place is apparently quite popular. When people made reservation here, it's like 25 people party. It was pretty crazy. When you come in at 8pm on a Friday it's completely full. I personally think the portion is way too little, so little that the food only fills the little whole in the middle of a deep plate (like a soup). The taste is rally salty for the most part, but is still considered delicious. The only problem I had with them is the speed. It took like 30 min for a tiny dish to come out, so I felt extra-disappointed when I saw the tiny amount of food. For the same price, you will get a much bigger dish in other similar Thai restaurants. For some reason, this place gives you a happy ambiance, great for groups. Someday when I not that hungry, I will go back.
(3)Brad F.
We ordered delivery from them based on some other Yelp reviews and were not disappointed. All four of our dishes were flavorful and packed with crunchy veggies and tender meat. The crab rangoon (one of my litmus tests for Asian food) was crisp, creamy, and not at all greasy. Next time we're in downtown Evanston and thinking Asian, we're going to be torn between Lulu's and Zoba's. N.B. - Often you end up with a second meal of leftovers with Asian food, meaning the original portion was really a double. Zoba's portions are more like 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 sized. You look at it and know it's more than one serving, but you think you can still do it since it's not quite two, and you end up quite full . . . but so happy, too.
(5)David B.
Glad I finally checked this place out. Good food, good service and pretty reasonable prices. I just wish they had more outdoor seating!
(3)Marina M.
I tried Zoba for lunch the other day. Nice space and the Yaki Udon was awesome! Great flavor and the noodles were perfect. I think I might have a new favorite place to get noodles in Evanston.
(4)Tina L.
I wasn't really expecting much, but I was impressed. I ordered the Thai Style Spicy Noodle with chicken from the Chef Recommendation card. It was pretty spicy! I really liked it. I also liked that it was made w/ground chicken and not chicken breast slices or chunks. I would return.
(4)Tan S.
I've been to the other noodle places in the area and this is hands down the best. They're not playing around when it comes to the food; it's damn good. I walked in and the restaurant was nice clean and comfortable. I'm not a huge noodle's guy because, to be honest, they all taste the same to me; not enough differentiation. It was not the case here, I had the pad thai and tom yum. I got it quick and courteously. My first taste and... THIS is how it should be! It was an awakening . After seeing so many places screw up these traditional thai plates this was like the first time REALLY having thai food. I mean, I guess tom yum and pad thai is a little mainstream; but its a good way of seeing what they can do, and it's a winner. I was taken back by the quality. There in house noodles really added to the already nice plate. The The portions were big enough for me and my friend to split a plate and still not finish all of it. I'm coming back here all the time; sorry noodles and company, better step it up.
(5)Robyn F.
This place is still fairly new and is finding its footing, so I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars to 3 stars. They're homemade noodles are delicious, but I find that they use too much sauce. Plus, my friends who have gone here say that the spicy dishes are not spicy enough. The level of spicyness caters to Western tastes and doesn't represent how spicy Thai food can really get. The rice dishes are pretty bad though. Stick to the noodles when you go here.
(3)Matt P.
I've eaten at a lot of Thai/Asian fusion places in my day but this is by far my favorite. I like their homemade noodles so much that every other Thai place that I used to go to in town is a bit of a letdown now. The only drawback is that they're all the way up in Evanston which causes me to eat there less than I would if they were to relocate/open up a new location in the city. Order the thai spicy noodles and you won't be sorry. I would eat here once a week if I could!
(5)Charles J.
The food is average - good bang for the buck though...the REAL bummer is the service, though I don't blame the ONE waitress trying to serve every table and get all the carryout orders out the door. After I ordered...it literally took 20 minutes to receive my food (and then the order was incorrect)...I would have sent it back but had to eat fast just so I could get back to work. I would try this place again if they would hire more staff (at least 1 more cook, server).
(2)Erin M.
One dish we had was great and one was not very good. I recommend the crazy noodles, but do not recommend the ginger beef noodles. It has a surprisingly nice sit-down atmosphere. I would definitely go back and try again.
(3)Noah M.
Solid place, very nice owners and wait staff. Lunch special is reasonably-priced. The best thing about this place is the HOMEMADE NOODLES. You can pretty much get any dish with the homemade noodles, and they are oh so good. Plus, this must be the only place in town that offers homemade noodle dishes for under $10. Crazy noodles is a very good dish to get the homemade noodles with.
(4)Ugo G.
I've ordered from here twice and both times my dishes were great. The food is fresh and nice. They understand how dishes can be made "vegetarian" and that is a big plus for me! I'll keep going here as long as the sun shines!
(5)Monica S.
If you want a quick fix of pad thai without leaving Evanston, Zoba serves a decent version; you can ask for extra peanuts on the side. But for excellent and authentic pad thai, I'd drive to Ruby of Siam in Skokie. Their tom kha soup is more diluted than I'd like, so I prefer Siam Paragon's. NU students, make sure to use your 10% Wildcard discount!
(3)Jim H.
Great food, I'm always satisfied with my meals here
(5)Mariam S.
We ordered chowmein and garlic chicken. It was alright. The delivery was fast though. Serving size was good as well. They are very reasonably priced. It's a perfect place when you are feeling lazy and rather just have some food delivery cheap and fast. But not one option when you are craving some authentic Chinese food.
(3)Christine K.
Zoba is your stereotypical noodle restaurant that serves mediocre food at a cheap price. They could do a better job of washing their produce and seafood, but I would go for Zoba over Thai Sookdee or Joy Yee's any day. The food tastes slightly less salty here than at both places. The tables feel sticky and service is slow and disappointing, but at least, you're not crammed into the tiny space (ex. Joy Yee's). If you're craving for something warm on a cold day, you can satisfy your cravings at Zoba with a bowl of noodles in hot broth.
(3)Travis L.
Zoba is where you go when you're missing something Asian that hasn't been white washed by the vanilla palette of the Midwest. (before you get all but hurt, 1. You know it's true 2. I grew up here) Anyways, it is not the best noodle bar I've been to, if you are wondering, check out Xi'an Famous Foods nyc. As I was saying, while mos def not the best but still a solid choice. I've been here a couple of times and the dishes are good enough to keep me coming back. Also, we seem to be seated quickly, maybe cause we always come on the later side but regardless, the service is always great.
(3)Anne M.
A friend and I recently got our noodle on at Zoba. It was a quiet Sunday, and toward the end of the meal we had the entire restaurant to ourselves. We split the crab rangoon (can this ever be bad? I don't think so), and two homemade noodle dishes: red curry noodles (spicy, good flavor), and the orange chicken noodles (light, watery sauce - weak flavor). The orange sauce was just not cutting it. Combining the curry WITH the orange noodles seemed to be the way to go... Prices were fair and the service was quick. Decent place for a low key noodle-y meal.
(3)Anya A.
Went here for lunch and loved it! Delicious homemade noodles, wide variety of dishes, quick service, and reasonable price. I will definitely be back!
(4)Ray E.
I give it a "Mehhh +" as an overall score. I got delivery during the day on a week day. Potstickers and Pad Thai. Potstickers were small, a tad overcooked, and a bit empty for my liking. Plus, their menu listing said sesame sauce and I got soy. Pad Thai had a decent flavor, but I wish there was more of it- more flavor and more of the pad thai. Smallish portion size for my liking!
(3)Rowena L.
I've been to Zoba a couple times over the years and just went again last night. For me the food just doesn't cut it. Everything I've had was sub-par. The Tom Yum soup made me sick once, I still don't know what they put in my bird's nest roll, and my Crazy Noodles weren't spicy at all. The portion sizes here are also much smaller here than other noodle places in Evanston. And if you advertise your homemade noodles, why isn't it already included in the prices? Why would you require patrons to upgrade? The place is BYOB though and usually less crowded than Cozy so if you have a big group and can't get in over there, I guess this works too.
(2)Mink L.
A chalkboard filled with pictures of hot pots caught my attention as I was walking by to the Argo tea to meet a friend. There were a couple of people sitting by the window eating from a giant pot. I was little hungry so when my long time friend asked where I wanted to go, the pics and the smiling faces made me want to go in. When we were inside, we were seated immediately. It seemed as though there was only one server . Two tables were in the dining room and one had just left. When we were seated, we immediately saw a menu of hot pot items and then a pretty worn menu of what seemed to be a fast food Thai restaurant. Since we were really interested in the hot pots, we started asking the server questions about the menu. She had no idea what to say about the sauces. We asked the difference between the spicy Szechuan and the spicy zoba and she just said it s spicy. What is Hokkaido and she said that s not spicy. What is milky and she just said its milky but not milky. What is clear and of course she says ,"it s not spicy but clear." About 5-6 different broths to choose from, 8 dipping sauces to choose from , vague descriptions and a server who had no idea how to explain. About ten minutes later, as my friend and I are trying to study the menu, a lady comes out and asks if we need some help. With relief, I start spewing out questions . She answers them and we finally order. We order the combination hot pot with two broths, spicy Szechuan and spicy zoba. Combination had beef,shrimp, pork, cabbage, squid, bok choy, cabbage, tofu packs, homemade zoba noodles, clams, and a mussel. We order watercress, shrimp balls, shrimp dumplings(which never made it out), and short ribs. Everything looked pretty fresh but spicy Szechuan was a little too spicy for us. When we the lady came out, and we told her she came out with a plastic pitcher and added more broth. Definitely need another type of pitcher for the broths. We tried the xo, mango wasabi(which looked like honey mustard and kinda tasted like it too), and two more I don't remember . Overall, it was an okay experience . I went to the restroom at the end and found that the restroom was pretty dirty. Representation of a clean kitchen in a restaurant is usually the bathrooms they say. Later on we found out the lady who came out was the owner. She was super nice and told us it was only their 5th day trying the hot pot menu. She was super nice and really wanted feedback from us where we did tell her a couple of things but could not tell her that the service from the server was a little lacking. So will we be back? Definitely. One more go! I think you should try it at least once. They are in the process of fixing things so that s a great sign. It is a fun date place although I wasn't on a date. Looking forward to having a date there soon. Cooking at a table together ... Always something to look forward to.
(3)Stephen A.
Zoba is one of my favorite places to eat in Evanston. Amongst the crowded Asian noodle market, Zoba is a standout for sure. Their prices are great, their noodles are delicious and the service is always fantastic (probably because it's usually so empty that they have nothing to do but constantly make sure I'm satisfied). I usually just stick with beef pad see ewe because it is so delicious. Hot sauce isn't hot but nice added flavor. Great for BYOB: they offer cups and will open your bottles of wine for you. Only negative I'd say is I would like their portions to be bigger.
(5)Sharon C.
Nice service and a good place for a big group of people. Hot pot is especially good. I also like its homemade noodles.
(4)