by Riley Fusik on For years I would drive by this place and not think twice about it. Based solely on the signage, I thought it was just a divey Korean bar. So, when the bros suggested coming here for some drinks, I thought the choice was a bit odd, but then again, Plan A was to go to a divey Chinatown bar. Upon entering, all my preconceived notions about KoKo were shattered. KoKo is my kind of intimate bar with dim lighting, laid back vibe, great beats and an impressive collection of booze. Their specialty cocktail menu is full of Prohibition Era style drinks. They muddle fresh fruit into these bad boys, and all the cocktails are a staggering low price of $7 - love their Buster Brown. The bartenders are alums from Tunnel Top, one of my old stomping grounds, so it's no wonder why I instantly liked KoKo. Plus, they were projecting "Snakes On A Plane" on the wall while the DJ was spinning hip hop jams. Really, can a bar get cooler than that? If you and your pals are down to get sloshed, a quick way to get there is to challenge each other to the TL Standoff, which consists of 2 shots and 2 backs: Fernet & Coke and Tequila & Beer - taken in that order. Loser buys the round. Guess who bought the round? Yup, yours truly. It was all good though - I was still feeling so fly like a G6.
by Jen L. on Tao is all about the ambiance. But I find that even with the ambiance it has to offer, I can't appreciate it. Its prices are not reasonable, but hey- you're in New York. The drinks were almost impossible to avoid Vodka, which can be quite fatal for someone who is allergic to this popular poison. I asked the bartender to suggest a drink for me that doesn't have Vodka and she was not helpful. I proceeded to ask her to substitute vodka for some other ailment, she was again not helpful. Surprise, surprise! Even some of the drinks that didn't state Vodka had drinks that derive from it. But what are the chances that you'll be allergic? Go on friends, drink away their expensive and tasteless drinks. Don't get the tao-tini. Yuck. Though their Tao-jito was pretty good. As far as food, I can't have a say at it. So, maybe if I ever do go back here, I'll update this and change my rating. I recommend you hail a cab and head over to another similar Buddha aficionado restaurant- Buddakan. Way more classy and ambiance is unbeatable.
by Wyatt Beske on Three stars ONLY because the space is pretty, the bartenders are (mostly) nice, they have a wide selection of drinks, and it's convenient to get to. But it's an absolute FAIL as far as actually enjoying a live show. The too-low ceilings, the terrible acoustics and the armpit-of-hell lack of ventilation (no wonder they put water out; good call on that, at least) put a damper on a great set. The space should really just be a bar, with acoustic music at most.
