I was wowed by the non-alcohol drink menu, the delicious menu items and overall ambiance. I would only like there to be more lighting in the stairway to the bathrooms.
Nicole Schurhammer
First time trying ramen and it was delicious! Server checked on us multiple times throughout the night. Speakeasy vibes as it is darkly lit on the inside and looks sketchy on the outside.
Selkie Ocean
I had heard a lot of good things about this place, so I was excited to try it.
I ordered the ramen and two buns. Unfortunately, the ramen was quite oily, and the meat tasted... well, like Costco rotisserie chicken. From my point of view, it definitely wasn’t worth the price.
I also got two buns — one with tuna and one with mock duck. The seasoning was... interesting. I’d never had that flavor combination before, and to be honest, I didn’t enjoy either. Personally, I feel the filling needed a bolder flavor to balance out the plainness of the bun. As it was, I didn’t feel like taking a second bite.
I didn’t order a drink.
The atmosphere was unique — pretty dark inside, almost mysterious.
That said, the service was great.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place for the food.
dollface187
Looking for Sake made in Minnesota? Look no further than Moto-i. Came in to pregame before dinner, had two types of sake and their pickle jar. Service is always great, and if you are just going in for sake I highly recommend getting the pickle jar, it complements the sake. They have different types of sake, so depending on your palette, they should have something for you. You can also rent out the second level for small parties. Lastly, during the summer time their rooftop is open.
Please note that when you are looking for the place, look for the red lights outside and turn in. It is a place that you can walk by the entrance because it's hidden. Highly recommend.
Brenda Alonso
We had a birthday party at Moto-i on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year—and unfortunately, the AC was completely out. We weren’t told about this ahead of time, and only found out when we arrived. It was unbearably hot inside—everyone was sweating—and it completely ruined the experience.
We had a large group and fully expected gratuity to be included, but the service we received did not come close to justifying it. Our waitress was barely around. She didn’t check in on us, didn’t offer drink refills, and someone from our party actually ended up picking up plates and serving water because she was nowhere to be found. It was beyond disappointing, especially for what was supposed to be a special occasion.
There was no acknowledgment at all that we were celebrating a birthday—no gesture, no effort. And on top of that, the bill was wrong, and it took over 20 minutes just to get it sorted out. We ended up closing the party early because the conditions were so miserable.
We understand things happen, but the lack of communication, poor service, and zero effort to make the occasion feel even a little special was really frustrating. That 20% gratuity was absolutely not earned.
Bike Life
Food is amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Fried Chicken JFC, Classic Ramen, Sake Flight
Michael Hartley
The classic ramen, Japanese fried chicken and fried idahos were excellent. The ramen needed more broth, but overall very good. The service was tip top. Not a fan of the overly dark dining space and techno. Also it was too pricey for what it is.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: JFC, Classic Ramen
Paul Eldal
I always get the classic ramen and the steamed buns, the food is awesome and is a chill cozy spot! Also if you get Kaz, that dude is awesome and will take care of you real good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Katy Muckala
Really interesting and flavorful food and drinks. The kind of menu where you want to try everything once! The stars for us were the chicken buns, drunken noodles (lemongrass made it soooo tasty) and gal pal loved her ramen. We had exceptional service and enjoyed the vibe. Will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tyler Edmundson
Outstanding food, great sake, and the best service. Shoutout to Mason for making this a great visit!
I could eat the Benny baos every day. The buns are light and fluffy, warm and the ingredients are the right balance of flavors. They make their own saki, which I didn’t try this time but have heard good things. They have a decent mocktail menu as well. Restaurant is dimly lit, perfect for a date night but booths and tables big enough for a gathering. I’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Edamame, Benny Buns
dana bowring
went here for the first on a date night with my boyfriend, and our already high expectations were blown out of the water. the food was spectacular. first, we each got an agedashi tofu bun. the pickled celery and mayo added a fantastic pop of flavor; at the same time, the steamed bun, microgreens, and tofu made for a lovely texture. for my entrée, i had the pork abura ramen. although it's a brothless dish, there was plenty of moisture binding the dish's flavors together. i damn near cleaned the bowl. for my drink, i ordered the goodluck cocktail – which goes down very smooth, tastes amazing, and left me feeling blushy and warm. everything from service, to presentation, to taste was well-deserving of five stars. no notes. we'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adolfo
I have been a long time enjoyer of moto-i. It was one of favorite spots in the city. It got me through A LOT. However, these price increases are getting insane. Everything on the menu has gone up anywhere between $2 to $5 in just 4 months. It's incredibly disappointing, sad feeling when the place you love is starting to price you out.
Edit: Checked prices again(2024), and this place has gone up another $2-3 across the board since my original review. The math ain't mathin' with what you can get.
I was wowed by the non-alcohol drink menu, the delicious menu items and overall ambiance.
I would only like there to be more lighting in the stairway to the bathrooms.
First time trying ramen and it was delicious! Server checked on us multiple times throughout the night. Speakeasy vibes as it is darkly lit on the inside and looks sketchy on the outside.
I had heard a lot of good things about this place, so I was excited to try it.
I ordered the ramen and two buns.
Unfortunately, the ramen was quite oily, and the meat tasted... well, like Costco rotisserie chicken. From my point of view, it definitely wasn’t worth the price.
I also got two buns — one with tuna and one with mock duck. The seasoning was... interesting. I’d never had that flavor combination before, and to be honest, I didn’t enjoy either. Personally, I feel the filling needed a bolder flavor to balance out the plainness of the bun. As it was, I didn’t feel like taking a second bite.
I didn’t order a drink.
The atmosphere was unique — pretty dark inside, almost mysterious.
That said, the service was great.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place for the food.
Looking for Sake made in Minnesota? Look no further than Moto-i. Came in to pregame before dinner, had two types of sake and their pickle jar. Service is always great, and if you are just going in for sake I highly recommend getting the pickle jar, it complements the sake. They have different types of sake, so depending on your palette, they should have something for you. You can also rent out the second level for small parties. Lastly, during the summer time their rooftop is open.
Please note that when you are looking for the place, look for the red lights outside and turn in. It is a place that you can walk by the entrance because it's hidden. Highly recommend.
We had a birthday party at Moto-i on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year—and unfortunately, the AC was completely out. We weren’t told about this ahead of time, and only found out when we arrived. It was unbearably hot inside—everyone was sweating—and it completely ruined the experience.
We had a large group and fully expected gratuity to be included, but the service we received did not come close to justifying it. Our waitress was barely around. She didn’t check in on us, didn’t offer drink refills, and someone from our party actually ended up picking up plates and serving water because she was nowhere to be found. It was beyond disappointing, especially for what was supposed to be a special occasion.
There was no acknowledgment at all that we were celebrating a birthday—no gesture, no effort. And on top of that, the bill was wrong, and it took over 20 minutes just to get it sorted out. We ended up closing the party early because the conditions were so miserable.
We understand things happen, but the lack of communication, poor service, and zero effort to make the occasion feel even a little special was really frustrating. That 20% gratuity was absolutely not earned.
Food is amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Fried Chicken JFC, Classic Ramen, Sake Flight
The classic ramen, Japanese fried chicken and fried idahos were excellent. The ramen needed more broth, but overall very good. The service was tip top. Not a fan of the overly dark dining space and techno. Also it was too pricey for what it is.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: JFC, Classic Ramen
I always get the classic ramen and the steamed buns, the food is awesome and is a chill cozy spot! Also if you get Kaz, that dude is awesome and will take care of you real good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really interesting and flavorful food and drinks. The kind of menu where you want to try everything once! The stars for us were the chicken buns, drunken noodles (lemongrass made it soooo tasty) and gal pal loved her ramen. We had exceptional service and enjoyed the vibe. Will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Outstanding food, great sake, and the best service. Shoutout to Mason for making this a great visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Best Ramen I’ve ever tasted and the server who helped us was an angel.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Classic Ramen
Another great experience at Moto-I!
Kaz was our bartender and was super fun as always! Always makes the experience great.
Some friends and I were looking for somewhere fun to go for Christmas and it was great. Great food, delicious drinks, and good times.
Will be back! :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Shoulder, Steamed Bun, Pork Belly Bun, Rangoons
I could eat the Benny baos every day. The buns are light and fluffy, warm and the ingredients are the right balance of flavors. They make their own saki, which I didn’t try this time but have heard good things. They have a decent mocktail menu as well. Restaurant is dimly lit, perfect for a date night but booths and tables big enough for a gathering. I’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Edamame, Benny Buns
went here for the first on a date night with my boyfriend, and our already high expectations were blown out of the water. the food was spectacular. first, we each got an agedashi tofu bun. the pickled celery and mayo added a fantastic pop of flavor; at the same time, the steamed bun, microgreens, and tofu made for a lovely texture. for my entrée, i had the pork abura ramen. although it's a brothless dish, there was plenty of moisture binding the dish's flavors together. i damn near cleaned the bowl. for my drink, i ordered the goodluck cocktail – which goes down very smooth, tastes amazing, and left me feeling blushy and warm. everything from service, to presentation, to taste was well-deserving of five stars. no notes. we'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I have been a long time enjoyer of moto-i. It was one of favorite spots in the city. It got me through A LOT. However, these price increases are getting insane. Everything on the menu has gone up anywhere between $2 to $5 in just 4 months. It's incredibly disappointing, sad feeling when the place you love is starting to price you out.
Edit: Checked prices again(2024), and this place has gone up another $2-3 across the board since my original review. The math ain't mathin' with what you can get.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
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