This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)
Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)
Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)
Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)
Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)
Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)
Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)
Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)
Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)
Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)
Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)
Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)
Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)
Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)
Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)
Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
(2)
Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
(3)
Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)
Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)
Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)
Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)
RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)
Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)
David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)
Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)
Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)
Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)
Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)
Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)
Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)
S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)
Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)
Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)
Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)
Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)
Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)
Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)
Angela C.
This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)
Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)
Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)
Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
(2)
Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)
Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)
Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)
Dave V.
Every once in a while, it's possible to stumble upon a place that doesn't treat a single diner as a pariah. I can honestly say, in my opinion from last night, that Dao wasn't one of those good places. For a Monday evening, early (6:00), there were perhaps 20 guests in the restaurant. I'm a large guy, and I routinely ask for a table right up front -- my mistake. I was led to the booth closest to the kitchen -- the menu was laid down so that I'd have the lovely view of the back wall. As the hostess drew away I spoke up, asking for a table. With barely a pause I was informed they were all being held for a group. I placed my sushi order, and left to wash my hands. I observed that my miso soup had already been served -- in my absence. Tasty, and I probably just imagined it was a bit too cool.... Mistake #2 was that the platter I ordered included a roll made with jalapeno peppers and cream cheese. I assumed that the combined flavors would mitigate the burn. After all, the menu did not mention anything about it being particularly spicy. Mistake #3 was in taking one bite of the aforementioned surprise. At 20% of the entree's cost, I wistfully pushed it aside and wondered how others fared with it. The rest of the order arrived promptly. Nothing remarkable for the presentation, nor the taste. I'll still try the happy hour pricing some time, but I won't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Amy C.
This can be hit or miss where prices are higher than you'd expect for an Asian place. Service is great, and folks like the dim sum here, though I think they just have a lot of MSG (I always walk out parched). I do like their happy hour specials though, and Dao has more 'authentic' dishes than your average chinese restaurant in Cincinnati. You can even ask for the Chinese language menu, and then that's pretty much authentic. I've asked them for dishes at the table and they've always been able to make them for me, so I completely disagree with folks who say this is not Asian food. A more fair statement is that it's less Americanized Asian food, though they do have those options like General Tso chicken if that's what you like.
(3)
Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)
Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
(2)
Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)
Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)
Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)
Katie H.
I've only been here once and tried the dim sum, it was the worst I've ever had. The wrappers were overly squishy and the fillings were underseasoned. Plus everything was a bit pricey for the small portions.
(1)
Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)
Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)
Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)
Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)
Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)
Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)
Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)
RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)
Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)
Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)
Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)
Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)
Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)
Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)
S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)
Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)
Jason K.
Amazing food. Slow service. We went in and put our name down. I went to the bar to grab a drink and the bartender said it was a 15 wait at the bar. I said even for a drink? She replied yep we are very busy I have the entire bar section to myself. Poorly managed but great food amazing cooks.
(4)
Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)
Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)
Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)
John H.
The little lady and I hit up this place because she was in the mood for asian, and we were out in that area. The fire at the bar was the nicer things upon entrance, but for me that about did it. I was disappointed in the food quality of what I ordered--the spring rolls were very bland, and the Pad Thai was probably the worst I've ever had, no lime on the side, no spicy / sweet balance, the tofu had no texture, and it was very salty (I won't even get into the wonton soup which seemed liked it was wontons in sea water). Maybe they should specialize in a specific asian style instead of catering to the different regions.
(1)
Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)
Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)
Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)
Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)
David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)
Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)
Steve L.
First of all, if you are looking to go there, there are much better places in the Cincinnati Area. I have passed it several times and it looked promising. I decided to go alone and try it out before inviting friends and wow I am so glad I did. I arrived about 7ish on a Wednesday. I entered and looked around and liked the modern decor and atmosphere although I did get a sensation that it was newly opened. I was seated a four top somewhat near the sushi bar and besides a row of booths all full. I sat there looking around and looking at the wine menu in preperation of ordering a glass. After sitting a couple minutes, I purposefully looked at my watch to monitor the speed of the service. After sitting there about 12 minutes, I finally stopped a long hair older Asian man who gave the appearance of being a "manager" type. I asked if I could have a server and he said yes could he get me something to drink. Keep in mind that have had several servers look at me and pass by me on their way to the kitchen and no one offering to assist me. Finally after about fifteen minutes of being there, my wine and glass of water arrived. The "manager" then told me my sever would be right with me. I had already decided to order sushi first and then decide on an entree later. About three minutes later, an Asian woman appeared at my table and my first thought was who she might be. I then saw she had an order pad and pen in her had and she asked me if she could take my order. Where did she come from? She was dressed in worm jeans and a casual shirt. Why was this woman taking my order when all the other server staff wore black shirts with the DAO logo and black pants? Were they short staffed or was I seated in a closed section? Anyway, I ordered the sushi and it came and it was ok, no wow moment. I then ordered Chicken Red Coconut Curry. It came and it was ok. There are much better places in Cincinnati to get this dish. I ate half of it with the very small bowl of rice I got and then asked for a to go container for the remainer of my curry. The "manager" brought me a black styrofoam compartment container. For my liquid curry?? Wow, ok, so I poured it in this container and was very careful not to spill it on the car. I made it quite clear that I wasn't happy but they obviously dont know "American" body language or tones. There was no apology for the bad experience or offer to pick up my glass of wine or anything. Not that I needed a "freebee" but the principal was at play here. My recommendation, go up the road to Arlo Dee's. I would only go back to Dao if my friends insisted. Sorry for any dissappointments. If you want good sushi, go to Aroma in Kenwood. Very yummy.
(2)
Jason H.
Under new management and the food quality has definitely declined.
(2)
Janice A.
My SO and I arrived for an early dinner on Friday night. The fire pit at the bar was a welcoming sight on a chilly, rainy evening. There were just a few diners and we were immediately seated by a friendly, chatty waiter. We ordered hot sour soup, sweet and sour pork, pad thai and bimbebop. I've been spoiled by the best hot sour soup EVER ( Yum-Yum's), this version had a beef base. It was fair. The pork dish was interesting and very good, thin slices of pork fried in a tempura batter, the sauce included sliced apples and peaches, the pad thai was fine although a little sparse in ingredients other than noodles, the bimbebop was average, again a little sparse in ingredients other than rice. For an excellent version try Korea House. The ambience of the place, the decor, the really cool and clean bathrooms and the amazing, friendly, accomodating staff more than made up for the small lacks. The place was packed when we left with a variety of diners. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Randy W.
Decent food, but really bad service. Server was inattentive and served us the wrong food. Restaurant seemed unlikely to care when I told them about it. Probably will not go back. There are tons of other restaurants in the Deerfield area that will give you a better return than Dao. Sad, actually. I wanted them to succeed, but I'm not sure they will.
(2)
Kevin L.
I can't see this place lasting. Dim sum is a recent addition, but it is not on par with Grand Oriental's which is just down the street. The "Asian" dishes I tried there are bland and only partially resemble the intended target. Haven't tried their sushi, but am mindful that there are scores of sushi places around... what is their niche?
(2)
A A.
I can't speak for the entrees at this place but the dim sum is decent and reasonably priced. Came on a Sunday in the early afternoon and was seated quickly. Good dim sum selection and everything came out hot. I'll be back.
(4)
Debbie B.
I have been here twice, and both times sorely disappointed. First trip, had the Pad Thai - noodles under cooked and overall bland. Second trip, had the Asian chicken salad - consisted of bagged salad and unseasoned boiled chicken. Will not be returning for a third trip.
(1)
Lee B.
I'm surprised by the low ratings this place has been getting. I don't go here often, but each time I've gone, the food has been quite tasty. It kind of has the appearance and feel of a trendier PF Changs, but the food is better. A friend from Burma initially recommended this place, and although, I haven't had it yet, she swears by the weekend offerings of dim sum. The last time I was here, I stumbled upon a restaurant secret...there are two menus. Truly. There is one that is offered to Asian people, and another, trendier menu for everyone else. My date and I just happened to have a waiter who wanted us to see both menus. My date ordered something off of the traditional menu, and it was tasty, but enough for 4 meals in itself. I ordered from the regular menu, and had some sort of spicy peanut, chicken concoction, which was delicious. I did prefer what I ordered, but I think it's good to know that there's even more to choose from on a different menu. I think this is the perfect place to stop on the way the movies (there's a theatre right beside it).
(4)
Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)
Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)
Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)
Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)
Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)
Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)
Dave V.
Every once in a while, it's possible to stumble upon a place that doesn't treat a single diner as a pariah. I can honestly say, in my opinion from last night, that Dao wasn't one of those good places. For a Monday evening, early (6:00), there were perhaps 20 guests in the restaurant. I'm a large guy, and I routinely ask for a table right up front -- my mistake. I was led to the booth closest to the kitchen -- the menu was laid down so that I'd have the lovely view of the back wall. As the hostess drew away I spoke up, asking for a table. With barely a pause I was informed they were all being held for a group. I placed my sushi order, and left to wash my hands. I observed that my miso soup had already been served -- in my absence. Tasty, and I probably just imagined it was a bit too cool.... Mistake #2 was that the platter I ordered included a roll made with jalapeno peppers and cream cheese. I assumed that the combined flavors would mitigate the burn. After all, the menu did not mention anything about it being particularly spicy. Mistake #3 was in taking one bite of the aforementioned surprise. At 20% of the entree's cost, I wistfully pushed it aside and wondered how others fared with it. The rest of the order arrived promptly. Nothing remarkable for the presentation, nor the taste. I'll still try the happy hour pricing some time, but I won't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Amy C.
This can be hit or miss where prices are higher than you'd expect for an Asian place. Service is great, and folks like the dim sum here, though I think they just have a lot of MSG (I always walk out parched). I do like their happy hour specials though, and Dao has more 'authentic' dishes than your average chinese restaurant in Cincinnati. You can even ask for the Chinese language menu, and then that's pretty much authentic. I've asked them for dishes at the table and they've always been able to make them for me, so I completely disagree with folks who say this is not Asian food. A more fair statement is that it's less Americanized Asian food, though they do have those options like General Tso chicken if that's what you like.
(3)
Steve L.
First of all, if you are looking to go there, there are much better places in the Cincinnati Area. I have passed it several times and it looked promising. I decided to go alone and try it out before inviting friends and wow I am so glad I did. I arrived about 7ish on a Wednesday. I entered and looked around and liked the modern decor and atmosphere although I did get a sensation that it was newly opened. I was seated a four top somewhat near the sushi bar and besides a row of booths all full. I sat there looking around and looking at the wine menu in preperation of ordering a glass. After sitting a couple minutes, I purposefully looked at my watch to monitor the speed of the service. After sitting there about 12 minutes, I finally stopped a long hair older Asian man who gave the appearance of being a "manager" type. I asked if I could have a server and he said yes could he get me something to drink. Keep in mind that have had several servers look at me and pass by me on their way to the kitchen and no one offering to assist me. Finally after about fifteen minutes of being there, my wine and glass of water arrived. The "manager" then told me my sever would be right with me. I had already decided to order sushi first and then decide on an entree later. About three minutes later, an Asian woman appeared at my table and my first thought was who she might be. I then saw she had an order pad and pen in her had and she asked me if she could take my order. Where did she come from? She was dressed in worm jeans and a casual shirt. Why was this woman taking my order when all the other server staff wore black shirts with the DAO logo and black pants? Were they short staffed or was I seated in a closed section? Anyway, I ordered the sushi and it came and it was ok, no wow moment. I then ordered Chicken Red Coconut Curry. It came and it was ok. There are much better places in Cincinnati to get this dish. I ate half of it with the very small bowl of rice I got and then asked for a to go container for the remainer of my curry. The "manager" brought me a black styrofoam compartment container. For my liquid curry?? Wow, ok, so I poured it in this container and was very careful not to spill it on the car. I made it quite clear that I wasn't happy but they obviously dont know "American" body language or tones. There was no apology for the bad experience or offer to pick up my glass of wine or anything. Not that I needed a "freebee" but the principal was at play here. My recommendation, go up the road to Arlo Dee's. I would only go back to Dao if my friends insisted. Sorry for any dissappointments. If you want good sushi, go to Aroma in Kenwood. Very yummy.
(2)
Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)
Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)
Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)
Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)
Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
(2)
Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)
Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)
Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)
SD L.
Dropped by for lunch the other day, and I was pleasantly surprised. Pleasant atmosphere, sushi bar, regular bar. I had the tempura-style chicken, with miso soup and fried rice. The miso soup was really very good - not too salty, nice miso flavor. Maybe a bit more tofu.... The chicken was nicely cooked, crisp, with a nice flavored dipping sauce. The fried rice was just fine, nothing spectacular. I will go back for dinner to try other parts of the menu. DINNER UPDATE: Yup. Good. I had the Thai Blazin' Noodles - nice spicy sauce. I made it combo with chicken and shrimp. Sliced jalapenos cooked in as well. My friend has Volcano Chicken, which had a good flavor and nice spice. Mine was hotter!
(4)
Evan L.
Over the winter break, my parents wanted to try this place out and I told them "don't go, it has low reviews on yelp." So we went somewhere else and that was that. But my parents have a history of driving 20, 30, or, I kid you not, 300 miles just for dim sum (my dad really loves Chicago's Chinatown) so since Dao is close to us, they couldn't resist trying out this place on their own. Well, they loved it and couldn't wait to take me there just to rub it in my fat little face. It was a Sunday afternoon and I just got back home for spring break. My parents gave me a great big hug and immediately took me here. Coming inside, I was surprised by how friendly the staff were. They speak both Cantonese and Mandarin and I also heard them speak decent English to others. The service was just okay though; the place was packed and they seemed a little understaffed--it was nothing I would complain about though. Let me tell you a little about dim sum. In Cantonese, we also call it "yum chaa" which means "drink tea". So basically it also means "you're going to spend a while here just talking, drinking tea, and maybe eating every once in a while." It's meant to be really laid back so if you have a really busy day planned out, dim sum might not be right for you. I was upset that I was missing some of March Madness but I'll try not to let this affect my review. Everything on the cart tastes just like how you'd expect from any other place that serves dim sum. I pretty much always get the same things: haa gau, siu mai, chicken feet, etc. The squid was pretty tasty even though I'm usually not a big fan of that. The fried tofu was also really good; I was pleasantly surprised by the shrimp on the top and how well it blended together. We also ordered beef chow fun as extra to all the dim sum. It's my favorite dish and when it's on the menu, I always order it at restaurants I've never been to before. The food came really fast and it was one of the better beef chow funs I've had (out of a few dozen places). They used too much oil though, which is kind of understandable if you've ever tried making this dish. But the thing I can't forgive is that the portions were disappointing for the price. Especially because it was so good. Gah! I don't think I would come here for a normal lunch/dinner. The food on the menu looks like typical Americanized Chinese food and I'm assuming that's why the yelp reviews are so poor. But for dim sum, I would definitely recommend this place (especially over Grand Oriental).
(4)
Christiiiiii I.
Went there twice a d service was terrible. Waiters don't seem to want to be there and are not very nice. Need to ask to get silverware or refills on water and to take menus away... Food is ok but definitely nothing special or very good. Have had better food. I was a little scared to eat the sushi since fish did not seem to be the freshest. Not going back again.
(2)
Lee B.
I'm surprised by the low ratings this place has been getting. I don't go here often, but each time I've gone, the food has been quite tasty. It kind of has the appearance and feel of a trendier PF Changs, but the food is better. A friend from Burma initially recommended this place, and although, I haven't had it yet, she swears by the weekend offerings of dim sum. The last time I was here, I stumbled upon a restaurant secret...there are two menus. Truly. There is one that is offered to Asian people, and another, trendier menu for everyone else. My date and I just happened to have a waiter who wanted us to see both menus. My date ordered something off of the traditional menu, and it was tasty, but enough for 4 meals in itself. I ordered from the regular menu, and had some sort of spicy peanut, chicken concoction, which was delicious. I did prefer what I ordered, but I think it's good to know that there's even more to choose from on a different menu. I think this is the perfect place to stop on the way the movies (there's a theatre right beside it).
(4)
RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)
Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)
Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)
David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)
Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)
Ryan C.
Seriously people, do not go here. We've been wanting to try this place out since it opened a while ago. We were pretty happy that there wasn't a wait and there was a decent amount of customers eating. We sat at our table for 15 minutes with out even seeing a waiter/waitress in our area. So needless to say, we didn't get water or even a "I'll be with you in a second." After going we finally here from others that no one we know has had a good experience.
(1)
Mike N.
Seems like the whole staff is Cantonese and their dim sum is decently good. Went in at 2pm Saturday and it's too bad it wasn't crowded.
(4)
Kevin W.
I like chinese food, and this thing about calling chinese restaurants, modern asian cuisine, seems to be marketing fluff. This restaurant is very nice inside, has a great ambiance, but the food is just okay. To me, modern asian cuisine would mean they finally stopped putting MSG in their food because it does nothing to benefit the food. Unfortunately, this restaurant still has to resort to the outdated food flavor enhancer to try to spruce up their meals. The spring rolls were great, the chicken teriyaki skewers were bland, and unfortunately, I couldn't finish my General Tso's Chicken out of fear of the potential migraine. The pricing is a bit high for average Chinese food. I heard from the waiter that the restaurant is under new management, so perhaps in the future, that will translate into improvements in the cuisine.
(2)
E Y.
I've been there 3x, last on Mother's Day. I will keep going back for the dim sum, because there are only a few places in the area that you can get it! I wouldn't go there for regular entrees, though.
(4)
Adam H.
Not the best, but definitely not the worst. Some of the apps are overpriced, but overall food was good.
(4)
J. N.
I sometime came here only on Sunday with friends for Dim Sum. Food is okay, nice and clean place. No complain about the service
(3)
Nashville T.
This restaurant continues to go downhill. The last time we went it the menu had changed. It's now more Korean, less Chinese food and much more sushi. The fact that they offer Latin Dancing part of the week goes to show you that there is no clear direction with the management.
(1)
Mitch G.
Terrible food and service. Charged more than menu states and acted like the customer is stupid for not knowing it's an old menu that THEY handed us. I can not stress enough that this place is a rip off. Just found out owner is the same as Iron Chef ( another terrible place) it won't be around long. By the way, giving this dump one star is being VERY generous
(1)
Eric R.
Horrible service. Not impressed. Not recommend.
(1)
Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)
Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)
Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
(3)
Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)
Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)
S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)
Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)
Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)
Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)
Katie H.
I've only been here once and tried the dim sum, it was the worst I've ever had. The wrappers were overly squishy and the fillings were underseasoned. Plus everything was a bit pricey for the small portions.
(1)
Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)
Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)
Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)
Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)
Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)
Angela C.
This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)
Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)
Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)
Jason K.
Amazing food. Slow service. We went in and put our name down. I went to the bar to grab a drink and the bartender said it was a 15 wait at the bar. I said even for a drink? She replied yep we are very busy I have the entire bar section to myself. Poorly managed but great food amazing cooks.
(4)
John H.
The little lady and I hit up this place because she was in the mood for asian, and we were out in that area. The fire at the bar was the nicer things upon entrance, but for me that about did it. I was disappointed in the food quality of what I ordered--the spring rolls were very bland, and the Pad Thai was probably the worst I've ever had, no lime on the side, no spicy / sweet balance, the tofu had no texture, and it was very salty (I won't even get into the wonton soup which seemed liked it was wontons in sea water). Maybe they should specialize in a specific asian style instead of catering to the different regions.
(1)
Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)
Todd P.
I was impressed with the service and thought that the food was great. I ordered Pad Thai and thought that it was very good. Only complaint was that it wasn't hot enough, but I got some hot oil to spice it up myself.
(4)
Jason H.
Under new management and the food quality has definitely declined.
(2)
Janice A.
My SO and I arrived for an early dinner on Friday night. The fire pit at the bar was a welcoming sight on a chilly, rainy evening. There were just a few diners and we were immediately seated by a friendly, chatty waiter. We ordered hot sour soup, sweet and sour pork, pad thai and bimbebop. I've been spoiled by the best hot sour soup EVER ( Yum-Yum's), this version had a beef base. It was fair. The pork dish was interesting and very good, thin slices of pork fried in a tempura batter, the sauce included sliced apples and peaches, the pad thai was fine although a little sparse in ingredients other than noodles, the bimbebop was average, again a little sparse in ingredients other than rice. For an excellent version try Korea House. The ambience of the place, the decor, the really cool and clean bathrooms and the amazing, friendly, accomodating staff more than made up for the small lacks. The place was packed when we left with a variety of diners. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Randy W.
Decent food, but really bad service. Server was inattentive and served us the wrong food. Restaurant seemed unlikely to care when I told them about it. Probably will not go back. There are tons of other restaurants in the Deerfield area that will give you a better return than Dao. Sad, actually. I wanted them to succeed, but I'm not sure they will.
(2)
Kevin L.
I can't see this place lasting. Dim sum is a recent addition, but it is not on par with Grand Oriental's which is just down the street. The "Asian" dishes I tried there are bland and only partially resemble the intended target. Haven't tried their sushi, but am mindful that there are scores of sushi places around... what is their niche?
(2)
A A.
I can't speak for the entrees at this place but the dim sum is decent and reasonably priced. Came on a Sunday in the early afternoon and was seated quickly. Good dim sum selection and everything came out hot. I'll be back.
(4)
Debbie B.
I have been here twice, and both times sorely disappointed. First trip, had the Pad Thai - noodles under cooked and overall bland. Second trip, had the Asian chicken salad - consisted of bagged salad and unseasoned boiled chicken. Will not be returning for a third trip.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Angela C.
This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
(2)Shelley P.
I'm giving this place a three star review only because of the heart attack sushi roll. My coworkers loved it and ordered a second. The service is just okay. The waitress did not understand my request for rice paper or sushi not wrapped in seaweed. We figured out they did use soy paper by reading the menu. I'm not sure what that communication issue was all about. Then a coworker ordered a cocktail and she didn't understand that either. A different employees stopped by to see what exactly we needed. I ordered a vegetable roll and it was just so - so. I also ordered spring rolls and they were the worst spring rolls I've ever had. The rolls contained cabbage only and had zero flavor. I read the reviews here before I went and I was skeptical but was hoping for one of the 'hit' days versus one of the 'miss' days. Apparently I arrived on a 'miss' day. A coworker visited this restaurant three days ago and said it was just okay but the entrée portions are huge and that made it worthwhile. Perhaps I should've ordered an entrée instead. I won't return. There are way too many restaurants within walking distance that I'm sure are much better.
(3)Rory B.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
(2)Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
(3)Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)Angela C.
This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
(2)Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
(3)Shelley P.
I'm giving this place a three star review only because of the heart attack sushi roll. My coworkers loved it and ordered a second. The service is just okay. The waitress did not understand my request for rice paper or sushi not wrapped in seaweed. We figured out they did use soy paper by reading the menu. I'm not sure what that communication issue was all about. Then a coworker ordered a cocktail and she didn't understand that either. A different employees stopped by to see what exactly we needed. I ordered a vegetable roll and it was just so - so. I also ordered spring rolls and they were the worst spring rolls I've ever had. The rolls contained cabbage only and had zero flavor. I read the reviews here before I went and I was skeptical but was hoping for one of the 'hit' days versus one of the 'miss' days. Apparently I arrived on a 'miss' day. A coworker visited this restaurant three days ago and said it was just okay but the entrée portions are huge and that made it worthwhile. Perhaps I should've ordered an entrée instead. I won't return. There are way too many restaurants within walking distance that I'm sure are much better.
(3)Rory B.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)Dave V.
Every once in a while, it's possible to stumble upon a place that doesn't treat a single diner as a pariah. I can honestly say, in my opinion from last night, that Dao wasn't one of those good places. For a Monday evening, early (6:00), there were perhaps 20 guests in the restaurant. I'm a large guy, and I routinely ask for a table right up front -- my mistake. I was led to the booth closest to the kitchen -- the menu was laid down so that I'd have the lovely view of the back wall. As the hostess drew away I spoke up, asking for a table. With barely a pause I was informed they were all being held for a group. I placed my sushi order, and left to wash my hands. I observed that my miso soup had already been served -- in my absence. Tasty, and I probably just imagined it was a bit too cool.... Mistake #2 was that the platter I ordered included a roll made with jalapeno peppers and cream cheese. I assumed that the combined flavors would mitigate the burn. After all, the menu did not mention anything about it being particularly spicy. Mistake #3 was in taking one bite of the aforementioned surprise. At 20% of the entree's cost, I wistfully pushed it aside and wondered how others fared with it. The rest of the order arrived promptly. Nothing remarkable for the presentation, nor the taste. I'll still try the happy hour pricing some time, but I won't go out of my way for it.
(2)Amy C.
This can be hit or miss where prices are higher than you'd expect for an Asian place. Service is great, and folks like the dim sum here, though I think they just have a lot of MSG (I always walk out parched). I do like their happy hour specials though, and Dao has more 'authentic' dishes than your average chinese restaurant in Cincinnati. You can even ask for the Chinese language menu, and then that's pretty much authentic. I've asked them for dishes at the table and they've always been able to make them for me, so I completely disagree with folks who say this is not Asian food. A more fair statement is that it's less Americanized Asian food, though they do have those options like General Tso chicken if that's what you like.
(3)Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
(2)Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)Katie H.
I've only been here once and tried the dim sum, it was the worst I've ever had. The wrappers were overly squishy and the fillings were underseasoned. Plus everything was a bit pricey for the small portions.
(1)Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)Jason K.
Amazing food. Slow service. We went in and put our name down. I went to the bar to grab a drink and the bartender said it was a 15 wait at the bar. I said even for a drink? She replied yep we are very busy I have the entire bar section to myself. Poorly managed but great food amazing cooks.
(4)Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)John H.
The little lady and I hit up this place because she was in the mood for asian, and we were out in that area. The fire at the bar was the nicer things upon entrance, but for me that about did it. I was disappointed in the food quality of what I ordered--the spring rolls were very bland, and the Pad Thai was probably the worst I've ever had, no lime on the side, no spicy / sweet balance, the tofu had no texture, and it was very salty (I won't even get into the wonton soup which seemed liked it was wontons in sea water). Maybe they should specialize in a specific asian style instead of catering to the different regions.
(1)Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)Steve L.
First of all, if you are looking to go there, there are much better places in the Cincinnati Area. I have passed it several times and it looked promising. I decided to go alone and try it out before inviting friends and wow I am so glad I did. I arrived about 7ish on a Wednesday. I entered and looked around and liked the modern decor and atmosphere although I did get a sensation that it was newly opened. I was seated a four top somewhat near the sushi bar and besides a row of booths all full. I sat there looking around and looking at the wine menu in preperation of ordering a glass. After sitting a couple minutes, I purposefully looked at my watch to monitor the speed of the service. After sitting there about 12 minutes, I finally stopped a long hair older Asian man who gave the appearance of being a "manager" type. I asked if I could have a server and he said yes could he get me something to drink. Keep in mind that have had several servers look at me and pass by me on their way to the kitchen and no one offering to assist me. Finally after about fifteen minutes of being there, my wine and glass of water arrived. The "manager" then told me my sever would be right with me. I had already decided to order sushi first and then decide on an entree later. About three minutes later, an Asian woman appeared at my table and my first thought was who she might be. I then saw she had an order pad and pen in her had and she asked me if she could take my order. Where did she come from? She was dressed in worm jeans and a casual shirt. Why was this woman taking my order when all the other server staff wore black shirts with the DAO logo and black pants? Were they short staffed or was I seated in a closed section? Anyway, I ordered the sushi and it came and it was ok, no wow moment. I then ordered Chicken Red Coconut Curry. It came and it was ok. There are much better places in Cincinnati to get this dish. I ate half of it with the very small bowl of rice I got and then asked for a to go container for the remainer of my curry. The "manager" brought me a black styrofoam compartment container. For my liquid curry?? Wow, ok, so I poured it in this container and was very careful not to spill it on the car. I made it quite clear that I wasn't happy but they obviously dont know "American" body language or tones. There was no apology for the bad experience or offer to pick up my glass of wine or anything. Not that I needed a "freebee" but the principal was at play here. My recommendation, go up the road to Arlo Dee's. I would only go back to Dao if my friends insisted. Sorry for any dissappointments. If you want good sushi, go to Aroma in Kenwood. Very yummy.
(2)Jason H.
Under new management and the food quality has definitely declined.
(2)Janice A.
My SO and I arrived for an early dinner on Friday night. The fire pit at the bar was a welcoming sight on a chilly, rainy evening. There were just a few diners and we were immediately seated by a friendly, chatty waiter. We ordered hot sour soup, sweet and sour pork, pad thai and bimbebop. I've been spoiled by the best hot sour soup EVER ( Yum-Yum's), this version had a beef base. It was fair. The pork dish was interesting and very good, thin slices of pork fried in a tempura batter, the sauce included sliced apples and peaches, the pad thai was fine although a little sparse in ingredients other than noodles, the bimbebop was average, again a little sparse in ingredients other than rice. For an excellent version try Korea House. The ambience of the place, the decor, the really cool and clean bathrooms and the amazing, friendly, accomodating staff more than made up for the small lacks. The place was packed when we left with a variety of diners. We will definitely be back.
(4)Randy W.
Decent food, but really bad service. Server was inattentive and served us the wrong food. Restaurant seemed unlikely to care when I told them about it. Probably will not go back. There are tons of other restaurants in the Deerfield area that will give you a better return than Dao. Sad, actually. I wanted them to succeed, but I'm not sure they will.
(2)Kevin L.
I can't see this place lasting. Dim sum is a recent addition, but it is not on par with Grand Oriental's which is just down the street. The "Asian" dishes I tried there are bland and only partially resemble the intended target. Haven't tried their sushi, but am mindful that there are scores of sushi places around... what is their niche?
(2)A A.
I can't speak for the entrees at this place but the dim sum is decent and reasonably priced. Came on a Sunday in the early afternoon and was seated quickly. Good dim sum selection and everything came out hot. I'll be back.
(4)Debbie B.
I have been here twice, and both times sorely disappointed. First trip, had the Pad Thai - noodles under cooked and overall bland. Second trip, had the Asian chicken salad - consisted of bagged salad and unseasoned boiled chicken. Will not be returning for a third trip.
(1)Lee B.
I'm surprised by the low ratings this place has been getting. I don't go here often, but each time I've gone, the food has been quite tasty. It kind of has the appearance and feel of a trendier PF Changs, but the food is better. A friend from Burma initially recommended this place, and although, I haven't had it yet, she swears by the weekend offerings of dim sum. The last time I was here, I stumbled upon a restaurant secret...there are two menus. Truly. There is one that is offered to Asian people, and another, trendier menu for everyone else. My date and I just happened to have a waiter who wanted us to see both menus. My date ordered something off of the traditional menu, and it was tasty, but enough for 4 meals in itself. I ordered from the regular menu, and had some sort of spicy peanut, chicken concoction, which was delicious. I did prefer what I ordered, but I think it's good to know that there's even more to choose from on a different menu. I think this is the perfect place to stop on the way the movies (there's a theatre right beside it).
(4)Liz K.
AMAZING- I never write reviews but this place deserves a great review! Our sushi was phenomenal I ordered the California Deluxe Roll and it was superb. We also had the gyoza and crab Rangoon for appetizers also phenomenal. I had a cherry martini that was perfect. Last I ordered the Mongolian beef and it was better than PF Changs. I can't believe we didn't stop here because it looked too expensive and everything was pretty much half price. This will be our go to place from now on for AWESOME Asian cuisine!! WOW Also I wanted to mention our server was the bartender (we sat at the round fire bar seating area) and she was on top of everything. Very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and FAST service. If you are considering what to eat, want a nice meal or just some quick sushi and appetizer this is the place!!! :) :)
(5)Briana S.
Wow... this is a bad imitation of Asian food if I ever tasted one. I came here and was taken aback when I saw both sushi and chinese food... deciding for the "safe" option, I stuck with cooked items. I had the chicken lettuce wraps, which were bland and oily. PF Changs seems like authentic Asian next to this place. I won't return.
(2)Robert M.
Excellent sushi, Spicy rolls are spicy! Get the red eye for sure. Meal was ok nothing special. Our Dumplings which where apps came with Dinner. Fail. Otherwise service was quick and timely. Would for sure go back.
(4)Kelsey H.
Me and my mom went here for dinner on a tuesday and the place was practically empty! Negatives: 1. The waitstaff couldn't understand English well at all 2. The waitstaff seemed to be confused that we looked Asian and couldn't speak Mandarin 3. They put crabsticks in EVERYTHING. everything. Positives: 1. We had this beef short ribs dish that was pretty good! Hard to eat with chopsticks, but I didn't want the waitstaff judging me again so I avoid switching to the fork. We came with a groupon and my mom told them we had a groupon, but the waitstaff didn't understand us so they told us to order something that we couldn't use the groupon on... SO at the end of the day we're probably going back very soon. According to the rest of the reviews though, the dim sum seems like the best thing to get here...
(1)Aaron B.
I had a very good experience eating lunch at this restaurant with some family. I ordered a sushi meal with dumplings and tempura, preceded by a miso soup. The entire meal was attractively put together and tasted great. The tea was tasty as well. Our server was helpful and attentive. The dining area and restroom seemed very clean. My group was also impressed by the artistic interior design. I am bookmarking this one. Very nice!
(5)Eric S.
Cool place. Loved the decor. The food was pretty good. I had the seared Ahi Tuna appetizer and then my entree was the Yaki Udon with Chicken. The Udon was really good but not super memorable. The tuna was pretty good but mostly I tasted the wasabi mayo over the top. We did have a new waitress in training and she was learning. I asked for my tuna without sesame seeds and it had been sprinkled with them quite liberally, so I had to send it back. This meant that my appetizer came 3 minutes before my entree. Also, my fellow diners had their entrees before I got my appetizer and between 5 and 10 minutes before my entree. None of this was awful or a reason for me to never go back. The waitress was just a little inexperienced and told us so near the beginning. She was professional throughout. A fairly good experience with no real complaints.
(3)Dave V.
Every once in a while, it's possible to stumble upon a place that doesn't treat a single diner as a pariah. I can honestly say, in my opinion from last night, that Dao wasn't one of those good places. For a Monday evening, early (6:00), there were perhaps 20 guests in the restaurant. I'm a large guy, and I routinely ask for a table right up front -- my mistake. I was led to the booth closest to the kitchen -- the menu was laid down so that I'd have the lovely view of the back wall. As the hostess drew away I spoke up, asking for a table. With barely a pause I was informed they were all being held for a group. I placed my sushi order, and left to wash my hands. I observed that my miso soup had already been served -- in my absence. Tasty, and I probably just imagined it was a bit too cool.... Mistake #2 was that the platter I ordered included a roll made with jalapeno peppers and cream cheese. I assumed that the combined flavors would mitigate the burn. After all, the menu did not mention anything about it being particularly spicy. Mistake #3 was in taking one bite of the aforementioned surprise. At 20% of the entree's cost, I wistfully pushed it aside and wondered how others fared with it. The rest of the order arrived promptly. Nothing remarkable for the presentation, nor the taste. I'll still try the happy hour pricing some time, but I won't go out of my way for it.
(2)Amy C.
This can be hit or miss where prices are higher than you'd expect for an Asian place. Service is great, and folks like the dim sum here, though I think they just have a lot of MSG (I always walk out parched). I do like their happy hour specials though, and Dao has more 'authentic' dishes than your average chinese restaurant in Cincinnati. You can even ask for the Chinese language menu, and then that's pretty much authentic. I've asked them for dishes at the table and they've always been able to make them for me, so I completely disagree with folks who say this is not Asian food. A more fair statement is that it's less Americanized Asian food, though they do have those options like General Tso chicken if that's what you like.
(3)Steve L.
First of all, if you are looking to go there, there are much better places in the Cincinnati Area. I have passed it several times and it looked promising. I decided to go alone and try it out before inviting friends and wow I am so glad I did. I arrived about 7ish on a Wednesday. I entered and looked around and liked the modern decor and atmosphere although I did get a sensation that it was newly opened. I was seated a four top somewhat near the sushi bar and besides a row of booths all full. I sat there looking around and looking at the wine menu in preperation of ordering a glass. After sitting a couple minutes, I purposefully looked at my watch to monitor the speed of the service. After sitting there about 12 minutes, I finally stopped a long hair older Asian man who gave the appearance of being a "manager" type. I asked if I could have a server and he said yes could he get me something to drink. Keep in mind that have had several servers look at me and pass by me on their way to the kitchen and no one offering to assist me. Finally after about fifteen minutes of being there, my wine and glass of water arrived. The "manager" then told me my sever would be right with me. I had already decided to order sushi first and then decide on an entree later. About three minutes later, an Asian woman appeared at my table and my first thought was who she might be. I then saw she had an order pad and pen in her had and she asked me if she could take my order. Where did she come from? She was dressed in worm jeans and a casual shirt. Why was this woman taking my order when all the other server staff wore black shirts with the DAO logo and black pants? Were they short staffed or was I seated in a closed section? Anyway, I ordered the sushi and it came and it was ok, no wow moment. I then ordered Chicken Red Coconut Curry. It came and it was ok. There are much better places in Cincinnati to get this dish. I ate half of it with the very small bowl of rice I got and then asked for a to go container for the remainer of my curry. The "manager" brought me a black styrofoam compartment container. For my liquid curry?? Wow, ok, so I poured it in this container and was very careful not to spill it on the car. I made it quite clear that I wasn't happy but they obviously dont know "American" body language or tones. There was no apology for the bad experience or offer to pick up my glass of wine or anything. Not that I needed a "freebee" but the principal was at play here. My recommendation, go up the road to Arlo Dee's. I would only go back to Dao if my friends insisted. Sorry for any dissappointments. If you want good sushi, go to Aroma in Kenwood. Very yummy.
(2)Ron C.
This review covers roughly 20 visits over the past three years. The food quality variance over the three years has been wide. During some stretches it was below average - other times pretty darn good. This includes all variations of the menu and all specialty menu items (sushi and dim sum). Service has never been more than slightly below average, except for a short duration when a particular individual stood out as a bright spot. I know management there has shifted at least twice if not more often from the original owner and this seems to reflect the alterations in food quality. Nothing explains the low service levels though than the fact that all the owners simply hire inexperienced help and give them no training. My most recent experience was of the above average variety in food quality. Service was pleasant but below average - simply no service orientation - just a smiley conveyor belt from kitchen to table. The reason for the two stars is the inconsistency. While the recent experience is three stars - my next visit could be one or two stars - or four for all I know. Convenience is the most powerful motivation for going there to eat, which is too bad because if it could stay above average long enough, more of my dining out dollars would flow to this establishment. July 25, 2015 update" This place has closed.
(2)Shelley P.
I'm giving this place a three star review only because of the heart attack sushi roll. My coworkers loved it and ordered a second. The service is just okay. The waitress did not understand my request for rice paper or sushi not wrapped in seaweed. We figured out they did use soy paper by reading the menu. I'm not sure what that communication issue was all about. Then a coworker ordered a cocktail and she didn't understand that either. A different employees stopped by to see what exactly we needed. I ordered a vegetable roll and it was just so - so. I also ordered spring rolls and they were the worst spring rolls I've ever had. The rolls contained cabbage only and had zero flavor. I read the reviews here before I went and I was skeptical but was hoping for one of the 'hit' days versus one of the 'miss' days. Apparently I arrived on a 'miss' day. A coworker visited this restaurant three days ago and said it was just okay but the entrée portions are huge and that made it worthwhile. Perhaps I should've ordered an entrée instead. I won't return. There are way too many restaurants within walking distance that I'm sure are much better.
(3)Rory B.
In general pretty mediocre. The bento boxes provide a decent volume but at the cost of missing flavor. Tried the Korean chicken box and all of the sides were great. The chicken was dry and lifeless with the appearance of seasoning only. Tasted like a microwaved chicken. The sushi is the best that you'll find in the near area. but that really isn't saying much. no attention to detail. lacking flavor and effort. i can give them a positive. i tried the spicy seafood noodle soup the other day and it was pretty good. i would rather have one of the soups form sechuan bistro down the road but it was a Monday. they get three stars for the soup alone
(3)Christina C.
Was excited for this place as they have dim sum on Sundays, they even push the food around in carts! We started off with the soy milk, which was sweetened just right. They have a great selection of dim sum, chicken feet, black bean ribs, tripe, tendon, a variety of Chinese buns (bao), and dessert items. The tendon and egg custard bao were my favorite. The service was also great, the waitresses checked up on us regularly and food came around quickly. One thing that I didn't like was that they seated us in a booth which was dimly lighted, which may be good for dinner but wish they had more lighting during lunch time. In addition to dim sum, they also have other socials and sushi which we didn't try, but look forward to trying on my next trip.
(3)Stephanie H.
Decor is really inviting. Service was very poor. We could never find our server. She would have made a few extra dollars off me if I could have found her to order another glass of the delicious wine I was drinking before I finished my meal and was ready to cash out. Japanese Bagel roll is amazing! Gotta love half price sushi. Heard they have had some health code issues, not sure if that's true or not but I will be back again.
(3)Ben R.
Ok first things first we enter and it takes 3 minutes until the hostess comes and takes to our table and and a few minutes pass and we get our drinks and ordered our food at 6:00 and we waited until about 8:30 when we got our food and the food was just average and and the rice on the sushi we got 2as just dry so if want to get overcharged and waist your night come here!
(2)Diana A.
2.5 stars. A restaurant should not try to be everything to everyone, because it doesn't work. They should stick to what they know, which is Chinese. Hubby ordered bibimbop, which is a very simple Korean dish; it did not taste like bibimbop at all. The Chinese food seemed fair but a bit too greasy and salty. If you are a foodie, you will be disappointed. If you are okay with so-so food, it's not too bad.
(2)Ron H.
Out of business. Since Yelp says my review is too short, then I will waste more words to say that Dao has gone belly up. They are no longer open for business. The sign is gone. This restaurant is closed. No more Dao. Can't eat there anymore.
(1)Maggie B.
Good Sushi if you are already out that way.
(4)Meixuan W.
Today I went to Dao because I heard about dim sum is pretty good! However, I have to say it was terrible about everything all the dimsum is toooooo salty!!! Chicken feet, congee etc. it is like they want to make the most salty food ever! Horrible try!
(1)SD L.
Dropped by for lunch the other day, and I was pleasantly surprised. Pleasant atmosphere, sushi bar, regular bar. I had the tempura-style chicken, with miso soup and fried rice. The miso soup was really very good - not too salty, nice miso flavor. Maybe a bit more tofu.... The chicken was nicely cooked, crisp, with a nice flavored dipping sauce. The fried rice was just fine, nothing spectacular. I will go back for dinner to try other parts of the menu. DINNER UPDATE: Yup. Good. I had the Thai Blazin' Noodles - nice spicy sauce. I made it combo with chicken and shrimp. Sliced jalapenos cooked in as well. My friend has Volcano Chicken, which had a good flavor and nice spice. Mine was hotter!
(4)Evan L.
Over the winter break, my parents wanted to try this place out and I told them "don't go, it has low reviews on yelp." So we went somewhere else and that was that. But my parents have a history of driving 20, 30, or, I kid you not, 300 miles just for dim sum (my dad really loves Chicago's Chinatown) so since Dao is close to us, they couldn't resist trying out this place on their own. Well, they loved it and couldn't wait to take me there just to rub it in my fat little face. It was a Sunday afternoon and I just got back home for spring break. My parents gave me a great big hug and immediately took me here. Coming inside, I was surprised by how friendly the staff were. They speak both Cantonese and Mandarin and I also heard them speak decent English to others. The service was just okay though; the place was packed and they seemed a little understaffed--it was nothing I would complain about though. Let me tell you a little about dim sum. In Cantonese, we also call it "yum chaa" which means "drink tea". So basically it also means "you're going to spend a while here just talking, drinking tea, and maybe eating every once in a while." It's meant to be really laid back so if you have a really busy day planned out, dim sum might not be right for you. I was upset that I was missing some of March Madness but I'll try not to let this affect my review. Everything on the cart tastes just like how you'd expect from any other place that serves dim sum. I pretty much always get the same things: haa gau, siu mai, chicken feet, etc. The squid was pretty tasty even though I'm usually not a big fan of that. The fried tofu was also really good; I was pleasantly surprised by the shrimp on the top and how well it blended together. We also ordered beef chow fun as extra to all the dim sum. It's my favorite dish and when it's on the menu, I always order it at restaurants I've never been to before. The food came really fast and it was one of the better beef chow funs I've had (out of a few dozen places). They used too much oil though, which is kind of understandable if you've ever tried making this dish. But the thing I can't forgive is that the portions were disappointing for the price. Especially because it was so good. Gah! I don't think I would come here for a normal lunch/dinner. The food on the menu looks like typical Americanized Chinese food and I'm assuming that's why the yelp reviews are so poor. But for dim sum, I would definitely recommend this place (especially over Grand Oriental).
(4)Christiiiiii I.
Went there twice a d service was terrible. Waiters don't seem to want to be there and are not very nice. Need to ask to get silverware or refills on water and to take menus away... Food is ok but definitely nothing special or very good. Have had better food. I was a little scared to eat the sushi since fish did not seem to be the freshest. Not going back again.
(2)Lee B.
I'm surprised by the low ratings this place has been getting. I don't go here often, but each time I've gone, the food has been quite tasty. It kind of has the appearance and feel of a trendier PF Changs, but the food is better. A friend from Burma initially recommended this place, and although, I haven't had it yet, she swears by the weekend offerings of dim sum. The last time I was here, I stumbled upon a restaurant secret...there are two menus. Truly. There is one that is offered to Asian people, and another, trendier menu for everyone else. My date and I just happened to have a waiter who wanted us to see both menus. My date ordered something off of the traditional menu, and it was tasty, but enough for 4 meals in itself. I ordered from the regular menu, and had some sort of spicy peanut, chicken concoction, which was delicious. I did prefer what I ordered, but I think it's good to know that there's even more to choose from on a different menu. I think this is the perfect place to stop on the way the movies (there's a theatre right beside it).
(4)RT R.
So I heard that the dim sum at Dao was as good as Toronto Dim sum. Having eaten at Bon's Chinese on Montgomery Road, I was psyched to find another place in Cinci that had good dim sum. I was DISAPPOINTED! First, the service was awful. No one came for a good ten minutes to take our order. Second, the dim sums just tasted rubbery, the wrapping was thick, and it was just AWFUL. Please save yourselves a trip to this restaurant and don't return! If you want good Dim sum go to Bon's Chinese on the weekend. You will not be disappointed!
(1)Steve T.
Things are looking better after the new management team took over in May, 2011. I took my Chinese parents for dim sum for Father's Day and we all enjoyed the the selection and the decent price ($3.25 per dim sum). Earlier this week, I went for a company dinner and tried a few appetizers and entrees. They were decent and below is a breakdown of each aspect of the restaurant. Food = 4 (dim sum was quite good but the other main entrees were average) Ambiance = 4 because Dao took full advantage of the nice furniture from the former Macaroni Grill business at the same location. Service = 3.5 because it was good at the dim sum brunch but it was subpar at the company dinner.
(4)Shree W.
Amazing Dim-sum served in Dayton-Cincinnati Area. Pretty good place for a date, since they have romantic environment. I have driven from Dayton all the way there just for the weekend dim-sum. Also, the bim-bim-bang in hot stone bowl is awesome. I will suggest the dessert in Chinese dim-sum menu, because it is not that sweet as American traditional pies.
(5)David G.
Good and unusual sushi rolls. Excellent raspberry ice tea. Try the hot rock for an adventure. It can get busy but the waitstaff is always polite and helpful.
(5)Amy R.
A group of my friends ate lunch at DAO on Sunday. The food was wonderful. The service was top rate and the prices were very reasonable. We liked it so much that we're going back in two weeks! I highly recommend it!
(5)Ryan C.
Seriously people, do not go here. We've been wanting to try this place out since it opened a while ago. We were pretty happy that there wasn't a wait and there was a decent amount of customers eating. We sat at our table for 15 minutes with out even seeing a waiter/waitress in our area. So needless to say, we didn't get water or even a "I'll be with you in a second." After going we finally here from others that no one we know has had a good experience.
(1)Mike N.
Seems like the whole staff is Cantonese and their dim sum is decently good. Went in at 2pm Saturday and it's too bad it wasn't crowded.
(4)Kevin W.
I like chinese food, and this thing about calling chinese restaurants, modern asian cuisine, seems to be marketing fluff. This restaurant is very nice inside, has a great ambiance, but the food is just okay. To me, modern asian cuisine would mean they finally stopped putting MSG in their food because it does nothing to benefit the food. Unfortunately, this restaurant still has to resort to the outdated food flavor enhancer to try to spruce up their meals. The spring rolls were great, the chicken teriyaki skewers were bland, and unfortunately, I couldn't finish my General Tso's Chicken out of fear of the potential migraine. The pricing is a bit high for average Chinese food. I heard from the waiter that the restaurant is under new management, so perhaps in the future, that will translate into improvements in the cuisine.
(2)E Y.
I've been there 3x, last on Mother's Day. I will keep going back for the dim sum, because there are only a few places in the area that you can get it! I wouldn't go there for regular entrees, though.
(4)Adam H.
Not the best, but definitely not the worst. Some of the apps are overpriced, but overall food was good.
(4)J. N.
I sometime came here only on Sunday with friends for Dim Sum. Food is okay, nice and clean place. No complain about the service
(3)Nashville T.
This restaurant continues to go downhill. The last time we went it the menu had changed. It's now more Korean, less Chinese food and much more sushi. The fact that they offer Latin Dancing part of the week goes to show you that there is no clear direction with the management.
(1)Mitch G.
Terrible food and service. Charged more than menu states and acted like the customer is stupid for not knowing it's an old menu that THEY handed us. I can not stress enough that this place is a rip off. Just found out owner is the same as Iron Chef ( another terrible place) it won't be around long. By the way, giving this dump one star is being VERY generous
(1)Eric R.
Horrible service. Not impressed. Not recommend.
(1)Kelly K.
My family and I went here for the first time tonight. Well NEVER be back! We sat at 6:30 and left around 8 with only eating our soup and crab rangoons..which by the way we're COLD! Everything was served on chipped plates and bowls, that can't be safe. Over all the experience was awful! We paid for our drinks, soup, and rangoons , hopped in the car and went to Panera. What up set us the most is the attitude our waitress had and the manager towards us walking out. NO STARS! It only got one because I had to.
(1)Kelly J.
The service was terrible. The appetizer came out after our first round of our main course and when I say main course it was a one hour process. The ahi tuna had the texture of jello bc it was not seared properly; it seems almost boiled. Waste of $80.
(2)Denise D.
Always enjoy to go to Dao for some dim sum. The service can hit or miss, but today the service was exceptionally good. The good choices are good but wish there are more choices. The quality of the food are pretty authentic. My favorite dessert is the egg Custer, it's always good and very fresh when I go there. Highly recommended if you are hungry for some dim sum.
(3)Gary R.
I've hit this place consistently over the past year. There are some obvious reasons i return... ~ The Yummy roll! Crab, jalapeño, spicy mayo... Boom! ~ Price point... Sushi is very affordable here, and the majority of the other dishes are massively sized. ~ the ambiance is chill and relaxing for a date or family dinner. ~ the place is never packed! However, there are some opportunities at this place. - Service is sllllloooooooooooow! Not rude, slllloooooooow! - English is a second language for the owners/servers, which leads to miscommunication for some customers not aware or open to working through it. - When you drift from the sushi menu the food is average. Overall this place is a consistent, affordable, average Asian meal with better then average sushi!
(3)Rachel M.
If you want to be treated bad and get overcharged, go to this restaurant. We had to flag down a different waitress just to get our bill to get out of there. Then when our waitress decided brought our bill she decided to add her tip to our bill "just cause". Not only that, she charged us extra for a sushi combo we have ordered on 2 other occasions within the last month. I have been here a couple times before and thought the service was slow, food is average but we come back because of proximity to our house. There are much better places in the area to warrant spending another dime with folks like this.
(1)S J.
Not sure what is up with the ratings?? This place has great decor, drinks and good prices along with an extended happy hour. Crab Rangoon and Gyoza for $2.50, not to mention 1/2 sushi. Never overly crowded and friendly bar service. No at the table hibachi but how many places throwing food at you do we really need?
(4)Elaine M.
Just had dinner at Dao tonight. WOW! We loved everything. Hubby had Singapore Rice Noodles with chicken and Shrimp. He loved it and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered it. But then when I took a bite of my Sweet and Sour Chicken I was glad I ordered it. But then I wanted both. Liz, our waitress was friendly and right there whenever we needed her. Great service. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Darren R.
Went to Dao around 8:00 On Saturday night. Started off with a Bottle of half price wine. We ordered a few Sushi rolls. And they were great! My total bill was very affordable with the amount of food I received. We did notice they were having a Salsa night Saturday. We we arrived a little bit later im sure we would of stayed.
(4)Kennie G.
I met a friend here for a drink last weekend, and we sat at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat here, so this review won't include the food or the menu. The drink we had was their specialty du jour, a mango martini. It was super! Sweet, but not overly sweet, as many drinks like this can have the tendency to be. It was my friend's birthday, so the bartender gave us a shot of Grey Goose on the house. Niiiice! There were 2 young ladies tending the bar that evening and they were very friendly, and very attentive. They also kept up with all the people ordering drinks, as it got kind of busy. The decor of the restaurant was really cool, really modern. They have a fire pit! Right there, at the bar! The thing that struck me most was how big the restaurant itself is. There is soooo much seating in the dining room! Mainly booths, but they do have moveable tables and chairs so this would be a good if you have a larger party. Most important--- the bathroom was very clean. I'd like to go back to actually have some food at this restaurant, it's just so out of the way. If I'm ever in this part of town again, though, I might hit them up.
(4)Jordan E.
Was surprised at the reviews. This place was pretty good and I don't even like sushi that much but this was good. Def will be back
(4)Katie H.
I've only been here once and tried the dim sum, it was the worst I've ever had. The wrappers were overly squishy and the fillings were underseasoned. Plus everything was a bit pricey for the small portions.
(1)Lisa H.
Worst sushi I've ever had in a restaurant. Even Kroger sushi is marginally better. I went with a group of friends who were smarter than me and didn't go the sushi route...their dishes were pretty good but I still don't think I'd go back. The service was pretty bad. Also not a good sign that at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was deserted.
(2)Karen C.
This review is for the food. If I were to include service, it would most likely be a 3 star experience. The highlights: 1. The menu! Finally! Something resembling an authentic Chinese menu! And true to Chinese restaurant form, they have a secret Chinese menu that they don't give out to everyone. EXCEPT this time they didn't hand one to me too. It was a Caucasian host too! Reverse racial profiling...But in any case, there are a lot of traditional stews and a couple bowls of soup noodles. I ended up getting the Taiwanese-style braised beef and beef tendon soup noodle. The noodles are fresh (perhaps made in house) and the broth is fairly flavorful (although the star anise flavor is a little too strong for my tastes). The beef is pretty traditionally prepared except I think the beef and beef tendon needed to braise for a little longer because it was a little tougher than I'd prefer. I do wish it came with some vegetables, usually spinach, as it does at other restaurants (outside Cincinnati) just to balance out the meat-carb combination. Add a little of their Chinese hot sauce, and you have yourself a decent meal. Oh, and I should probably mention that the portions are fairly large so be prepared for leftovers! My boyfriend got the Hong Kong style chow mein, the kind of noodles that are deep fried and then topped off with vegetables and a protein of your choice in a brown gravy. As the gravy soaks through the crispy noodles, it softens the noodles in the middle, so there's a contrast in texture. Both the noodles and the gravy were really well done. Finally, we shared the Szechuan style green beans. This is the one dish that i order at every Chinese restaurant, a barometer by which I can judge the establishment. When I read Szechuan style green beans, I think of green beans in a garlicky, spicy sauce. These are not those kinds of beans. The beans were prepared al dente, and stir-fried in a brown gravy sauce. It tasted pretty good, both at the restaurant and as leftovers, but they are not Szechuan-style green beans. 2. Now to mention their customer service. Everyone was very polite and attentive, except the person who was ultimately our server. He left us hanging for 15 minutes without a drink order or settings, didn't know anything about the menu, tried to convince me that they didn't have something on the menu anymore (even though they did), didn't know pricing of the dim sum, and most of all, didn't know if the noodles were cooked in peanut oil, which is pretty important information for my peanut-allergic boyfriend to know...The server tried to make up for his incompetence with his personality but you really need to know your menu if you're gonna stay in this line of work. I really hope he was new... I'd really consider going back to Dao to try some more of their dishes, especially for the dim sum happy hour they seem to have. And when I'm craving homestyle Chinese food, Dao may be my new go-to place. And from looking around at the other customers, I wouldn't be the only Asian doing so.
(4)Ashley M.
We've gone here several times. The food is incredible! Every time the food has been amazing. The only problem with this place is the service. Horrendous service every time!! You wait 20-30 minutes for a drink order to be taken. Have a good two-three hours if you eat here because you're going to wait. Normally with service like this I'd never go back, but the food is phenomenal!
(3)Caroline C.
Here is what the pitch meeting sounded like for Dao: Pitch: Americans are pretty stupid, so I think we should make an Asian restaurant serving cuisines from multiple countries even though these are distinctly different countries with large and varied populations. And although these countries make up roughly 30% of the World's population, we can condense this down into a 7 page menu. Financial Backers: That's a genius idea! And we really want to stick it to P.F. Chang's with their faux Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty horses, so let's make some really over-the-top culturally offensive decor. But we don't want to spend too much money, so find an old abandoned Italian restaurant with strange severed hand decor and we're all set. Pitchers: It's a deal! And it gets worse from there. Not only is the menu all over the place, but they were out of a significant amount of items. The Hot and Sour soup was missing woodear mushrooms. When I brought this up to our server, he said he'd check with the kitchen. Upon his return, he confirmed that they are out of woodear mushrooms and the kitchen seemed pretty nonchalant about it. Since woodear mushrooms are the best part of Hot and Sour soup, I found this to be quite unacceptable. It was a lost cause though because the soup itself tasted like plastic. When my husband asked if the katsu came with egg our server gave a funny look and said that the pictures in the menu are not representative of what the food actually looks like/comes with. Way to use stock photos, Dao. Hmmm so what else was bad? The 'Salt N Pepper Calamari' was of the frozen variety. Not just the squid itself, but came pre-battered and frozen. It was inedible. I actually felt bad for our server throughout the night. He had to make multiple trips back to our table since what we ordered kept being out. We had also asked about their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. He went back to the kitchen several times during this exchange to ask some mysterious "owner" about what's in it. Interesting that this phantom owner never came out to at least explain/apologize for all of the problems. I might go back here on a dare.
(1)Ajay D.
Great ambiance, friendly staff and good food. Had spicy Thai noodles and the 2 veggie sushis.
(4)Angela C.
This update is for the dim sum! Yum, yum, yum. Decently priced with a good variety. You will find all your dim sum staples. I hadn't had/seen curry octopus at other places but it is tender and savory goodness. The last time I went with my family we ordered... not sure what to call it in English... essentially sauteed bean sprout greens, which I thought was delicious. The congee is also scrumptious. Definitely a solid dim sum joint that is becoming a go to. If you go during the main busy hours, you will get the carts and all that fun stuff, but if you are towards the end of the afternoon, you will have to order off the menu and don't get the benefit of seeingwhat you order.
(4)Antoni G.
Went there for half price sushi and it was decent. The rolls were extra small though. I did speak with the bar manager and they said there is new ownership that is changing it to a more authentic Korean and Japanese place. I can't wait to see what they do. They are planning some major changes.
(3)Venkatesh B.
My wife and mother-in-law decided to head here for a post-mother's day, mother's day brunch knowing that they still have dim-sum on weekdays... The good: the ambiance is very cool, the location is easy to get to and the signage from the street was easy to see. The bad: the waitress forgot my meal entirely after joking that she didn't want me to think she would forget..., the food was really average or even just below average. Overall: we will probably never return here.
(2)Jason K.
Amazing food. Slow service. We went in and put our name down. I went to the bar to grab a drink and the bartender said it was a 15 wait at the bar. I said even for a drink? She replied yep we are very busy I have the entire bar section to myself. Poorly managed but great food amazing cooks.
(4)John H.
The little lady and I hit up this place because she was in the mood for asian, and we were out in that area. The fire at the bar was the nicer things upon entrance, but for me that about did it. I was disappointed in the food quality of what I ordered--the spring rolls were very bland, and the Pad Thai was probably the worst I've ever had, no lime on the side, no spicy / sweet balance, the tofu had no texture, and it was very salty (I won't even get into the wonton soup which seemed liked it was wontons in sea water). Maybe they should specialize in a specific asian style instead of catering to the different regions.
(1)Jack C.
Food was good. Decor was great. Dishes and flatware were second rate. Service was excellent!
(3)Todd P.
I was impressed with the service and thought that the food was great. I ordered Pad Thai and thought that it was very good. Only complaint was that it wasn't hot enough, but I got some hot oil to spice it up myself.
(4)Jason H.
Under new management and the food quality has definitely declined.
(2)Janice A.
My SO and I arrived for an early dinner on Friday night. The fire pit at the bar was a welcoming sight on a chilly, rainy evening. There were just a few diners and we were immediately seated by a friendly, chatty waiter. We ordered hot sour soup, sweet and sour pork, pad thai and bimbebop. I've been spoiled by the best hot sour soup EVER ( Yum-Yum's), this version had a beef base. It was fair. The pork dish was interesting and very good, thin slices of pork fried in a tempura batter, the sauce included sliced apples and peaches, the pad thai was fine although a little sparse in ingredients other than noodles, the bimbebop was average, again a little sparse in ingredients other than rice. For an excellent version try Korea House. The ambience of the place, the decor, the really cool and clean bathrooms and the amazing, friendly, accomodating staff more than made up for the small lacks. The place was packed when we left with a variety of diners. We will definitely be back.
(4)Randy W.
Decent food, but really bad service. Server was inattentive and served us the wrong food. Restaurant seemed unlikely to care when I told them about it. Probably will not go back. There are tons of other restaurants in the Deerfield area that will give you a better return than Dao. Sad, actually. I wanted them to succeed, but I'm not sure they will.
(2)Kevin L.
I can't see this place lasting. Dim sum is a recent addition, but it is not on par with Grand Oriental's which is just down the street. The "Asian" dishes I tried there are bland and only partially resemble the intended target. Haven't tried their sushi, but am mindful that there are scores of sushi places around... what is their niche?
(2)A A.
I can't speak for the entrees at this place but the dim sum is decent and reasonably priced. Came on a Sunday in the early afternoon and was seated quickly. Good dim sum selection and everything came out hot. I'll be back.
(4)Debbie B.
I have been here twice, and both times sorely disappointed. First trip, had the Pad Thai - noodles under cooked and overall bland. Second trip, had the Asian chicken salad - consisted of bagged salad and unseasoned boiled chicken. Will not be returning for a third trip.
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