I do not understand how anyone who doesn't have pre-1980s culinary experiences in the USSR would find much of value in this long-lasting cafe. The greasy, salty and overcooked food here is a nostalgic reminder of Soviet era restaurants and many home-cooked meals. My standard herring appetizer came with a large pile of very oily and salty potatoes, first boiled and then fried. The pelmeni were stuffed with rubbery little nuggets of mystery meat. The blini were thinner than a crepe, almost transparent, and also oily. And yes, the service was indifferent, to say the least. For quality Russian walk 2 blocks to the Russian Samovar, but be prepared to spend a lot more cash than at the very cheap Uncle Vanya.
Pros: cheap
Cons: food, service
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