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Tolani Wine Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars [Edit]
410 Amsterdam Ave(between 80th St & 79th St)
New York, NY 10024
Neighbourhood: Upper West Side
(212) 873-6252
- Nearest Transit:
-
79 St (1, 2)
81 St - Museum Of Natural History (A, B, C)
86 St (1, 2)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 12 am
Fri 4 pm - 1 am
Sat-Sun 11 am - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
99 reviews for Tolani Wine Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The lamb sliders were really good with the yogurt sauce." In 11 reviews -
"Got the robiola cheese (perfect to start." In 8 reviews -
"Duck carbonara- exactly what is sounds like and wonderful." In 7 reviews
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99 reviews in English
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Review from Dave H.
Tolani is quite the relaxing weekday getaway. While it's not the be all, end all of wine bars, it's certainly the best I've found in the Upper West thanks to a barkeep[1] who never neglects and never rushes, no matter the night.
A solid communal dining table and an oak bar dominate Tolani's space, lending it an organic-yet-urbane feel that translates rightly to its dishes: their lamb sliders are a perfectly portioned, tender, slightly-salty highlight, and their pannekoek (Dutch pancake) is an unexpected find, pairing well with good conversation - and a red, of course.
[1] Ask if Adrian is in - he rocks.Listed in: NYC Favorites, NYC Drinkeries, Unisex Bathrooms in NYC
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Review from Katherine W.
New York, NY
3/13/2012
The first time I went here when this place opened it was great. Good food - great service - a good local spot.
Since then Ive come twice, mainly because of the outdoor seating, and it has seriously gone down hill. Service was terrible, and the food is way overpriced. WE got a mediocre bottle of wine and three apps - it was just shy of 100 bucks. RIDIC and SO not worth it. Id rather go downtown and get more bang for my buck at a better place.
Will not be returning for a while. -
Review from Melissa P.
Bronx, NY
Updated - 3/11/2012
This place has since changed a lot. Its been over 1 year since I wrote my first initial review, and we have been here probably 20+ more times.
First off, they completely changed the menu to more hipster friendly choices. I really miss my Baby Brick Chicken. Like REALLY miss it. Please come back into my life.
Also, the staff has gotten kinda rude. We came here over the weekend with 2 of our friends for some dessert and drinks. The hostess who recognized us from previous times sat us at a table, and took my boyfriend and his friend's drink order. My girlfriend and I weren't sure what we wanted so we asked for a minute.
About 10 minutes later, a totally new waitress came over for our dessert order. She walked away without us even finishing, and we had to flag her down to continue ordering. We also gave her our drink order.
She went MIA, and a new guy came over to take away our empty wine glasses we weren't using. My friend and I asked if our previous waitress remembered our drinks (since she never brought them over), and he said he didn't think so. SO, we said.. "Can we place our drink order with you then?" He looked at us like we had 14 heads and said "Well I'll have to see your ID". Ok no problem, but before we attempted to go through our pile of bags and get out our wallets, I said "Can you just double check that she didn't get the order, so it doesn't come out twice?"
He walked away, went up to the waitress, and whispered something. She then continued to walk over to us and rudely say "I'm sorry but I'm going to need to see your ID if you want a cocktail. I'm the general manager and what I say goes" Umm, ok. Thats fine. But why didn't you ask in the first place? We have been to this place so many times and never once were questioned like this like we were some 16 year olds.
To top it off, when she came over to see if we wanted another one, she already had the check with her. Real nice. I don't know what happened to this place, but I don't think we'll be coming back. I only gave it 3 stars because they have really good drinks, and the female owner (I believe) is always super cheerful and friendly when she is there. BUT please rethink who you have been hiring lately.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2011
My boyfriend & I went here for Valentines Day last night. We weren't really looking for a place for… Read more »
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Review from Zoe P.
3/7/2012
My fiance and I were in NYC this past weekend visiting my family and had a last minute opportunity to go out, just the two of us, which we jumped at. We didn't have time to look up a place, and wanted to try a restaurant we had not been to before, so we crossed our fingers and chose the UWS as the neighborhood we'd explore.
After walking around for awhile and checking out the various restaurants on each street and avenue, we ended up back at Tolani since their menu appealed to us the most. The hostess asked if we had reservations, but even though we didn't she said it was fine and quickly showed us to a table in their downstairs room. The upstairs area seemed like the best aesthetically given the gorgeous wooden bar, and it was packed there whereas downstairs only 4 tables were occupied by small parties and the 'theme' of a vineyard was just slightly kitschy - but maybe that had more to do with the out-of-place art they had on the walls.
Regardless of decor, we looked forward to a dinner out since we hadn't had one in...yeah, since I don't remember, it's been too long. After hearing the specials, we perused the menu and decided to share the mussels and lamb sliders (our waitress asked if we'd like a 4th added since the dish only comes with 3, and we said yes), with a side of sauteed broccoli rabe and a glass of wine each. The mussels were great, and after soaping up the broth with the one piece of bread we tried dipping the frites in as well with little luck. We felt silly since we didn't realize that we ordered two dishes that came with frites (the menu does NOT say the mussels come with frites), but oddly enough when the lamb sliders arrived their frites were far superior to the other ones (although not herbed). The sliders were also good, juicy with a side of tzatziki that we dolloped on top of the lettuce and tomato, although we agreed that the amount of feta on top was a little excessive. We were quite full at the end of the meal, but the moment our plates were whisked away the check landed at our table without us asking for it. Meanwhile, every other table had been asked if they were interested in dessert and coffee. We were a bit annoyed at that lack of service, and decided to just leave anyway since they wanted to kick us out.
The service was a little spotty as well, as I ended up piling mussel shells on my plate since they didn't remove our waste bowl as promptly as another table that had mussels, and our wine arrived after we had already started eating. Overall, we had a good meal but the food was not spectacular and we wouldn't go back or probably think of recommending Tolani to others unless they happened to be in the area and needed a solid place to eat at. -
Review from Heather W.
Manhattan, NY
5/24/2012
I am so tired of cafes/restaurants/bars calling themselves wine bars (synonymous terms these days). Soup and Wine. Pork and Wine. Chocolate and Wine. Jazz and Wine. Tolani Wine Restaurant is totally the same old same old. No better no worse. EXCEPT Amsterdam Avenue is so loud with huge tractor trailer trucks rolling by day and night, you need two vodkas just to drown the sound, even if you are inside closed doors. If you like white wine with black fumes any Wine Bar / Restaurant / Cafe / Deli on Amsterdam Avenue will fill your tank. It is a great avenue for 21 year old beer bellies bumping you into the gutter.
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Review from Karen S.
Manhattan, NY
5/20/2012
Went here for the 1st time last night with my husband.
Atmosphere was very cool. Huge wine list, but we had the white sangria (they do not serve red). It was very good.
The food we ordered was great. The octopus was amazing. Fish tacos were ok. (in fairness, we compare all fish tacos to the ones we had in the Caymans, so our standard is very high). Lamb sliders were very good as well. (you can taste and smell the curry- so if you do not like curry, do not order the sliders). French fries were great too.
There are tons of other menu items we want to try, so we will definitely be back.
If you live on the UWS, definitely a great local spot. -
Review from Po C.
New York, NY
5/24/2012
Love the food, love service, and really relaxed in the space. Can't wait to visit again.
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Review from Chantell B.
North Chatham, MA
5/17/2012
Had a great time here with 4 friends. Friendly, attentive staff. Loved the cured meats and the Malva Pudding dessert transported me back to South Africa for a moment. It was delicious. Great, comfortable place to enjoy easy conversation with good company and great appetizers!
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Review from Johanna V.
Mattapoisett, MA
5/8/2012
Great Oak table at the entrance and cosy, schwanky atmosphere. The wine list and drink menu were also good and the food, of which we ordered classic South African fare was fabulous. (As was the guacamole, clearly not from S Africa, but good none the less.)
Highly recommend it. -
Review from Carlos O.
Manhattan, NY
5/15/2012
Great place for a date or a group dinner. I've been here three times since moving to the neighborhood about 5 months ago. The food is incredible fresh and delicious. The service was excellent and the wine list very good.
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Review from Jamie A.
Manhattan, NY
4/24/2012
My friend recently turned a milestone age and her boyfriend and I threw her a surprise party at Tolani. I'd been there before for wine and appetizers and loved the intimacy of the space and thought it would be ideal for a party. Her boyfriend worked closely with Suzanna, the accommodating and kind manager and created an incredible 6 course mostly vegetarian tasting menu that was divine!
We had a velvety Lentil pureed soup to start, a Shaved Rhubarb and Watercress Salad with Candied Walnuts and Gorgonzola, Grilled Salmon with Curried Eggplant, Spaghetti Squash with and Eggplant "Meatball" in a parmesean broth and confit tomatoes that was out of this world and I can't remember the other two courses because I was guzzling prosecco and white wine.
We finished with an incredible red velvet cake we'd had custom made from Baking for Good.
It was a memorable evening, the staff was attentive and kind and were part of the planning and evening and the atmosphere was great, even after we'd gotten rained out of the patio and had to move inside to a big round table that worked out even better than the small ones we'd been at.
Maybe I'll have my milestone party there this year! -
Review from Zach K.
Manhattan, NY
4/12/2012
I had somewhat of a mixed impression of this place. I tried my girlfriends gneudi (I think that's the spelling) and absolutely loved it. I may even order it next time I'm there. The fries were also great...but my lamb sliders were super salty -- so salty I was downing the fries to cut the salt content. And the wine was a bit on the warm side for me, which I thought was a little odd, though I still enjoyed it. I would totally go back for a second try, but wasn't blown away with my first.
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Review from Brett W.
New York, NY
1/30/2012
Tolani gets 3 stars for food, but 5 stars for service and ambiance. I would definitely suggest it for an intimate wine bar date.
I came here with my girlfriend for her birthday dinner. Upon arrival, I realized that I had been there once before for a group function. There is nice music playing and a comfortable environment. I had made a reservation, but I doubt that it was necessary.
The service was amazing. Our server really took his time and explained all the dishes and potential combinations. The plates are medium sized. I think two people can definitely get away with sharing three dishes. We ended up doing the butternut squash ravioli and the lamb pappardelli. Both were good but not mindblowing. For me, the ravioli was a little too sweet. We also shared a cheese starter with honey which was delicious. Perhaps the highlight of the meal foodwise, were the brussel sprouts with bacon.
Did I mention the service yet? It was that good. I rarely am picky about service, but Tolani really gives you the personal touch of service that makes it stand out. Everything was on time and comfortable. Very charming. -
Review from Jessica M.
New York, NY
2/9/2012
I ordered delivery from Tolani -- grilled asparagus, butternut squash ravioli, and spaghetti/eggplant meatball.
They took almost an hour to deliver the food.
And it wasn't good.
First of all, the delivery food came directly inside a cardboard package. Butternut squash ravioli and spaghetti... on cardboard. It was gross and leaking everywhere.
Secondly, the food was completely cold! And the spaghetti was HARD! Crunchy!?
Thirdly, the portions were tiny. I was only given THREE RAVIOLI.
I would not order delivery from them again. -
Review from CA C.
New York, NY
1/24/2012
We stumbled across Tolani by accident as we hadn't planned where to go and what a place to find! Completely unpretentious, host staff offered seating upstairs or downstairs. Upstairs definitely has that "wine bar" atmosphere. We opted for downstairs, which gave way to a more refined dining experience. The downstairs area is lovely and intimate. The service was exceptional - friendly, open and fit with the rest of the place.
The food was phenomenal!!! It's a tapas restaurant, so sharing is the norm. We opted to start with the Red Snapper Ceviche, which was fresh and a great start. We moved on to the lamb sliders, which were really good, my only complaint is that they serve three, which is a pain when there are only two of us.
For our main course we ordered Tolani's version of chicken and waffles, which they make with rock Cornish game hens, rather than chicken. Unfortunately the night we dined they were out of the hens and were substituting it with quail. I did a refined happy dance, as I love quail, and was definitely intrigued to see what the end result would be. It. Was. EVERYTHING. OMG - it was superb!!! The quail was seasoned well and juicy, the collard greens underneath? Slap your Momma worthy. The only downside - the waffle was fried hard. However you didn't miss it because the quail was EXCELLENT.
We ended with the charcuterie and cheese plate, I was impressed by the size of the platter we received, and the great extras, like fresh apples and grapes and a walnut spread.
We opted for Elderflower Spritzer versus a bottle of wine because the cocktail was extremely refreshing and worked well with our meal. -
Review from Monica J.
Manhattan, NY
4/16/2012
Branch review.
Two of us were one of the first customers right after they opened at 11am. In 30 minutes, the outdoor seating became almost full. But still, they had tables inside. There was a private party downstairs where they have a little patio, it looked very pretty.
No branch menu comes with any drinks. Wish they come with a choice of coffee or orange juice, or even mimosa. Food was decent and rather cheap in the area. Mimosa was weak, but a waiter said they made it with fresh squeezed oranges.
Overall, we had a pleasant branch on a peaceful Sunday morning. I'd love to come back for dinner and some drinks. -
Review from Sasha B.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
4-stars is right on...
Very good decor - a bit forced, with the fake exposed brick and aged wood beams, but adds a good cozy feel to the interior.
The wine list was good, the staff was friendly, the meat and cheese selection was unique and tasty. -
Review from Cheryl T.
Brooklyn, NY
5/8/2012
stopped in for boozy brunch after sara beth's was waaay too crowded.
outside seating was nice, nobody was there which made us go "oh dear, what?"
slightly expensive booze compared to other brunch situations (unltd mimosas were separate and 20) BUT the drinks were quite consistently filled and a high quality mimosa.
i ordered bacon and feta omelette, they did not have goat cheese, sad, and it looked very good but was too salty. -
Review from Chris S.
New York, NY
3/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great cheese plate. Amazing ravioli. Cool atmosphere.
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Review from Greg B.
West Islip, NY
4/2/2012
What a great experience. Great service, wine and food.
We sat at the bar near the end of Sunday brunch. We ordered a chorizo torta, lamb sliders and some charcuterie and it was all amazing.
Lamb sliders with rosemary fries were amazing. The applewood smoked bacon tasted like it was fresh from the smoker. The torta had such deep flavors from the chorizo, herbs, caramelized onions and was cooked perfectly with a zesty baby greens and shaved fennel salad.
Wines were perfect and the staff was really friendly and attentive.
We don't get to the UWS often but we would return. -
Review from Nataliya B.
New York, NY
12/13/2011
Absolutely fantastic place. Stumbled in for brunch and saw sign for a "Pigs and Pinot" dinner. 5 courses, 5 wines, $55.00. Unheard of. The brunch was fantastic, albeit very quiet but it was a holiday weekend so the the city cleared out.
This dinner deserved a tome written about it. Mouth watering dishes - the butternut squash was spectacular, the pork belly made me cry. The wine pairings were perfect and it was wonderful to have representatives from each winery give an introduction and be around for questions.
Stanton (owner) clearly takes pride in his work and it shows. Tolani is worth a frequent visit and we will be back. -
Review from Chris O.
KNICKERBOCKER, NY
2/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stumbling across this little wine bar/restaurant was a pleasure. Walking in you sense a very calming and relaxed vibe. It has a long bar where you can sit at and have a good cocktail and talk to the nice bartenders. I was actually seated at one of the few tables it had. The waitress was great and smiling and made me feel relaxed, and not at a stuck up place.
The decor was very dark but worked well. Exposed wood, dark light, tables lit by candle light, and just background music going on mostly modern music.
One thing I love about this place is the fact that when they hand you the menu and the wine list, the menu is a page long and then they hand you a small book for the wine. Me being a big wine guy, and working in the industry helps me appreciate this place.
As for the food it was delicious, well what I had was delicious anyway. I ordered the lamb sliders with rosemary fries, can I say OMFG DELICIOUS!!!! The sliders came three to an order which was more then enough for me. They were cooked perfectly and moist and juicy. The fries were crisp, fresh and just enough rosemary and some garlic too. The wine that I ordered, a 2006 Chianti Classico Reservation, was delicious.
Another thing I liked was that I wasnt rushed to finish and leave. After I finished the food and wine I wasnt forced to go, I was more then welcome to stay and have a good time.
Will I go back??? Yes I would just because I was relaxed and enjoyed it.Listed in: Restaurants, Wine Bars
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Review from Heather D.
Manhattan, NY
3/23/2012 7 photos
Thank You to Tolani for an amazing experience for All The Tastes of New York. You definitely set the bar on our March 20th event. All of our guests were exceedingly happy and will certainly return. The Pannekoeken, Seafood Paella and Sphagetti Squash were incredible and very memorable. Thank You!
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Review from Andrew S.
Manhattan, NY
3/22/2012
Do NOT order delivery from here.
Didn't deliver the food after 2 hours. Lied twice about the order going out when I called them 1 hour and then 2 hours after placing the order. Even lied about giving me a refund, or were just plain incompetent.
The story: I ordered through http://grubhub.com. Delivery estimate was about 45 minutes. 1 hour after placing the order I called to check on the delivery status--woman there took down my name, and told me my order had gone out for delivery just a minute ago. I waited. Another hour later I called again to get a refund, since 2 hours for delivery is obviously unacceptable when I live 5 blocks away, and the woman said of course I would get the refund. But she claimed she was confused because she knew the order had gone out already.
Finally I got a call back from Tolani, I believe from a different woman this time, saying that they found out they had **never even processed my order**- thereby revealing the 2 lies I had been told on the phone that the order had gone out earlier.
Normally I would easily forgive someone for an oversight like this, but the fact they LIED TO ME TWICE on the phone, makes it a whole different matter.
Now, the kicker-- a few days later I saw that the order had posted to my credit card. What a nightmare. Luckily I talked to customer service at grubhub and they resolved it for me in a couple minutes.
Do NOT order delivery from here. -
Review from Alexander L.
Brooklyn, NY
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
My GF and I had a Daily Candy deal for a six-course dinner with wine pairing. The waitress was very informative and attentive, possibly more-so because it was pretty empty for the first half of our meal.
First up was the cucumber avocado gazpacho. To be honest, it was too heavy on the acid.
The grilled watermelon salad was probably the meal highlight. The watermelon and balsamic just really worked; I dare say that I would come back just to have an entree portion of this....just saying...
Third was the Pannenkoeken (savory crepe, slow braised pork shoulder, apple ginger chutney). I have to say that this dish was well executed. The bits of apple have a nice pop to each bite.
up fourth course the spring pea ravioli (seasonal mushrooms, leeks, arugula pesto) This dish was a bit confusing to me. Everything was pretty good...except for the actual the ravioli--which wasn't all that good.
Second to last was pan-seared diver scallop (roasted corn succotash, spring onion, favas, black truffle vinaigrette). It had a touch of heat and it was pretty good.
The Malva pudding we had for dessert was definitely a delightful ending to the meal. The only thing I could say about this is balance.
I can't really say that I agreed with most of the wine pairings (if memory serves most were chilean, dry wines) but I can't say I'm much of a wine connessieur so I'll leave that judgement to those who are better versed.
Overall, the dishes seem to be fairly well executed...just the concepts or how they come together kind of fail here and there. -
Review from Pamela S.
8/5/2011
I knew there was a reason I had bookmarked this place. Even with all the positive reviews, the food was better than I expected it would be. I highly recommend the robiola with pistachios and honey, the special of tuna tartare (with avocado, fennel, and orange segments), and, of the bigger plates, the sea bass (served with soy beans and melt-in-your-mouth eggplant) and the spring pea ravioli (a filling dish with leeks, mushrooms, peas, and a nice pesto).
Bottom line: excellent food, nice wines by the glass, and noticeably attentive and seamless service...fabulous.Listed in: New York Italian
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Review from Amanda R.
Manhattan, NY
4/12/2012
This is a tricky one to review. My meal was absolutely delicious, totally an on-death-row-last-meal-request. That said, my boyfriend's meal was excessively salty. Also, they pride themselves on their wine and I wasn't especially impressed with the wine we drank. Maybe that's because their wine by the glass menu is more limited, understandably, or maybe I didn't make the best pick, but I would expect all good options at a wine bar. The atmosphere was nice. It was busy, but not stressful. We will definitely go back for the Gnudi and to give their other entrees another shot!
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Review from Jessica D.
New York, NY
10/20/2011
Solid brunch!
My friend and I wandered past on a Sunday afternoon, looking for a nice brunch place. After being turned off by a 15 minute wait and "B" grade at our original destination, we took a chance on the nearly empty restaurant (with a A grade, of course). The decor was dark and romantic, but open windows gave the place a great feel during the day.
I had an interesting watermelon and proseco cocktail, with actual chucks of watermelon. Very refreshing on an indian summer day. As for food, we shared an eggs benedict and french toast. I loved the french toast, and didn't think the orange honey was overpowering at all. I don't even like oranges!
A very cute neighborhood spot, would love to come back! -
Review from Nancy P.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The bf and I had a Daily Candy deal for a six-course dinner with wine pairing. Since it was a nice day out, we opted to sit outside. Our server was nice and explained every course and the wine pairings for them.
Our first course was a cucumber avocado gazpacho. It was an interesting concept..much too acidic to enjoy. I ended up trying to pick the blue crab meat out of it. The red onion slivers really helped each bite but I ended up eating only half the gazpacho. The second course was a grilled watermelon salad. This was delicious. I love watermelon and balsamic so I was a huge fan of this course. The third dish was the Pannenkoeken (savory crepe, slow braised pork shoulder, apple ginger chutney). This was tasty and the pork was tender.
The fourth course was the spring pea ravioli (seasonal mushrooms, leeks, arugula pesto). I'm not a leeks person but this was quite good. I didn't like the actual ravioli but the mushrooms, leeks and sauce was wonderful. The last savory dish was pan-seared diver scallop (roasted corn succotash, spring onion, favas, black truffle vinaigrette). The combination of flavors was nice. It was a bit spicy for me but that made it even better. It was not the best scallop I've ever had though (ember room yum).
For dessert, we had the Malva pudding. This was supposed to be like a bread pudding but it was in the form of a muffin/cupcake. It was wonderfully moist and not too sweet. A good end to the meal.
Unfortunately, I didn't like most of the wine pairings with the meal. But I was pretty happy with the meal itself. I was definitely stuffed by the end of the meal. I think next time, I would like to order some of the cheese and charcuterie platters.
Thought it was a bit dangerous to have lit candles in the single restroom though... -
Review from L D.
New York, NY
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Visited Tolani back in August but I wanted to comment on how I've wanted to go back! I'm a lover of the UWS so to find gems like this one is a delight. The wine was great (generous pours) and the appetizers were delicious. I loved the lamb sliders! It's a nice size restaurant (two floors) with sweet candlelit rooms. We had a large group and were served very well throughout the evening (table of 10). I also remember having a lovely dessert :)
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Review from Jennifer S.
New York, NY
Updated - 9/6/2011
I have returned to Tolani many times since my first review back in January and the honeymoon continues on! I have officially tried all meals - brunch, dinner, drinks, desserts - and all have my stamp of approval!
Their menu - both food and cocktail - is creative and well executed. Some of my favorites include the grilled watermelon salad, vegetarian spaghetti and meatballs, duck carbonara, chocolate souffle, and the prickly pear cocktail.
And the honeymoon is bound to continue with the many more interesting foods/drinks still left to try!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/15/2011
Tolani - welcome to the UWS!!! Honestly, they have been open for probably 5 or 6 months, but I… Read more »
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Review from Dani A.
Manhattan, NY
10/1/2011
I had higher expectations.
Shared:
Hanger steak - did not try
Risotto - undercooked rice
Grilled Octopus salad - very good, slightly too much dress, not killing themselves on quantity of octupus
Rabbit dish - tasted liked a deconstructed rabbit pot pie
We did have a nice bottle of Spanish wine. Service was haphazard, but I think they were generally trying. When we mentioned the risotto was not good, the waitress did offer to bring something else out, but in the end, it was just removed from the bill.
Good atmosphere but would not return for the food, especially at those prices. -
Review from Steve S.
Philadelphia, PA
9/18/2011
Oh my, gosh - what an incredible last minute find before the Steely Dan show at the Beacon.
Octopus/greek salad - exceptional !!!
Fish taco - exceptional !!!
Grilled corn - exceptional, as good as i make it - but for 10 bucks, a huge rip-off.
Stripped bass w/ amazing mushrooms and edamame - exceptional !!!
Swiss chard bacon tart w/ great greens - better than exceptional !!!
Wine - nice selection, reasonable prices
Dessert - apple, nectarine cobbler - exceptional too -
Review from Sofia F.
New York, NY
7/31/2011
I want to like this place. Really, I do. The food itself was actually pretty good, but the service from the beginning was totally off.
My boyfriend and I stopped by for Sunday brunch just before 2PM. We were told by our hostess that we could sit outside (in the 90+ degree heat) or inside. We chose inside for the air conditioning, only to find out later that there is a lovely garden patio downstairs. Thanks for the memo, awkward hostess lady. Instead we were sandwiched between two parties, and the mediocre acoustics of the main dining area made it so that we could hear every piece of two tables' conversations. Great.
We tried to ignore our uncomfortable seating arrangement and would have distracted ourselves with the menus had the hostess not forgotten to give them to us upon seating. After finally acquiring our menus (and finally having our water glasses refilled after a long and blatantly obvious empty-glass period), we settled upon three dishes: tuna Nicoise salad, veggie omelet, and the chicken satay.
While we were waiting for our food, which took longer than expected considering the small number of parties, we watched as our waitress (who was in fact very sweet and lovely) doubled as bartender and couldn't quite meet the needs of all the tables. A larger party two tables down looked around disconcertingly as they awaited their drinks and opportunity to order their meals. There were other bus boy-types, but clearly another waiter/ waitress was needed. At one moment, the hostess doubled as a waitress, leaving the front of the restaurant unattended. Then the hostess disappeared entirely and a large party walked into the restaurant, looking around with puzzled faces as to if they should seat themselves and where. Finally the hostess appeared from the back, but it was another moment that displayed this establishment's lack of organization and unprofessional ways.
As for the food, it was surprisingly delicious! The boyfriend's omelet was filling and flavorful, the chicken satay came with a great peanut sauce that was thick and a little sweet. The tuna on my salad was pretty good, but unfortunately my request for dressing on the side meant no dressing at all... and then when requested, I was brought the olive tapenade I had requested to be omitted from the dish. Besides that minor detail, the salad was solid - fresh and again, a great portion size.
The decor in the main bar/ dining area was a bit off-putting - fake exposed brick that attempts to create a rustic feel, awkwardly close together tables, dimly lit dining space that is sort of depressing on a Sunny Sunday - it seems as if they're trying to hard to create comfort and instead create a strangely decorated space that lacks authenticity and charm.
What a shame that a restaurant with such great food lacks in service and ambiance. A little renovation of their space and re-working of their staff might do Tolani some good. -
Review from Ron F.
Bronx, NY
8/30/2011
I'm just going to lay it on the line, though. Tolani lost a full star from me on one dish alone, in fact, just one ingredient: the black truffle. The black truffle risotto worked my salivary glands on paper but my tear ducts on the plate. It may have been the truffle's age, or perhaps the storage method, but the delectably pungent stench one would expect from quarter-sized slices of fresh shaven truffle was no more than a hint of earthiness that one may get from sniffing a piece of white mushroom - which is to say almost none. It left my risotto bland and uninteresting and left me $23 lighter.
I was so disappointed that it ruined the meal. And that is too bad because the rest of the food was not bad. The menu was creative and varied. The chef was very accommodating - they cooked one order two ways for me and my wife (meaty and vegetarian). The gazpacho du jour was a roasted pepper puree with delicious morsels of sweet vegetables and smoked scallop which was absolutely delicious and refreshing. We also had the grilled watermelon salad, pannenkoeken with pork shoulder and a side of rosemary fries which ranged from good to very, very good. They were all enjoyable, high marks for creativity, but taste hovering below the level of greatness.
The wine list was extensive and, outside of the really great and friendly service, would be the only reason we go back there again. -
Review from Nicole R.
New York, NY
9/10/2011
We went to Tolani last night for a nice dinner in the neighborhood. I had been to the bar before for wine with friends after work and had a nice experience so I thought it would be a good place to sit outside and share some things and drink good wine. I was right! We had such a lovely evening there.
Jenna was a GREAT waitress. Truly knowledgeable about the wine I had asked to try - sauvignon blanc and pinotage/chenin blanc (I recommend both) and about our food. Great selection of wines by the bottle and by the glass.
We ordered the:
Robiola Cheese Honey
Honey Roasted Peach Salad
Grilled Octopus
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Pan-Seared Diver Scallops
Everything we had was excellent! I would recommend EVERYTHING!
Unfortunately, they did not have the tuna tartar as stated on their website. I was REALLY in the mood, but it didn't take away from our meal. Two other minuses - while the food runners/bus boys are great, we unfortunately, had an over eager one and kept trying to take our plates before we were finished - REALLY a pet peeve. Lastly, as the night wore on, the music became VERY loud and club-ish. It changed the mood of the place and even though we were sitting outside - at a table right outside the open doors - it was still incredibly loud.
I would definitely go back and brings friends. We have some deal through blackboard eats for 30% off for brunch, so I am looking forward to trying a different menu there as well. I am sure it will be great! -
Review from Ta R.
Manhattan, NY
4/1/2012
Brunch food was so-so but my omelette didn't come with bread and they refused to put cheese on our eggs because it wasn't on the menu. The cappucino was tiny. The waiter was nice but the service was so slow. I wouldn't go back. Maybe dinner is better than brunch.
-
Review from Wilbur B.
Manhattan, NY
9/6/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I'm giving this place 5 stars only because not enough other people did.
Absolutely nothing wrong with this spot.
Service was great, and you know it's going to be when they have dedicated food runners. Nothing dies in the window. Everything comes out when it's done. That's a novel way to run a joint.
We had some pea and something ravioli that was damn good, grilled octopus and some other stuff. I liked everything they put on the table and an impressive wine list to boot. 5 plates total and I recall them all being quite good.
Ate outside which was a little tight but that just made it easier for the older jaded couple sitting next to us to eavesdrop. Lucky for them and I doubt they were bored.
I'll be back fer sure. -
Review from Anna N.
Manhattan, NY
3/30/2012
Oops, has Tolani lost it's way? I ate here last week (March 2012) and the entree was distinctly average bordering on poor. The beef was good but the potato was watery and flavorless. The sauce was even worse, tasted of chemicals and clearly came out of a jar (a cheap and nasty brand too). This place used to do great food and always had a decent fish entree but this has been dropped off the menu. I over heard that there was a new chef - perhaps this the root cause of the problem.
-
Review from Danny V.
7/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My partner and I went here for Valentine's Day 2011 and had a really wonderful, romantic time.
Their prix fixe menu (complete with wine and champagne pairing) was so impressive. The goat cheese and beet salad was incredible.
Highly-recommended if you need a nice date spot.
