My last time to Brighton beach was well over 20 years ago. I remember it well. All of the…read morestorefronts with. Cyrillic writing, clothes, food with wonderful smells, trays and trays of caviar, just bursting out the door. And, a Starbucks. Today, not too many Eastern European businesses are left. Now, it's banks, cellular, provider, stores urgent care, a 7-11, even a Popeyes freaking fried chicken. Oh, and the Starbucks is still there. After walking out of a very bad experience at imereti Georgian cafe down the street (see separate review) I found this place. Boy, am I glad I did. I was seated in the front. The restaurant was gorgeous. ! I could hear a beautiful voice singing, Eastern European songs in the back of the restaurant and at one point,, he switched to Elvis's "I can't help falling in love with you" in English. That made me a little emotional, because that was my late partner's and my song... Anyway, I decided to go for the crêpes with red caviar (salmon roe), and the Ukrainian borscht. Bread and butter is brought to my table. The white bread was OK, but the brown bread had a deep rich flavor. The crêpes come first, and they were amazing. The crêpes were very warm, soft and delicious. I loved the "red caviar". A little bit salty, more briny than fishy, and a wonderful explosion of flavor when the eggs "pop." in the mouth. I was very happy. Next came the borscht. It had cabbage, beets, potatoes, and either beef or pork. I'm not sure which one. The meat , beets and potatoes was very tender, and the soup was delicious and not too rich. A very satisfying flavor., the beets gave it a little bit of an earthy flavor. The sour cream that came with it, just added a creamy richness to it without overtaking the flavor of the borscht. 1000% a home run. Dinner wasn't cheap. Two dishes, two iced teas (I found out they charge for refills), and tax, and it came out to about $48 before tip, .I didn't care. I don't mind paying extra if the food is that good, and this food was absolutely beyond awesome. I would be glad to come back and try other items on the menu. Thank you!

I have said this before and I will say it again, good food will only get you so far…read more That is putting it politely. Yes, the food is good. I enjoyed everything I ate, except some of it is on the saltier side, especially the pelmeni (a Russian tortellini). This was my first time eating these and I can say this is something I enjoyed. The Duck Legs are tasty, especially with the candied orange on top. It is not very boney and the portion of buckwheat received is generous and I ate every bit of that. The cheese blintzes are dense but also are a nice way to finish up. Free bread is served when you walk in and I ate this to an overall mixed result. The stumbling block for this restaurant is the service. Considering I was the only diner here during dinner, that is telling. The servers seemed to forget I was there and I often had to ask them to get me water. It was not until the third time I asked and was 45% of the way through my meal where they finally got it to me. The Kompot I got I enjoyed, but a cherry juice drink is not going to quench my thirst. Water will. I was also confused on how the meal is served. Perhaps that falls on me for a lack of cultural knowledge, but failing in the water game falls on them. It was only until the very end of the meal where I felt any sense of value here. The 1970's interior is something I did appreciate. All I needed was Russian caviar and the smell of cigars to take me back to a time when this was my fathers' Brighton Beach. However, I cannot endorse lackluster service. That is the biggest reason I will not be back, despite everything else.

Behind a retro blue awning sits a restaurant dear to Brighton beach and to me! Ive been coming here…read morewith my family since I was a child so the food, vibes, and TVs playing endless Russian music are so nostalgic for me. Recently, I took a friend here who is not familiar at all with Eastern European food and she loved all of the dishes. The cutlets were perfectly seasoned, and the buckwheat was buttery and warm. It tasted just like what I eat at home. We also had the sweet cheese vareniki which tasted desert-like and were so decadent with the sour cream. The Compot had a refreshing fruit flavor and paired so well with our meal. The service was quick, and we were able to request extra plates to share our order.

A friend who grew up in the Bronx had never gone to Brighton Beach. 'C'mon,' I said. 'Let's go!'…read more We didn't start off with a bang. Delicious elsewhere, their Ukrainian borscht -- one of my favorites -- fell a bit short. G ordered lobster bisque. Compared to a restaurant in Florida, Oceanview's soup had minimal lobster. Her rating, a measly '2 stars.' G's chicken kebob with grilled vegetables was as good as what I had here before. This time I ordered cutlets, fried with chopped chicken. It was okay, jazzed up with G's hot sauce. I won't get it again. With a glass of wine and a table outside, we enjoyed taking everything in: a heated argument between two Russian men cursing each other over parking. (It was like a skit from 'Saturday Night Live.') A table of locals chain-smoking ... I didn't think anyone smoked anymore. And of course, the rumble of the Q train above which is practically a signature of Brighton Beach. Lunch was actually pricey which is why we avoided both cafes on the boardwalk. In retrospect, we should've splurged on a scenic view for a few dollars more. 3.5 stars.

The space is great! Often empty, looks like an event space for the most of the time. Closed Mon and…read moreTuesday. First time I came, I wanted to try potato kebab, which I didnt see anywhere else, they were out. I ordered small pies, they were out. Waiter said they are never out of kebabs. So I ordered kebabs. 10 min later he came again and said they are out of it as well. Like how the waiter can not know what they have?!! Ended up with grilled sturgeon, which came bare on a plate, not even a leaf of green or anything. Wanted to give 3 stars or even 2, but gave it a second chance. Second visit they had everything and it was delicious. Apart from potato kebab, which ended up being just a puree on a stick. Nothing exciting. Food is really good but quite pricey. Especially for the area.

My husband had a birthday and we decided to have dinner at this restaurant. It has a very beautiful…read moreinterior, comfortable chairs. I would especially like to draw your attention to the menu. In addition to our favorite dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine, there are many delicious and unusual dishes. We ordered crispy eggplants, kutabs and a signature salad as an appetizer. For the main course: sturgeon shashlik, lula kebab, lamb shashlik, vegetables and grilled potatoes. Everything was very fresh and tasty, especially the crispy eggplants - amazing! In honor of the birthday, we were served free tea, 3 types of jam and Baku baklava. The waiter serving us was called Anar. Thank you for the excellent service! I would also like to note that the prices were reasonable, which is also important.

This restaurant is amazing!!! The people are so nice, the food is so good! It reminded my mom of…read moreher grandma's cooking. The inside of the restaurant is so nice and clean. This restaurant is so underrated and it's so amazing. I had fish and it was amazing. My dad had the lamb kebab and it was so juicy and delicious. And the bread. WOW. Love this place, do recommend!!!!!

Have grown really fond of this cuisine and this place definitely hit the spot. Menu has a fair…read moreamount of options and I definitely enjoyed each of the dishes we ended up getting. Started with the pilaff. Probably my least favorite meat of the day but it was plentiful, so tender, and the rest of the rice dish were delicious. Huge portion. I'm such a big fan of manti and almost always enjoy them, but these were even better than most. Plump, juice, packed with meat. Enjoyed the sauce it came with, as well. Finally, lamb rib kebab and lyulya kebab were great. I preferred the latter and may next time opt for the ribs without the fat, but they were both still great. Service was lovely, you can tell they care about the experience. Felt like we were in someone's home eating a home-cooked meal. If we lived in the area we definitely would consider coming back.

Great show Great service as always smost of these places…read morealways have . The food was hit or miss but mostly okay over all. The food platter was a bit fishy but looked good . The steak was just okay sauce smelled a bit weird . Loved the marinated peppers and I don't like peppers ? Loved the fresh fish . Sushi nothing special at all. Good spot over all for years and will be until they close

Pork Shish Kabob Baby Octopus Salad…read moreExpresso Martini Server: Petroslav was an amazing professional. The outside was slammed, and this guy never missed a beat. Water filled. The food was flavorful. The pork kabobs were a bit fatty for my taste, but the meaty parts were packed with flavor. Great drinks. Great! My companions who brought me obviously loved their food as well. The atmosphere was scenic. The ocean view under the umbrella canopy was exactly where you wanted to be at the beginning of the summer. 5 stars: recommend to others.

Stolovaya is the most USSR restaurant in the world. Has basically every stereotype of the Soviet…read moreUnion, not to mention the food was fantastic. I really recommend this place for you to go!

Call it what you will, but this is Eastern European comfort food at its finest. You will not find…read moreLagman here, which is a little disappointing, but there are lots of favorites here that I am sure you will be able to find something, whether or not you are familiar with the cuisine. I also found the ambiance very diner-esque, with modern music playing and the decor one that did not feel so stuffy. You are seated, given some hearty bread (free by the way after the first basket), you order, and your food is brought out before you in little time. That is all there really is. I got the Beef Stroganoff and it is fabulous. Served in a hearty bread bowl, the meat inside is tender and full of flavor as it sits in the broth that is still cooking all those beautiful flavors. It also comes with some mushrooms; it lacks a little there. You get your choice of side; I chose the buckwheat. This is delicious too, like kasha without the bow tie pasta. The side peas and the slaw work well too to balance out such a savory dish. To give me some sweetness I got some cherry blintzes. They are good, but a little small and they are expensive. Next time maybe I will peruse the Vereniki as I think they would play better spoilers. The cherry kompot is nothing noteworthy, regardless of size. I would not recommend this. Save your money. $30 before tip is not bad in these times, but for future visits I intend to spend much less than that. Despite the minor mishaps, I am happy this restaurant was recommended to me and I look forward to returning.

I am not Russian, nor do I pretend to know the ways of Eastern European cooking intimately, but I…read moream a frugal food idea and I go to local haunts wherever I am to sample local cuisine. What better place to get comfort food than to head to Brighton Beach? A sure sign that I am in the right place is that I stick out like a sore-thumb -- being the only Asian person in this seat of babushka's is always reassuring. I used to come here regularly after a long day of teaching, and while the amount of containers I always leave with is a bit disparaging as a science teacher trying to save the Earth, I can take each visit as a "cheat day" if it means I get my beet salad, fish with ketchup, and vitrushki's. Really, there are no frills here, and I don't know how "authentic" the food is, but it's cheap, delicious, and filling, and the workers have always been extremely kind, atypical for what I thought of from the stoicism of most of Eastern Europe.

My favorite spot to buy Russian food during my trips from Manhattan. Great salad bar - probably the…read morebest Olivier in the area. Great stuffed peppers, chicken cutlets etc. Wish they would bring back the cold tongue dish! Also, the frozen pelmeni are on the expensive side compared to other stores nearby - would buy these here too otherwise. The staff is always courteous and they accept credit cards. Usually not very crowded.

I was charged 25 % tip by waiter by default. He was very disappointed and even became rude when I…read morelowered it to regular 15 %. Food is mediocre (I would say three out of five). Soups around $6, mains $9 in general. Smells like in regular Soviet dining hall. Cash only.

great service and food is great and you should have some good quality products in the store as you…read moreget older you can always try out some new products

We have New Year party at Gurman restaurant every year. A…read morehuge thank to the staff and the manager! Always perfectly done! Nice atmosphere, delicious food and friendly staff!

Attending a friends birthday with about 60 or so was a very nice event and the food was good as…read morewell. The service in this long and narrow space was really top notch. All of the staff were able to speak both Russian and English which made things easier for those who don't and they were quick to clear a plate or replace a napkin or utensil. There was a DJ who also sings and another singer as well to keep us all entertained. A smaller sized dance floor is available for those of us who wanted to cut a rug, so to speak. Another room in the back was setup for the children and a menu for them was set up as well. Parking is street side so you might have to walk a couple of blocks in a nicer Brooklyn neighborhood. Great night out with good food served in at least seven or eight courses. The lamb chops and the potato and mushrooms dish were particularly delicious. Also you can't go wrong with any of the pickled dishes available. This is a BYOB spot so bring your favorite bottles and servers will supply water and soft drinks for you and your guests.

It is the best for intimate place for my wife and I, or for big celebration event. Food is the best…read moreweather you try raw, cooked, fried or sweet. Service is very good. Liquors and wine selection is outstanding, you can talk a lot about this place, but i only know all the best

A Beautiful Mother's Day Celebration Today my daughter…read moreinvited me to celebrate Mother's Day at Vis-a-Vis Restaurant in Brooklyn. We didn't have a reservation and the restaurant was completely full. At first, we were told there were no available tables, but the wonderful ladies at the front desk kindly spoke with the manager and found a table for two that had been reserved by guests delayed in heavy traffic for two hours. We were truly happy and deeply grateful for their kindness and willingness to help. It was my first time visiting this large and beautiful restaurant with several dining halls and a lovely summer terrace. The design is absolutely stunning. The staff is highly professional, polite, and always happy to recommend dishes when guests need help choosing. Every dish we ordered was prepared flawlessly -- incredibly delicious and artistically presented with great taste and attention to detail. The pistachio and meringue dessert was simply breathtaking, decorated with a delicate caramel lace that beautifully showcased the pastry chef's craftsmanship. I would like to thank the entire welcoming and well-coordinated team and express special gratitude to the restaurant owner and the chef for creating this wonderful island of fine dining in Brighton. We truly enjoyed our visit to this unforgettable restaurant and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a truly delicious and elegant dining experience. Irene Rosin Sincerely, Irene Rosin