Moto
"Located in the nether regions of South Williamsburg, this cozy and inviting hangout is well worth the trek. Candles cast shadows on the walls of this triangular space, while patrons chow down on affordable comfort food at small wooden tables, and down rare beers at the bar in back of the room," says Metromix. Carla Spartos for New York magazine adds, "The sepia tones of this apothecary-like setting are sharpened by flashes of futuristic metal (the bar's taps are refitted bike parts, hence the name)."
"The interior is the lure, but the low-priced eats keep diners interested. Warm lentil salad with fig-and-walnut croutons, roasted chicken dijonnaise and pork stew with hominy—all are as delicious as they are inexpensive," writes Time Out New York. And Robyn Lee of Serious Eats suggests saving room for Moto's warm date cake with toffee sauce and fresh whipped cream: "Although the cake is perfectly moist and soft with a medium-light crumb, the buttery toffee sauce is what I remember best... My friends I sponged up every last bit of the sauce with the cake, just stopping short of licking the plate clean." How would you rate this place?
Reviews (15)
TownhouseLady wrote a review on April 8, 2009 12:06 PM
Thank goodness it's in S. Williamsburg because I'm wondering what Judy Stanton, executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association would have to say about THIS sign?
mopar wrote a review on April 8, 2009 12:12 PM
Great decor and it's (relatively) quiet. Fills up around 8:30 or so. The menu is not very interesting, but the food is well prepared. I especially enjoyed the salad. Entrees are huge and come with sides. Though they could be more generous with the wine pours. It's nice for a casual dinner or if you just want to go out in a nice environment and not spend too much. Beer and wine and cash only.
king of the burg wrote a review on April 8, 2009 12:22 PM
Relatively easy on the check book with great food. Nothing too fancy, but all well prepared. I really like the date cake for dessert.
CG_ups wrote a review on April 8, 2009 12:33 PM
Very pleasant, the food is decent and very fairly priced. If you go with paninis, then dinner can be under $10. Small complaint about the manchego appetizer being small to the point of sillyness though. Just charge more and give me more than a sliver. Vibe is very warm and pleasant. Standout is the date cake, which everyone seems to love. It's amazing, though quite rich so would recommend splitting it. Also lots of decent wines by the glass. Definitely a nice place to catch up with friends without breaking the bank.
dirty_hipster wrote a review on April 8, 2009 1:46 PM
Another fantastic restaurant on Broadway in Williamsburg.
aCliche wrote a review on April 8, 2009 2:26 PM
My favorite restaurant in NYC.
ftgreenepark wrote a review on April 8, 2009 2:58 PM
yea, they'll even stick jazz bands in the front. great food/beer. i dunno about best restaurant in bk but it's definitely a place worth checking out.
sender9999 wrote a review on April 8, 2009 3:07 PM
This is a super fun place, with a wonderful vibe [ the designers also did heath's ledgers sorta restaurant] and a great 1st date place...
However the food has been really dreadful more than once when i went there, mussels full of sand, undercooked chickent etc...
other people have not had my experience, but aside from the donuts the food has been blah to me...
i still go sometimes though, it is fun, might take my parents...
wine lover wrote a review on April 8, 2009 4:41 PM
had brunch there and it was really really good. i will check it out for dinner.
gkw wrote a review on April 8, 2009 5:02 PM
Great great atmosphere - maybe the best in bkln in that regard - and in fact just went on a date there. But on that visit the food was not very good - I had the risotto and it was profoundly mediocre - I make better! Luckily I wasn't hungry...
stanley wrote a review on April 8, 2009 5:30 PM
please take this posting down as we need not tell anymore peeps about how great it is. i came across it in a documentary called 'eat this new york' on the NYC restaurants. big restaurant names in the doc, like keith mcnally, danny meyer, daniel boulud; yet the story becomes focused on the two owners as they built this place and their sheer passion for the project. as a result, i have loved this place from the day it opened. quality in the food, even more quality (and value) in the wine list. i don't know how you can't give it a 5 on value. that must be saying about the reviewer and their affinity for the $.99 value menu. the owners are involved and care, you can tell immediately by the attention to detail in the atmosphere and the entertainment. service might frustrate at times, but even then, you gotta concede that it wasn't built for expediency. they aren't trying to turn tables and sometimes you just have to wait..........for that damn good date cake.
winthropst wrote a review on April 8, 2009 7:45 PM
used to go here a lot when it first opened - '02 or '03. dining options in the burg were more limited then. it always had a nice familiar feel in terms of decor and staff. went back again last year and it hasn't changed much. date cake and donuts are still the standouts. music can be nice on certain nights. if you go early there is a surreal view through the front door (if they leave it open in warmer weather) - silhouettes of hasidic men and hipsters passing by in rush hour before the sun sets.
southslope wrote a review on April 9, 2009 11:50 PM
Such a great spot! I love MOTO. One of the few places that has corsendonk on tap. It just has a nice vibe the second you walk in the door.
mkr ave wrote a review on April 29, 2009 2:52 PM
i've had many a great brunch/valentines date/romantic dinner here. everything is spectacular. I always take people here that I am trying to impress- and I love the macaroni & cheese, and the date cake... mmmmmm
janelle wrote a review on April 30, 2009 1:31 PM
tomato soup here is wonderful. ambiance can't be beat! and as others have noted - the date cake is amazing.
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