TAO Downtown Restaurant Reviews

My husband and son made dinner reservations to celebrate my birthday. We got seated and waited a while before our waiter came to introduce himself. We reviewed the menu, and placed our order... My husband had discreetly told the waiter it was my birthday and asked if he can bring a desert with a candle at the end of meal. I was extremely disappointed when the desert was brought over and just placed on the table....no happy birthday wishes, no presentation nothing just placed on the table and he walked away.... I expected better service considering the bill was pretty pricey. Not to mention they hadva few managers on the floor, not one stop by our table or other tables but were pretty interested on their cell phone..

We had a wonderful evening with great service, fantastic food and the vibe was also great. Ok, it is a bit noisy but the restaurant was fully booked. We loved it!

AMAZING atmosphere, food, and service! Expect nothing less at TAO! Cosmos made at the bar while waiting were exceptional!

While i was a fan of the food and the portion size, that was pretty much it. I didnt enjoy the atmosphere/mood/lighting of the place as it was all about dark and loud. The fact that you have to go up and down stairs into the dining area was a bit much. We admittedly arrived half hour late to our booking but then had to wait another half an hour to be seated again saying they had given our table away. We had called prior to our late arrival saying we were behind schedule so wasnt sure why they would give it up. There wasnt even anywhere to really wait as the bar was packed so we were just kind of left in the walkway. We didnt spend as much time actually eating as we did waiting around to eat which wasnt great

This a really huge restaurant and night club in Chelsea. Very cool place. Food was good and service friendly but it’s kind of dark and really noisy. Price a bit on the expensive side. One piece of sushi $7 and a cocktail $19. The salmon sushi however one of the best I have ever had.

This is my favorite restaurant in NYC. Great food, service and atmosphere. I come here every year while visiting nyc and it’s a perfect experience every time!

This is the classic style over substance…clearly it’s all about being seen there in a Insta post because the reality was very different…Waited for over an hr for our table. The staff were too busy to help or really care. Nowhere to sit while we waited. We had to stand and were actually called a fire hazard by one of the security team! When we eventually got seated the wine arrived after the mains!!!! The only reason it’s not a 1 review is the food is actually very good. Very very disappointing.

Food was excellent, we order too much, but enjoyed what we had. Atmosphere and surroundings very good. Only negative for me was our mains arrived literally one minute after our starters were taken.

very, very impressive dining and cocktail area. the wait staff is efficient, polite and helpful; I liken the menu to the metaphor "mile wide, inch deep", Chinese, Thai, Japanese but not enough selections in each

Had high hopes for this having had it booked months in advance for our trip to New York after seeing great reviews. The prices don’t reflect the quality of the food at all. We were only offered one drink in the whole 90 mins we were there. Service was slow and frustrating, the waiter seemed surprised when I asked for the check as he collected our finished plates. Food was okay, but nothing special, wouldn’t return.

The worst experience I have ever had in a restaurant, they left me waiting for a table for one of the tables at the end of the night… we finished eating and we were the last table in the restaurant to leave, because we were among the sultanas to be served, upon leaving There was a guy from security telling us to leave, he was too rude to us and they repeatedly told us to “go away” I swear IT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE

This spot is great if you don't mind noise and loud music. I personally love everything about it. I think the food is delicious (especially the tuna tartare appetizer and fried rice) and love the vibe. However, some members of our party felt like it was way too loud to hear each other speak. Our service was great - no issues at all! And get the Giant fortune cookie for dessert - so much fun!

We recently visited Tao near Chelsea Market to celebrate a friend’s birthday, driving nearly two hours to be there. Despite making two separate reservations (5:45 PM and 6:00 PM) to accommodate our group, the experience was nothing short of disastrous. When we arrived by 6:00 PM, Tao’s staff mismanaged the reservations, seating half of our group under the 6:00 PM slot and penalizing the other half by claiming we were “late” for the 5:45 PM reservation. We were told we’d have to vacate by 8:15 PM—despite being on time. When we pointed out their error, the manager, Reina Mori, was shockingly rude, arguing with us for 20 minutes and arbitrarily reducing our table time further. She even made a discriminatory remark: “I don’t think you guys can finish your meal by 7:45 PM, so maybe we shouldn’t give you a table.” Such behavior was deeply offensive and unprofessional. Ultimately, we were seated by 6:25 PM, but the service was slow, with food arriving only by 6:40 PM. At 7:40 PM, we were rushed again, told to leave the table within 5 minutes, and informed that desserts could only be served in the lounge area. This experience was nothing short of appalling. Reina Mori’s rudeness, unprofessional conduct, and dismissive attitude ruined what was supposed to be a special celebration. Discrimination and arrogance have no place in hospitality. Tao’s management should reflect on how such treatment drives loyal customers away. We will not be returning and urge others to think twice before dining here.

They open at 17:00, we had a reservation at 17:00. We were there 16:55 and none at the door. When they opened at 17:00 they told us and a family with children next to us to wait outside until they are ready. If you value ur clients, you wait them with open doors half an hour before opening time. They don’t wait for when u r ready! When we got inside, the restaurant is huge and beautiful, however service is chaotic. I had added in the notes that I am pregnant and will need a comfortable seat, they put me on a chair. When I asked to seat at the empty couch, they said they would inform me in a second, I am still waiting! As for the food, their cod was not fresh, it had a weird smell, their noodles with shrimp had so many things inside, you wouldn’t get an overall taste. Their sushi was average. In general we didn’t enjoy our food as we expected.

The venue was beautiful… The restaurant is a renowned restaurant… The table was at the foot of the large figure… Food was amazing ! But, all compromised by the quality of the service. The table was wet and sticky. Asked to get it cleaned and still remained wet and sticky. Our waitress was a mission to get attention of. Not once throughout our dinner experience did our waitress care to come check on us. The changing of plates was absolutely pathetic !! The person clearing the plates and cleaning the table first spilled water from one of the glasses on the table, and then, ended up spilling soya sauce on my daughters pants !!! What’s worse, he’s wasn’t apologetic rather seemed like doing a job he disliked so much !! Upon asking for the bill, our waitress simply disappeared !! At this point, I was really annoyed and just wanted to leave so just asked another waitress to assist us. Overall, I was really really disappointed by the service levels only. Venue and food were the only thing that was the positive for the evening. Everything else was a poor experience !! Wouldn’t ever visit again !

The venue is extraordinary but the service is absolutely disappointing. They brought us a dirty plate (it can happen) but it was not replaced (and this must not happen). The food did not meet my taste (but that's personal). I would go back just for the beauty of the place which is truly evocative.

Decided to go for dinner because of all the hype. I was really looking forward to it since I love asian food. The place is very esthetically pleasing but the customer service is more than poor. They sat my husband and I in a small table. I asked the hostess for a bigger table since I was going to be ordering several plates. I was told that that wouldn't be possible. Two ladies came in a little while after us and were going to be seated next to us. They asked for a bigger table and they were moved. I asked the waiter to be moved and again was told no but I was reassured that they would not bring everything out at once. He said they would space it out. Started out ordering drinks. I had the lychee martini which was good. I ordered the edamame, those were ok. Tempura shrimp, pot stickers and lobster wontons were decent. Oysters were good. Also had some chicken appetizer. Nothing to really write home about. Also had the fried rice and Mongolian beef. Rice was good but the Mongolian beef wasn't. I can compare this restaurant to PF Chang's when it first started. It was that caliber of food. What really makes the place undesirable is the staff. Whenever you asked for anything it seemed like they were bothered. I had to ask for things more than once. For the prices charged, they should be nicer and the food should be way better.

Went with my daughter. Courteous and professional staff, extremely delicious food. Must visit while in New York. Thank you

STRONGLY NOT RECOMMENDED! I had a huge problem last night in TAO DOWNTOWN. I went out to smoke a cigarette and , I left my ID and my credit card inside because I was going to go back but they didn't let me in . I explained to them that I had left my things inside . Even though they knew this they didn’t let me go back inside for my things I was asking for my stuff and one of them push me for no reason, I kept asking for my things and they gave me my bill outside the club, but they charge me twice the amount of what I had order !!! They said If I didn’t sign the bill they wouldn’t give me my credit card and my ID back . They treated me like garbage. Excuse me if I am wrong but that is EXTORTION

Beautifully decorates space, with many lovely small details and a gigantic statue of Buddha in the back. If you ask to be seated in one of the curved booths, you will get a great view. At the top of the steps in the two-story space, you can get a great photo. Food was very good, service also very good. You may be surrounded by bachelorette parties or other happy groups, but we also saw families with young children and couples. Nice pre-theater dinner.

Our dinner in Tao Downtown was exceptional! Very fine dinning , perfect Asian dishes and the service was the best . Excellent environment and it is ideal for all the kinds of meetings. Whenever we visit New York it will be our first choice for dinner !!

We god a fixed priced menu under NY dinning week. The food was fantastic and it’s was good value for money The service was good with full attention Best off all was the decoration and design, really cool and different Maybe the restaurant is little to much “hipe” disturbing a cosy atmosphere But it cost one “star” in this review to charge for toilet visit - I know it’s not mandatory , but it’s a no go you have to bring a bug to go on toilet on a rather expensive restaurant

The best meal I’ve ever had! Incredible venue, amazing food, and fantastic service. Make sure you go here when you’re in New York City and be sure to order the carrot cake for dessert - it’s a showstopper!

My wife and i visited Tao downtown for dinner whilst in NYC for the marathon. The place is quite trendy with a nice bar and the service was very good and attentive. A great place to people watch and the food was ok but a tad on the expensive side. The food at Hakkasan was quite a bit better if its asian food youre after. Like other reviews, would definitely recommend it for drinks.

From the front door coming in Tao has a great presentation. It is very dimly lit. Lots of places to take excellent asian influenced pictures with outstanding Asian background. We ordered the lobster and shrimp spring ro. It was delightful. For coctails we had each 1 drink..lyche martini and strawberry mohjjo...lovely! Our entry we ardered 3..chicken in green curry sauce, chow mein noodles with shrimp and the salmon . All 3 entrees were so tasted great. When we were given the bill it was only $168. Everyone should go...great experience...Seren our server was very knowledgable of the menu and guided us welm.

Tao Downtown is a very trendy chic restaurant with great food. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a giant Quan Yin with 24 hands that is illuminated. The cocktail menu has specialty Marty is and signature drinks. The food menu is a good mix of sushi and Cooked Asian entrees. We started with edamame, tuna tartare on crisp rice and the bao bao buns. Entrees of shrimp pad Thai, and a platter of sushi. The desserts are over the top. Order the giant fortune cookie 🥠 for a special night out. The decadent molten chocolate cake was oozing with caramel chocolate sauce and the ice cream pop finished our dinner. It’s a great place. Come to dine, dance or just people watch.

Big space with very high ceilings and thumping music. Very good sushi and the shrimp entree was delicious. Folks are dressed for "The Club", and the service was quite good

Went here for a happy hour afterwork and TAO never disappoints. The ambiance is great, the drinks are good and the crowds are always nice.

We were here to check this place and see if we would do a reunion with 50+ medical school friends in the city. Guard outside was friendly/ even the girls at reception were pleasant and welcomed. We walked in the side area near the night club and one of our friends took his phone to take some snaps to show the group. This oriental guy wearing glasses lean and mean came out of nowhere and shouted “ I want you out of here”. Extremely rude disrespectful… cancelled our plans for this place

A really very poor service, staff is rude and not accommodating. Food when you actually get to sit down is marginal. Not worth going

This was recommended by a friend. So we went there Saturday Night. Reservations are a must. Even though we had a 8.45 reservation, we wrre not seated before 9.30pm. While we were waiting, we had drinks and enjoying tge music played by the DJ. Our meal was excellent. We had the lobster dimsum, the panfried chicken goya, The sushi with the prawns, fish, chicken & noodles. All very tasty. A must visit to New York Regards Bhavna

Beautiful restaurant and experience. We got there because someone mentioned that it is great competitor to Budda khan across the street which we love. Got to say that the dinning room at Tao is much more spectacular. For the food I don’t know. Being my first time, I did not have the chance to taste enough variety. The tuna tartare was excellent as well the fried lobster roll. Did not like the shrimp egg roll, the five spices beef rib ok , and the hong kong noodle was a great filler. Not cheap, but really a recommended experience.

It was a excellent option for a Friday night in NYC!! The is a mix of restaurant with disco! And the food was delicious also the drinks!! Service could be better but it's worth!! The Banana Pudding desert is special!! 😍

This is very highly hyped, but as with much in New York, the hype doesn't live up to the actual experience. The ambiance is nice, and the waiters look nice, but that's the extent of what's great. We had a party of 8. They didn't seat us until everyone arrived, which I understand, but once seated, it was 45 minutes before anyone took our order. Then, we waited for almost another hour to get ANY food--even the appetizers. Once the food arrived, the portions were tiny and the food wasn't very good. I had the sweet and sour pork, which was neither sweet nor sour. It was o.k., but for $34 I expected much more. Our host didn't receive his food until 20 minutes AFTER the rest of the table. It was sea bass, so no reason for the delay. Not a place I'd go back to.

Awesome vibey party restaurant in downtown NYC. Excellent vibe, excellent cocktails, excellent food! Would definitely go back. The menu looks expensive but we got a selection of things between the 3 of us from each course and it wasnt too bad price wise in the end when comparing to the rest of NYC the shrimp egg fried rice and the black cod were amazing.

My husband and I LOVED this restaurant. I highly recommend reservations, although my husband and I lucked up and got a bar sit upstairs. The downstairs is louder than upstairs. We enjoyed all of the yummy drinks (Tao Tini is amazing), dim sum appetizer, sushi, fried rice and banana pudding.

Love the food.. love the service.. love the atmosphere I really enjoyed visiting the place The staff were very lovely and helpful The food was delicious My compliments to the chefs I wanted a Japanese fusion restaurant and i found it

we attended as a 4 family on a Monday the food was fantastic, we had the whole duck and wagyu as our main course and it was world class The only down falls in the visit were 1. messy check in and wait for table - you get sent to a wait area and feels 2nd rate 2. service - the lady doing the table was great but was too stretched. Dont miss on the shared desert! will be back

Had come here for my sisters in law 30th birthday with her friends and our cousins. Food was good but there were some problems. We had ordered drinks and waiter asked for our ids, cool reasonable of course. We give it he gives it back no problem. Then comes a security guard tells us "I need to see everyone's id" no explanation no please. nothing. We tell him but the waiter just saw it and he said, again, I need to see the IDs we were like ok no problem we give it. He goes to the back and is looking at our ids for about 5-10 mins with a flashlight (Tao should be able to afford an ID scanner if it's that serious.) We had one underage person a 19-year-old WHICH HAD ALSO GIVEN THE SERCUITY HER ID AS WELL. SHE DID NOT ORDER A DRINK MIND YOU. Anyways he comes back and ask us if the 19-year-old is going to drink we said of course not she's underage he responds with "relax I'm just asking" We were so calm and nice to this guy. He then gives us back all of our ids still no explanation he asks a 24-year-old woman with her ID in his HAND "you're not drinking tonight right." Obviously, this guy does not know how to do math. Yes, she ordered a drink she's of AGE. He then explains to us after all that commotion and US ASKING HIM WHY DID HE TAKE OUR IDS AND ASKING US QUESTIONS he then says they have been having problems with fake IDs and it's been costing peoples jobs again yall should be able to afford an ID scanner. Waiter comes back to our table to ask us for our drink orders AGAIN (assuming he did not write down our drink order before because he thought we were underage with fake IDs.) Nobody ever apologized for the inconvenience they caused. Just straight up disgusting and rude thinking they have a one up than us because they work at TAO. Please.... Did not get anyone's name but waiter had glasses on. I 100% feel like if you don't got designer pieces on, aren't famous or look like a botched-up barbie these people will treat you differently. Very frustrating to treat us this way because you think our IDs were fake. 24–30-year-old WOMEN WITH REAL IDS. I think this situation could've been brought to us differently. Appreciate we look young but let's be real not younger than 21. (btw thought 21 was a young age LOL) There are plenty PLENTY of better places in NYC with better food, service and MUSIC.

The Asian decor and lighting makes you feel like you are in another time and place. The food is to die for. Although the price was a little on the high side, you are in New York City and therefore I can send it fairly reasonable.

we came there at 22:50 our reservation was for 23:00 we have waited till 24:00 and they said it will take 45 minutes more and we went they did t care nor apologize

We were 11 people enjoying good food, good music and good vibes at TAO. We were served something called “family style” where the food kept coming and coming. It was so many new flavors and combinations that took me by a surprise. Definitely recommend going.

The most stunning thing about this restaurant is the size, the number of staff and the general decor which is very beautiful! Also the food and drink -Asian fusion- is excellent and waiters very professional and pleasant. Prices are high but in order with this type of restaurant. Would surely recommend this dining experience in NYC.

I had reserved a table for a birthday dinner for my sister and me and we had my parents, my husband, and my daughter with us. I was excited to go to TAO since my older sister had taken my daughter there before and they had a wonderful time, she raved about the place. Unfortunately, my experience fell short. I first called one hour in advance to let the staff know that we were running 25 min late and was told by the hostess that we only had a 15-minute grace period and would be considered walk-ins after that. I was upset but understood, so I texted my family in the group chat to let them know the situation and asked anyone who would get there earlier to go inside and let the front desk know so we would not lose our reservation. My parents got there first (and on time btw) but were told they had to wait for the entire party to arrive before being seated. Now, while I understood and appreciated the 15-minute rule, I was unaware of a specific rule that said we had to wait for the entire party to arrive before being seated, thus even though my parents arrived on time, we were still considered walk-ins as my husband and I arrived after the 15-minute grace period. The staff made it seem as if they were doing us a favor as they informed us that they would seat us regardless and stated that they were already "accommodating" us even though our party arrived on time and within the 15-minute grace period so no rule was broken. There were also conflicting answers about how many people had to arrive to be seated. For example, my parents were told that at least four people out of six had to be there to be seated, but when I arrived I was told everyone had to be there to be seated. Furthermore, When my father and I asked to see their policy regarding this specific rule we were met with "I'm telling you the policy right now" as if we should have known this magic rule and they were doing us another favor by telling us about THEIR policy, which was not even mentioned in the confirmation email that I received a few days prior when I made the reservation. The ONLY policy mentioned in the email was the 15-minute grace period. We were also informed that we would need to vacate our table at 7:30 PM, which gave us a two-hour window for dining. Once again, it would have been nice if all of this was mentioned in the email or, even better, on their website so we would know what to expect. Needless to say, our excitement about this place turned into disappointment. We ended up going to a different restaurant where they were more than welcoming and accommodated us in the way a restaurant should. While I understand that restaurants deal with a lot of customers and, at times, the customers are in the wrong, the way TAO handled our situation was very rude and unprofessional. If I could give them zero stars, I would! Cannot say much about the food since I didn't get to try it, but the customer service experience was horrible!

First impression of the restaurant is the size and the space … fantastic setting Great food Good service but the gin and tonics were like drinking petrol Highlight was the crispy duck with pancakes … would go again

The food is delicious and the ambiance is really nice. Their pad thai tastes just like the ones I ate in Thailand.

Really nice, atmosphere. Great looking restaurant and food was fantastic. Visited with our adult family and we had a great time! We ordered a range of food and all shared. Food was really good, service was great. Highly recommended

Having never been to Tao before, we weren't sure what to order and our server was right on point with his recommendations of the spicy tuna small plate and the swordfish skewers (which we probably would not have thought of). We also had 2 types of sushi and some Dim Sum vegetable dumplings. Everything was beyond perfect. The atmosphere is unique, with some seats on a stadium level around a ground floor. It is very dark inside and a bit "mysterious", which I think is the vibe they are going for. I would definitely return here.

Best sushi in NY incredible location even if it is very big the atmosphere is intimate, very good sushi and nice service. We kindly suggest this place

We went to Tao 06.12.2021 (UK date format) Located in the meatpacking / Chelsea area is a very trendy district (Londoners think a posher Shorditch type place). First off the service was excellent! The restaurant was HUGE so we expected to be waiting a little between ordering etc but it was so swift, offered drinks as soon as I finish my current and food came timely but not rushed. Secondly, the area is really well located, it’s so near other bars and restaurants and Chelsea Market (really easy to get to via subway too). Last and definitely not least was the FOOD!! Family style serving where all dishes are sharing plates, 4-6 dishes recommended for 2 people (were greedy and got 6, and were sooooo full after). Each dish was incredible, we had a mix of veggie, meat, fish (cooked) and sushi and could not find one fault, we picked a few and then asked them to pick a few they recommended. Ps highly recommend the crab and lobster rolls! Given it was a Monday night too the place was so lively and they played really good old school R&B. 10/10 would recommend.

What a great place! My family and I enjoyed a GREAT dinner at Tao’s. The service was incredible, our waiter was very helpful with food/drink suggestions. We started with Miso Clam Soupthen some Sushi rolls and the n onto the main course. We end the evening with a huge dessert tray. Overall great place to enjoy a dinner, but bring plenty of $$$$.

Amazing service, cuisine and ambience! Our second time at this restaurant. We highly recommend it on your next trip to New York. We will be coming again on every trip! * Make reservations in advance. May be a few days before. $$$$ An amazing experience that you will never forget.

Amazing service, cuisine and ambience! my 7th time at this restaurant. I highly recommend it on your next trip to New York. We will be coming again soon* Make reservations in advance a few days before. An amazing experience always

Absolutely beautiful food, can’t fault it in any way! We came here for restaurant week, you get 3 courses for $42, which is a steal given the normal menu prices! Food all came perfectly and tasted amazing! Only thing was they didn’t give you any time between courses so we couldn’t move by the end! Staff and service all great and the ambience and decor/lighting is lovely! It’s a pricey restaurant but you’d know that before you went, they even offered us the poshest doggy bag ever to take our left overs home in!

Terrible service! Don't bother turning up on time, it takes 1 hour till your tables ready, no updates, no drinks while you wait, you just get sat in a 'holding pen'. Overall very disappointing, I wouldn't recommend

10 Friends and I went to the restaurant on on Friday, Feb. 24th. It was the worst experience I ever had in a restaurant. From the minute we arrived, the hostess said with an attitude don't forget you have to be finished by 10 PM we told her we know that. As soon as we sat down the server wanted to know what we wanted to order, we didn't even get a chance to look at the menu. At 9 PM we were still finishing our dinner and they started clearing the table. We had brought a Birthday cake for one of our friends, the server bought out the sliced cake before some of us were not finished with dinner. The slices were slivers.They never bought out the rest of the cake for us to take home. We should have insisted they give us the rest of the cake. The best part is that the next day one of our friends called to asked had we liked the drinks. He called the restaurant and over the phone he paid for 10 drinks for us.. We never received them. This place is total RipOff

A big place but often crowded. Sit at the Sushi bar is a great way to get in without a reservation and people watch. The food is fusion Asian and very very good.

The Door person made us wait for for ten minutes to be seated even though we could see the dinning area was only sixty percent occupied. (NOT VERY SMART ) No tables were vacated when we were final shown in so it’s not like they were waiting for a table to become free . The food was excellent but the lack of respect at the door was very hard to swallow. Hope this post helps them to lift their game in future.

Wow! Absolutely blown away by the service and quality of food at Tao downtown last night. We were sat at a bad ass booth on the steps, which started our night on such a high note. Our server Edward, was phenomenal. Very knowledgeable with the menu. Suggested some awesome cocktails and food items. We had the Tao-Tini, purple haze and mango chili martini. Each one was a 10! For food, we had rock shrimp lettuce cups, chicken wing lollipops (table favorite) orange chicken and triple pork fried rice. For dessert we had the fortune cookie and the stunning carrot cake that looked like a plant! Food, service, and the vibe was 10/10. Love the music they were playing. The manager Vlad came and checked on us throughout our experience. You can tell the management and staff enjoys their job and we will most definitely be back!

Very friendly staff. But I believe it’s getting a bit commercial. Food is better at Tao. Don’t do the cocktails, they are watered down. But overall atmosphere is great.

We’ e just had a fantastic meal for my daughters 21st birthday celebration. Jonathon Felix was our server , he was fantastic! Really went the extra mile! Really appreciated all the staffs kindness in wishing Thea a happy birthday.

The four of us made a reservation for Friday 4th of November for 6 PM many weeks in advance. It was a special occasion for us to be in NYC together. We asked for a quiet as possible table in our reservation. We were greeted well and seated in a round table just near the waiter area. After ordering our drinks and food, we noticed that it was many waiters standing on the side just waiting. We got our drinks and starters, so far so good. It was very cold in the restaurant, so we asked if it was possible to turn down the air conditioner and they did. While we had out starters, a big table next to us started to fill up with kids. A huge number of kids, maybe 25-30 and I would guess they were 10-13 years old. Then the kids started shouting to each other and running to and from the table. At this stage we couldn’t hear anything else than the shouting, so we asked our waiter to talk to the few adults with the kids to calm them down. But all she said was” what can I do?” And she did nothing. Then we asked to see the manager, but after waiting for about 20 minutes we asked another waiter if we could speak to the Manager. The kids & noise just went on and no one tried to ask the kids to calm down. Meanwhile waiting for him they served us our main course. Then the Beverage Manager came. His name is Alexander Lazaridis. First I heard that he said we could just leave and didn’t have to pay and apologized for the noise. When we got up to leave the restaurant without having eaten our main course, a security man came and threatened us to call the police if we didn’t pay our bill. We were in total shock! We offered to pay for the drinks and starter, but that was not accepted. So to avoid the police or other implication, we paid $ 420 in total with the advanced deposit to have the worst restaurant experience in our life. We have been traveling many places around the world and eaten in so many restaurants. TAO is the worst place we have ever been to.

This restaurant is huge, I can see how it turns into a nightclub. The design is great and the music was fabby but much too loud for a dining experience!! No issues when it’s a nightclub but we struggled to give our orders or converse.. Having said that the food was delicious and so much choice !The price is hefty but everything in New York is now insanely priced.. The couples tables are also quite tightly packed together which I’m not a fan of.. We enjoyed our evening as it was a very different kind of experience. If you’re going as a couple or friends who want to chat … good luck when that..

Went for the atmosphere, loved the food and service. I don't live in NYC and went there several times pre-covid times. This was a family visit and I thought the atmosphere would be something for my teenage kids and family to enjoy (note, this is not a restaurant for small kids) as they were too young to experience it. While we went for the memorable atmosphere, I was surprised to see the service was excellent (despite it being a busy peak holiday period). Jose, our server, and the rest of the team were on top of it. And the food was memorable. Its rare to get this combination in one go. I can see why more than a decade later its still doing well. Restaurant has a coat check at the entrance, take advantage of it. And it has a large lounge area. Even though we had reservations, we had to wait in the lounge and take in the view for 15 minutes on comfortable seating . Its tough to guarantee a reservation time. If you are going to go , be sure you are 100% in as there is a minor no-show charge.

I took my 15 year old daughter here for a treat while visiting New York and while the food looked and tasted great, I couldn’t help but feel as though we were overlooked as we didn’t fit into their “city chic” clientele. We were put in the corner at the front and the waiter was very inattentive - engaging much more with the glamorous clients at the tables surrounding us - especially those with attractive women on their own. I was made to feel like a second class citizen when their card machine couldn’t connect to get a signal to take my payment- with the waiter suggesting that I use another card. This left a rather unpleasant taste in the mouth after what was a delicious special occasion meal

Great restaurant or night club or mixed vibes. Really tasty Asian food. Very good cocktails and bar. Prepare your selves to loud music.

We had an amazing business dinner at this special location. The dessert was quite a highlight, as well as the sushi and of course the impressive wine list made for an amazing experience.

Disgusting management complete disaster. We went to Tao after a Broadway Show. Had a reservation, arrived a few minutes early and were asked to wait for a table. 20 minutes later we were finally seated. Next to a service station, cramped in so Tao can make as much money possible. 15 minutes wait at the table, now 35 minutes after our initial reservation not a server at the table. Asked a runner, was told they were busy and understaffed. Not my problem, stop taking reservations if you can't handle it. After 25 minutes we left the table told the hostess we would leave because no-one was servicing us. We were offered to talk to a manager, at this point it was 11.40 and with Tao's kitchen closing soon we already knew the drill and suddenly be rushed out of this sad excuse for a restaurant. They did however managed to get my $20 reservation fee only to be charged for a no-show. We did show and we were not taken care of. So TAO you won't see me again, opentable.com received an official complaint and my credit card company has been informed about your scam as well. Do yourself a favor and hire people that know how to run a restaurant. Or just seize operations many will be very thankful if you did!

We were here for an last minute early dinner. It is difficult to make a reservation around 8 unless you plan well in advance. I was here before for an early dinner as well. Our plan was to eat early and walk around the area enjoying other establishments. We had a drink in the bar before being seated and ordered another round at the table. We ordered various appetizers: hot and sour soup, gyoza, sushi and edamame. For dinner we shared a few entrees: lo mein, beef and broccoli, wagyu rib eye, chicken, bok Choy and lobster 3 ways. Everything was very good but the wagyu, although a favorite, is very pricey. It was a very thin piece of meat but perfectly prepared. We ordered desserts to share but that was when our night changed, at least for me. While serving dessert, someone, I think, banged into the server and he spilled Carmel sauce on my shirt, pants and Burberry scarf. It was all over me and extremely sticky to the point I had to take off my shirt. Luckily I had a under shirt under my dress shirt. Of course they apologized numerous times but I was going out afterwards. Thanks to my quick thinking, I ask if they had a Tao T shirt that I could have and they gladly accommodated me. They did offer to pay for dry cleaning and did take off money from the bill. Our server and the manager were very nice prior but especially after my catastrophe. Since they gave me a T shirt I was able to go out after and not have to go home.

very nice and elegant atmosphere, exquisite food and service maybe a little slowed down but good. Great value for money, generous portions. In short, a good discovery.

Amazing setting, huge variety of delicious food and drink and wall to wall beautiful people! Each time I come to New York I book in at Tao knowing it will be pricey but worth it

Very nice place!! Delicious food with special flavors .. A bit expensive I would say .. The service is very kind .. nice choice for drinks and dinner !!

The food and ambiance were awesome! As for the cost, it was less than expected for a NYC upscale restaurant. Would definitely go again!

We brought in. I never did take-out from such a high-quality establishment. It was packaged unlike any "Take out", I ever had. As pretty a presentation as possible. The strip was cooked and sliced perfectly. Care and pride. The steak was perfect. We all enjoyed our meals. I can't imagine how good everything would be in person. We will find out on our next NYC visit.

Breaking with the monotony of the standard franchise food we had experienced on our stateside trip, we decided to go all out and treat ourselves to Tao. We had eaten at Budakan several years before and rated it as one of the finest Asian meals we were ever served. Tao's décor and menu hinted that this would be similar and so we booked it three days in advance. It disappointed from start to end. We arrived on time for our Friday 8pm reservation and were left waiting for a table until 9, while being constantly pestered by a server if we wanted more drink. At $25 for a longneck and short...ahh no thank you. When we finally got seated it was between two tables of braying fratboys and screeching sorority girls. The general crowd were very Bret Easton Ellis to be frank and we felt very out of place amongst the noise and bling, given it was Friday night and connected to a big nightclub and so was very loud and dark. We stuck to the set course as we realised that otherwise a la carte starters and mains for 5 with some drinks was going to head close to $500 and this place just was not worth it. The food was standard fare at best. You would get as good in any small town Chinese at home in Ireland and so was certainly not worth the premium price. The chicken was undercooked and I did worry about a dodgy tummy afterwards. We left annoyed and frustrated that the expected culinary delight ended up being an overpriced, underwhelming bore. We tipped accordingly.

Fabulous atmosphere and decor. Like a movie set. Cool bar. My food was delicious and waitress very nice. It is an event. Excellent shrimp tempura .

Excellent decor and food was superb. Service however was terrible. Slow to offer drinks and refills …. That’s the money maker people!!! And we were prepared to be verrrrry thirsty! Your tips would have been excellent if you’d just served us more! Food was sporadically brought out to the point we lost track of what was coming when. Would I go back? Yes - the vibe was excellent but I’d order my drinks two or four at a time ….😊

There’s no denying the setting,atmosphere and food are all excellent how the service on the other hand leaves me with a very bitter taste in my mouth. When booking I added a note that it was my partner’s birthday (not acknowledged — fine I didn’t expect a ticker tape parade but an acknowledgement would have been nice) The restaurant wasn’t busy but as a couple they wanted to put us on the steps side by side tiny tables - when asked could we have a regular table the server looked around like I’d asked the impossible but we ended up with a table with 4 seats - great. (Let it be known the restaurant was very quiet at the time and by the time we left there were still seats Available. We ordered food - this arrived very quickly but as the last bao bun left my plate the guys in the blue shirts literally appeared over my shoulder and pulled the plates off the table despite my husband still eating and then continued to circle the table like a shark until he too had finished. No sooner had that happened our mains arrived. Then one of the guys in blue mopped around us on what appeared to be an already clean floor. We took our time eating our mains but the omnipresent guys in blue were literally never more than 3 seconds away. TWICE we had to say we weren’t finished and the second our chopsticks were down our bowls were gone and the table was being wiped around our drinks - this really p*ssed me off. What should have a been a pleasant birthday meal felt like the most rushed,irritating dining out experience I can think of - 50mins start to finish. We didn’t even get time to soak up the atmosphere. When leaving the group of servers at the top of the stairs didn’t even acknowledge us leaving but then again they were too busy gossiping it would seem. Went back into town for drinks later and had a far better experience.

Definitely a place for the 'gram. You'll want to take pictures of everything. It's not that large but the way the set it up like an underground cellar makes it look very large. Live DJ played a good set which made the 80dbs+ more bearable. Food was quick to arrive and tasted great. The only down side was a slow server. He was very nice, but pretty slow. Took 20 just to get my card back after he finally picked it up. I noticed most other servers brought the cc machine to the table. Not our guy 🤔

TAO Downtown is a hip joint with really very good food. The design is fantastic and the space is large. Unfortunately, it's just way too loud!! There was a live DJ's spinning tunes and people had to scream at one another to have a conversation. Also, people were taking face-time calls during their meals (not the restaurants fault) but still so distracting and added to the decibel level. I would recommend trying the food but not sure how you can get over the music and noise to really enjoy it.

We had a nice dining experience at Tao. We were seated upstairs with lots of room and less noise compared to the main seating area. Our server was attentive and helpful throughout. We had the pre fixe menu which is a good deal for the price and amount of food. We enjoyed the chicken gyoza, spicy tuna crispy rice, kung pao chicken, pepper filet, chocolate mousse and banana pudding. All dishes were tasty and well prepared. Reservations are required but also be prepared to wait in the lounge for a bit regardless if the restaurant is full or not. A fun restaurant for a night out in Manhattan.

We had really high hopes for this place and had been looking forward to it for our first night in NYC. Our table was booked for 8:30 but we didn’t actually get seated until 9:20, which, when you have been up for 24 hours, and jet lagged was not off to a good start. Prices here are extortionate which I don’t mind paying as long as I’m getting excellent food, but this is ridiculously priced ($9 for ONE piece of sashimi). The only good thing we ordered were the Singapore noodles, as least they were hot. Chicken yakatori was warm and covered in a sauce which can only be described as coming from a bottle. The Peking duck was like warm, both of which we sent back. We also had some salmon and tuna Tatar and talaki. All Of which were ok, nothing special. Service was slow and frustrating, it’s a place which has had its day. The atmosphere was buzzy, but our reason for visiting was just for the food. If you’re going for just drinks it’s fine, otherwise for decent food I would avoid at all costs

Having heard so much about this place and the demand to get a booking. I was left disappointed with average food, dry edamame, cauliflower sides were not great, chow fun was good and duck fried rice was slightly over seasoned but ok. Pack erm and stack erm venue.

If you're young and in NYC this is probably one of 'the' places to go. It was crowded and stylish with lots of 30 somethings! As a senior, it was an experience, but once was enough for me. The food was really excellent and the people watching fantastic. Service was great too. It was the noise factor that made it difficult to hear anyone but the person seated next to you. Worth a try .... it might be your thing!

I had heard about a lot, it was my first time and i really enjoyed the ambiance, the food was great specially the fortune cookie dessert!!

You definitely should have reservations, but we were able to sit at the small tables in the bar area. The bar /lounge has a full food menu. I got ruby cocktail it was perfectly balanced. We got the orange chicken and the spicy shrimp. They both were great. The vibe was great. Definitely would come back.

We dined at Tao for our wedding anniversary dinner. I had told them that it was our anniversary and they gave us a lovely table down the side of the restaurant, which made it feel quite private. The whole ambience of the restaurant is amazing, with beautiful decor. The food was amazing and extremely authentic. The service was wonderful. Would thoroughly recommend it and would certainly visit again.

I really like it but I expected more. I want to go back again to try other dishes. The best is the dessert!

Best restaurant best chill out lounge. Foods, drinks amazing. Music and ambiance was a hit. Definitely best restaurant of NY for dineout . I really enjoyed every moment.

First time here and HORRIBLE experience with the hospitality. We were a group of 7 with young kids and were 10min late. We were told we only get a table for an hour. Extremely rude hostess who said ‘we are doing a favor by giving you a table’. I will never come back and will ensure my friends dont!

Great atmosphere and service, the music is a bit loud but the DJ did a good job. The service was very friendly and the food excellent. Make sure to make a reservation because the place gets crowded.

Absolutely disgusting, rude bar staff - particularly the female bar server…. Don’t go….. Buddha khan across the street is a million times better

I went there with my husband, we had such a horrible experience. Our reservation was for 7:30, we were ONE minute late and our table was already taken. After speaking to the manager he stated they over booked the restaurant. Nick and the other manager were not helpful. Good luck going there.

I have dined here a few times, and it never disappoints. Go early if you want a delicious meal and don't care about the scene. The drinks and service are great, and the food is fantastic, especially if you go hungry. I enjoy dining here more when with a group rather than on a date, because its great to try a little bit of everything- from sushi to the desserts.

Like other Tao locations- this one certainly did not disappoint! The atmosphere, music, bar, and food were extremely on-par with their quality and brand.

This was not my first visit and it will not be my last. I love the cavernous wonder that is This restaurant. The food is good and I particularly love their version of the egg roll or spring roll. The appetizers are meant to be shared, but when in doubt ask your server. Service is excellent.

Yes.. the food is fabulous. We had a wonderful dinner and shared beef short rib, miso cod and chili chicken. Our server was friendly, and was happy to recommend dishes. The restaurant itself is stunning, dark and atmospheric. No... we booked a table at 8pm (with a deposit), on the confirmation they give you 15 mins grace period. So you turn up on time, and yet still made to wait nearly 40 mins after your booking time before you are seated. They direct you to the bar and promise to text you, which isnt helpful when underground with no service, and their hit and miss wifi!

Amazing atmosphere and great selection of food and drinks. Service is also excellent! Definitely worth a visit! The vibes of the place are awesome! Thank you so much for a wonderful experience!

I visited Tao in February , It still looks the same but the food lacks flavor BUT the drinks were amazing , over priced but amazing.

We visited TAO for dinner after we had just got engaged during the day. My fiancé was looking for somewhere special for us to celebrate and TAO really was just that. The service was great, the atmosphere was amazing and unlike anywhere else we have ever been. We are from London and we couldn't think of anywhere like this back home. TAO really has the wow factor when you first walk in. And most importantly, the food was delicious. The portions are huge and we weren't expecting them to be as big as they were! So whilst the food was pricey it felt like good value for money just for the sheer size of the dishes. Everything we tried was great and we wished we could have tried more! We had the best evening and will be recommending TAO to everyone and will definitely return the next time we are in New York. Thank you!

Great food and even better service by Darius. Visit here every time we come to NYC, it’s that good! Cocktails are super.

It is difficult to find a good restaurant open on a Sunday night in NYC. We opted for Tao ( downtown) . It was fabulous. Really cool atmosphere. All tables in restaurant taken but plenty of room in the bar area for drinks before and after.Food was excellent. We had chicken satay, honey glazed salmon and black pepper chilli chicken. Pricey but worth it

Definitely one of the worst experiences I ever had ! is a joke, they charge you to do a reservation and make you wait for an hour, rude people, terrible service and very cheesy classless atmosphere. Food is bad, take forever to come and service horrible . so, never ever going back there again.

Impressive looking venue but so loud you can barely hear yourself think and so dark even the staff need torches. Staff very rude, kept us waiting 40 minutes for our table with no apologises. Can’t comment on the food as we left before ordering due. Incredibly over rated, don’t bother when there are so many good places in NYC.

We were wandering Chelsea when we tripped over Tao. Made a reservation, back an hour later. Atmosphere chill with a vibe of understated cool. Food exceptional for the price. We did four small plates; tuna tartare on crispy rice, surprisingly crunchy and tasty, satay of sea bass, tender and delicious, lobster wontons, an explosion of lobster, broth, and flavor, and crispy shrimp dumplings, simply delightful. Service was attentive but not obtrusive. We will be back

One of the best environments in NYC. Fantastic space with great food. There is a support bar and a club/disco for those who dare to stay after dinner.

fun place and works for a group. food is great, good to share, plenty to choose from. Fun decor, different rooms, go early. fish was good, sushi appt were great.

A great restaurant with amazing food. It is pretty big so it depends who your waitress is but our visit was very nice. Always make a reservation up front

Tao Downtown is a great place to eat and to savor in the ambiance. We h ave been there many times and each time has been a great esxperience. If you plan on going, you really need to make a reservation several weeks ahead of time

Amazing sushi restaurant in New York! It is more on the expensive side but SO worth it! The lychee martinis were great, then me and my husband went for the chilli chicken dish, Singapore noodles, sushi and tempura prawns in a mass I sauce - AH-MAZ-ING!!! As it was my birthday they also gave me a dessert for free with candles and come out singing which was a lovely touch! The restaurant itself looks amazing, the setting and everything.

Great ambience, fantastic lively music and best of all great food. Will definitely be back to visit TAO during our next visit to NYC

This is such an amazing place! Atmosphere is off the charts. The service was great and so was the food. I would go again and again if I lived there.

Had a dinner reservation on Sunday, August 28th, at 10:30pm to celebrate my daughters birthday. I waited to be seated until 11:30pm. I was sat and greeted by my server. W e ordered a round of cocktails and proceeded to order appetizers and mains. It was my daughters birthday, therefore I ordered two bottles of champagne to celebrate. My appetizers come to the table as well as the champagne and 3 mins later my mains came to the table. I asked them not to place the mains on the table, but they did anyway. I called my server and the server proceeded to mention that she was sorry, but I need to be out by 12:30, because the people from the VMA's were coming and we had to vacate the place. I asked to call the manager who came and mentioned she was sorry and it was a unique situation, I replied that I was the one sorry because at least I should have been advised because I made a reservation days in advance. We felt unwanted, harried and used. Paid for food that I did not get a chance to eat and 2 bottles of champagne I didn't even get a chance to drink. There were so many doors we could have gone but we chose TAO for a reason, our experience was extremely ruined from beginning to end and that is not hospitality. It was terrible and I wish I could understand how a place like this could treat their guests with so much disdain. I will never ever recommend this place and higher management and corporate should be aware of this and make sure they do something about avoiding these ridiculous situations. what happened to hospitality? Im a manager of a high end restaurant in Manhattan but i was very disappointed in the way my daughters birthday went. i hope you take this matter seriously.

I usually eat at Tao in Vegas so I thought I would give this one a try. Well worth it. Service 5 star food 5 star and the fortune cookie desert is to die for

The food was very good service was excellent The ambiance was great. Loud music if you are looking for a quiet place this is not it.

TAO is truly a spectacular venue for a restaurant. We would have enjoyed our experience much better had we known what to expect. This is not a place to go if you want to be able to talk with your friends. It's more of a place to see and be seen. It was annoying to be around so many people taking videos and selfies. The music was so loud that you can't here the person next to you, let alone across from you. Our server was very short with us and aloof. He basically did a fly by, told us what he needed to say and then left without us being able to ask any questions. That said, the food was good and pricey, but we expected that. If you are looking for more of a night club vibe at a place that happens to serve good food, this may be your place.

This is a bitter sweet review: from an horrible start which nearly got us to leave the place, to a great quality food and drinks experience. I would give below zero to the reception as we arrived on time for our reservation but while we waited to check our coats at the cloakroom, the person at reception of the restaurant told us that we were 3 minutes past the waiting time to keep our table. This meant that we had to wait for 90 minutes before we got “another table”. I did not leave just because I had guests over and could not run the risk of not finding another place to eat. The attitude at reception was unbearable. However, 90 minutes later we sat at the dining table and had a great experience. The pad Thai with lobster is unparalleled.

Had a great time meeting clients at the bar. Did not make a reservation for food last week and was crowded, but did enjoy some small plates/apps in the bar area. Great scene and very lively and good food.

While we love Tao and have traditionally gone there yearly during the Christmas holiday season, we will no longer. The front desk checkin area wasn’t welcoming nor friendly. Also, we requested during our reservation specific seating and even advised that we would wait for such seating no matter the wait…however we weren’t accommodated this year but lord too. I also saw others having issues with the checkin staff. Lastly, the service has just changed for the worse and is very rushed without even a smile from the waiting staff. Unfortunate!

Great experience. We did feel a bit old in there (We’re in our 40’s). The food was great and the restaurant was very lively. If you are looking for a quiet dinner this is not the place for you. My only complaint is we felt a bit rushed. We were in and out in an hour. Take plenty of money, it’s not cheap but worth the experience.

I booked this place after it being recommended by a friend (he went 5 years ago and said it was very good). When myself and my partner arrived we were greeted by the two security staff outside who were totally uninterested by us and continued talking about their various illegal activities. We then walked in and were seated. The tables are far too tightly packed in so you can barely hear yourself think with so much noise around. Service was poor and you had to get up to get somebody to take your order. The food was very average and the ribs tasted really weird. Concept with the fried rice inside the egg parcel is cool and was quite nice. Also incredibly expensive for what it is which is poor service and poor food.

What a great place! We had a birthday party in the Sky Box and it was simply fabulous. They were not only attentive and on their A-game for service for such a large party, but all of the courses were delicious! Everything was served in such an attractive manner and such high quality ingredients were the star of the show in each dish! TAO Downtown really has everything right! We had such a truly terrific night!

Came here for an evening of food and drinks with friends. Aesthetically the place is lovely and the music is great, and the monk fish satay starter is good. But there is nothing else I can say positive about this place. We booked a table for 8:30, didn’t get seated till 10pm. We were told table wasn’t ready, fine to wait 10/20 mins but 1.5 hours seems a bit much! When we were seated and we made it clear we weren’t happy they offered to pay for our first round of drinks which I think is the least they could have done. We then had a server who forgot what we ordered and had to come back to the table, 20 mins later. So then had to re order. When the food and drinks did come, the wrong drinks came. And the food wasn’t worth the Price tag. I have eaten in many high end pan Asian restaurants, they are my fave. But the food here was more like take away Chinese. The whole table felt the same, wasn’t much taste and wasn’t a wow factor. Like I say the sea bass satay was the best. But the other 8 dishes ordered were a let down. We then split the bill 4 ways between us all and the server was back and forth with our cards and saying not all of them worked. But they did, after he tried again. I don’t like when they disappear with cards but seems standard in NYC. According to the receipt and what we signed for we all paid €122, but after we left I noticed I had been charged $488, which was the total bill and the other three in the party were charged €122. So we over payed by a huge amount! I have since tried to call the restaurant and they are incredibly rude and palmed me off with a email address. I have emailed. Waiting to hear back about the money they stole from me. Such a shame all these events happened as I was super exited about the restaurant. But it really isn’t worth it guys! Book another place! Don’t waste your money.

Food parallels something you can get from a middle-class suburban Chinese joint. The Mongolian beef was cooked unevenly and desserts were indelicately sweet. The dining room, while dark and symbolic, does not feel particularly high-end. Service was inoffensive yet inattentive but slack is given to the particular waitress due to the difficult setup of the restaurant.

The food, staff, location and overall atmosphere is amazing. Would travel back to NYC just for this restaurant. They have a lot of vegan options that are too die for. Don't miss out on the opportunity to go to Tao!

Restaurant with an incredible vibe. Excellent bar where we can drink several cocktails while we wait by the table. Great food, friendly collaborators, good music. Inside the restaurant there is a night club with excellent atmosphere.

Over hyped . To be honest we came yesterday after several recommendations and it was a great disappointment. Yes the place is beautiful and the design is wow , but we didn’t enjoy the food . Literally not even one dish gave us pleasure . We ordered a starter - the sizzling chicken it was the most basic chicken nuggets just with some sauce . Afterwards we ordered sushi roll that was so bitter , with every bite the whole mouth filled with strong lemon flavor That took over and destroyed the whole taste . For main dishes we ordered the beef &broccoli - just a point less dish - it’s an Asian restaurant I really excepted it to come as the Chinese dish of beef &broccoli like fried in the wok together with onions and some sauces but not it was more like small beef stake with all the broccoli separated on the side totally normal western boring dish . My friend took the chow mien and she couldn’t event eat it since it was so oily and it give her a serious heartburn. The waiter was really nice and smiley I could say that - he offered to change her dish to something else like fried rice - and yet the oil stayed the same and she couldn’t really eat it . For this whole pleasure we paid 150$. the worst 150$ we’ve ever spent . Its the first time in a restaurant I really couldn’t enjoy a single dish and We felt like literally we threw our money to the garbage .We won’t ever come back or recommend it to someone.

I was really disappointed with the whole experience. The restaurant aesthetic is incredible, but that's it,it looks amazing and trades on appearances in my view. We had a fantastic table,with a great view of the restaurant. In fairness, we had nice starter's ,but very expensive. The mains were basic if I'm being generous, One main sent back ,and replaced later on in the meal. This was poor, and no acknowledgement from the restaurant when the 2nd version was left almost uneaten. This is clearly the place to be, but I'm interested in the food, and in my opinion, the restaurant was average at best, charging exorbitant prices. I won't be back, not that they'll care, no one asked..very disappointing, many better options available in NY at a fraction of the cost.

Disaster service, they took our table when we had a reservation, left us waiting for 45 mins while they had empty tables. would not recommend

I visited Tao Downtown on the 13th of December. While dinning, we got our starters straight away before we had even gotten a drink. Then while eating our starters our mains came and they just plonked the food onto the table even though we were still eating. After they eventually cleared away our plates they never came back to us to ask would we like a drink or anything. Only when we got up to ask someone for the bill. After dinning with them I realised that my card had been charged twice for our meal. After two weeks of emailing Tao they eventually refunded me. However, while doing this I also realised they never took my deposit off the bill. I have still not yet received my deposit back even after making contact with a member of their team. This is unacceptable as it is now three weeks since I was in Tao and have emailed them regularly and had no reply.

The DJ was so loud we couldn’t speak to each other. It was unpleasant and my head was pounding after. Food was good but not worth the money for the experience.

The first time I went here 3 years ago, I loved it. The atmosphere is unbelievably cool. Definitely go just for a cocktail to check out the atmosphere. The food has really slipped, however, and is now hit or miss. We had one appetizer that was good, but the rest of the meal was completely disappointing. We ordered the lobster trio entree and the portion was tiny for the price and was not exciting at all in terms of culinary accomplishment. My husband and I love Asian food but we get better in China Town in Philadelphia! My husband and I spent a lot of money for dinner out here and it wasn't worth it at all. Spend your money elsewhere. There are so many amazing places in NYC! There's no excuse for such mediocre food in one of the world's greatest cities.

The ambience, as other reviews will say, was beautiful. However, this was hard to enjoy when one of the hostesses was rude to my friend and I right off the bat. She told us we had to wait 30 minutes to be helped when we arrived at the restaurant exactly when it opened, and there were plenty of staff available to help us. She also spoke in a very nasty tone. Luckily, another hostess was pleasant enough to help us out, and I appreciated this a lot. As someone who’s worked in the service industry for years, I found it incredibly disappointing to be greeted harshly at such an upscale restaurant. It definitely made me feel unwelcome, and embarrassed me in front of my friend.

Only gave 3 stars as the service was not good but the food was excellent. Been in Vegas and loved it so I wanted to try NYC. Restaurant is beautiful and the food was amazing. When our food came one of the dishes was wrong which they immediately fixed however we could not get anyone to bring us plates for several minutes. This was shocking as they have tons of managers and wait staff running around. I guess a table for 2 doesn't mean as much as a table of 10. Other than that we had a great evening. The fortune cookie dessert is great.

The service could improve, bit less arrogant and helpless (can’t tell you on the phone if there are free tables available NOW instead telling you to come back at 11 pm ) But the ambiance is nice, beautiful decor and love the special effects with the Buddha. Reminds me a bit of the Buddha Bar in Dubai The Food came fast everything was delicious! Really amazing except the Toro Roll. Not my first time eating toro and this one tasted way too fishy almost as if spoiled. We wanted to go to Buddakan first but i am happy that we decided to go to Tao! Would definitely go there again :)

Very cool place with great vibes. it was a pleasure, great food, great service, the waiters were nice and helped with picking the dishes. the whole experience was great with the cool place. live DJ music and nice people.

This place is very dark so it's hard to see. Food was good- not great. PF Changs may be better. Concept is good just not over the top food.

There definitely was no lack of servers, someone was constantly bringing new food and clearing empty dishes. There was also a person who just described the dishes and answered questions

This was my third time here. The first two were an outstanding experience. This was my 60th birthday and my siblings and other family members all came from California, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Louisiana totaling 14 with 3 other at table next to us. The waiter explained that we had to wait to order appetizers with our meal and they will stagger the dishes. We got our appetizers and waited almost 30 minutes for any other dish! What happened to the stagger! Complained and they gave us some “soybeans and peppers “ sent back, nobody eats that! This fell way short of the previous experience and for some family members this was their first time at Tao. Luckily, my brother paid the $1200 bill and my sister’s the tip because Me, $ 2% tip would have been adequate for this blunder. To make thing even worse, thus high as restaurant didn’t even have any seat covers in the bathrooms. The seat cover holder was the holder for the deodorizer .

I have been to both TAO locations in NYC. Great place for a business dinner, drinks with friends or date night! My go to cocktails are the tokyo rose or mango chili martini Must try menu items; appetizer - chicken wing lollipops (trust me you will be hooked after one bite) dinner - pad thai noodles and the bbq duck fried rice. Amazing sushi and specialty rolls. Great music spun by a local DJ during peak hours. This location also has a VIP nightclub with lots of celebrity sightings!!

Mediocre restaurant. The food was ok. Sushi was dry and tasteless. The decor is fabulous. Service awful and slow. The crowd wasn't impressive: loud and obnoxious. No I do not recommend this place for dinner.

A must-try place in New York, not only for the excellent fusion food but also for the beautiful location. Service to be reviewed, they got the bill and order wrong a couple of times but all in all it can happen. Not cheap, of course, but we are still in NY.

So much commotion over a place with average food (I fish and it was beyond salty) everything else eh whatever, I travel often so I know what I am talking about! That place is to drink and dance.

Love the location and the ambience, the food was amazing and we had a wonderful meal, the nightclub was fun and everyone had a great time

Great service, Great food and Anthony is great in recommending dishes and taking feedback about the food High recommend if you appreciate great service with good food for the price you pay then this the spot to eat at in NYC Will visit again for lunch for sure

As a solo wolf, I felt the need to visit the old girl once while in the city. Never the less, it was brilliant. Walking in makes you feel like a celebrity, all the best places do. The DJ was fantastic. The lights so dim I couldn’t even see the staff. My food came fresh from the void in front of me on a silver platter. I recommend the the starters and mains although the desert just didn’t quite hit the spot for me.

We went for my birthday and had visited Tao several years before and were excited to return. It’s a buzzing, beautiful space and a really great venue, but the service was shocking! The waiter missed half of our order (luckily it didn’t end up on the bill), he spilt oil down my husbands blazer as he was removing the plates. He often seemed to have forgotten that we were still there, and at the end I ordered a herbal tea. He took ages and then came back and said they didn’t have the tea I’d ordered from the menu and this was the closest he had and just plonked it on the table, not even telling us what it was 😂 The food was great and I really enjoyed the dj, but come on - how can you not bring us half of the food we ordered?!

Short and interesting... After a PhD in Asian food, you can say that you actually bring here to the front stage conventional dishes I didn't faint from anything but dessert... The atmosphere and the place is stunning, a great place to spend time seeing and showing, a careful place wonderful hospitality...

THIS PLACE IS AWFUL! Our waiter Kimberly was horrible, she has the driest personality I have ever seen. Not to mention she didn’t engage in conversation, when we asked for recommendations she wasn’t very helpful, almost as if she wasn’t knowledgeable about the menu. Definitely will be asking for a different server if we ever decide to return.

Tao is unlike any restaurant I've ever visited. The interior design is amazing and the size of the dining area is really impressive. We were a party of 12, and we had the restaurant decide for us what to eat. Which is good, because the menu is quite confusing. The food was delicious. It is expensive though, I don't know exactly what we paid. If you don't want to spend a small fortune on dinner, but still want to see the place, I would recommend going for a drink or two.

The TAO is a special place with a very extraordinary and impressive atmosphere. But also the food and service are excellent. For anyone who loves the “special”.

If i could give negative stars i would. From check in until we left, it was an awful experience. We checked in at 10:30 pm and had a 10:45 pm reservation. Didn’t get seated until 11:23 pm. Waitress looked down upon us because we didn’t order alcohol. We ordered Salmon and it tasted like garbage, and the Thai shrimp we ordered tasted more like chicken. Our waitress never checked on us to see if our food was ok. I guess I’m beyond disappointed more so because we come to Tao 2x per year from Pennsylvania for both my birthday and my sister’s bday and it’s always wonderful service, tonight was enough to never come back.

Loved everything about this restaurant- food was excellent, service was fast and low key, mood and decor very cool. Had a great time!

High end Chinese restaurant concept With amazing foods served in a great room Tao vibe and well prepared dishes , expensive but worth it

Had booked this restaurant well in advance as we were visiting from England and had been to the vegas one last year. Waited over an hour for our table ! Found the place to be very impersonal and in - attentative. Overall a huge disappointment and wouldnt recommend. Shame as we were so looking forward to what we thought would be a great experience - would never go back!

Very mediocre at best! Sat down everything was fine at first then when we got our appetizer we opened up our napkins and there was old gum stuck inside one. After waiting 15 mins for my server i showed him he said I’m sorry and then waited another 10 mins for a new napkin. Entrees come for our party of 6 and everyone get their entree except for me. My server was nowhere to be found, after 15 mins everyone was done with their entree I asked about mine and it finally comes. No apologies nothing was offered to us, at the end I asked to speak to a manager my bill was paid on the table and I told him all my troubles he couldn’t care less, also when we booked the reservation we said we were celebrating a birthday and no one ever asked either. Save your money go somewhere else NYC has so much to offer this place is ehhhhhh service is worse!

Each time I've come to New York over the last 6 years, I dined in this restaurant. The oriental setting is amazing and the light show on the Buddah is unique. Because to the young crowd and the music this is a vibrant place. You can spend some time at the bar before or after but at the table you feel that they want to keep things moving and get you out as soon as you're done. The food is good but not amazing. But definitely go.

We visited TAO for our last night in NYC and reading reviews and nees articles online, our expectations were high. Arriving at 8.25 for our 8.30 booking, we were advised to head to the bar and our table would be ‘ready shortly’. We enjoyed a nice cocktail and 20 minutes later (8.45) we enquired as to when our table would be ready...again advised ‘in a few minutes’. When it reached 9pm, wr followed up again and were taken to our table shortly after by a host who didn’t greet us or crack even the slightest smile. Our server did not approach our table for almost 10 minutes after we were seated however was apologetic for the delay and lack of service so far. The remainder of the night was quite nice; good food, an extensive drinks menu, great music/vibe and fairly attentive service (although not to the same standard as somewhere like Buddakan and more transactional as opposed to conversational). The floor Manager approached us during our meal to also apologise for the rocky start to our evening and after mains, sent a complimentary dessert (their signature jumbo fortune cookie filled with chocolate mousse). All in all we had a nice night and I would recommend TAO Downtown if you enjoy the ‘Clubstaurant’ scene. The service doesn’t live up to their reputation or the quality of the restaurant but is a fair step above most restaurants in NYC.

DO NOT GO HERE our reservation was at 9:30pm and we were left waiting two hours to be seated - 11:30pm we still hadn’t been seated at a table, staff were so rude everyone we asked how long we were told a couple of minutes. So we waiting two hours to have to leave hungry and late with nothing else in the area open to eat. Extremely disappointed.

The title says it all. No one at the table could talk together the music was so loud. Nice and clean restaurant. Service was fine and food was good.

I booked with some trepidation having read some of the recent poor reviews about rude staff and poor service, but my two young adult daughters were in NYC for the first time and wanted to go. In the end, we were super glad we went as we had a great experience once past the door staff. If you are thinking of going to TAO Downtown, all will be well if you know what to expect on arrival. We arrive and pass bouncers at the door and a coat check and then head down a dark corridor to be 'greeted' at a desk by two young hostesses. They reminded me of typical 'door girls' at clubs - pretty girls with dour expressions who are dismissive, generally unhelpful and like to be in charge of who comes in and when. They do not seem hospitality trained so you cannot expect a warm smile and a welcome greeting, nor any indication of when you may be seated. Our hostess simply asked for our reservation name and then mumbled something about heading into the lounge area while looking back past us to the next diners arriving. We head into a dark area with other people uncomfortably milling around looking lost. That all said, when you enter the dining space - wow! It is a dark, cavernous space with a spectaular lit Buddha at the end. The lounge (where I think we were expected to wait for our table but it was not made clear to us) is at the top, with tiered levels of tables down to the main dining area. Thankfully, we were seated within about 15 minutes (we had a 10:00 PM booking). The music is loud with a DJ but not so loud you cannot hear each other. The food was superb and our waiter was also very personable and helpful. The drinks arrived first (thankfully) and service of the food was well paced. We were really happy we went and would highly recommend this restaurant for the dining environment and the food. Just know you have to get past the door staff for the good times to begin!

The staff does not seem to care about the customers. Service is impersonal. Atmosphere is good , cool vibes with music. The food is very good, we had the chicken dumplings, white rice ( it was a bit dry) and the pepper chicken. The cocktails were very average.

Could not fault the meal at all! Great atmosphere..would eat here again only downside was the price really

Tao downtown is a unique, subterranean restaurant with mood lighting and music to perfectly complement the decor. When we first arrived on a Monday evening for our booking, we were given the option by the lovely hosts of having a happy hour drink at the bar. We were pleased we did with my $9 margarita one of the best I have had! My husband opted for a drink off the HH menu and wasn’t disappointed either. From there, we were taken downstairs to our table which was seated close to others but still somehow felt private. The food was exceptional (chicken satay, shrimp & scallop spring rolls, shrimp tempura, black pepper chilli chicken and Asian stir fry greens. Oh, and the carrot cake! ). We couldn’t finish everything (portions are generous) but it was all delicious and beautifully presented. The highlight of the night was our Server, Edward, who couldn’t do enough for us. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and super efficient. Overall, Tao Downtown was an absolute delight.

Here’s a draft for your review: --- **TAO Downtown NYC: All Style, No Substance** If you're looking for a place that values Instagram aesthetics over customer experience, TAO Downtown is the spot for you. Unfortunately, if you're hoping for even a shred of decent service, prepare to be disappointed. We had a reservation for 7:30 PM, arrived on time, and weren’t seated until 8:05 PM. That’s 35 minutes of standing around while their team shuffled aimlessly, seemingly more interested in maintaining their façade of exclusivity than actually accommodating their guests. Once finally seated, we waited *again*. No one came to our table to take orders or even acknowledge our presence. Instead, the staff’s primary concern seemed to be parading us through their over-hyped lounge area as hostesses fumbled to locate parties based on size rather than actually engaging with guests. The entire experience screamed of a place that cares more about their Instagram feed than the people dining there. TAO might have the visuals, but the complete lack of service and professionalism ruins the illusion. Save your time, save your money, and go somewhere that actually values its patrons. Go to Zuma