Moon Rabbit Cafe & Restaurant — Restaurant in San Juan

After watching Isang Himala at the Metropolitan Theater, we met up with my friends, whom I hadn't seen since their wedding day. My partner chose Moon Rabbit Cafe & Restaurant from the list of options I suggested, as it was nearby and convenient for my friends who lived in the area. The restaurant is tucked inside the narrow streets of San Juan, close to residential houses. Inside, it has a warm vibe, and the tables have the distinct round shape commonly found in Chinese dining, inviting families to share a meal.

We ordered the Set 2 (₱4,000) good for 5 - 6 pax, which includes the following:

1. Yang Chow Well-cooked, non-sticky rice. It had a smoky flavor and was packed with protein — Chinese sausage and shrimp.

2. Chili Garlic Wonton Small portion size, and the chili wasn’t spicy enough. Thin, silky wrapper. The filling was juicy and well-seasoned.

3. Ama's Homemade Meatballs / Crunchy exterior, but the filling lacked flavor. The dip didn’t help — it was either ketchup or a watered-down BBQ sauce.

4. White Chicken / My friends weren’t fans of the cold serving temperature since they weren’t used to this dish. Clean, refreshing, and lightly seasoned. The ginger dip added fragrance and a bit of saltiness.

5. Black Pepper Beef / The cuts resembled bistek at first glance. / Peppery and tender, but it lacked the savory-sweet balance I was expecting.

6. Egg Tofu with Spinach A crowd favorite. The egg tofu was creamy, light, and had a slightly chewy texture. The spinach added a mild bitterness, while the mushrooms provided a nice contrast to the creaminess.

7. Hong Ma The star of the set — Google even directs you to Moon Rabbit’s Instagram post when you search for Hong Ma. The pork belly melted in the mouth, and the sauce had a slightly sweet and aromatic flavor. Succulent and rich.

8. Pitcher Iced Tea / Not powdered, but nothing special either.

Additionally, we ordered dessert: 9) Moon Rabbit Panna Cotta (₱180) / Mixed reception—some liked the soft panna cotta, while others enjoyed the frozen twist. The outer layer was creamy and silky, with a luscious mouthfeel. The inner strawberry layer added sweetness and tartness.

Overall, we enjoyed our dinner at Moon Rabbit Cafe & Restaurant. Our friends from San Juan are now keen on returning and recommending it to their friends and family. However, the service could use some improvement — I had to go to the counter multiple times to request something. They don’t charge a service fee, as confirmed by the...

The service is absolutely horrible. The wait staff is incompetent.

I went there once in the morning when it opened. There was an event on one side of the and the wait staff turned us down even though the other side was empty. The parking attendant had to be the one to tell them the other side was available. During the meal, the waiters were barely noticing us and we had to get our own water from the bar.

The food was okay though so we wanted to give them another opportunity. I tried to call to make a reservation and the person on the phone said they could take orders, spoke to someone else, and then said they don't take reservations just 10 seconds later. They then put me on hold without informing me and hung up. I called back and they said they'll accept walk ins. We drove there only to hear that they decided to close the other side supposedly reserved for walk ins for another event.

The most competent person is the parking attendant, who shared that there are people who drove all the way from Alabang and were also turned away.

The restaurant is ruined by the bad service. There are better alternatives around the area. The place should be avoided until the staff is replaced or...

We got them for an event. Delicious food and lots of parking. I liked the minimalist decor as well, very spacious and fun to decorate.

Deducting stars though because they gave their rates for a "buffet" menu and charged us per head, but in the middle of our event, the manager told us that food was running out and we needed to top up with a la carte orders. Also found it offputting that he blamed my guests pa as "malakas kasi kumain." In the end, we had a lot of surplus food pa that we ended up taking home. Idk but the manager gave off a too strong salesman vibe that it was kind of hard to trust what he was saying. The aircon was also a little warm so don't book if your event is during the summer. They also don't let you use their central sound system for your event so you'll either rely on their faulty single speaker or will have to bring your own.

Overall, I probably will book them again for another event only if they change management lol. Otherwise, just go there for a meal since...