How hard is it to get a res at TAO?

[niccole]

hi all

coming to the city the last weekend in september and really want to goto TAO on friday night, the 26th. there will be 7 of us. i saw on opentable that i was too far out now to make the reservation. can i call now or do i need to wait the 2 month deal? is this a restaurant where not just "anyone" can get a reservation? i remember last summer trying to make a reservation at PASTIS was a nightmare until we had a "somebody" make it for us a week before when i called 2 months earlier they had nothing. left a bad taste in my mouth. i know these places are touristy and get alot of bashing, but we are tourists and really do want to goto TAO. thanks!

[smokedgouda]

Use opentable.com, you will easily find tables available there.

[kcijones001]

yes, but it's too early as niccole has already tried that route...Niccole, you can call now and shouldn't have a problem being you want resies in September.

[jakew8]

Niccole,

I think that, as an out-of-towner, you should ignore the Tao naysayers (even if they do know what they're talking about). True: Buddakan has better food. False: Tao's food is inedible. True: Reservations at Tao are easy to come by. False: It's due to a decline in quality (it's the novelty that has diminished).

I've eaten at Tao several times. It's not going to receive any Michelin stars in the near future, but it's still a lot of fun. If you want to go there, you should definitely still consider it.

[Jorel]

While I personally am not in to Tao at all, I think Jake's response is great. If you are excited about it, go for it. Just know what you're getting in to.

[kcijones001]

Maybe a matter of opinion then. The past two times I've eaten at Tao I could not eat my food (specifically the steak with a wasabi crust; STAY AWAY).

[jakew8]

See that's funny because I've had that and it was fine. Maybe you got unlucky twice or I got lucky once.

When I ate it, it was an entire beef tenderloin (for the table). That could have had something to do with it.

[kcijones001]

I'm not quite sure but it was the consistency of paste and slightly grainy.

[bykim1]

not difficult at all - for a reason as explained by all the previous replies

[joannabar]

Is that the restaurant formerly in the W.50's whose building is now a WaMu bank?

[jakew8]

No.

[Lucia]

Agree w/everyone--not hard to get in and food is mediocre.

[ESNY]

It would be hard is this was 2004. It is not remotely hard in 2008

[kcijones001]

Not hard anymore. The place is awful now..the food there isnt even edible.
I would pass and try buddakahn. Even koi in the bryant park hotel.

[Jorel]

I can't imagine that it is difficult, but just call them and ask their policy.