Atmosphere review insights for New York, United States, Restaurants

- A drip coffee set us back $9 - We paid $15 dollars for a side of roasted potatoes, despite the menu saying $10… we received less than one whole potato cut up into 3 pieces - An automatic 20% service was added despite the team being unorganised and rude. (Policy states automatic gratuity is only added for parties of 5+, we were a booking of 2) - For the Christmas Pre-fixe menu and one hot drink each, we paid $200+ each. - Absolutely no Christmas decorations which was poor considering all of the other diners were there for the (Christmas) Pre-fixe Perhaps this restaurant was just out of my financial league, so this review is for the average New Yorkers and tourists: save yourself the cheque, it won’t be hard to find somewhere just as good for 1/3 of the price.

A bit of a letdown for brunch — the atmosphere was beyond chaotic, the service abrupt, and the food average. I ordered the smoked salmon plate which felt overpriced for the portion size and stale bread. The ricotta lemon pancakes were also a pass. Glad to see their business is bustling but probably won’t be back!

A cute tucked away spot in Chinatown that presents itself as a lively Latin restaurant but is really more like your standard mid tier sports bar. I got a Paloma which was a bit watered down, and I wanted to order appetizers but their appetizers are all just overpriced side dishes — $10 for a half cup of plain French fries, $15 for 4 small tostadas and guac, a strange menu choice for a place that serves bone marrow smash burgers. The ambiance was also confusing because at the entrance they’re playing Latin music and inside they’re playing 2010s pop music like Meghan Trainer. If this place expanded their menu and was more intentional about the ambiance it would have a lot of potential but as it stands today it’s really just a good place to grab a beer and watch a game.

A friend and I have been wanting to try this new Elmwood Village restaurant. Foodies at heart, we made reservations a week in advance for a Friday at 8pm. Upon our arrival the hostess indicated it would be 'just a moment as they were setting the table'. Three other guests arrived and people left and we were still waiting to be seated. There was no room at the bar. In frustration, I approached the hostess again asking what the point of making a reservation if we had to wait to be seated? She smiled, excused herself to see what the hold up was and came back indicating that someone would be right with us. Within seconds, they escorted us to a two-chair table next to the plastic and rail that would be open to the street if it were warmer. This place isn't shy with pricing. We ordered wine and a cheese and charcuterie board. For the price, it was a bit underwhelming, very little cheese, three types of meat, a small bowl of olives, lots of greens and some chutney. We each ordered entrees, veal medallions and the seafood risotto with plans to share. The veal was tough. My friends seafood (lobster) was bad with a heavy ammonia scent. How could the chef not know the seafood had gone bad? We flagged our server and indicated the issue, she removed the entree and asked if we wanted anything else and indicated she would remove the entree from the bill. We were over this place at this point. We requested our bill, nothing else was comped and we left. There are many wonderful restaurants in Western New York, with poor service and lack-luster food quality, I don't see them surviving. I can assure you, we won't be back.

A great venue for an early Saturday evening lunch. Great menu options served quickly by friendly and professional waiting staff. Particular highlights amongst our party of 6 included the Lobster Ravioli, the Gnocchi , Asparagus and Meatballs. Atmosphere was lively but on reflection it was a little too busy to chat amongst the table and there was a slight feeling that the staff was trying to clear our table on what was a very busy evening service. Would definitely return and recommend, but just let down by the vibe

A neon light flashes "happy hour". You would think this means that drinks are cheaper. So we order three beers, only later to find that each cost $6. Upon asking about this, we are told that "happy hour" only pertains to appetizer-type food, not drinks. This is plainly deceptive. Moreover, our $8 so-called guacamole and chips was so bad (greasy low-quality unappetizing chips and about the saddest "guacamole" we ever tasted --- merely squashed avocado with no added anything, not even salt. ) And the quantify of "guac" was very small. After complaining about the guac and chips, as well as the "happy hour" ruse, the management was kind enough to remove the charge for the appetizer. We understand many of the reviews on this site which point to poor management. The place is nicely located near the UB South Campus, and has a fine and comfortable ambiance. But the owners should treat their clientele with more respect and honesty...

We had a 5:00 reservation and planned to have a relaxed dinner before our 7:30 show at Shea’s, but the experience didn’t go as expected. To start, one person in our group never received the drink they ordered. It wasn’t delayed, it just never came. Our order wasn’t taken until around 5:40, and the food didn’t start coming out until about 6:50. Waiting nearly two hours for food, especially with a set schedule for a show, made the evening feel rushed and stressful instead of enjoyable. What made it more frustrating was watching smaller tables seated after us order and receive their food before we did. At one point around 6:50, we spoke to a couple who had a 5:30 reservation and they had already finished their meal and paid, while we were just getting our food. We were a group of 11, and there is an automatic 20% gratuity added for larger parties. It’s hard not to wonder if that played a role in the level of service we received. When the food finally arrived, we had very little time to actually eat before needing to leave. The check came around 7:15, giving us just enough time to quickly finish up and get to the theater. Thankfully, Shea’s is right across the street, because otherwise we would have been late. We were told the delay was because the chicken pot pie took longer to cook. After that, the server mentioned that the chef was offering dessert to make up for the wait, which was appreciated, but we didn’t have time to stay for it due to the show. Lastly, there was an issue with the menu. We were given menus that listed lower prices and were labeled as dinner menus, so there was no indication they were incorrect. However, when we received the bill, we were charged higher prices than what was shown. It turns out we had been given lunch menus at our 5:00 dinner reservation, and this wasn’t explained to us at any point. Overall, the long wait, missing drink, rushed timing, and pricing confusion made for a frustrating experience.

Review rating: 1.0

We’ve been coming Tao twice a year when we visit NY for work, this will be last. This place no longer caters to good quality food, waited 45 mins for ‘duck’ rice, basically had no duck in it, tiny little cubes and some shrimp. One glass of wine and 2 cocktails later we knew it was time to go - $205. Its a bit of a joke. Service horrible, food horrible, generally a downbeat vibe and Tao is definitely getting worse. Far better places in NY to spend your money

Review rating: 1.0

- A drip coffee set us back $9 - We paid $15 dollars for a side of roasted potatoes, despite the menu saying $10… we received less than one whole potato cut up into 3 pieces - An automatic 20% service was added despite the team being unorganised and rude. (Policy states automatic gratuity is only added for parties of 5+, we were a booking of 2) - For the Christmas Pre-fixe menu and one hot drink each, we paid $200+ each. - Absolutely no Christmas decorations which was poor considering all of the other diners were there for the (Christmas) Pre-fixe Perhaps this restaurant was just out of my financial league, so this review is for the average New Yorkers and tourists: save yourself the cheque, it won’t be hard to find somewhere just as good for 1/3 of the price.

Signal: 0.0%

A bit of a letdown for brunch — the atmosphere was beyond chaotic, the service abrupt, and the food average. I ordered the smoked salmon plate which felt overpriced for the portion size and stale bread. The ricotta lemon pancakes were also a pass. Glad to see their business is bustling but probably won’t be back!

Signal: 0.0%

A cute tucked away spot in Chinatown that presents itself as a lively Latin restaurant but is really more like your standard mid tier sports bar. I got a Paloma which was a bit watered down, and I wanted to order appetizers but their appetizers are all just overpriced side dishes — $10 for a half cup of plain French fries, $15 for 4 small tostadas and guac, a strange menu choice for a place that serves bone marrow smash burgers. The ambiance was also confusing because at the entrance they’re playing Latin music and inside they’re playing 2010s pop music like Meghan Trainer. If this place expanded their menu and was more intentional about the ambiance it would have a lot of potential but as it stands today it’s really just a good place to grab a beer and watch a game.

Signal: 0.0%