MoonSha Japanese Bar and Restaurant Derby

Reviews

1. Lisa Harlow ★★★★☆

   The restaurant was fairly quiet when we attended (a good thing). Our orders were taken quickly and we didn't have to wait long for drinks or food. We had sushi starters which were delicious. The mains came out very soon after we'd finished our starters (again, a very good thing). I had sea bass and the green salad; all very tasty and surprisingly filling. The only fault I could find is that I was cold (but I often am!). Would definitely go again

   almost 7 months ago
2. Megan ★★★☆☆

   This was the first time I've visited Moonsha for around 10 years. In previous years, I always had positive experiences during every visit & was really impressed each time I dined here. However, I feel it has gone downhill & unfortunately, I had an underwhelming experience on this occasion. The service left a lot to be desired for...The table & menus were a bit sticky upon arrival, which I found off-putting. Two out of the three members of staff who served our table certainly weren't warm or friendly & seemed to just be going through the motions, as if they didn't want to be there. No one checked in on us to ask how everything was with our food, neither whilst we were eating or when the plates for each course were cleared. I didn't find the food & drink terrible, hence my three star review, but the Soft Shell Crab Salad starter was just alright. I liked the Moonsha Salad Dressing, but personally, I think the dish would have been much nicer (& not to mention, fresher!) if the crab meat wasn't deep-fried in a somewhat greasy batter. Also, the small portion of (deep-fried) crab meat, served alongside the salad, wasn't enough to justify the cost. I had the Seafood Ramen Soup for the main, which again, I found to be edible, but subpar. I'm not sure whether I made a bad choice or if I would have experienced the same with every other dish, but it lacked seasoning / flavour & didn't taste fresh. The Lycheetini cocktail tasted amazing & I really enjoyed it, but the garnish could've been a bit more interesting, rather than just a single glaced cherry placed into the bottom of the glass. I also had the Skittles cocktail & it tasted OK, but for the price, I was disappointed with the excessive amounts of ice that they watered it down with, as you can see from the photo. The place looks lovely with how it's been decorated, but there isn't a lot of atmosphere to match it. The fact that it was quiet early on a Saturday evening says a lot. It did get busier & more lively later on but bizarrely, started to feel more like a nightclub at this point, rather than a restaurant. This is partly due to the type of music they play. In a nutshell, it's overpriced & what they charge isn't reflected in the quality of the food. The service was poor & atmosphere lacking somewhat, so for those reasons, I won't be returning in a hurry.

   1 year ago
3. Pallabi Roy Sonkovics ★★★★★

   The experience was quite interesting, having a robot get the food to the table, the food came out pretty quick. The food was just amazing, I loved and enjoyed everything we ordered. If you want to sit near the bar to watch the cooking performance, make sure to book in advance. They have a small parking space just behind the restaurant. Will definitely come back again to try other items!!!

   1 year ago

1. Samuel Kitching ★★★★★

   Was taken here tonight by friends and although I'd not had Japanese food before I absolutely loved it. We tried lots of different starters and they were all Fantastic the mains were great too. The robot servers and watching the chefs cook and prepare sushi was really entertaining. Will definitely be returning and recommending to others

   1 year ago
2. Ben Ebdon ★★★★★

   Lovely experience with great staff that were very friendly. Not too busy at lunchtime, we walked in and got seated immediately and food was very fast and tasty. Will revisit soon!

   almost 3 years ago
3. Dan Harris ★★★★★

   Really enjoyed it. Food and atmosphere, amazing. I have seen some reviews saying its a little expensive?? Chef cooks for you, in front of you. You get what you pay for... this was excellent value

   almost 3 years ago

1. David Davenport ★★★☆☆

   Mixed emotions, if I’m honest. Insufficient physical staff to provide a suitable/appropriate level of attentive service to the ‘paying’ customer, which is not made up for by the gimmicky robots delivering food. Moreover, this is not a true Japanese restaurant; rather, it is a Japanese-style restaurant delivered by Chinese staff, limited and as rushed off their feet as they are, this is not a good experience for the customer - it wasn’t even busy. It’s one thing to apply the just in time / lean principles of Japanese culture, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of the customer. All that said, the food was good - tasty and filling, but not somewhere I would necessarily frequent, given the 25mins wait just for a drink. Sorry MoonSha, you seem to be CustomerShy - up your customer experience game and you have an award-winning venue on your hands.

   almost 3 years ago
2. Tallan (Nesium) ★★★★★

   We travelled to Derby for the day and were delightfully surprised to find a Japanese restaurant. We started with some cocktail orders where the staff were very attentive and offered some recommendations. The drinks were very nice. We ordered the Chicken Gyoza and the Takoyaki to start, both dishes came much quicker than first anticipated. The Gyoza were fried, but perfectly crispy to a point where they were still soft. The flavours were good and the accompanying sauce paired very well. The takoyaki were a real treat, a beautifully cooked batter full of flavour and covered in a pair of sauces that fit the dish perfectly. We both then ordered the duck and plum sauce 'Kamo duck' bento box. This also arrived pretty quickly. The sauce was amazing, and the duck was melt in the mouth. The salad was fresh and seasoned really well, salad doesn't have to be boring it was very tasty. The rice was perfectly cooked, sticky and fluffy. But wait, let's get back to the sauce because I cannot understate how good the sauce was with the accompanying duck. I was ready to charge into the kitchen and attempt to steal any form of supply they had of it. All in all, it was a fantastic dive into the world of Japanese cuisine. The staff tried to be very attentive, the place may need a little more work but they are definitely capable of doing so much. A very expansive menu with a lot to offer. We'll definitely return if we're in the area again. If there was a greater demand for Japanese food, I can see this restaurant doing great things. Thank you Moonsha, hope to see you again. PS. We were a bit eager on the Gyoza before took the photo. You usually get 5 :')

   almost 4 years ago

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