Wildly disappointing. Went with my s/o for her birthday. While the table (three loud women on their phones taking photos of the food) were pampered, we were effectively lost in the woods, completely ignored. Some of the worst service I've had at a restaurant 'of this calibre.' The food was rushed, rushed, rushed. Sweet potato and Brussels sprouts had nice flavor (though like in a review someone else wrote below, the potato was burnt), but little else. Sauces were bland. Embarrassing portion for the scallops - three of those minuscule things you put into your Thanksgiving stuffing, with a smear of root vegetable puree. We had six dishes, wine, and dessert, and the bread & butter were the best thing I ate. Will go to Sarma next time. read more

Unfortunately, we had another bittersweet dining experience at Moona. First and foremost, the food was outstanding (per usual) and the hostess and wait staff were all very accommodating, fun, and generous, but there seems to be an issue with how reservations are handled. We had a 6:30 reservation for two on a Wednesday night and upon arrival we were informed that there were no tables available*, but we could sit at the bar. Not an absurd offer by any means, but my wife is/was 9 months pregnant and bellying up to a bar for a full dinner service just isn't an option. We were told that a table may be ready in about 20 minutes** if we wanted to wait. We decided to wait, and 20 minutes turned into just shy of an hour. While waiting, we witnessed other parties with reservations encounter the same seating dilemma. The hostess was very kind and offered us drinks, food, bread, anything, but we really wanted to enjoy our meal in its entirety at our table rather than while sitting/standing by the door. The manager at the time was aware of our situation, but cowered away from acknowledging us (probably because he remembered that this happened last time we dined here) and made a stealthy escape out the side door. The meal was delicious and highlights include the duck (gratis), brussels sprouts, and chicken entrée (specifically the spice rub). We will absolutely return, but are hoping that this issues gets resolved. One idea would be to call the guests ahead of time to see if bar seating would be an options. * We encountered this same problem last time we had a reservation, but there was only 1 bar seat available at the time, so sitting there wasn't an option. ** I understand that the hostess isn't clairvoyant, so these predictions are merely educated guesses. read more

Celebrated the holidays after New Year with my team of 7 colleagues at Moona. Made a reservation, and were seated immediately, even though a few of us got stuck in a late meeting. Joachim ( apologies if I butchered your name) and team took great care of us, and we put him in charge of ordering a selection of Mezze and Main courses for the table. Best decision ever! Along with pitchers of lovely, fruity red sangria, we enjoyed several courses of bread, dips, and other delights. Of special note was the date butter (amazing start!), the pickled cucumbers and carrots served with the hummus and dips, the duck leg with the carrots, the octopus, the branzino and the short rib. Great service, beautiful and tasty food and a delightful park view-we couldn't have had a better evening! Highly recommend! read more

We were very excited to try this new place which apparently still has a soft opening through Monday. Through their instagram account, we were able to make a reservation through RESY and receive 20% off our meal. Ideally I would give this place a 3.5 rating and I feel too bad leaving a 3, so a 4 it is! I realize it is new, still in the soft opening phase, but for the prices per small plate, I was really hoping for some flavor. Here's the breakdown: General: The recommendation is 2-3 small plates per person between cold and hot mezze. A few entrees are available as well. Don't know what merguez is? No worries- there is a glossary of terms provided at the bottom of the menu. A dessert menu is also available. Drinks: Yelp says they are full bar, but it is limited to beer and wine. The two cocktails listed are wine-based (vermouth and lillet blanc). They do have red and white sangria on the menu. Our waitress was not able to answer general questions about different wine, but both reds we had were very good. Bread: We were served a tray with pita bread and a grilled white bread. The pita was underwhelming and the grilled white bread was a bit burnt. The accompanying olive oil was delicious and the molasses butter was more subtle than I had hoped. Dips: We did the 3 for $12, trying the Zalouk (eggplant), Labneh & beet, and hummus. The Zalouk was yummy and the Labneh was on point. The hummus: not my favorite. A little lumpy and lacking flavor. Pickles: We tried the Persian Cucumbers and Turnips. Barely ate the turnips, but loved the nuanced heat provided by the Persian Cucumbers. Mezze: We were excited to try the artichoke (as well as other diners around us), but were disappointed that even upon their opening time of 5:30, they were "out". Instead, we ordered the short ribs, scallops, kofta, and lamb chops. Short ribs melted to the touch of a fork, but lacked some flavor that I can't put my finger on. The scallops looked beautiful, but had a strong seafood taste to them again lacking some developed flavor. The kofta, though it had delicious flavor, was the hardest to cut kofta I have ever experienced in my life. Our favorite: the lamb chops. Perfectly cooked and heightened with the provided small smear of pistachio butter. Dessert: Bird's nest, I think coined Kunafa: ricotta stuffed shredded phyllo dough baked to perfection with a small provided pour of simple syrup. Easily in our top 2 of the night. There are some high notes and some very underwhelming notes at this new restaurant. For now, I would go back for some wine, lamb chops, and that delicious dessert. Service was a bit clunky with a potential new to food service waitress, but I expect those nuances to be worked out. Worth a try for some small bites and yummy dessert if you're in the area! read more

Had another exquisite dinner at Moona! The service is attentive, informative, friendly, and prompt. The food is incredible. Each plate had something delicious and unique to offer. You could tell that everything was fresh and that there was a lot of thought and detail put into the making of each dish. Ordering off the mezze menu - many of the items stood out: Dips and Olives (loved the dips! ) Chicken Bastilla Brussels Sprouts I can't wait to go back and try more! read more

Last night was my first visit after a good recommendation from a friend. Started with a specialty cocktail and shared a good bottle of red wine. Two of us shared three small plates and two terrines; all were over the top delicious, house bread plate to start was an unexpected treat with no room left for desert. It's a small tight space, with great service, bar seats looked inviting. Make a reservation and enjoy a nice evening. I would go back in a moments notice. read more

Small portions, average food, high prices. The kafta (ground lamb) was 9 bucks for one meatball. The place is small and aims for trendy rather than charm. This all being said the service was great and the waiters were very attentive. If you're looking for mediterranean food in the area Oleana offers bigger portions with a warm environment. read more

As disappointing as a place can get. Literally sitting here and writing this review. We were welcomed by a waiter who was trying to be oversmart and wanted us to sit at the bar despite having a reservation and despite them having a table for us. Next was really some low quality olive oil with rather stale bread being served. We ordered hummus and muhamarra both of which were, again, stale. Next we ordered hassleback sweet potatoes and they were served burnt with full knowledge of them being so. The moment we said they were burnt, they took it back fully acknowledging that they were not fit for consumption (but we were just trying to pass it off hoping you won't complain). Waiting for the couscous now. Let's see what we get. To be fair, the couscous was ok. I would rate it at being better than edible, but that's about it. read more

Cambridge just added another fantastic Mediterranean restaurant with ingredients from the Levant, Morocco, and Yemen. You are welcomed with a bread basket that includes a Zaatar bread and honey butter (Delicious!). We had the octopus, squid, and fatoush salad for appetizers. The flavors for all three were on point, though the octopus was a tad bit overcooked. I will not nitpick on the dishes. The restaurant is still new and I am confident the kinks will be sorted out (the partners are foodies and clearly thoughtful about the ingredients and the concept). We ordered all four main dishes to share and they did a great job pacing and firing the dishes. One dish stands out and I'd give it six stars if I could: the perfectly cooked flaky sea bass, crispy skin, with a mouth-watering fresh Zhough, and a bright lemony fava bean succotash (thanks chef for explaining the secret ingredient), a deep fennel fumet, with fresh parsley radish salad on top. This had to be our favorite dish. We had a great Lebanese wine from the Bqa' valley. The chef was super nice and hospitality fantastic. This is a solid 4 stars for now with potential to be a 5 star. I bumped it up to 5 stars for their service, the inspired sea bass dish, and overall concept. This place has a terrific vibe and wonderful service. We didn't feel rushed, and I walked out with a couple of ideas to incorporate in my own cooking! Will definitely come back again and again. read more

Had the most disappointing dinner. We ordered their signature grilled fish. They brought us two tiny fish that were all bones. We told the waiter we were not happy. He came back and said the chef thought the fish was adequate. Not worth the time or money. read more

Food was soooo good!! Three of us went there and ordered 7 dishes including desserts. All of them impressed us so did the drinks! I would especially recommend Muhammara dip and Knafeh!! read more

This is a tiny restaurant at the corner of Hampshire and Cambridge in Inman Square. The food is interesting and delicious. We started with the squash fritters, eaten all by one person but was ordered to share. Chicken Bastilla, a little under cooked pastry, Shitake mushrooms also delicious. But the crowning dish was the whole fish! Spicy, smoky and really good. We will be back for that fish and their lovely Oregon Pinot. read more

Really amazing experience. Every dish they made was truly excellent. Can't wait to again. The grilled fish in particular was very well done. read more

We picked up the slow-roasted lamb shanks for a birthday dinner and ... wow. Just excellent all around - the lamb was cooked nicely, almost-but-not-quite falling off the bone, with sauteed greens taking on some of the lamb's juices, the tzatziki was thick and flavorful, the roasted vegetables creamy and delicious. The chicken bastilla is also not to be missed - saffron and chicken wrapped up in pastry, done to perfection. read more

Very creative Mediterranean cuisine. Absolutely delicious !!! Must try the Octopus, Brussels sprouts and kanafa. The service was impeccable Britany our waiters was super attentive, the owner Mo, came and said hello And checked on all his guests. Highly recommend it. read more

Excellent foods and service. The offering reminds me a little bit of Sarma. We had the hummus, Brussels sprouts, lamb shoulder, steak kebabs, fatoush salad which were all excellent. Also had the lamb sausage, a little tough but tasty. Server was so friendly and warm. read more

Rip-off!! I ordered a salad a a kabob for delivery ($34) and was stunned how small the portions were. Got one kabob with three pieces of meat for $16!! Never again from this place. read more

Definitely make reservations for this tasty and cozy tapas style Mediterranean restaurant. The food was excellent and beautifully crafted but if I had to go to one Med-tapas place, I'd recommend Sarma over Moona. read more

Amazing and flavorful food. I sat at the bar when I visited and I regret that I forget the bartender's name, but he was very kind, helpful, and friendly. The owner was incredibly attentive, even to me as a party of one without a reservation. It is very clear that he takes great pride in faithfully executing his family recipes and in satisfying his customers. This was one of the best meals and one of my best restaurant experiences during my time in Boston. read more

So I must preface this review by saying that I have never written a review on yelp before. That is not an admission of ignorance, but a contextual precursor to show that I literally had to download this app, create an account, and figure out how the hell to actually leave a review in order to write this. No other restaurant experience, therefore, was ever worth that time and effort. I decided on a whim to head to Moona. I had planned to have a beer and maybe an app before meeting up with some friends in the area. As soon as I entered I knew I had made the right decision. The kitchen was open to the dining space, a feature under utilized and under appreciated in modern dining. I quickly recognized that I wanted to be sitting at the very last bar seat closest to the open kitchen, so as to gain optimal viewing of the chef work going on not 10 feet to my left. Great decision. As soon as I sat down, one of the chefs (Stephen I later found out) welcomed me to Moona and asked if there was anything I was particularly in the mood for. I wasn't sure, and told him that I trusted his professional discretion. Again, great decision. Stephen looked and me, cracked a little smile, and said "I got you". Instantly I knew I was in good hands, and I awaited my unknown dishes with mounting anticipation. As I waited, the bartender introduced herself and asked if I would like anything to drink. Having gone 1/1 on my experience with the chef, I decided to role the dice on Brittany and asked for whatever drink she thought would be a good representation of the dining room I was in. Great decision x3. She brought out 3 bottles and poured a tasting of 2 reds from France, and an unbelievable selection from Lebanon. I asked her if flights like this were common, and she said "no, but I could tell you wanted to travel the region". Amazing. No sooner am I sampling my wine as my food comes out. A lamb dish was placed in front of me, sitting on a bed of Harissa humus, paired with seasoned cucumber shavings. I don't have the words to express the flavors that proceeded to fill my mouth for the whole 47 seconds in which I devoured that plate. I exhibited zero restraint as I engulfed what was, without question, the single best Mediterranean dish I've ever had. As I write this, because yes I'm the loser who goes out alone to dinner on Saturday night, yolo yolo swag, I am waiting for a main course dish who's flavor profiles and ingredient wizardry I cannot even begin to fathom. If the smells wafting from the kitchen over my shoulder are any indication of merit, I am in for one hell of a culinary orgasm. Good show Moona. See you again very soon. -Tom read more

Vow. Just introduced by my son to yelp. And my first review on Yelp of this lovely (still somewhat) new restaurant. Lovely ambience, great service. The lamb Kafta the Merguez the octopus the sea bass each was delicious. The chicken tajine and the chicken rolls not as good mainly in comparison to the other absolutely delectable dishes. The Lebanese wine and the rose and orange blossom ice cream with the Turkish coffee was great. I would skip the frozen nougat dessert. All in all a lovely time and a memorable meal the three of us enjoyed ourselves immensely. read more

Happened to drop in today after an afternoon at Inman oasis next door. The food and service were amazing. I would highly recommend the scallops and the full sea bass. Both dishes really stood out both in flavor and texture. They have a great rotating wine and beer list that offered a little something different from the norm. Overall a great experience and I would definitely go there again read more

Enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and service. We had the dip which is very good specially with the amazing bread..., the artichoke which was great. The best was the Brussels sprout really really good and original. The veggie couscous was just ok for me but my wife liked it. Wine was super good and desert as well. We will go back for the spring menu for sure! read more

Great food, great atmosphere, and most importantly great people. There are plenty of unique dining experiences in Boston but this small, bright, and inviting restaurant is a new favorite of mine. I would highly recommend this for all sorts of smaller more intimate occasions, and even the bar is a beautiful spot to kick back and enjoy some wonderful food. read more

Eat here for a Mediterranean flavor explosion experience. Shared 4 Mezze dishes between the two of us: stuffed calamari, chicken bastilla, merguez, and kale. All excellent - I recommend trying. We will go back to try others. The bread comes with date butter and olive oil that is delicious and smooth. Service is genuine and the atmosphere is warm. IMHO can add to "best of Boston restaurants." read more

My husband and I stopped by on a whim ( don't do this if you're really hungry because the wait is LONG). Luckily we were seating before we decided to leave. To our surprise the food was superb!! We'll definitely go again but with a reservation this time. read more

What a great new addition to the neighborhood! The food is vaguely Middle Eastern, and everything is fantastic. We sat at the bar and asked the bartender for recommendations. He was spot on on every call. The lamb shank was to die for! We're definitely coming back here when we both want to be stuffed. read more

Me & my boyfriend stopped by Friday night since we live across the street! Small cozy restaurant. Small portions dishes which makes you want to try more but they're worth it. My favorite dips are the Muhammara & the hummus. For cold Mezza, i love the Istanbul Vine leaves, warm mezza, i love the Brussel Sprouts, Breewat & scallops. For a fooder like myself, what i love most about this restaurant is that, it tempts you to try all that deliciousness!! .....Now on another note. Although we did have a reservation, they were still running behind on tables & we had to wait quite a while BUT being a small/new restaurant, i understood that they might have some kinks to work out which i'm sure they will. Thankfully we were able to order some drinks at the bar while doing so. The hostess was very welcoming, sympathetic in regards of the wait & kept us informed, she gets two thumbs up from me!!. To top it off, at the end of our meal, she was kind enough to offer us a complimentary dessert (The Kunafe) which i must say was an amazing dessert. Definitely will go back again!! :-) CONGRATS again on your opening!!! read more

I tried Moona with some friends during the soft opening and we loved it! It has a warm ambience with great colors, lighting and cool music. Our waitress was so friendly and helpful. But the best part was the food. We tried a couple of dips - Labneh (a strained yogurt) with beets, Batata and Toum (whipped potatoes and garlic) with Persian cucumber pickles and olives. They were all yummy but the Labneh was my favorite - creamy and rich, plus I'd never had it with beets before - an interesting combo. The octopus was my favorite warm mezza - I'd never had it so nicely grilled before; it's a must try! Also loved the Brussel sprouts. They do them with a tahini sauce, pine nuts and berries - pretty unique and scrumptious. Scallops with pumpkin sauce and fried leeks were to die for - so buttery. The dessert menu is short but worth it. They have specially made ice creams that are really special. I'd go for the Sahlab and the preserved lemon. I expected the lemon to be super tart but it was creamy and subtle - really unexpected and so good! I've only been once but can't wait to go back. read more

Well first of all I do not write reviews but I felt this gem of a restaurant deserve one! Secondly five stars does not do any justice to the meal and service we just experienced here at Moona. We ordered just about everything on the small tapas menu, several things we ordered twice Stuffed Squid, Octopus and mussels. Everything was exceptional! Superb flavors in every dish along with phenomenal presentation. You don't need a reservation to sit at the bar and there was seating available when we walked in. The bartender Rob was fantastic along with the owner Mohamed who greeted us and Chef Mark, wow!! Bravo on the deliciousness you kept serving us. We will be back soon! Thank you! read more

Was greeted at the door by a man to take my coat. While waiting for our food, they gave us a baguette and flatbread with lebanese olive oil and some delicious butter. The sage lamb shank I got was delicious (not to mention timely). I highly recommend this place. We did have to sit at the bar as the seating was full, but I don't feel like this took away from the experience. 10/10 would go again. read more

I wanted to like it. But! This is yet another "tapas" style place; except here the portions just could not be any smaller. Really, those grape leaves, width of my pinky, and unfortunately nothing special. Lamb kafta -- one very lonely small oval patty (for $12). But most disappointingly, while the wait staff were nice, the owner who tends the bar is lacking that warm middle eastern hospitality and somehow manages to instead convey cold puritanical snobbery. read more

Great place! Cozy restaurant with great food. Everything we tried was delicious, we especially liked the Kafta. The service was also very good. Highly recommended! read more

I love Moona. It has a wonderful atmosphere. Is super cozy. And the food is delish. Only negative is that the prices are high and the servings are small, but that quality is unfortunately pretty common in Cambridge. read more

The food here was just incredible! Fresh ingredients combined with interesting spices made for fabulous dishes. We're vegetarians, and there were plenty of choices with the small plates, as well as one main dish. We ended up getting two small plates, the crispy kale and the zucchini fritters and a main plate of eggplant and faro. All were unique and delicious. Staff was very nice and friendly. It's a small place, so you should make a reservation. read more

We had a delicious brunch at Moona for a very reasonable price. Even the most simple foods were delightful and had a little Mediterranean twist, like the hint of mint in the pesto and the date butter on the pancakes. I was excited to try the Arabic coffee which in the end is not my favorite as it is brewed and served with the coffee and cardamom grounds still in it, but that says much more about my American tastes than the quality of their product. The space is bright and lovely. I have not tried their supper menu but look forward to going back! read more

I had delicious wine, great service-the host made sure we were well treated and the food was delicious. The mood was great for a date.

My partner and I eat out pretty frequently in Cambridge/Somerville/Boston and just came back from eight nights in Paris. With that context, I am comfortable saying that the meal we had last night at Moona was one of the best meals of my life and the culinary highlight of my year. The Eggplant Fatteh alone would have made my soul sing, but everything else we ordered was also perfection. Everything about this place is perfect. The food is amazing. The employees are delightful and intelligent and attentive. I am such a huge fan, and they made an anniversary even more special. read more

The food here is always incredible. The restaurant is small but very lively. I came for dinner with my mom and we ordered: Orange Blossom Lemonade 5/5 Brussels Sprouts 3/5: they were good but nothing special Istanbul Grape Leaves 5/5 Dips, Pickles, and Olives 4/5: not enough bread and I honestly would've preferred just regular pita. The labneh is really good, hummus is good, muhammara was okay. The pickled beets were my fav. Shiitake Mushroom Fatteh 5/5: probably my favorite dish of the night. It wasn't enough yogurt to really be a fatteh but delicious regardless. Chicken Bastilla 3/5: I thought it was okay but I just generally don't like Bastilla. My mom liked it more than I did. Lamb Tagine 0/5: absolutely disappointing and entirely inedible. It was so so salty I couldn't take more than one bite. I was really sad about it because I had come here before and ordered the Tagine and loved it. Kunafeh 3/5: the only reason I came here the first time is because I saw they had kunafeh on their menu. It was good but a little on the sweeter side this time. I'll still come back and order it again. Overall, I love the food at Moona and I will keep coming back. The service is great (since the Tagine was too salty they comped both our desserts which was very nice of them). Also the complimentary bread and butter they bring out at the start of the meal is one of my favorite parts (that date molasses butter is incredible). read more

Enjoyed a truly excellent meal at Moona! Came with friends to celebrate our engagement. Was so happy to find a table available for an 8pm reservation although the space is small and there aren't a lot of tables. We absolutely loved the bread rolls with zaatar and homemade date molasses orange blossom butter. Incredible!!! The dips were good, I favored the labneh with beets which was deliciously pungent. The sangria was a bit tart so may stay away if you're in the mood for a sweet drink. Loved the brussel sprouts and couldn't taste the coriander (I hate cilantro!) The local greens fattoush was yummy but a bit small... they should cut the price to $5-6 or make it double this size! We enjoyed the couscous with gravy even though it could have used a bit of a savory contrast (maybe they could have added bits of lamb or short ribs to counterbalance the raisins and caramelized onions?) The lamb chops were okay but forgettable that's one dish I could make better at home. Ice cream dessert was also just okay. Despite the hit or miss items we still were positive overall and enjoyed the cozy vibe. So overall a really fun and memorable experience!!!! Can't wait to come back!! read more