Starting this week, we'll be giving you our own "report card" review of a local happy hour spot. Study hard! The Spot: Moto Sushi 6845 N. 16th Street Phoenix 85016 602-263-5444
The Hours: Happy hour kicks off at 3 pm and goes till 6:15 pm Monday thru Saturday. On Sundays you can enjoy happy hour specials all day long.
More details after the jump...
The Details: During happy hour you can get 16 oz draft beers for $3, half off certain appetizers (gyoza, spring rolls, sweet potato fries, edema me, nachos), half off select house rolls (Kalifornia, Philadelphia, spicy tuna and Tootsie rolls) and 10% off well drinks, house wines and all other sushi.
The Interior: The place is on the smaller side and they have kept the décor very simple. Unique beaded curtains cover the large windows (hands off!) that make up three sides of the place and the surfaces are largely made up of metal and wood, giving a very welcoming but still modern feel to Moto.
Take your pick of a stool at the large L shaped bar where you can watch one of the three LCD TV's or have a seat at one of about ten tables in the main dining area. Also, just off the main entrance to the east, there is a small patio with a handful of tables for those nice Arizona afternoons/evenings.
The Cost: Gyoza, spring rolls, a spicy tuna and a Tootsie roll, and three 16 oz beers plus tax came to a grand total of $21.76. A total steal for sushi and drinks for two.
The Conclusion: If you're in the mood for sushi but you're on a budget, this is the spot to hit. Moto has a very neighborhood bar kinda feel to it, so you won't feel out of place even if you haven't taken a shower and are still in the same clothes from the night before (like a certain lazy girl who shall remain nameless).
The place does get pretty packed during happy hour so good luck trying to get a spot at the bar, especially on a Friday afternoon. The half price items are mostly your standard sushi fare but they are done well. While they aren't fancy, the rolls seemed bigger then the average roll and the appetizer portions are just right. Beer-wise, you can take your pick from the 7 rotating taps of craft beers from breweries such as Bell's, Stone and Dogfish or keep it simple with a Sapporo. The staff is friendly and attentive but not annoying. All in all a good place to chill out after work.
Overall Grade: B
