Motorkat

Such a step up for the neighborhood! As a former long-time resident of Takoma Park, it's been a treat to see how the town has evolved (and improved!) over the years. Who'd have thought a fun oyster bar would eventually take the place of an indie video store? When we were there on the cold first Friday night of 2025, service was good if a tad overwhelmed. John, our waiter, was friendly and knowledgeable. Our oysters were cleanly shucked and nicely presented, and my brussels sprouts Caesar salad was different and delicious. I look forward to going back and trying the Happy Hour. Motorkat merits everyone's support. Viva TK PK!

Fun atmosphere. Big long bar. Strong drinks! What more can you ask for?Service was good! Bartender gave bday shots for my friend!! Pretty cool!

Fun place with a great location. The food is really good and an interesting variety, from strong standards to some really creative options. The drinks are great, with well mixed cocktails, a nice wine list and several beers on tap. Very solid fundamentals and relatively affordable so could be a semi-regular place. I had the pork belly and grits, and a Caesar salad. The grits were creamy and well offset with the grilled pork belly. Topped with crispy shallots it was delicious and rich in flavor and texture. It's not a large plate, but filling. Any bigger and it would be too much of a good thing in my opinion. While inviting the vibe is hard to get a handle on. It seems to be shooting for the neighborhood hangout, but at the same time is a little too nice for that. So there will be some boisterous bar flies arguing over something but at then cranking out nice food in a more upscale dining environment. It either can't quite decide what it is, or has purposely decided to straddle a bit of an awkward divide. The staff is nice, they're pleasant and a bit informal adding to the general welcoming vibe.

Amazing happy hour food and drink specials! There is a lot of food on the happy hour list. I like the ambiance as well. You can order fancy hot dogs, oysters, or a Cuban sandwich...we ordered all 3 and all 3 food items were delicious! Our marghatini's were tasty as well.

The service here was great and so was the atmosphere. The food was okay in my opinion. It is definitely on the pricier side and not enough portion size. The mussels and clams were good, nothing special. The pork belly itself was cooked great but I wasn't a fan of the sauce and overall as a dish. Although I thought the cornbread was very dry, the combination of the flavors were phenomenal! Definitely want to be back to try other items on the menu. Parking was hard to find and had to park on the street in a neighborhood.

Quick Review - Oyster bar is fresh and delicious. They serve local DMV Oysters and so non-resident types. -The bar has its own menu, but serves the main restaurant menu as well. I love the mussels and clams- has a saffron wine sauce that's toothsome and not too acidic -Try a mock-tail! They have a few variants.

This was a happy hour visit and the bar was buzzing. I tried a few items and was satisfied for the most part. The bar area was a fair size with a few high top tables and ample bar There is open air, outdoor seating. The music was a nice mix of upbeat and smooth songs. My dirty martini was fine. The smoked wings were ok. The zatar and honey flavoring on the chicken was good but the herb ranch tasted more like a watery tahini dressing. The braised pork cubano (half) was decent, the dijionaise helped the sandwich and the bread was toasted well, yet soft inside. The French fries a go-go are fries and gravy similar to findings in Canada so there any complaints from me with their veggie gravy. The motordog was like a corndog but crispier and even with all of the toppings that would bring flavor (curried ketchup and red chilies) the dog was bland. There could be some seasoning added to the breading and the aioli tasted like regular mayo. The oysters were good. I tried the BlackBerry and Fat Baby oysters. The fat baby's were my favorite with their decent size and salinity. Service was ok. I had to go to the bar multiple times to place an order even when it wasn't busy so I'm not sure how service is assigned to the tables in the bar area that aren't directly at the bar. While I waited for service I read up about the story of the local motorcycle riding cat that inspired the owner of the restaurant. It was nice to see the blurb on the menu and an interesting story. Decent local place to check out and grab a drink and try something from their menu.

I've been here for happy hour and for dinner and have really enjoyed both. The bartenders are great and they made a really good dirty martini, which can be so hard to find! I always get the steak. One day I'll try something new lol. The steak is always perfectly cooked and the veggies (romanesco?) are really good. Definitely recommend coming here for either happy hour or dinner. The bar area gets really busy and a bit loud during happy hour but you can likely find a seat.

Always a fun time at Motorkat!The service is beyond excellent and the food is delicious.

We will definitely return to Motorkat the next time we are in the DMV. Great food, atmosphere and service. Lindsey was a great server - she was friendly efficient and knowledgeable about the menu. Fun evening for us!