Best of 11 russian restaurants in Upper East Side NYC

The U.S. debut of this Russian chain, named after a mythical babushka known for her hospitality toward strangers, may be the first Manhattan restaurant aimed specifically at the Russian community's newly wealthy middle class. The Flatiron ad markets pre- and post-Soviet kitsch, references that might be overlooked if you didn't grow up in a dacha overlooking the Caspian Sea.

Start the party early at the boardwalk restaurant and bar with dazzling shows (think Las Vegas or a cruise ship) and a prix-fixe Russian meal that the website calls “expensive but worth it.” After you've filled your belly with chicken liver pâté, beef tongue and plenty of vodka, get up and start dancing with all the other diners on the dance floor.

This reborn socialite hub has never looked or tasted better. Nostalgia buffs will be happy to know that nothing has happened to the golden bird friezes or the famously tacky glass bear aquarium. Fortunately, the menu has been modernized and looks to the former Soviet republics for inspiration, including some of the best borscht in the city and more exotic main courses.

Go to the Russian Samovar on a night when there is a performance; Above, there is an excellent series of readings. The samovar-shaped lamps have gold mesh shades that become more beautiful as you take swigs of house-infused vodkas. But if the upstairs looks like Tsarist Russia (circa 1860), then the bottom level must be Soviet Russia (circa 1960). Stick to the sweets, like kyiv cake and Natasha's apple pie, accompanied by tea and beautifully served preserved cherries.

Located steps from Brighton Beach, this restaurant serves Russian cuisine and a variety of internationally influenced dishes such as beef or chicken stroganoff, herring with potatoes, and Ukrainian borscht. Live music on the weekends will occasionally inspire diners to get up from their chairs to make a move.

Shiny black marble, wall-to-wall rugs, and sturdy green benches decorate the room. The huge horseshoe-shaped bar is always filled with a mix of young Russian and American rowdies. In the bright dining room, drunken patrons feast on gravlax with potato pancakes and cabbage pie. Mains like chicken tabaka are a cheeky, greasy delight. And while there's a lot of debate about the authenticity of certain flavors of "Russian-infused vodka," the horseradish shot packs a punch that pairs well with food and flirting.