To start off, this place is not authentically Russian whatsoever. Coming here is the equivalent of going to Olive Garden and calling it authentic Italian food. Maybe 5% of the customers that come here are Russian. Everyone else is an American college student. There's nothing wrong with the people that are here, but the place is very Americanized and the majority of people don't know the proper way to sauna. No one wears a hat or covers their hair. No one knows that you're not supposed to eat and go into a hot steam room. No one knows that you're supposed to cover your body when sitting at the table so you don't get caught in a draft. It's kind of funny how there are a bunch of amateurs here. Also, it's very messy. Saw a young guy leave his water bottle in a steam room. When you go to an authentic banya, you sit at a table and automatically get served with a menu. Here you have to come up to the bar and order there. When you order tea at an authentic banya, the tea is lose tea and the tea pot is served with fine china or glass cups and comes with jam, honey, and Russian suhareki (crackers). The tea here was Lipton and was served with paper cups. No jam, honey, or crackers. This is an Americanized version to serve tea. The menu was lacking in Russian food. It had wings, fries, chicken nuggets. This is Americanized food. All in all, if you're Russian you wouldn't like it here. I recommend going to Marloboro - banya there is authentic and the food is better. read more

If I could give this place a 6 I would . Always a favorite spot to hit on a day off. It's like going to a mini resort. The staff is always friendly. The massages are perfect . The place is always clean. The food delicious with vegan options. Great relaxing atmosphere. Two dry saunas, a steam room, ice plunge and hot tub. Perfect escape for a date. BYOB is a super plus . read more

An Amazon Local deal brought me to Bear and Birch. I paid $15 for an all day pass which normally costs $25 on a weekday. A day pass will give you access to a steam room, two dry saunas, a cold plunge and a medium sized jacuzzi. I have to admit, King Sauna Spa in Palisades Park stole my spa heart a while ago so Bear and Birch had a lot to live up to. I finally came to redeem my Amazon deal and arrived on a Wednesday at noon, right when they opened. My friend and I stayed for a few hours and the whole time there were only 2 other people using the spa. It was good because I felt we really had the place to ourselves and we could freely move from room to jacuzzi. Because it was the middle of the day I am assuming that there are usually not a lot of people using the spa. There was only one worker in the entire spa. He was checking people in at the door, cleaning and working the cafeteria. He also did not speak much English so he was very difficult to understand (I speak a few languages so I have a sympathetic ear). We could barely order any of the items on the menu because no one was working in the kitchen! I ended up ordering a green juice that was supposed to contain a variety of green vegetables but tasted mostly like celery. This was disappointing as other Yelpers raved about the Russian food. We explored the upstairs which has an area you can rent out for group events, other tables and chairs to eat and a massage room. There was no one inside the massage room so if I wanted a service it looks like I was out of luck. Maybe if you want a service you must call ahead? Overall this spa was just okay. Again, I am a huge fan of King Sauna Spa and will head there if I am ever looking for a spa day. read more

There really isn't much more that I can add, that Max S hasn't already stated. I recently went here for the second time and it was very good! I've been to the one in Fair Lawn, but that place doesn't compare. Love the setup of this place. Very open, bright and welcoming. Tried all three saunas and enjoyed them all. Also had lunch there and thought the food was very good. And if you're a juice person, they have a good selection of juices to choose from, all made with fresh fruits and vegetables. And if you'd like, you can even tell them what fruits/vegetables you'd like and they'll customize it for you. Definitely plan on returning here at least once a month! read more

Really enjoy this place. It's always a relaxing time when I come here. 5 stars for a student discount. Locker rooms food area overall really clean place. There's usually someone in the front if not ring a bell that's pretty cool. Anytime I'm in the freehold area I try and stop by! read more

This place is a jewel in an oddly location. I came upon this place randomly via an internet hunt a year or so ago and have not stopped going since. I actually put the money where the mouth is located and signed up for a monthly pass: Great facilities and hyper clean Great service-I have seen people jogging to deliver food and beverages Great steam, sauna, cold plunge, and hot tubs Great beverage options Plenty of free cold water Plenty of great large tv's Plenty of seating-perhaps a few more lounge chairs would be nice on the weekend Bear and the Birch is an ideal place to spend an hour or a whole day as it is byob and feels like a vacation in your own backyard. Thankful it exists. read more

Just come and have some rest. My favorite place to relax!;) Excellent way to recover after workout! Simply come and enjoy. read more

I am not the type to write reviews especially negative ones but if you don't take basic measures for public health I wonder how clean the place is overall. read more

First time to Bear and Birch. I consider myself well versed with Russian Banyas as I've been going to BRC in Fairlawn for past 5 years. The facility has a great interior look and very clean. The locker room was a bit small,and the showers were open style(preference) but the shower heads were very nice. Food- very good! I only had the shishkabobs(sp?) as it was just me, but the menu looks great as I saw a lot if different dishes leaving the kitchen. I went upstairs and relaxed on the couch with the monster tv in front of me prior to my food coming. If my normal crew would of been there, great accommodations for a mid to large crowd. I was somewhat disappointed with the Saunas. The American was just ok but expected. The steam was good, not great. The door kept opening letting out the steam but once it got cranking, enjoyed it a lot. Now the Russion...good interior look although not that spacious, especially when there was a Parka treatment going on. I had to keep cranking up the heat which surprised me with the amount of Russians there. I liked the ease of cranking up the temperature and the heat was excellent. I did miss having a Russian wet sauna which BRC has. Overall, very good experience and I will definitely be back and recommend B &B. I now live down here although will still make trips to BRC. Go and you will have a great experience. read more

I really liked this place. Staff was very friendly, the place is super clean, and I loved the fact we went on a day with no one there! I hate over crowded places so this was perfect! Love the saunas- must say they were super hot! The jacuzzi was very relaxing and extremely clean. No brown bubbles or rust around the rims if you know what I mean. I gave them 4 stars because this place was missing a pool. It would've been amazing if they had invested in a salt water pool. Overall, they have food and it's BYOB- which they don't charge you to bring in like most places. read more

Bear and Birch - Broth meaty soup with sour cream - Russian Near Me - Freehold, New Jersey

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Had an AMAZINGA TIME with my best at the banya. Discovered this place via groupon and it was just the perfect day. I was a bit skeptical because it is smaller compared to larger Korean spas, but somehow everything and everyone just worked. Went as soon as they opened on a Saturday morning and the only reason we left 5 hours later was because we had another engagement to attend. Let's you know the quality of the venue. Super clean, I felt comfortable to walk around with no shoes at times- that says a lot. Even in the locker room. Had lunch there and it was great! Kudos to the chef. Great to see people in one place just unguarded and relaxing and enjoying themselves. One of the highlights of this place is that it is BYOB, and also the pots of tea (delicious). You can sit in an American steam room, a pranya, Russian steam room, take a super cold plunge, or relax in a jacuzzi type pool. Wifi available of you want to do work and plenty of upstairs room for larger parties. Great great time. I will be back. read more

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Anna T. I spent a wonderful late afternoon on Wednesday in mid October - what a treat it was! Drove for an hour to get there but it was so worth it! Well designed place with contemporary feel, very hot treatment rooms, exceptional cleanliness and warm reception. Massage with Vadim was amazing, chicken kebab - delicious and banya beet juice was a pure delight! Peter, the hands-on owner of the facility, projected warm hospitality and an exceptional professionalism. Can't wait to go back and bring my friends! read more

Peter is the man! Great spot to detox and retox. Used to come here almost every day after work and stayed until they close at midnight. The staff are friendly and so are the people that go there. There's a great mix of ethnicities that enjoy the place and on game nights there's usually a bigger crowd. Sometimes families show up for birthday parties which can be a little annoying with kids running around but overall excellent vibes. read more

The Russian sauna is heaven! And the hot tubs are really hot and relaxing, this place can be a little crazy depending on what they have going on but it's always a little piece of heaven, if you go make sure to get some tea and fresh juice read more

Good space overall, but they get a lot of the wrong things right and a lot of right things wrong. Pros: -Very spacious with two floors for tables and chairs. Very clean as well -Large and comfortable saunas. Saunas are very easy to throw water to help the sauna experience - throw water into a small pan which drips the water over the sauna instead of throwing it directly into the oven -BYOB is always appreciated as the entry cost of $25-35 and then food and etc. adds up quick -Nice water cooler right outside of the saunas -Convenient location for the cold water plunge pool as well as the cold water shower -Keyless locker room is very impressive Cons: -No 'wet-sauna' or even buckets of water to throw over yourself -There are only 4 showers in the Men's room, 1 of which was broken -Towels are in one location only - not in bathrooms or by the jacuzzi. Additionally, when it gets busy, expect to wait a few minutes for a fresh towel -Not enough tables/chairs on the first floor. So if you don't get there early, expect to be using the stairs often read more

Very nice experience. Clean. Relaxing. Nice locker room and bathrooms. Saunas are hot enough. People are very friendly. Price is very fair. Food was decent. I would like to see a wet sauna but overall a good spot. Steamroom is small but gets nice and hot. read more

Went to Bear and Birch for the first time. I would honestly say that my overall experience was subpar. We got there as the facility just opened, and right away the front desk receptionist had a disgusting attitude. As we entered the place, we observed it to be mostly clean. I found it weird that they only give you three towels to use and If you need extra, there is an additional fee. The saunas were clean and great. I would say the food service was terrible. If you want to order something off the menu you need to walk up to the bar and place the order. All other banya's I've been to have table service which is much more convenient. The food wasn't good at all. I tried different things and nothing tasted fresh. Sometimes banya food is so good that people just go to a banya and eat without using the sauna. When it was time to pay the bill we noticed that the amount charged was extremely higher than it was supposed to be. We once again dealt with the same from desk guy who was rude. It seemed that so many more items were added to our bill which we didn't even order. It was finally corrected after a heated exchange with the guy. Needless to say, but I won't be going to Bear and a Birch again or recommending it to anyone! read more

Decided to come here for a girls day with my best pal and we were so glad we did. I was a little thrown off when I pulled into the lot because it looks like an office building from the outside, but I quickly forgot about that as soon as we walked in. We started out with massages which we agreed were awesome! Not to mention, $70 for a full body 60 minute massage is a steal compared to most spas. After, we hit the steam rooms, first the American, then the Russian. I wasn't too familiar with the Russian parnaya concept so you can imagine my surprise when people started beating themselves with branches. I didn't go that far, but I did submerge in the cold plunge pool after to "rinse away the toxins" as my massage therapist suggested. It was such a different thing to do and a really cool experience (and also a great way to drop a quick pound or two by sweating like a pig). They also have a classic sauna and jacuzzi, plus its BYOB and they serve some food. I had forgotten my flipflops when I left my house and was worried about walking around barefoot but every room seemed so clean and it turned out fine. If you don't want to use any spa services, you can also go just for the steam rooms and jacuzzi, $25 during the week and $35 for the weekends, for unlimited time. We both plan on coming back for a monthly girls day. read more

I went on a Sunday afternoon with three of my girlfriends and even though we read the reviews, we had no idea what to expect. First of all, I had no idea what to wear. A bathing suit and cover up was a perfect choice for me, but many people had no qualms about walking around in bathing suits. However, I do feel it necessary to mention that there were a lot of men there - mostly men - which was surprising to me. It wasn't a problem, but I imagine that might make some a little uncomfortable. As others mentioned, there are 2 saunas, 1 steam room, a cold plunge, a cold shower, and a jacuzzi. It seems small but we spent about 4 hours there. While I'm not big on saunas or steam rooms, I was content to sit, watch football, drink the wine we brought with us, and get into the jacuzzi a couple of times. It was relaxing and refreshing, and I imagine going in the winter would be amazing - you'd go in cold and come out toasty! The food was also delicious - they have little bites of all different kinds of foods - as well as full meals. If you're looking for something new to do, give it a try! read more

Being a Finn I miss my weekly sauna. I've tried a sauna in the City but was delighted to hear from my Russian neighbours about the Bear and Birch Sauna. It's located just outside of downtown Freehold in what looks like a corporate building. As soon as I stepped inside I was delightfully suprised by the newness and design of the place. The changing rooms were spotless, and the bathrooms were the fanciest I've ever seen at a sauna. They have three different types of sauna; the Turkish steamroom, a very hot Russian sauna, and a traditional Finnish type sauna. They also have an icy plunge pool, cold and warm showers, and a hot tub. The hot tub was the only thing I didn't try, but I love the thought of relaxing there in the Winter while looking out at the snow outside. The hot tub is located in the open lounge area, which just like everything else in this gem of a place is comfortable and very clean. I didn't try any of the food available, but they have a nice looking Russian menu. I loved the endless supply of fresh clean towels. There's shampoo, hair conditioner and shower gel available in the shower rooms. All you really need to bring with you is swimwear, flip flops and some bottled water. Can't wait to go back to this place! read more

Me and my wife had a fantastic experience during a snowy winter saturday afternoon. The facilities are very pleasant and clean. Saunas are the real thing, not the moderated semi-warm ones you typically find in many places. Service crew was working hard everywhere. Food was remarkable, homemade - we only had the Russian specialties which are worth the trip alone. read more

Totally love this place and keep coming back when weather gets colder. Place is not busy at all during weekdays, food arrives fast and portion sizes are pleasantly surprising. BYOB makes this even more enjoyable, and they even offer to keep your drinks chilled in their fridge. Jacuzzi runs great, totally love the russian steam room, and yes it can go really hot like some people like. I am not sure how to make this place even better. I stopped going to Brooklyn banyas after trying Bear&Birch last year. read more

What a great affernoon! Went in the steam room, the banya, had great food. BYOB was soo nice to have wonderful communion with new friends and old. read more

Visited the Bear and Birch Saturday, 1/17 with some expired Amazon-Local certificates we had forgotten about. This is by far the cleanest banya I've ever visited. Rooms were hot and the staff is super friendly. Unfortunately, one of the 3 rooms was closed for repairs, but I'll definitely be back to see it operational. Of note, the steam room is excellent, but be careful in the back of the room. The steam jets are located in a place where if your legs are directly in front of the jets when they activate, you could get a mild burn. The cold plunge is nice, but too small to be utilized effectively. For a real cold plunge, you need to go to NYC to visit the Russian and Turkish Bath House. The centrally located cold shower is also a great touch for those who aren't comfortable with the cold plunge. The BYOB policy is also a nice touch if you're staying for a game or just spending the day chilling out. The jacuzzi was NOT over-chlorinated, which I personally appreciated as banyas frequently make the water so chlorinated, you'll reek of it for days. Bathrooms provided shampoo and conditioner and wonderful 4 position shower-jets, plus a high-pressure washing wand. Kids are FREE. Yes, FREE! ... and I was really appreciative of the fact that they honored the full value of the Amazon-Local certificate despite the fact that I pointed out it had expired and was only worth 1/2 the value. These folks are professionals who really appreciate your business. read more

Got a couples massage a few weeks ago. It was our first experience and Bear and Birch made it great! The girls were very nice and accommodating. Will certainly be returning to spend the day in the saunas. read more

This place is a gem! It is kind of middle of nowhere but it is definitely worth the travel. Bear and Birch is a day spa that is open 12-12. Mon- Thu entrance fee is $25 per person, Fri+ weekends $35 to enter. They have an american sauna (hot), russian sauna (very hot), a steam room, an ice cold pool to jump in, and a hot pool. They have many seats that you can sit and relax, a juice bar, lots of food. It is also BYOB so you can bring your favorite. They offer monthly or yearly memberships. Even though, I am not planning on getting a membership, I am definitely planning on coming back .After sauna, your body feels so relaxed and rejuvenated. read more

The banya is the best place ever. This is my second visit and I live in NYC. After steaming in the various rooms your skin feels so soft and amazing. And I highly recommend either a massage or the venik birch leaf whacking, its excellent for your circulation. And the authentic Russian food is delicious. What a great experience to do again and again! read more

The best banya between Delaware and New York, and I only limit it to that because I haven't been to every banya beyond those points! Turns out after my former banya had an "incident" my friends and I were left scrambling for a new place. B&B had just opened up and we were blown away by our experience. This is the cleanest, purest banya experience I've ever had. It's BYO and the full service kitchen produces great traditional food. I've only been there a handful of times so far, but I look forward to attending many more times in the future! read more

The Russian bath house American style. Very peaceful and relaxing. Always better during the week as it gets packed on the weekends. Food is ok, but sauna is what matters. Great for parties. read more

Nice place and good service. Very different from any other spa/banya I have been before in a good way:) Food is amazing, like home made! I would recommend it! read more

Really nice and clean. Awesome open layout with TVs and good food. Tried a few dishes everything was delicious from baba ganoush to blintzes. Excited to return with friends and more beer shortly. read more

This place is a hidden gem in Marlboro, NJ. I've been to alot of spas and a few banyas so I was really excited to try this place out because it's more local. When we pulled up we were definitely perplexed. It's set in the center of a corporate complex and from the outside, it didn't look promising BUT looks are deceiving. When you walk in, you are instantly transformed into a beautiful and cozy waiting room. The super friendly staff greets you with a smile and give you a bracelet with a key. Be careful to pay attention to the number on the key that corresponds to your locker (which I unfortunately failed to do but the owner so politely said was ok which was sweet of him)! The venue is incredibly clean which is so important to your overall comfort when your walking around and lounging in a bathing suit. They have a steam room and a few saunas that are beyond relaxing. A jacuzzi, a lounge area, a massage room, and an ice dipping pool are a few other amenities this place has to offer. Their food is delicious and after a few hours of rest and relaxation you will work up a sweat and an appetite! I highly recommend this place. Weekdays/weeknights are less busy than the weekends which is always nice. You pay at the end of your visit as is the case with most spas. They also graciously accept Bitcoin! read more

Really nice... very classy. Has a resort feel to it. Perfect getaway from reality without getting on the plane. While parnaya is authentic the feel of this place is not. Its more upscale. Very bright and open. The entrance fee during the week is only $25. Its really clean and the food is great. The only thing that surprises me is that its fairly empty when we come. Maybe its more busy during on the weekend. read more

I recently went to B&B and I liked my experience; I also met some friendly fellow customers. The staff is hard working and very friendly. I tried all the saunas, I left being impressed with how much tolerance I have for heat, and very relaxed. read more

Today was a huge storm and was my mom's birthday, so I mean why stay home in a blizzard when I can chillax. I live basically 8 min. away. There is a nice place to visit when you just want a small nice place to calm down. They have 3 saunas ranging from "Yea, Ok?" - "YEA, UM OKAY" heat. A jacuzzi, a bar, and an upstairs open lounge and occasional party section. The staff is very nice and welcoming and you can order food and go back in the sauna and they will come and get you or leave it on your table. I wish they had memberships and we would be back monthly! read more

Like a vacation! Will definitely be back. The tea and food is delicious. Would be really nice to go during the winter time

Very attentive staff. The slashlik (shish-kabob) was delicious. The juice drinks are great. Very clean facilities. I would recommend it to anybody. Amazing place. So relaxing. read more

This place is a lot of fun. I really enjoy the sauna and the smell of the wood and birch. The last time i went, my sister and I went on a whim on a friday night. We arrived around 7 and stayed until 11. It's fun - you sit back between sauna sessions and drink camomile tea and watch some tv. The food is delicious (also byob which is nice). It's a unique place to bring your friends and hang out upstairs on the lounge chairs! read more

Went on a Wednesday night and it was a total zoo. Kids yelling and running around, constantly opening the room doors and letting heat out. There were a few big groups of guys, well behaved but it kinda felt like a frat party. We ordered fresh juice at the bar and it took 45 min. When we asked the waiter he flat out lied and said the machine was broken, when he had clearly just forgotten about us. The cold plunge was great, the Russian sauna was great, the American sauna and steam rooms were ok. Hot tub had so much chlorine i was coughing. The locker rooms were small and had no towels, no amenities (no tissue, qtip, lotion, etc), no robes unless you buy them, towels in the main area kept running out. Hit us up for a 20% tip on our whole tab (admission too) as we left. I would hate to see this place on a weekend. Wanted to have dinner but it was such a zoo i just wanted to leave and eat somewhere relaxing. read more

I have been in this place couple times when they just opened. It was really impressive and relaxing with nice people, free lemonade, clean towels and good atmosphere. Well, not anymore. My last visit there was the final one. They hired new staff, who are completely incompetent. Two younger guys are dumb and dumber and old botox lady is along the same line. Lemonade is gone as well as expert advice they used to provide. Towels are dirty and they constantly trying to sell you something. The Botox lady informed us upon checkout that there is and 18% gratuity on everything, including entrance fee.. When asked to provide explanation, she said it was for towels and showers. Really??? What a ripoff. Don't see this place surviving, especially with new similar place in Marlboro. All in all not worth it with this type of russian attitude. read more