07/31/09

Bad service, bland food

by djsaeone

Start with the worst waiter ever. Did not bring us drinks for a looooooong time and then preceded to not be able to read the board, spilled wine on one of us and then dabbed it with his apron. No apologies, then proceeded to ignore us and most stuff we asked for. This place is not big, so what was the disconnect?

The food was pretty bland and boring. Horrible coffee

Also, I'm all for rustic and classic looking, but a rusty sink in the WC? I don't mind old timey, as long as it doesn't feel dirty.

• Pros: Toffee Sauce
• Cons: Everything else

12/03/08

great experience

by ThereSea

Only eaten here once but had a great experience. I LOVE the staff, very friendly and approachable.

Food is affordable and good.

• Pros: food,service,cheap

10/29/08

Just go!!

by dustikrol

Just thinking about this place makes my mouth water! It's really cheap, fun food in a cafeteria style setting. I love meat, maybe that's why i love it so much. We discovered this place by accident, mostly because of the smell wafting from the front door as it opens and closes. Just go. I recommend to anyone.

06/23/08

Spilled wine, NO APOLOGY!

by beanpie

Moto is a great restaurant for its ambience, the range of menu items, and its small but well chosen wine and beer lists. We have really enjoyed our experiences there, and hadn't even had the service issues some have mentioned - until last night. Three of us sat at the bar for a meal and a bottle of wine. I ordered the vegetable risotto, which was a complete disappointment compared to their other dishes - mostly peppers and uncooked mushrooms and squash.

But that wasn't the worst part: as the bartender put the dessert menu down, he moved our bottle of wine and knocked over my husband's wine glass, spilling red wine all over me. I was wearing a white blouse, of course, but the bartender didn't apologize at all! He gave us napkins, water and salt but never once even said he was sorry. So it goes without saying that neither did he offer my husband another glass of wine, even though the bottle we were drinking was also sold by the glass, or offer any other compensation whatsoever.

Not replacing the spilled wine showed a complete lack of restaurant experience, but not even apologizing or acknowledging his error shows a lack of respect for customers. Most of us learned the importance of apologizing in kindergarten - not this guy! I won't return to Moto, as I don't wish to support an establishment that entrusts customer care to such unprofessional hacks.

Additionally, when we ordered the wine at the beginning of the meal, we ordered a Cotes du Rhone. But he trotted out a Gigondas, which, while a Rhone wine, cost much more than the Cotes du Rhone that we ordered - at first I thought it was a simple error, but its clear that he was being dishonest in addition to unprofessional.

• Pros: Charming place, interesting menu
• Cons: untrained, unconcerned servers

06/14/07

Cash Only

by evadotcom

It says in the Restaurant Info that we accept credit cards.. but we don't. Please be advised. Thank you!

• Pros: Ambience, live music (almost every night)

02/23/07

Great Artsy Charm

by fosterc

I don't know who wrote the review below, but I don't know why you would go there for dinner, it's a brunch place to me, period. The atmosphere had the vaudevillian/hobo/hipster/antique vibe going for it, which I liked, although you can find that anywhere these days. My ham and eggs dish was terrific, with that yum yum crunchy strip of foccacia or whatever on the side. The dessert was the most outstanding as my friends and I dove into our date cake slice with toffe sauce and cream..soooo good!

The service however was not good because there was one waitress to the whole place and the bartender obviously wasn't going to help her out. Also, you have to treck out to a shady part of brooklyn (well, a shadier part of brooklyn) to get to the place. But that's probably part of its charm, that not every art school grad sporting an asymmetrical haircut and rocking their converses knows about Moto.

• Pros: Cheap eats, cool vibe, good food
• Cons: too long service, cramped setting, toilet was out of order

02/23/07

IF YOU WANT A LEAN CUISINE FROZEN DINNER, GO HERE!

by nataliel

Unbelievable that such a quaint?yet packed?place could have the worst food ever. Both my friend and I ordered their special: his the vegetable risotto and mine the homemade meatloaf. We couldn't believe when both of our dishes came out and were nothing short of Tyson TV dinners. The risotto's "fresh" vegetables were none other than those of BIRDS EYE! You know how we know?! We asked! And the bartender actually told us that they were a frozen mix! 14 bucks for frozen peas and carrots. To top it off, my meatloaf was a Tyson tv tray meal. The marinara sauce was tomato paste and garlic, still in the shape of the can it came from. The meat, if it was indeed meat, was cold and wet. Disgusting meal, bad music. OK wine. Personally, I think this place is just a joke. Trying to con hipsters into thinking it's the coolest place in the world and ever so hip. If that's the case, then this place rocks. Sock it to 'em, Moto! But if it's for real and thinks it can get away overcharging for bad food and cramping us in, then Moto, I'll see you in hell.

• Pros: Perfect place to bring a date...
• Cons: ....perfect place to bring a BAD date

10/27/06

GREAT BRUNCH!

by jmblackwell

I go to Moto every weekend to pick up brunch. It is right down the street from my apartment and they have amazing apple pancakes. The decor is very interesting it is like youre living in another century! They make a good cup of coffee and the service is fast and friendly. I love Moto!

• Pros: best restaurant in williamsburg. hands down.
• Cons: i wish they had brunch 7 days a week!

08/27/06

Has gone downhill

by rebecca225

We started going to Moto 2 years ago and loved the charm, the food and the friendly service. But lately we have been extremely disappointed. The food has not been as good (my panini was oily, the stuffed eggs w/anchovy was not as delicious as usual). But the thing that upsets us the most is the service. It has become very busy and yet there is only one waitress. We sat for a good 20 minutes before the waitress finally asked us what we wanted to drink. We used to love the place, so I hope the owner gets some more help. Maybe we'll give it another shot. Not sure.

• Pros: nice atmosphere, good food
• Cons: Awful service

07/18/06

not so great

by jacksonbell

Moto is a charming place, romantic, rustic, and right under the subway. It also helps that it is in South Williamsburg and not Williamsburg proper. Still, it left me wanting more. The waitress had little knowledge of the wine but made up for it, somewhat, by offering me two samples of white, neither were particularly good. As for the food, the artichoke served with mayo was excellent and the eggs with anchovies were nice. I was very excited for my entree, pork ribs with herbs de provence, sadly the meat was tough and the salad bland. My partner ordered the chicken and I wish I would have done the same. For dessert we shared the grilled doughnuts which were great, but would have been sublime with a touch of creme fraiche and a sprig of mint.

• Pros: charming atmosphere, good location, dessert
• Cons: inconsistent menu, mediocre wine