MOOY LUNCH CAFÉ - Melkmarkt 19 — Restaurant in Antwerp

If I could give zero stars, I would. I’ve eaten at plenty of restaurants, and this was easily one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment we walked in, the staff made it clear that customers are a nuisance, not a priority. No greeting, no smile, just cold, dismissive energy like they were doing us a favour by letting us sit down.

Menus were tossed on the table without a word. When we asked questions about the food, the server looked irritated, rolled their eyes, and gave one word answers. It’s the kind of treatment that makes you want to walk straight out, but we decided to give it a chance.

The food was fine, average at best, but for the prices they charge, it should have been spectacular. Small portions, bland presentation, and nothing to justify the cost. You can get far better meals elsewhere for half the price and without the attitude.

And then there’s the owner. Honestly, one of the rudest people I’ve ever encountered in hospitality. When we tried to politely bring up the poor service, she snapped back defensively, refused to listen, and acted like we were in the wrong for even mentioning it. No apology, no accountability, just pure arrogance. It’s clear this attitude starts from the top, when the owner behaves like that, it’s no wonder the staff do too.

I’ve written plenty of reviews before, but I’ve never felt so strongly about warning people to avoid a place. The prices are laughable for what you get, and the level of disrespect is unmatched. I’ve since seen how the owner responds to negative reviews online, always with sarcasm and excuses instead of professionalism. That says it all.

Dining out should be enjoyable, not stressful. You shouldn’t have to deal with hostility from the people you’re paying. This restaurant completely fails at the basics, respect, courtesy, and decent customer service. The atmosphere is tense, the staff look miserable, and you can tell nobody there actually wants to be working, least of all for customers.

Save your money and your patience. There are plenty of restaurants that serve better food, charge fair prices, and treat customers with basic decency. This one thinks it’s high end because of its pricing, but it’s really just an overpriced, unwelcoming spot run by people who seem to dislike their own guests.

I walked out more frustrated than when I arrived, and that’s not what dining out should feel like. Believe the negative reviews, they’re not exaggerating. If you enjoy being ignored, overcharged, and spoken down to, then by all means, give this place a try. Otherwise, go literally anywhere else. You’ll...

My original review was written 2 years ago. I decided to give it another chance, but nope, Mooy is still not customer-oriented at all.

We came in half an hour (not 5, not 10 minutes, 30!) before the stated on Google Maps closing time and wanted to just grab a quick cup of coffee, but were denied in a rather rude tone to sit down, although the place was still full of people! And no, unlike the owner suggests, we were not planning to “stay indefinitely”, nor did we expect the establishment to stay open after closing hours for one table 😉 All we wanted was to simply have a coffee and leave BEFORE the place closes.

But apparently, half an hour is not enough to serve two cups of coffee and make (potential) customers happy and satisfied. I’ve honestly never seen it anywhere else in Europe, Asia or America. I’d suggest the owners to update their closing time to the realistic one, so people don’t waste their time.

Also, can’t believe I defended Mooy so hard when another established in Belgium stole their design - and for what?

Edit:

2 reviews from 2 people=countless? 😂 Luckily it’s a free country with freedom of speech where we are free to share our experiences and opinions, especially on a platform which is literally meant for this 😉 and yes, our dissatisfaction was caused more by the rude tone of the owner rather than the rules of the establishment. Although last call is at 5:30, that’s exactly when we came 🤔 which makes us believe that the owner just CHOSE not to...

MOOY has been on my list for quite a while. I decided to go in December 2021 on my own during my visit in Antwerp. Despite the great reviews and comments, when I entered the shop I felt like I was being "judged" by the employees due to the fact that I was alone (?). I politely asked them if they were going to close since they looked quite frustrated from the moment I passed the door. They replied to me in English (even if I spoke to them in Dutch) and told me that they were closing in 45 minutes and that they were not sure if there was enough time for me to stay there (???). I ordered a cupcake and a hot chocolate which were very nice but definitely not worth the 15€ I paid (for one person). Before leaving, I asked them if I could use the bathroom since I saw a lady cleaning. They all looked at me again like I said something strange...I am not sure if the employees of MOOY are supposed to act like this towards customers but I felt completely not...