Japanese Dining MUSUBU Rotterdam — Restaurant in Rotterdam

restaurant was spotless — and that means a lot to me. For me, cleanliness is one of the most important things when choosing where to eat, and here everything was perfect: the tables, the menus, the entire space. You could tell that they really care about hygiene and presentation.

I believe the kind Japanese gentleman who seemed to be the owner was incredibly polite and sweet. He had such a warm, welcoming smile. We were a bit indecisive when ordering, but he was so understanding. He could tell that we were genuinely trying to learn and appreciate the culture, and he made us feel very comfortable — even encouraged us!

I had a dish called Hitsumabushi (I had forgotten the name at first, but that’s the one!), and my boyfriend had the Japanese Fried Chicken set. The food was unbelievably delicious — not a single grain of rice was left on our plates. Everything was perfectly cooked and full of flavor.

And honestly, I have to share this little story — it felt almost magical. I was given this small french press kinda tool and had no idea what to do with it. Apparently, it was for preparing part of the soup. The owner noticed and very gently explained the ritual behind the dish. He even asked my permission to help and showed me how to eat it properly. It felt so respectful and thoughtful — like I wasn’t just eating food, I was being invited into a tradition.

We haven’t experienced such kindness and genuine hospitality in a very long time. At the end, he thanked us in Japanese, and we asked how to say “you’re welcome” in Japanese. He gladly taught us.

Oh, and let me not forget: the portions were huge! You really get value for your money.

I can’t wait to come back. This wasn’t just a meal — it was a beautiful moment. Highly, highly recommended!

arigatou gozaimasu Makoto Honda...

This was such an amazing restaurant experience. Me and my friend walked in to the restaurant excited but skeptical since it is so new but we walked away at the end entirely amazed and satisfied.

my friend and i walked in starving so we each ordered about 5 items for ourselves. We really got to try a bit of everything from across the menu and it still didn't cover half of it

Everything we ordered (pictured below in the 3rd photo) was so good. The chef-recommended Teba Kara was so delightful, it was juicy and tender chicken with incredible flavour. The miso soup was comforting and the gyoza was perfectly crispy and light. The okonomiyaki was fluffy and flavourful. My friend also ordered a matcha yuzu cocktail which was so so yummy.

Even though we ordered a lot, the meals were by no means small. And the pricing for each was also really great. On a different day, where I'm not starving like crazy, I could have an incredible satisfying dinner here for about 15 euro, which is just really nicely priced.

The service was also amazing. We had the sweetest man Honda waiting our table and he was so kind to us. I didn't like my drink (due to personal preference) and I asked him if they could make it sweeter, and he brought it back with the perfect flavour. We also saw him greeting everyone as they walked in and walking them out by the door as they left which we thought was so sweet.

I gave the atmosphere a 4 out of 5, only because when I first walked in the volume of the music was a bit overwhelming. But then I got used to it, so it was ok. But that's pretty much my only critique.

I will definitely be coming back, might even...

MUSUBU is a welcome addition to the food scene of Rotterdam, where authentic Japanese restaurants are very rare. At lunch time, they offer donburi dishes accompanied by a bowl of broth, as well as some other starters. The dinner menu is much broader and it includes typical izakaya-style preparations, such as fried chicken, gyoza and so on. Wagyu features prominently in their menu.

The quality of their savory dishes is very good, though on the expensive side. So far, I have only tried their lunch offerings, namely the gyu-don (25 euros) and their onigiri & tonjiru teishoku (18). In both cases, the rice was cooked to perfection and served as as perfect base for the other flavorful ingredients. The accompanying broth was fine, though more of a palate cleanser.

I would have given the place a solid 4/5 based on these, but unfortunately the dessert was massive letdown. I paid 9 euros for 2 tiny mochis that were served completely frozen, probably out of a box like the ones you can find at the supermarket. Not only was the quality of these mochis very low, but the price was completely out of proportion. Honestly, I felt scammed. Drinks were also rather expensive for what you get (3.80 for a regular cola!).

I will probably go back to try some of their other dishes, but I will make sure to avoid...