Moja Cafe

Modern feel & décor. Staff was supercool & friendly. This restaurant is reminiscent of Momofuku in NYC — Very Ramen-​shop style seating, but with a modern-​chic twist. Outdoor area has torches for warmth and shud be fun this summer.
I’m a vocalist, so I HAD to try the Lemon Ginger Honey Infused Sake Glass — very yummy! [tried the Pineapple Infused but wasnt as good]. I had the Peking Duck Kone [gluten-​free wrap] — think bbq-​chicken wrap but awesomer! Also had the Tuna Seviche Arepa — the corn was crisped to perfection and the Tuna was excellent! The Arepa came with salad topped with just the right amount of the wasabi-​hinted dressing — soo good! must try!
Me & my girlfriend shared the dessert sampler — perfect for sharing!
Lastly, Moja had some live entertainment — a fellow playing classical fingered guitar — familiar covers. I enjoyed his background music, and it was still subtle enough to have a conversation.
Great new spot! Can’t wait to go back!

Would give this no stars if I could. I was very excited about having a new cuisine to add to the repertoire of local restaurants and was thrilled when I heard Moja was opening up.
I’ve never been more disappointed by a meal. We ordered drinks, both were gross. One tasted like a dive bar smells, the other was just watery and weak. Tried to switch to beer because the cocktails were wanting — they were warm. The appetizers were awful– tuna tartar served with three sauces, the two mayo based ones tasted exactly the same, and the edamame came out mushy and covered with what was supposed to be kimchi but seemed like rancid sauerkraut.
We were not optimistic the entrees would be better. We were right. One tasted like dogfood, and the other had no flavor (thank goodness.)
Dessert had no chance. We left, and will not be returning. Best thing this place can do is shut down so it can be replaced with a better restaurant.

The place was empty on the Sunday afternoon when we went. The service was attentive, but the food was mediocre. We had a Groupon so at least we didn’t pay full price. Not worth the trip from Danbury to Westport to give them another try.

Oh no…
I so wanted to like the food, because the outdoor setting was so nice and the staff was delightful.
Unfortunately, the food was between quite bad and awful. Drinks were OK, but we left almost all our food on the plates. The plantain starter featured hard and bitter plantains — most likely not from ripe — in some vinegar-​tasting sauce. Bad. Our main courses were a short rib Kone and the Ponzu salmon. Kone had more greens than meat, and the meat was dry. Some odd crunchy items in there too, tiny bone debris maybe? This dish was simply no good and there was no trace of truffle in there either. The worse was by far the salmon. The rice paper was boiled to look, feel and taste like goopy glue, hard to cut open. Inside, the salmon was bitter, dry, and cardboard-​like.
On the other hand, the location and view are great. Our waitresses and the restaurant manager were so attentive and lovely, that we didn’t dare say anything, and I suspect that is also the reason why there are not more bad reviews posted. However, with such potential as the location, the view, traffic brought in by next door neighbor Bar Taco, and a friendly staff, Moja needs to know the truth about their food so they can improve it if they want to survive.

This place is new to Westport. I love the location– it is downtown right on the river and their outdoor seating definitely takes advantage of that. The menu is very different. I really enjoyed the tuna sashimi cone and their sampler appetizer platter. Maybe it is just because it is new– the staff was a little scattered and kept bringing other people’s food to our tables– and it seems to be a little unorganized. BUT– the food is pretty good and different– I hope it lasts!

Dinner for four on a beautiful warm evening on the river in Westport. That is the end of the good news for this restaurant. The evening was marked by dreadful service, mediocre food, and problems with the bill.
Where do I begin? Lets start with the service which started OK with our appetizers but then main courses took FOREVER. The bottle of wine we ordered finally arrived after 20 minutes but they had no wine glasses. After another long wait we found someone to bring us water glasses for our wine (we found out later that this is how they serve wine). Why did we have to wait so long? Our poor waitress was very nice but overwhelmed and inexperienced. When asked about the wine list she responded. «I don’t know anything about it». At least she was honest. Oh yes, the food. Disappointing at best. Seemed better suited for lunch than dinner as their Kones are fancy wraps and the arepas are open sandwiches. The final insult was the bill on which they charged $ 12 for a martini then added $ 2 for a premium gin and then another $ 2 for the martini because it requires more alcohol than a regular drink, according to them. Hello, it’s a martini, which, of course, takes more liquor to make. Charge what you want but don’t insult us by adding these extra $ 2 charges. I know, it makes no sense. They finally removed the charge after much discussion. Prediction: 90 days at most for Moja. It’s a shame to waste such a beautiful location on this place.

Moja is a travesty. Great location, beautiful views, but their food and drinks are atrocious. The wraps taste and look like they are comprised of a plastic alien suit from a 1950’s B-​movie. The arepas are consistently tepid and flavorless. I am convinced the polenta is premade, plastic wrapped and purchased at the deli on the corner.
The drinks are the most hideous concoctions I’ve ever imbibed. I can only ask WHY would they subject people to things that taste so awful? And why would you have a sake bar that doesn’t serve sushi? Putting wasabi mayo on vulgar dishes does not constitute Japanese fusion. That said, I suspect I contracted food poisoning from the crab and shrimp arepas, so perhaps raw fish is not a good idea given their general incompetence in the kitchen?
Now, onto the service … In addition to a generally creepy and weird vibe, wrong orders, slow service, forgotten drinks — which are perhaps a blessing as people are spared from consuming more of their horrific food and drinks.

Moja café has a sleek modern décor. Outside patio will be great for drinks in the summer. Wait staff is friendly. Food is creative, but portions are small for dinner. My tuna cone had more greens than tuna. Infused sake and wines are excellent but also pricey. The crowd is mostly under 50 and casually dressed. Older diners may not like the loud piped in music during dinner. Overall, I recommend moja for lunch not dinner.

Moja was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise! I had seen ads for Moja over the past few months, and was expecting a bright, casual, café. Maybe it was because it was late at night, but the restaurant gave me much more of a «trendy nightlife» vibe.
The majority of space is taken up by a beautiful, long, glass bar. There are a dozen or so small tables on either side, and the rest of the décor was sleek and modern. Definitely more upscale than I had anticipated.
Now to the menu. At first I was kind of confused by what cuisine the menu was going for — but it basically has an Asian theme with a healthy, global, twist. We started with the Kim Chi Chicken Bowl with Scallions, Rice Noodles, Bean Sprouts, Poached Egg, and Shiitake Miso Broth. It was huge and had mild but tasty Korean flavors. Next we shared three entrees, which the kitchen kindly cut into three portions each to create a makeshift tapas experience.
We had two Kones: the Short Rib Kone with Braised Short Ribs, Truffle Peppercorn Sauce, Art’s Mozzarella, Cheese, Crispy Onions, Red Bell Peppers and the Tuna Seviche Kone with Snow Peas, Cucumber, Scallions, Enoki Mushrooms, and Japanese Thousand Island Dressing. We also tried the Coco Curry Chicken Arepa with Cilantro Chimmichurri, Hearts of Palm, Cashews, and Mango. The Kones were wild looking! Very hearty portions with fresh and vibrant flavors. The Arepa was good, but half the plate was taken up by a salad — which is fine, if you’re in a salad-​y kind of mood. For us, the Kones are the way to go!
Lastly, the waitress recommended the Avocado-​Coconut Flan — and I’m happy she did because it was superb! Very decadent but also a light and refreshing way to end a great meal. Actually, that’s a great way to describe the entire experience. We were satisfied but left feeling healthy and not overly stuffed with grease, sugar, and salt.
The atmosphere is probably lively during the day, but I highly recommend for a fun night out like we had. Very unique concept and a gem!

Went to Moja after coming back for a quick visit to CT to see some girlfriends… We walked into a warm inviting space that was abuzz with diners and we were treated and sat within two minutes. We had a Greg view of the river and downtown Westport lit up with lights. We ordered and shared several items, loved the dressing on the crab and shrimp salad as well as the tuna app. Moja is the place to go for Saki, even if you think you don’t enjoy it. Our waiter was very knowledgable on the menu as well as helping us pic out a great tasting sampler of the house infused Saki. We didn’t save room for dessert but we ordered the sampler with 3 spoons just for the fun of it and sent the plate back just shy of us licking it clean. The rice pudding and the soy chocolate mousse were our favs. We cannot wait to enjoy their outside dining… Once the warmer weather hits I can see Moja becoming the spot for Saki and apps by the water. I gave it 5 stars because of how creative and unique the menu is, the style of cooking, a warm knowledgable staff and the awesome Saki. I hope they expand their appetizers a bit… Like tuna sliders… Hint… Hint

Moja has only been open a few months, and judging from previous reviews they may have had some initial start up issues. Those appear to have been fixed, based on my experience there on a recent Friday evening.
Service at the bar was quick and efficient, and our vodka drinks expertly prepared. The bar stools are comfortable, and the staff made us feel right at home.
When the rest of our party arrived, we were promptly seated in the small dining area. The river view is excellent, but the space is a little cramped inside. By the time the warm weather arrives, Moja hopes to have their patio space open for business.
I have Celiac disease, so the fact that Moja has the words gluten free on their menu makes me happy. Their sandwich wraps, called kones, are made from gluten-​free grains and were quite delicious. I had the tuna seviche kone, which was loaded with fresh tuna, snow peas, cucumber, scallions, enoki mushrooms, and their Japanese thousand island dressing.
As a group, we tried the snack sampler, which was recommended by our excellent server, Christian. It includes the following: truffle short rib omusubi; sesame fruit salsa potato pancakes; and habanero pork mini arepas. I especially enjoyed the truffle short rib and the arepas.
Moja is definitely worth checking out if you live or work in the area, and want to try an interesting take on South American and Asian fusion cuisine.

We’ve been here twice in the past two weeks. The first time for lunch and Saturday night for dinner with our children. I feel like we ate at a different restaurant than most of the reviewers. The staff were incredibly attentive and moved the meals along at a good pace without rushing. Mario was our server both times and he was fantastic. When we came back for dinner both the bar manager and the bar tender checked in with us as well. We ate early (6:00) because we were with the kids, but by the time we left around 8:00 the tables were full.
My husband has the infused sake flight and really enjoyed it. I was drinking wine and I thought it was a nice glass of wine for a good price. Both came at the appropriate temperature, which is silly to say, but seems was an issue with other diners. The kids loved that they kept filling their soda glasses when mom wasn’t looking.
We really enjoyed the food. It’s nice to have something different in Westport. We had the sampler appetizer, the smoked salmon potato pancakes, and the scallion rolls. They were all a hit. One child ate the entire sampler and the other wasn’t letting anyone near the potato pancakes. My husband and I loved the scallion rolls. The entrees we had were great as well. Tuna ceviche Kone (my favorite– I love the gluten free wrap), the peppercorn steak arepa, the short rib arepa, and the chicken curry salad. All different and delicious. The portions are huge and well priced. You will not go hungry. The desserts were great. I love their coconut sushi rice pudding, one child couldn’t get enough of the mango sorbet, and my husband and other son were fighting over the tofu chocolate mousse.
I’m not sure what the other reviewers were expecting. It’s different (a welcome thing here) and if you go in not expecting traditional Asian food I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The bar does take up most of the restaurant, so I could see where it would stink to be stuck in a corner on a busy night, but it’s worth the trip. I agree it’s going to be even better when the warm weather gets here and we can sit outside.

View is awesome right on the river. They will have an outdoor patio soon so I will definitely go back for drinks soon. Food was good, different, service was a bit slow.