Mari Vanna DC

10/10 the atmosphere is atmosphere is so cute and distinct and the drinks and food is very distinct to Russia. We had a great waiter with wonderful suggestions. We got a few tasty shots and great appetizers. I would LOVE to come back here anytime. Happy hour or dinner. Great dumplings or protein focused entrees.

If I lived in DC, I’d take all my visitors here. A unique delicious all around great experience. Service, ambiance, cocktails and food - all fantastic. The klubnichka martini is one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. Shocked by flavors but simplicity of the entrees. They also accommodated our last minute reservation on a friday night with grace. Will be back!

Mari Vanna’s food is really delicious, especially the Borscht. Hot, with great veggie and beef flavored, adding the pork oil and the sour cream, it’s the best comfort food when the season is changing ( or simply when it is cold). Also love the ambiance here - lovely decoration and the dress code of the waitress make the dining experience even more enjoyable. Would definitely recommend!

I have eaten at the NYC location many times over the years but it was first time in Washington and as always didn’t disappoint. Great service. Fun decor taking me back to childhood times in the USSR and most importantly delicious food. We started off with a round of vodka tasting. Then shared some small plates - egg plant rolls, variety of pickled vegetables, herring under fur coat :), potato dumplings with fried onions, meat dumplings (pelmeni). Finished strong with two amazing desserts - medovik cake (honey cake) and a napoleon.

I am giving this place 5 stars even if they forgot our food order and it took about an hour to receive it 😂😂 typically Russian thing to do was to pretend that all is good and nobody messed up by not placing the order with the kitchen 😅this mistake I did remedy with a 15% tip which the waiter was obviously not thrilled about: sorry someone had to take a hit, better Lower tip than less stars in the review. As a bonus we got to see some drunk Russian guys accidentally flipping the table and spilling adjacent party’s food- restaurant promptly took care of it and we got to enjoy “the Russian movie” type of a scene. Now 5 stars are given because food quality is good and food really is authentic Russian / Eastern European cuisine, ingredients used are also high quality. Service staff is friendly and restaurant interior is eye catching. It is better in my opinion than the sister restaurant in Manhattan.

While we were vacationing in Washington we were excited to try Russian food. We had reservations on a weeknight and showed up about 10 minutes early. The restaurant was not too busy and we were seated immediately. Cute restaurant. Loved the details inside. The ceramics and shawl covered lamps. We were hoping/expecting a bread starter & butter since it's such a part of Russian culture. I ordered wine and borsch soup and the homemade blinis with house cured salmon from the starters and my daughter got the roast duck. The borscht was delicious! I highly recommend. It was rich and complexly flavored and came as a generous portion. The blinis and salmon were lovely. The blinis were fresh and tender and made a nice complement with the salmon. Yum and it was a good value for the amount of food. The Pirozhki, which we got with meat, was not very good. It was unseasoned and tasted like it had been in a slow cooker for too long. I wish we hadn't bothered with it My daughter's duck was perfectly done as well and the cabbage, potato, applesauce paired well with it. Nicely crisp and glazed. We were glad we saved room for dessert as my Onegin was just superb. I was not sure what to expect but the blend of flavor and texture between the cake, cream, fruit and nuts was so different from anything I've had before and just made my taste buds so happy! My daughter ordered the Medovik, which was good too but not on the level of the Onegin. I would only say that it is a small place and the noise level was loud. We were seated right across from the bar and between it, and the music which oddly oscillated between appropriately Russian music and ABBA etc. I would have preferred to keep a Russian ambiance. My daughter enjoyed the Soviet cartoons playing in the background. Our server was okay, but not fabulous, as she barely spoke to us and wasn't very friendly. Hopefully she was only having an off night.

Had a wonderful dinner here. Loved every single menu we ordered, especially the beef stroganoff and the dessert! Infused vodka was also pretty good (honey&pepper had a super spicy aftertaste though). Seems like a popular place already, but want to add another 5 stars.

After visiting Ruz-Uz in Arlington, this place is a big step up. None of the dishes disappointed. Khachapuri with egg was very good, same as one I get in Russia almost. To drink got Peter The Great. I don't like bourbon but this bourbon drink was very good. I also got the lamb shak. Very soft, melting in mouth type of meat. Chicken Kiev was not bad too. Highly recommend you come here if you want to try Russian kitchen

We stumbled across this restaurant and it was fully booked yesterday so we made a reservation for the next day. We ordered the pork and beef pelmani dumplings, beef stroganoff, and beef tongue – all were delicious and the tongue was so well cooked it didn’t have the usually texture of tongue but was melt in your mouth tender. The decor looks 1920s/30s and has an old country charm.

What a great place! Being a Russian, I didn’t have thoughts like “I would add XXX to the menu.” Huge variety. My friends from the other countries were quite happy to have such an exposure to the “former USSR” (here you can truly find dishes from multiple countries!) cuisine. Спасибо! С нетерпением ждем следующей возможности прийти к вам!

I’d never eaten in a Russian restaurant and have rarely ever had a true Russian dish. I walked past this restaurant on my stroll to the White House, and was immediately charmed by its curbside appeal and warm, lovely interior through the windows. I looked it up and came back later to try dinner. I ordered the mushroom soup, the potato vareniki and a cabbage pirozhok. I’d never even heard of any of those, and they were all delicious. I loved watching and guessing at the dishes that came to other tables. The servers were fantastically efficient and attentive. I saw a gorgeous slice of many layered cake come out, and I had to try it as well (it was the medovik: a layered honey cake with crème). An absolutely wonderful serendipitous dining experience to add a new (to me!) nationality of cuisine to my repertoire!

It’s my first time to try Russian food, and I love it! The two soups are flavorful and appetizing; pork kabobs are moisture and juicy; beef stroganoff is probably my favorite, everything goes so well with the creamy sauce! Oregin is a must try dessert too. It’s actually the restaurant week menu, I made the reservation before I realized it’s restaurant week, surprise for me! And you can definitely tell the sincere and genuine from the menu and the whole service. Five stars recommend :)

We were a group of 5 and came here for lunch on Sunday. I made a reservation one day in advance on Open Table. We dined family style (shared 1 app and 5 entrees) and with tip it ended up being $42 per person (no alcoholic drinks, just coffee). We walked away full and very satisfied 🙂 The food is EXCELLENT! The blinis were perfect, the kachapurri was just amazing, and the beef stroganoff was perfect comfort food for a chilly, windy day. Chicken kiev was yummy as well. The dumplings were okay - good amount for a group!The service was quick and attentive. The decor is soooo cute. Would come again to try desserts and cocktails!

Loved the decoration and atmosphere. Dinner was good, we got the salmon kebab and lamb chops. For dessert Medovik. We definitely we'll go back to try more things on the menu.

Amazing experience here. Food, service, atmosphere, all 10/10! The employees were knowledgeable of the food and recommended great drinks. Food was DELICIOUS and came out in a timely manner with filling portion sizes. Had a terrible experience just before this at Barcelona, where my reservation was just “forgotten about”. Luckily Mari Vanna could accommodate my party of 7 last minute. If you ever have a choice between this place & anywhere else… choose here!!! Thank you for taking my almost turned bad birthday & making it perfect. ❤️

Very delicious food and incredible atmosphere. As someone who is Ukrainian and Russian this food was delicious and very authentic. We ordered the Olivier Salad, the Varenyky, the Borsht, the Beef Stroganoff, the chicken Kiev and the Medevik cake. They were all absolutely delicious. I will say this place has much higher prices than what I am used to (compared to Brooklyns Russian restaurants). Nonetheless the food is amazing and I bring all my friends who have never had Eastern European food here. The drinks are also a must try and they have infused shots that are also interesting.

As Ukrainians, we tend to be extra-picky when it comes to Slavic foods. That being said, everything was delicious. We ordered the borscht, vinegret, vereniki (pierogi), olivier salad, and the chicken kotletki. We broke our no-sugar March for the delicious (seriously order it) honey cake. For drinks, he had the Obolon and I had the Lvivske (both Ukrainian lagers). I also liked that they had flags in support of Ukraine at the front. We made a reservation the day of and were seated promptly. Service was fast and decor gives home-country.

Chic idyllic restaurant transporting you back to Soviet era memorabilia in the bathrooms and good authentic Russian food, that’s not too heavy or large. The cocktail menu is very redolent of all things Russia from terms like Peter The Great to Crime and Punishment

Sad I had to seat at the bhar when there were so many tables available. Probably because I was alone. Made me feel really bad. But, anyway, the place is beautiful, the atmosphere is good, all 3 floors are amazing and the staff is very friendly.

Such a great atmosphere here. The bartender was able to tell us the history of the restaurant as well as go over some of the menu items we were curious about. This time around we did not eat here just because we had reservations elsewhere, but we were so impressed by the cocktails that we want to come back later this year to give their food a try.

The beef stroganoff was delicious as was the beer. The beef was tender, the mushrooms tasty, the sauce creamy, the potatoes buttery. Everybody had bites of each other’s food and everybody was happy. The atmosphere feels unique and genuine. If you find yourself in DC and you want to experience Russian cuisine, you can’t go wrong here.

A nice, modern and beautiful Russian restaurant in DC. Love sitting on the 2nd floor, we had a great view of the 1st. Борщ was tasty and authentic (you can order it with salo). I heard the 3rd floor used to be a dance/disco floor but it became a family/event dining room during covid time. I love how many Russian decorations are in detail.

Mari Vanna is insanely delicious. The atmosphere and aesthetics cannot be beat, the wait staff is wonderful and super helpful, and they aren't kidding when they say their chicken kiev and beef stroganoff are the best things around. Every specialty drink is delicious and they have something for every palate. I'm never disappointed when I come here.

I’ve actually been here twice and here’s the review from when I went there the first time! Went with my bestie after I got my first paycheck! It’s a really cute, vintage, and dainty little eastern european restaurant hidden on the side of Connecticut avenue. Most waiters seems to be Russian. When we went it was pretty slow, but the restaurant started to fill up very fast as we were about to leave. What we ordered 🍽 - Borscht 4.5/5 Very huge portion, you need to share or else you’ll be full just with this soup. - Lamb Shank 4/5 again, big. You can barely taste the lamb, the texture of the lamb was also perfect. - Napoleon 5.5/5 First, it’s a HUGE dessert. And it’s definitely the best napoleon cake I had so far. I will return to this restaurant no joke just for the cake. Vibe ✨ 10/10 LOVE the vintage interior I give Mari Vanna 8/10

Genuine russian food with just the right taste and an appropriate atmosphere. The food and service are amazing and highly recommended. We had to come back next day as we couldn't get to dessert on the first day, it was too much and too tasty.

Excellent food and service. We enjoyed the homely feel as well as the lightly cooked food that really brought it the flavors of the vegetables. We enjoyed the very special experience.

Hands down the best Russian food around. Having tried almost everything on the menu, there isn't an item I don't recommend. I usually start with the herring under a fur coat (for adventurous eaters) and katchapuri, I can't leave without having their beef stroganoff. The staff is polite, the vibes are authentic and cozy, and I will continue to come back for as long as they're open!

Fantastic appetizers, main course and dessert with a cappuccino. Our server Alexi always had a smile and was super pleasent. I never had Russian food before now I am excited to go back. We had Potato Vareniki, Pirozhki as starters. Golubtsy and Lamb shank and when I tell it was absolutely DELICIOUS I may be underselling it. We shared Medovik a traditional Russian honey layer cake and that was amazing! We will definitely return. I getting hungry while writing this review.

Great for special occasions. We had the khinkali, solotka; herring under fur coat, Olivier salad, pilmeni, and cherry vareniki. All excellent. They have borjormi and saperavi. Mix of Georgian and Russian cuisine. Khinkali was pretty juicy with a texture close to what you would get in Georgia. Somewhat more $$ than Tbilisi khinkali prices. The cherry vareniki were amazing. Our Russian server was super helpful. Will go again.

We had delicious meals in an authentic atmosphere. I highly recommend trying Beef Shashlik. The location was also beautiful, and I later learned that Russian stews are famous; I will try them on my next visit. Additionally, it was nice to see the support for Ukraine with their flags. Finally, I highly recommend trying the Russian dessert, Medovik.

Definitely recommend, I’ve never been to this type of restaurant before and was blown away by the amazing food the borscht and beef stroganoff were some of the best dishes I’ve ever had. And the ambiance can’t be beat. Definitely worth a visit!

Delicious food although is a bit pricey for the quantity you receive. Although quality is exceptional especially the borscht was amazing also with the desserts and tea. The server pasha was pleasant and always checking in. As well as the atmosphere was very authentic and unique. Good experience overal

Heard that they were closing their DC location by the end of the month so decided to enjoy it one last time. We’ve visited this locale a few times and each time we came we marveled at their culture and distinct flavors, tastes, moods, the interactions. There always is an air of mystery to the staff working there. The hostesses always are icy and perfectly primped. Secretive glances here and there and lots of whispering add to the mystique of the Russian vibe. The food has always been good, a bit on the heavy side. But what’s special of this place is the house infused vodka. They add just the right amount of kick needed for the food coma you’ll be in.

We were a party of 8 and dined here. The atmosphere was enchanting, creating a cozy and nostalgic ambiance. However, our dining experience was marred by the prolonged wait for our food. While the dishes were satisfactory, the extended wait time somewhat overshadowed the overall enjoyment of the evening.

I liked the food here much more than I thought. The pelmeni were delicious and I could have eaten the whole bowl of them but was forced to share with my friend. I had the been stroganoff for my main and that was tasty. Rich and creamy! Could have used a little more meat. I’m sure buckwheat was traditional but I didn’t love that part. I tried a bite of my friend’s chicken Kiev. Really good! The napoleon for dessert was beautiful! And tasty. There were several instagrammers there which I’m Not surprised about because the space is really adorable. My friend studied Russian in college and has been to Russia many times and gives this place a strong thumbs up.

Been there twice. First time was great— yummy khachapuri and blini. The second time I can back for brunch with friends— 3 of us received our orders in time, but they forgot about the 4th person’s order. We had to remind them after 35 mins of waiting (and 15 mins after the rest of the party received their order), and they end up brining the wrong order.

It’s been about 10 years since my last visit to this delightful little nook. Easily overlooked but never failing to exceed expectations, the food and staff are both very authentic Russian! These are not menu items you have encountered anywhere else in D.C.; the presentation of dishes like Khinkali, Soleniya, and Cured Herring are very Homestyle and the ambiance is warm and quaint. I forgot I was in the city as soon as I stepped inside! * Definitely take a peek at the reputable Caviar Selection! * The Staff was attentive and kind. They were readily available to assist with menu questions or render explanation to guests unfamiliar with the cuisine. I had a lovely time and booked a friend’s birthday party reservation thereafter! I strongly encourage you venture out to experience this hidden treasure for yourself!

Been wanting to try this place and it was with it. The inside was so beautiful. The staff was friendly. I had a caviar option and they brought it out with crepes so you can put the caviar in them. It was delicious. I had to try the Kvas, very refreshing. The only this is, the restaurant can be a tad cramped on the inside, prepare to have your neighbors listening to your conversations. But otherwise, check it out and try some Russian cuisine.

It looks like you’re dining in an antique store. I really like the vibe there. I went to have the honey cake, which it has another name under their menu. It is the first time I had it after they shut down because of Covid last year and I’m glad they came back. However, it looks like the cake shrink a little bit, but it tasted good as usual.

Really comfortable setting, the menu selections were all excellent. It was our first time to a Russian restaurant and it did not disappoint. All the starters were delicious, and the beef stroganoff and chicken Kiev was excellent. We will return soon!