TAO

This restaurant in now in my TOP 5 list of favorite places to dine. I went here on a Saturday night. It was very crowded, get place to mingle while waiting on your table. Good lighting and decor, great atmosphere for socializing, and awesome customer service. I had the "Hong Kong XO Shrimp with Long Beans and Jasmine Rice" for $28! Worth every dime and I ate every bit of it! Would go back every day if I could!

Posted 03/28/09 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

One of the hippest places in NYC by far. A bit expensive, but the entire experience is worth it. I recommend sitting upstairs so that you can look to the diners and the big Buddha below. It does get extremely crowded, so reservations are a necessity if you want to enjoy this place. The pad thai is excellent, as are the steaks. Definitely great food.

Posted 11/28/08 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Noisy and busy. Some days it resembles a subway station. So if you do not like crowds, do not go there. If you like lots of ambiance, loud music and a huge place with a gigantic Buddha for decor, this is your place. You cannot hear yourself thinking but it is fun to watch. The food? I do not even remember. I have been there 4 times and I do not recall the food at all. I do not think you go to Tao's for the food...

Posted 07/30/08 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

One step into Tao and you have been transported miles away to another continent. One where night and day cease to exist and all that's left is exquisite food and amazing ambiance. The giant buddha greets you as you ascend the staircase in this dark and interesting transformed warehouse where Chinese characters adorn the walls. It's a really cool experience just to sit there, but the food is amazing too! They have a lunch special all year round that is $20.95 for a three course meal and it is delicious. Your choice of salad or dumplings or chicken satay, all of which are great, followed by either steak, salmon, or pad thai, again all of which are great. Dessert is these delicious apple dumplings or some chocolate tempura. mmmm! It's all so good!

Posted 10/14/05 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Everybody raves about this place but I'm not sure why. The atmosphere is super trendy - which is fine because I'm sure thats a draw for some people. I felt the food was mediocre. It was the equivalent of going to to a chinese buffet - but putting the food in really cute dishes and having a club music beat in the background. The prices were okay, but not worth the quality. In its defense, however, the wait staff was very accomodating and nice.

Posted 09/06/05 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

This is a must-eat for anyone visiting or living in New York. We read some unfavorable reviews but were pleasantly surprised. We made reservations and were seated immediately despite our early arrival. The bar area was dark and full of young, hip-looking people. The interior of the restaurant is beyond words. The enormous Buddah is worth the trip alone. Bring your camera and sneak a few photos of this place.
The food was surprisingly good. There were plenty of choices ranging from sushi to steak. Everything from our appetizers to our desserts were great. I recommend the wasabi crusted steak as an entree. The service was very attentive yet not overbearing. Top-notch. It's not an inexpensive meal, but at $100 for 2 of us with wine & dessert, I didn't find it to be overpriced either. Take a date, or stop for drinks at the bar after work. Highly recommend a trip to this restaurant.

PROS: Superb decor, fantastic food, sceney
CONS: Honestly, nothing!

Posted 09/03/05 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

My friends and I are divided on Tao. The good parts are the food is pretty good. The appetizers are really good and some of the entrees are better than Okay. The Kobe steak is a nice smooth piece of meat for example. The service is allright, nothing special but in there defense it can get awfully crowded. Another positive if you're into it there always seems to be a celebrity or two lurking around. The bad parts are sometimes you can have a reservation and still wait 30 or 40 minutes for your table. Have a couple of drinks and some wine with your meal the check can add up real quick and the one last bad thing is all of the food is obtainable elsewhere done much better for much less. The decor is great.

PROS: decent food
CONS: reservation is semi meaningless

Posted 08/17/05 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?