Mixed reviews...since it is expensive, let me check out the worst of the negatives here
YES, the negatives say its good days are over and it is too expensive
Suggest you read these for yourself to get more of the subtleties of what people like and dislike here
The Russian Tea Room
150 W 57th St
(between Avenue Of The Americas & 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
Neighborhood: Midtown West
(212) 581-7100
(between Avenue Of The Americas & 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
Neighborhood: Midtown West
(212) 581-7100
- Nearest Transit Station:
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57 St. - 7 Ave. (N, Q, R)57 St. (F)7 Ave. (B, D, E)
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 7 am - 11:30 pmSat 11 am - 11:30 pmSun 11 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
- $$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
337 reviews for The Russian Tea Room
Review Highlights What's this?
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"Goat Cheese and Wild Mushroom Blinchik: Savory and soft textured." In 15 reviews
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"The Beef Stroganoff was really tender and savory." In 33 reviews
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"Doormen and caviar and some truly wonderful restaurants." In 53 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
337 reviews in English
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Review from Colleen D.
New York, NYI've wanted to here since I was a kid. And I wasn't disappointed. The decor is reminiscent of the twenties. It's a bit over the top in decor but that's what I hoped for and was not disappointed.
The staff was very good. The hostess was kind enough to bring us upstairs to see the glass bear. I think it would be fun to sit up there and drink some cocktails.
The food was very good. I had the mushroom stuffed crepe to start, followed by the chicken Kiev, which was fairly good. A bit salty but enjoyable.
I had the Prince Vladymir tea, which was excellent. Citrus, vanilla and spices oh my! Topped off with some cherries.
I definitely recommend if you're looking for a bit of romance and nostalgia. -
Review from A P.
Miami Beach, FLDisappointing!
High prices, low quality, presumably russian food.
A small borst without meat for $20!!
High points were flight of vodkas (inclusing jewel of Russia) and piped classical music. -
Review from Jack S.
Cote-Saint-Luc, CanadaWhat a disappointment on what I considered a landmark restaurant. I had good memories from the 1960/1970 years and the only thing reminiscent is the decor.
The service was slow, untimely and inexperience. The food was mediocre to the point where my wife had to return the Tourbot fish plate which was cold, bitter and tasteless priced at $42.00.
The server took the plate to his manager to come back by saying they will offer dessert at no charge. A sorbet to compensate my wife ruined diner and our evening.
I will surely pass the word around in our community. -
Review from Mink L.
Nashville, TNThe Russian Tea Room. A close friend of mine brought me here before going to watch Once. Being a part of history, for poets, screenwriters, celebrities, and of course for being on the greatest food shows, The Russian Tea Room is a place one must come by at least once.
Servers come by to pull out tables as you sit, bread refills are done by another,water is brought out by another, and then of course there is the server who comes to take your order .
We decided to order the pre fixe menu as well as the Kobe tasting on the entree list. We were definitely not impressed with the food, but gave each other comfort that this place is a place with history. Both of us being foodies, we appreciated the classic but still left longing for more. -
Review from Nilka M.
Woodbury, NYGreat service and good food... 3 course lunch for $40 totally worth it!!!
Will come back again -
Review from Stella A.
Glendale, CAThe decor is a bit over the top but the blueberry pancakes were heavenly! The staff was very helpful and kind. But most importantly the tea was awesome and served in fancy silver cup with cute silverware. It was an experience, but I can't say I'm looking forward to going back. -
Review from Ligia P.
Montréal, CanadaWent for afternoon tea. Don't be deceived, it's a lot of food. The service was impeccable, the ambiance calming with fantastic classical music. Would love to go back for dinner one day. -
Review from Hansel B.
I went to the Russian Tea Room for dinner during Restaurant Week this summer. It was the first time I had ever been and to be honest living in NYC I always wanted to visit the NYC staple. We had an 8pm reservation and when we arrived we entered a world of glass and red. (No pun intended here!) .Red and gold everywhere. It's very opulent feeling.
We were shown "upstairs" to the dinning room and seated at a table across from this life-size tree with ornamental Faberge eggs. Lovely! Also the walls were lined with floor to ceiling mirrors.
The Restaurant Week menu was good. The wine list was something left to be desired. BUT! If you are looking for Vodka! This is your spot. They have a great selection.
This what I had:
Blinchik - which was porcini and farmer's cheese stuffed crêpe with white truffle autumn squash flan and served with spaghetti squash salad. This was small but of so good!!!
Kulebiaka - which was salmon with slow cooked onions, mushrooms and vegetables wrapped in pastry, baby bok choy, baby corn, kohlrabi and turnips with a light ginger miso glaze. The Salmon was cooked just right but the portion was small.
and of course................... I split the two with my friend:
Traditional Cheesecake - which was vanilla cheesecake covered with chocolate curls and fresh berries.
GOOD!
Chocolate Pyramid
bittersweet chocolate mousse with a raspberry filling. VERY GOOD!
Service was good. The servers did not come check on you too much.
TIP: If you are expecting a LARGE meal this is not he place for you. Their portions are on the smaller side which allows you to enjoy the meal without stuffing you face with it. Good for Restaurant Week try or a small dinner date at least once but I cannot imagine paying full price for a meal. -
Review from Christine S.
Saddle River, NJDecor and service get one star each. Sitting in a red leather couch without sliding off of it - sure y not, another star.
The food was OK. We ordered off the pre-fix menu and had a bottle of wine (not sure which white wine).
I probably would not be in a rush to come back here. There's so many fabulous places for fine dining in NYC, that this one is not on my list.
Although, I will say, we were REALLY eager to see the upstairs and the host was kind enough to operate the elevator and show us to the upstairs dining area. GORGEOUS. Would return just to have drinks in front of that huge bear. -
Review from Rohita L.
Went for RTR for Restaurant Week, took my mother in law out for dinner. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an overall 7. RTR has been on our list of places to dine since it's so historic...and everyone says you have to go at least once!
Decor: Like another Yelper said, RED RED and more RED! It was so very decorated. Red and gold everywhere. It's very opulent feeling. However, it felt a little like a casino where nothing really matches and it's decorated in a way to keep you feeling "busy." Haha We dined on the second floor, with the polar bear and fish! It's a must see.
Service: Eh. It was my mother in law's birthday and we asked if they would seat us upstairs. The host told us there were no more tables. However, we were lucky enough to have one of the managers seating us and so we asked her, she said "yes" and immediately took us upstairs. It was really nice. The waiters were just so nice.
Food: We all chose from the pre-fix menu and well, we weren't pleased. I had the Market Salad with Goat Cheese and Mushrooms. The Mushrooms seemed as if they were those that you would get out of a can! Main course, I had the salmon with saffron rice. The rice was sticky...it clearly had been cooked and just sitting there. The food was even cold in some spots. My husband had the Chicken Stew dish with rice; also not great. The rice was plain white rice, that was well overcooked. It looked like they threw the food on the plate. Desert, we had the cheesecake....yum! I would have been upset to pay full price for the quality of food that we got, furthermore the quality that we got did not inspire me to return to the RTR for a meal.
Drinks: STRONG mixed drinks and a great wine selection.
Pricing: Well, it's expensive....however, with the RW menu for four people and a bottle of wine, it was $200. That's a deal!
Tip: The bathroom all the way in the "B" level. So you will have to factor in the elevator time if you have to tinkle.
Try it out...but don't get your hopes up. It's good to try once! -
Review from Elaine G.
Manhattan, NYI met up with a friend here for a random Thursday lunch. I began with the Goat Cheese and Wild Mushroom Blinchik - a crepe filled with mushrooms, goat cheese, onions, and lingonberries. The plating was more impressive than the taste. For my main, I got the Filet of Beef - served with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and a red-wine reduction. The beef was tender and quite flavorful. Desert was a very generous piece of cheese cake - quite good but a bit too sweet.
So all in all food was pretty good. The star deductions come from:
1) Slow service. There was kind of a long wait between courses even though the restaurant was super empty (hello, it's lunchtime and some people have work to get back to!)
2) My friend and I were super cold so we each ordered hot water with lemon. They charged $8 per person for hot water!! What.
So yeah, if you go, make sure you have 2 hours to spare for lunch and don't order hot water. -
Review from Tina C.
Fabulous New York Experience! Service was first class!
Best Brunch I have ever Had! Delicious Eggs Benedict in a beautiful setting. Feels like being in a screen of a old movie. The only disappointment was that there seemed to be no dress code and that children are allowed. It would have been nice to enjoy such a wonderful meal and tea service workout loud and unruly children around.-
Main Dining Room had some delicious Tea
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Review from Kelly B.
New York, NYWhat a classy-ass joint.
You want iconic New York landmark? Right here, folks.
Walking in is like stepping into a time machine. Where to? Manhattan, 1920s. Pre-stock market crash.
Decor just oozes glamor. Yeah, it's opulent but this is where high society dined back then. Think of the famous hands that have touched those antique revolving doors. The business deals made in those red leather booths. The fist fights, the love affairs, the drama of it all.
I can't really wax about the food since it was borderline forgettable. Neither good nor bad, just there. Same for service. But I highly recommend the vodka menu and the cocktails. After a few Ballet Russes, I was pirouetting the entire way home.
All in all, ya ain't here for the food. It's about the history, the experience, the legend. Relish in it, because very few restaurants in New York still have...it. -
Review from George H.
Austin, TXOne of THE places to eat in NYC. Not disappointed. Had early reservation so not crowded. Service & ambience excellent. Had excellent lamb dish cooked to perfection. Wife had excellent salmon pastry dish. Nice wine list. -
Review from Stephanie A.
Jacksonville, FLAn iconic restaurant near Central Park. I will always have many fond memories at this beautiful place. I have been going for years now. It was my go to bar after art classes many times. I was always greeted with smiles even if it was just for a drink.
I brought many friends here while in town for a conference and it became many of they're place to go for a great martini.
They dont have as many infused vodkas as they did before a momentary close but I still enjoy going. The different floors are breathtaking!
My daughter got married here two years ago and the whole restaurant team did an amazing job with the food all the way up to the large ice bear with vodka! Loved the caviar too! So many friends said that was the most fun they had at a wedding EVER!
So I can only give this NYC ICON 5 stars on so many levels. Please never go away again! -
Review from Matthew H.
Philadelphia, PAWe have been going to the Tea Room for probably about 10 years now when we are in the area. From what we have experienced the food is not good, in fact we tried it twice just to make sure that we didn't go on an off night. We didn't, still bad. So in recent years we have stuck to what we know they can't mess up, vodka. We always go in for a vodka flight or 2 and just hang out and talk with the bartenders. You used to be able to go up to any of the dining rooms upstairs as long as there wasn't a party up there. They apparently don't really let people do that anymore because they sell tickets for tours, however, if you head there on a weeknight a lot of times they will take you upstairs and show you around. This place has some serious assets between the art and all the gold on the walls. The 2nd floor dining room has a gold tree with about 50 fabrege eggs hanging off it. The experience of going there is definitely better than the food but it is worth checking out once or twice. -
Review from Fikre D.
New York, NYGreat atmosphere, great drinks and very attentive staff (maybe too attentive), but the food sucks. It literally doesn't have any flavor and I've eaten there twice a year apart with different friends and we all agreed. I would suggest just getting drinks at the bar. It's not surprising the food sucks since management has spent tens of millions of dollars and gone bankrupt and not putting that money towards a talented staff.
Drinks - 4 Stars
Food - 1 Star
Staff - 4.5 Stars -
Review from Rox T.
Rancho Cucamonga, CAThe ambiance and service: 4, the food: 3, the drinks, 3.5.
The ambiance and service is amazing.
~ 1st floor: Royal red, gold and green everywhere, not tacky, but tasteful. The waiters have thick Russian accents, wear traditional style serving uniforms, are attentive to your needs and are very polite. At least, that was the way they treated this California girl. ;o)
~ 2nd floor: You need to ask management for permission to see the 2nd floor. If they allow it, you will have to be escorted up and down the stairs. There is a large glass bear fish tank with about 8 parrot fish inside. The ceiling is made of Tiffany glass, there is a gold tree near the bar with large glass eggs hanging from the tree. I believe each egg estimates between $7-10k. If there are movie stars or private functions going on, you will not be able to see the 2nd floor. Because of the outrageous cost to light up the 2nd floor, they only turn on a spot light. Regardless, it is a sight to see.
There is a 3rd and 4th floor, but you are not allowed to go up there unless something private is booked.
The basement has a gift shop full of Russian artwork. Down the hallway on your way to the restroom, don't forget to look to the left. You will see pictures of what the 2nd floor looks like when the room is lit up. Again, it is an amazing thing to see.
The food is so-so. I had higher expectation. The polenta was cooked better than my shrimp. I should have ordered the escargot.
The bartender takes pride in his profession (at least mine did). A friend and I ordered the same drink, I ordered strong, she ordered light. Both came out perfect. They have an 18 year Glenlivet and vodka tasting for all you liquor snobs. i suggest both.
If you are on a budget, don't be when you come here. Takes away from the experience. I dropped $200 (which is easy to do) just on myself, and I have no regrets.
Enjoy!-
2nd Floor
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2nd Floor (Picture of a picture. They only light up the roo…
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Hand painted bowl and serving spoon downstairs. You can pur…
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Review from Beverley S.
New York, NYWe came to do the High Tea.
Great ambiance. EXCELLENT service.
The cost of the food does NOT measure up to the actual taste of the food, and I think I prefer an English High Tea versus the Russian High Tea. You'd think with the cost of tea per person that you'd be able to try other teas, but that is not allowed. They also don't brew you another pot they just add hot water to the tea bag that has already been steeping.
Eh. It's a touristy thing to do and very expensive. Not a MUST do, but fun enough. -
Review from Monica J.
5/16/2013What an awesome place! I realize that our experience may have been atypical since my husband and I stopped in for some tea and dessert on a weeknight around 9:30pm after seeing a show at Carnegie Hall nearby. So there was absolutely no wait for a table and the staff was very attentive since the place was mostly empty. We really enjoyed our tea service but I just had to subtract one star because they used tea bags rather than loose tea. If you are going to charge that much for tea then you shouldn't be using some bags I can get at a gourmet grocery store around the corner for about 1/100th of the price.
On the positive side, the atmosphere at The Russian Tea Room is just so wonderfully elegant that I was really glad we stumbled upon it on our one "dress-up" night of our trip to NYC. I loved every minute of it! The decor was gorgeous and the art on the wall kept us entertained while we relaxed in our booth sipping our tea. They have many beautiful paintings, including two original works by Pablo Picasso. Wow! And the whole time they played classical or traditional Russian music including a lot of Tchaikovsky. I absolutely LOVE both the Nutcracker and Swan Lake ballets so I was in heaven. I could have sat there all night, it was so soothing and wonderful. I did take a look at their menu and it looks pretty pricey but I hope someday I get to come back for a full meal.
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