Red Tavern

About a month ago we took the grandparents here for lunch. It's always a great place to visit with them because they get to eat delicious Russian food without having to cook it themselves, it's a wonderful treat. Grandparents enjoyed their Borsch (beef, cabbage & beet soup) and Solyanka (smoked meats, tomato & lemon soup) as well as the appetizers Olivier (chicken salad with potatoes, pickles, eggs, carrots & peas) and Blintzes (stuffed with beef, served with smetana). I always order the Beef Stroganoff here and it never disappoints. It's beef with mushrooms in a cream sauce that's covered with a flaky dough crust that is puffed up from cooking until you break it open to get to the yummy goodness on the inside. It's paired with kasha which is buckwheat and that is delightful. The service here is always great, and can sit around 50-60 people at max. It's not too bright or too dark in the restaurant, and during the lunch hour there's a great amount of natural sunlight that comes in the window. It's never been too packed each time we've visited as we bring the grandparents during the lunch hours. Prices vary from the $15 range to about $40 for main courses. I recommend giving them a visit if you're in the area and would like to try some delicious Russian food.

love trying new cuisines!! quaint and cozy spot on clement.favorites were Bulgarian salad (so fresh), beef stroganoff (great presentation and the meat was flavorful!), and the dessert which was a sweet/ savory combo and cheesy syrniki

Took my girlfriend here to give her a taste of the food we have back home (Originally from Ukraine). I think for the average American, this is an *acceptable* spot to try out what Eastern European / Russian food is like, and you'll get a relatively accurate idea of it after coming here, albeit a bit overpriced. It's close to what we have back home. If you're seasoned in Russian / Ukrainian food looking to get a taste of home, it's honestly better off to avoid. My main criticism is pretty small portion sizes with rather overpriced items. Perhaps not all, but some were way too overpriced. I think we ordered the beef goulash, I believe it was about $26, and all we received was a small bowl of pasta with about 4-5 pieces of beef. Definitely not worth. The Olivye was pretty bland and dry. Also, we wanted to get the bleni with the caviar, but saw that it was penciled in at a whopping $39. I understand caviar is expensive, and a can of caviar can cost $25-30, but I highly doubt we would have received an entire can of caviar with this dish. The entire time we dined, I felt that we were missing 25-33% of the dish and had to ration out every dish between me and my girlfriend. Overall, a bit disappointed. Overpriced items, food was mediocre, nothing to write home about. Do avoid if you're Russian or Ukrainian and want a taste of home, just go to your local Kalinka or Russian store, and you will likely find most of these items pre-cooked or frozen for 1/3 of the price. Come only once if you're an American looking to see what food there is like. Seems that for the prices, you're getting more of a small taste / experience, rather than a full meal.

The few invites here were by all my Russian friends who highly recommend this place. I had the rack of lamb or lamb chops, Baltic Herring, Borthst w/red cabbage & beets, endless amount of Russian rye bread, golden mashed potatoes along shots of Russian vodka. It was very festive w/mild Russian music in the background. There was also shish kebab, veal pate but could'nt take in another bite. Russians truly know how to dine

This was my first time tying Eastern European food and I was completely blown away! It's such a cute atmosphere for a night out or romantic date and it feels like you're being transported to Europe! Being a first-timer, the servers were super attentive in explaining each dish and helping me figure out what I would and wouldn't like. Everything I ordered was so full of flavor and absolutely delish. I really liked the veal pelmeni which were super juicy and the beef stroganoff which had the most perfect flakey crust.

It's easy to stay in your food comfort zone, but where's the fun in that!? So when we had the opportunity to try a new cuisine that we've never tried before, we were super excited.Located on Clement St. in San Francisco, Red Raven has been opened since 2011 and serves traditional Eastern European favorites along with modern variations. Parking was luckily easy for us when we went (because you know how SF parking can be) and when you walk into the restaurant you are welcomed by friendly staff and red interior.We had a full lunch to make sure we get the full experience and we were absolutely impressed and truly enjoyed our meal. One thing we've never really done before is have sour cream with a lot of our dishes, and surprisingly it worked out really well! All the dishes we've had for the very first time, and now we're ready to have it all over again.

Tucked away in San Francisco's Little Russia in the outer Richmond, Red Tavern offers a hidden gem experience of Eastern European cuisine in a romantic, art museum-like setting. From blintz crepes filled with beef to hearty goulyash w/your choice of pasta or rice, the menu is a delightful exploration of flavors. Don't miss the juicy veal pelmeni dumplings or the beef stroganoff topped w/puff pastry perfect for soaking up every delicious bite. Whether for a date night or a friends' night out, Red Tavern is a must-try for a delicious culinary adventure.

Tucked away in SF's Little Russia is the best hidden gem showcasing well done Eastern European food. The interior is so incredibly romantic perfect for dates & girls night outs. The paintings on the walls are gorgeous it's like you're in an art museum! Highlights: -veal pelmeni: my first time having a Russian dumpling! It was so juicy & although it was lamb it wasn't gamey at all. The meat to dough ratio is perfect -beef stroganoff: my favorite of the dishes I had - the gravy was great & the beef tender. Also love the puff pastry that you can dip into everything & anything -napoleon cake: a classic European dessert, texture was on point & not too sweet! I absolutely loved this as an after meal finish. I could not recommend this place enough. The service is amazing, servers are so so sweet.

Tasty Russian comfort food classics. Good service. Minimal amount of pretense. But enough of a Russian vibe to create an ambiance. Not sure if its everyone's cup of tea but at least on the night of our visit the euro pop was going pretty strong - which - adds to the vibe. Everything we tried was delicious.

Nice little restaurant with delicious Russian food. Unfortunately not too many Russian restaurants are left in San Francisco and this one is great. The menu options are not very extensive but all food is good quality and tasty. Service is efficient. Interior of the restaurant is cozy, beautiful, has a lot of paintings on the walls. This was a great find for me, will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.