moto-i

I was in uptown bar hopping for my birthday and decided to revisit Moto-I. I will say the vibes are way better than what I experienced years before. We went towards the end of happy hour just to grab a drink so we sat at the bar. The bartender was doing almost all the functions and serving tables outside of the bar area. She was great. It wasn't busy at all but she was very attentive and got things done. I got the Good Luck cocktail. It was like a flavored mojito, I liked it. When the check came she gave us cute postcards and she said if we filled them out they would mail them. It was cool and cute. I ended up keeping one and my mom filled one out for my bday. I got it in the mail about a month later. It was very nice of them to mail it.

Delicious rangoon appetizers, fantastic sake flights, and some of the best ramen in town. The only things I'd change are: maybe a little softer music, and a little more light. One of the darkest restaurants I've experienced. (Thank goodness for phone flashlights.)

Really nice spot, went for a birthday dinner and greatly enjoyed the food and the Sake. Great service, I am mainly knocking off a star because it was pretty dark where we had been seated. But the food and the vibes were great!

I can't praise this place enough. It is my happy place. I've been coming here since I moved to Minneapolis, and I will come here until I die or they close, whichever happens first. Been having a challenging week, and came here early Saturday afternoon for brunch. It is like going to a far less expensive spa, a total reset button.

I have always wanted to come here and I was excited to have lunch with a friend there. The food however was mid at best. I had the mushroom ramen and it was ok but I asked for a lot of flavor and felt it lacked that flavor punch I wanted. The JFC was better and very flavorful. The slaw that came with it was fairly spicy.Our server was excellent and advised of 12% service charge in advance. He also told us they were having an anniversary party this weekend. It's a dark dining room. There is no designated parking so be prepared to find street parking.

Amazing food, drink and atmosphere! Great prompt and friendly service :)Curry ramen is back on the menu permanently which I love. The rangoons are fantastic! And the yakiudon is one of my favorite options for noodles

We had a lovely experience at Moti-i. They were kind enough to reserve us a rooftop space despite not normally doing this. I appreciated that they cared to make this dinner special for my sister who was the bride-to-be! We did have to sit at two separate tables which wasn't super ideal for our big group, but ultimately it worked out just fine and we understood that they were doing their best. It was very hot at the time of year we went, so some fans might have been nice as well, but again we made it work! The food was excellent. The Benny Buns are a MUST and the drunken noodles had us raving. We had a few guests try sake flights as well and that was super fun.Highly recommend and would return!

I've been to moto-i several times and really love it, but it took me a few tries to figure out the best things to order.Food - I've tried lots of things here including appetizers, brothless ramen, mushroom ramen, and bibimbap. The main item that really stands out to me is the steamed buns. They're one of the most affordable items on the menu ($6 each) and in my opinion, they are far more delicious and flavorful than any of the main entrees. My personal favorite is the mock duck steamed bun. Drinks - The cocktails here are a bit on the sweet side for me so I usually get sake, wine, or the strykers best bloody. The bloody mary is really delicious and a bit different from the standard with the nori and togarashi. Moto-i is also a sake brewery so if you like sake, it's a great place to try stuff. My favorite on the menu right now is called the mioko.Ambiance - The ambiance here is great for date night, late night drink, or dinner with friends. They have good mood lighting and a nice environment without it feeling stuffy. This place is also 3 levels and it's kind of fun to explore.Service - I've received pleasant and friendly service here every time that I've been.Events - My favorite event here is fantasy sumo. There's 6 main sumo tournaments in Japan every year and moto-i has a fantasy sumo tournament whenever they happen. They charge $15 to join and it includes a free sake. Then you fill out your sumo bracket and submit it. If you're in the top 3, then the prizes are pretty good. They also have tasting events which I've heard good things about.

Very unique and tasty food and drink. We love their hand crafted sake. We will definitely go back!

I'm visiting my son in MN This place has the cutest rooftop seating area! The string light give a very cozy vibe at night. They have music playing,but, you can hear each other talking (you don't have to shout to be heard). The service was efficient and thorough. My only complaint if of the seating, we were seated at a wooden picnic style bench and it was super unforgiving (very uncomfortable on the backside) so be prepared for that. I ordered the Classic Ramen which had a delicious broth,soft boiled egg and the noodles were delicious! I wish I had taken a picture before I inhaled them :-) we made a reservation because there were seven of us,but, other folks behind us with larger parties were showing up without one and were seated with no problem, so I don't think they're absolutely necessary. Our reservation was for 6 o'clock, and by 7:15. The rooftop was pretty well full. So I would suggest if you don't have a reservation perhaps go between six and seven.