Tao

Stayed upstairs at the sushi bar. The waiter kept my sake nice and cold. Had a good experience.

Hi, did lunch at Tao with a friend. We have the $24 lunch special. The food was sweet to the point of being terrible. We couldn't even eat the food. As always the atmosphere was interesting, but inedible food ruined my experience.

Took half an hour to be seated with a reservation and this was standard waiting time for everyone it seemed - in my opinion its a tactic to get people to create atmosphere and generate more profits from drinks people buy while waiting! Also attitude of staff was quite intense.. On positive note food was very good

I have often been to Tao in NYC and Vegas. The food is very good and I always had good service. it would be nice if the bar area was larger. It does get alittle too crowded.

We had a late reservation as it was, 10:30p..and when we arrived they told us there was a 20 minute wait that turned into an hour. Yes, thats right...We had a 10:30p reservation and were seated at 11:30p. This is unheard of in my experience. The food was marginal with a couple shining lights, the drinks were overpriced, and the service was spotty. I would agree with the last post, and say if you are going to spend the money...find somewhere else to do so.

Vastly overpriced Chinese food with snotty service. Total disappointment, not to mention a complete ripoff. Tsing Tao beers go for around 7 cents in China. You'll find them for 9 dollars on the menu here. Plenty of other great places in the city, don't waste your time with this one.

I took my friends here recently for a friend's birthday. I've been here before and had a good time. However, I was VERY EMBARRASSED to my friends because the waiter was so inattentive and rude! It ruined our night. As a person who lived in NY all my life, I've had better service at much inexpensive places. The food was decent. However not the best compared to the price. They should really hire more professional waiters who know how to greet customers with a smile even if they're faking it. He ignored our questions, walking away with a nasty look on his face and took forever getting our drinks(wasn't even a cocktail so what took so long?). I'm sure everyone here will agree that no matter how good the food is, if the service is inferior nobody will be happy paying for their meals. I wouldn't recommend celebrating a special day here. They need to learn how to treat customers like they are customers. I would give 1 star however the coat check girl was a sweetheart. So 1 extra star for her!

went for a friends birthday and the restaurant was very dark that i could hardly see my meal. the music was very loud that i could not hear what my friends were saying. the wait staff was quick to bring out the food. VERY DISAPPOINTING.

some body lost a credit card but i have here see the name is jannett remember what somebody what worker the name is jannett but idont not the last name ere you can see what is the last name of that people thanck for you help and i'am sorry

I love this place and its music. has great atmosphere. It's pricey but I that's what makes it upscale

My boyfriend and I went to Tao in NYC last night. We both live in the city and love the experience of great atmosphere and superb food. In choosing to spend our evening at Tao, we were very disappointed. First of all we had an 8:30 reservation and arrived 15 minutes earlier as per the receptionist's request when we called to make the reservation- ONLY to arrive and be told that we were not on the list! After that was cleared up we continues to wait another 45 minutes in a crowded entranced way because the bar was overly packed with screaming tourists spilling their drinks. TO TOP IT ALL OFF, we were getting a little restless from the long wait when the arrogant, nasty, son of a b guy who is in charge of seating said to us, exact words, I kid you not, "Try smiling a little bit and go inside to the bar and have a drink. Be nice to me it will help you get seated faster." My boyfriend in return saying "Yea that's exactly what I'll do" as we continued to wait where we were and notice... Read more

great location and very cool inside on the eye, bar far too small and crowded, food average at best, expensive. its a simple tourist attraction tick it off your list after the empire state building

It was a horrible, horrible experience!!! May 7th was my 30th birthday, and my fiancé, knowing that I love Tao made a reservation for 8:30pm. We were a couple of blocks away when we called to say that we are almost there and we are running a few minutes late. A male voice told my fiancé that they gave our table away, but as soon as we get there, they will give us another table. So we got there and it appeared that our reservation does not exist. It is just nowhere to be found. And the only male host that was there denied he spoke on the phone with my fiancé just 5 min ago. The other two hostesses did not really care much. They cared more about the model-type guy walking in. One of them told us that we probably called Las Vegas. Maybe we did if the Las Vegas phone code is 212. We showed her my fiancé’s phone, the number he dialed, and that the conversation lasted for almost 5 min. She said that maybe he did not call for a reservation. Why would he call then? We do not need to ask about ... Read more

The atmosphere is very cool, but you can tell it's caitered to the out of towner tourist to woo them. And it does. The sushi is good, the entrees are not. This is a good place to bring guests or for business dinners as the location is so convenient, right in midtown.

Ive dined at the Tao in NYC and Vegas and I would say the food is better in NYC. That having had been said, the food is just OK, as are the wait staff...not polished at all. The ambiance is cool though, as are the drinks. The hype is from the tourist crowd, mostly. Admittedly, the decor is cool, no doubt and the bar and restaurant space is fun. The hostesses are sharp and pretty..but not obnoxious, which is nice. For the most part this place is a guilty pleasure-- but bottom line: I would recommend Tao for drinks and apps only..anything else is unnecessary and a waste of money

My husband and I went to NYC for my first time this past weekend. A reservation was made for us ahead of time at Tao. We arrived a little before our 7:30 p.m. reservation and waited in the bar area for about 15 minutes before we were seated upstairs. The drinks were outrageously expensive; I realize it's NYC, but $7.50 for a beer...c'mon! Our food (chicken dumplings and shrimp pad thai) was excellent. Again, overpriced, but it was a special occasion so in hindsight, it was worth it. The two other complaints I have: The close proximity of the tables for two. We were stared at by the guy next to us for almost our entire meal. Pretty uncomfortable and makes it difficult to carry on a conversation, unless you want your neighbors, who are less than a foot away, to hear everything. And the bathrooms need to have "Men" and "Women" labeled underneath the "Ying" and "Yang". It would be my guess that the majority of people don't know which is which, and I walked into the men's bathroom... Read more

TAO came highly recommended by the girl that made our reservation, saying it was her favorite Manhattan restaurant. Being a Manhattan restaurant manager, I like to experience new things and so we went to have a good time. We met a mother/daughter that were on Holiday from UK celebrating her 21st birthday and we invited them along. TAO was called two hours prior to the reservation time to inform them of the increase to five adults. We arrived at TAO for our reservation and checked in. It was packed and loud. The decor was beautiful but the overbearing club beats were just too much. We get drinks from the bar but there's nowhere to sit because, as I mentioned, the place was packed. An hour and a half passes by and we have gone to the desk repeatedly to ask the status of our table. "Your reservation grew from 2 to 5, please be patient." I told them that the increase was phoned in two hours prior to the reservation. By this time, I've just had it and I speak to a manager (manager-to-m... Read more

I went here for my 23rd bday with friends and the place at first glance is amazing - the buddha is stunning and the whole experience of being there was great - until our food came out. Every dish that came out had an additional ingredient in it that was not mentioned in the menu. My main entree just said it was was going to be crunchy...it came out COCONUT ENCRUSTED! YUCK! EVEN THE RICE HAS COCONUT JUICE IN IT! I HATED IT AND DIDNT EVEN TOUCH IT! Instead I shared a plate of my friends steak stir-fry meal and it was good - average for any old chinest take out place - not for the prices I paid for there! My drink was undrinkable! My sis and I had to tell the waiter to take our Malibu Bay Breezes back bc they were so horrible - how does someone mess up since a simple drink! We didnt order any other drinks for fear that they too would be undrinkable! The service wasnt that bad. the crowd was great - the restaurant was gorgeous. Too bad the food didnt match the quality of the place... Read more

Worst experience ever. I went there with a party of 15 of my closest friends - we had a 8:15pm reservation and did not get seated until 9:45pm (one hour and a half later). The guy responsible for th seating arrangement had a bad attitude and kept lying to us everytime we asked about the status of our table. THE SERVICE IS HORRENDOUS for the amounts they charge. Perhaps they should use some of those funds to train their staff on proper manners. I don't recommend this place for big groups even if you get a reservation. Bad Bad Bad Bad experience!!!!

Me and my boyfriend had a dinner in Tao few weeks ago,and I have to say that when it comes to food I'm extremely picky,but the food that we got in Tao was outstanding.Shabu shabu kobe steaks was so fresh and soft,filet mignon covered with some type of wasabi was very tender,just melting in mouth and even just simple side dish that we ordered shrimp pad thai from which we didnt expect anything special was amazingly good.Our waiter Anthony was very friendly,helpful and attentive.Of course there were some cons as well.The hostess was very rude,unpolite and left unpleasant impression from the beginning with her cynical smile and attitude.The management could put nicer person at the front to meet the guests.

This place was good when it opened; now it is terrible; I have been visiting New York for over 20 years and I have never had such a bad meal. NOTHING tasted fresh, or like any food from Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan. (I spent 5 years in Asia) Great bar scene and beautiful people, but not worth the time and money. There is absolutely nothing positive that I can say about the food. STAY AWAY.

Awfully arrogant and disrespectful maitre d's, a wait time of more than 20 min despite a reservation made at least 3 weeks ago and couldn't care less at the front desk as they have hords of people cramped in this place anyway. What a miserable management and what a shame! There are so many other wonderful and friendly restaurants in this city why bother with this one.

Unbelievable, we (a group of 11) made a reservation a month ago, and the restaurant called the day before our dinner to tell us that our reservation has been canceled. Their reason was because they were over booked. Seriously, at least they could have had the decency to call earlier, but the bigger question is, how can they not know how many people they can take? It's really not nice to cancel us at the last moment. all of us were looking forward to go there. -__-. If you're considering a group reservation, well.....make sure you check up on it every week to confirm it.

had a reservation, waited an hour and a half after then left because the table still wasnt ready awful service at bar 15 dollars a drink too loud to noisy arrogance is in the air i will NEVER go back way to packed

If you are an Asian cuisine connosieur, you HAVE to go to Tao. Their food is absolutely amazing. If someone were to ask me what my favorite meal EVER was, I would say the Chilean Seabass at Tao. Their desserts are amazing, as well. Atmosphere is totally chic. Cute hostesses in funky kimonos welcome you at the super scenic entrance way. An enormous Buddha is in the back of the huge lower level of the dining room. Super high ceilings allow for another huge floor of tables above the Buddha statue. The only problem with this place is their waiting/reservation thing. In the daytime, no reservations needed... Lunch isn't TOO busy. But I've heard horror stories of 3 hour waits at nighttime. I recommend a reservation, and even then - prepare to wait a bit.. have a few drinks at the bar. Overall, AMAZING food, hip and cool atmosphere, great place for a night with the girls or a date. Great service too. The servers are highly knowledgable on the menu and VERY professional. XOXO, Danielle

oh my goodnesss!!!!!!!!! THIS FOOD WAS OUT OF THIS WOLRD!!!!! DELICIOUS.. Where do I start: the decor was beautiful, the ambiance was explosive, the wait was HORRIBLE, but guess what!!! It was worth every second. the food was soooooooooo good!!!! The sea bass, the jumbo shrimp tempura, the thai crab cakes, the vegetable fried rice, kung pao chicken, braised spicy shrimp, the drinks were so good, tao-tini is a MUST drink... i will definitely be going back... LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!

Went here for my birthday because of all the hype. Yes, it's a nice place to visit, yes the Buddha in the back is very large. I was seated on time unlike some of the other reviewers. It was cramped though where we were, since the tables are so close together. As for the food, pretty lackluster. I have had better sushi at no-name joints in the suburbs. Nothing really special about the dumplings or the overcooked duck at all. If you really want to go to Tao for the sake of saying you've gone there, just go for drinks.

Had to still wait after I made reservations a month ago. I live in Brooklyn and thought it would be nice to dine in the city. I was disappointed with service and the crowded lounge where they made you wait. The food was nice and well presented. Overall I would of enjoyed my local restuarant that has almost the same menu. Should try Toro if your ever in Dumbo Brooklyn, if you enjoy Tao, I did enjoy Tao but the waiting is for Manhattanee's..Also I recommend taking a limo cause you will never get a cab. But I must recommend to come here once to see it.

My wife and I arrived about ten minutes before our reservation and were wowed by the space - which, I must say, was very cool. We chose to wait for our table at the upstairs bar and were again pleasantly surprised by my wife's yummy "mango tamarind martini." The rest of the night was complete dogshit. We were finally seated about 45 minutes after our reservation - nearly an hour after we arrived to be greeted by a boring menu with nothing that jumps out as a "must-try." One dish whose description was rather vague - Thai Roasted Chicken" was described by our water as "roasted chicken" when we asked for more detail. Clearly, you F-ing moron! When we asked what makes it Thai, he replied: "a Thai sauce." My wife, sensing my frustration with this idiot, politely asked the waiter to describe the "Thai sauce." He clarified that it was "not too spicy, but not too sweet." Every dish ordered throughout the night was bad - some on the verge of disgusting, not to mention the terrible servi... Read more

it was my moms first trip to new york and our first trip to taos on a suggestion from a friend that i was meeting there for lunch. she asked have you been there ? i said no but it sounds nice. so we went and met for lunch 1 block away from 5th ave. and around the corner from our hotel my friend and i had the prix fix lunch. not bad for $25. the peking duck spring rolls were delish!! for the entree i had the wok seard sirloin and my friend had the soy ginger salmon it came with some soba.. we were both pretty happy with our picks and for dessert i had the zen parfait!! it was pretty yummy too. it had toffee bits along with some chocolate and vanilla- ish pudding so it was kinda like almond rocha-ish .....my experience was yummy

High end interiors and music. Exotic delicious food. Nice scene. I wish the management add the beautiful chandeliers in red Murano glass that TAO Las Vegas has; They are so stunning and they really make a difference when you have a conversation / dinner with a special someone.

Do not go to TAO on a Friday Night! It is too loud, the music is ok. The food is great! I would rather go to TAO on a weeknight instead of a weekend. I do recommend their food. Their sushi is ok.

As a tourist from California (I went to Tao the night of May 16, 2008), I had mixed feeling about my visit to Tao. It would have been very very good if not for my experience with the reservation staff and the women who work the door. I found them extremely rude overall so that set a poor first impression. It was as though you were just a number. In my experience these types of restaurants will never last. I felt the opposite feeling on my visit to Balthazar the same weekend. When our table of 5 finally sat down, things improved. It felt like a true New York experience. Waitress was friendly and attentive (although she took the low brow method of pointing to the menu and saying things like "this is my favorite", a technique usually employed by lower class eateries. Food was solid but not spectacular. We have many asian fusion type restaurants in L.A. that probably have better food but the sushi sampling, the peking duck spring rolls and the sirloin steak were all things that woul... Read more

This is my second time dining at Tao with a good 2 year period in between, as I am not often out in this area. Service, wait-times (typically long), good martinis, fun atmosphere (and loud) seem to be pretty consistent. I would strongly recommend making a reservation and getting there on time if you're really hungry. On a very busy night you may have to wait even with a reservation. But while you wait bar service is pretty good and there is a comfortable, albeit crowded lounge area. Food is artfully presented and very tasty. Would definitely go back!

I went to Tao on Monday night with 2 client friends. Was told to wait 20 mintues for a table. Turns out that we waited for more than an hour, and there was still no table for us! I felt very embarassed since my friends were all hungry and they traveled from abroad to new york for the first time. The waitress was very rude and arrogant, with no sense of time at all. They simply lied to us about the wait time for more than 3 times. Every time, they said "we assure you there would be a table in 20 minutes, please just wait". Every 20 mintues pass, they would say the same thing again to you. We all felt being cheated. In the middle of our waiting, when we checked with them about the table, they suddenly gave us a beeper, but they didn't give to us at the very beginning. Weired and unprofessional. People waiting at the cocktail area all went in for dinner, but it's never our turn! We felt very angry. In the end, after more than one hour's waiting, when we said we have to leave, and refused... Read more

the food is fine, but nowhere near the nyc top level restaurants. it's all about the atmosphere. it's very loud and bombastic so if you are into having your dinner and feeling like you're at a dance club, then this is your place. the buddha statue and the decor in general is definitely well done but the people you will see around are very trashy, with money but still not the classy type (don't expect the neighbors from park av. to be regulars here). it actually feels much more like south beach than east side. the staff is terrible, but again that's been said a thousand times before. it's not the worst place i can think of, but it's nyc so you can for sure come up with a better choice than tao.

I went to Tao Restaurant in NYC tonight for my twin friends birthday. We had made reservations one month prior. Upon our arrival we were treated as if we were garbage that had blown in from 58th street. Our food was average to say the least. My rare yellow fin tuna was overcooked. I would have never sent it back but I found it incredibly rude that our waiter never even approached our table to see how everything was. We were never asked if we wanted any more wine and God knows we could have used another drink after that. We had to ask two managers for our waiter and were brushed off as if we were stupid chicks. First off, I am sure that I have more education in my pinky than they all had put together. To top it all off, the managers seemed completely un-phased that we were completely dissatisfied with our service. In a nutshell, save your money and go to your local cheap Asian restaurant. In essence with the service that Tao provides it's really the better option!

Place has great food. Kobe beef is incredible. Only down side is place is very loud, it's hard to have a conversation, but I would recommend it. I've been there twice and can't complain. Food is great and so is the atmosphere.

I recently celebrated my birthday at this restaurant. The food,ambiance,service and waitstaff were wonderful. I used the chopsticks to consume my food but my husband opted to use a fork and spoon. At the end of our meal, my husband wanted to take the chopsticks home to practice for the future. We were approached by one of the men in suits about purchasing chopsticks and were informed that the chopsticks were reusable. YUCK!!!! ( I wanted to purge myself of my meal!) The chopsticks are wooden and there have been many reports about how wooden cutting boards and cooking utensils can carry germs. Unless this restaurant uses an autoclave like dental offices do, I doubt that the chopsticks are thoroughly cleaned.

I went to Tao on Saturday night there were 4 of us in the party. We had a 9:00 reservation we got a confirmation call that afternoon from the restaurant and was told they would only hold the reservation for 15 minutes after 9:00 so we made sure we got there by 9:00. We didn't get seated till 10:40. They kept telling us there was only two tables ahead of us they told us that from 9:30 till we were seated. They gave us a round of drinks on the house (Big Deal). It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. We will never go back. The food was good but I would go to China Grill instead.

I went to Tao not too long ago for the first time. My best friend took me there because he had been there before and loved it, and wanted to share it with me. It was definitely worth it. The decor is very very stylish and cool, and the food was delicious. Going for lunch is a plus because they offer lunch specials that include appetizer, main entree, and dessert for one flat price. I had the Chicken Pad Thai, and it was delicious, and they give you so much that I couldn't even finish it. [[[*but my friend was able to finish it for me =) ]]] I don't recommend it if you are on a budget, because it is a little on the pricey side, but that is my only criticism for this restaurant. However, whatever you do, you MUST make a reservations. No exceptions.

I reserved a table and received a call the evening before to confirm. The reservation was for 8pm. I was told to be there at 7.45pm. (i.e they were making sure the customer was there well before their reservation time). This initially struck me as quiet pompous and presumptuous but didn't really bother me at the time as I'm usually early for reservations anyway but after what transpired that evening i think it was highly ironic. I got there with my party at 07:30 with the intention of getting a drink before the meal. As soon as we walked in I knew I had made a mistake. Firstly the place was hot and LOUD...very loud. The bar area was packed...seriously over crowded. It was quiet chaotic as it was a mix of 1) people with dinner reservations who were waiting around 2) people who were there just there to have a drink at the bar and 3) people just wandering in off the street for a look! Why they employ so many people to walk around aimlessly with ear pieces who can't control the number of ... Read more

This place is great, but at a price. Must have the Peking Duck spring rolls. Pad Thai not recommended. Ice cream is phenomenal!

The food here is really quite good, if a little overpriced. I love the Kung Pao chicken, and the drinks are amazing too. My only gripes are that they need to work on the service aspect-we had 8:30 reservations and had to wait almost 45 minutes. They kept saying 'you're the next table'. That should never happen! What is the point of making the reservations in the first place?! Also, they need to redesign the area when you come in. There's definitely not enough room to wait, and the bar is very overcrowded too. So, yeah. Great food, great atmosphere, nice waiters. But work on the stupid seating problems. From what I hear, it's pretty common to wait a long time.

went to tao on a saturday night.... we had reservations for 8:45 pm, we showed up at 7:45 pm.... that was a mistake. anyway, we ended up getting seated at 8:30, i should have just shown up at 8:45 pm. the seating was annoying because everyone is so close to one another, its those tiny tables for 2 and you can hear someone else's conversation. the salmon dish here was amazing... i loved the ginger soy noodles with it. it was so good! i also ordered a lychee martini which was a bit strong, but good. they use grey goose. the blue zen martini hear is divine - pineapple based. and i also tried the chicken in red curry coconut sauce, it was good but the chicken tasted a bit raw, like it wasn't fully cooked - it was good but not amazing. this place is definitely overpriced. drinks are 12.50 each. salmon 25 bucks. however, you go there for the ambience, the food, the drinks... it is an experience. the portions are pretty big....expect to spend at least $50 per person including ... Read more

This was my second and last time eating here. What is the point of reservations if they are going to overbook and make you wait?! Seriously I want an answer. Do they think that like with a club it adds to the 'mystique' if you are waiting? But given that we don't wait in line outside, how does that help? All it does is make customers angry. We waited 45 mins despite a 915 reservation. THEN waited another half hour for our food to arrive. Did they go to Alaska for my salmon. Sure its good food but no better than dozens of other places in NYC that understand what reservation means! Also why do these places think people enjoy eating with music blaring so loud that you can't talk to your companions across the table!? Hello - if you want to be a club, become one. Tao is proof that new yorkers (and tourists) are sheep and will flock to whereever they are told they SHOULD flock, regardless of how crappy they are treated. And the people? What a come-down. If the woman seated next to me ... Read more

Great location. Very good food. I found it to be an "upper-end" PF Changs. Service was very good and atmosphere was terrific. Price was what you would expect in that part of Manhattan.

I have been to TAO more than four times and all of those times, I had to wait even though I have arrived on time with all of the party. It is too loud but thats the way it is! But they have to do something about this waiting before your dinner. This is too annoying!!

After reading a few reviews about Tao being too loud and having poor service I was a little worried . . . however I didnt find it too loud or too crowded at all - and we went on a Sat. night ! We were seated maybe 30 minutes after we arrived, but grabbing a drink at the bar was not a problem - there were a few bar stools open. Anyway, everything was really tasty! I took ppls recommendations from other online reviews - chilean sea bass and the giant fortune cookie for dessert, and couldnt have been happier, they were both amazing. The smoked salmon sashimi and spicy tuna rolls were great! I can't wait to go back! I also recommend the Ruby Red Dragon to drink.

I really do not understand what happend to what use to be one of my favorite resturants in NYC. Can not complain about the service, but food was just not up to par. It basically tasted like reheated glop out of a microwave. Maybe it has just become a tourist trap?