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As a leading global player in the hospitality and entertainment industry, Tao Group Hospitality’s nearly twenty-five year (although not officially incorporated until 2009) run includes eighty branded locations in over twenty markets across four continents. Iconic brands under the umbrella organization include TAO, Hakkasan, OMNIA, and Marquee, among many others, with flagship venues in major cities like New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, Dubai, Singapore, and Sydney.
Under the leadership of co-CEOs Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss, Tao Group develops, owns, and operates both self-branded venues and managed properties for partners like MGM Resorts International and Dream Hotel Group. Tao also offers services such as managed operations, franchised/licensed operations, design development, pre-opening support, consultancy, procurement, and global marketing reach.
The company has come a long way since the launch of its flagship venue, Tao Las Vegas in 2005. Tepperberg and Strauss were known for creative party promotions and nightclub concepts, including the renowned Marquee in New York City, and with partners Marc Packer and Rich Wolf, they opened Tao Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel. The groundbreaking hybrid of restaurant, bar, lounge, and nightclub all within a single dramatic space was a line in the sand for Tao. There might be imitators, but they would be the originators.
The innovative concept was a first for Vegas. The seamless transition from dining to nightlife offered guests an immersive, all-night experience without having to head to another venue. The combination of lavish Asian-themed decor, cutting-edge entertainment, and high-energy parties quickly made Tao Las Vegas a magnet for celebrities, high rollers, and trendsetters.
By 2011, Tao was described as the most profitable and highest-grossing restaurant in the United States, regularly drawing more than $60 million in annual revenue. It was a one-two punch of the Vegas appetite for indulgence, but also Tao’s ability to market to both convention visitors and celebrity party crowds concurrently.
Tao is known for quirky innovations, like delivering bottles by drone at Marquee Las Vegas in 2014. They’ve also launched unique concepts like the “pawn shop entrance” at Beauty & Essex restaurants, as well as securing high-profile partnerships at festivals like Coachella and RISE.
Mohari Hospitality’s acquisition of Tao Group Hospitality in 2023 was a watershed moment for the organization. Valued at $550 million, the deal represented a substantial increase in Tao Group’s overall and integrated its portfolio into Mohari’s luxury and lifestyle platform.
The acquisition has enabled Tao Group to leverage Mohari’s luxury hospitality portfolio, including collaborations for programming at Madison Square Garden and Sphere Las Vegas, as well as partnerships in hotel and resort developments across destinatinosl ike Costa Rica, Madrid, and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Since that sale, Tao Group became the operating partner for several high-profile venues at Hudson Yards (New York City), including the observation deck at Edge, Quin Bar, and Peak, spanning a 100,000-square-foot hospitality network. It’s a significant leadership shift for Tao as a new icon in upscale dining in Manhattan. The partnership marked a growing footprint beyond its traditional restaurant-nightclub concept.
One of Tao’s most enduring partnerships, both before and after the acquisition, is with its integrated payment processing partner across US locations, Shift4 Payments. Shift4 provides end-to-end payment solutions like contactless EMV devices, PCI-validated point-to-point encryption, and enterprise management tools at Tao Group’s restaurants and nightclubs stateside.
The integration has enhanced operational efficiency and delivered a streamlined payment experience for guests at Tao Group’s destinations by leveraging Shift4’s unified commerce ecosystem.
There’s more on the horizon. The group has announced two major projects: Casadonna restaurant in Miami with celebrity restaurateur David Grutman, and their first-ever Tao-branded hotel, set to open in Orlando later in 2025. These ventures continue Tao’s aggressive expansion into experiential and lifestyle-oriented hospitality.
Shift4 is a leader in integrated payments and commerce technology, saving businesses time and money while streamlining their operations. The company’s end-to-end commerce solution includes a secure payment platform, cutting-edge equipment, enterprise management tools, and more.
In 2021, Tao Group Hospitality selected Shift4 as their payments partner to provide world-class technologies for Tao’s U.S. venues, including restaurants and nightclubs in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Tao Group is also leveraging Shift4’s revolutionary SkyTab restaurant point-of-sale (POS) solution, with a robust suite of interconnected hardware and software to deliver an exceptional guest experience
