Russian Vodka Room

This frenetic hangout is no Moscow memory lane; it lives for today. Glossy black marble, wall-to-wall carpet and sturdy green banquettes decorate the room. The vast horseshoe-shaped bar is always packed with a mix of young Russian and American rowdies with roving eyes. In the bright dining room, inebriated patrons feast on gravlax with potato pancakes and cabbage pie. Entrées like chicken tabaka (a split Cornish game hen broiled under a press) are unabashed greasy goodness. And while there’s much debate about the authenticity of certain flavors of “Russian infused vodka,” the horseradish shot packs a punch that goes well with the food and the flirting.