On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Vegetarian, Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Central DistrictMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Loading...
For Vegan food... this place is really as good as it gets.
Personally, I am a carnivore! I LOVE meat. I love the hardiness and the texture. I ordered the Sesame "Beef" here, and it was better than real meat. Seriously! It was awesome. I also got the curry "chicken", which was good, but the texture was a little bit off. For the appetizer we got pork skewers which were delicious. I have no complaints about this place. Just plain good.
For all you non-vegans out there, they have a whole separate menu dedicated to YOU.
This place could use some pier one influence... the Karaoke corner with big leather couches is just not cutting it! BUT this little cafe serves up good food at a small price, and will keep me coming back for more. This is one of those secret joints that is SO worth checking out.
GOOD Eats my fellow yelpers... good eats.
On the outside, Moonlight Cafe looks like a faded run-down nightclub and karaoke bar wanna-be place. My guess is that this was the very original intent of the owners. But look inside and the "stage" has been converted to a "living room set." I guess that makes it more useful! Anyway, I thought this place was pretty good at best, but I know some people who swear by this place and have become addicted. The location is kind of creepy but yes, they give gigantic portions!
Oh, and they have faux tuna. What is tuna doing at a Vietnamese place?! I heard that it and all the other fake meats they have taste and look pretty real (the tuna even has fake tuna skin on it, yuck), but I'm not gonna lie: I don't like tuna that much to begin with, so you won't see me trying it anytime soon, know what I'm saying.
This place is much cleaner inside than the facade may indicate. But, like most ID spots, neat freaks may want to avoid this spot. If that keeps you away, then you would be missing out on some great food.
The soups we had were some of the best I have had in town. Very full of flavor, and generous portions. I will definitely be back to try some of the other things on the menu.
Prices are reasonable and service was very good.
UN. BE. LIEV. A. BLE. / order vegan. just do it. / you won't regret it.
Moonlight's food alone earns a solid 4 stars from me. The affordable prices, however, are worth 3 stars all by themselves. I eat meat but am equally happy ordering off their vegetarian menu. It's always fresh, tasty, and a great value. If I had to come up with a down-side, I guess the seats aren't all that comfortable. But really, the place is a great, local, healthy treat in the CD.
Oh - I'm not sure what the "Live Karaoke" sign outside is all about, but as far as I've seen, Moonlight is just a good restaurant.
Faux meat lovers unite!
My husband and I are neither vegetarian nor vegan. We do, however, ALWAYS order from the vegan menu when we come here. I swear, if there were always faux meat dishes like these everywhere, we might just change our minds, the food here is that good.
With many other of our favorite restaurants, we cannot help but always order the same dishes. These are the ones that we enjoy and crave and when you are craving something, I believe it's best to satisfy that craving, rather than be disappointed.
We always have the sesame beef or our new discovery, the Mongolian beef, gluten with cashews and veggies, and the tofu eggplant hot pot.
Let me just say that Moonlight Cafe, if it was not suggested by a good friend, would probably not be somewhere that I would ever venture into, due to the outside appearance. The insides are not any better, but the food is great. I spent two years living, traveling, and dining around Asia. Trust me, some of the best food that I have ever had was along roads and outside in a handful of countries. I have learned that I can look beyond decor and know that I would much rather be satisfied with delicious food than have an aesthetically pleasing environment. Yes, it is a bit gross and neglected and I wish that the owners would take some time to clean, but for us ignorance is bliss. Naive, yes, but Moonlight Cafe has never let us down in the taste department. It is definitely one of our faves and we love the food and therefore we will always come back for more.
Solid 3 Stars! Vegan paradise here!
I don't think I'll ever be vegan. But if I had to do it I would start here. Cheers to Mona N. (http://www.yelp.com/bi... ) and Jim C (see: http://www.yelp.com/us... )for this find!
+ Try the Sesame Beef ($7.95) - incredible simulation of the real deal! Looks and tastes like real beef! It's incredible what Moonlight Cafe does with Gluten! A must try! (+1 STAR)
+ Eggplant with Tofu Claypot - awesome and a must if you come here! However, it is a slow dish. be prepared to wait.
+ Excellent Avocado Milk Shakes!
+ Prices are affordable & decent
+ Random but comfy living room atmosphere available in case you want to lounge pre- or post- meal!
- s.k.e.t.c.h.y. - but safe
- slow service
- bun bo hue - pho-gettable!!! Do not order this. Flavorless and forget-able even though it's made with real meat.
I'll definitely return to try other vegan simulations at Moonlight!
I'm so incredibly torn about the Moonlight Cafe. Out of desperation, we walked into Moonlight Cafe despite our skepticism. In the end we had a great meal, but the skepticism remains.
Let me start by saying the food was amazing. The sesame "beef" everyone recommended here is so delicious and is one of the best mock meat dishes I've ever had. The veggie pho too was very very good and it's always a treat to find veggie pho. Also, our waiter who is a shy asian guy is so nice and cute I wanted to take him home.
But, and this is a huge but - doesn't food safety and general hygiene have to be factored into the rating as well? Sure the food is great, but has anyone looked at the layer of dust resting on the fake flowers? Dust doesn't gather like that in months or even 1-2 years. I'm willing to bet that no one has touched those things for at least 5 years. And the stained carpet that was probably once beige and now looks like it's dyed with soy sauce? And the gunk that is on the sticky Sriracha bottle and all the sauces? If the front of the house can't be kept clean, how can we expect anything more in the back? We found ourselves feeling paranoid throughout the whole meal, refusing to eat any raw veggies that came with the dishes.
Now to be fair, we did not experience any food poisoning. But do I really want to risk it again? I think not. I can only go so far for good food. More importantly, I feel that we all have a duty to demand more from our restaurants. Filthy no more!
Be warned! You may (and problably will) be ignored for an annoying amount of time. Otherwise, this is a pretty good place for vegan/ vegetarian/ Vietnamese food. I only order from the "regular" menu, but my mom and friends tell me the vegetarian menu is very good. I like this place a lot better since they took out the weird late night karoake thing years ago, but the food is pretty consistent. I really only come here for the bun bo hue, a spicey beef noodle soup, but I think their quality has gone downhill a bit in the past couple of years, it seems like they are skimping on the quality and selection of the beef and pork. Anyhoo, There have been times where I am in and out in 30 minutes, and other times where I've sat without water or a menu for 10 (almost unexcusable for a Vietnamese restaurant imo.) But the servers are nice (and sometimes uninterested) and the food is cheap and good. A go for me.
So I'm Viet and I grew up in SoCal and spent most of my weekends in Santa Ana/Westminster "Little Saigon" area. I'm VERY picky about my Viet food. This is one of the few places I'll go in Seattle to get my Viet fix. Sure, it's not the best I've ever had, but it certainly is close and the best I've had in Seattle. I even like it enough that I wasn't embarrassed to take my parents here for dinner when they came to visit. In fact, they both were impressed and liked the food here.
It's also great because I have some friends who are vegetarians and also have very severe food allergies. It's one of the few places we can go where everyone agrees on as it accommodates everyone.
My favorite dish? Spicy Beef Noodle (Bun Bo Hue). The boyfriend swears by the Seafood Hot Pot though. He's convinced that it regenerates when you close the lid as it seems to be never-ending.
Do expect bad service though and your food to never show up at the same time...but really, who's there for service, I'm there to eat.
Yummy! I approve of the Vietnamese food that they serve here. They have the best canh chua with shrimp (which is like a sweet and sour seafood soup w/ veggies..very popular in Viet cuisine) and pho ap chao (fried rice noodles topped with tons of stir fried veggies, meat and oyster sauce). My boy's as well as my two favorite dishes here!
Everything is fairly inexpensive..maybe about $7 or $8. Everything is family portions so you get a lot of food!
Please try it, I promise you will like it. One of the best Viet restaurants in the international district.
This is one of the best places in Seattle to get tasty "faux" meat dishes. If you are looking for beautiful decor this is not the place. When they fix up the place and install new carpet (the carpet now is SO gross!!) I'll change my rating to 5 stars.
Note: I eat meat.
Try the pan-fried noodles. IMHO, it's the best dish this place makes.
Just came back here and took my friend, who tried the lemongrass veggie pork skewers... he was so blown away! It was only 8 bucks and comes with a huge bowl of vermicelli noodles and salad. We got the fried veggie egg rolls, which were SO delicious too (not greasy at all).
I love this place! Has one of the most extensive vegetarian menus I've seen, but they also have a… Read more »
I don't know why anyone wouldn't like the food here. But, I do know some people who do not. It baffles me.
I've never ordered off of the regular menu because I was introduced to this place by a vegetarian, who clearly ordered off of the vegan menu. I was skeptical.
This place is so delicious and there are so many choices. If you've never had good quality "fake meat" (I know, sounds horrible), then you will be amazed at how outrageously delicious this stuff is that they have here. Though I'm not sure how the regular menu could possibly be better than the vegan menu, I'm pretty sure it's just as delicious.
Moonlight Cafe is, hands down, the best Vietnamese food I've eaten. It's up there in the top 5 for best Asian food, too.
The tables are old and the decor is really tacky. But the food outweighs it all!
You must try the "Moonlight special" (vegan even if you are a meat lover). It will may even the pickiest person happy and unlike many other items, does not take forever to arrive. It is a make your own spring rolls platter! With noodles, sprouts, thai basil, fried tofu, fake fish, fried (but not greasy) eggplant, and this oh so amazing carrot-root pickled and sliced stuff. We know Moonlight does not have the most desirable service, bathrooms, location, neighbors, but they do have good deals and lotsa flavor. AND always remember to have the waiter read back the order the items they wrote down, it will save you headache 6 out of 10 times you visit!
I have never been disapointed by Moonlight. If you have not tried the "hot pots" the eggplant with… Read more »
Holy crap have I really not written a review for Moonlight yet?! Where is my mind!???
Love it, probably one of my favorite guilty pleasure restaurants in all of Seattle. Yup, I said it. It is no fancy Tom Douglas crap, but it IS the best vegetarian/vegan/fakemeat food-from-the-other-side-of-the-Pacific-Ocean place in Seattle. I've tried all the rest, and this is the best.
Surprisingly, their pho is mind-blowingly delicious. The broth is unlike any I've ever tasted anywhere else. Everyone else seems to get it here too so that is a good sign.
I have only ordered from the vegan menu.
best:
sesame "beef"
It looks gross on the outside but oh it's so good. They have a separate vegetarian menu! Asparagus soup, sounds gross, but it is so good!
One of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. I usually order from the vegan menue because their fake meat is delicious (though I don't like the fake chicken much). Their Mongolian beef, coconut tofu and mushrooms, and the pork skewers are sooo delicious! As are most things on the menu. Be adventurous. Try the wheat gluten, the fake fish, the bamboo hot pot; it's all good!
And to those complaining about the service, you should know that in nearly ALL Vietnamese restaurants, you go up to the counter and pay. And you have to ask for your own water. If this ruins your dining experience, that's your own problem.
Ok...I followed everyone's advice and got the sesame beef (vegetarian) and it was DELISH! I'm not a vegetarian, this stuff tasted like meat. Very impressed and glad this place is close to work!
I ate here for the first time last week and really liked it. I like that they have separate menus for veg and meat options. Their fake meats are pretty good. I had the veggie/tofu pho and it was actually pretty tasty. They had all kinds of veggies in it (which I've never had in pho - they usually just give your mushrooms and tofu in veg pho at the pho places I've been to). We shared the lemongrass chicken (fake chicken) and it was amazing. Everything we had was good, but that was our favorite. I also had a jackfruit shake and really enjoyed it.
Good food, good prices, and good service.
Wonderful flavors! Friendly staff, although there was a slight mix up with one of the dishes. We asked for chinese broccoli, but snow peas arrived. The server insisted that it was broccoli. huh?! But I think it may of been a language thing. No problem, it was delish anyways. Like the previous comments; I loved the Sesame "Beef". I can't wait to visit and order other items from the vegan menu.
THE BEST Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef noodle soup) in SEATTLE!
As per one of the reviews on here regarding how good their Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef noodles) is, I decided to give it a try. This place's Spicy Beef noodle is by far the best in Seattle!!!!! It even beats Hoang Lan on Raineer Ave hands down.
Why didn't anybody let me know of this sooner?
I love this place and have been here countless times. Its not nice im not gonna sugar coat it for ya... but the food is really good. I love the beef "Pho Ap Chao"... A fried white noodle topped w/ beef and veggies. The sauce is unreal... and i come here pretty much for this one dish. The sweet and sour soup Canh Chua... sorry cant write in Vietnamese as well as i should but somethin like that... Delish!
Pho! Good Pho!
We came here when our friends keep raving about how incredible this place is. So we ventured into the skeezy area in this dated restaurant and enjoyed some amazing food.
I would probably have never ventured in on my own. It has the appearance of being filthy and a little run down. And being in a sketchy neighborhood doesn't help.
But look past all that and find good service and great food. We were told to enjoy a regular #27 Pho. And ordered some eggrolls. Both were so good. The egg rolls were not overly greasy and the spring rolls were cold and crunchy.
The pho was just amazing. Excellent broth, good meat without too much fat or gristle. Tons of noodles and fresh toppings. And they make their own rooster sauce here which added a great dimension to the soup. Very filling and reasonably priced.
I know I will be coming back again. YUM!
I have dined here quite often of late. Prior to that it had been probably 10 years since the Seattle School District VocEd offices were located nearby and I would pop in for lunch quite frequently during a prior professional life. Any way, I had remembered how awesome the egg rolls and pan fried noodles were, so when I moved back to Seattle I just had to try it again. The food is still really tasty after all these years, the decor is reminiscent of a Saigon discotheque, but all in all a good food experience. It loses 1 star due to the pretty constant gang-banger drug dealing crowd frequenting the parking lot and "quicky-mart" next door. But other than that, an excellent dining experience. Also, for you vegetarian or vegan friends, they have a seperate vegan menu, I tried their fake pork and it was actually really good.
When I came here, I was told to get only one thing: Pho.
I actually didn't know what to expect. The place seemed decent enough, got a chipped dish. The beef pho was excellent and I spent quite some time getting through the soup. Worth a shot.
I *LOVE* Moonlight Cafe!! I've been here twice - the first time I came with some vietnamese friends who recommended this place, saying the food is very good and authentic. They have two menus, one is an omnivore menu, the other is vegan. The vegan menu is just as extensive with a dizzying array of choices that would make one think they'd died and gone to buddha's heaven. And heavenly indeed were their dishes. My omni hubby had the vietnamese sour soup with shrimp (see pic) and their chicken fried rice. I had the vegan sesame beef that others have raved about. Funny thing - when the sesame 'beef' arrived my husband thought they sent me the wrong dish with real beef instead! He took a bite and still thought it could have been beef. It is really the bomb! I had the vietnamese sour soup with tofu and veggies as well. Very good. My first time there I had the claypot eggplant and tofu. Comes out in a traditional claypot and so, so tasty!! This is my new fave vietnamese place. Service is spotty and the food doesn't come out at the same time but it is a mom and pop place and does look sketchy on the outside, a bit tacky on the inside with its karaoke lights. It's in a sketchy 'hood, too. However, the prices are cheap and the food's so good. I can't believe I waited this long to try it. A pleaser for both omnis and veggies. :)
Vegetarian Bistro was closed (on a Tuesday- what gives??), so I looked to my lovely vegetable loving buddies for another option. The general consensus was Moonlight Cafe.
Alright.. That's where we're goin.'
Upon entry, it looks a bit like that basement you used to hang out in as a teenager. Neon. Bad leather couches. Pictures of perfectly manicured hands holding roses. I didn't let this phase me one bit, as I heard that the meat free dining here was damn good and that that 'short ribs' were to die for.
We were seated promptly, and brought tea and menus. They've got the meat friendly menu, as well as the vegan menu, which I found to be nice.
All entrees were reasonable at around $7.95 and the portions were huge! We got the Sweet & Sour Short Ribs, General Tso Chicken, Broccoli & Beef, Eggplant, and the Kung Pao chicken. Of the dishes, the short ribs were definitely the winner! I hadn't been to a place in a very long time where they do the fake meat thing, and I was really happy with most everything I ate here. The eggplant was also fabulous, as was the General Tso.
Service is prompt. The bill was very reasonable and it was a great place to sit, eat, and converse about pressing issues like the new Mac Book, Unicorn crepes... and Corgi butts..?
Not necessarily in that order.
I wish I were clever enough to pen a song about my secret love affair with fake meat. If I were, trust me--it would break hearts, start revolutions, and unite enemy nations in a gluttonous feast of goodwill. Fake meat, you complete me.
I was lucky enough to find myself at Moonlight Cafe for the first time recently with a charming dinner companion. Together we sampled the Cashew Chicken and the Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs (both veg). It's wonderful that they have full menus for meat-eaters and vegetarians. Everyone can get just what they want. Both of our dishes were delicious, with fully-flavored sauces and a perfect texture to the fake meat. The portions were generous, perfect for family-style dining. Moonlight is a bit divey, it's true, but the service was efficient and friendly, the tea flowed freely, and the restaurant clean and pleasant enough. And personally, if I'm staring down a heaping plate of delicious food I'd rather be in a place where I can really stuff my face without worrying about whether my ankles are crossed in an appropriately ladylike fashion.
I've been thinking about that peppery chicken and the sweet, toothsome spare ribs for several days now, so I will definitely be making many more trips to Moonlight Cafe.
I have to say that the Moonlight Cafe has some very tasty eats!! Please don't be put off by the exterior of this low-cal because the interior ain't that bad. And as soon as you're seated you're served hot tea and are given two menu options. The green menu has all their veggie options and the red menu has their meat options.
In celebration of veggie week we opted for a all vegetarian meal and I have to say there is nothing better than fake meat!! Luck for us a Mr. Shaun K was one of dinning companions that evening and he "highly" recommend the short ribs plate. And thank bejesus for that plate because it was pretty damn amazing!!
So in total we had 5 different plates(two chicken, beef, pork, veggie) and all in my book were great!! Plus how can you beat their $2.95 Kirin bottled beers??So if you want to "beat the meat" and drink cheaply then the Moonlight Cafe might be in your future. ;)
This some of the best fake meat in Seattle. They have a meat and a non-meat menu with,literally, a hundred choices. That being said, plenty of the dishes are downright bad, but there are so many cheap choices, you are bound to find something tasty. Get several things and share, so you don't get stuck with a bad dish. Get the sesame beef, skip the general tso's.
Quick service, friendly staff, great variety, and a nice menu that includes an entire vegan/vegetarian menu. I reccomend the tofu curry dish.
Wandering around the central district, we headed up jackson to find a place to eat. We saw the Moonlight Cafe and were dubious. It does not look like the kind of place you just wander into. However, we asked some people coming out with a to-go order if the food was good. They told us it was great.
We went in and were promptly seated. The place is clean and tacky, like many restaurants in the area. However, this is not a consistent indication of the quality of the food. I did see quite a few Vietnamese families and a smattering of hipsters. This is a better sign.
We got 2 menus: a meat & meat free. The meat free menu is actually full of "meat" items, made with substitutes. There are nearly 100 items with meat substitutes. This blows me away. I had to ask the waiter, "Where it says a meat item, does that mean you just leave out the meat, or do you put fake meat in?" He told me it was fake meat. "So, here where the whole description is roasted chicken, what would I get?" He told me it would look just like a roasted chicken. Wow.
I asked for is recommendation and settled on the sesame beef. When it came, it looked just like sesame beef. I had my dining companion taste it. "is it meat?" No. Maybe. No.
Well, I gobbled the whole thing up and asked what time they open in the morning. 10 am. "Do people eat the same menu in the morning?" yes. wow.
I have heard about this cafe for so long...finally arrived. The exterior looks so deceiving; needs some pressure washing. It is quite large and inviting inside. Family style-reflective of their menu. I ordered the bun rieu. My company ordered pho! I was so tempted to join the vetnamese family at the lazy susan table when "pho" came out of his mouth. My soup was not great , but I will return to other dishes. Their menu offers more traditional dishes than other local restaurants. Prices are very reasonable.
This place is soooo yummy, I love it. The price is good, the meals are pretty big, and it's food that won't make me feel sick. I highly recommend vegetarian bowl #37.
I don't understand why some people have such a huge problem with the service at this place. If you're ready to pay, you go up to the register and pay, it's really just that simple. If you're not a fan of slow service, then I don't recommend going here on your lunch hour.
Okay, so Moonlight has been a regular haunt for my brother and I over the past two years. We honestly go there for the Vegan Sesame Beef. It's probably one of the best vegan asian food dishes I've ever had. Go here, and try it.
Now, here are some tips. Don't try and call in an order unless you have a menu in front of you. It just wont work out. I've been told, "we don't have that" when I know they do, and all I don't know is the menu item number.
Second, you should be patient, the service is pretty bad, but they try. The food is well worth it.
Third, um, Try the Vegan Sesame Beef!!!
Ok,so the outside is kind of scary.but its worth it to go inside. BEST FAKE MEAT EVER!!! The appitizer sampler is huge and great, and i looove making my own spring rolls, and the skewers are insane (by the way the product they use is vegeking "stewed beef chunks"....which are great as is, but the moonlite cafe peoplecook them to insane perfection) All the dishes are fresh and tasty. Also I have had good service, the guy remembers me and my order
Decor and ambiance: F
Cleanliness: Unknown
Menu selections: A-fucking+
Food: I've only tried one dish (the vegan sesame beef) but it was SO GOOD I plan on trying many others.
Best thing: The fact you can go out to eat with carnivores and still get great food.
Neighborhood: International District
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Central District
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: International District
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Madison Park
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Central District
Category: Barbeque
These are my favorite asian restaurants in Seattle…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Great places to meet and eat with your strictly…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
