Someone recently told me about the Passion Cafe in Brooklyn. It is a cozy lounge that has a Russian style interior. There is belly dancing on the Friday and Saturday nights. Ladies get buy one, get one free drinks every night. Passion Cafe serves Russian salad along woth a variety of other appetizers. They also have Russian speaking staff.

Passion Cafe
167 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY, 11223
Directions

One of the readers has recommended me Moscow2 - Russian cafe and grocery store. It is located in Spring, TX, only a few miles from Houston. Here is a quote from their website: “Moscow2 is located at the corner of Sawdust and Borough Park.  We offer 100% authentic Russian food in a comfortable home-style setting. One need only try our famous Chicken “Kiev” or Borsch and one of our elite Georgian wines, all of which are affordable, to escape to Russia and enjoy its food.”

Moscow2 also has a good selection of Russian books and movies.

www.moscow2houston.com

202 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
(281) 298-6236
Directions

Open Monday - Saturday 11 am - 9 pm, Sunday 11 am - 8 pm

One of the readers has sent me quite a few restaurants around LA area. I have started putting them up one by one, but realized it would be much easier to just quote them. The reviews are great and very comprehensive.

Please let me know if any of these spots closed or if anything is worth mentioning here in addition to the information I have.

“Crystal

An authentic modern Russian dining experience awaits above a Starbucks. The restaurant has only one seating per night, so calling ahead is recommended (bar seating is possible later). In between courses, well-dressed (and increasingly tipsy) diners hit the dance floor. Dress code is enforced (no jeans) and there is a $20 cover charge.

7901 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd floor
LA, CA, 90046
(323) 654-1188
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only.

Bar Lubitsch

Although not Russian-owned, this bustling hot spot pays homage to its West Hollywood location with Soviet-inspired design. Cocktail waitresses here are decked out in Pravda red, and 1930s posters hang next to mirrors etched with Cyrillic to flesh out the Soviet chic concept.

7702 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-1234
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Russian Nights

Appearing more like a strip club than a restaurant, Russian Nights’ bizarre design scheme will amuse some. The odd pairing of neon (both outside and inside) and murals depicting rural Russian 18th century life gives diners a bit of kitsch with their chicken Kiev.

13325 Moorpark St
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 981-0089
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends)

Little New York

Located near a busy Trader Joe’s, Little New York caters to a younger Russian crowd on weekends. But this hidden gem is mostly known as a cozy getaway that serves up classics like sturgeon and pelmeni, set against a somewhat garish wall mural of the New York skyline.

7316 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 874-0727
7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only

Red Square

Red Square offers up Russian fare such as hearty mignon stroganoff and sweet wild black cherry blintzes. A one-man band sings Russian Top 40 songs with the help of a laptop and reverb-laden microphone on weekends, when things can get wild.

17209 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91316
(818) 783-6300
Noon to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Russia Restaurant

New owners took over this Hollywood restaurant, which sits adjacent to the famed Knickerbocker hotel, in 2005. On Saturday, Las Vegas-style showgirls take over the stage. Popular food choices at Russia include Chicken Tabaka and Karsky (lamb chops). Massive historical wall murals of Peter the Great stare down diners.

russiarestaurant.net

1714 Ivar Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-2216
Noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Troyka

Open for more than a decade, Troyka is located in an otherwise nondescript strip mall. The menu offers an array of Russian and Ukrainian food — from solyanka soup to blinchiki (pancakes with red caviar). Other popular dishes include vareniki (stuffed dumplings), Ukrainian borscht and cold herring salad.

7300 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 851-5531
Noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Romanov Restaurant

Restaurateur Mikayel Israyelyan’s new high-end Russian steakhouse has been impressing L.A. foodies of all stripes since it opened in March. Twenty-four-carat gold-leaf ceilings gleam above; Russian haute cuisine dishes like quail Kiev dazzle below. If you have a craving for real Osetra caviar, this is the place to get your fix.

romanovla.com

12229 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 760-3177
5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Odessa

Don’t let the tacky décor fool you; Odessa’s limited menu of fish and meat kebabs keeps the faithful coming back year after year. The adjacent deli also is a must for those seeking real red Russian caviar from Kamchatka and other assorted imported foods.

18525 Burbank Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 705-6630
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Palm Terrace

This second-floor eatery (open only on weekends; call ahead) has been open since 1971, serving lavish Russian fare such as baked flounder fillet to thousands over the years. Banquet-style dining only, so reservations are a must (usually $45-per-person minimum).

531 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 653-7820
Weekends only, call for reservations.

Uzbekistan

Massive portions are the norm at Uzbekistan, where Russians, Armenians and curious Hollywood tourists “man up” to tackle hearty fare like plov with chicken and manti (steamed Uzbecki lamb dumplings). Live bands play on weekends.

7077 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-3663
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily.

Cafe Europe is a cozy Russian restaurant in Houston that has a friendly atmosphere and a good menu selection. It’s the place to be for people nostalgic of Russian traditional dishes and a good tea. Cafe Europe located in the heart of Houston is my friend’s favorite place to relax after a hard day of work.

Cafe Europe
2711 Fountain View Dr # C
Houston, TX 77057
(713) 532-2220
Directions

Kaleenka Restaurant is one of the oldest Russian food places in Seattle. It was opened over 20 years ago, in 1981. Kaleenka offers a wide selection of former Soviet Union dishes. It is open for both lunch and dinner which makes visiting Kaleenka very convenient for any schedule.

Kaleenka Russian Restaurant
1933 1st Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Directions

Update: This restaurant has been closed

This great Russian seafood restaurant is located at one of the Ferry buildings in San Francisco. If you are ever in the mood for some Russian seafood, Tsar Nicoulai cafe can offer a large selection of caviars and other delicassies to try. It is open every day except Monday.

Tsar Nicolai Cafe
(415) 288-8630
1 Ferry Bldg
San Francisco, CA 94111
Directions

http://www.tsarnicoulai.com/about/cafe.html

Anyway Cafe is one of my friends’ favorite place to relax. It is a small and very cozy cafe with a couple of tables and bar. Sometimes there is live music on the weekends. It is located in the heart of Russian community in Brooklyn close to everything.

Anyway Cafe
1602 Gravesend Neck Rd
Brooklyn, NY 11229
www.anywaycafe.com