MoonCat Sushi Bistro

Such gourmet and delicious fish. Fresh fish and refreshing combinations, not filling ones. Not too many sauces, tastes so clean and wonderful. Definitely the best sushi in monrovia, and y’all! We’re so lucky because they really aren’t charging as much as they could. Aka you can afford it, not every week but maybe once a month. It tastes and feels healthy and wonderful for the body mind and spirit. Oh, and the sweet waitress made the experience all the more wonderful. I’m also 6’5″ so being in this tiny place with these tiny tables made it feel a tad like alice in wonderland X delish sushi aka my dream. Yummmo

This place is awesome! I have to say, I read some of the reviews on here and can understand clearly what these people are saying. IMHO it was more of a disappointment of their expectations rather than a personal attack on this restaurant. This place is as Japanese as its going to get. Its very typical of Japanese customs and servings and what you would expect from any modern Japanese sushi bar today. With that being said:
If you’re one of those that expect MORE is better and the serving sizes are too small, this is not the place for you. Every part of the world serves in this portion except America. The average American mentality is More is better. So most restaurants serve to cater this except most higher end functions. This place obviously sticks to tradition, hence the complaints about serving size. Nothing wrong with that, its really about your preference.
The prices are higher than average because quality over quantity is usually the take on smaller restaurants (meaning size). They can’t fit and serve on quantity due to the size of their asset (restaurant) they will never survive or they’re going to be worked to death by the end of the day. Think Hometown Buffet or Sushi Stop compared to Roy’s or Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills. This is a business function and pertains to their business model. Ideally, you come to the sushi bar to eat and drink and enjoy the atmosphere and experience the tastes. If you just want to grab a bite to eat or wolf down your food then this is not the place for you.
Everyone is entitled to their taste preferences. Since Mooncat is traditional Japanese, they stick to traditional tastes. It seems they are catering to that kind of consumer, the ones who prefer that tradition. If you don’t like traditional Japanese taste, then this place is not for you. There are plenty of other options right down the block. Theres Mikomi and some other great Korean owned sushi places around there. Their prices are lower and they serve a lot thats filled with sauces and other kinds of commercialized rice rolls. I myself sometimes feel like getting full on this kind of sushi and stop by leaving satisfied rather than going to Mooncat. But when I feel like traditional Japanese sushi, Mooncat hits the spot for me every time.
Mooncat is a rare diamond and we are lucky to have one close by like it. Most sushi bars today aren’t really, well, sushi bars. They are commercialized versions of what people believe or like about sushi. Yes, the traditional tastes do have a more fishy taste and smell to it but thats what soy sauce and ginger are for. Big time sushi eaters can really tell the difference between fishy and not fresh and fishy and fresh. Its unfortunate about a review telling of a fruit fly in their food. I personally believe they should have just replaced it and took it off the bill but thats me. Every time I went there with my family its been a great experience for me so lucky me so far.
My dad is a sushi chef and has been for more than 30 years which is probably why I like the traditional sushi experience and my mom has her degree in hospitality management so my expectations for each restaurant is usually dependent on how they are trying to brand or position themselves.
If I go to a restaurant positioning themselves as a higher end venue and are pricing accordingly but receive a Burger King combo and Walmart service, I would have to say the verdict is an overpriced meal and horrible dining experience.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has different tastes and preferences. This is all subjective (including my own) but what I have to say to those complaints about this restaurant, (according to my analogy) don’t walk into a traditional Mexican restaurant and expect Taco Bell.

Fishy smell, perky hostess who reminds you whenever you break the century old sushi rules (sit against the wall, do not move the utensils, do not talk to the chef). The sushi chef wonders why you even came on a Monday night, even though his English is questionable at best. Needs more of the finer touches, if you want to command the $ 100 per two. Hot towels, more sushi roll selection, and nicer crop sticks would be great touches. I was surprised that my tab was that high at the end of the experience. Still trying to find a new sushi hole in the wall, and this isn’t quite it.

We frequent this special little gem of a restaurant as often as possible. It’s our Sushi favorite without a doubt. Azusa, the owner provides amazing service and the quality and freshness of what is served is consistent each and every visit. Our favorite thing to do is order Ramen from next door which you are able to eat while enjoying delicious and mouthwatering Sushi.
Love this place!

Over do on this place. From the outside it looks really nice. The décor is well done. The first flag was when I walked in, its smelled like old fish. Okay, it’s a sushi house, I’ve been to many, and the smell sometimes can be pungent.
The great part about our experience was our waitress. She was informative and really was a great server. When looking at the assortment, they also had a happy hour menu, but because we came in between the 6 – 8, the computer wouldn’t let us have the lower prices; strikes me as odd. Our waiter also said the prices were wrong, they were lower on the happy hour. (That meant they were too high in the first place, and they really needed to get people in there, as they knew their pricing was too high, and it was!) The standard rolls you’d get most other places would be from $ 7.99 to $ 11.49. These guys had the majority of standard rolls at $ 12.95. You will quickly run up a tab if you buy more than two rolls per person.
The part that tied this whole review together is how the fish was. It was NOT fresh. All the standard rolls tasted really fishy, and even had some fish slim on them. This happens when the fish is not fresh.
My friend went there again yesterday, and the fish was still not fresh. So twice in a period of a month shows low quality purchasing. That is also confirmed when ordering a coke. They ask is pepsi okay? If I wanted a pepsi, I would have ordered one. Restaurants get a huge price break selling pepsi over coke. This confirms this place is more about profit then quality. (Most people don’t order pepsi,)
So their prices are high, and fish that is bought in bulk, as to save money. I hope they aren’t buying older fish cause it’s cheaper, but one never knows. It’s supposed to frozen to kill the parasites. So there is no excuse for older fishy taste.
This place really needs a change for me to ever try it again. Probably not though.

LOVE this place; have been meaning to ‘yelp’ its praises for well more than a year, now; excellent service, nice ambiance, and truly GREAT sushi! really, if you like sushi and it’s not just about drinking copious amounts of sake or beer, this is the real deal. Azusa is an ace hostess and obviously a serious business-​person – she clearly runs a tight ship. I’m always torn between wanting this place to be mega-​successful but not wanting to get shut out by crowds. Would be tough if it got TOO popular, but it certainly deserves to!

I may come back to try their ramen, but the famous Taco Rice did not impress me.
Taco rice is teriyaki rice with minced meat as a base, topped with cheese, chopped tomatoes and lettuce. Like a taco with an Japanese fusion twist on it.
I thought the rice tasted like inauthentic teriyaki and the texture was too dry. If it was stickier and served hot, with all the toppings then it may be better.
Gyoza are a little expensive and while it wasn’t bad to eat, I wouldn’t pay $ 1/​gyoza for them.

First things first, I had 30 minutes to eat before the movie. The waitress was extremely attentive and brought out our orders of tonkatsu ramen right away. The broth was flavorful, meat was tender, and the noodles were chewy. Totally hit the spot!
I’ve been to plenty of popular ramen/​shin sen gumi spots around LA, so I was really impressed. I’ll go back to give the other stuff a try!

Went in last night for my first time. I came with my family, who has visited before and absolutely loves the ramen here. As I’m not really a ramen fan, I ordered the sushi. I ordered three salmon hand rolls– easy enough, right?
When they came out, I was extremely disappointed to see how small the rolls were, considering they were $ 6 a pop. On top of that, a little more than halfway through my meal, I noticed that there were two fruit flies. One was floating at the bottom of my soy sauce and the other was stuck to my plate, as if they had both been there a while. So gross. When I nicely told our waitress, she gladly took it away but shortly came back and told me they were pieces of seaweed. Excuse me? I know when I see wings in my food… I repeated to her that they were indeed fruit flies. It was only then she took it back again, shortly coming back to tell me that they would make a new hand roll.
Um, thanks I guess? By now I had lost my appetite. I work in hospitality and travel PR, and have had the privilege of working for firms who represent some of the biggest names in the restaurant industry. Rule number 1 in the restaurant biz? The customer is always right. So to first be told that the suspicious particles were seaweed instead of fruit flies, was strike 1.
Strike 2 was that the bill came out to be $ 72– for four people? That’s ridiculous. They didn’t even have the nerve to take the fruit fly-​infested hand rolls off the bill. In no way do I blame the waitress, as she was very attentive throughout the evening. The one star is basically for her. Otherwise, the management here really needs to step up their game when dealing with customers.
Other menu items aside from the ramen are allotted in very small portions and are extremely overpriced. The venue itself is really small as well, almost cramped. Not good for diners who like their personal space. Consider that strikes 3, and 4. But we all know that by 3, you’re just out.
MoonCat, I was really rooting for you, but you are out. If you want a better sushi experience in Monrovia, I highly recommend visiting Mikomi (just around the corner). I will not be back.

Fantastic food.
Fair prices.
Awesome hospitality!
Our waitress was great and kindly answered our various questions about some of the dishes. Would definitely recommend this restaurant and we hope to be back soon!

This is such a wonderful spot. It has excellent, fresh sushi, a tasty selection of appetizers & an intimate feeling perfect for dates. If you’re on your own, it’s also a great place to watch the sushi chef do his magic up close. Well priced, too. A definite favorite.

A neighborhood gem in Old Town Monrovia, with its fair share of regulars, for sure. We came here looking for a quick bite to eat on our way to the movies, on a cloudy day. Like everyone said, it’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall type place, and that is exactly why we love it. Haven’t tried the sushi, but the ramen was wonderful and easy on the palate. The server was so adorable and friendly and very informative, albeit with her thick Japanese accent (but very grammatically efficient delivery). For two very ramen-​illiterate folks, we came out of that place as experts! But don’t ask. We forgot already! But we will definitely be back again… and again… and again…

Went in today after work with my fiancée and we ordered three rolls and a bottle of Saki…65 bucks for good sushi and Saki. The service was good and so was the atmosphere… we sat outside.
Pretty cool place for downtown Monrovia. I recommend.

There are definitely varying levels of sushi quality in the SGV. Some places have rocked my socks off and others not so much. My sister recommended Mooncat, so while out at the Farmer’s Market, we stopped in to see what the hype was about.
First, its a teeny tiny place. About 4 small tables smashed inside, plus a 5 or 6 seat sushi bar. And two tables of four just outside for curb seating. We sat outside for a bit more room.
We ordered several different types of sashimi, sweet potato salad, seaweed salad and the red dragon roll. We also opted for their imported sake from Kyoto. It was tasty and fairly priced. The sashimi was very fresh. The tuna was my favorite! Not quite buttery, but still very good. The roll was also pretty tasty and was not doused in sauce like other places do. We were given plenty of ginger and wasabi (even a refill), which I loved. I hate when places make you share a tiny lump of wasabi and a little ginger.
The service was kind and friendly. I got the feeling this is a place that collects «regulars,» which is a good sign.
We will definitely be back to try out other menu items and have more sake!

This place does the job when I’m craving ramen. I would love to see more ramen choices.

Only four stars right now for soft opening. Will consider upgrading when full menu is available. Ramen has good flavors; will return again.

Practically a hole in the wall. One of my favorite Japanese restaurants.
I love the intimate space and the sushi is fresh. Menu is limited, which to me is a good sign of quality since an extensive menu means they have too many ready made foods.

Awesome quaint (small think 25 seats) hole in the wall sushi place. One of the best in the San Gabriel valley area. True Japanese sushi chef. Very friendly hostess/​waitress.
Well worth the visit to. Very busy on Friday evenings with the Monrovia farmers market. Still very reasonable versus west side sushi places that are equivalent in quality. It’s about quality Japanese food and friendly service here like a true small Japanese sushi hole in the wall that you might find in an basement shopping area of Tokyo or Osaka. Cold beer and fresh sushi. You know it is Japanese when they serve your miso soup without a spoon (just like in japan)…stir with the chopsticks and sip from the bowl… it’s about the rice here… perfectly cooked and cooled grains not over-seasoned…with some of the freshest cuts of fish in the area.
Great lunch specials with a 2 roll or 3 roll special at less than $ 10! Your choice of traditional and trendy sushi and nigiri. Chef makes everything. Daily specials in the wall including toro and seared tuna specialties. Even a whole Spanish mackerel (Akita tataki) just like the west side sushi joints. Ask for the bones to be fried up for you.
A gem of a find for sushi lovers. Also good tempura, cooker specialties and udon for the non sushi eater. Yay!

Alright, I am not the person to enjoy Japanese cuisine but this place here, seriously does an astounding job. Holy crap.
The first thing you’ll notice when you walk into this establishment is the space. This place is smaller than my bedroom. It will only seat roughly around 15 – 20 people. There’s a spacious bar and small tables around the side. I personally like to sit at the bar because I get kind of a small show of how the food is being prepared. Another thing you’ll notice about this place is: Cats, A LOT OF CAT STATUES. These statues are mainly portrayed for good luck and fortunate for the establishment. Being that this is kind of a small mom n’ pop place, I think it’s really cute to see all these little lucky cat statues.
Menu is very simple and they do have a pretty decent fish selection. Although it is not extremely extensive, what they have to offer is and always will be, something truly delicious. Now I’m a sucker for two things: Scallops and Squid. Fortunately enough, they do have both and my conscious self decided to order both of them.
I will say one thing: This is by far the best god damn Hokkaido Scallop I have ever had. First off, the rice is really well made. Each individual rice grain is still stuck to each other and is not overpowered with Mirin or any sort of Vinegar. It’s freakin’ perfect! Of course everyone thinks that the fish is the main component of Sushi. As a matter of fact, you’re wrong. There is a saying in a Japanese kitchen: Without rice, there is no sushi. So, the rice actually is the main ingredient of sushi. The scallops are absolutely tender and soft. There is a slight taste of miso, but it isn’t completely smothered in it. It’s delicate, tender, and absolutely breath taking.
What’s next? Fresh crab Karaage? Oh yes! Fresh crab battered into the deep fryer and served straight up onto your plate, who can ask for anything else? When utilizing your chopsticks to break apart the crab, the sound of the crispy batter with the soft crab meat just makes it completely irresistible. This isn’t exactly the healthiest dish but hey, all the disgusting foods in the world are all delicious.
Well done, mooncat. I’m coming back.
They have booze also. Booze with delicious food… quite the contagious combination.
Small note: Parking may be difficult to find. And the Monrovia fair is there every Friday, so be careful and don’t park around there for too long.

A bit on the pricier end but this small little Japanese restaurant located at the corner of Downtown Monrovia is the perfect place to find authentic Japanese sushi ! Everything is fresh, you can taste the beauty of the food. The thinly sliced salad cucumber was made with precision from the sushi chef but costing at about $ 6 a plate but not worth the price!
Aside from that — our sushi chef Jeffery Tomita was not only a hospitable but you can tell he worked incredibly hard to make every sushi count taste that delicious!
The 3 Star is because of the price other than that I would of gave it a better score because of Chef Tomita!