John E. wrote: > > What are folks recommendations for Russian restaurants in San Francisco. > I'm looking to find a relatively authentic place, hopefully with a bit of > a night club atmosphere. The kind of place where a group of folks can get > together for some serious eating and drinking, with perhaps some music > thrown in as well. I've eaten at Katia's (Balboa & 5th Ave, SF) several times for lunch and have always been impressed with the tasty, moderately priced food and friendly (if sometimes leisurely) service. Katia's is a fairly small storefront, not really a nightclub atmostphere, but they do have Russian entertainment some evenings-- you might call them for more info (415/668-9292). It's not a novelty place-- many Russians from the neighborhood patronize Katia's. Across the street is another Russian restaurant, the Cinderella Bakery. Based on one visit, I didn't like it nearly as well as Katia's. It does have a large Russian clientele, though. The Russian Bear, on Clement St, SF, has more of a nightclub atmosphere, I've read, with a Russian crowd late in the evening hanging out between cellphone calls. Haven't been there, so can't vouch from experience. LJ
San Francisco, CA
Russian Restaurants
Louis J. wrote: > John E. wrote: > > > > What are folks recommendations for Russian restaurants in San Francisco. > > I'm looking to find a relatively authentic place, hopefully with a bit of > > a night club atmosphere. The kind of place where a group of folks can get > > together for some serious eating and drinking, with perhaps some music > > thrown in as well. > > I've eaten at Katia's (Balboa & 5th Ave, SF) several times for lunch and have > always been impressed with the tasty, moderately priced food and friendly (if > sometimes leisurely) service. Katia's is a fairly small storefront, not > really a nightclub atmostphere, but they do have Russian entertainment some > evenings-- you might call them for more info (415/668-9292). It's not a > novelty place-- many Russians from the neighborhood patronize Katia's. > > Across the street is another Russian restaurant, the Cinderella Bakery. Based > on one visit, I didn't like it nearly as well as Katia's. It does have a > large Russian clientele, though. > Just to show we all have different tastes ... we ate at Katia's once and felt the service was so so ... and didn't feel the food was very good. We often eat at Cinderella's and feel the food is excellent. Service is kind of so so, too ... not unfriendly but certainly not the "Hi I'm Boris and I'll be your server today" level. We're hooked on the fried meat piroshki. I'm glad my mother doesn't read the Net, because I have to say they're better than the ones she makes! We've only been at lunchtime, but my guess is that Cinderella's fairly austere and casual atmosphere would not fit the bill for the party in the original post.