Moto RestaurantGreat restaurantVisit to Moto was highlight of our trip to Chicago. Can't recommend it enough - food, service and customer care are top notch. We went with wine pairings, which were spot on.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMMagical contrastMy girlfriend and I went to Moto to celebrate our 2 years of dating. The service was better than what you see in movies. The food was amazing. The food was constantly changing, nothing was similar or the same taste repeating. It was contrasting and extremely imaginative, and fun. It made for a great memory and a lot of fun.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAn experience one should try onceOverall, I enjoyed my experience at Moto. That said, is it worth the price of entry? IMO, no. The food was very good overall. Some dishes were fabulous (all desserts, lamb 3-ways), others just average (cherry smoked fish). I knew what I was getting into before making the reservation. Perhaps my expectations were still a bit too high. We sat in the basement, and there were 4 parties with 14 people total. The acoustics were horrible with 4 hard walls and no soft fabrics to absorb. So the noise level rapidly increased. Upstairs was definitely quieter as we left despite the place being almost full. But I have to say that the service was extremely attentive, and the servers were very polite.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWill go againMy dad and i went to moto to celebrate my last night in Chicago, and moto definitely matched up to our expectations. The services was great and so was the food, will go again.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGREAT MEAL!!! absolutely noGREAT MEAL!!! absolutely no complaints on the food...and would definitely come back. presentation was awesome as well. Other thoughts...1) reservation was accidentally cancelled due to having the same first and last name reserved at the same time 2) waiter stated that English breakfast was one of the tea options which I ordered (needed caffeine) however a different tea was poured. He stated that they didnt have that tea available however confused why he would have given me that option in the first place. I didn't feel like he took responsibility for bringing the wrong beverage. good tea either way. 3) There was also an accent barrier and hard to comprehend during meal descriptions5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMHigh end dinner experienceIncredible dining experience. Wonderful wait staff. Very attentive. Worth the expensive price. Awesome each course presentation.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAn epicurious weekend in ChicagoWe flew to Chicago for a long weekend and our main goal was good food. We were excited to try "molecular gastronomy" at Moto after researching all the best places to eat. Without getting into specifics on each course the overall presentation and variety of courses was very nice. Presentation was everything from elaborate serving apparatus and exquisite table service. The actual food itself was not as good as I expected. There wasn't one thing we had that we said "we have to have that again." Usually when we do a tasting menu (like the next night when we went to Everest) we comment on the merits of each course and wonder how it was prepared and wish we could make it at home. It didn't happen here. It was interesting and worth trying.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the greatest diningOne of the greatest dining experiences I've had. Four hours long, delicious food, and the presentations were just stunning. Probably not for everyone but if the web site intrigues you it's an amazing, unique experience.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFood service was excellentFood service was excellent as was the food quality and inventiveness. I am a novice in the fine food/wine category and although the wine was also good, I did not know what kind of questions to ask and the sommelier didn't offer any details on the choice of pairings other than the name of the wine and where it was from. Would've been nice to receive some unsolicited details such as reason for that pairing, flavors, etc.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding culinary experience.Outstanding culinary experience. An exceptional pleasure for all 5 senses (yes, we did occasionally use our fingers during this 12 course meal). A must in Chicago. Great quality of service, prompt greeting (and most appreciated farewell) on the street, outside the restaurant.
Only one strange point (I would not say negative, though) : the waiters look more like bodyguards than, well, waiters, with their business suits, ties and earpieces...
We wish to repeat the experience ... And will definitely recommend Moto to all our friends ans family who visit Chicago.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExciting and creative menyExciting and creative meny served with elegance. Personal and skilled staff3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMElegant and unusual presentation.Elegant and unusual presentation. a little copycat to some of the other restaurants in the same model. but tastes generally were unusual and well set off, wine pairings surprising in some cases but well-selected.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Best of ChicagoAbsolutely awesome. Our meal was a fabulous journey and we completely enjoyed the creative presentations as well as the amazing and delicious creations - you never knew was was coming next! I would recommend to include the wine pairings - that was a journey around the world too - from the USA to France to South Africa to New Zealand to Japan - extremely creative, romantic, and fun. The Chef went out of his way to accommodate our dietary restrictions (no pork or shellfish).
To cap off our anniversary evening, Chef gave us a tour of the kitchen and their micro-garden. All I can say is ---- wow! This is a must see if you are in or visiting Chicago.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMA Wonderful ExperienceThis was truly an extra special dining experience, really beautifully constructed tastes but with an element of fun too. The staff were an amazingly efficient team, as well as being friendly and engaging. The wine pairings were especially perfect. My only request would be some additional palette cleansers in the menu, some courses lingered into the next.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, presentationExcellent food, presentation and staff. The ambience is very sterile however. Felt like we were in church.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMAs good as AlineaI thought my meal at Moto last night was as good as Alinea a couple weeks ago. The progression of the tasting menu was just excellent and there was not one course I did not enjoy. The idea of starting with a tasting of the tasting menu was so clever and fun. The final Baking 101 course was also fun, and so tasty too. Pastry Chef Claire Crenshaw is creating some incredibly elegant desserts. The study of venison was amazing, an incredible interpretation of the animal. A few other favorite bites were a potato macaron with lemon creme fraiche and the first blanc de blancs fish course. Moto is not as wild in its techniques as I expected. The real craziness is at ING next door. Moto is definitely more refined, along the lines of Alinea or Grace.2/9/2013 12:00:00 AMMind Blowing!This was my fourth meal at Moto and they have become better and better each time. The food always was wildly creative, unique and interesting as well as artistically presented, but over time the food has come to taste as good as it looks. Moto is no longer just about pushing the envelope or gimmicks, but has developed into serving top notch cuisine that rivals Chicago's best venues. Executive Chef Richie Farina and Pastry Chef Claire Crenshaw are truly top tier chefs just starting to realize their massive potential. Moto also offers phenomenal wine pairings, has a wonderful ambiance and some of the industry's best front of the house staff. Truly a "must do" dining experience for all food enthusiasts.1/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of My Best MealsI dine out quite a lot and have to say I was extremely impressed with my dinner at Moto last night. I have been a few times now to Moto, and each time they improve and are really firing on all cylinders now. They no longer are a restaurant where it is just about wildly creative, unique, experimental food - but the food now is exquisite tasting in addition to being fun, beautiful and creative. Service has improved as well; we really felt pampered but the ambiance is nevertheless comfortable and relaxed while at the same time having an upscale, elegant vibe. Richie Farina and pastry chef Claire Crenshaw are uber talented and are really putting everything together. This is one of Chicago's top restaurants and keeps getting better!12/7/2012 12:00:00 AM