Lavo

I’ve been here several times for drinks because friends want to meet up here. My most recent visit was last night. The bar is super small and crowded and the cocktails are not that good. I don’t get what the buzz is about this place. The bartender usually mixes up people’s bills. It happened again last night and my friend mentioned it happened to her the other night as well. By around 11pm, people who can;t get into the club end up at the bar and it’s mostly a young crowd and tourists. Not for me.

Nice small venue, but expensive as hell if you’re planning to have drinks all night at the bar. I had a Long Island iced tea for 22 bucks (tip not included). Coat check was 8 bucks. Granted, the venue is upscale, and so it comes song with the territory. Along with upscale comes a degree of «professional,» and possibly mature, so there’s a good chance you don’t have to worry about a bottle being cracked over your head because you «looked» at a guy’s girlfriend the wrong way.
I came here to see Steve Aoki perform, and despite the upscale and possibly «boring» crowd, everyone had a good time. I can’t recall any alarming moments, but maybe it’s because the music took everyone to a nice place likely elevated by molly, coke, and an imaginary drug I just created in my mind called POP (Pants Off Party) I wasn’t sure what to expect considering the small space (which is a restaurant during the day) for an EDM event, but little did I know that Lavo would produce a pretty awesome light show as the night progressed. These multi colored flashing and laser beamed lights were accompanied by confetti falling from above, and a dancer erotically moved to the music in a mesmerizing yet tasteful way that didn’t take away from the music and allowed the guys to keep the goods in their paints. It eventually got a little crazy with cake being thrown at the birthday guests by the performer by request, so it seemed.
The bartender seemed a little distracted and not too interested in creating a fun atmosphere among customers, but that could very well be a result of wealthy douchebags flashing bills and using cheap lines to get her to visit their lofts. However, I did initiate some conversation and laughs with the bouncers and even the underpaid bathroom assistant selling gum and offering napkin service because. How else would we wash our hands? Their genuine answer to a typical night at Lavo was that it was all fun without a lot of common lounge or club intangibles, and I whole heartedly agreed at the end of the night. I would check it out again, minus the drinks and coat check.

If you aren’t white please don’t waste your time going here. This establishment prefers white models at their events. The bouncers are extremely rude they blatantly ignored my friends and I due to the fact that we didn’t fit the look they want for Lavo. Their excuse to us is that we weren’t allowed because we did not have reservations, but that was clearly a lie. As soon as we stepped off the line they asked a group of people behind us if they had reservations and a member of the group said no and they allowed to enter without any further scrutiny. It’s clear that Lavo doesn’t want brown people in their clubs and I’m glad that I didn’t waste a dollar in a place like this.

I went for the boozy Saturday brunch. It was definitely a taste of Vegas — a totally crazy over the top experience. Dizzying but hilarious.

racist! racist! racist! racist! we came out to celebrate my friends birthday, group of about 13 beautiful professional females, we even pulled up in a benz limo. we were denied entry because we were black. the bouncer said we couldn’t get in because it was too crowded inside. when we asked more questions he ignored us. as soon as we stepped off the line the next group of females that were white, were allowed entry without even having reservations.
to top it off some white guy that came out saw us entering the limo and said «yo yo yo love and hip hop»

The Quick: The food was eclectic and fantastic! Big space, perfect for a group. Can be pricey but the lunch special and restaurant week is a treat. Great spot– forget the diet and get the Oreo zeppole!
The Details: I was actually shocked at how great the food was since Lavo is primarily known as a nightclub. I went for restaurant week and would absolutely recommend and will likely return next year.
The tuna tartare starter was fantastic, as was the complementary garlic bread and tomato sauce… Yum! The salmon entrée was ⁵⁄₅ stars; savory and juicy served over zucchini spaghetti for those who are calorie conscientious (me!)
The icing on the cake was, of course, the fried Oreos which completely ruined my diet but made my day. Overall a must try for a classy, leisurely lunch.
The Damage: $ 25 Restaurant week lunch + tip/​tax. I believe they have a weekly lunch special ~$ 28

Regrading the nightclub– the staff is very rude! The bouncers and doormen are extremely nasty as well; thinking who they are and I’ve actually witnessed them put their hands on women in a physical manner.
It’s also very small and they over crowd it. No room to dance or anything unless you have a table (luckily we did) but if you didn’t you’re basically stuck with nowhere to go or move.
I probably won’t be coming back to the nightclub but am interested in trying out the restaurant.

I finally had the chance to have a meal at Lavo last week! I’ve been a few times to the nightclub, but I’ve been wanting to eat at Lavo for years now. I decided to visit for restaurant week lunch last week and I wasn’t disappointed. I do understand that restaurant week was just a glimpse of the menu, but I’m happy that I was able to try out 3 great courses!
I started off with the tuna tartare appetizer and it was excellent! I loved the vinaigrette that it’s in. I then had the steak with truffle fries. The steak was cooked perfectly and the fries were just as good as I thought they’d be. I finished off with this hazelnut pudding dessert and it was so delicious! Everything I had exceeded my expectations.
I’m really excited to visit Lavo again and try somethings off of the regular menu. I’ve heard great things about the meatball appetizer and would love to try that next time!

I have been here several times and always love it. I came here today for lunch and it was restaurant week. It truly is a bang for your buck! I started with the mussels, my boyfriend got the tuna tartare & my mother had a Caesar salad. All delicious and accompanied by their garlic bread which is heaven! For entrees I had the penne vodka (such a huge portion I took half to go) the bf got salmon and my mom got the pizza. For dessert I had the fried Oreos with vanilla milkshake and they both got the gianduja budino which was like a hazelnut chocolate mousse. Everything was great and this place is a staple on my midtown list.

Came here on NYE. We had a group of 7 people. We went to dinner then to the club downstairs.
I did not like how we had to go outside to wait in line to get into the club after dinner. We paid about $ 80pp for dinner and $ 186pp for the club. The least they could have done was give us straight access to the club. Luckily we knew someone who helped us skip the huge line and get in.
The club was overly packed. Getting a drink at the bar took forever. I will never waste money again here. It was nice to experience but not something that makes you want to go again.
Dinner was nice except my dish was horrible!!! I had the Crispy Chicken «Dominic». No where in the description did it mention a peanut sauce. I hate peanuts so much too. I definitely did not like my dish. Everyone else though liked their dishes.
We really wanted to order the famous meatballs but they are made with — ground imperial wagyu, italian sausage and veal. we cannot eat sausage so we could not enjoy them.
We ordered:
Appetizers:
Wagyu Stuffed Rice Balls
Imperial Wagyu Carpaccio
Crispy Fried Calamari
Entrées:
14Oz. Bone-​in Filet Mignon
Crispy Chicken «Dominic»
24Oz. Bone-​in Rib Eye
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Lobster Fra Diavolo
Veal Milanese
Brick Oven Salmon Oreganato
Dessert:
Oreo Zeppole
The Oreo Zeppole was amazinggggg! I had one with a cup of cappuccino. It was heavenly.

For someone who have been in other similar places I think that the choice wasn’t the best one. I heard about this place a lot and always wanted to try it there. So I made reservations for my birthday and went there with my friends. We were a group of 12 people and our Rsv was for 10pm. We got to sit around 11pm right by the RESTROOM doors beside all that, this place needs a major renovation. Overall I feel a little disappointed and the food wasn’t wow.
*Love Tao a cross the street from Lavo.

We celebrated our Holiday party here this year at LAVO, We typically have it at a wonderful place called Astra; I was a bit bummed out initially when I heard of the change, but this place held up on it’s own. I had two friends of mine who had gatherings here and were not pleased with the food, the cost, and overall experience here. When I first arrived the security guard seemed to be a bit of a d**k as I just asked where should I go, with an attitude he said who are you with, then proceeded to point to the door I should go. As I head down the stairs coat check was there and it was tie to party. Subsequently after striking up a conversation with one of the employees, I found out Brett Favre was upstairs having a party, but by that point I had indulged in the free open bar and didn’t care enough.
Anywho, back to the festivities. Lavo has a large bar once you get past coat check and various couches and tables and then more seating toward the back. The set-​up probably is different when it’s not a party going on because along the right side was the food. They had salad, steaks, pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, and a few other items.
The establishment was very spacious, the DJ was friendly and took various requests. I was the only one tall enough to get his attention and he didn’t seem bothered that I had requests from various women colleagues of mine.
Overall, I would definitely return and would like to see how thing are on a regular night.

Good for a lunch meeting. Can easily sit down without a reservation, as long as you can get there by 12 30pm ish. Little up-​scaled Italian spot, but not overly priced.
You can’t go wrong with any pastas in the menu. Penne ala vodka, Penne seafood alfredo, Pappardelle bolognese, Rigatoni with eggplant… All dishes that I’d tried were good. Nothing to complain.
Can’t miss dessert! My favorite was Tiramisu — of course, one of the most common dessert menus that can’t go wrong.

My boss made a reservation for our company Christmas party and I knew from my first interaction with the doormen who didn’t want to let some of us in what kind of place this was. The three bouncers all kept telling us to go to someone else to try and get in. We repeated to every person that we had a reservation, gave them the name, and got the run around. Finally my boss had to come out and get us herself.
Lavo is for the bridge and tunnel crowd, sprinkled with Euro trash and pretty people who don’t smile. They’re all packed in like sardines, there wasn’t anywhere to dance but the house music was blasting. Women’s bathroom line took about 15 minutes.
Food is overpriced and mediocre. The meatball is fine. The pasta is OK. Chicken was tender. I’d stick with simple things. Drinks were hit or miss. My gin gimlet was good, but they had some jalapeño drink that was just over loaded with citrus.
I got lucky and had one server who was just super attentive and he was the best part of the place. There are better places to eat, better places to dance, with better crowds and staff. This is for a certain type of person, you know who you are.

This review is just for the restaurant, not the club. I absolutely love the food here. Service is top-​notch, great atmosphere and awesome food. What more can you ask for?
There’s a nice, spacious bar in the front where you can have drinks while you wait for your table. The wine pours are generous, which helps ease the pain of the price tag.
The eggplant parm appetizer is an instant foodgasm. I don’t know what they do to make it so amazing, but I’ve ordered it every time I’ve been here. Most recently, I ordered the tuna for my entrée and it was cooked perfectly. Between my dinner and all the bread I eat before the food comes out, I haven’t been able to save room for dessert, yet. It looks amazing, so it’s definitely on my to-​do list for next time.
It’s an expensive night out, especially since side dishes are extra, but they’re big enough to be shared. If you’re looking to splurge for a special occasion, or trying to impress a hot date, I’d definitely recommend this place.

This is one of my favorite spots in Manhattan. I can’t speak to how it is as a nightclub, but it’s a great place to have a fine meal. On that note for our 7:30 reservation on a Sunday they said we had to be out by 9. I thought that was a bit rude and the hostess didn’t explain why. Our waiter told us it’s because they have dancers on the tables after 9.
To begin they serve crunchy, tasty garlic bread. It comes with delicious tomato sauce.
The Caesar salad is about $ 18, but well worth it. I’d consider going to Lavo for this salad alone. It has a creamy dressing, fresh cheese and homemade croutons. It is large enough for two to share but I don’t suggest sharing. Also, the eggplant parm is another excellent starter. It’s once again very large and delicious. It’s not greasy and is full of flavor.
The Chilean sea bass is $ 40. It’s a nice serving of fish with a delicious sauce. For the price, I wish it came with a starch.
The person I was dining with had pasta with vodka sauce. It was a flavorful, creamy sauce. Once again, a decent size portion. It was about $ 28.
For dessert you must get the fried Oreos with the creamy dipping sauce.
Service was slow to begin, but once the waiter came over he was friendly and attentive. He gave solid recommendations.
For the reasons noted above and the cost of drinks, I can’t give it five stars. The martini menu offered Hendricks gin, but when my partner modified the martini a bit they charged $ 2 more. The martini cost $ 18!
Overall, it’s a great spot for a nice date.

The place is gorgeous… The food was good I had the steak and it was cooked perfectly.
I must say the Meatballs were amazing !!!
We ate, we drank and we danced the night away !!

I came here with my coworkers, and when you are traveling with a large group, ordering can take sometime! Luckily, our waiter (super cool guy) shared that they offer a «Prix fixe» dinner, and cost was only $ 38 which includes:
–APPETIZER (choose 1)
Tuna Tartare (portions on this one was huge. I highly recommend)
Vegetable minestrone soup
Classic caesar salad
Roasted beet salad
–MAIN COURSE (choose 1)
Spaghetti and meatballs
Chicken marsala (very popular)
Eggplant parmigiano (vegetarian)
Brick oven salmon oreganato (my Salmon was so tender and so good)
Sliced strip steak with green peppercorn sauce
–DESSERT (choose 1)
Chocolate budino (this was excellent just melted in my mouth)
Sorbet and fruit plate
New York style cheesecake
By now, you’re probably scratching your head and saying to yourself, «That is a GREAT deal!!» It is! I highly recommend you ask and take advantage of it. On their drinks, they have a large selection of wines and cocktail.
During the weekend, I was informed that they provide live performances. During the night that we dined in, they had a live DJ. One impressive note that I’d like to share was their service. They were super busy, staff walking everywhere, and yet, they were all very attentive and on point especially when our glass was half empty, or when it was time for our plates to be removed for a new one.
If you’re looking to enjoy fine dining, hip ambiance, energetic music and excellent service with fantastic prix fixe menu, I highly recommend paying a visit to Lavo!
Until then, Cheers! ~ :p

Restaurant Week review ($ 38 for 3 course dinner): Back from a fun night out with friends and the company was so good that the meal paled in comparison… if you’re looking for a bustling option in mid town to savor Italian, Lavo is a good bet, but don’t expect to be blown away by the cuisine — nothing is truly exceptional and falls in the good to average category.
Here’s what I got — Beet salad, Eggplant parm and the Sorbet with fresh fruits. The app and the desert were both excellent — The beet salad was a good portion, sprinkled liberally with goat cheese + almonds, it was crisp and fresh — perfect for a hot summer evening. The sorbet was smooth and melt in your mouth delicious — the real STAR of this meal — #getit.
I’m not a die hard fan of eggplant parm, but since it was the only vegetarian option on the menu, I went for it. Honestly, this was one of the better versions of the dish I’ve had — the tomato sauce was rich, but wasn’t made with canned tomatoes — which I hate. Remember to ask for some garlic bread on the side to mop up the sauce with.
Other dishes on the table:
Veg minestrone soup — too watery and lackluster; tasted a bit of it and wouldn’t recommend
Tuna Tartare — a layer of tuna tartare on a bed of guacamole — the husband enjoyed it and said it was really well done.
Chicken Marsala — strictly average.
Salmon Livornese — flaky and buttery — by and large it was good, but had a slight odor
Chocolate Budino — Yummy! Tiny portion though! Sprinkling of sea salt with the chocolate made it special.
Service: I can’t saw these guys hit it out of the park with their friendly service. At times it felt too rushed and the person who was bringing out the food couldn’t be bothered to check who had ordered what. He kept the dishes randomly in front of anyone and expected us to sort it out among ourselves!
The Unilocal reviews also mention that they bring out garlic bread at every table before the meal. We didn’t get any. When we asked them to bring out some with our main course, the server remarked — «it’s just regular garlic bread… you want me to bring out some more???» — keeping up with the restaurant week crowd is tough for them, I guess… not that they are making much of an effort.

I would have dished out a better rating had I not become deathly ill soon after what I thought was an awesome dinner. I wrote an email to LAVO, not for pity but more-​so as an FYI and almost a month later, no response.
(All of these comments were prior to getting sick)
The service was great, our waiter was friendly and accommodating. Food was full of flavor and well cooked. The garlic bread and marinara was so good, I could have eaten it by myself. My boyfriend and I both had the lobster bisque, which was smooth and creamy. Since it is a gluten-​free option, they don’t use flour as a thickening agent so you know what you’re getting is good. They also serve it table side so extra points.
I had the Meatball with Whipped Ricotta for an entrée with a side of Brussel Sprouts and my boyfriend had the Filet with a side of Mashed Taters. My meatball was so juicy, and again, the sauce was very very good. The filet was also an outstanding piece of meat. Our drinks were also stiff and delicious, so added plus there as well.
I didn’t think the music (dance & edm) fit into the experience I was having at dinner, but it is a nightclub so not much I can expect to change there.
I wish I could say I’d dine here again, but my body would definitely hate me for risking it. Hoping it was just an incident exclusive to me and nobody goes through the pain I went through after this dinner :(

Adorei o clima da lavo! Parece uma balada! As musicas são demais!!! O cardápio é vasto! Pedimos massa e peixe! Mas guarde para o final e peça de sobremesa o fried oreos!!! O local é mais para jovens e adultos, deixem as crianças em casa!!! Povo é bonitoooo e estilosos!

Petite soirée entre amis chez Lavo: le bar /​restaurant /​night club … bref la totale, il né manqué plus que l’hotel pour finir la soirée
J’arrive dans le bar bondé à 19h et un vacarme infernal qui rend toute conversation de groupe quasiment impossible. On prend un verre en attendant le reste de la troupe qui doit arriver pour une réservation à 20h.
On jette un coup d’oeil dans le restaurant qui lui aussi est super bondé. Ce sont les diners professionnels d’after work pour que les gens puissent rentrer chez eux à 20h… que des hommes en costard cravate mais l’endroit n’est pas classe. Ca fait grosse brasserie trop encombrée.
A 20h, on est prêt sauf notre table bien sur, il faudra attendre 20 mn supplémentaire, c’est un autre concept de la réservation.
Ils semblent être spécialistes des fruits de mer alors on attaque avec le plateau de fruits de mer Piccolo à $ 85 avec 4 grosses crevettes, 4 huîtres, 4 petites palourdes, crabe royal, demi-​homard, salade de crabe, thon ceviche
C’est plutôt pas mal même si on a très peu à manger (les huitres sont ridiculement petites) donc on reste sur sa faim pour ce prix là.
Ensuite, le bar de ligne chilien roti avec tomates fraîches, beurre et portobello croustillant à $ 38. Il est sincèrement excellent, il fond dans la bouche, belle réussite.
Enfin, on attaque le Strawberry Shortcake à $ 10 avec un biscuit au citron et thym, fraises fraiche et crème fouettée. Le biscuit est franchement moyen, encore un restaurateur qui a du mal avec ses desserts. En revanche c’est vrai qu’il présente bien.
Après 20h, la salle se remplit de groupes de filles très entreprenantes, c’est assez déroutant. L’ambiance change car se prépare la soirée au night club. Nous nous arrêterons là.
L’addition est bien sur très salée pour un repas et une ambiance qui né sont pas à la hauteur. Et cerise sur le gâteau, pour la 1ère fois, je suis tombé malade après une sortie au restaurant, le plateau de fruits de mer n’était sans doute pas aussi frais que ce qu’on l’imaginait…

Alors la j’ai adoré, après avoir été patient à l’entrée de la boîte un samedi soir j’ai aimé le son, les lumières et autres éléments de la décoration originale et la fréquentation, n’y aller pas en mode détendu vous aurez l’air con surtout les filles c’est chic et classe bonne ambiance !!! 30 $ cover, attente à l’entrée venez accompagner les mecs !!!
(Dernière visite y’a 2 mois)