We went here to meet up with my cousin in Chicago (it's right across the street from the Art Institute-so it's a nice way to "make a day of it.."). I lived in Russia for a few months in the 90's-and it was fun to experience. We were treated very well-and although it wasn't the first place I would take a baby to-they accomodated my 11 month old just fine. We ordered several platters-and enjoyed a plethora of lox, caviar, smoked fish-as well as dumplings and other delights. The main dish included stuffed cabbage and strogonoff-just to start with. That being said-it wasn't the best food I've ever had. I think if I went again I would order off the menu. Loved the tea and the atmosphere-and the service was great. read more

The staff at this restaurant are the most amazing people. The food is incredible and they have the most delicious tea, my favorite in the entire world. These are dear dear people who made my birthday one the best in my life. I missed their tea so much I order it online to drink. read more

This is one of those places where you only hit it up on special occasions because it gets so expensive. The food is amazing - I'm partial to the golumpki - and I love their selection of teas. If you're going with a group of four or more, the platters are a pretty good value, and a lot of food. I've never been there at a time of night when I've desired alcohol, but apparently their selection of infused vodkas is fantastic; sometime I will have to give a couple of those a shot. read more

I am not a fan of tea. Except for maybe chai tea. I came here with a few chicks for a birthday party. So, I put my happy face on and went with the flow. Have never heard of this place and never realized what a Chicago institution it is. Thank goodness we had reservations on this cool Chicago afternoon because it gets packed! We all selected the Russian tea service which consisted of a pot of tea, scones and a small selection of sweets and savories; and an ending of cream eclairs. I selected the fruitiest tea I could find since I don't like tea - PEACH. No dice - still tasted like it. Other than that - I enjoyed my experience; I thought it was going to be really pretentious, but it was an enjoyable overall day spent with the ladies chatting like sophisticated grown ups. Ha. read more

Oh Russian food, why must you be two whole hours away from Champaign? What delicious borscht and stroganoff you have! Your tea service is superb and your convenient location, across the street from the art museum is just too perfect. Your service is always top notch and food is quickly served. Russian Tea Time, I love you! read more

Great food and probably one of the cleanest places ever visited . Seriously, try finding anything that has not been wipe down or cleaned. Vodka flight is amazing, portions are big and food is authentic. For once nothing to complain read more

I think this is the best Russian/Ukranian/Former Soviet Republic cuisine i have had. Well, im vegetarian and finding any of those cuisines without meat dishes was impossible. In any case, i was visiting from NYC and stayed close by. Headed there on a recommendation from the concierge and let me tell you, it was amazing. I got in 30 minutes before the kitchen closed, and they sat me either way. I got prompt attention with water and bread and was able to give my drink order. The waitress was very helpful in recommending a dish and beer. I was in a happy place when the beer arrived. I ordered the classic 3 lager (its a pint size bottle) and is excellent. I loved it. I also had the barley soup and the vegetarian stew, which is the most popular veg dish. I know why. Its a vegetable stew full of flavors. I would go and get it again. Since i love vegetables, at one point while eating, i thought i could eat this everyday. The ambience is relaxing. I would definitely be returning here on my next trip to chi-town. read more

I always take out of towners here. We typically get the Russian Tea Time platter for two, which is nice sampler for those who have never had Russian food. The beef stroganoff is AM-A-ZING as is the house tea. I never liked beets until I ate here! I also like the atmosphere and the wait staff's cool Russian accents (when applicable). = ) read more

I looved this place where I went for my best celebrations, now I feel disappointed! First it's still as expensive, but familiar with the beef stroganoff: $29/person but twice less portion, smaller plate and not as good as before! Also, charged $5 for 4 pieces of bread and butter... As much as I loved this place which my most favorite restaurant, I am now angry!!! read more

A lovely place for afternoon tea or a full meal. Delicious, freshly-made food that tastes homey and is well presented. The staff is uber professional and courteous (and fast!). Have come here twice, once in summer several moons ago, and more recently over the past weekend for a late lunch. Love their tea with lemon and sugar cubes, had their vegetarian mushroom and barley soup as a starter. Tasted incredible and was filling in a healthy way. Followed up with their latkes and apple sauce, I dribbled a little sour cream on each for pure heaven. The significant other unit had the vegetarian compote and declared it delicious--came with a side of beet salad and carrot salad, two mounds on a little plate. We shared a strudel and it was citrusy and delicious, but a little dry for my taste. Will try the bread pudding on the next visit. All around a pillar of the Chicago restaurant community, and very much worth a try for authentic Russian/Ukranian food for visitors and residents alike. read more

This is the perfect tea house. Ambiance is upscale cozy. Very nice while still feeling welcoming. Wait staff was amazing very attentive without being overbearing. The afternoon tea service is quite nice. We split one and for some things off of the menu. It was quite a bit of food. Loved all of the pastries. We tried the Duck pastry appetizer and the beef pate. Both were quite good. Also I am obsessed with the Russian black bread. The dried garlic on the crust is fantastic. Also you must get their Russian tea. It is bottomless and oh so delicious. Overall a really great experience that we will be back to repeat. read more

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Awesome. My dad & I were wandering around aimlessly like the touristas we are, looking for Millennium Park. We wandered by RTT, and my dad suggested we stop by for lunch. Good call. Beautiful restaurant, great service. My dad went with the Peasant's lunch and I had the Russian dumplings. Very good. I'm so not a borscht guy, but it sure looked and smelled great. Next time it's borscht for me! Take a chance, it's worth the trip. read more

A perfect end to an evening with friends. We had just gone to a screening of the documentary "Louder than a Bomb", about the Chicago high school poetry slam. Very inspiring. We got to Russian Tea Time around 9 PM on a Saturday night, and were seated immediately. Great service. This was probably our third time at Russian Tea Time since we have lived in Chicago. We all had the borscht, which was great. My wife had the stroganoff and I had the wild sausage. OMG the wild sausage is so absolutely amazing. You really, really have to check it out, my friends. Our friend Reb recommended the Russian tea, which was excellent as well. This was the perfect end to a perfect evening. read more

If you want authentic Russian bites, a delicious flight of vodkas, or an inviting tea time session, Russian Tea Time is the place for you! Located just two blocks from the Art Institute, this place is conveniently located in the heart of downtown! They're open for lunch and dinner, but also serve a delicious afternoon tea with savories, scones, and Russian-treats along with tea of choice, for $25 per person between 2-4:30PM daily. They obviously also have an amazing variety of vodkas! Go for their flight or sip one of their recommendations. The owner of this place is a passionate Russian woman who has evidently poured her heart and soul into Russian Tea Time...check it out! read more

I absolutely love this place! I came here for dinner a few weeks ago and the meatballs/mashed potatoes are amazing. I am still craving them! It's like a very very upscale version of Ikea meatballs and mashed potatoes?? Okay, who am I kidding, obviously they don't even compare. Also, a cute girls brunch/bridal shower would be doing high tea here. i came with 6-7 girls and it exceeded all of our expectations. Everyone got their own tier of sandwiches, sweets, and amazing tea. Of course you pay the price for the decadence of food and location, but it is definitely worth it! read more

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Vodka Flight [X] Meat [X] Vodka Flight Part Deux [X] Satisfaction [X] I did not know what to expect out of this haunt, but I knew it would involve vodka. We had plates of food, flights of peppery and delicious vodka, pickles, dumplings, things with beets... it was awesome. Definitely a unique experience you can't find everywhere. read more

Stumbled across this gem after visiting the Art Institute. It's now a must-go whenever I come home to Chicago. Quick walk from the L. We always get the Beef Stroganoff and Vegetarian Assortment Platter. Best to make a reservation. read more

This place has AWESOME food. So I used to live in Wisconsin before I moved back to San Diego, and often I would escape the red necks and flee to Chicago to take in some culture and maintain intelligent conversations with people. Since I often went to the Art Institute, I tried Russian Tea Time, as it is located across the street. The atmosphere is nice, and the service is prompt...yet a bit cold, but that aspect didn't bother me. I had the lamb that came on a bed of buckwheat. It was delicious!!! The flavors were rich and incredible. I have also come in for tea and little cakes too, which was also delicious. I miss this place and wish San Diego had something similar. read more

You have to come here to get your grub on! Russian Tea Time serves THE BESTEST borscht ever. In addition, they serve yummy Ukrainian stews. The perfect combination of lentils and potatoes and some curry sauce. Their website kind of sucks though. Nonetheless, I also recommend the wild quails. Haven't had such good quails since my time living in Quebec. Them Canadians know what's good! read more

$6-$8 for a pot of coffee during the afternoon. Each pot comes with unlimited hot water and you can share a pot. This would have been five stars, but the most recent/second time we came here, they weren't as attentive with the hot water, even though there were only two other tables during the middle of the afternoon. So far, we have tried the black peach and rose tea, which we enjoyed. We tried their sandwich and desert plates, which were dainty in size and portions. We liked the desert plate better, but it might be because we have sweet teeth. Tea service, a package of tea and snacks, seems expensive at $29.95 per person: http://russianteatime.com/afternoon-tea-service/ They are mostly wheelchair accessible. They have a separate front (non-revolving) door for us that is always locked, but they have a doorbell that we can ring for them to open it. They also are good about opening the door for us on the way out. They have a wheelchair accessible stall in the bathroom. The aisles for the tables are ok, depending on how people are sitting in their chairs. read more

We wanted dinner before the symphony and this was the closest restaurant. But this is not just a convenient fall-back option. Their beef stroganoff is superb - one of the best I ever had. I actually gave the leftovers to my Russian-born friend, who approved resoundingly. This was some good Beef Stroganoff! The ambiance is romantic but can just be cozy too. Overall, it's very inviting and welcoming and the servers are friendly. I will make this my pre-symphony dinner choice from now on. read more

This is a tribute to the Russians in my life - those that I've liked,loved,laughed with,leaned on,learnt from,leaving behind in sweet Chicago - and imbibed the tea drinking habits from too! The only thing remarkably Russian about the tea-time experience here is the bread served with a wonderful selection of tea from all over the world...the mini bites were pretty eclectic, the crowd - not as much - well, indian (c'est moi) and my French friend excluded! The atmosphere is somewhat dull and dreary, the tea and food is not - I like my Russian influences, their food and this restaurant itself -not as much... read more

wonderful food and atmosphere. love this place. I get the lamb! get a booth if you can. you will love it.!

Such a lovely restaurant and delicious food and tea ..! Very nice and friendly and professional in service !! Love it ! read more

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First let me say that I'm not a fan of restaurants that boast that their wait staff is mean and that becomes one of their attractions, being abused. Our Russian waiter was hardly abusive but dang was he cold as ice. He also took our happy hour menu from us after we ordered just a starter drink (as if we wouldnt notice!) so I had to ask for it to be returned. He virtually refused to answer any questions about the food and basically just stood before us expectantly wanting our order and letting us know it bothered him to wait. The best food in the world can't make up for rudeness, not for me. Due to this uncomfortable situation, we decided to leave after tasting happy hour bites (don't bother with the fried tastes they're all bread) and a couple of shots and go somewhere friendlier. read more

It's tea time perfect place to go if your in millennium park or visiting the Art institute. The tea is very good and they have a nice selection. The last time I went I did not receive the special tea cup it was plain. I also noticed other customers did not have them they were generic cups. I was disappointed last time I came in for tea time it was served in a traditional Russian porcelain tea cup. Not some generic Tj max tea cup. Food and pasties were tasty and filling. I split one full service and and extra tea good for two people price is good tea is unlimited. read more

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I do not know if I love Russian Tea Time because the food is so gosh darn delicious or if it is because it is the comfort of the food of my childhood. The beef stroganoff is divine. The vareniky are yummy. This last time I was here I enjoyed the cabbage rolls - two huge cabbage rolls with a side of carrot salad. Fantastic! I have tried something new on each of my visits and have never left disappointed. Bonus in my book? They have Baltika Porter. read more

This is my go-to place in Chicago to have tea time! The food and tea is exceptional. I've had a lot of tea time experiences in Chicago at other restaurants but this one is definitely the best and at a great price! read more

We love Russian Tea Time. It was recently remodeled and looks wonderful. The menu is full of authentic Russian dishes with great explanations of each dish for those that don't frequently eat this cuisine. The herring was very fresh. Pelmeni was delicious and well presented. Stroganoff as always was also very good. read more

Tea is great, food is fine. But the service is well... No smiles when getting there, feels like they are doing you a favor to send you to the right table. We were a party of 8, the waiter was rushing us to make the order, even when not all of us were there yet. The order was made, we ate, after 35 minutes that the food came, nobody came to see if we wanted something else, instead we heard "Time to get your cards out of your pockets!". Yes! We were being kicked out. Reason?? Go figure! Picture time: On that day our friend was giving us the news she was pregnant, it was suppose to be a lovely day right? They didn't even take a picture of us! Denied taking a picture! The couple siting next to us actually did it .... Come on, "I don't take pictures, I'm not your waiter" - Who are you?? Paying time: we only accept 5 cards says the girl, "because our machine gets slow". Then came the older waiter, the one that demanded our cards, "I'm your waiter, call me to say something, we only accept 4 cards". See, there was never a reason for people to be rude at us. But they kept being anyway. I said she told us 5 cards and that's how we were paying that bill. He was having a hard time understanding us. Maybe because we have international accents. So we had to write down the values for him... Every time I came back from the Symphonic, I thought about taking my parents there to relive the Russian experience we had in St. Petersburg. Now I'm sure I won't take them. I want to keep the good Russian experience in their memories. read more

Ever since it was remodeled, the atmosphere is not the same. The place looks great, but the staff is not as attentive. Service was slow. My friend and I had the tea service. We always enjoyed it in the past, but this time it wasn't the same at least not for the price. The scones were smaller and dry. There were no finger sandwiches, but tiny hor'duevor (sic), and the desserts were different. No cookies or chocolates. I think the old menu served well, but it changed. I'm disappointed. If this tea service menu remains, I will probably not come back. The Langham Hotel does a better job. read more

For excellent and authentic Russian tea, dark Russ rye bread, appetizers, main dishes and desserts there's no better place in Chicago than Russian Tea Time. The service and attention to detail is excellent, friendly and prompt. My last visit I had their authentic black currant tea, mini potato piroshkies, excellent beef stroganoff with pickled beets and shredded carrots and for dessert the Russian honey cake can't be missed. I would highly recommend Russian Tea Time as a stop for a great authentic Russian Dinner whenever your in the area. read more

Cara and I absolutely love this restaurant. Every time we are in Chicago we visit. Please go and enjoy the authentic Russian experience. You might even see Mr. Trump sitting in a corner table with Mr. Putin. Start with a flight of Vodka served with the traditional Russian bread and pickles. Then move on to an appetizer course of various Russian salads. Next you can enjoy a beef stroganoff or Kiev chicken. Finally they have an amazing selection of deserts. Lastly I have to mention the amazing selection of tea! My first experience with "Russian Caravan tea" was at this restaurant, and I enjoyed it so much that I have been ordering it from Amazon ever since. I don't really know how to describe it adequately so here goes... Imagine what it would be like to be a trader back in the 1500's. Traveling from west to east on the long roads connecting Europe with Asia. Finally after months of travel you start to pass by small villages that are filled with teas and spices. Locally sourced the prices are a fraction of what they are in Europe. You fill your leather bags with as much tea and spice as your horses and camels can carry for the long journey back west. Every sweaty day the tea is carried by animal over the dusty road in leather bags. Every night the tea is placed around the camp where it is exposed to an open fire. Perhaps you even use a leather bag filled with tea as a pillow. Finally at your destination with the long journey behind you, you can proudly offer "Russian caravan tea" for sale. Mellow black tea taste with a hint of leather, camp fire and perhaps a bit of the dusty road to Asia. This is what this restaurant has to offer. Enjoy! read more

We came here for lunch with some colleagues during a workshop. One of the professors had made reservations here, and we were seated promptly with our 8 seats awaiting us. The decor is very classical and comfortable. I LOVE LOVE the tea here! I think it's quite delicious on it's own, but others like it with the lemon and sugars. I had the Russian cutlets that has a beef and pork stuffing, and a side of mashed potatoes and baked zuccinis topped with salsa. It was surprising how good it was. I hear that everything here is good, and I would bet on it because everyone else's meal looked great. I want to try the beef stroganoff the next time I come here. The service was quick and friendly. They always make sure your cup is filled with tea and water. This place is definitely a hidden gem! read more

3.5 stars... I love afternoon tea...tiny sandwiches...scones...little dessert...how cute! They have a huge selection here for tea...like 3 pages...I enjoy the jasmine tea here. The scone was good...but the smoked salmon sandwich was excellent... There's definitely way too much food for one with the afternoon tea. You may want to share one afternoon tea with a friend. Service was so-so....the serve wasn't very attentive... read more

A great place to come before going to the symphony, but make sure you make reservations well in advance. I'd like to come here at least once a year. Especially in the winter time. Nothing will warm you up more than heavy dumplings, wild game sausage and flights of vodka. The flights of vodka are great. They serve them with bread and pickles and there are a variety of flavored vodka to choose from, served in frosted shot glasses. The food is excellent as well. I usually share the sampler plate, though I've had the sausages and beef stroganoff. The food is plentiful and heavy. Just be careful you don't fall asleep at the symphony. Just a tip, Russian wine was not recommeded. Russians make good vodka, but not wine, as stated by our waiter. read more

After walking around the Art Institute for special exhibitions, my friends and I were hungry, but wanted something light. We saw Russian Tea Time right across the street and figured we might as well try something new. I had the Ukranian Borscht, Ukranian Potato Dumplings - Vareniky, and Lamb Samsa. They were all so yummy and hearty. The food was excellent. Too bad it was early in the day because otherwise, I would have definitely tried their flights of vodka. I shall return soon for tea! read more

Even my not-at-all-Russian friends liked the food, which is usually not a easy feat for a Russian restaurant. Also, unlike many other Russian joints, the service was friendly, not at all chummy, and prompt. The hot tea will be brimming with nostalgia: it is served in the old-fashioned glasses in glass-holders that used to be a staple of train-traveling lunch back in the Soviet day. Pelmeni will blow you away, so hold on to your hat! read more

I must admit I didnt think I would be a fan of Russian Tea Time after looking at their menu. First off because the other reviewers said the food was great to "warm you up" and my first visit occurred in the middle of summer, secondly because Russian food isnt known to be vegetarian friendly.Although they have vegetarian selections, I am a PICKY vegetarian who didnt want to spend the entire meal eating potatoes.........well I was surprised that I actually ENJOYED my meal. The Russian tea was wonderful, strong black tea they refill without you having to ask. For my dinner I had two portions of their dumplings stuffed with asparagus(1serving) and pumpkin(1serving). The dumplings were tossed with lemon juice and basil. It was filling and NOT heavy in the slighest. Their dessert menu is great as well with traditional items like lava cake to gelato. My only complaints are the location(always have to pay for parking) and the prices(a tad steep for a student's budget). I say be adventurous and take the plunge. I plan on going their for afternoon tea some evening. read more

High Tea Was Different I had Ceylon Tea and it needed more body, it was weak. The high tea is a blend of different teas including Darjeeling which is served as a plain tea, quite different, but similar to the Turkish Tea and the plain tea in Sri Lanka (Ceylon in case you didn't know!). The finger foods which consists if sandwiches, scones and other desserts were good but not in par with what I had at the Willard in Washington DC and the Drake and in other parts of the world. The service was alright, but slightly on the side of the rude probably owing to the different ethnicity. Most of the customers there seemed to be of Russian or similar origin. The dress was semi-formal. I like having this option for high tea, since it is not as common in the US. I was accompanied by 11 other acquaintances. read more