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

A new restaurant called Sadko recently opened up in San Francisco Richmond district. It is a very cozy place with great home-style cooked meals. Very affordable too. Something to definitely try at Sadko are filled blintzes. 

Sadko is located on Clement street between 23rd and 24th. Give it a try if you are in the area.

Sadko Restaurant
2229 Clement St
San Francisco, CA, 94122
415-666-3420

In response to an inquiry of one of the readers I found Eliseevsky Russian restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is rated the best Ethnic restaurant in the area and offers a good selection of traditional Russian dishes for a moderate price.

I have found somewhat contradicting reviews, so if you get a chance to visit, please let me know what it is like.

Artem Eliseevsky Restaurant 
4825 W Flamingo Rd # 10
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 247-8766
Directions

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.

Someone has just sent me an email about the Russian Tavern located on the Isle of Bute, off the coast of Western Scotland. It is inside the Port Royal Hotel, overlooking the port. Russian Tavern serves not only traditional Russian dishes, but also excellent selection of exported wines and beers along with Scottish delicacies. 

Here is a quote from someone affiliated to this restaurant: “We take the preparation of our Tsarist Russian cuisine very seriously, prepare everything freshly from fresh ingredients, and have the finest local Scottish seafood and beef at our disposal.”

Russian Tavern at the Port Royal Hotel
http://www.butehotel.com/index.htm
37 Marine Road, Port Bannatyne,
Isle of Bute PA20 0LW, UK
Tel: 01700 505073

Il Paradiso is located in Encino. It seems to be a night club more than anything else, since it’s opened 7 p.m. to 2 a.m  on the weekends. A quote from the referrer gives a great description of Il Paradiso: “If you are seeking a true wild Russian night in L.A., look no further than Il Paradiso. This otherwise nondescript restaurant attracts a well-heeled, good-looking crowd on weekends (late at night usually). Don’t be intimidated by the veal-tongue salad, the Glock-toting security guards or the BMWs out front — just dress to impress and dance the night away.” I also found a few very positive reviews. Seems like an interesting place to spend an evening and relax.

Il Paradiso 
15627 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 981-9293
Directions

I have been getting unbelievable feedback from the readers about the Russian food places around the world. I will be adding them as fast as I can. Thank you all so much!

Here is a quote from one of the emails I got about Premier Russian restaurant in Studio City:

“This cavernous restaurant in Studio City can feel empty when not packed with a party crowd. Avoid this fate by coming late on Saturdays, when the chicken Kiev is hot and the crowd dances the night away to live Russian music. A dress code (no jeans) is enforced (for men, anyway).”

I also found a few reviews online. This restaurant is mentioned along with all sorts of top notch places in the area. I’ve noticed that Russian restaurants that are being mentioned among non-Russian restaurants - the ones that gained popularity and high scores among non-Russian speakers - usually are better ones.

Premier Restaurant
12743 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 623-8844
Directions

I just read a very entertaining review of Nikita’s Russian restaurant in London: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/restaurants-cafes-national/nikita-s-russian-restaurant-london/ . I found a few more reviews, Nikita’s seems like a popular place. Some terms people use to describe this place are “very Russian”, “lots of reds and golds”, and “good quality”. The menu is on the upper price range, but reasonable. Nikita’s has a website: http://www.nikitasrestaurant.com/ .

Nikita’s Restaurant
65 Ifield Rd
London, SW10 9AU, UK
 

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

To tell you the truth, the way I found this restaurant is just by typing in ‘russian restaurant’ in Google. Only after I read a few articles about it and heard about it from a friend who’s in the UK right now I decided to add it to my website.

St Petersburg Dining Club and Restaurant in Liverpool, UK is a high class dining location for anyone who would like to try the best quality Russian food and a great variety of menu items. Located in the most beautiful part of the city St Petersburg Club and Restaurant not only provides the food but also the entertainment.

St Petersburg Dining Club Russian and Restaurant
http://www.russiancuisine.co.uk/
7A York St
Liverpool L1
UK
Tel:+44(0)151 7096676
Directions

Russian restaurant in Melbourne called V&V is a great place to eat while visiting Australia. From the reviews I found V&V seems to be a local favorite with friendly staff and tasty food. The prices are about average, and the menu is full of choices for all occasions.

V&V
http://www.russianrestaurant.com.au/
136 Koornang Road,
Carnegie, Victoria 3163,
Melbourne, Australia
(03) 9568 1621
Directions

Smaak is a European buffet/restaurant in Antelope only a few minutes drive from Sacramento. This place has recently opened and has been receiving very nice reviews so far. It is open daily 11 am to 9 pm and has reservation option and catering service. Check out the menu on the website here. It has casual European-style interior and friendly staff.

Smaak European Buffet 
7893 Walerga Rd
Antelope, CA 95843
(916) 722-3876
Directions

Update: According to one of the readers of my blog Smaak closed down. Please let me know if you have any information about it (did it move? if so, where?)

A cozy Russian restaurant in Sacramento area that serves excellent borscht and kotlety. This place is an excellent choice for anyone who would like to grab a bite of Russian food for lunch or dinner. The portions are bigger than average, so count on taking some food to go.

Stolichniy Restaurant
5601 Watt Ave
North Highlands, CA 95660
(916) 332-5989
Directions

Traktir restaurant in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, has been recommended to me by a friend who just visited LA from bay area. She said they had the best harcho she has ever tried and pelmeni were unspeakable (in a good way). It seems to me this place might be a sister-restaurant of the Traktir in San Francisco. Or may be it is just a common name for a Russian food place. In any case, I think Traktirs tend to be great places to eat based on my experience.

Traktir
8151 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-3030
Directions

It is very essential for Russian people to be able to go to the restaurant and completely relax and have a good time there. It has to be all in one spot - good food, music, bar, and dancing. At the same time the atmosphere needs to be calming and warm. Russian Bear restaurant in Houston has all that. People who go there say that it not only features a great selection of Slavic foods but also has dance and music performances, and a full bar. Around 10 pm belly dancing starts - although it is not Russian art, it is something considered exotic in Russia and is lately becoming a popular form of entertainment. One of the reviews I found said that it is THE restaurant you need to visit if you want to feel like in Russia. 

Russian Bear
1801 S Dairy Ashford St
Houston, TX 77077
(281) 496-4148
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

Russian Tea Room in New York is one of the oldest famous Russian restaurants in the United States. It was opened in 1926 by former Russian Imperial Ballet members. The restaurant has changed a few owners, was closed down a few times, and has recently reopened under a new owner but unchanged decor and atmosphere. New York Magazine article describes the interior as “vibrant red-and-green room with its samovars, its Christmas-all-year excess”. History has been happening in the Russian Tea Room and I would strongly recommend visiting it, if ever in New York.

New York Magazine article

Wikipedia article

Russian Tea Room
150 W 57th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 974-2111
Directions

A Russian restaurant in Philadelphia that got excellent reviews. It’s open Monday through Friday for dinner. The atmosphere is casual and kids friendly. This restaurant features a wide selection of traditional Russian dishes.

Golden Gate Restaurant 
11058 Rennard St
Philadelphia, PA 19116
(215) 677-9337
Directions