10/06/09

wow...will NEVER go back

by sfatl

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.

09/30/09

Dont waste your time and hard earned money

by steftacular

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.

09/28/09

Decent food, HORRIBLE SERVICE!

by cc938

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!

• Pros: Decent food.
• Cons: Very inattentive and rude waiter, slow service

08/23/09

very disappointed

by ar1568

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.

• Pros: Example: best croissants in town
• Cons: very loud music, quick service, very dark

08/01/09

hi i have one ask

by hifonicsbrutus3629

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

• Pros: some body of workers
• Cons: any any

07/11/09

good music decent crowd

by sams2007

I love this place and its music. has great atmosphere.

It's pricey but I that's what makes it upscale

• Pros: music, crowd, atmosphere
• Cons: pricey

06/14/09

Get "Tao"t of here!!!

by NYFoodie

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 noticeably annoy the guy. We would have just walked out an went to our usual neighborhood restaurant, but we heard good things and decided to stick it out. Boy were we wrong! When we finally were seated and made our food choice, the music was much to loud to have a conversation. When the food came, (we ordered the pork potstickers and bbq spare ribs) there wasn't much of it. As our waitress advertised that the "small plates were to be shared and are enough for two" they clearly weren't. For the main course I had the Hong Kong Shrimp -which was good but I had better at Lai Yuen in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. My boyfriend's meal was a complete upset. He had the chillean seabass- one single piece with a vegetable puree, which was advertised as mixed vegetables and rice (there was no rice). For dessert we had verrrry greasy chocolate spring rolls.

If you are a native New Yorker like myself and thinking about going to Tao, get it "Tao"t of your mind. Don't waste your money on yet another NYC Tourist attraction!

• Pros: Fast service- (after a very long wait)
• Cons: Too many- read below

05/25/09

tourist attraction

by speakyourmind

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

05/08/09

the worst experience ever!

by sonyalavoe

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 location or food. I have been dining there since 2004. I could not believe that this is happening!!!…On MY BIRTHDAY!!!…..At restaurant like Tao!!! Disappointed is not even merely closed to explain how I felt… anyway, I said to myself: “I don’t want to be frustrated, it’s my birthday and I want to celebrate.” We took the “buzzer” and sat to wait for a table in the lounge. Like a walk-ins! We where told it will take 20-30-min. After 50 min waiting, I went to ask how long more it is going to take? That same male host mentioned above, with a very unpleasant tone in his voice said to me: “We do the best we can! I did say 30 min!” Well, it has been already 50min. And I could not believe that I have just been treated by some sad little person, like I asked him for money. I am a guest at that restaurant. But I was treated like an intruder. I felt so disrespected! Tao was the one restaurant that I loved! Not just liked, loved! The food, the ambiance…. I can not believe that people like that are chosen to be the face of that restaurant. And the other two hostesses, what were they for? Such an unpleasant girls, with a horrible attitude! Unbelievable!

I don’t know how much the management of Tao cares about they patrons, but I neither see anyone that could of spare me that negative experience, nor such was called to be present and try to solve the problem.

04/24/09

Touristy spot but good

by shert

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.

• Pros: Sushi, atmosphere
• Cons: touristy