| ambiance |
93.95000457763672% positive |
- “
The decor is fabulous. ”
- “
The ambiance is wonderful and full of energy, and you have to want a great scene to enjpoy this restaurant. ”
- “
The food was fantastic, the drinks outstanding and a great atmosphere! ”
- “
The atmosphere is great for groups and the 2 -story Buddha, fountain, and very high ceilings add an overall dramatic touch to everything. ”
- “
Great decor! ”
- “
You'd get better tasting and more authentic Asian food going to Chinatown or any other place where it isn't about decor. ”
- “
Make this the next spot where you dine, the atmosphere is great! ”
- “
Once inside the restaurant was unexpectedly large and had a nice atmosphere. ”
- “
atmosphere was decent but the food were below average which are not worth for the money you spent on the dishes. ”
- “
But while you wait bar service is pretty good and there is a comfortable, albeit crowded lounge area. ”
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The atmosphere is interesting, to say the least. ”
- “
It was a Friday night, so the lounge area was crowded, but a great atmosphere. ”
- “
The food here is pretty good, however the atmosphere is sub par. ”
- “
Our reservation was honored promptly and service was great but the food was lackluster in taste and portions were directly opposite to the size of the golden Buddha that defined the oh so dimly lit chic ambiance. ”
- “
The decor is absolutely stunning. ”
- “
Tao's chic decor and tasty bites would remind most urban dwellers why NYC is known for its impressive social scene. ”
- “
bustling crowd, great atmosphere ”
- “
The decor is amazing, a big fat lit Buddha greets you as you walk into the dining area and you can't help but feel cool surrounded by the hundreds of chatty diners (among them Jay Z and Amil) and blasting music. ”
- “
The service was fantastic, they were generally on time with reservations, and the food and atmosphere was worth the price. ”
- “
The food and atmosphere here are great. ”
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all in all, it's a fun (crowded) place with good food and drinks. ”
- “
This place was great, great atmosphere, great food, and great people. ”
- “
The decor was beautiful but the overbearing club beats were just too much. ”
- “
Service, wait-times (typically long), good martinis, fun atmosphere (and loud) seem to be pretty consistent. ”
- “
Where do I start: the decor was beautiful, the ambiance was explosive, the wait was HORRIBLE, but guess what! ”
- “
Great food, wonderful staff, and an ambiance that is beyond compare. ”
- “
We sat upstairs, had a great view and the food was PHENOMENAL! ”
- “
Excellent food and great atmosphere! ”
- “
The atmosphere is absolutely sexy, the service is pretty good and the portions are healthy. ”
- “
The waitstaff was friendly and the decor is interesting and fun. ”
- “
Don't forget to have the chocolate cake, but it takes patience to deal with some of the attitude and if waiting doesn't bother you, it is a fun and tasty place to eat! ”
- “
The atmosphere of this place is great. ”
- “
The food is delish and the atmosphere (upstairs) is fabulous. ”
- “
The atmosphere was excellent, its huge in there and my colleagues and I were seated promptly (we went during lunch hour and had the pre fix). ”
- “
We both live in the city and love the experience of great atmosphere and superb food. ”
- “
This is a good place to bring guests or for business dinners as the location is so convenient, right in midtown. ”
- “
Otherwise, if you don't mind feeling hungry, dissatisfied, and annoyed, the ambience is kind of nice. ”
- “
One downside is that we were seated in the back corner near the restrooms which left us a poor view of the giant Buddha. ”
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The decor and music is certainly better than similar type restaurants in L.A. and these made the experience enjoyable. ”
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Food is great and so is the atmosphere. ”
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Great food, great ambiance ”
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Admittedly, the space is very well done - giant Buddha, great decor and high ceilings to boot. ”
- “
Not only did we love the food but the ambience is fantastic. ”
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prefer having drinks there the ambiance is amazing if you are single this the place to be. ”
- “
The ambiance is cool though, as are the drinks. ”
- “
has great atmosphere. ”
- “
Tao has a great reputation for good food and cool atmosphere, so we weren't suprised that they were packed. ”
- “
Great restaurant a great atmosphere for entertaining a client & taking a date. ”
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good for groups, not for romantic dates. ”
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Granted, the other tables are not as beautiful, but the view is still fantastic. ”
- “
The atmosphere is very cool, but you can tell it's caitered to the out of towner tourist to woo them. ”
- “
Avg food, ackluster service,elegant ambience ”
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Amazing food, amazing decor. ”
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Although the decor is fantastic, the food was less than enjoyable, and for the price, sadly disappointing. ”
- “
The place is fairly loud but we didn't have any problem hearing each other and the ambience was great. ”
- “
If this is a date it isnt a romantic place its a SCENE! ”
- “
Great atmosphere - one of those places where even the bathroom is worth the trip! ”
- “
have heard bad things about Tao, but when it comes down to it, the food was FABULOUS and delicious, the drinks worth the 10+ they charge you, the service great and the atmosphere inviting. ”
- “
Great food, great atmosphere, nice waiters. ”
- “
Just not worth the struggle when there's so many other great places in the city w/ great Pan Asian and enough room for a relaxed, comfortable dinner (Asia de Cuba, TanDa, etc.). ”
- “
The food,ambiance,service and waitstaff were wonderful. ”
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The great Buddha at the center of the dining room is impressive, even for a sophisticated diner who has seen beautiful decor. ”
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Overall the place is great for some appitizers, drinks, and ambiance:) ”
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The lighting was just perfect and the statues that were used as decorations were outstanding! ”
- “
so make sure you have a clear understanding before you think its a romantic dinner for two. ”
- “
am sure the food would have been great, but unfortunately, after waiting over an hour and a half and then being told that there were still two parties of 6 in front of us, we decided that there was no way the food or the atmosphere was worth that wait. ”
- “
Service was very good and atmosphere was terrific. ”
- “
If you're looking for a fun, lively place full of too-cool people, then this is it. ”
- “
The service was mediocre but it was not nearly as offensive as the wondering saxophonist and the disgusting decor. ”
- “
would definitely go back for drinks with friends and enjoy the ambience. ”
- “
We were promptly seated for our 9pm reservation on the 2nd floor at the railing with a beautiful view of the restaurant and the surrounding scene. ”
- “
As always the atmosphere was interesting, but inedible food ruined my experience. ”
- “
Still a great place-decently priced and good atmosphere. ”
- “
Admittedly, the decor is cool, no doubt and the bar and restaurant space is fun. ”
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beautiful setting, great atmosphere, good food, friendly waiters. ”
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We'd rather go to Buddakan for great ambiance, food, and drinks. ”
- “
while we were looking around at the wonderful decor Robin Williams walked up to our table and introduced himself to us! ”
- “
good size place, lots of people, fun, hip, trendy. ”
- “
Tao was so much fun! ”
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My boyfriend and I have been to TAO on numerouse occasions and the food was always good, it is true that many other places in NYC offer the same ambiance and decor, But TAO def. ”
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That may be true, but if you are looking for a great meal and fun atmosphere, there are plenty of other restaurants that know the meaning of a reservation. ”
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have been to Tao over ten times and the decor is unique in the former movie theater, menu is diverse, food is tasteful, and service is phenomenol! ”
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good food, good ambience, seating was annoying. ”
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the food was great and the atmosphere is wonderful. ”
- “
The decor and ambiance was incredible. ”
- “
fantastic decor and great vibe. ”
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the decor inside is pretty good, feels like the Buddha bar in Midtown. ”
- “
great location and very cool inside on the eye, bar far too small and crowded, food average at best, expensive. ”
- “
The ambience of Tao transports you to a zen state, candles, koi pond, big Buddha. ”
- “
The ambiance is nice, but I've seen the same thing and Budha Khan in Philly and Buddha Bar in Paris. ”
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Great location. ”
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Literally there was hardly room to stand let alone get a comfortable drink before being seated. ”
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We had a great table on the balcony overlooking the main floor with a perfect view of the giant buddha. ”
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Energetic atmosphere, great place for dinner and drinks before going out ”
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the decor is incredible, the giant buddah is so relaxing. ”
- “
The place was packed, and the decor and large buddha looked great. ”
- “
Love the ambiance and their selection of dishes ”
- “
While the decor is interesting and unique, the restaurant is so packed and there is a long wait even for those with reservations. ”
- “
Great pan Asian food, great atmosphere ”
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The atmosphere is great, the music is nice, and it's great for a group of friends or a date. ”
- “
The decor is very very stylish and cool, and the food was delicious. ”
- “
Bar area are fun and drink selection is worthwhile (wines, cold sakes, etc.) However, the food here has really slipped and is now nothing more than average asian fusion at a rather steep price. ”
|
| dessert |
90.62999725341797% positive |
- “
Going for lunch is a plus because they offer lunch specials that include appetizer, main entree, and dessert for one flat price. ”
- “
Don't forget to have the chocolate cake, but it takes patience to deal with some of the attitude and if waiting doesn't bother you, it is a fun and tasty place to eat! ”
- “
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. ”
- “
The food is very good, from appetizers to dessert. ”
- “
As those before me, I have to agree that the food was quite overrated, I have better at chinatown, so don't eat the bland, mushy, fried rice, OR the molten chocolate cake with way too many coconut shavings -but the scene is uber cool and that is its only ”
- “
The drinks were wonderful and the dessert, what little of it we had room for, was also fantastic. ”
- “
The kung pao chicken was awesome and so was dessert. ”
- “
The other food (especially the seafood) was also wonderful, but the desserts! ”
- “
Plain vanilla ice cream with some sweet filling fried wonton which was not crispy at all. ”
- “
If that wasn't enough the complimentary dessert was a HUGE sampler of various items which we attacked with much delight :) ”
- “
He kept pushing for us EACH to order an appetizer, sushi, a main dish, and desert. ”
- “
The food portions are huge, so arrive with an empty stomach and please save room for desert, which are absolutly decandet. ”
- “
They have this awesome giant fortune cookie. ”
- “
Our dessert was GREAT. ”
- “
He brought out this huge dessert sampler albeit it was really pretty! ”
- “
Yes, this is definitely a very hot place, lots of beautiful people and gotta try the giant fortune cookie for desert! ”
- “
The original desserts are pretty damn good. ”
- “
the dessert was good. ”
- “
excellent food, to-die-for desserts! ”
- “
After only 1 hour & 15 minutes of a so far pleasant dining experience at Tao, my party and I were pushed off our table to finish the dessert portion of our meal in the dark, crowded, loud and uncomfortable bar/lounge area of the restaurant! ”
- “
Their desserts are amazing, as well. ”
- “
The entire place is amazing and the chocolate cake is to die for! ”
- “
Stands out with a great bar scene, wonderful drinks (MOJITOS ) in particular and the BEST BEST BEST dessert (The fortune cookie), as far as the appitizers are concerned, GO for the Seaweed sald, which is unique in offering many variaties of seaweed over i ”
- “
For dessert, we shared the Fuji Apple spring rolls, which was also good. ”
- “
The dessert of bread pudding was very good and the fortune cookie was just ok. ”
- “
The food is awesome(the desserts are great, too), and the staff are extremely nice. ”
- “
We did have desert, but in the "lounge", which was really just a noisy, packed, dark bar where you could not talk to anyone, let alone enjoy what was placed in front of you. ”
- “
the food was not bad, the molten chocolate cake was pretty good but theres a lot of coconut w that cake for some reason, i guess its supposed to remind you that they are "asian" and "fusion" and all that. ”
- “
The fortune cookie dessert is now my all time favorite NYC dessert, and I have eaten a lot of dessert. ”
- “
Finally we shared a giant fortune cookie for dessert (it is indeed giant and can feed several people), which was enjoyable, but again nothing to rave about. ”
- “
The food was abundantly satisfying from appetizer to entree to dessert. ”
- “
awesome fortune cookies! ”
|
| drinks |
76.46999835968018% positive |
- “
The ambiance is cool though, as are the drinks. ”
- “
but the bar is a great place to wait for your table. ”
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Overall, I would go for drinks but, the food seems a little overpriced in relation to taste. ”
- “
The drinks are still fabulous! ”
- “
We didnt order any other drinks for fear that they too would be undrinkable! ”
- “
The service was ridiculously bad - after we told the waiter what we would like to drink, he asked: " what would you like to drink? ”
- “
The food is great and the bar has awesome apple martinis. ”
- “
The plum wine was amazing, the best I've ever had without a doubt. ”
- “
It like a bar, club, and restaraunt. ”
- “
Tao USED TO BE great, their menu USED TO be impressive, the service USED TO be professional, prompt and helpful, and the bar USED TO be a great scene. ”
- “
really like the food here and the special drinks are wonderful! ”
- “
have heard bad things about Tao, but when it comes down to it, the food was FABULOUS and delicious, the drinks worth the 10+ they charge you, the service great and the atmosphere inviting. ”
- “
food is good but not remarkable, though drinks I liked! ”
- “
Stands out with a great bar scene, wonderful drinks (MOJITOS ) in particular and the BEST BEST BEST dessert (The fortune cookie), as far as the appitizers are concerned, GO for the Seaweed sald, which is unique in offering many variaties of seaweed over i ”
- “
It was the perfect amount of time to enjoy a drink and do a little people watching at the bar. ”
- “
The mixed drinks can be quite good, like the lychee champagne, and the margarita, but stay away from the watermelon martini! ”
- “
After only 1 hour & 15 minutes of a so far pleasant dining experience at Tao, my party and I were pushed off our table to finish the dessert portion of our meal in the dark, crowded, loud and uncomfortable bar/lounge area of the restaurant! ”
- “
love the Kung Pao chicken, and the drinks are amazing too. ”
- “
The drinks were outrageously expensive; I realize it's NYC, but $7.50 for a beer. ”
- “
The food was good, but nothing so unique as to warrent such a high price tag, same for the drinks. ”
- “
But while you wait bar service is pretty good and there is a comfortable, albeit crowded lounge area. ”
- “
We'd rather go to Buddakan for great ambiance, food, and drinks. ”
- “
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?) ”
- “
Service has been wonderful each time, and the bar scene is perfect after or before your meal. ”
- “
The waiter who served us was nice & entertaining, food is good but not something to die for, price is alright except for the drinks which cost more than our food. ”
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Energetic atmosphere, great place for dinner and drinks before going out ”
- “
the best seats in the house are actually the outer bar area seats along the main wall. ”
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The drinks were tasty and not over juiced. ”
- “
The best part is the bar area and of course the drinks are super expensive. ”
- “
took a client to Tao not expecting to get in but to our delight, we were able to be seated at the bar upstairs witha full menu. ”
- “
The food was fantastic, the drinks outstanding and a great atmosphere! ”
- “
The drinks were wonderful and the dessert, what little of it we had room for, was also fantastic. ”
- “
The drinks were great. ”
- “
We also were talked into "cold" sake and I have found a new favorite drink. ”
- “
prefer having drinks there the ambiance is amazing if you are single this the place to be. ”
- “
Literally there was hardly room to stand let alone get a comfortable drink before being seated. ”
- “
For the most part this place is a guilty pleasure-- but bottom line: I would recommend Tao for drinks and apps only. ”
- “
would day this place is best for drinking at the bar before a night of clubbing to get you in the mood. ”
- “
Admittedly, the decor is cool, no doubt and the bar and restaurant space is fun. ”
- “
The drinks are great and the high celings open the room as wide as your eyes. ”
- “
The food was marginal with a couple shining lights, the drinks were overpriced, and the service was spotty. ”
- “
We did have desert, but in the "lounge", which was really just a noisy, packed, dark bar where you could not talk to anyone, let alone enjoy what was placed in front of you. ”
- “
great location and very cool inside on the eye, bar far too small and crowded, food average at best, expensive. ”
- “
Went with a girlfriend, waited for over an hour while we had drinks, food was ok, service was terrible. ”
- “
Great bar scene and beautiful people, but not worth the time and money. ”
- “
We chose to wait for our table at the upstairs bar and were again pleasantly surprised by my wife's yummy "mango tamarind martini. ”
- “
I'm sure the place is great for a drink, and the environment is very nice, but skip the food. ”
- “
the food and drinks were only mediocre and you'd really expect more from the price they charge you for them! ”
- “
The drinks were fabulous and my roomate and I STILL talk about our meals! ”
- “
would definitely go back for drinks with friends and enjoy the ambience. ”
- “
Now I understand that these types of restaurants simply shove patrons aside to the bar to get them to spend money, but the service" here and attitude to match is totally unacceptable. ”
- “
Overall the place is great for some appitizers, drinks, and ambiance:) ”
- “
awful service at bar ”
- “
Desert platter was also amazing and I love there special cocktails. ”
- “
. . . the drinks were delicious, as was the food. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
The food and drinks were great! ”
- “
the decor inside is pretty good, feels like the Buddha bar in Midtown. ”
- “
The cocktails are also wonderful. ”
- “
Staff was friendly and drinks were great. ”
- “
The drinks were good. ”
- “
the waiter was very rude to a friend who asked a simple questions about the wine. ”
- “
But, I agree with other reviewers that the staff will try any tactics to upsell and can be very rude, the food is highly overrated, the hostesses are completely unorganized and nasty - YOU'RE A HOSTESS, CALM DOWN - and the bar has become a singles scene. ”
- “
This restaurant consistently refuses to honor its own reservations, and treats its customers like cattle, forcing them to wait in the bar area (where overpriced cocktails are conveniently available) long after the time the table was supposed to be ready. ”
- “
Bar area are fun and drink selection is worthwhile (wines, cold sakes, etc.) However, the food here has really slipped and is now nothing more than average asian fusion at a rather steep price. ”
- “
We both thought the service was great, and we'd definitely come back for drinks, but the food just didn't cut it. ”
- “
our server was very hard to find and he recommended couple bad dishes and the portions of foods are way too much for two of us, also the wine he suggested was also bad choice. ”
- “
all in all, it's a fun (crowded) place with good food and drinks. ”
|
| food quality |
80.60999870300293% positive |
- “
The food is very good, from appetizers to dessert. ”
- “
The food is great and you are always guaranteed to have a good time. ”
- “
The food was decent. ”
- “
The food is great but not unique so why bother? ”
- “
If you are looking for great food, steer clear. ”
- “
After waiting an hour for our table, I was faced with mediocre asian (mostly chinese) food. ”
- “
Love the ambiance and their selection of dishes ”
- “
food was fabulous, menu could have been a little less cryptic. ”
- “
think the food was mediocre. ”
- “
The best food they have really is their sushi, and only some of their sushi. ”
- “
That said the food was good. ”
- “
The other food (especially the seafood) was also wonderful, but the desserts! ”
- “
The food was awesome. ”
- “
The food, however, was very good, specifically the sea bass-probably the best piece of fish I've had in a long time. ”
- “
go several more, the food it great, the martini's are great, the place is so trendy. ”
- “
After only 1 hour & 15 minutes of a so far pleasant dining experience at Tao, my party and I were pushed off our table to finish the dessert portion of our meal in the dark, crowded, loud and uncomfortable bar/lounge area of the restaurant! ”
- “
Although the decor is fantastic, the food was less than enjoyable, and for the price, sadly disappointing. ”
- “
the food was soooooooooo good! ”
- “
Kobe beef was tasty but definitely over priced. ”
- “
The sushi is good, the entrees are not. ”
- “
Best sushi I've ever tried and the pad thai is pretty great. ”
- “
but the food was really, really fabulous ”
- “
We made a reservation at a lovely French restaurant nearby and had a great meal ”
- “
loved the ginger soy noodles with it. ”
- “
Great food-bad logistics ”
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The food was fantastic, the drinks outstanding and a great atmosphere! ”
- “
Vastly overpriced Chinese food with snotty service. ”
- “
Our waiter was nice but ill-informed and the food, well, I've had better at local take-out. ”
- “
great location and very cool inside on the eye, bar far too small and crowded, food average at best, expensive. ”
- “
The service is excellent, the food is excellent. ”
- “
While the food is good, it is actually slightly worse than most of its new competitors. ”
- “
Their food is absolutely amazing. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
The kung pao chicken was awesome and so was dessert. ”
- “
After last night, it seems like people don't expect much when it comes to good food as long as there's loud music and "pretty" ppl. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
The staff was very good at ignoring customers and no one cares how you feel about the food or they were probably afraid to ask since the food was so awful. ”
- “
The food was very good, but overpriced. ”
- “
The food here is really quite good, if a little overpriced. ”
- “
Very good food. ”
- “
The food is awesome(the desserts are great, too), and the staff are extremely nice. ”
- “
The food was excellent, but pricey. ”
- “
We ordered the kung pao chicken and soy glazed salmon with udon, and while both were tasty, if I had to do it all over again, I'd just order a few more appetizers, as they all seem very tempting. ”
- “
The food was good, but nothing so unique as to warrent such a high price tag, same for the drinks. ”
- “
We'd rather go to Buddakan for great ambiance, food, and drinks. ”
- “
Amazing food, amazing decor. ”
- “
do not like sushi and this is the first time I have ever liked it. ”
- “
The food was abundantly satisfying from appetizer to entree to dessert. ”
- “
really like the food here and the special drinks are wonderful! ”
- “
bad service, sushi chefs should be asham ”
- “
Being a Chinese and a food lover, all I can say is - Never had such terrible Pan Asian Food before! ”
- “
We got a seat after 1/2 hour of waiting at 8:30 on a Saturday night, and the food was amazing. ”
- “
Tao's chic decor and tasty bites would remind most urban dwellers why NYC is known for its impressive social scene. ”
- “
We ordered an impressive assortment of their dishes including their $12/ounce kobe beef. ”
- “
I'm sure the place is great for a drink, and the environment is very nice, but skip the food. ”
- “
went this past sat with reservations and it still took over an hour, but it was absolutely worth the wait The food is Amazing! ”
- “
The chicken dumplings were great. ”
- “
Loud scene but delicious food! ”
- “
Great food! ”
- “
We both live in the city and love the experience of great atmosphere and superb food. ”
- “
The XO shrimp were delicious. ”
- “
The Asian fusion food was fantastic. ”
- “
Every dish ordered throughout the night was bad - some on the verge of disgusting, not to mention the terrible service and the tourist trap / bridge & tunnel crowd. ”
- “
First and foremost, the food is great. ”
- “
The food was absolutly amazing! ”
- “
We both thought the service was great, and we'd definitely come back for drinks, but the food just didn't cut it. ”
- “
and the server was very helpful in deciding our dishes. ”
- “
He kept pushing for us EACH to order an appetizer, sushi, a main dish, and desert. ”
- “
the food and drinks were only mediocre and you'd really expect more from the price they charge you for them! ”
- “
atmosphere was decent but the food were below average which are not worth for the money you spent on the dishes. ”
- “
believe we saw our waitress speak to the manager and he decided that it wouldn't be worth it to do anything about the bad dish. ”
- “
The dessert of bread pudding was very good and the fortune cookie was just ok. ”
- “
Exotic delicious food. ”
- “
The food is delish and the atmosphere (upstairs) is fabulous. ”
- “
The food is amazing for the price; the restaurant is a bit loud and over crowded. ”
- “
all in all, it's a fun (crowded) place with good food and drinks. ”
- “
had the 12oz kobe beef filet, it was $88, it was good, but that didn't fill me up, I also had great appetizers, try the satay of Chilian sea bass, which I highly recommend, the rest. ”
- “
This was probably the worst expensive meal, I have had in a long time. ”
- “
The food was only mediocre. ”
- “
The food is great and the bar has awesome apple martinis. ”
- “
Don't forget to have the chocolate cake, but it takes patience to deal with some of the attitude and if waiting doesn't bother you, it is a fun and tasty place to eat! ”
- “
The laquered pork was nice as well. ”
- “
delicious food ”
- “
Great food and excellent service. ”
- “
The food was great as well. ”
- “
the salmon dish here was amazing. ”
- “
Place has great food. ”
- “
The waiter service was average, food good but not worth the price and the host at the front desk was absolutely disgusting. ”
- “
the chicken satay is very good. ”
- “
The smoked salmon sashimi and spicy tuna rolls were great! ”
- “
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. ”
- “
Overall, I would go for drinks but, the food seems a little overpriced in relation to taste. ”
- “
Our reservation was honored promptly and service was great but the food was lackluster in taste and portions were directly opposite to the size of the golden Buddha that defined the oh so dimly lit chic ambiance. ”
- “
Tao is a great place to start the evening with a light meal surrounded by five or six of you closest friends. ”
- “
But, I agree with other reviewers that the staff will try any tactics to upsell and can be very rude, the food is highly overrated, the hostesses are completely unorganized and nasty - YOU'RE A HOSTESS, CALM DOWN - and the bar has become a singles scene. ”
- “
Very good menu but VERY dissapointed they changed the beef filet mignon that was originally served on a hot stone and you cook it yourself. ”
- “
The food here is pretty good, however the atmosphere is sub par. ”
- “
good food, good ambience, seating was annoying. ”
- “
We chose to wait for our table at the upstairs bar and were again pleasantly surprised by my wife's yummy "mango tamarind martini. ”
- “
Despite almost flawless service, I had my birthday there for a party of 15 and we were given a private area on the top floor, which was so cold, we had to keep our jackets on throughout the entire meal. ”
- “
Great pan Asian food, great atmosphere ”
- “
Our main dishes included the chicken in red curry and roasted Buddha chicken; mainly disappointing. ”
- “
We would've said something, but feared they might add some ingredients to our incoming meal (turned out the food was lousy). ”
- “
The food is surprisingly decent and the menu is cut for "homestyle" sharing which enables diners to share dishes. ”
- “
suggest the sea bass, and any and all other sushi selections. ”
- “
My dish was actually very tasty, but I lucked out. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
Great food. ”
- “
The food wasn't bad, but pretty average. ”
- “
Food was delicious (way out of my budget, but with my gift card, we felt at ease when we were ordering). ”
- “
The food was fantastic and wait staff was impeccable. ”
- “
The sushi is really good and usually has a nice twist. ”
- “
If someone were to ask me what my favorite meal EVER was, I would say the Chilean Seabass at Tao. ”
- “
The food was excellent but the service was very very lazy. ”
- “
can only recommend the seafood, because that is all I had. ”
- “
Go to Koi on 40th, where the service in friendly and the food is wonderful. ”
- “
If you appreciate good Asian cuisine, you owe yourself a sample of Tao. ”
- “
Decor is interesting and nice but the food was strictly average. ”
- “
The steak is wonderful as wall as the duck for two. ”
- “
For the main course, he ordered the Hong Kong XO shrimp, nothing more than shrimp with brown sauce and I ordered the yellowfin tuna, which was tasteless. ”
- “
The food is great! ”
- “
friend and I plopped down and ordered full dishes from the menu and we were served in no time, plus we got to see all the happenings! ”
- “
The food was not over flavorful which I liked, it was tasty, juicy & fresh. ”
- “
It's a beautiful restaurant with excellent food! ”
- “
Our waiter was superb with suggestions and the food was outstanding. ”
- “
Anyway, everything was really tasty! ”
- “
Kobe beef is incredible. ”
- “
wasn't thrilled with the food but overall this place is great. ”
- “
Once I had the sake glazed lobster which was delicious. ”
- “
My parents were in town and my husband and I wanted to take them to a beautiful restaurant with delicious food, and Tao was always my fave. ”
- “
The Tao food-factory remained consistent after the evenings lousy start. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
great service, didn't rush us out, food was unbelievable. ”
- “
As those before me, I have to agree that the food was quite overrated, I have better at chinatown, so don't eat the bland, mushy, fried rice, OR the molten chocolate cake with way too many coconut shavings -but the scene is uber cool and that is its only ”
- “
have heard bad things about Tao, but when it comes down to it, the food was FABULOUS and delicious, the drinks worth the 10+ they charge you, the service great and the atmosphere inviting. ”
- “
its the perfect place to go with a group and share as much food as you can handle. ”
- “
The entrees looked good from what we saw, but the appetizers/sushi were enough for us. ”
- “
The food is quite delicious, but it is expensive for what it is. ”
- “
Yes, there will probably be a wait, but it's worth it if you like sushi. ”
- “
The chicken (Kung Pau, I believe) wasn't bad, but I've had similar food at PF Chang's for a lot less. ”
- “
Good food, Impressive design ”
- “
dont know why people say the food is not that good. ”
- “
Our waiter was helpful and the food was decent but nothing all that special. ”
- “
dont personally recommend the food there it wasnt special or any thing. ”
- “
Loud, bad music; salty, bad food ”
- “
The food and atmosphere here are great. ”
- “
The food,ambiance,service and waitstaff were wonderful. ”
- “
Trendy but great great food! ”
- “
Nevertheless, the food was delicious. ”
- “
The food is really quite good too. ”
- “
the watermellon martini had my girl hooked (4 of them later) the sushi is good - I say get the sampler - and the kobe beef is Real GOOD and when you look at the price the $30-$40 amount will fill just about one person with a piece for the other to taste. ”
- “
ALL of the food was delicious. ”
- “
am sure the food would have been great, but unfortunately, after waiting over an hour and a half and then being told that there were still two parties of 6 in front of us, we decided that there was no way the food or the atmosphere was worth that wait. ”
- “
but if you want to eat a good meal, go somewhere else! ”
- “
NOTHING tasted fresh, or like any food from Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan. ”
- “
had the strip sirloin which was amazing and already pre-sliced, and a shrimp tempora sushi roll. ”
- “
Great food, wonderful staff, and an ambiance that is beyond compare. ”
- “
Went with a girlfriend, waited for over an hour while we had drinks, food was ok, service was terrible. ”
- “
Definately won't return to eat on account of the crowds which is a shame since I've been told the food is quite good. ”
- “
Liked the food & the service was attentive. ”
- “
excellent food, to-die-for desserts! ”
- “
might as well drop some bucks enjoy a great meal do a little people watching and make a night of it. ”
- “
and even my date thought the food was not as good. ”
- “
Our waiter was also helpful and gave us suggestions for our meal ”
- “
Overall great place but the food needs help. ”
- “
Great looking people, bad food ”
- “
Service has been wonderful each time, and the bar scene is perfect after or before your meal. ”
- “
The decor is very very stylish and cool, and the food was delicious. ”
- “
The seafood hotpot was the best by far. ”
- “
Try the "glazed sea bass"- trust me you have never tasted fish as good as this! ”
- “
Sure its good food but no better than dozens of other places in NYC that understand what reservation means! ”
- “
When we showed up for our meal, the hostess was uncommonly rude and obnoxious. ”
- “
The food was good but I would go to China Grill instead. ”
- “
The drinks were tasty and not over juiced. ”
- “
particularly liked the vegetable dumplings and the red curry coconut chicken. ”
- “
The waiter who served us was nice & entertaining, food is good but not something to die for, price is alright except for the drinks which cost more than our food. ”
- “
The food is very good and I always had good service. ”
- “
Once our food arrived it was great, the surroundings were beautiful and the overall energy was great. ”
- “
the food was great and the atmosphere is wonderful. ”
- “
Great food, great ambiance ”
- “
Great food, great atmosphere, nice waiters. ”
- “
the food was great. ”
- “
The pork dumplings aren't great, but the Chilean Sea bass is. ”
- “
We decided to stick with just appetizers and sushi, which were all delicious, especially the sea bass satay. ”
- “
all the food we ordered was good with some standouts: the pork dumpling appetizer and the crispy honey chicken dinner (mmm). ”
- “
do recommend their food. ”
- “
the food was not bad, the molten chocolate cake was pretty good but theres a lot of coconut w that cake for some reason, i guess its supposed to remind you that they are "asian" and "fusion" and all that. ”
- “
Why'd I order the $88 Kobe beef steak? ”
- “
We sat upstairs, had a great view and the food was PHENOMENAL! ”
- “
have been to Tao over ten times and the decor is unique in the former movie theater, menu is diverse, food is tasteful, and service is phenomenol! ”
- “
When you pay so much for a meal that is just average and the service is terrible and the management does not care you do not recommend it to anyone. ”
- “
The food is expensive, it's served so fast you hardly have time to talk with your dinner guests, and it gets loud in there, but the sea bass is so good I'm thinking of taking the Chinatown bus from Boston just to get it again. ”
- “
This place was great, great atmosphere, great food, and great people. ”
- “
. . . the drinks were delicious, as was the food. ”
- “
sure felt rushed and couldn't enjoy the food. ”
- “
great food AWFUL staff very crowded ”
- “
great food but not perfect. ”
- “
visited with a friend of mine on a Sat night and had a nice time only because I was with a good friend and Tao is beautiful place- and not because of above average food or attentive service. ”
- “
Decent food, HORRIBLE SERVICE! ”
- “
This place is utterly cool and the food is heavenly. ”
- “
The food was good overall and service was fast. ”
- “
The food was equally entertaining. ”
- “
The best deal is their prix fixe lunch special which always leaves me stuffed and never having to eat another big meal throughout the day. ”
- “
The service was fantastic, they were generally on time with reservations, and the food and atmosphere was worth the price. ”
- “
The food portions are huge, so arrive with an empty stomach and please save room for desert, which are absolutly decandet. ”
- “
That may be true, but if you are looking for a great meal and fun atmosphere, there are plenty of other restaurants that know the meaning of a reservation. ”
- “
The tuna tartare was my least favorite dish. ”
- “
The food was excellent, the service wasn't. ”
- “
found it more hip than Budda Bar in Paris, upon which it is clearly modeled, and the food was quite good. ”
- “
The food was amazing, however. ”
- “
Long story short - STAY AWAY - it's crowded, noisy, they do not honor reservations, there food is average, and their service is AWAFUL! ”
- “
beautiful setting, great atmosphere, good food, friendly waiters. ”
- “
Food was delicous, great sushi! ”
- “
My boyfriend and I have been to TAO on numerouse occasions and the food was always good, it is true that many other places in NYC offer the same ambiance and decor, But TAO def. ”
- “
Our food (chicken dumplings and shrimp pad thai) was excellent. ”
- “
My wife did not like her salmon and barely touched it (it was dry and looked disgusting). ”
- “
The food is very good, definitely give the Kobe Burger a try. ”
- “
On positive note food was very good ”
- “
The food is very mediocre,overpriced chinese food in small portions. ”
- “
love the Kung Pao chicken, and the drinks are amazing too. ”
- “
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 ”
- “
Skip Tao- so many, much, much better fine dining in NYC- where you get good food, trendy scene and top quality service! ”
- “
The food, though, was some of the worst and most over-priced I've had since I moved to Manhattan 6 years ago. ”
- “
The food was great, especially the Chilean Sea Bass. ”
- “
The food and drinks were great! ”
- “
As always the atmosphere was interesting, but inedible food ruined my experience. ”
- “
food is good but not remarkable, though drinks I liked! ”
- “
oh, and the kobe beef at tao is a bit overrated, you can grab better kobe beef elsewhere :p ”
- “
The food couldn't be more mediocre (you can get much better food elsewhere for a fraction of the price). ”
- “
The food was amazing. ”
- “
Excellent food and great atmosphere! ”
- “
The chicken satay was wonderful with a bit of spice. ”
- “
You'd get better tasting and more authentic Asian food going to Chinatown or any other place where it isn't about decor. ”
- “
food was amazingly good, service was prompt and welcoming. ”
- “
The services was awesome and the food came out very fast. ”
- “
our server was very hard to find and he recommended couple bad dishes and the portions of foods are way too much for two of us, also the wine he suggested was also bad choice. ”
- “
Amazing food, a bit loud ”
- “
Avg food, ackluster service,elegant ambience ”
- “
Bar area are fun and drink selection is worthwhile (wines, cold sakes, etc.) However, the food here has really slipped and is now nothing more than average asian fusion at a rather steep price. ”
- “
The food was good but def overpriced. ”
- “
The food was marginal with a couple shining lights, the drinks were overpriced, and the service was spotty. ”
- “
Not only did we love the food but the ambience is fantastic. ”
- “
Tao has a great reputation for good food and cool atmosphere, so we weren't suprised that they were packed. ”
- “
The creative cuisine and the overall scene make for a great place to hang with your buddies or impress a first date. ”
- “
The Peking duck spring roll had no perking duck inside, the Kong Bao Chicken was as big and as hard as rocks, and salmon was try and tasteless. ”
|
| menu variety |
70.59000015258789% positive |
- “
sampled close to everything on the menu and didn't have a bad experience with any of the choices. ”
- “
We had a very friendly waiter who helped us choose from the vast menu. ”
- “
suggest the sea bass, and any and all other sushi selections. ”
- “
Beautiful place, menu was TOO cryptic. ”
- “
Love the ambiance and their selection of dishes ”
- “
The steam is annoying and they had no comment as to why the menu was changed. ”
- “
Tao USED TO BE great, their menu USED TO be impressive, the service USED TO be professional, prompt and helpful, and the bar USED TO be a great scene. ”
- “
friend and I plopped down and ordered full dishes from the menu and we were served in no time, plus we got to see all the happenings! ”
- “
Overall I would of enjoyed my local restuarant that has almost the same menu. ”
- “
took a client to Tao not expecting to get in but to our delight, we were able to be seated at the bar upstairs witha full menu. ”
- “
Bar area are fun and drink selection is worthwhile (wines, cold sakes, etc.) However, the food here has really slipped and is now nothing more than average asian fusion at a rather steep price. ”
- “
Although the server was very pushy, I liked that he did not always suggest the most expensive thing on the menu. ”
- “
Very good menu but VERY dissapointed they changed the beef filet mignon that was originally served on a hot stone and you cook it yourself. ”
- “
The food is surprisingly decent and the menu is cut for "homestyle" sharing which enables diners to share dishes. ”
- “
food was fabulous, menu could have been a little less cryptic. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
have been to Tao over ten times and the decor is unique in the former movie theater, menu is diverse, food is tasteful, and service is phenomenol! ”
|
| overall |
96.37999534606934% positive |
- “
Tao is a great place to start the evening with a light meal surrounded by five or six of you closest friends. ”
- “
The creative cuisine and the overall scene make for a great place to hang with your buddies or impress a first date. ”
- “
great place - great eats ”
- “
This is a good place to bring guests or for business dinners as the location is so convenient, right in midtown. ”
- “
Energetic atmosphere, great place for dinner and drinks before going out ”
- “
the crowd was great - the restaurant was gorgeous. ”
- “
Yes, it's a nice place to visit, yes the Buddha in the back is very large. ”
- “
Overall great place but the food needs help. ”
- “
Tao by far is the best restaurant I have ever been to! ”
- “
We saw a few celebs there, good people watching place. ”
- “
This is hands down the best restaurant in manhattan. ”
- “
Tao used to be great, a hip, sexxy restaurant, but it has turned into a mega tourist trap and a place for people (that normally don't go out, or go out to nice places) to tell all their friends the next day that they "went to Tao last night! ”
- “
but it's a nice place to impress your date. ”
- “
tao is a great place to come in a group if you are going to sit at a table. ”
- “
The ambiance is wonderful and full of energy, and you have to want a great scene to enjpoy this restaurant. ”
- “
go several more, the food it great, the martini's are great, the place is so trendy. ”
- “
If you are looking for a nice place to have dinner and relax this is not the place. ”
- “
but the bar is a great place to wait for your table. ”
- “
TAO came highly recommended by the girl that made our reservation, saying it was her favorite Manhattan restaurant. ”
- “
good size place, lots of people, fun, hip, trendy. ”
- “
visited with a friend of mine on a Sat night and had a nice time only because I was with a good friend and Tao is beautiful place- and not because of above average food or attentive service. ”
- “
This is a great place for large groups. ”
- “
Still a great place-decently priced and good atmosphere. ”
|
| return potential |
100.0% positive |
- “
Definately won't return to eat on account of the crowds which is a shame since I've been told the food is quite good. ”
- “
would definitely go back for drinks with friends and enjoy the ambience. ”
- “
It is pricey, and i did enjoy everything, but I wouldn't go back. ”
- “
Overall, I definitely enjoyed Tao and would go back, if my wallet would allow me to do so more often! ”
- “
We both thought the service was great, and we'd definitely come back for drinks, but the food just didn't cut it. ”
|
| service |
70.66999912261963% positive |
- “
our server was very hard to find and he recommended couple bad dishes and the portions of foods are way too much for two of us, also the wine he suggested was also bad choice. ”
- “
good size place, lots of people, fun, hip, trendy. ”
- “
They should really hire more professional waiters who know how to greet customers with a smile even if they're faking it. ”
- “
might as well drop some bucks enjoy a great meal do a little people watching and make a night of it. ”
- “
great service, didn't rush us out, food was unbelievable. ”
- “
don't recommend this place, unless they truly know what is service and being honest. ”
- “
The service is impeccable. ”
- “
Great food and excellent service. ”
- “
Tao USED TO BE great, their menu USED TO be impressive, the service USED TO be professional, prompt and helpful, and the bar USED TO be a great scene. ”
- “
Great bar scene and beautiful people, but not worth the time and money. ”
- “
When we showed up for our meal, the hostess was uncommonly rude and obnoxious. ”
- “
We both thought the service was great, and we'd definitely come back for drinks, but the food just didn't cut it. ”
- “
Our waiter was very nice and helpful and attentive. ”
- “
If you don't mind being patient and just people watch while you wait, then Tao is a good dinner spot. ”
- “
The food was excellent but the service was very very lazy. ”
- “
Tao is the place for beautiful people who like to get away from the drunkin slobs at local pubs. ”
- “
highly recommend not wasting your time or money at Taos, mostly due to the rude service. ”
- “
If you're looking for a fun, lively place full of too-cool people, then this is it. ”
- “
The staff was very good at ignoring customers and no one cares how you feel about the food or they were probably afraid to ask since the food was so awful. ”
- “
Our server was outstanding. ”
- “
Our waiter was also helpful and gave us suggestions for our meal ”
- “
Tourists with kids, big shots who arent hip but think they are and service that is snobby because they think the place they work is posh. ”
- “
The service was bad. ”
- “
The food is very good and I always had good service. ”
- “
Now I understand that these types of restaurants simply shove patrons aside to the bar to get them to spend money, but the service" here and attitude to match is totally unacceptable. ”
- “
The food was good overall and service was fast. ”
- “
We walked in and got a table immediately despite the crowd, and the hostess was extremely friendly. ”
- “
OhmmmmmmmmmMusic great, people watching great and overall very Buddhalicous. ”
- “
Furthermore, the staff (well, one staff member) was unbelievably rude. ”
- “
Our waiter and dinner were very pleasant (semi-expensive, very hyped up) until 2 different managers told us that the table? ”
- “
Long story short - STAY AWAY - it's crowded, noisy, they do not honor reservations, there food is average, and their service is AWAFUL! ”
- “
food was amazingly good, service was prompt and welcoming. ”
- “
dont know why people say the food is not that good. ”
- “
Avg food, ackluster service,elegant ambience ”
- “
Skip Tao- so many, much, much better fine dining in NYC- where you get good food, trendy scene and top quality service! ”
- “
By this time, I've just had it and I speak to a manager (manager-to-manager), who calls the front desk and tells me that our table is ready and have a nice dinner. ”
- “
When you pay so much for a meal that is just average and the service is terrible and the management does not care you do not recommend it to anyone. ”
- “
have heard bad things about Tao, but when it comes down to it, the food was FABULOUS and delicious, the drinks worth the 10+ they charge you, the service great and the atmosphere inviting. ”
- “
visited with a friend of mine on a Sat night and had a nice time only because I was with a good friend and Tao is beautiful place- and not because of above average food or attentive service. ”
- “
could not hear the waitress nor couldn't like talk. ”
- “
After last night, it seems like people don't expect much when it comes to good food as long as there's loud music and "pretty" ppl. ”
- “
We had to ask two managers for our waiter and were brushed off as if we were stupid chicks. ”
- “
people watching is fabulous! ”
- “
there is also very good people watching. ”
- “
But while you wait bar service is pretty good and there is a comfortable, albeit crowded lounge area. ”
- “
beautiful setting, great atmosphere, good food, friendly waiters. ”
- “
It was the perfect amount of time to enjoy a drink and do a little people watching at the bar. ”
- “
It really a place for people who really like to look cool. ”
- “
Everything was great- minus a couple of slick remarks from the waiter! ”
- “
Vastly overpriced Chinese food with snotty service. ”
- “
Although the server was very pushy, I liked that he did not always suggest the most expensive thing on the menu. ”
- “
But, I agree with other reviewers that the staff will try any tactics to upsell and can be very rude, the food is highly overrated, the hostesses are completely unorganized and nasty - YOU'RE A HOSTESS, CALM DOWN - and the bar has become a singles scene. ”
- “
The food was marginal with a couple shining lights, the drinks were overpriced, and the service was spotty. ”
- “
Great food, wonderful staff, and an ambiance that is beyond compare. ”
- “
We were seated in the most cramped spot downstairs and it was hard to enjoy w/people so close to you, you felt they were in your party. ”
- “
It is amazing, from peking duck to the wok sirloin, hostesses are attentive as are the servers, very profesional managers. ”
- “
awful service at bar ”
- “
Despite almost flawless service, I had my birthday there for a party of 15 and we were given a private area on the top floor, which was so cold, we had to keep our jackets on throughout the entire meal. ”
- “
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. ”
- “
Our waiter was superb with suggestions and the food was outstanding. ”
- “
After reading a few reviews about Tao being too loud and having poor service I was a little worried ”
- “
Our server was prompt, polite and made great recomendations. ”
- “
There are so many other wonderful and friendly restaurants in this city why bother with this one. ”
- “
great food AWFUL staff very crowded ”
- “
The waiters and waitresses are great eye candy as well. ”
- “
lousy tip for lousy service. ”
- “
Our waiter Anthony was very friendly,helpful and attentive. ”
- “
Staff was friendly and drinks were great. ”
- “
The food is awesome(the desserts are great, too), and the staff are extremely nice. ”
- “
We went here on Mother's day and the service was excellent. ”
- “
Go to Koi on 40th, where the service in friendly and the food is wonderful. ”
- “
The waitress was very rude and arrogant, with no sense of time at all. ”
- “
The waiter kept my sake nice and cold. ”
- “
The waiter service was average, food good but not worth the price and the host at the front desk was absolutely disgusting. ”
- “
The service was fantastic, they were generally on time with reservations, and the food and atmosphere was worth the price. ”
- “
The only good thing was our waiter was very attentive and fast. ”
- “
The service is excellent, the food is excellent. ”
- “
Went with a girlfriend, waited for over an hour while we had drinks, food was ok, service was terrible. ”
- “
Yes the service was slow. ”
- “
This place was great, great atmosphere, great food, and great people. ”
- “
Our waiter was awful and just didn't care to do his job- he took our appetizer orders after 15 minutes- then disappeared! ”
- “
The waiter who served us was nice & entertaining, food is good but not something to die for, price is alright except for the drinks which cost more than our food. ”
- “
would recommend Tao if you go out with a group of friends who likes to be seen & see people as well. ”
- “
the staff is terrible, but again that's been said a thousand times before. ”
- “
The food,ambiance,service and waitstaff were wonderful. ”
- “
There are so many beautiful and cool people there, I couldn't believe it. ”
- “
On the pro side, our waiter was superb. ”
- “
The service was mediocre but it was not nearly as offensive as the wondering saxophonist and the disgusting decor. ”
- “
Our waiter was helpful and the food was decent but nothing all that special. ”
- “
Every dish ordered throughout the night was bad - some on the verge of disgusting, not to mention the terrible service and the tourist trap / bridge & tunnel crowd. ”
- “
Liked the food & the service was attentive. ”
- “
Finally we shared a giant fortune cookie for dessert (it is indeed giant and can feed several people), which was enjoyable, but again nothing to rave about. ”
- “
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! ”
- “
Great food, great atmosphere, nice waiters. ”
- “
Great place to people watch as everyone looked like they belong on a movie set. ”
- “
The service was good. ”
- “
The food was excellent, the service wasn't. ”
- “
Great looking people, bad food ”
- “
Our waiter was nice but ill-informed and the food, well, I've had better at local take-out. ”
- “
Great music, beautiful people, great service. ”
- “
bad service, sushi chefs should be asham ”
- “
and the server was very helpful in deciding our dishes. ”
- “
The food was fantastic and wait staff was impeccable. ”
- “
Yes, this is definitely a very hot place, lots of beautiful people and gotta try the giant fortune cookie for desert! ”
- “
Waitress was very attentive without being overbearing. ”
- “
The service was excellent. ”
- “
The service was ridiculously bad - after we told the waiter what we would like to drink, he asked: " what would you like to drink? ”
- “
The waitstaff was friendly and the decor is interesting and fun. ”
- “
Our waiter was friendly and we had good service overall. ”
- “
Our group of 7 waited over an hour to be seated for our reservations only to receive the worst service I have ever experienced! ”
- “
the waiter was very rude to a friend who asked a simple questions about the wine. ”
- “
must say if you are planning to go in a big group of people, start reserving your seats asap. ”
- “
the waiter was nice enough to make some some recommendations that were "ok ”
- “
Our waiter was also extremely friendly, as was the host staff. ”
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While the hosts aren't the nicest people (they have that "you're lucky to be here" attitude), our server was very charming and accomodating. ”
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The atmosphere is absolutely sexy, the service is pretty good and the portions are healthy. ”
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Tao used to be great, a hip, sexxy restaurant, but it has turned into a mega tourist trap and a place for people (that normally don't go out, or go out to nice places) to tell all their friends the next day that they "went to Tao last night! ”
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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. ”
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The waiter's friendly demeanor made up for the hostess's obnoxiousness. ”
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have been to Tao over ten times and the decor is unique in the former movie theater, menu is diverse, food is tasteful, and service is phenomenol! ”
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believe we saw our waitress speak to the manager and he decided that it wouldn't be worth it to do anything about the bad dish. ”
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Our reservation was honored promptly and service was great but the food was lackluster in taste and portions were directly opposite to the size of the golden Buddha that defined the oh so dimly lit chic ambiance. ”
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We had a very friendly waiter who helped us choose from the vast menu. ”
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It was my first time so the waiter suggested a few appetizers that were amazing! ”
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We saw a few celebs there, good people watching place. ”
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| value |
66.91999912261963% positive |
- “
The atmosphere is absolutely sexy, the service is pretty good and the portions are healthy. ”
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This place is great, but at a price. ”
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The waiter who served us was nice & entertaining, food is good but not something to die for, price is alright except for the drinks which cost more than our food. ”
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went this past sat with reservations and it still took over an hour, but it was absolutely worth the wait The food is Amazing! ”
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Although the server was very pushy, I liked that he did not always suggest the most expensive thing on the menu. ”
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The food couldn't be more mediocre (you can get much better food elsewhere for a fraction of the price). ”
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The food was good, but nothing so unique as to warrent such a high price tag, same for the drinks. ”
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The best part is the bar area and of course the drinks are super expensive. ”
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Just not worth the struggle when there's so many other great places in the city w/ great Pan Asian and enough room for a relaxed, comfortable dinner (Asia de Cuba, TanDa, etc.). ”
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This restaurant consistently refuses to honor its own reservations, and treats its customers like cattle, forcing them to wait in the bar area (where overpriced cocktails are conveniently available) long after the time the table was supposed to be ready. ”
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the portions are pretty big. ”
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might as well drop some bucks enjoy a great meal do a little people watching and make a night of it. ”
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Great atmosphere - one of those places where even the bathroom is worth the trip! ”
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am sure the food would have been great, but unfortunately, after waiting over an hour and a half and then being told that there were still two parties of 6 in front of us, we decided that there was no way the food or the atmosphere was worth that wait. ”
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the watermellon martini had my girl hooked (4 of them later) the sushi is good - I say get the sampler - and the kobe beef is Real GOOD and when you look at the price the $30-$40 amount will fill just about one person with a piece for the other to taste. ”
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The food is amazing for the price; the restaurant is a bit loud and over crowded. ”
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The food is very mediocre,overpriced chinese food in small portions. ”
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That huge Budda and the music is really great! ”
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This was probably the worst expensive meal, I have had in a long time. ”
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Although the decor is fantastic, the food was less than enjoyable, and for the price, sadly disappointing. ”
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The atmosphere was excellent, its huge in there and my colleagues and I were seated promptly (we went during lunch hour and had the pre fix). ”
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the food and drinks were only mediocre and you'd really expect more from the price they charge you for them! ”
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have heard bad things about Tao, but when it comes down to it, the food was FABULOUS and delicious, the drinks worth the 10+ they charge you, the service great and the atmosphere inviting. ”
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The food here is really quite good, if a little overpriced. ”
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He brought out this huge dessert sampler albeit it was really pretty! ”
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Great bar scene and beautiful people, but not worth the time and money. ”
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defintely recommend this place to everyone who can afford a pricey evening on the town. ”
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Vastly overpriced Chinese food with snotty service. ”
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the usual pricey martinis are only ok, the lychee was mad sweet, stick w the tao love potion. ”
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Overall, I would go for drinks but, the food seems a little overpriced in relation to taste. ”
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our server was very hard to find and he recommended couple bad dishes and the portions of foods are way too much for two of us, also the wine he suggested was also bad choice. ”
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highly recommend not wasting your time or money at Taos, mostly due to the rude service. ”
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Redeeming factors are the huge buddha and high ceilings. ”
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Yes, there will probably be a wait, but it's worth it if you like sushi. ”
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The place is huge, with a large space upstairs too. ”
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The Place itself is huge. ”
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The food was marginal with a couple shining lights, the drinks were overpriced, and the service was spotty. ”
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Bar area are fun and drink selection is worthwhile (wines, cold sakes, etc.) However, the food here has really slipped and is now nothing more than average asian fusion at a rather steep price. ”
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The food is expensive, it's served so fast you hardly have time to talk with your dinner guests, and it gets loud in there, but the sea bass is so good I'm thinking of taking the Chinatown bus from Boston just to get it again. ”
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The drinks were outrageously expensive; I realize it's NYC, but $7.50 for a beer. ”
- “
Kobe beef was tasty but definitely over priced. ”
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An enormous Buddha is in the back of the huge lower level of the dining room. ”
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It is pricey, and i did enjoy everything, but I wouldn't go back. ”
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when we got to our table we couldn't help but notice the huge statue of buddha. ”
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this place is definitely overpriced. ”
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The service was fantastic, they were generally on time with reservations, and the food and atmosphere was worth the price. ”
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The food was good but def overpriced. ”
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OK, the huge Buddha & koi pond might seem cliched to some, but I loved it. ”
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The waiter service was average, food good but not worth the price and the host at the front desk was absolutely disgusting. ”
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The food portions are huge, so arrive with an empty stomach and please save room for desert, which are absolutly decandet. ”
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Now I understand that these types of restaurants simply shove patrons aside to the bar to get them to spend money, but the service" here and attitude to match is totally unacceptable. ”
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don't mind paying a decent dollar in a place that really delivers and TAO is definitely not one of them. ”
- “
The food was excellent, but pricey. ”
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The food was very good, but overpriced. ”
- “
Our reservation was honored promptly and service was great but the food was lackluster in taste and portions were directly opposite to the size of the golden Buddha that defined the oh so dimly lit chic ambiance. ”
- “
believe we saw our waitress speak to the manager and he decided that it wouldn't be worth it to do anything about the bad dish. ”
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great location and very cool inside on the eye, bar far too small and crowded, food average at best, expensive. ”
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Super high ceilings allow for another huge floor of tables above the Buddha statue. ”
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was in NYC with a huge group of friends. ”
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Going for lunch is a plus because they offer lunch specials that include appetizer, main entree, and dessert for one flat price. ”
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Plus, the restaurant itself is jaw-dropping the first time you visit, with the gigantic space filled with a huge buddha statue. ”
- “
atmosphere was decent but the food were below average which are not worth for the money you spent on the dishes. ”
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Our waiter and dinner were very pleasant (semi-expensive, very hyped up) until 2 different managers told us that the table? ”
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The food is quite delicious, but it is expensive for what it is. ”
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The entree's were fairly good, but not for the price tag attached to them. ”
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| wait time |
58.33000183105469% positive |
- “
This was probably the worst expensive meal, I have had in a long time. ”
- “
After only 1 hour & 15 minutes of a so far pleasant dining experience at Tao, my party and I were pushed off our table to finish the dessert portion of our meal in the dark, crowded, loud and uncomfortable bar/lounge area of the restaurant! ”
- “
Yes the service was slow. ”
- “
Service, wait-times (typically long), good martinis, fun atmosphere (and loud) seem to be pretty consistent. ”
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After last night, it seems like people don't expect much when it comes to good food as long as there's loud music and "pretty" ppl. ”
- “
The atmoshere is cool here but it is tough to survive the slicked back host who hands you a beeper and tells you to wait 45 minutes past your 8 pm reservation. ”
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The food, however, was very good, specifically the sea bass-probably the best piece of fish I've had in a long time. ”
- “
My wife and I arrived about ten minutes before our reservation and were wowed by the space - which, I must say, was very cool. ”
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While the decor is interesting and unique, the restaurant is so packed and there is a long wait even for those with reservations. ”
- “
Our waiter was awful and just didn't care to do his job- he took our appetizer orders after 15 minutes- then disappeared! ”
- “
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?) ”
- “
This restaurant consistently refuses to honor its own reservations, and treats its customers like cattle, forcing them to wait in the bar area (where overpriced cocktails are conveniently available) long after the time the table was supposed to be ready. ”
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