The Russian Tea Room, like the country for which it is named, always holds some mystery. How can a tea purveyor in midtown Manhattan really sustain itself? Which era of Russian history will we find inside? The grim but intimidating Soviet years, the era of czars and holy men who hold sway with them? The time of revolutionary fervor? The post-Soviet embrace of capitalism of sorts?
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I know of the Russian Tea Room from my youthful years in New York City in the 1970s—and from my long embrace of tabloids for reading fodder. Dreams of running across dancer and Soviet defector Mikhail Baryshnikov or Cabaret star Liza Minnelli or pianist Bobby Short when he was not at the Café Carlyle danced through my head.
Is the Russian Tea Room Still Open?
A lot of time has passed since the Russian Tea Room opened in New York City in 1927 as, yes, an actual tea room. Founded by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet, this became a viable meeting place for a burgeoning group of Russian emigres who’d left their country and its post-revolution reformations.
Almost a century later, the Russian Tea Room in Manhattan is still open for business. But will it be good?
Is the Russian Team Room NYC Worthwhile?
The Russian Tea Room on West 57th Street—right next to Carnegie Hall—offers a bit of magic in what can be a neighborhood of business people. A red awning, gold-trimmed doors, the restaurant’s name in an elegant font, and velvet ropes invite visitors—ideally, those with reservations—in.
As one might imagine Russia would be in the winter, the darkness inside permeates the host stand and the bar area. What have we gotten ourselves into?
We glide to our table, tempted by banquettes lining the walls of the green, red, and gold dining room. Here at lunch time, we enjoy some stillness. Other tables seem to be peopled with tourists, a family celebrating a birthday. In the back, raucous laughter smacks of too much vodka too early in the day. A few tables seem to harbor real Russians. Yes, the Russian Tea Room today is a tad touristy. Yet every time we visit, we meet people there originally from Russia. Something must be authentic.
How Is the Food at the Russian Tea Room in NYC?
We begin with a flight of vodka—icy, clear, warming, absolutely straight. No garnishes here. We start with Khortytsa Platinum vodka—from Ukraine, our server tells us. Next up is Jewel of Russia, which we follow with Zyr. We like them all, so much that we wish we had ordered four rather than three.
Our server rolls with our order change, and we finish with Karlsson’s Gold, a Swedish vodka made from potatoes. We savor the diversity of our vodka selection.
Today, brunch lures us. I leap off the vegetarian wagon, tempted by a caviar tasting. The Brawny Sherpa and I share blinis with chopped hard-boiled egg, onion, and sour cream and topped with trout, salmon, and white fish roe. From there, I move on to the czar’s eggs: soft-boiled eggs topped with salmon roe and flecks of gold and sopped up with blini.
I envision the last czar, Nicholas, dining in a similar room—deep red, dark green, intense gold—completely oblivious to what his future holds. The feeling lasts as I move on to Russian tea served with deep, red, juicy cherries.
Is the Russian Tea Room worth a visit? If you want to be charmed, if you yearn to experience some Russian intensity and vigor, if you would like good vodka, good service, and good tea, by all means, go. I keep going back even as friends I tell about the place sometimes smirk a bit and call me a tourist. Sometimes, being a tourist is fun.
That Bear Ice Sculpture
The real talent, though, is to manage to be invited to an event at the Russian Tea Room, ideally one hosted in the bear lounge on an upper floor. We tried to sweet talk our way up there on our most recent visit but were told the space is being renovated. A couple of years ago, we were treated to a viewing of the grand bear sculpture that is also an aquarium. This is not to be missed if you can find your way to it.
Into the Basement
Venture downstairs to the restrooms to get a glimpse of matryoshka nesting dolls.
The Russian Tea Room, 150 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019
—Lori Tripoli
Lori Tripoli is the editor and publisher of Bashful Adventurer. Based in the New York City vicinity, she writes about travel for a variety of publications. Contact Lori at loritripoli @ bashfuladventurer.com.
Are you looking for things to do or places to stay in midtown Manhattan and vicinity? You might like these posts:
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- Manhattan Blue Man
- Overthinking the Algonquin
- Remember the Plaza?
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Enjoyed article. One time In Los Angeles went out with a couple friends to Russian Roulette, the bar had over 100 types of vodka. It was my turn to pick up the tab.
Fortunately, after two rounds I was able to convince my friends to go to a club near airport frequented by flight attendants.
A book I have on delicacies, the author recounts as a child in 1930s going to a restaurant in NYC., They brought out a can of caviar, and served from it. They ate quantity/weight specified on menu. The waiter left the can and his children finished it. When the Check came, Addl charge for the rest of the can for $25. The kids got no allowance for rest of year.