Tao

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42 E. 58th St.
New York, NY 10022

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(212) 888-2288
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Reviews
( 70 )
( 110 )
( 54 )
( 43 )
( 57 )

Best

On my recent trip to Manhattan, wanted to indulge in some fine cuisine so on Saturday we made reservations at Tao. Like everyone else has pretty much said, the wait is extended, n...

Worst

Overdone concept - between the Buddha and the DJ playing the most BORING and UNINSPIRED techno I think I've ever heard. But have to say it matched the food and the service! Noth...

wasting time, don't go! 3/31/2008

I went to Tao on Monday night with 2 client friends. Was told to wait 20 mintues for a table. Turns out that we waited for more than an hour, and there was still no table for us! I felt very embarassed since my friends were all hungry and they traveled from abroad to new york for the first time. The waitress was very rude and arrogant, with no sense of time at all. They simply lied to us about the wait time for more than 3 times. Every time, they said ""we assure you there would be a table in 20 minutes, please just wait"". Every 20 mintues pass, they would say the same thing again to you. We all felt being cheated. Pros: deco Cons: bad service more
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way overrated 3/29/2008

the food is fine, but nowhere near the nyc top level restaurants. it's all about the atmosphere. it's very loud and bombastic so if you are into having your dinner and feeling like you're at a dance club, then this is your place. the buddha statue and the decor in general is definitely well done but the people you will see around are very trashy, with money but still not the classy type (don't expect the neighbors from park av. to be regulars here). Pros: decor, food (ok) Cons: staff, money-yet trashy customers, more
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Unless you want to be treated like the trash on 58th street DON'T BOTHER WITH TAO 3/27/2008

I went to Tao Restaurant in NYC tonight for my twin friends birthday. We had made reservations one month prior. Upon our arrival we were treated as if we were garbage that had blown in from 58th street. Our food was average to say the least. My rare yellow fin tuna was overcooked. I would have never sent it back but I found it incredibly rude that our waiter never even approached our table to see how everything was. We were never asked if we wanted any more wine and God knows we could have used another drink after that. We had to ask two managers for our waiter and were brushed off as if we were stupid chicks. First off, I am sure that I have more education in my pinky than they all had put together. To top it all off, the managers seemed completely un-phased that we were completely dissatisfied with our service. In a nutshell, save your money and go to your local cheap Asian restaurant. In essence with the service that Tao provides it's really the better option! Pros: DECOR Cons: SERVICE OR SHALL I SAY LACK OF SERVICE more
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Great food... 3/21/2008

Place has great food. Kobe beef is incredible. Only down side is place is very loud, it's hard to have a conversation, but I would recommend it. I've been there twice and can't complain. Food is great and so is the atmosphere. more
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Avoid the chopsticks 3/13/2008

I recently celebrated my birthday at this restaurant. The food,ambiance,service and waitstaff were wonderful. I used the chopsticks to consume my food but my husband opted to use a fork and spoon. At the end of our meal, my husband wanted to take the chopsticks home to practice for the future. We were approached by one of the men in suits about purchasing chopsticks and were informed that the chopsticks were reusable. YUCK!!!! ( I wanted to purge myself of my meal!) The chopsticks are wooden and there have been many reports about how wooden cutting boards and cooking utensils can carry germs. Unless this restaurant uses an autoclave like dental offices do, I doubt that the chopsticks are thoroughly cleaned. Pros: food, ambience, service Cons: chopsticks on table at time of seating more
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NIGHTMARE 1/27/2008

I went to Tao on Saturday night there were 4 of us in the party. We had a 9:00 reservation we got a confirmation call that afternoon from the restaurant and was told they would only hold the reservation for 15 minutes after 9:00 so we made sure we got there by 9:00. We didn't get seated till 10:40. They kept telling us there was only two tables ahead of us they told us that from 9:30 till we were seated. They gave us a round of drinks on the house (Big Deal). It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. We will never go back. The food was good but I would go to China Grill instead. more
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Great Restaurant 1/27/2008

I went to Tao not too long ago for the first time. My best friend took me there because he had been there before and loved it, and wanted to share it with me. It was definitely worth it. The decor is very very stylish and cool, and the food was delicious. Going for lunch is a plus because they offer lunch specials that include appetizer, main entree, and dessert for one flat price. I had the Chicken Pad Thai, and it was delicious, and they give you so much that I couldn't even finish it. [[[*but my friend was able to finish it for me =) ]]] I don't recommend it if you are on a budget, because it is a little on the pricey side, but that is my only criticism for this restaurant. However, whatever you do, you MUST make a reservations. No exceptions. Pros: Great Food, Great Decor/Ambiance Cons: A little pricey, By Reservation ONLY more
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Loud, Hot, Crowded, Cannot keep Reservations 1/25/2008

I reserved a table and received a call the evening before to confirm. The reservation was for 8pm. I was told to be there at 7.45pm. (i.e they were making sure the customer was there well before their reservation time). This initially struck me as quiet pompous and presumptuous but didn't really bother me at the time as I'm usually early for reservations anyway but after what transpired that evening i think it was highly ironic. Pros: I couldnt find any Pros with this place Cons: Crowded, Hot, Can't keep reservations, Loud more
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Amazing if you can afford it 1/24/2008

This place is great, but at a price. Must have the Peking Duck spring rolls. Pad Thai not recommended. Ice cream is phenomenal! Pros: Great location and atmosphere Cons: Expensive, Exclusive more
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Great food-bad logistics 1/20/2008

The food here is really quite good, if a little overpriced. I love the Kung Pao chicken, and the drinks are amazing too. My only gripes are that they need to work on the service aspect-we had 8:30 reservations and had to wait almost 45 minutes. They kept saying 'you're the next table'. That should never happen! What is the point of making the reservations in the first place?! Also, they need to redesign the area when you come in. There's definitely not enough room to wait, and the bar is very overcrowded too. more
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I don't drink so I can't speak to the bar... 1/15/2008

I don't drink so I can't speak to the bar scene except that the entire place is packed, LOUD, uber trendy... more
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I don't drink so I can't speak to the bar... 1/15/2008

julicious321 Provided by Partner
I don't drink so I can't speak to the bar scene except that the entire place is packed, LOUD, uber trendy and filled with business people, tourists... more
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good food, good ambience, seating was annoying. 1/12/2008

went to tao on a saturday night.... we had reservations for 8:45 pm, we showed up at 7:45 pm.... that was a mistake. anyway, we ended up getting seated at 8:30, i should have just shown up at 8:45 pm. Pros: great food, good drinks, good date spot, romantic. Cons: COST!!! long wait. more
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Never again 12/18/2007

This was my second and last time eating here. What is the point of reservations if they are going to overbook and make you wait?! Seriously I want an answer. Do they think that like with a club it adds to the 'mystique' if you are waiting? But given that we don't wait in line outside, how does that help? All it does is make customers angry. We waited 45 mins despite a 915 reservation. THEN waited another half hour for our food to arrive. Did they go to Alaska for my salmon. Sure its good food but no better than dozens of other places in NYC that understand what reservation means! more
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Not totally original but overall very good. 11/26/2007

Great location. Very good food. I found it to be an ""upper-end"" PF Changs. Service was very good and atmosphere was terrific. Price was what you would expect in that part of Manhattan. more
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not the food, the noise or the service, its the waiting 11/19/2007

I have been to TAO more than four times and all of those times, I had to wait even though I have arrived on time with all of the party. It is too loud but thats the way it is! But they have to do something about this waiting before your dinner. This is too annoying!! more
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Great ! 11/12/2007

After reading a few reviews about Tao being too loud and having poor service I was a little worried . . . however I didnt find it too loud or too crowded at all - and we went on a Sat. night ! We were seated maybe 30 minutes after we arrived, but grabbing a drink at the bar was not a problem - there were a few bar stools open. Anyway, everything was really tasty! I took ppls recommendations from other online reviews - chilean sea bass and the giant fortune cookie for dessert, and couldnt have been happier, they were both amazing. The smoked salmon sashimi and spicy tuna rolls were great! I can't wait to go back! I also recommend the Ruby Red Dragon to drink. Pros: great great food! Cons: expensive (but good) drinks more
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Not any more 10/28/2007

I really do not understand what happend to what use to be one of my favorite resturants in NYC. Can not complain about the service, but food was just not up to par. It basically tasted like reheated glop out of a microwave. Maybe it has just become a tourist trap? Pros: Ambience Cons: Food more
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To be honest, just average 10/21/2007

Went there for dinner with girlfriends and were seated promptly. Our waiter was friendly and we had good service overall. The food wasn't bad, but pretty average. Not really worth the money, especially with the hype that comes with this place. If you can, go early-by the time we left at 8:30 (we had 6 pm reservations), you could barely get through the bar area. more
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Great food, great ambiance 10/19/2007

A bit noisy, and can be hard to navigate past the drunks at the bar as you head to your table (some chick almost threw up on me!!!). But worth it. Definitely. The food is delish and the atmosphere (upstairs) is fabulous. Great place to bring a group. Pros: Great food, very cool scene Cons: on the pricey side (but not unexpected) more
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Menu for Tao


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Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Wed: 11:30am-12am, Thu-Sat: 11:30am-1am, Sun: 1pm-12am
  • Payments: Diner's Club, Discover, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Midtown, Midtown Center
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