This place is just SO GOOD. the atmosphere is perfect, piano music (LOVE), very quiet and warm ambiance, very friendly, professional and welcoming staff, interior is beautiful and the food is exactly what I wanted - taste of home. The Napoleon tort is absolutely amazing, best one I've had in my entire life. read more

See all

Delicious. I heard about this place awhile ago, but when I was in town it was closed for reservations. I finally got to try it out, and I was not disappointed. I had beef pelmeni and cabbage rolls and my only regret was I didn't have more room in my stomach for more. The vodka was just delicious! I had different shots in the horseradish, coriander, ginger flavors, and a serrano that the restaurant generously treated me on the house. If I am ever in Chicago again with company, I will definitely come back for the tea! read more

It was my first time trying Russian tea time restaurant and I loved it! Oh my god.... Their tea ????? Omg must try it ! The food was so fresh and amazing! Whatever we ordered was just amazing The hospitality was incredible and welcomed! The atmosphere was wonderful great environment I highly recommend it and definitely would go back read more

One of the aspects I like most about Russian Tea Time is that first and foremost it is an experience as opposed to just tea or a meal both ethnically and atmospherically. A few years ago a remodel was completed. They did paint over the natural grain woodwork, but it was dark and outdated making the interior seem dark. The light fixtures have been updated as well. Overall I really like it. The sign in the window says afternoon tea is available from two to four thirty PM but this is really not the case. On their website or somewhere else it says it's available until seven thirty PM. Recently I was able to get it a little after seven. The regular tea service is a good deal at $36 including a pot of tea, and a selection of beginnings, savories, and sweets. Upscale hotels such as the Langham and Peninsula charge $60 for a similar selection and it's not any better. The pot that came with the regular service was a generous amount for me and it could be sufficient for two if you are not heavy drinkers. Samovar Service is simply a large pot of tea of your choice. It's not indicated how many people this would serve. The Queen Tea Service at $56 is a good option if you want a meal or have a small group. The Queen Tea Service has a noticeably more extensive selection than what is served at an upscale hotel for $60. The pot looks like it is the same size as the regular, but I'm not sure so please inquire. The menu is extensive featuring Traditional Caviar Service in the $300 range. If you happen to be a party of two the best thing to order is the Russian Tea Time Platter for two featuring an extensive selection of salads, sides, and entrees. Please see the menu online for a specific description of what is offered. A similarly priced Seafood Platter is available as well. Some traditional selections such as Beef Stew, Stroganoff, Stuffed Pepper, and Stuffed Cabbage are available. However, I consider these culinary delights to be "Next Level" as opposed to just being good. Parking can be challenging in that limited street parking is available. The Monroe Street Garage across the street is convenient and not terribly expensive. I recommend researching the street parking situation to see if anything is available that wouldn't be too far of a walk. In terms of location, it is close to Millennium Park, The Art Institute, and Symphony Center CSO. read more

Was told to come here and try their tea and dessert. It was amazing. We had a honey cake, Napoleon, and a chocolate cake. The honey cake was amazing!! Highly recommend it. The pot of tea was delicious. We sat in the back room and talked and talked and talked. Both my friend and I travel overseas and are used to being able to sit for hours and talk. However, The waitress seemed to be annoyed by us and they kept coming to clear the table even though it was clear we were still eating but the restaurant was not very busy so I don't feel bad for sitting there. That's why they are getting four stars and not 5. However, again the honey cake was amazing!! Try it. read more

They are reopened and the food and service are beyond outstanding! First of all we have some of the potato piroshkies. Yum! A party of five had each of a different dish -- stuffed peppers, salmon, chicken Kabob Lamb shank and I had beef stroganoff. Everything was perfectly prepared. Tasty and outstanding! The waiter was perfectly attentive. This is the best dining experience I've had in 25 years and that was at Charlie Trotter's when it was still open. I cannot recommend this outstanding restaurant enough! read more

This place has a massive menu, so the array of Russian choices can seem a little overwhelming. We recommend the mushroom barley soup or the herring tasting as starters, followed by the golubtsi or the stroganoff as a main course...but really, you can choose any starter and main and have a fantastic meal. The real advantage to RTT is their vodka tasting menu, which is simply amazing. It starts with instructions on how to toast in Russian, then offers appropriate Russian responses. The range of makers they have is big and you can sample widely. They even include directions on how to slow your drinking if you feel inebriation coming on. You'll be drinking like the natives do in no time. read more

Russian Tea Time - Read these directions to enjoy vodka like the experts do! - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Back in Chicago for a few days and found this gem while trying to find a "high tea"/"afternoon tea" spot. Their tea selection is pretty good -- mostly premium teas though. I got the Russian Breakfast tea and Czar's Samovar. Servers (at least the one that served me -- Nathalia I believe) were knowledgeable and recommended really good teas. She also kept checking up on me if I needed more hot water to re-steep (some teas here can be steeped twice) -- which I really appreciated. The only part of the experience I wasn't too impressed with were the savories. Mine were a la carte, b/c they don't do premium teas in the "afternoon tea" package. Maybe the pairing was off with the specific tea's I ordered. Overall I'd still recommend this spot for great tea and service -- I was able to get some work done (yes, free guest WiFi and power outlet) and enjoy some really good tea! read more

How I've missed this place during COVID. I live in Wisconsin, we're on the Covid naughty list so I cannot come down right now. Rest assured, when this COVID is all over I will be coming back more than I ever did before! I particularly miss the duck strudel and pelmeni. This place does both wonderfully! read more

Russian tea time is a beautiful place. The atmosphere and decor was stunning. So I went in expecting more than I got. I also very quickly became uncomfortable as the staff all just kind of stood in the back corner surveying the sort of small and narrow dining room and waiting. It made me quite uncomfortable. We got Queen tea service, and honestly it was overpriced for what it was. I wonder if the regular tea service may have been better. Most of the small desserts were great, but the jello was very bland and unappealing. Also there was only one of everything, which made it difficult to share/try everything. Other teas I have been to give two of everything so that if you share a tea tower with someone, you both get to try a bit of everything. After the tower, I was hoping the food would be a step up. The salmon was ok, the carrots and the sauce were great. The mashed potatoes had the consistency and flavor of instant mashed potatoes. Over all it left a lot to be desired. It felt like a downtown tourist trap that wasn't really worth the price. I will say though, the tea itself was lovely. I tried an earl gray and it had a very delicate and floral flavor and was very good. read more

Russian Tea Time - Grilled Salmon - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

OMG, I'm so sad I didn't discover this place the 3 times I visited Chicago before! Although that might be a good thing, because I was absolutely stuffed. I came here alone on a Wednesday for the full afternoon tea service and it was amazing and delicious. I got the gen mai cha pop tea and it was soooo good! There was way too much food so I ended up taking a to-go box. You get a plate of scones (delicious), finger sandwiches (my favorite), and a selection of Russian sweets. I think if I ever came back I would order a la carte instead of getting the full tea service because it was too much food. I'd definitely get the assortment of finger sandwiches plus either the scones or the sweets depending on how much variety I'm feeling that day. Service was great too! The ambience was really nice and the restaurant wasn't crowded at all - it's actually really big and extends way back. The restrooms were nice and clean. I also want to come back for their regular menu! read more

See all

I really look forward to visiting this restaurant when I am in Chicago. It is a lovely and very clean establishment. The food is excellent. My favorites are the cabbage rolls and the wonderful Earl Grey Lavender Tea. I also look forward to having the best old country pumpernickel bread. read more

My former boss/friend took me to dinner since he had never been there and we both really enjoyed the meal and service! He is a big lamb lover so enjoyed the Lamb Samsa while I loved the Latkes. I had the beefstew for the entree which was delicious. My friend said it was the best cabbage salad he's ever eaten in his life! read more

Hi This is one of the few restaurants bringing Eastern European dishes to Chicago downtown ! I have always had a great experience here with my family and kids ! Service has been great and the food and tea service was top notch ! Any discrimination being directed against Russian Tea Time is misdirected and not warranted. They are for peace as are we all . read more

First time in Chicago, as a fun ritual when traveling, I love scouting out afternoon tea places in different cities. Upon research, I kept coming across Russian Tea Time and I had to check it out. The verdict? 5 STARS for me as yelp quotes "Rating Woohoo! As good as it gets!" The afternoon tea experience was super delightful. It was slightly different than other treats I had, especially the mini sweets, it was like digging into a flavoured treasure chest. There were fruit filled cookies and other textures, which I've never ate before. As for the tea, I chose the Russian Caravan which is described as a blend of "Smokey Blend of Lap sang Souchong" and the drink actually tasted strong and smoky. Now, I've never been to Russia (yet!), but the decor and interior of this place also felt authentic. Rustic antique chic, dark red carpets and Russian trinkets. Lastly, it was an excellent value! I like to say I know a thing or two about afternoon teas, I've been to some pretty fancy ones (Fairmonts, St. Regis, Bergorf Goodman in NY), and the Russian Tea Time at $29.95 was priced extremely reasonable for the price and food ! Staff was also fantastic and attentive. Overall, I would definitely recommend trying it for yourself! I even converted my friend, an "afternoon tea virgin" in loving these treat times. read more

Russian Tea Time - Afternoon Tea Service - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first experience with Russian food and it was great! Delicious food and cozy atmosphere with a very big variety of options. Feels like a special occasion spot, starting with the silverware. Check them out! read more

After visiting the Art institute in Chicago, we crossed the street to a special fund...The Russian Tea Room. Though I really wanted to try the The Tea Service with athe beautiful bite desserts, but since we had not eaten lunch I went for the soup. We tried the cream soup and the veg soup both had amazing flavors. We also had a delicious potato salad called olive salad. Oh I almost forgot the peach black tea was amazing and comforting on a cool afternoon. The wait staff was very attentive! Wonderful experience! read more

See all

A recent visit left me with the same feeling the last time I ate at this restaurant 30 years ago- that it hits the cultural experience target culinarily and personally, with kind, naturally pleasant and helpful waitstaff. Interesting food choices and pricey but varied caviar. I hope it doesn't take me as long to get back to it again one day. read more

Pleasant Russian restaurant around the corner from Orchestra Hall where I enjoyed an early evening meal of Moldavian meatballs, diced beats, and sauerkraut served with dark Russian rye bread for $24. They have an extensive wine menu and some lovely looking ethnic desserts, but I did not indulge in either one. I enjoyed the subdued Russian music playing in the background. My only complaint is that the portions were rather small. read more

We did the afternoon tea service and enjoyed it. The savory tea sandwiches were definitely the best part!

Fantastic place. Service was great. Food was delicious. The vodka with pickles and bread were superb. The cabbage roll is the best dish.

After being seated, we were given water, but waited so long for someone to come and take our order, we actually thought about leaving. Especially with an 8 o'clock show which we informed the host. The waiter finally arrived and was quite cool and indifferent. Talking at us, with little eye contact. However, once we started asking questions about the menu he warmed up a bit. Suggested pairing the Syrah with the Beef Stroganoff which was perfect! As an African American couple who are city dwellers, we strive to experience all the culture our city has to offer! We will return or recommend? Hmmm... I'll just say, first impressions are lasting! read more

The interior is quite lovely & they had it all decked out for the holidays as well. Definitely make a reservation on Open Table if you can as they get quite busy. 3 p.m. may seem like an off-peak time at other places but not at a restaurant famous for their afternoon tea service. While it wasn't the best afternoon tea service I've had it was still pretty good. Both our teas were very good & they have a large selection of teas to choose from. Some of the food items weren't as fresh as they could have been, but for the most part everything tasted quite good. As for the freshness, for example, the scones seemed like they were from the day before & could have used a bit of a reheat in the oven to perk them up (but we reheated the leftover scones in our toaster oven the next morning for breakfast & they were much better). It was quite a bit of food for 2 people so we took 2 of the scones & the majority of the sweet treats home. The service was good & our only negative is we ordered 2 glasses of champagne to start and it arrived after our hot tea. The server came & topped off our tea pots with hot water regularly, which was nice. I've heard their regular menu is quite good so I'd like to come back and try some other items next time. read more

We stopped in for a quick snack in between our museum visits and it was lovely. The atmosphere was great and the food was delicious. I hadn't planned to eat much because I'm not familiar with Russian cuisine but our server helped explain the menu and made recommendations and it was awesome to discover a new menu. We also ended up purchasing a couple of boxes of their tea to bring home because it was so good. Our server was excellent (there were 3 adults and 3 kids but she was on it!) and the whole experience was really enjoyable! I highly recommend-even if you're not that adventurous, there really is something for everyone! read more

The ambiance was good. Service awesome, except the hosts walked straight past me, (im black) and to my wife to ask if she needed help when we entered. Once she realized that I had made the reservation she adjusted her attitude. So they probably need some training in that respect. The food was a mix. Im also half Russian, so the borsh was amazing, but as my wife said "I'm sure there are lots of delicious things on the menu but the seafood plater is not one of them, they should consider removing it," personally I think it just should have been called the salted fish plater and that would have been clear. read more

Came for the second time in two weeks for dinner before the Symphony. The service is wonderful. We had Mark (first visit) and then a lovely young woman last night. The food is good. Last time I ordered the lamb shank. It was delicious ( small) and the spinach on the side was delicious ( really small portion) the mashed potatoes were great, and although I usually avoid white potatoes, ate them all. We had the honey cake for desert. It was outstanding! Last night I ordered the beef stew and so did my date. We both enjoyed it. The portion was okay, flavor excellent. The meat was tender and tasty. We ordered the Napoleon for desert and split it. That was amazing! So delicious! The atmosphere is lovely, and the room that we sat in last night (front room) had really neat booths and was beautifully lit. I recommend making a reservation before coming here because we saw people trying to get a table without reservations and it's not that kind of place. My date loves the ambiance here and since we spend lots of time together, I'm sure we will be back! read more

Everything was fresh and delicious! Service was good, but the food was amazing! The tea also was great and they had really nice choices. Somewhere you should absolutely stop in and get the honey cake at the very least. read more

My experience at The Russian Tea House was so wonderful. The interior is very elegant with the white tablecloths and relaxing music. It has been a while since I have really gone to a place where you could dress up, if you want to, because dressy casual is fine. The menu is full of so many good choices. I wanted to try the lamb shank but instead ordered the Chicken Kiev and got lost in another time. The chicken was so tender and enveloped in the bread, oh my goodness I can't speak. Let me tell you about the bread that comes while you wait for your entree. Really, the pumpernickel bread and artisan white along with the honey sea salt spread was enough to say, ""I've arrived! I tried the caramel martini and it also was well done so that I could still carry on a conversation with my sister and actually remember the conversation. Everything was soooo nice I will definitely go back. (To another time). read more

If you are looking for authentic Russian food in the Chicago area, please don't miss this gem!!! My mom and I, both of whom are bilingual and have lived in Russia for years, decided to visit this restaurant during our visit to Chicago, and let me tell you - it did not disappoint!! The restaurant was clean and beautifully decorated, the staff were very nice, and the food was great!! I would highly recommend the Pirogi, Varenne, Borshct, and the Golubtsi, but most of all - the in-house black tea!! For someone who had been away from Russia for a while, this was a very welcome taste of home. read more

Went there for the first time in a long time on Valentine's Day. Service was fantastic beginning with the young lady hosting and continuing with all server people. We had a great selection of vodkas, appetizers and entrees which were delicious. Dessert was fabulous. If I lived closer I'd be there much more often read more

The tea time menu looked really good since there was a good balance between the savories and sweets...but we quickly realized that the items were not as fresh or delicious as it looks. After we finished the scones with the whipped cream, we tried to do a savory then sweet, then back to savory and sweet. They were all mediocre at best. Favorite was the salmon and cream cheese tea bite with fresh dill. The rest was just sustenance to stay alive. Service was great. As Tea Service started at 2:30pm, they were able to serve us at 2pm. There was nice Russian decor, but the table and chairs were all to close in proximity. I felt like I would elbow the neighboring table at any time. Would I come back..prolly not. read more

I'm not Russian so I can't speak to the authenticity or anything but the Ukrainian Borscht was the best soup I've ever had. Every dish was great. Amazing service and calm environment. Kind of a fancy place so dress up a tad bit to fit in lol read more

Wonderful time! Only negative thing was snooty waiter that makes fun of guests with bartender. read more

My review is based solely on doing the Afternoon Tea Service, which I came to have with a group of friends. There were 7 of us, and there was definitely way more food than we could possibly handle. Everyone got to select which tea they wanted, and being super hot out made the possibility of selecting "iced" a nice touch. The restaurant itself was incredibly hot and balmy - thankfully we were next to a large fan. I'm not sure if there was an air conditioning issue or if it's just that ill-equipped for hot summer weather. The tea service then comes with a three-tiered tray that had scones, savory sandwich-type things, and sweet pastry items. I was honestly not a fan of most of the food items with the tea service, and would definitely not go back to order them again, but I did try a good percentage of them and they weren't particularly BAD - just not great. Our server, who was very nice, did explain what each item was but there was NO way you'd remember all of that. Perhaps a small list of the items on a small sheet of paper that comes with the tray would be helpful. I'm not a huge fan of tea and not a huge fan of the food/snack items brought out, but the main course food that I saw other people ordering looked pretty good. I definitely would not return for the tea service, but would consider coming back for lunch if I were in the area... assuming it wasn't too hot outside. read more

This review is more a comparison of the current Russian Tea Time against its excellent past. Having dined there many times going back 20+ years, I was disappointed in the current iteration. Menu favorites like meatballs and the seeded crackers (once served with amazing vegetarian spreads) are no longer on the menu. Some tried and true staples like stuffed cabbage rolls remain but split pea soup is gone. The food that remains is still very good despite smaller portions for higher prices. The table service was good but the table was not. Our table of 5 had a reservation weeks in advance and we were sat directly in front of the door to the outside. In the past, a revolving door ensured the cold and wind stayed outside but that's not the current situation. Each time diners entered or left, our table was blasted with cold air since the remodeling ditched the revolving door in favor of two standard doors that create a wind tunnel. Surely our group could have been sat in the rear of the space away from the entry? The one high note, at least at brunch on the weekend, is the tea service. Towering tea trays are delivered to most tables but our group opted to order entrees instead. All in all, this is a good place for upscale dining near the Art Institute, CSO, and theaters but beware it's become rather expensive for the value. read more

Lovely welcoming tea house. With full tea service and an ala cart menu of entrees, salads and sides . . . And caviar. This will definitely become my pre- symphony go to. read more

Very cute place. I came with a few girfriends and we all did the tea service. There was a variety of finger foods that were savory and sweet. I ordered the house tea which was pretty good. One of the girls ordered a blood orange tea that she said was very good. The service was a little slow but we had a great time talking so it didn't spoil our overall time at the restaurant. I would definitely go back but keeping that in mind. read more

Rounded up from a 2.7 Let me preface with I'm Eastern European and I grew up with Russian cuisine, so I know what I'm talking about. Also my mom was with me and she's an amazing cook, knowledgeable on how to make every single one of the dishes we ordered. The decor, even though a bit dated, was perfect. It reminded me of being back home and watching American movies, where mobsters were always portrayed meeting in restaurants with leather booths hahaha. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. Between 3 grown-ups and 1 child, we shared the following: Borscht, Pelimeni, Piroshki, Beef Stroganoff, Chocolate Lava cake, Napoleon cake, Cheese Blintz and beer, and jasmine tea. They also served complimentary bread and butter. The bread was pretty tasty, but it wasn't all that fresh. Now onto the foods we ordered. Their borscht was a joke, no other way to describe it. Traditionally, borscht is a SOUR soup with beetroots as the main ingredient (thus the red color), but to our disappointment what we were served was sweet borscht and that was a huge "no no" for my mom and I. It just went all downhill from there. The pelimeni tasted just alright, nothing to write home about. Piroshki (Russian version of dumplings) didn't even look like they're supposed to and the dough was off. Beef Stroganoff was pretty good, my friend really enjoyed it. The chocolate cake and cheese blintz - we could've done without and the Napoleon cake was too hard. I did love their tea. If ever in the area, I would not be going back. read more

See all

I have been coming here since I was a little girl and every visit has been amazing. Besides the incredible food (everything on the menu is delicious), the decor and service are fantastic. Dining here is a real treat, and I recommend everyone plan a date night or special night out at Russia Tea Time - you won't be disappointed! read more

This is an amazing place to grab a tea time snack or a filling dinner full of authentic flavors. I've had nothing but great experiences here and great service. I cannot recommend it enough read more