I was extremely disappointed with this restaurant, I ordered the miso soup and the pick 3 which I chose to go with crunchy shrimp, spicy shrimp and the spicy salmon, I ordered to go and it took about 15 mins to prep my order which is what I was told but when I got my food it was way too dry, and the seaweed in my sushi was partially brittle, for the amount of time they took i was expecting better quality. Worst first impression ever, will not be back and definitely gonna warn people about the quality of their food.
(1)
Sungyak K.
Went back for the Japanese menu. I really can't recommend it that strongly for the price range. Not sure why I wouldn't just settle for Bento. But everything about their Korean menu was okay. Gotta upgrade that terribleh kimchi though.
(3)
Ranier O.
This place has always been a personal favorite from way back in my college days. Today, they are still amazing and I can't get enough! The area is simple but elegant. They have plenty of lunch specials and even have an all-day lunch special on Wednesdays. My favorite dish here has always, and remains to be, their Pork Katsudon! It's a very large bowl with rice, fried pork cutlets, egg, sweet onions, shitake mushrooms and a sweet sauce (not sure what it is lol). But, the sauce complements the onions sweetness, the pork is succulent and crispy, and the mushrooms are tender. I have this dish every other time I come just because I think it's the most amazing thing that they have! The service has always been good and I've never had a bad experience here, ever. I introduced this place to my friends and they also loved this restaurant. We've had birthday dinners, lunch gatherings and even graduation dinners here at Momoyaki because they loved this place so much! The price is a little high for the college budget (think above $10) but with their portions, you leave full and think the prices are very fair. Come on by and enjoy if you love food!
(5)
Mike W.
I've been here a couple times recently since I'd not ventured into Momoyaki for literally years, I wanted to give it another try. To be honest, I don't quite see how they stay in business. Perhaps Kung Fu Tea going into their same building will help them, but it's all too easy to forget they're even here and their quality does little to remind one of their presence or entice customers. They're not Bento, and have never been, yet their prices are as high or higher than Bento despite their quality and variety seemingly being below Bento (which isn't a place to wish to find yourself: I can find plenty to complain about with Bento, also). I've recently had their shrimp tempura udon soup and their chicken katsu bento box and both were at best pretty mundane: the soup was flavorful but only contained two pieces of tempura shrimp and just wasn't enough for a meal while the bento box was generous insofar as serving size and the katsu chicken itself was very good, the California roll and veggie egg roll that came with it as sides were not good at all. That egg roll seemed cold and overly moist while the California roll was bland, mushy, and not at all tasty. I only ate a few pieces of that. The ginger dressing'd salad was mainly iceberg lettuce and I really just chowed down on the chicken katsu itself and the rice. Again, the katsu was good certainly, but the point of a bento box is to have diversity and the sides need to be of decent quality, too. So, what gives? My best guess is that they're not seeing the traffic in patrons to do justice to their very impressive menu (in terms of depth, if not scope). They have a lot of different sushi options, but if they cannot crank out a decent California roll I shudder to think what the rest of the sushi would be like. Perhaps their Korean dishes are where they really shine, I don't know. What I do know is, Bento and several other places (Mahzu, Fuji Sushi, Garlic & Ginger) demand my attention over Momoyaki at this point. I do wish them well, I hope they can get it together and rise to the occasion, offering better quality and taking advantage of the draw of Kung Fu Tea for Asian food-minded folks to their plaza.
(2)
P D.
Spicy squid dish is good if you want something spicy. Stay away from the deep fried dishes. They broke the number 1 rule with too much breading.
(3)
Kurt K.
A deceptively small facade and although it was a Monday the food tasted fresh. A lot of locals in the place as in there were Asian families eating here. Always a good sign that the food isn't westernized. Korean owned based on the extensive Korean fare. We did the lunch special ( good until 230pm) and the pick three is plenty for one. We did two of them and that was one roll too many. Pick two is only 7.99. Comes with soup or salad. Salad was excellent Miso was eh. Staff was friendly but probably one short. Overall a do over whenever we are in town. Give it a shot.
(4)
Madison E.
The hostess is sweet. I have only sat down to eat once and it was super slow, so it was nice and quiet. The server was sweet as well. Now I go there just for a quick to go order of the seaweed salad.. Usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. Decent place but a bit overpriced
(3)
Chris R.
It's like an over priced panda express. The food is not good. It's greasy and over done. The service was good..
(2)
Andrew R.
Great food with superb service. Fav place in Gainesville for lunch. The lunch special for rolls is a must.
(5)
Marcelo D.
Bland food, hostess was rude, over priced for what you get and sticky tables. Probably the worst Japanese restaurant in town. Go somewhere else. On the bright side waitress was really nice and good. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Ordered vegi dumplings and they had pork in them.
(1)
Dania D.
This place used to be ok, but it is terrible! The vegetables tasted like the inside of a freezer. My boyfriend's chicken was inedible. We ended up only eating the rice under the food. Even the miso soup was off. Please avoid! There are so many better Asian restaurants in the area.
(1)
Adam P.
Was in town for the first time on a business trip and was googling restaurants to go to for dinner with a client. Found Momoyaki on ChompMenus and decided to give it a shot. Ordered a ton of appetizers which were all very good. The Mozzarella Jalapeno roll was amazing. Essentially a mozzarella stick with jalepnos in it. Edamame was firm and didn't just flake when biting into it. Great crab rangoons. Decided to order something I've never tried before and I believe it was the Bibim Man Yang??? The waiter brought a pair of food scissors before it got there and told me I'd need them. I had no clue what I was in for. Apparently the noodles were about 3 feet long and not as soft as ramen so you use the scissors to cut the noodles hanging out of your mouth. Interesting but I wouldn't get that item again. The Mexican roll was fantastic. It wasn't too busy so things came out very quickly, not sure if they are slower on service with a fuller dining room. Very good experience.
(4)
Carly R.
Finally tried this place the other night for dinner. I was seated right away and the service was excellent throughout the meal. I ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box, which also comes with white rice, ginger salad, miso soup, egg rolls, and a California roll. For $14, it is a lot of food and probably worth the price to most. However, I thought the food was just okay. The egg rolls were the star; they were delicious. Unfortunately, the sushi wasn't too exciting, the miso soup was not very good, and my chicken was very fatty. I would have rather spent less and gone to Bento or spent about the same and gotten really good sushi at other places nearby. I don't think it's worth the price and you can probably find a tastier, better deal elsewhere.
(2)
Karly G.
Quick service, our server Harper was very helpful and attentive. Their lunch special is great! 3 fresh rolls for $10.50 and it comes with a soup or salad. A great place to go for a quick lunch or some sake with friends!
(4)
Brad K.
One of the ONLY places local that serves Bim-Bim Bop ! Service not great, average at best. Sushi is not their strong point, better sushi else where. Came here specifically for the Bim Bim Bop which was very good.
(3)
Coty S.
We went here on a Friday night and it was almost empty. You are now seated when you walk in and have a waiter/waitress to serve you. You order from a menu at your table and the prices have gone up even more. No new Korean dishes were added, and the wait staff knows absolutely nothing about Asian food in general. No panchan served with the Korean dishes, like at Miya Sushi. The Coke was flat. We will definitely not be coming back here again. If you have better Korean food, try Garlic and Ginger down the road.
(2)
Maria Christina V.
Went here for lunch today with a friend. We both got the "pick 3 sushi rolls" lunch special for $10.50 and it came with miso soup. Basically, the food isnt that great. I think the sushi at Publix is probably better. I left with a metallic taste in my mouth from the fish. I ordered the: crunchy crabmeat roll, gator roll, and spicy salmon roll. Honestly, they were so bland that they almost all tasted the same to me. I was dissapointed with the crunchyness too - they basically just put tempura flakes on the outside of the roll. I guess I would have hoped for some crunchyness on the inside. The rolls are small, bland and dont taste very good. Yes, I got a lot of sushi in my 3 rolls and left full but I didnt enjoy my sushi like I had hoped for. The service was fine. We were well attended and the waitress refilled our water quickly. I probably would NOT go here again. I prefer going to Miya Sushi or Dragonfly during happy hour.
(2)
Anonymous T.
Nothing special - I went with a total of 4 adults and 2 kids with a bill of $140...yea, $23 a head and 1 kid was 1 year old. The food was average and for a college town this was unacceptable. Service was good, food was good, and experience was good but price.....no way. It was an average place with an above average price tag. All together the order was 4 appetizers, 5 rolls and 12 pieces of sushi.
(2)
Jackson P.
Great food great service. For the price the sushi is unbeatable especially during the lunch time where you can get three rolls for around 12 bux! Not the same upscale atmosphere as Dragonfly, but the sushi is better and service is faster. Hands down my favorite sushi joint in Gainesville.
(5)
Heather W.
Give Momoyaki a try! The average of the yelp reviews is lower than other sources, ie, FB & google. Momo is one of the best places in town for sushi. This is a sit-down, full service restaurant. Other counter-service establishments cannot even begin to compare.
(4)
Martin C.
Good Food & Quick Service! All-round good value that'll make your tummy and your wallet happy!
(4)
Tina L.
I'm Korean, so naturally, I love Korean food. Momoyaki's is a great replacement for my mother's home cooking. The pork bulgogi is so delicious and so is the bib bim bop. Serivce is great and they have a friendly staff. It's also very clean and decorated nicely.
(4)
John S.
After seeing so many bad reviews of Momoyaki, I thought it might be the right thing for me to defend a restaurant that I really like in Gainesville. I haven't tried any of the sushi or the other Asian-inspired dishes. There's just no reason to do that. Momoyaki has some of the most authentic Korean food available in Gainesville. If you like squid and spicy (yes, actually spicy!), you've got to try the Oh Jing uh Bokkeum. Great heat and flavor and a large portion size. If you're not feeling as adventurous, try the Jeyuk Bokkeum instead (its the same thing but has pork instead of squid). Both come in a super spicy thick broth filled with veggies and are true to their origins. The ginger side salad was pretty standard fare. They also offer Korean side dishes if you ask for them. The service has always been friendly and attentive. I have tried some of the Bulgogi and Galbi dishes too, but they're a bit smaller portioned than I'd like. Next time you feel like having something a little different, go to Momoyaki. Just don't order what you would at one of the many of sushi places in Gainesville!
(4)
Olga L.
I came here last weekend and I really wanted to love this place since it's so close to home. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the majority of other reviewers that this is basically a sub-par, more expensive Bento, with bad service. The service: Our waitress took our drink and appetizer order, then disappeared until the appetizers came. I had to flag her down to ask for straws, which were in her apron the whole time, and she managed to look greatly inconvenienced. I had to ask the host to bring us plates to split our appetizer, since our waitress was nowhere to be found. She finally brought our entrees about 45 minutes after we ordered them (there were only two tables eating at this point). I believe she was only looking after 3 tables, but I have no idea where she was the whole time. Hoping to expedite the checkout process, I gave the waitress my card when she brought the check. She held my card hostage for at least 10 minutes, while bringing out other tables' food and drinks, cleaning, and doing other various tasks that didn't include letting me leave. No apology from the waitress at any point for our wait. The food: Pork dumplings (~$5): Tasty dumplings served with a yummy sauce, but they were the TINIEST dumplings I have ever seen. Boyfriend got the shrimp tempura with noodles (~$14): 4 shrimp battered in tempura flakes, stacked on a tower of tempura vegetables, served with a TINY bowl of noodles. Between the two of us, we couldn't finish half his plate without being overwhelmed by grease. I ordered a Caterpillar roll ($8) and Gator Roll (~$7): the TINIEST sushi for the price. The eel in my caterpillar roll was nonexistent, and so was the fish, albeit fresh, in my gator roll. So the pattern here is tiny food portions at disproportionately high prices and slow, inattentive service. After factoring in tip and drinks, I could've gone to Bento and paid the same price for twice as much food.
(2)
Mallory B.
You know, this place wasn't bad. My husband and I came here as soon as they opened for dinner. It still looks like Kay's Coffee, which the location was a few years ago, including the coffee-bar-turned-sushi-bar. We had a coupon, so the hubs and I split three rolls - Foxy Lady, Baked Alaskan, and Spicy Salmon. They were all AWESOME, with my favorite being the Foxy Lady and his, the Baked Alaskan. It wasn't nearly enough to fill us up, though. (Three rolls from Sushi-2-Go, by contrast, is usually good enough for us, as are two sushi-plus boxes from Publix.) Worst part of the evening: We had the crab rangoons for an appetizer. Think of the worst fried food at the shadiest chinese buffet you've ever gone to. They were cold, the crust was thick and chewy, and the filling was lots of cream cheese and not much "krab." They might have scared me away from appetizers for good. We'll be back for the sushi, or maybe to try the warm entrees. It's nearby, and more affordable than some of the sushi places in the area.
(2)
Johnny L.
One of few places that serve Korean food here in Gainesville. The food was pretty good, but the prices are a little higher than most other places that serve the same kind of food. The staff is pretty friendly, and the place looked pretty nice. I went here a while ago, and I hear they went under new renovations. The food was pretty good. The bulgogi is good, but I thought the portion could have been larger for the price. I had the Cali roll here too, and that was pretty good. The chicken katsu didnt look too appealing, but the short ribs do look pretty good. I would like to come back and try em some time. Their menu is not as extensive as Bento's and the prices are higher than Bento's too. I hate to compare the two, but they really are similiar in a lot of aspects. But unless Momoyaki gets cheaper or differentiates itself, Im gonna stick with Bento's down Archer.
(3)
Paul H.
I've known Momoyaki as Kay's Coffee. The aesthetics have been upgraded but food quality and service is still the same if not worse. I came here for lunch and ordered the momo size chicken teriyaki bento box (~$8). The cashier/server wasn't too friendly, acting impatient and overall not in a good mood. The food is probably on par with bento's and a bit higher priced. One plus is free wifi in the afternoon (not sure if they shut it off at night). My experience has been fairly neutral and I wouldn't recommend nor not recommend eating at Momoyaki.
(2)
John M.
Extremely friendly staff. Awesome sake and rolls. Get the plum wine with the sake. They are starting half off sake on Wednesday night. This is going into the rotation.
(5)
Bo L.
So I've been here before they renovated with a new menu, around the time their menu consisted only of noodle and rice bowls with... "Spicy Pink sauce".... Yeah. Anyways I'm back because I'm curious. I ordered the beef donburi and with the low expectations I had, it was decent. With that said it's not 100% authentic, something was off that I couldn't put my finger on. That goes the same for unknown Korean dish that my brother ordered. The food we had was heavy and doused in the sauce it came with. I would only come here again if the more authentic restaurants in Gville were closed.
(3)
Gigi A.
This is a good little alternative to Bento. As Mike W. mentioned, their atmosphere is very different, however. This place has a much more relaxed and easy going tempo. Service was quite attentive and genuinely friendly, a fresh change from all the fake service you get everywhere. I liked their peach iced tea. I did not like their bibimbap too much. Their udon is quite good, and I will definitely have to order udon next time I go. Yes, yelpers there will definitely be a next time. Their more exotic sushi's are well recommended. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing. Great place. The only thing I can say is that perhaps their prices should be a little cheaper, but all in all, I like it. Something my friends and I noticed was that everyone (except us) that was eating there was asian, which speaks to the the authenticity of the caliber of asian food here!
(4)
Kunal M.
I tried the pick three lunch special. Spicy tuna, tuna nigiri and salmon nigiri. Nigiri cuts were delicious and made well. Spicy tuna was average. The sheer variety of food would bring me back, to try some noodles or Bib im bop if i'm in the area again.
(3)
Simone H.
I was so sad when I heard Kay's ( the old incarnation of the building ) was closing, as it was a favorite study hang out of mine, so it took me a while to even want to try Momoyaki. I wish I hadn't waited so long. There are many Korean dishes on the menu that I will be back to try, but on the night in question I sampled one of their Japanese curry bowls and some sushi with a friend. I am a snob about rice, and Momoyaki had some of the best quality rice that I have tried in Gainesville. They got the moisture content and firmness of the rice right in both the curry bowl, and the sushi. Seeing as rice is a foundation of these dishes, it was a great start. We ordered 2 rolls from the sushi menu, and one was about the best I have had in Gainesville, you could really taste the quality of the fish (along with the great rice). The other one had a few issues with the fishy being slightly, "fishy," but I would still put this in the category of a "new" restaurant getting on it's feet. All-in-all, great food. At least on par with Bento, but without the annoying club atmosphere.
(4)
April O.
Not bad, but not great either. Portions are generous and they make your milk tea by hand, which is a nice touch. But this is basically Bento with fewer menu options and more expensive food. AND the real Bento is right up the street. D'oh! Their decorative scheme is cute ^_^
(2)
Han W.
Fine taste. And the katsu chicken is good. Sweet tea has a flavor of flower which tastes much better than those from others.
(4)
geoff c.
how is this place still open? this is complete garbage. Bento is down the street. food is much better there. I had some crap they called bulgolgi. yea, it was bad. food isnt cheap either. I hate to say this but I rather go to rolls and bowls than this POS.
(1)
Jim M.
We like the Momoyaki very much. Good appetizers. Good sushi. Plenty of vegetarian options. I am not a fan of their sauces. Service and management always friendly and accomodating. No noticable changes since new managers took over a couple of weeks ago. We're regulars; once a week or so.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No
Joshua J.
I was extremely disappointed with this restaurant, I ordered the miso soup and the pick 3 which I chose to go with crunchy shrimp, spicy shrimp and the spicy salmon, I ordered to go and it took about 15 mins to prep my order which is what I was told but when I got my food it was way too dry, and the seaweed in my sushi was partially brittle, for the amount of time they took i was expecting better quality. Worst first impression ever, will not be back and definitely gonna warn people about the quality of their food.
(1)Sungyak K.
Went back for the Japanese menu. I really can't recommend it that strongly for the price range. Not sure why I wouldn't just settle for Bento. But everything about their Korean menu was okay. Gotta upgrade that terribleh kimchi though.
(3)Ranier O.
This place has always been a personal favorite from way back in my college days. Today, they are still amazing and I can't get enough! The area is simple but elegant. They have plenty of lunch specials and even have an all-day lunch special on Wednesdays. My favorite dish here has always, and remains to be, their Pork Katsudon! It's a very large bowl with rice, fried pork cutlets, egg, sweet onions, shitake mushrooms and a sweet sauce (not sure what it is lol). But, the sauce complements the onions sweetness, the pork is succulent and crispy, and the mushrooms are tender. I have this dish every other time I come just because I think it's the most amazing thing that they have! The service has always been good and I've never had a bad experience here, ever. I introduced this place to my friends and they also loved this restaurant. We've had birthday dinners, lunch gatherings and even graduation dinners here at Momoyaki because they loved this place so much! The price is a little high for the college budget (think above $10) but with their portions, you leave full and think the prices are very fair. Come on by and enjoy if you love food!
(5)Mike W.
I've been here a couple times recently since I'd not ventured into Momoyaki for literally years, I wanted to give it another try. To be honest, I don't quite see how they stay in business. Perhaps Kung Fu Tea going into their same building will help them, but it's all too easy to forget they're even here and their quality does little to remind one of their presence or entice customers. They're not Bento, and have never been, yet their prices are as high or higher than Bento despite their quality and variety seemingly being below Bento (which isn't a place to wish to find yourself: I can find plenty to complain about with Bento, also). I've recently had their shrimp tempura udon soup and their chicken katsu bento box and both were at best pretty mundane: the soup was flavorful but only contained two pieces of tempura shrimp and just wasn't enough for a meal while the bento box was generous insofar as serving size and the katsu chicken itself was very good, the California roll and veggie egg roll that came with it as sides were not good at all. That egg roll seemed cold and overly moist while the California roll was bland, mushy, and not at all tasty. I only ate a few pieces of that. The ginger dressing'd salad was mainly iceberg lettuce and I really just chowed down on the chicken katsu itself and the rice. Again, the katsu was good certainly, but the point of a bento box is to have diversity and the sides need to be of decent quality, too. So, what gives? My best guess is that they're not seeing the traffic in patrons to do justice to their very impressive menu (in terms of depth, if not scope). They have a lot of different sushi options, but if they cannot crank out a decent California roll I shudder to think what the rest of the sushi would be like. Perhaps their Korean dishes are where they really shine, I don't know. What I do know is, Bento and several other places (Mahzu, Fuji Sushi, Garlic & Ginger) demand my attention over Momoyaki at this point. I do wish them well, I hope they can get it together and rise to the occasion, offering better quality and taking advantage of the draw of Kung Fu Tea for Asian food-minded folks to their plaza.
(2)P D.
Spicy squid dish is good if you want something spicy. Stay away from the deep fried dishes. They broke the number 1 rule with too much breading.
(3)Kurt K.
A deceptively small facade and although it was a Monday the food tasted fresh. A lot of locals in the place as in there were Asian families eating here. Always a good sign that the food isn't westernized. Korean owned based on the extensive Korean fare. We did the lunch special ( good until 230pm) and the pick three is plenty for one. We did two of them and that was one roll too many. Pick two is only 7.99. Comes with soup or salad. Salad was excellent Miso was eh. Staff was friendly but probably one short. Overall a do over whenever we are in town. Give it a shot.
(4)Madison E.
The hostess is sweet. I have only sat down to eat once and it was super slow, so it was nice and quiet. The server was sweet as well. Now I go there just for a quick to go order of the seaweed salad.. Usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. Decent place but a bit overpriced
(3)Chris R.
It's like an over priced panda express. The food is not good. It's greasy and over done. The service was good..
(2)Andrew R.
Great food with superb service. Fav place in Gainesville for lunch. The lunch special for rolls is a must.
(5)Marcelo D.
Bland food, hostess was rude, over priced for what you get and sticky tables. Probably the worst Japanese restaurant in town. Go somewhere else. On the bright side waitress was really nice and good. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Ordered vegi dumplings and they had pork in them.
(1)Dania D.
This place used to be ok, but it is terrible! The vegetables tasted like the inside of a freezer. My boyfriend's chicken was inedible. We ended up only eating the rice under the food. Even the miso soup was off. Please avoid! There are so many better Asian restaurants in the area.
(1)Adam P.
Was in town for the first time on a business trip and was googling restaurants to go to for dinner with a client. Found Momoyaki on ChompMenus and decided to give it a shot. Ordered a ton of appetizers which were all very good. The Mozzarella Jalapeno roll was amazing. Essentially a mozzarella stick with jalepnos in it. Edamame was firm and didn't just flake when biting into it. Great crab rangoons. Decided to order something I've never tried before and I believe it was the Bibim Man Yang??? The waiter brought a pair of food scissors before it got there and told me I'd need them. I had no clue what I was in for. Apparently the noodles were about 3 feet long and not as soft as ramen so you use the scissors to cut the noodles hanging out of your mouth. Interesting but I wouldn't get that item again. The Mexican roll was fantastic. It wasn't too busy so things came out very quickly, not sure if they are slower on service with a fuller dining room. Very good experience.
(4)Carly R.
Finally tried this place the other night for dinner. I was seated right away and the service was excellent throughout the meal. I ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box, which also comes with white rice, ginger salad, miso soup, egg rolls, and a California roll. For $14, it is a lot of food and probably worth the price to most. However, I thought the food was just okay. The egg rolls were the star; they were delicious. Unfortunately, the sushi wasn't too exciting, the miso soup was not very good, and my chicken was very fatty. I would have rather spent less and gone to Bento or spent about the same and gotten really good sushi at other places nearby. I don't think it's worth the price and you can probably find a tastier, better deal elsewhere.
(2)Karly G.
Quick service, our server Harper was very helpful and attentive. Their lunch special is great! 3 fresh rolls for $10.50 and it comes with a soup or salad. A great place to go for a quick lunch or some sake with friends!
(4)Brad K.
One of the ONLY places local that serves Bim-Bim Bop ! Service not great, average at best. Sushi is not their strong point, better sushi else where. Came here specifically for the Bim Bim Bop which was very good.
(3)Coty S.
We went here on a Friday night and it was almost empty. You are now seated when you walk in and have a waiter/waitress to serve you. You order from a menu at your table and the prices have gone up even more. No new Korean dishes were added, and the wait staff knows absolutely nothing about Asian food in general. No panchan served with the Korean dishes, like at Miya Sushi. The Coke was flat. We will definitely not be coming back here again. If you have better Korean food, try Garlic and Ginger down the road.
(2)Maria Christina V.
Went here for lunch today with a friend. We both got the "pick 3 sushi rolls" lunch special for $10.50 and it came with miso soup. Basically, the food isnt that great. I think the sushi at Publix is probably better. I left with a metallic taste in my mouth from the fish. I ordered the: crunchy crabmeat roll, gator roll, and spicy salmon roll. Honestly, they were so bland that they almost all tasted the same to me. I was dissapointed with the crunchyness too - they basically just put tempura flakes on the outside of the roll. I guess I would have hoped for some crunchyness on the inside. The rolls are small, bland and dont taste very good. Yes, I got a lot of sushi in my 3 rolls and left full but I didnt enjoy my sushi like I had hoped for. The service was fine. We were well attended and the waitress refilled our water quickly. I probably would NOT go here again. I prefer going to Miya Sushi or Dragonfly during happy hour.
(2)Anonymous T.
Nothing special - I went with a total of 4 adults and 2 kids with a bill of $140...yea, $23 a head and 1 kid was 1 year old. The food was average and for a college town this was unacceptable. Service was good, food was good, and experience was good but price.....no way. It was an average place with an above average price tag. All together the order was 4 appetizers, 5 rolls and 12 pieces of sushi.
(2)Jackson P.
Great food great service. For the price the sushi is unbeatable especially during the lunch time where you can get three rolls for around 12 bux! Not the same upscale atmosphere as Dragonfly, but the sushi is better and service is faster. Hands down my favorite sushi joint in Gainesville.
(5)Heather W.
Give Momoyaki a try! The average of the yelp reviews is lower than other sources, ie, FB & google. Momo is one of the best places in town for sushi. This is a sit-down, full service restaurant. Other counter-service establishments cannot even begin to compare.
(4)Martin C.
Good Food & Quick Service! All-round good value that'll make your tummy and your wallet happy!
(4)Tina L.
I'm Korean, so naturally, I love Korean food. Momoyaki's is a great replacement for my mother's home cooking. The pork bulgogi is so delicious and so is the bib bim bop. Serivce is great and they have a friendly staff. It's also very clean and decorated nicely.
(4)John S.
After seeing so many bad reviews of Momoyaki, I thought it might be the right thing for me to defend a restaurant that I really like in Gainesville. I haven't tried any of the sushi or the other Asian-inspired dishes. There's just no reason to do that. Momoyaki has some of the most authentic Korean food available in Gainesville. If you like squid and spicy (yes, actually spicy!), you've got to try the Oh Jing uh Bokkeum. Great heat and flavor and a large portion size. If you're not feeling as adventurous, try the Jeyuk Bokkeum instead (its the same thing but has pork instead of squid). Both come in a super spicy thick broth filled with veggies and are true to their origins. The ginger side salad was pretty standard fare. They also offer Korean side dishes if you ask for them. The service has always been friendly and attentive. I have tried some of the Bulgogi and Galbi dishes too, but they're a bit smaller portioned than I'd like. Next time you feel like having something a little different, go to Momoyaki. Just don't order what you would at one of the many of sushi places in Gainesville!
(4)Olga L.
I came here last weekend and I really wanted to love this place since it's so close to home. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the majority of other reviewers that this is basically a sub-par, more expensive Bento, with bad service. The service: Our waitress took our drink and appetizer order, then disappeared until the appetizers came. I had to flag her down to ask for straws, which were in her apron the whole time, and she managed to look greatly inconvenienced. I had to ask the host to bring us plates to split our appetizer, since our waitress was nowhere to be found. She finally brought our entrees about 45 minutes after we ordered them (there were only two tables eating at this point). I believe she was only looking after 3 tables, but I have no idea where she was the whole time. Hoping to expedite the checkout process, I gave the waitress my card when she brought the check. She held my card hostage for at least 10 minutes, while bringing out other tables' food and drinks, cleaning, and doing other various tasks that didn't include letting me leave. No apology from the waitress at any point for our wait. The food: Pork dumplings (~$5): Tasty dumplings served with a yummy sauce, but they were the TINIEST dumplings I have ever seen. Boyfriend got the shrimp tempura with noodles (~$14): 4 shrimp battered in tempura flakes, stacked on a tower of tempura vegetables, served with a TINY bowl of noodles. Between the two of us, we couldn't finish half his plate without being overwhelmed by grease. I ordered a Caterpillar roll ($8) and Gator Roll (~$7): the TINIEST sushi for the price. The eel in my caterpillar roll was nonexistent, and so was the fish, albeit fresh, in my gator roll. So the pattern here is tiny food portions at disproportionately high prices and slow, inattentive service. After factoring in tip and drinks, I could've gone to Bento and paid the same price for twice as much food.
(2)Mallory B.
You know, this place wasn't bad. My husband and I came here as soon as they opened for dinner. It still looks like Kay's Coffee, which the location was a few years ago, including the coffee-bar-turned-sushi-bar. We had a coupon, so the hubs and I split three rolls - Foxy Lady, Baked Alaskan, and Spicy Salmon. They were all AWESOME, with my favorite being the Foxy Lady and his, the Baked Alaskan. It wasn't nearly enough to fill us up, though. (Three rolls from Sushi-2-Go, by contrast, is usually good enough for us, as are two sushi-plus boxes from Publix.) Worst part of the evening: We had the crab rangoons for an appetizer. Think of the worst fried food at the shadiest chinese buffet you've ever gone to. They were cold, the crust was thick and chewy, and the filling was lots of cream cheese and not much "krab." They might have scared me away from appetizers for good. We'll be back for the sushi, or maybe to try the warm entrees. It's nearby, and more affordable than some of the sushi places in the area.
(2)Johnny L.
One of few places that serve Korean food here in Gainesville. The food was pretty good, but the prices are a little higher than most other places that serve the same kind of food. The staff is pretty friendly, and the place looked pretty nice. I went here a while ago, and I hear they went under new renovations. The food was pretty good. The bulgogi is good, but I thought the portion could have been larger for the price. I had the Cali roll here too, and that was pretty good. The chicken katsu didnt look too appealing, but the short ribs do look pretty good. I would like to come back and try em some time. Their menu is not as extensive as Bento's and the prices are higher than Bento's too. I hate to compare the two, but they really are similiar in a lot of aspects. But unless Momoyaki gets cheaper or differentiates itself, Im gonna stick with Bento's down Archer.
(3)Paul H.
I've known Momoyaki as Kay's Coffee. The aesthetics have been upgraded but food quality and service is still the same if not worse. I came here for lunch and ordered the momo size chicken teriyaki bento box (~$8). The cashier/server wasn't too friendly, acting impatient and overall not in a good mood. The food is probably on par with bento's and a bit higher priced. One plus is free wifi in the afternoon (not sure if they shut it off at night). My experience has been fairly neutral and I wouldn't recommend nor not recommend eating at Momoyaki.
(2)John M.
Extremely friendly staff. Awesome sake and rolls. Get the plum wine with the sake. They are starting half off sake on Wednesday night. This is going into the rotation.
(5)Bo L.
So I've been here before they renovated with a new menu, around the time their menu consisted only of noodle and rice bowls with... "Spicy Pink sauce".... Yeah. Anyways I'm back because I'm curious. I ordered the beef donburi and with the low expectations I had, it was decent. With that said it's not 100% authentic, something was off that I couldn't put my finger on. That goes the same for unknown Korean dish that my brother ordered. The food we had was heavy and doused in the sauce it came with. I would only come here again if the more authentic restaurants in Gville were closed.
(3)Gigi A.
This is a good little alternative to Bento. As Mike W. mentioned, their atmosphere is very different, however. This place has a much more relaxed and easy going tempo. Service was quite attentive and genuinely friendly, a fresh change from all the fake service you get everywhere. I liked their peach iced tea. I did not like their bibimbap too much. Their udon is quite good, and I will definitely have to order udon next time I go. Yes, yelpers there will definitely be a next time. Their more exotic sushi's are well recommended. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing. Great place. The only thing I can say is that perhaps their prices should be a little cheaper, but all in all, I like it. Something my friends and I noticed was that everyone (except us) that was eating there was asian, which speaks to the the authenticity of the caliber of asian food here!
(4)Kunal M.
I tried the pick three lunch special. Spicy tuna, tuna nigiri and salmon nigiri. Nigiri cuts were delicious and made well. Spicy tuna was average. The sheer variety of food would bring me back, to try some noodles or Bib im bop if i'm in the area again.
(3)Simone H.
I was so sad when I heard Kay's ( the old incarnation of the building ) was closing, as it was a favorite study hang out of mine, so it took me a while to even want to try Momoyaki. I wish I hadn't waited so long. There are many Korean dishes on the menu that I will be back to try, but on the night in question I sampled one of their Japanese curry bowls and some sushi with a friend. I am a snob about rice, and Momoyaki had some of the best quality rice that I have tried in Gainesville. They got the moisture content and firmness of the rice right in both the curry bowl, and the sushi. Seeing as rice is a foundation of these dishes, it was a great start. We ordered 2 rolls from the sushi menu, and one was about the best I have had in Gainesville, you could really taste the quality of the fish (along with the great rice). The other one had a few issues with the fishy being slightly, "fishy," but I would still put this in the category of a "new" restaurant getting on it's feet. All-in-all, great food. At least on par with Bento, but without the annoying club atmosphere.
(4)April O.
Not bad, but not great either. Portions are generous and they make your milk tea by hand, which is a nice touch. But this is basically Bento with fewer menu options and more expensive food. AND the real Bento is right up the street. D'oh! Their decorative scheme is cute ^_^
(2)Han W.
Fine taste. And the katsu chicken is good. Sweet tea has a flavor of flower which tastes much better than those from others.
(4)geoff c.
how is this place still open? this is complete garbage. Bento is down the street. food is much better there. I had some crap they called bulgolgi. yea, it was bad. food isnt cheap either. I hate to say this but I rather go to rolls and bowls than this POS.
(1)Jim M.
We like the Momoyaki very much. Good appetizers. Good sushi. Plenty of vegetarian options. I am not a fan of their sauces. Service and management always friendly and accomodating. No noticable changes since new managers took over a couple of weeks ago. We're regulars; once a week or so.
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