Couldn't decide whether to title this an UYE, given two current and one former gold elite members enjoyed this feast of a meal. With Kathy A. from the 808 (https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=OTA-qLc1v4M9hA7rJXiCTQ) and Al L. (https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=8qpFUPR1wd3uz8N1QaWj_A) (keep writing Al, hopefully you'll get that 2017 badge), you knew Yelp would come up since it was our first common bond in meeting in over a year. Being in our fare city, Kathy kindly invited us to join two relatives for a midweek dinner. Here's what we shared, family style: Appetizers 1) Grilled beef tongue and horseradish (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=pvWQmutSS3KeCKWWs_av8A&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - I've had Chinese versions (five spice seasoning), lengua (Mexican or Spanish cuisine), and now this version. Surprisingly tender and clean tasting. Great with the red horseradish sauce. 2) Olivie (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1D9HIvwFfzhqMriEvyL_jQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Subtitled "Russian famous holiday salad", think potato salad with a mix of ingredients that included eggs, beef, carrots, and green peas. 3) Potato Zrazy (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=XvN8YhGfuNCpoozcWY2-tQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - These packets of goodness (filled with meat, think thin skinned piroshky) went well with the sour cream dipping sauce. 4) Mushroom Julienne Cocette (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=lEpgeHjdA8GJ289dD5uZiA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Touted by many diners here, probably one of the surprising favorites of everyone at the table. Though the portions are on the modest side (we ordered two of these), the tins were empty after we polished off the last drops with our bread. Entrees 5) Beef stroganoff (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=YI2cnvf8OiKHjd-3o6SSqg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Apologies for not taking of picture of this deconstructed. The creamy rich sauce went well with the pastry puff and reminded me of the tomato soup as Jeanty at Jack's. Not for someone watching those calories or carbs. The sautéed cabbage was a nice complement. 6) Pork loin schnitzel (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=SBsbH182U3YyGXnouuDc8Q&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Pan fried nicely and not overly greasy. Paired with a simple mashed potato for a basic comfort food plate. 7) Golubtsky, cabbage rolls (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=einugXhwUn1Tv720PNk2sw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - These were tasty but didn't really wow us. A good change of pace from everything else we ordered. 8) Beef Sashlyk with cauliflower (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=bR9DnHrEKb-wi_clIJ76EQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) and with vegetarian rice (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ygksNyRu6fKF396Oma9ayw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - The beef was unanimously the least favorite entrée as it was very plain and lacked character as well as flavor. Not a good sign when the protein is unfinished while the sides are gone. Desserts 9) Napoleon (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=nKAGrEWPNZ1XGq5FPkn2sw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Our host's must-order, this did not disappoint. Served temperature cold, the creamy filling felt like soft serve ice cream. 10) Russian Syrnikis (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=OKu6j3Absef1v-GfKoK-Rw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - A bit rich for my palate but, if you are a cheesecake fan, you'll like this especially with their house made blueberry sauce. 11) Russian blinis for two (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=B7Jg3rgUzRLWqSdF0Bb6vw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Similar to the Syrnikis, the lighter skin was crepe like and went well with that sauce. Al and I arrived right at 6 pm and our host and her friends arrived early due to the unpredictable traffic conditions in SF these days. We were glad that they had a head start on wine and appetizers as we didn't have to wait to chow down. Walking in, we observed the dining room to be darkly lit but bright lighting under each table, giving an intimate cozy feel. Seated against the right wall, our party of five was a bit away from the other diners who came and went as we caught up with each other's schedule and plans. We may have even convinced two non-Yelpers to sign up for accounts... just spreading the word, you know. Our waitress did a good job in filling water bottles and removing plates despite being the only person at the front of the house. The food was a four plus as our gracious host wouldn't allow us to fight for the bill... are you Chinese?! Big thanks to Kathy for her graciousness and generosity. Let's call this a five star unofficial UYE! : ) read more

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There is no greater pleasure in life than being able to share part of your culture with friends and family. When they are of the Yelp Elitists category, have an adventurous palate, it's even more fun. Met up with Bay Area Yelp foodies Mike C and Al A and along with a family duo we were a party of five agreeing to meet up at 6:00 for dinner reservations. Since the drive into SF from Berkeley is always an experience we went over the Richmond Bridge, then over the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Park, arriving at Red Tavern half an hour before our allotted reservations time. The plain exterior is not an indication of what to expect. Open the door and you are greeted to an astonishing room filled with white tablecloths, red napkins and elegantly set dining spaces. Being the dedicated foodie that I am I just went with the flow...wine that is, a delightful bottle of 2010 Luigi Bosca Malbec. The beautiful server brought a basket of bread, an order of Beef Tongue and the Olivie potato salad with the ordered wine. Need I say we were starving as we anticipated this dinner for months! First the tongue. I do believe it was the absolute best plate of fork tender tongue I've ever eaten. It was served with a small dish of beet colored horseradish, not hot, just flavorful. I could have eaten a plate of only this but soon our SF buds arrived so we ordered another appetizer plate of the tongue, hey it was a shared appetizer. We also ordered the Mushroom Julliene Coquette, another outstanding choice served with toasted baguette...one of those dishes you wish you could pick up the bowl and lick the remnants, the flavors were so good. Also the Potato Zrazy was an incredible choice. Two blinys stuffed with a yummy potato filling, sour cream with dill on the side. We decided to each order an entree and share family style. An order of Glubosky, aka as stuffed cabbage, simmered for hours in tomato and dill. Pictures do not do the dish justice it just reminded me of being in my Nana's kitchen. An order of Vienna Style Pork Schnitzel was served with fluffy mashed potatoes, very tasty. Two orders of Beef Shashlyk, one with mashed potatoes and one with toasted cauliflower. I wasn't a fan of the Beef Shashlyk and would try again but with lamb. Probably the most dramatic dish served was the Beef Strogonoff. A casserole of beef and mushrooms in a sour cream sauce topped with puff pastry. Elegantly beautiful and tasted as delicious as it looked. Wonderful entrees all consumed we were brought dessert menus. One of everything was my first thought. We shared two Napoleons, my favorite. A plate of Blinys served with sweetened creme fresh and a berry preserves, my favorite. Also Russian Syrnitki, a fried cheese cake served with Sour Cream and berry preserves, again my favorite. Overall this was a fantistic dining experience. The atmosphere, my dining companions, the food. I'm planning a return visit sometime this year and will return to Red Tavern to enjoy the dishes I didn't try or forgot to order. My heritage is Russian and the cuisine is wonderful here. Can't wait to do it again! read more

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Got a text from Mike C. that Kathy A. was visiting from the Islands and if I was available to meet up for dinner at Red Tavern. I've walked by it many times and was always curious about this restaurant and its cuisine. Being a newbie to Russian fare, I was looking forward to this dinner. Mike C and I arrived at 6pm and met Kathy A. and her two family members. They were enjoying a nice bottle of red wine and a couple of appetizers, Grilled beef tongue and Olivie, a Russian potato salad. I'm not a beef tongue fan since it's usually tough, but this was nicely grilled and was very tender. It was like a nice cut of steak. We checked out the menu and each of us were tasked with choosing a main course. With each entrée, you select an accompanying side dish of sautéed cabbage, vegetarian rice, grilled cauliflower, buckwheat, mashed potatoes or garlic potatoes. Before our entrees arrived, we indulged on two additional appetizers that we had ordered. The Mushroom Julienne Cocotte was so delicious. It was a mixture of sautéed mushrooms, grilled chicken that was baked in a three cheese blend. You spread some on the toasted French baguette and it was wow. I could have eaten the whole order on my own. Potato Zrazy - potato pancakes that were wrapped with sour cream, butter and feta. Different take on potato pancakes. Very tasty. Beef Stroganoff with sautéed cabbage - a nice presentation ala pot pie. The beef, mushrooms in a cream sauce were in a casserole bowl capped with a golden brown puffed pastry. Beef and mushroom in a tasty sauce? Yes, delicious! An order of Beef Shashlyk with buckwheat and one with grilled cauliflower. Like the sides here more than the beef. Beef was cooked well and was on dry side. Pork Loin Schnitzel with mashed potatoes - having had Schnitzel in German restaurants, I was curious how the Russians made it. They used a light bread crumb coating and it was cooked to a golden brown. Pork was light and tender. Golubtsy - stuffed cabbage rolls. A unique looking dish. Stuffed with beef and rice and veggies in a tomato based sauce, it was tasty. Napoleon Cake, a famous Russian cake with vanilla crème in between layers of flaky pastry. Delicious. Russian Syrniki - fried cheesecakes with sour cream and homemade blueberry preserves. Russian Blinis - crepes served with homemade blueberry preserves and crème fraiche. Light and tasty. What a dining experience! Getting to finally enjoy Russian cuisine at Red Tavern courtesy of Kathy A, who also gave us nice stories of her Russian heritage. Also, nice company with Kathy's family and my foodie bud, Mike C. read more

I honestly never really knew what Russian food consisted of besides piroshkis and dumplings. A bunch of us from work decided to head over to this spot and order the preset banquet menu. This consisted of the following: COLD + HOT APPETIZERS Baltic Herring with Olives and Onions Beef Tongue with Horseradish Assorted Pickled Vegetables Smoked Fish Platter Pirozhki with Meat and Mushrooms Olivie Salad Bulgarian Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives Pelmeny Blinchiki with Meat Garlic Roasted Potatoes MAIN COURSE Chicken Shashlyk Lamb Lula Kebob Roasted Cauliflower DESSERT Napoleon Cake Coffee, Tea, Sodas So what I was told was that the apps were the main show to go along with alcohol. By the time the main courses come around, we should already be full. Boy, were they right. I enjoyed every single dish we had as nothing disappointed. We actually were there during a Russian wedding reception which made the experience that much better. I can't wait to come back and try other items from their menu! read more

We came a long way for a good Russian Restaurant and found a phenomenal one. We had a tall handsome waiter who was very professional. The beef stroganoff was heaven with a puff pastry on top. The stuffed cabbage has well balance flavors. We highly recommend this place! Visiting from Boston... read more

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BEST Russian restaurant in San Francisco! I am originally from Ukraine and my mother is the best cook in the entire world when it comes to Russian food (and everything else around the globe). However, when I dined here last night with my fiance and his boss, I realized that this restaurant comes very close to my mom's cooking. There are many Russian/Ukrainian restaurants in San Francisco, but those do not compare to Red Tavern. The quality and service here is amazing, unlike the other restaurants in SF. The food is delicious and extremely fresh. My favorites were the vareniki with the sour cherries. My fiance loved the blintzes with caviar. The restaurant has recently been refreshed. It's such a cute little environment and I love how the plates look just like the plates at my babushka's house. Can't wait to be back! read more

We picked this place for our New Year celebration dinner. The service was great and the young lady was very nice. As a half Ukrainian, I know how bad so-called Soviet customer service could be and I was expecting the same here. But I was surprised and I thank them for that. The food was also really good. Good portions (not too big but also not small) and the taste was authentic. We got borsh, golubtsi, schnitzel as well as napoleon cake and blini for dessert. All was really good and very nice presentation. Yes, prices are a bit steep, but that's also the city. Interior was very nice and art was cool. Music was great and took me back to Ukraine days :) thank you for the great experience, Red Tavern! read more

For those with gluten and dairy allergies, the selection is pretty limited. On the main menu, the only thing you can have is the white fish with no sauce and no side. Even the stewed cabbage side is cooked in butter!!! All the meats (kebabs and stews) have either soy sauce or butter in/on them. On the appetizer menu: pickled veggies, herring and smoked fish. I wouldn't recommend this place for those with food allergies/sensitivities read more

I loved the service and the food was just amazing (: totally recommend for a date or family dinner

Excellent food! would recommend this place. Clean and nice environment makes you feel at home. read more

I really hope this place will succeed and thrive, so this review is simply meant as a suggestion to make it better ( in case the owner will read this review) First the pros: Service was very efficient, polite and precise. The atmosphere is warm and homey . The food taste is good, nicely flavored and nice presentation. Here's what I thought could use improvement: Don't be afraid to heat things up. Soup and the main dishes were barely warm. For the prices - there's absolutely no value. The pigeon sized portions of soup and goulash - although tasty, are very scant. Soup had one quarter sized piece of meat in it, and $20 goulash came in a 4"x2" deep dish that was half full with mostly sauce and had 5 small pieces of meat with a tiny side of cabbage. I understand times are tough, but skimping on the portion size is not the way to win the customers. And let's be honest: this is not a Gary Danko level restaurant where the food is exquisite and the environment is luxe that watrants high prices. This is a neighborhood restaurant. So The food should be priced accordingly. In conclusion: will I be back? Only as a last resort if nothing else is available. Would I recommend this restaurant the way it is now? I suppose - if you are going in knowing that you will NOT be blown away . I really want this place to be better so it could be my go-to for Eastern European cuisine. Owners: please heed the advice and Improve so you can be as busy and bustling with business as many other restaurants down the street ( there were literally only 4 other people in this place when we visited - and now I know why) read more

I've been called and mistaken for a lot of ethnicities. Filipino. Chinese. Korean. Vietnamese. Japanese. Hawaiian. Oriental (I'm not a freaking rug or vase OK!). Half Caucasian/half of all the aforementioned. One time I was at my friend's house and her brother was having a party with 20+ dudes. One asked me, "Are you Russian?" to which I responded, "Dude, do I look like Olga?!?!?" WTF. No offense to the Olgas out there. That was my only experience with Russian culture (not really an "experience" though), other than eating Pirozhkis at my high school beanery. Talk about needing to be cultured. Enter Red Tavern. Quietly opening in July 2011, Red Tavern took over Sadko which was also a Russian restaurant in San Francisco's Little Russia area (Outer Richmond). Finding street parking is a biatch in the area but there's a parking lot across Red Tavern that charges $3 for every 30 minutes. Combing through all the reviews, I was a bit scared before coming to Red Tavern. One star reviews mentioned being yelled at and being refused service. None of my Yelp friends had reviewed the place which made me even warier. I don't doubt the one star reviews. Service was as scary (in the beginning) as when I did something naughty as a child and had to face the wrath of my Chinese pitbull mom. *Hides in the corner* There's only one waiter and he is cold and brusque as can be which means I had to be on my very best behavior aka NO alkie for Cherylynn. BOO! At the end, he did warm up when I tried to make small talk with him so it's really just a cultural thing so don't take offense (just like rude service at Chinese restaurants). Do note that service is S-L-O-W. Don't come during peak dining hours or you'll be doing a lot of waiting. It took us 25 minutes just to pay the check and our reservations were at 5:30 PM. Yah, we eat dinner like old farts. Oh, and don't be surprised when you walk in to have ALL eyes staring at you. A-W-K-W-A-R-D. We were the only Asian people in there amongst all natives which is always a good sign with any ethnic restaurant. Culturally impersonal and slow service aside, Red Tavern is a great neighborhood restaurant serving delicious Russian eats in a surprisingly upscale atmosphere http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQEbftkjbnP3QrvHLhJaAg?select=tOs1W-4JvGcmPGxPWtVZIw#am3w0cH3gQHb3qdx3cUYjA. As my first "real" experience with Russian cuisine, I found it to be most similar to Greek and German cuisine with things like Zucchini Pancakes, Schnitzel, and Kebabs on the menu. We started with the Zucchini Pancakes w/ Salmon Tartar & Sour Cream ($8.95) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQEbftkjbnP3QrvHLhJaAg?select=tOs1W-4JvGcmPGxPWtVZIw#tOs1W-4JvGcmPGxPWtVZIw which were delightful (no comparison to Kokkari's though). The pancakes could have been crisper but they were delicious nonetheless with the silky smooth smoked salmon, "salsa", and creamy sour cream. As one of my favorite offal meats, our second appetizer of Grilled Beef Tongue w/ Creamy Horseradish Sauce ($9.50) didn't disappoint http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQEbftkjbnP3QrvHLhJaAg?select=tOs1W-4JvGcmPGxPWtVZIw#3u3VcwzRs6vvTooH2p4YFg . The tongue was so soft and tender with a slight bite to it. The grill marks added a lovely smoky nuance. Carniwhores would rejoice over their Meat Platter of Rack of Lamb, Chicken & Lamb Lula ($42) for 2-3 people; 2 people if you're dining with a dude or 1 Mr. NSS who ate 3/4ths the platter and would have eaten the whole thing by himself if I wasn't there. MEAT HOG! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQEbftkjbnP3QrvHLhJaAg?select=tOs1W-4JvGcmPGxPWtVZIw#TJ_oJAJanLz5PO_w0ZUtPg. The trio of meats all were wonderfully seasoned and grilled to a nice tenderness and served with a homemade sauce similar to a BBQ sauce but with a HUGE punch tangy piquancy. The Lamb Lula (kebab) was my favorite as it was rich and fatty with a mouth-watering earthy spice blend. I didn't touch the accompanying potato gratin but the grilled zucchini, bell peppers, and onions were al-dente with a delicious garlickyness. Red Tavern is definitely worth a trek to the Outer Richmond to get your Russian carniwhore eats ON. RAWRRRR! Please don't call me a tiger now. *Evil Eye* read more

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Russian food!!! I love stuffed cabbage and this place rocked it!!!! You have a choice on sides and i thought Mashed potato was a good option and it was the perfect combo. They actually call it Cabbage Rolls - stuffed with Beef, Rice & Vegetables. My friend had : Lula Kebob - Minced Lamb & Herbs Chicken Shashlyk - Marinated & Fire Grilled Garlic Roasted Cornish Hen I loved the cabbage role the best and 2nd probably was the chicken shashlyk (aka chicken kabob). I thought the lamb lula kebab was a tad too try and the cornish hen too gamey. We all had different sides. Tavern Potatoes (hands down the best side!!) - I'd call it a scalloped cheese potato. Fried Cauliflower - 2nd best. Very tasty! Garlic Potatoes - it was good but it was simple cubed roasted potatoes. The service was good. We were there on a Wednesday night and only one other table was there. I'm not sure how crowded it gets on the weekend but they do accept reservations. A definite must if you are craving some good eats at a reasonable price. read more

Delicious Old World home-made food served in a very nice informal dining room. Table places are set with white paper doilies and floral china. The Eastern European waitresses are efficient. My husband and I ordered the blini appetizer with caviar, smoked salmon and whitefish, which were fabulous & enough for four! But they were NOTHING compared with the goulash or sea bass! OMG!! And then the blini crepes with sour cream and raspberry preserves. My husband enjoyed the Muscat at dessert! Anyway, this is my new favorite SF restaurant and you simply must go. read more

Very good Russian and Georgian food, good value for money and good service. I've been to the Red Tavern 4 times already and the food keeps on impressing me. I'm no stranger to Russian food. I've been to the limited selection of authentic Russian restaurants and, after home cooked Russian food, this comes at a very close second place. From the bread, through the fish, the soups and the dough dishes and main courses down to desert - it's all fabulous. I'm not sure what the wienerschnitzel is doing on the menu, but I'll bet it isn't bad. Prices are very reasonable. We usually do family style (with Baltika 9s all around) and end up with ~ $30 a person. They are pretty full on weekends and spookishly empty on weekdays, but make no mistake - this is an A+ gastronomic experience as far as Russian/Georgian food go. read more

Red Tavern - Zucchini pancakes - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is really amazing. We were traveling from out of town and wanted some Russian cuisine. This location was perfect for us. The service was very fast and the staff was attentive and helpful. We enjoyed kharcho and borsch and pelemeni. Kharcho was not too spicy which I loved, my friend loved the borsch too. Pelemeny (veal) were very tasty. The decor is lovely and the music was great. Absolutely enjoyed our lunch and would definitely recommended to friends and family. read more

Red Tavern - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were really interested to see what would become of this place since it changed ownership and we are just blown away. The food was just fabulous. The place looks really great. We ordered the Lobster mac n cheese, mushroom julien, and olivea (russian potato salad), and sturgeon. Everything we had, and I mean everything was just great. The mac n cheese was just luscious and dripping with flavor. The mushrooms were so delicious and creamy! The olivea was just like grandma makes. And the sturgeon was tender and flavorful! Portion sizes are very reasonable and they do not skimp out. This place is just great and really hits the spot if you want homemade Russian food plus some other great european favorites. read more

I could have give 5 stars to red tavern, but then i was a bit disappointed because they didn't have a few dishes that i wanted to order and service was kinda slow...so 4 stars for you this time! It's a cute little restaurant located on clement. I've never heard of it and I've never had russian food. I choose to go here for my birthday celebration all because of fellow yelpers~ Thanks for the nice recommendation! Food was really good. The zucchini pancakes was delicious! Roasted prawns drown in the creamy garlic sauce was heaven! I did ask for more bread so I could dip it in the sauce but....the bread never came! I was impressed with the grill beef tongue. It was so soft and almost melt in my mouth! We had the small veal dumplings. That reminded me of ravioli and chinese wonton~ It's something in between, very interesting and I did like it~ For the main entree we had the beef stroganoff and tavern meat platter. The beef stroganoff was a bit too oily for me but it tasted good. The meat platter was pretty good too~ We finished our dinner with some vanilla cream puff. Too bad they ran out of blinis so we couldn't order those special russian desserts! If you have never had russian, I would totally recommend Red Tavern. Hopefully they won't run of of blinis next time! read more

Red Tavern - yummy creme puffs - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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After having tried the various options for Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Ethopian, Peruvian and even Georgian (the country not the state) cuisine, we realized that we've never had Russian. So we walked in to Red Tavern to try their fare, and were not disappointed. The caviar with blinis was a first for us. We were familiar with the entrees though - stroganoff and shashlik are common in "Continental" restaurants back home in India. However, the highlight of it all was the Napolean cake for dessert. Probably the best cake we've had in a while. read more

Ordered beef tongue, Kharcho soup, blinchiki (crepes) with salmon, caviar and sour cream, Siberia pelmeni and kvas. This is my review and I am Russian: Beef tongue: dry and old-2 stars Kharcho : oversalted and old-2 stars Blinchiki with smoked salmon, caviar, sour cream, etc: blinchiki (crepes) - 4stars, even though they were probably reheated, they tasted close to mom's cooking, salmon - 2 stars, it was old and dried out, bad, caviar-2 stars, it was old and dry as well Siberian pelmeni-4.5 stars, good Kvas-1 star, warm, sour and discarbonated (when you leave soda opened under the sun, the taste is similar) VERY BAD TOTAL RATING 2 STARS read more

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Whenever I go out to eat, I usually stick with the same cuisines because it's "safe". I decided try something different and went with Russian food. I made reservations but there was really no need for that since it was just us. Smaller parties slowly trickled in after 8ish. I really wanted to order the Meat Platter but it was a bit expensive and a lot of food for the occasion. Beef tongue- tender, melt in your mouth, yumminess. Beef Stroganoff- looks like a giant pot pie. Puncture the crust and dig in to a heaping amount of beef and mushrooms. Very rich and buttery. read more

5/9/13 Dinner A bit of a culture shock here. I was the only non-white, non-Russian speaking patron here for dinner. Red Tavern is nestled in a block full of Asian restaurants in the Outer Richmond. A rather quiet restaurant with a somewhat romantic decor. Only one party of two were dining when we arrived for our 7pm reservation. We knew we were in for a hearty meal so we didn't order too much food. So many things I wanted to try on the menu but ended up with: *Borsch: how can you not try borsch in a Russian restaurant? Flavor is not as strong as I anticipated, and could be thicker. Cabbage very well cooked with a piece of beef cheek. *Beef Stroganoff ($18.75): sautéed pieces of filet mignon with mushroom served in a sauce made of sour creme in a puff pastry. I could smell the dish as soon as the pasty is cut open revealing the piping hot beef. *Beef Cheeks Stew ($18.75): Okay. Americans would consider beef cheek a cheaper cut of meat, but to us Asians and the Russians, this is delicacy. Cut in cubes and textured like bavette steak, it's slow-cooked until beef is so tender that melts in my mouth. Flavor is very strong, hinting herbs and wine. It's served in a metal bucket with a lid. Each main course is allowed a side dish, which is predominantly potato. The beef cheek stew is served on a bed of potatoes. I should have picked fried cauliflowers. The dining experience is good, although service can be slow (one server). Toward the end of our meal in walked a big party of 12, all speaking Russian. I can tell this restaurant is legit consider the exclusive patrons. I would definitely return to try the pelmeni (dumplings), the cabbage wrap, and the potato vareniki. read more

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Excellent food, excellent service. Love their serving plates.The place is nice all new furnitures and the wood floors are clean and shiny. Sometimes I rate a restaurant if the bathroom is clean. Their bathroom is clean. read more

Parking was awesome but the restaurant is staying with traditional Russian food. Everything was good. read more

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The food is good. However, do not order food for pickup from this restaurant. What they serve you in the restaurant is not even close to what they give you when ordering food to-go. Therefore, I recommend only eating at the restaurant. Avoid food pickup. read more

This was my first time eating at an Eastern European restaurant and it was a really good experience. I had the borsch soup, Olivier salad, pelmeni, potato krazy, and a few drinks. Really delicious! I would definitely come again. The prices are also quite reasonable. read more

The food was good, as was the price, a lot of very Russian choices on the menu. Very clean, nice atmosphere, very typically Russian. Service was fast, staff was nice too. read more

Red Tavern - Great artwork everywhere. - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food is OK but greatly overpriced! Even bread is $3.50. Two blintzes- $11.00. The only reason this place is in business - there is no real alternative if someone wants Russian food. Borch is OK and if you want to have bread with that - you will have to pay extra. read more

The plan was to go outside of her usual five mile radius. Anywhere but West Portal. Many good choices there but enough already. Let's venture out Mom. Why eat delicious tried and true next door when you can drive 20 minutes across town, do the loop-de-loop looking for parking, and hear your kids make fake upchuck sounds when they see the caviar or tongue at this Russian restaurant? Color your palette. My 2018 mantra. Even if you need an aspirin accompaniment. We ordered the beef stew with noodles. The noodles were a bit over-cooked, the meat tender but not flavorful and the sauce flavor was good even if the texture was gloopy. The black bread we ordered wasn't up to my Polish mother's standards as she noted oh 3-4-10times and the stuffed with meat cabbage did not have that hint of sweet as her preparation does so, she nixed that too. I thought it was proper and fine. The fresh cucumber salad with dill was delicious. We had too the chicken which was all thigh and moist but had a slimy mouth feel as if a minute or two more on the grill top would have helped. The stuffed dumplings with potato were good, and had been nicely sautéed post boil. I can't say we were wowed in any way. They were as well doing some sort of construction during the dinner hour and they actually at one point started drilling something. Wow that was disruptive. The service was terrific and the staff were friendly. They did however bring out our dishes one at a time thinking we were going to share each one. A miscommunication clearly. I still am glad to have gone. I think all experiences are somehow beneficial. I know that sounds odd but it's how I feel. The food was pretty good, the atmosphere pleasant and being fortunate enough to be together with my family when time is precious as we all lead such busy lives; I just felt grateful. Maybe if they'd have poisoned me I'd not be. read more

Amazing food, wine, service and ambiance! The Georgian natural wines were on point and the beef stroganoff was delectable.

I love this place ! Food is tasty and people that work there are very nice and polite ! The only minus is that sometimes they don't have a dish that is listed on menu , so if you want something in particular I would recommend calling and asking if they are having it today , or not read more

I had an excellent meal here. There are so many items on the menu j wanted to try, between my partner and I, we probably are for 5. The bilini appetizer with smoked fish and salmon caviar is definitely fun and yummy. The Siberian style veal pelmeny was a bursting with flavor! The stuffed cabbage was also delicious with a fluffy filling, my partner had the chicken shashlyk and it was cooked perfectly! We definitely had left overs already at this point, but there's always room for dessert, so we got the Napoleon cake, which was a great way to end the meal. I will definitely be back, next time with more friends. read more

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I'm keeping my original review with the likes and the first to review title, but I'm updating to note that Red Tavern is more traditional Russian now, which is good in that the fare is rare in the Bay Area but eh because I'm not too impressed with it. As an immigrant from Ukraine who has had homemade Russian cuisine, I can say that the place does do a solid job representing the food--and the attitude. lol. read more

Red Tavern - Pelmeni. - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

An excellent Eastern European style restourant. What I love about this place is the quiet cozy atmosphere. They offer a wide range of dishes, all of which are carefully prepared from scratch, you can tell this by the great taste of their dishes. read more

Red Tavern - Borscht with sour cream and black bread - Russian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Goulash was mediocre meat and sauce with spahetti... spaghetti in goulash??? terrible. Beef stroganoff pastry shell was nice but mediocre meat and sauce. Blini was served with crepes not blini pancakes, cheap caviar, creme fraiche, no melted butter. Chairs not comfortable. Overpriced to top it all off. read more

I had food from Red Tavern delivered. For two people, we ordered Schnitzel to share, the zucchini pancakes, pickled vegetables, pelmeni, and borscht. It was enough food, and it was all delicious. The pickled veg hits the mouth where it should - a slight tinge at the back of the jaw. The borscht was rich, but not heavy. I'd argue the schnitzel traveled well on its voyage across the city, still crisp when it arrived and not over cooked. I would order from here again, and I really want to try the rack of lamb. read more

Came here after other Russian restaurant kicked me and my friend out. Glad I ate here instead. Nice atmosphere. Felt cozy even though the restaurant wasn't small at all. I recommend the beef stroganoff. read more

A little disappointing. Russian food can be absolutely delicious and after being first turned away when we arrived on a weekday night due to a huge private party, we were excited to make it back and finally get to try out the best rated Russian restaurant in SF. Despite the acclaim here on Yelp, that next night we were the only people in the restaurant when we arrived (and only one other couple arrived later). The smoked fish appetizer was the highlight of the meal with quite tasty thick-cut piece of smokey salmon and sturgeon, but the solyanka (smoked meat soup), the rabbit stew, and the fillet of fish in dill sauce were all disappointing bland. The rabbit was also extremely dry. Maybe worth another try, but on the expensive side, and overall just sadly not what we were hoping for. read more

First time has rabbit here ... Taste like chicken. Lol They multiply and need carnivore to devour. But such a small beastie... I can eat like 3. Good Russian food according to my Russian friend. Garlic potatoes are crispy and tasty. Not cheap but upscale place. Best beef stroganoff ever read more

Mentally noted to try this restaurant for maybe 10 or 15 years but just did it last night! So glad I finally did. The restaurant looks very nice inside and the menu is relatively simple, though there are many tasty looking things to choose from. We had: * Olivie: a chicken salad with potato and egg and olive oil. Very fragrant but a bit too much for 2 people. * Zucchini pancakes: AMAZING. I expected dry pancakes or zucchini blinis, but they were Zucchini patties drizzled in sour cream, dill, and smoked salmon and onion. I actually hate zucchini but my date wanted to try and I was completely BLOWN AWAY. So many interesting flavors and the texture was unlike and squash type vegetables at all. You MUST try this. * Cabbage rolls: Saw this on Life of Boris Youtube channel. All around pretty good. The cabbage was nicely softened and the meat inside was quite good, but it was unfortunately the zucchini pancakes were a tough act to follow. * Napoleon cake: Get this with coffee, it's worth ordering a bit lighter on the entrees to have space for this. Can't wait to go back! read more