Who On Earth Said Moon Rabbit Was Good?!

I made a reservation for my birthday at the highly hyped Moon Rabbit, only to realize I’d been completely misled by its inflated rankings. This wasn’t a celebration—it was a culinary trap. 🖼️ A Tour of Disappointment: Picture 1 | Appetizers: Only the fried chicken and bread were passable. The rest were utterly forgettable. Picture 2 | “Wagyu” Dish: Advertised as wagyu, but the texture was suspiciously close to sausage—over-seasoned and lacking any depth of flavor. Picture 3 | Seafood Taro Ball Sauce + Pork + Sticky Rice: ✗ Seafood taro sauce – a confusing, poorly integrated idea. ✗ Pork – dry, tough, and excessively sweet. ✗ Sticky rice – bland and seemingly just filler. ✗ Overall spice level – unbalanced and overwhelmingly hot. Picture 4 | Sorbet: It only tasted “decent” because everything else was so bad. Picture 5 | Dessert: Not memorable, but at least it wasn’t offensive. 🍹 The Final Straw – Cocktail Pairing: One of the worst beverage pairings I’ve ever experienced. Each cocktail felt poorly conceived and clashed with the food. A complete waste of money. 💸 Hidden Fee Alert: The restaurant calculates tax on the total including gratuity—a legal but sneaky practice that makes the bill even steeper. 🤔 So How Did This Place Get Its High Ratings? It seems marketing > execution, concept > flavor. While the idea of Vietnamese fusion and “blurring sweet and savory” sounds intriguing, the kitchen fails to deliver on basics. Over-seasoning, unbalanced textures, and poorly composed plates suggest a restaurant riding on hype rather than skill. ✅ If You Still Want to Try (Please Proceed with Caution): Order à la carte, avoid the tasting menu. Stick to the fried chicken or bread. Skip the cocktail pairing entirely. Do not choose this for a special occasion. 📌 Better Alternatives in DC: For a special night out, consider returning to reliable favorites like: The Bazaar by José Andrés (creative, consistent, unforgettable) Old Ebbitt Grill (classic, hearty, and historic) Cranes (for refined Spanish-Japanese fusion) Sometimes, rankings lie—your own taste buds tell the real story. #MoonRabbit #DCFood #DMVEats #OverratedRestaurants #BirthdayFail #FoodCritique