Chain restaurants sometimes have unique names for their branches. For example, the curry chain "Go Go Curry" from Ishikawa Prefecture uses names like "~ Stadium" for their branches. The ramen chain "Tokyo Abura Soba Sogoten" also follows this trend, with branches being called "~ Group." This time, I visited "Tokyo Abura Soba Sogoten Uenogumi." Located near JR Ueno Station, the restaurant is on the first floor of a mixed-use building near the entrance of Ueno Okachimachi Chuo Street. Interestingly, the restroom is on the third floor. I purchased a meal ticket from the vending machine and chose the "Abura Soba" (double portion, tax included ¥880). The double portion (320g) is twice the regular portion (160g), and the price is the same for all sizes, including the medium portion (240g). The "Abura Soba" consists of thick noodles topped with chashu, menma, chopped nori, and chopped green onions. The long chashu slices are unique and resemble bacon in carbonara pasta. Mixing them is easier this way. The sauce is underneath the noodles, so you can add chili oil and vinegar to your preference, mix well, and enjoy. The noodles coated in the sauce are delicious. While I often eat ramen or tsukemen, abura soba is a less common choice for me, so it felt refreshing.

When in Kanto, I always crave for oil soba, especially from Tokyo Abura Soba. They always put a lot of onions and oil in it. I like to add mayonnaise and vinegar for extra flavor. Eating garlic makes it healthy, right? I just enjoy the meal without worrying about talking to people. It gives me stamina. Thank you for the delicious meal! #TokyoAburaSoba #OilSoba #GarlicIsImportant #MayoIsAMust #CoverWithVinegar

The small (160g), large (240g), and extra large (320g) sizes are all priced at 880 yen. It's a good deal. The taste is delicious. They have chili oil and vinegar at the counter, so you can add your preferred amount. The seating is only at the counter and the restaurant is small. It's a quick in-and-out kind of place. There are hangers for your clothes. The restaurant is clean. Since it's a ticket system, the process from ordering to leaving is smooth. It seems to be a popular spot as there was a short line. It's located very close to Ueno Marui. It's recommended for when you need a quick meal while in Ueno.

I had the oil soba as a finisher after drinking during the day, and it was really satisfying. I went around 9 pm on a Sunday and waited for about 10 minutes. I ordered the regular size of the special soy sauce broth (880 yen), and it was lighter than I expected, almost making me think I could handle a large size if I was in the mood. If I have another chance to drink in Ueno, I will definitely come back to have the soba as a finisher.

I went to Ueno Park for nighttime cherry blossom viewing and on the way back, I had oil noodles. I ordered the oil noodles with extra large serving and special toppings of green onions, sesame, half-cooked egg, and 2 slices of pork. The portion was so generous that I felt like even the regular large serving would have been enough. It was delicious and worth the price.

The restaurant has a long and narrow interior. The simple appearance is complemented by vinegar and chili oil to mix. The char siu was quite delicious. The noodles were smooth and had a good texture. Adding toppings quickly pushes the price over 1000 yen! It's an easy and casual dish to enjoy.

Tokyo Gyudon Gyu no Chikara, a beef bowl restaurant, has closed down and in its place is now a store specializing in oil soba. I accidentally ordered the regular size (880 yen) without realizing that the large size is the same price. The regular size portion was small and the toppings included chashu, menma, green onions, onions, and seaweed, which felt a bit lacking. Oil soba is just noodles with sauce, so 880 yen seems expensive. Individual oil soba shops usually have more toppings and offer a better deal. The menu is limited and it seems like the pricing is based on ordering a large size. I visited during lunchtime in Ueno where popular shops always have long lines, but this place was empty. This chain has 49 locations in Japan and 3 in Taiwan. I wonder how the salt content, calories, and cost compare to ramen.

I have visited about 4 times already. The combination of oil and soba is really good. It's delicious even without adding chili oil or vinegar. The thick chashu is very tender and tasty. And considering the price, I will definitely come back many more times. Just be careful because the spicy one is quite spicy. I will continue to visit in the future.

Do you know the difference between "maze-soba" and "abura-soba"? In abura-soba, you mix the noodles yourself with the sauce that has collected at the bottom! I ordered the basic abura-soba for 820 yen. There are paper aprons and hair ties next to the ticket machine, which is convenient. Abura-soba tends to splatter, so a paper apron is a must. I mixed it while it was hot as instructed. According to the explanation in the store, you should mix it and then sprinkle vinegar and chili oil before eating. It was a bit too oily for my taste, but when I added more vinegar, it surprisingly became refreshing and delicious. The basic toppings are bamboo shoots, green onions, chashu, and seaweed, which felt a bit lacking. It might have been better with a seasoned egg topping! I also saw a nearby customer order grated garlic to add to their noodles. Ah, adding garlic would probably make it even more delicious... By default, it doesn't come with garlic. The interior of the restaurant is narrow! There is a coat hanger, but no place to put your bag. So, I had to hang my bag on the hanger, making the aisle even narrower and making it difficult for people to pass by. If you have a lot of luggage, it would be impossible. Therefore, the comfort of the interior is a minus point.

When it comes to ramen in Tokyo, you have to try the oil soba. I ordered the normal one. As soon as it arrives, I sprinkle vinegar and chili oil on top and mix it well. You can also add finely chopped onions to your liking - I recommend adding plenty. This is a nice accent. Despite its name, oil soba doesn't have an unpleasant greasiness, it's actually very refreshing. Personally, I like to add more vinegar.

On a Wednesday in September in the 4th year of Reiwa, I had been drinking since noon and was feeling good. I was thinking of finishing with ramen, but before I knew it, I was in front of the station. I thought about going home, but then I found a restaurant. I was drawn into the restaurant as if by a magnet. I bought a ticket for the oil soba for 820 yen at the entrance and went inside. The food was served in about 10 minutes. The noodles were chewy straight noodles. I added vinegar and chili oil and mixed them myself. It had been a while since I had eaten oil soba, but it was interesting because I could adjust the seasoning to my liking. I finished eating and left the restaurant. I later found out that it is a popular restaurant with several locations. I was the only customer from start to finish.

Weekend, around 12:30 PM. Not crowded. Purchased meal ticket from the ticket machine. Chose regular size (160g) for 820 yen, Menma for 150 yen, and white negi for 100 yen. Added plenty of vinegar, a little spicy oil, and adjusted the flavor to my liking with table condiments. You can add as much chopped onions on the table as you want. This soy sauce-based oil noodles is a basic, safe flavor. Among various "soupless" options, this flavor suits me the best. The price is also reasonable.

Oil soba is not bad either... so I tried eating the oil soba at the Tokyo Abura Soba Sogoto Main Store in Ueno! It may be a bit late, but I used to deny eating oil soba... but I thought I had to try it to know for sure, so I went in. The regular oil soba is 800 yen, and with an additional topping (A topping) of 200 yen, the total is 1000 yen. The A topping includes a soft-boiled egg and something else. There are instructions on how to enjoy the meal at the counter, so I tried different ways of eating while following the instructions. The condiments available at the counter are vinegar, chili oil, spicy miso, onions, and pepper. First, I tried it without adding anything... it was quite delicious. Then, I added vinegar and chili oil twice, which was even better. Next, I tried the spicy miso, which made it quite spicy but still good. I added onions for health reasons from the beginning. Overall, the chashu, which tends to be overshadowed by the soup in ramen, was really delicious. The chewy texture of the noodles was good, and the way the sauce coated them was nice. However, while in ramen, there is a process of taking time to savor the soup, in oil soba, the main focus is on the soy sauce-based sauce, so I don't think it offers great value for money. I might want to eat it occasionally, but considering the value for money, I might just go for a delicious bowl of ramen instead...

A few 5-minute walk from Ueno Station is a chain ramen restaurant specializing in oil soba. Surprisingly, it was my first visit. I ordered the spicy miso oil soba and got the double portion. I think it was around 320g. Among the chain restaurants specializing in oil soba, this one ranks high in terms of taste.

On a regular night, I visited for the first time at 22:30. There was no wait, so I was seated at 22:31. The food arrived at 22:38. After a drinking party in Ueno, I was drawn to this place that had caught my eye. I bought the menu items from the ticket machine and sat at the only available counter seat. I handed the food ticket to the waiter. Despite the late hour, the location in front of the station was bustling with customers returning from drinking or work. The popularity of oil soba has definitely spread to the general public. The noodles were good, and the toppings were average. Overall, it was a typical franchise chain store with a convenient location for operating from noon until late at night.

Vinegar, chili oil, and creamy onsen tamago mixed together in a delicious oil soba dish at the reliable Tokyo Abura Soba main store in Ueno. We visited for dinner on a holiday evening and were able to enter easily due to the sparse crowd. We ordered the regular size oil soba and it arrived in about 7-8 minutes, with a generous serving of onsen tamago in the center and a sprinkle of green onions for color. There was no mayonnaise, so we added a little vinegar and chili oil, mixing it all together. The unique flavor of the oil soba, rich yet refreshing, was irresistible. Adding the onions provided on the table as a topping was also a delicious touch. This chain store has locations all over, but the consistent deliciousness and clean interior make it a recommended spot for a casual visit.

JR Ueno Station Hirokoji Station, exit and cross the central street, and you will find a narrow and tall tenant building on the 1st floor. The red neon sign of "油" is the landmark, and it stands out even more at night. Inside the store, there is a ticket vending machine on the right side near the entrance, and a long counter seat at the back. The menu offers only Abura Soba and Spicy Miso Abura Soba, with additional toppings available. - Abura Soba (January 19, 2022): Regular serving (160g), Large serving (240g), and Double serving (320g) are all priced the same. Mix the whole dish well to blend the sauce at the bottom. The noodles are slightly curly thick noodles with a chewy and elastic texture. The default soy sauce-based sauce may be a bit lacking in flavor. It is recommended to add plenty of chili oil and vinegar, which enhances the taste. The toppings include chashu, menma, green onions, chopped seaweed, and the chashu is cut into easy-to-eat strips. The free topping of chopped onions adds a refreshing spiciness and crunchy texture. It is said to have 2/3 of the calories and 1/2 of the salt compared to ramen, surprisingly healthy despite the word "oil" in its name. Bon appétit.

This is a shop located right next to the entrance of Ameyoko in front of Ueno Station. It's very close to the station. The interior of the shop is long and narrow, with only counter seats. There are about 12 seats inside. You purchase a meal ticket from the ticket machine right inside the shop. I had the regular size of abura soba (oil noodles). I mixed it well and added a round of vinegar from the table before eating. Abura soba is easy to eat, so I quickly finished it. It was delicious. It had the typical taste of abura soba, and it was a comforting flavor.

The oil soba restaurant in front of Ueno station offers a great deal with the same price for a large or double serving. It's nice that you can add unlimited onions on top of your bowl. The flavor is surprisingly not too strong, making it easy to eat. The location is convenient and they are open relatively late, so I definitely want to keep going there in the future.

This time, I visited this restaurant with a friend who had never tried abura soba before. We arrived around 9 pm on Saturday and luckily there were two seats available, so we were able to get in! The interior of the restaurant has a row of counter seats. I ordered the Abura Soba with special soy sauce dressing. I followed the instructions on a sign that said "delicious way to eat" and added vinegar and chili oil about three times before mixing it well and taking a bite. It was lighter than I expected and easy to eat! Usually, I struggle towards the end of abura soba, but this time I enjoyed it until the last bite. My friend, who was trying abura soba for the first time, was also satisfied! [Points] - Relatively light and easy to eat! - Plenty of condiments available!