My review remains as initially stated... the service and food here are not worth the money. This is a response to the business owner. I'm actually shocked that instead of using this opportunity to clarify or perhaps explain you and your staffs position, you've thrown out unfounded accusations and whitewashed our experience. I have been a Yelp Elite member for over half a decade now. To be Yelp Elite means I not only actively contribute to the Yelp community, but I also report my personal experience with accuracy, and integrity with the intent of helping others (with the full confidence of Yelp). I love my sister and wanted her celebration to be one that was full of joy and laughter, not restaurant errors and credit card drama. I want to address your implication that your one star review was due to a person of the LGBT community being our server. I am confused as I never said anything to suggest or directly state I was aware of someone of the LGBT community serving our table. To clarify I wasn't aware, until your comment. That very night there were members of that very community at my table, but that was not something that I felt was pertinent to my review. Sexual orientation isn't something that can be identified from the outside as I can only assume you are suggesting. I am a member of a marginalized ethnic group so I personally know how it feels to be on the other side of hate, discrimination and undue bias. It's a painful reality I face each and every day. I make a deliberate and conscious effort to not spread that type of behavior or energy. I am a proud member of the ink'd community as well and I'm dam proud of what my tattoos mean. I mentioned the servers tattoos because; (a. my love of body art, and b.because it was noticeably cold in the restaurant and two full sleeves were visible. Yelpers tend to identify workers by unique characteristics so we know who to go to, or potentially avoid due to amazing talents or poor service.- in this case poor service. I think this is a coachable moment, charging your guests a mystery charge ($10 fee to pay a bill) without prior notice is unacceptable, unprofessional, and down right deplorable. To then defend that stance by stating "others are doing it" is, in my opinion the equivalent of jumping off of bridges in batches. I believe customer service in a service industry is critical and as the owner of this establishment I hope you pivot towards that being the golden rule of your business. I appreciate the notion of you protecting everyone who walks through your doors. Please expand that to customers who do not agree with your standards or your establishments inconsistency on quality with regards to drinks and menu items. I dove into your other reviews on yelp and see varied experiences, some amazing while others severely lacking. Yelp is a tool, use it to correct those inconsistencies. I hope you coach your team, and reflect on your own actions as a leader. I remember having an exchange with you the night of my sisters dinner, it was equally as unpleasant but I still chuckle at your attempt at condescension when I corrected your calculations. Trying to fool an accountant, that wasn't very smart of you. Regards, Quincy T
Daniella B.
I went to Masha and The Bear in New Year's eve after hearing about it. Maybe the kitchen was just overwhelmed ( it was full) but some dishes were bad and the dishes that were okay didn't blow me away. We ordered latkes (potato pancakes) that were hard and burnt. The beef stroganoff was really nothing special and the mashed potatoes came from a box it seemed and didn't taste like anything. The chicken pelmeni were ok but nothing I need to have again. The only dish that was pretty good was the Hinkali which reminded me of kreplach (Yiddish dumpling) I used to eat when I was a kid so that earned it the extra star. I don't see myself going back except maybe for a beer and the hinkali at the bar to see if maybe they're better on a less busy night. But it wasn't a great dining experience
Jul L.
Ordered fried potatoes with mushrooms and onions , and didn't find any mushrooms there. It looked far away from the picture online :((((
Summer M.
I am a native Russian. Please avoid this place. I tried their food 2-3 years ago when they just opened up and it was good. On the 31st of December I decided to order some Russian food to go and it was SO BAD that I trashed it right in the toilet. The herring under the fur was spoiled. It looked old, small and it was dangerous to eat. The borscht was old looking and severely oversalted. I also ordered pelmeni. They were just ok. I wasted $20+ and was left hungry. Absolutely horrible food and experience. Don't waste your money, go somewhere else for Russian food. Plenty of great places in Brighton Beach. This one is a joke not Russian food.
Buddy H.
Vitali, the owner/chef/storyteller is amazing. We walked in on a fluke and we were entertained immediately. We asked what Masha and the bear meant and he began telling us Russian Folklore. And continued with stories until we left. A charmer with a fantastic accent. We had ginger vodka. Well I did. My girlfriend had horseradish vodka which made my mouth die while I tried to smile and nod. She loved it.
Colleen K.
We love coming here for dinner when in town. The salmon is always very good and the staff is always friendly.
Lydia T.
Ordered the Vereniki with a side of seasonal vegetables. The side of vegetables was INCREDIBLY small. The photo attached is of a small container, and they do not even cover the bottom of it. So so so disappointing!!! My vereniki also did not come with the sautéed onions like they were supposed to. Way too expensive for the amount that I got and the quality of the food.
Mike B.
Will it be like unto a trip home to Krasnoyarsk? No. It's a hipster bar with food that references Russian food. But it was a good time. Didn't expect to like it, and didn't expect to drink. There was a big brunch party going on when we got there, and I guess the party arrived unannounced because The Bear ran out of half the stuff we ordered. Chicken pate was ok, mild, not cloyingly sweet as I expected, purréed to spread on toast. The toast was terrific. The dish could use a kicker; the four little pickle slices didn't do much. But fine. Herring on fried potatoes was a big success. Potatoes were good by US standards, not magic European potatoes, but good. The herring was terrific. We eat a lot of herring. This was good pickled herring. Tabachnik chicken (or whatever) was good --nothing that changed chicken for me forever, but nice. Very tender little pressed hen, from the same ballpark as a supermarket rotisserie chicken, or an adjacent ballpark, or what's with all the chickeny ballparks? but more tender, and it did have some smokey grilled flavor to distinguish it. The paprika ketchup that comes with-- eh, not interesting. But I'm the type of stodgy b****** to looks sideways as currywurst. Your results may differ. Mushroom golobkis [that's my own quasi-Polish, not Russian, spelling] stuffed cabbage were quite good, cooked to perfection, good flavor, with a couple tablespoons of not tomato sauce but like a tomato broth that was tasty enough I drank it off the plate. I didn't want vodka, but my husband made me try the horseradish vodka, which we both agreed would go great with (northeast) oysters. Nice. Then we asked for honey-and-hops vodka, but they were out. Then we tried the pepper and honey vodka, which was hotter than the horseradish one. And then I had a couple Yazoo IPAs, and I guess that's how they getcha. I expected to suffer guys in furry hats forcing me to drink vodka out of a balalaika or something. Thank christ it was just some pretty low-key hipsters, and no pressure. I have no one to blame for the vodka but my husband and myself, and no regrets.
Christina C.
6/10 rating (slightly better than average). Ordered the Siberian dumplings. Was nice and tender, flavorful fillings. Came with horseradish sauce and sour cream. Known for vodkas, but didn't order any today.
Dutches M.
My whole family loves this place! The food is always great and they have Vodka on TAP! Honey Pepper, Horse Radish, Seasonal Berry, Cilantro Cucumber Lime, Hops and Honey.... UGH! It's sooo good And we love the Whole staff.... look it's the kind of place that owner comes out of the kitchen where he's cooking, has a drink and laughs with us every time. Williamsburg GEM for sure. There loads of must try's too the lamb Dumplings, Chicken Goulash, and pressed chicken your really can't go wrong every thing we've had is worth craving
I always love to get a bowl of borscht on a winter day. Happy to stumble upon this place in the neighborhood. The food was really delicious. The piroshki was flavorful and I was really surprised by the salmon. Really a star. 4 stars because it's a bit pricey and there's a TV on. (Why would you need a TV in restaurant? Total mood killer)
Andy C.
I don't know what all the positive reviews are about. Had dinner here. All the food was gross. Over-bready Piroshky (and lukewarm) served with a weird ketchup sauce. Extremely blank Vegetarian pelmeni (we had the mushroom). And just a sad Golobki (meat stuffed cabbage)...first try was luke-warm, but they remade it. Warmed was better, but not restaurant quality. Basically, it was a super-sad, Russian version of the tasty Polish food you can get in Greenpoint. I guess the flavor vodkas are the draw, but skip the food, please!
Sarah P.
I'm almost certain the Russian bots were responsible for the article in New York Times about this place, because truth is very far from the post. From terrible service (we ate with our empty soup bowls at our places for the entire meal) to the watered down traditional borscht and the stuffed cabbage topped with SALSA served cold, and the mashed potatoes which never came - everything was a let down. If you're in the mood for Russian, go to Brighton Beach, go to Moscow, go to the damn Bravo to pick up canned borscht and frozen pelmeni, but please stay away from this sad little shack of lies.
Jake S.
Trust the reviews, both here and in The New Yorker: the food is good, and if you see something unusual on the menu, order it. Ask about what it is, but be prepared too to be somewhat unfamiliar with an ingredient or two. I can only speak to the food, but I imagine *Masha and the Bear* to be an excellent jumping off or landing point for a late Friday or Saturday night.
Luke C.
Went here for dinner on memorial day weekend and sat at the bar. It was weirdly empty. Only one other person in the place besides our two person group. Really enjoyed the sausage, the Shashlichnaya Kolbasa ($17). It came with three things - the kielbassa sausage, the fries, and the sauerkraut stuff. The sausage was really crispy and well made. I think sometimes kielbassa can be too salty and have a weird juice - it can taste kind of 'sweaty' in a sense. But this kielbassa was not at all like that. It had a great texture and taste. The fries were good too, along with the ketchup based dip. The sauerkraut/picked veggies were OK. Overall the main drawback was that it was really expensive and not filling. I didn't really enjoy the Pirozhok of The Week ($5), which was basically a crispy croissant with dry meat inside. It was very very flaky, but maybe lacking butter or some other flavor. It also took a bit to come out. There is also VODKA on tap which is cool. I would probably give this place a 3.5 for the price and that the second pirozhok took a while to come out... but the main dish was great so I give it a 4.
My review remains as initially stated... the service and food here are not worth the money. This is a response to the business owner. I'm actually shocked that instead of using this opportunity to clarify or perhaps explain you and your staffs position, you've thrown out unfounded accusations and whitewashed our experience. I have been a Yelp Elite member for over half a decade now. To be Yelp Elite means I not only actively contribute to the Yelp community, but I also report my personal experience with accuracy, and integrity with the intent of helping others (with the full confidence of Yelp). I love my sister and wanted her celebration to be one that was full of joy and laughter, not restaurant errors and credit card drama. I want to address your implication that your one star review was due to a person of the LGBT community being our server. I am confused as I never said anything to suggest or directly state I was aware of someone of the LGBT community serving our table. To clarify I wasn't aware, until your comment. That very night there were members of that very community at my table, but that was not something that I felt was pertinent to my review. Sexual orientation isn't something that can be identified from the outside as I can only assume you are suggesting. I am a member of a marginalized ethnic group so I personally know how it feels to be on the other side of hate, discrimination and undue bias. It's a painful reality I face each and every day. I make a deliberate and conscious effort to not spread that type of behavior or energy. I am a proud member of the ink'd community as well and I'm dam proud of what my tattoos mean. I mentioned the servers tattoos because; (a. my love of body art, and b.because it was noticeably cold in the restaurant and two full sleeves were visible. Yelpers tend to identify workers by unique characteristics so we know who to go to, or potentially avoid due to amazing talents or poor service.- in this case poor service. I think this is a coachable moment, charging your guests a mystery charge ($10 fee to pay a bill) without prior notice is unacceptable, unprofessional, and down right deplorable. To then defend that stance by stating "others are doing it" is, in my opinion the equivalent of jumping off of bridges in batches. I believe customer service in a service industry is critical and as the owner of this establishment I hope you pivot towards that being the golden rule of your business. I appreciate the notion of you protecting everyone who walks through your doors. Please expand that to customers who do not agree with your standards or your establishments inconsistency on quality with regards to drinks and menu items. I dove into your other reviews on yelp and see varied experiences, some amazing while others severely lacking. Yelp is a tool, use it to correct those inconsistencies. I hope you coach your team, and reflect on your own actions as a leader. I remember having an exchange with you the night of my sisters dinner, it was equally as unpleasant but I still chuckle at your attempt at condescension when I corrected your calculations. Trying to fool an accountant, that wasn't very smart of you. Regards, Quincy T
I went to Masha and The Bear in New Year's eve after hearing about it. Maybe the kitchen was just overwhelmed ( it was full) but some dishes were bad and the dishes that were okay didn't blow me away. We ordered latkes (potato pancakes) that were hard and burnt. The beef stroganoff was really nothing special and the mashed potatoes came from a box it seemed and didn't taste like anything. The chicken pelmeni were ok but nothing I need to have again. The only dish that was pretty good was the Hinkali which reminded me of kreplach (Yiddish dumpling) I used to eat when I was a kid so that earned it the extra star. I don't see myself going back except maybe for a beer and the hinkali at the bar to see if maybe they're better on a less busy night. But it wasn't a great dining experience
Ordered fried potatoes with mushrooms and onions , and didn't find any mushrooms there. It looked far away from the picture online :((((
I am a native Russian. Please avoid this place. I tried their food 2-3 years ago when they just opened up and it was good. On the 31st of December I decided to order some Russian food to go and it was SO BAD that I trashed it right in the toilet. The herring under the fur was spoiled. It looked old, small and it was dangerous to eat. The borscht was old looking and severely oversalted. I also ordered pelmeni. They were just ok. I wasted $20+ and was left hungry. Absolutely horrible food and experience. Don't waste your money, go somewhere else for Russian food. Plenty of great places in Brighton Beach. This one is a joke not Russian food.
Vitali, the owner/chef/storyteller is amazing. We walked in on a fluke and we were entertained immediately. We asked what Masha and the bear meant and he began telling us Russian Folklore. And continued with stories until we left. A charmer with a fantastic accent. We had ginger vodka. Well I did. My girlfriend had horseradish vodka which made my mouth die while I tried to smile and nod. She loved it.
We love coming here for dinner when in town. The salmon is always very good and the staff is always friendly.
Ordered the Vereniki with a side of seasonal vegetables. The side of vegetables was INCREDIBLY small. The photo attached is of a small container, and they do not even cover the bottom of it. So so so disappointing!!! My vereniki also did not come with the sautéed onions like they were supposed to. Way too expensive for the amount that I got and the quality of the food.
Will it be like unto a trip home to Krasnoyarsk? No. It's a hipster bar with food that references Russian food. But it was a good time. Didn't expect to like it, and didn't expect to drink. There was a big brunch party going on when we got there, and I guess the party arrived unannounced because The Bear ran out of half the stuff we ordered. Chicken pate was ok, mild, not cloyingly sweet as I expected, purréed to spread on toast. The toast was terrific. The dish could use a kicker; the four little pickle slices didn't do much. But fine. Herring on fried potatoes was a big success. Potatoes were good by US standards, not magic European potatoes, but good. The herring was terrific. We eat a lot of herring. This was good pickled herring. Tabachnik chicken (or whatever) was good --nothing that changed chicken for me forever, but nice. Very tender little pressed hen, from the same ballpark as a supermarket rotisserie chicken, or an adjacent ballpark, or what's with all the chickeny ballparks? but more tender, and it did have some smokey grilled flavor to distinguish it. The paprika ketchup that comes with-- eh, not interesting. But I'm the type of stodgy b****** to looks sideways as currywurst. Your results may differ. Mushroom golobkis [that's my own quasi-Polish, not Russian, spelling] stuffed cabbage were quite good, cooked to perfection, good flavor, with a couple tablespoons of not tomato sauce but like a tomato broth that was tasty enough I drank it off the plate. I didn't want vodka, but my husband made me try the horseradish vodka, which we both agreed would go great with (northeast) oysters. Nice. Then we asked for honey-and-hops vodka, but they were out. Then we tried the pepper and honey vodka, which was hotter than the horseradish one. And then I had a couple Yazoo IPAs, and I guess that's how they getcha. I expected to suffer guys in furry hats forcing me to drink vodka out of a balalaika or something. Thank christ it was just some pretty low-key hipsters, and no pressure. I have no one to blame for the vodka but my husband and myself, and no regrets.
6/10 rating (slightly better than average). Ordered the Siberian dumplings. Was nice and tender, flavorful fillings. Came with horseradish sauce and sour cream. Known for vodkas, but didn't order any today.
My whole family loves this place! The food is always great and they have Vodka on TAP! Honey Pepper, Horse Radish, Seasonal Berry, Cilantro Cucumber Lime, Hops and Honey.... UGH! It's sooo good And we love the Whole staff.... look it's the kind of place that owner comes out of the kitchen where he's cooking, has a drink and laughs with us every time. Williamsburg GEM for sure. There loads of must try's too the lamb Dumplings, Chicken Goulash, and pressed chicken your really can't go wrong every thing we've had is worth craving
Restaurantji Recommends
I always love to get a bowl of borscht on a winter day. Happy to stumble upon this place in the neighborhood. The food was really delicious. The piroshki was flavorful and I was really surprised by the salmon. Really a star. 4 stars because it's a bit pricey and there's a TV on. (Why would you need a TV in restaurant? Total mood killer)
I don't know what all the positive reviews are about. Had dinner here. All the food was gross. Over-bready Piroshky (and lukewarm) served with a weird ketchup sauce. Extremely blank Vegetarian pelmeni (we had the mushroom). And just a sad Golobki (meat stuffed cabbage)...first try was luke-warm, but they remade it. Warmed was better, but not restaurant quality. Basically, it was a super-sad, Russian version of the tasty Polish food you can get in Greenpoint. I guess the flavor vodkas are the draw, but skip the food, please!
I'm almost certain the Russian bots were responsible for the article in New York Times about this place, because truth is very far from the post. From terrible service (we ate with our empty soup bowls at our places for the entire meal) to the watered down traditional borscht and the stuffed cabbage topped with SALSA served cold, and the mashed potatoes which never came - everything was a let down. If you're in the mood for Russian, go to Brighton Beach, go to Moscow, go to the damn Bravo to pick up canned borscht and frozen pelmeni, but please stay away from this sad little shack of lies.
Trust the reviews, both here and in The New Yorker: the food is good, and if you see something unusual on the menu, order it. Ask about what it is, but be prepared too to be somewhat unfamiliar with an ingredient or two. I can only speak to the food, but I imagine *Masha and the Bear* to be an excellent jumping off or landing point for a late Friday or Saturday night.
Went here for dinner on memorial day weekend and sat at the bar. It was weirdly empty. Only one other person in the place besides our two person group. Really enjoyed the sausage, the Shashlichnaya Kolbasa ($17). It came with three things - the kielbassa sausage, the fries, and the sauerkraut stuff. The sausage was really crispy and well made. I think sometimes kielbassa can be too salty and have a weird juice - it can taste kind of 'sweaty' in a sense. But this kielbassa was not at all like that. It had a great texture and taste. The fries were good too, along with the ketchup based dip. The sauerkraut/picked veggies were OK. Overall the main drawback was that it was really expensive and not filling. I didn't really enjoy the Pirozhok of The Week ($5), which was basically a crispy croissant with dry meat inside. It was very very flaky, but maybe lacking butter or some other flavor. It also took a bit to come out. There is also VODKA on tap which is cool. I would probably give this place a 3.5 for the price and that the second pirozhok took a while to come out... but the main dish was great so I give it a 4.