Masha and The Bear
“For drinks, we enjoyed the Dirty Borscht (much more delicious than you think!), Ginger Gimlet, and Putin's Pickle.”
“Loooove this place- get the dumplings to start, then try/split the beef stroganoff and the beef stuffed cabbage.”
“We opted for an order of their Pelmeni, which are Siberian-style dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough.”
Masha and The Bear
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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My sister-friends Marissa and Julia brought me to Masha. The owner Vitaliy was our server, and he jokes that Masha is his wife, so that must make him the bear. 🙂
We had the homemade pelmini (Siberian flavor, which is beef and pork), which are little mini dumplings. Vitaliy recommends them boiled, but we went friend and they were yummy and surprisingly filling. Also had the chicken and mushroom blintz, which was two blintzes, full of shredded meat. The food was specifically Russian but still felt approachable, especially with V around to explain anything you want! Portion sizes for appetizers are also bigger than what you're used to.
For drinks, we enjoyed the Dirty Borscht (much more delicious than you think!), Ginger Gimlet, and Putin's Pickle. Jokes abound. We also had a horseradish shot, which you should run to enjoy if anything ails you.
I can see why this place is top-rated, because of the food, the drinks, and also the service and vibe. It's a fun place to come with a friend or a small group.
LOVED this place. It's always nice to find something different, especially in New York. It's a small but well-executed gastropub featuring some really delicious Russian fare, house made infused vodkas and one of the better craft beer selections that I ran across while in town. The owner is a cool, witty guy and the pretty bartender is good at her job and knows her beer. I highly recommend a stop into Masha & the Bear, get out of your French Fry Comfort Zone and enjoy some good grub and vodka.
I recently decided to start learning Russian. I've been to the country four times and was sick of enjoying the food and culture without being able to communicate.
A couple weeks before these lessons started, I went to the Russian restaurant closest to my home. Now Russian food isn't as famous as Italian or French, or any of the other major European powers. But in this globalized age, I imagine there's room for an adventerous Brooklyn eater to add a few of the dishes in rotation.
From my expierence, this wouldn't exactly be true. I have tried and tried to get my friends to come over here. It's considered, or occasionally we stop by for one of their excellent distilled vodkas, but a full meal never seemed to happen.
Thankfully I brought someone here for a full meal. I munched through an order of pelmeni and with a pirozhok while sipping on a couple of meals. These dishes, like pretty much the entire menu, are Russian favorites. And the menu is long enough to get to things like herring in a fur coat and green borscht that aren't served at many of the standard places in Brighton Beach.
So I hope to return sooner rather than later. Perhaps when I do, I can order my next meal in a bit of Russian!
Came here awhile back when I happened to be in East Williamsburg for an art show my sister was participating in. I was with my "I love everything and anything Russian" friend Ingrid S. and while walking around looking for a place to help us get over the munchies we found Masha & Bear.
I found it via the Yelp app and it turns out she already had it bookmarked – I was not surprised, lol. To be honest, I do enjoy Russian food (or anyone's food for the most part) so I was excited to get some Russian noms outside of Brighton Beach, lol.
Masha and the Bear has a really cute look and feel. Very rustic and incredibly "hipster Brooklyn"-esque…not a complaint, just an observation :). The guys at the bar were mostly Russian so I was excited for some (assumingly) authentic eats.
We opted for an order of their Pelmeni, which are Siberian-style dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough. The options are beef, pork or chicken – not on their online menu, there is also an option for potato and that was the road we took…they were delicious and crispy. Great for a snack, not great for $10 given that they're also pretty small.
We shared the Pelmeni and they weren't enough we also ordered a Pirozhok. Apparently the literal translation of "Pirozhok" is "small pie" and that's pretty much what this was. Our options were chicken or cheese and as much as I wish they would have just combined the two fillings, we went with cheese. This cheese Pirozhok was the clear MVP of the night. I could easily eat my weight in these. So light, fluffy and delicious – plus it was my first Pirozhok ever. I could seriously eat these all day.
Masha and the Bear also has a full bar, a slightly decent beer selection (emphasis on *decent*) and infused vodka on tap. In case you didn't read that – THEY HAVE YUMY INFUSED VODKA ON TAP and a variety of traditional and non-traditional flavors – like horseradish (which isn't my thing, but hello fruity or nutty ones!). If yummy cheese things isn't enough of a reason for you to want to check this place out, then infused vodkas on tap outta do it :).
It's nice to see a place that serves Russian food AND has a chalkboard list of craft beers (especially outside of brighton).
They have infused vodkas as well.
The idea of the place is great and I hope more like it open up soon. However, the execution could be far better. The food is decent. It's nothing like what I grew up with.. There is no love in it and the flavors are far too mild. The vodka is infused using the absolute cheapest vodka so I wouldn't drink too much of it, though I would still try the hops and honey vodka (cause that is just original).
Overall it's a cool place and the food is just okay. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit but if I'm in the neighborhood I might stop by.
If you are looking for authentic Russian food this is the mild, made for Americans version. So go elsewhere.
I love brunch but on this particular morning I was not for the usual brunch suspects of toast, potatos and eggs. I wanted something different and yet still comforting. A little bird told me about Masha and the Bear. Russian breakfast, yes, Russian style pierogies, lox and zucchini pancakes were more the breakfast agenda.
The restaurant is small and lined in wood paneling floor and walls. It has the usual cabin feel that I always compare to the NW. The bartender, Jimmy was covered in tattoos and is a great conversationalist and told some funny stories. The owner and Jimmy were like watching a father and son duo. The owner was helpful and witty when explaining the menu was very cool to have a cultural lesson at brunch.
I kept asking about items that were already sold out. I guess Russian champagne is not that great so I wasn't missing much. I was interested in the Dirty Borsch breakfast cocktail. It was described as a Beet flavored Bloody. I will have to get one next time. This time I wanted to keep it simple on the drinks. I just got a nice beer. I did sample a little bit of the horseradish vodka. It would clean up any cold sickness. he horseradish vodka is the perfect accompaniment to fried potato pierogis. When asked if the pierogies should be fried or steamed. The owner explained that we could either live to 80 years old or live up to a hundred. I guess 80 will do on this brunch day.
I could see the chef in the back sharpening her knives real sharp. I would definitely not mess with her and I think she doesn't hear too many complaints. It also helps that the food is spot on. There are no complaints to be given. The zucchini pancakes were delicious and crispy. I loved the refreshing veggie slaw on the side. My favorite part of the dish is easily the in house made lox!! I love lox!! And these lox were incredible. I would recommend coming here just for the lox alone. The runny eggs mixed with a little slaw, some lox and a dip into the sour cream made the perfect brunch bite.
I enjoyed having great company, conversation and equally enjoyable food.
Can't wait to come back and try the Classie Russian Beet Spread, the savory mushroom blintzes, borscht and the different vodkas. I am super happy that they truly cater to meat eaters and their equally cool vegetarian/pescatarian friends! And even though it sounds super strange, the Herring in a Fur Coat sounds right up my alley. Definitely on my food to do list and I will report shortly after consumption.
Russian food in Williamsburg, hello there beautiful.
Had dinner here and ordered an assortment of some of my favorite russian dishes:
-Pelmeni (dumpling with meat)
-Borscht (red beet soup)
-Chicken Liver Pate
-Chicken Tabaka
These guys know what they are doing. All of the dishes were delicious and authentic.
For drinks, they have a full bar and their infused vodkas. I tried the recommended, Horseradish infused vodka, but was not really impressed.
Will be back when I need my Russian food fix and don't want to track to the Brighton Beach.
I've had this spot on my bookmark list since it pretty much opened. The name hails from an adorable little Russian cartoon and I have quite the fondness for both Russians and their food and alcoholic beverages. After a little art show that my friend Steph P.'s very talented little sister had held in a gallery a few blocks away a couple weeks ago we realized we were both hungry for a snack and that open bar of vodka cranberry mixers with twenty something year-olds that I kept referring to as teenagers just wasn't cutting it for us. "Hey, I think there are pierogi near us. . . . do you wanna?" Me: "Is it Masha and the Bear?! YES! YES! YES!" Ensues walking around finding a few other neat bars and craft beer stores while we got lost along the way and coming into an adorable little restaurant with cute drawings on the windows of alcoholic bears and little girls wearing red capes. SOLD. Also, hockey was on television and there were several men with beards drinking vodka. SOLD.
I actually didn't drink upon my visit. Which is crazy. But I wasn't in the mood or feeling it. But this place, wait for it – HAS VODKA ON TAP. The different varieties of vodka infusions: Honey & Pepper, Wild Berry, Horseradish, Ginger, Hops & Honey, and Seasonal. I want them all. There was also a cocktail menu and a pretty decent craft beer selection with about ten or so beers on tap. I almost feel like organizing an adult field trip to come back here and try everything.
For our late evening snacks we decided on both the Pelmeni and Pirozhok. The pelmeni are like mini dumplings which you can order either deep fried or boiled and stuffed with either beef, pork, chicken, potato, or cabbage. We went with the potato deep fried and it comes with sour cream and caramelized onions. Everything was good but we both wanted more. They are tiny dumplings and come in a pretty tiny pot. The Pirozhok was a winner. It's like a delicious flat CHEESE PIE. SO CHEESY! And throw some sour cream on that . . . . never leaving. Their potato pancakes, blintzes, and beef stroganoff also looked pretty good as I smelled and gazed longingly at other tables. Only complaints is that it is a bit pricey for the portions but I'd definitely be curious to come back and try their vodkas and other treats.