Mari Vanna in City of London, Westminster

This place was great. Food was amazing, drinks were amazing, the service was fast and there was live music playing on the Friday we went there. It was designed in an old soviet style to what I can describe as having dinner in your grandma's house, which made it that bit more authentic and adding to the overall atmosphere. There bathrooms were also nicely designed with an audiobook of a Russian fairytale playing in the background. It is worth noting that whilst I had a fantastic experience, I was with Russian company, so not sure if my experience would be any different otherwise but nonetheless, I would definitely return as the food was amazing.

You can eat delicious 🇷🇺 food. The wait staff also wear cute 🇷🇺 style maid outfits.

It is one of the best restaurants I have been to in London. The food was delicious and the portions generous. The sturgeon in a champagne sauce was amazing. The fish was so tender and soft. Highly recommend their desserts especially the sour cream cake with strawberry sauce. Will definitely go back again to try more of their dishes.

Everything was great. Delicious food, staff are nice. Natalia was great.

The honey cake is normal, not worth the trouble.. The coffee is not nice.. The place is young and chic in style..

Excelente almuerzo de trabajo con colega aquí. Siempre, personalmente, he disfrutado mucho de este lugar, a lo largo de los años. Los Pirogis de hongos eran excelentes. Un par de esturiones rusos para la red, eran excelentes, y francamente, la única vez que como regularmente cualquier postre / comida dulce en un restaurante consistentemente, es aquí. Así que Honey Cakes, fueron notables como siempre.

I went to have a proper Russian meal , it was my very first time. It's in a convenient location, beautiful space with lots of items around reminding of a Russian house. The food & drinks were excellent, staff very polite and kind. I would definitely recommend it 👌

A place where you can feel the atmosphere of a Russian feast 😊 We took herring under a fur coat, meat and fish cutlets and a cocktail of a million scarlet roses. Everything is very tasty and beautiful! The menu is simply huge, so you can come back here again and again and try Russian cuisine. The only thing I would like to add is to see more smiling waiters. Otherwise everything is fine.

My experience was unfortunately disappointing. The food arrived very late, and the portions were extremely small. Despite ordering a meat dish, there was hardly any meat in it. The prices definitely do not match the quality and service provided. It was not worth the cost at all. I do not recommend this place.

Un lugar verdaderamente terrible que sirve comida terrible con muy mal servicio! Evitar, evitar, pero recomendaría Voskoboynikov's en Shepherds Bush.

This is a very good Russian restaurant that you will find in London. What charmed me most was the decor. It feels like an old house in Russia full of memories. The food was good but not extraordinary. I really liked the service, the people are friendly. There's not too much noise and it's not touristy so it's nice. The toilets are also clean.

Very beautiful interior, but average food.

Atmosphere is nice but the food was so expensive and not good as well.

The establishment is great, but the employees were given 2 days off and 1 was taken away. At first they made me happy, and then they made me sad🥲 I’m crying😭 because of you.

REALLY BIG DISSAPOINMENT! The service was super slow although we were went for a lunch time. - The portions got smaller compared to last year - No beef in the Borch soup. Yes, very strange it was just a beetroot and water. And it came super late and not even hot soup!! - Beef Stroganoff wasn’t really tasty and made as original recipes. - The stuff was not even helpful and friendly. And at end once we said our complaints, they just said next time we’ll be better but no way.. As someone who visited many Mari Vanna restaurants around the world, London is the worse one. On top of everything, 2 main dishes, one starter, 1 soup costed us £120. We were not even full at the end. Please stay way.

Very atmospheric restaurant with delicious home-made Russian food. Service in both Russian and English, staff is friendly.

A nice russian restaurant. I would return.

Tan decepcionados, que siempre venimos aquí cuando estamos en Londres, pero hoy estaba tan ansioso y ... arenque se compró en la tienda, adobado no salado, patatas frías no fritas, que mi compañero tenía un Chachapuri y era pequeño y por lo general preguntan cómo quieren que su huevo cocinado, plato principal. . desastre!!!! Sopa - Bortsh no era sabroso en absoluto, servido en un cuenco de sopa como en casa, lo que pasó con los hermosos platos, compañero consiguió kotlet ponpozharski, OMG! ¡Qué vergüenza! ¿Era un kotlet seco con crutones por todas partes? Pedimos la souce pero fue mala. . sinceramente, no sé qué cambió, tu gerencia, tu chef, tus puntos de vista. . pero la calidad definitivamente bajó. . en realidad es triste : (

Exceptional service from start to finish.!!!

Beautiful restaurant in a beautiful location, wonderfully tasty food, but the service was painfully slow and chaotic. The waiters’ command of the English language is to be improved.

Here’s a rewritten Google Maps review based on the provided information: --- **Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5)** The restaurant has some highlights, like the delicious pirogis and sibirskiye pelmeni, which were definite standouts. The whimsical and cozy decor adds a nice touch to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, there were several letdowns. The buckwheat was oversalted, and the potato varenikis lacked flavor. Service was disappointing—staff seemed lazy and inattentive throughout the meal. Additionally, the prices felt too high for the overall quality of the experience. If you’re looking for a great Russian food experience, I’d definitely recommend Zima instead.

As a fan of Russian food, i liked Mari Vanna. Of course it cannot compete with homemade dishes, but if you want to try Russian cuisine it is a good place. Staff is very friendly, food is not bad. I recommend shuba salad and kvas drink. Borsh was good, it is good that they have halal option - no pork while serving.

Amazing honey cake and puff pastry as always. Service is a bit slow though.

Absolutely love this restaurant - drinks are 10/10!

Some of the items were not freshly made, but rather warmed up for serving. For such dishes like Hachapuri, you would expect it to be fresh…

Service was so bad ! Food very delicious but the service is really bad and not good at all , not friendly at all ! And even last call didn’t tell us and the waiter said mabye u can come next time? I don’t what kind of attitude? Even didn’t say any sorry to us. So that we are not pay service charge! Is very bad experience. And the reception who standing outside a girl also not good! So awful! 😞 when we calling her shejuest ignore us! If u don’t like to service customer pls go back your home so that you no need to serve us! Me and my friend feel so disappointed , food is delicious but service is very poor

This place is like stepping into an old Russian families house in the middle of Knightsbridge. Quite a shock at first but eerily beautiful. Excellent service great waiters!

Service was so bad ! Food very delicious but the service is really bad and not good at all , not friendly at all ! And even last call didn’t tell us and the waiter said mabye u can come next time? I don’t what kind of attitude? Even didn’t say any sorry to us. So that we are not pay service charge! Is very bad experience. And the reception who standing outside a girl also not good! So awful! 😞 when we calling her shejuest ignore us! If u don’t like to service customer pls go back your home so that you no need to serve us! Me and my friend feel so disappointed , food is delicious but service is very poor

Delicious! Hit the spot for all my Eastern European food cravings!

Amazing experience, felt like I was in a Russian home back in the 90s. Food is very good, the restaurant is so well decorated and you even hear some Russian music in the background.

Very rude staff I would never recommend this place

Last 2 times have been disappointing. Sad but it’s lost its charm. Very rushed service even though it’s not very busy no need to serve main course while one still clearly eats starter (salad). Even though we asked could we please have a little break between starter and main. Unfortunately main arrived while we were half way through started. Exactly the same thing happened on our previous visit. Server was nice, polite and attentive. But kitchen staff cooks way too fast. 3 stars 🌟 all together.

My favorite coffee for years. When I visit London I go to this cafe to taste the honey cake, but when I came in October I didn't like the smell of the cafe, it smelled like mouse rot. In the café that was hosting me, I became upset and did not finish my coffee. I hope the carpets and furniture will be changed next time

The coffee is delicious Sweet honey cake But the place has closed for a while and is empty, and you feel like you are entering an old place

Food was good as always. However it was very cold in the restaurant.

Excellent traditional Russian food, polite and efficient staff, served in a warm ambiance in a pre-revolution style. Highly recommended.

Good food and service. We had a good time

I loved everything. I stopped by for breakfast—meat-filled crepes, cottage cheese dumplings—everything was excellent. Delicious and unique Benedict with mushrooms. The interior is amazing, and the restroom decor is a delight in itself!

Great authentic food, friendly staff and amazing atmosphere. Highly recommend

Excellent ambience, loved variety of dishes, quick service , delicious desserts

Disgusting food and the most stupid service in my life. Never order take away from this restaurant otherwise they will put non fresh food

A very classically beautiful restaurant with uniquely distinctive Russian cuisine. It was my first time trying it, and it was both novel and delicious.

The food is very tasty, however the staff is very rude and unfriendly, especially the blonde lady at the reception desk and the waiter who are talking very rude with the guests and also their behaviour is not professional at all. This kind of customer service is definitely not expected in London, especially in this area. Very disappointed!

For the atmosphere - you cant find anything more authentic - it is like a proper last century Russian country house. Loved the dinners I had there. Also they say, brunches are good and inexpensive.

Would give it 6 stars if possible! Amazing food, exquisite service, and a fantastic drinks menu.

A very nice restaurant with delicious traditional food and a fantastic atmosphere. I love the attention to detail, and all the staff speak Russian. It’s a beautiful place :)

The worst service I’ve in my life this the last time I will come to this place

Amazing place with great decorations and the food is amazing! Would go back 10/10

Everything is just the best experience - from ambience, to service to good! Top choice.

Tasty, but a little overpriced! Overall good experience!

Nice atmosphere, very simple russian food. Good for nostalgia

Love that place. So cosy and yammy. But then I am Russian so may be a bit biased

Very cozy and delicious as always! A bit pricy but worth it !

Had dinner at this place tonight. What a disappointment. We came about 20 min before our 18:00 dinner reservation and were told that the restaurant was not yet open, but that we could get drinks. There was a party of about 4 people being served and having their meals while we were essentially told to come back at exactly 18:00. Unfortunately for us we did come back. Our appetizers were fine. Shuba was prepared well. Chicken aspic was over-salted. For mains we ordered chicken Kiev and sturgeon. The sturgeon that I was offered was definitely not a sturgeon- perhaps salmon at best. Chicken Kiev was rubbery and overdone. For dessert we got a Napoleon pastry. And received a soggy and not sweet enough disappointing mess. The “live musicians” took an hour to set up while we were trying to enjoy our meal. The singer tried to convince the audience that her rendition of Norah Jones was authentic, but it was a very clear lip sync. Such a silly place all around. London has a plethora of excellent places to eat. This is not one of them.

My favourite place to have borsch, khachapuri and “herring under the fur”. Nice service and very authentic design

Stunning surroundings and food but the waiters did not speak good enough English to understand that I am pregnant and let me know what meals were safe for me to eat. They did not understand even when I pointed to my large belly and said 'baby', and I had mentioned on my booking that I was pregnant so they should have been informed in advance. Worse the hostess who greets guests was quite unkind to my friend for dropping a knife and some butter on the floor (my friend has a nervous disease which affects her motor skills), and informed us we had to leave after 2 hours (even though the restaurant was very empty) and rushed us out of the door. She was again very impatient and frosty with my friend who was struggling to get her coat on (again motor issues mean this can take time). I would have expected more polite staff at such an expensive restaurant, and for language support to be on hand for any waiters who would need it (especially for a food safety matter).

Terrible staff and food. The waitresses were rude, off putting and unfriendly. The food was very basic. I had fond memories of eating here years ago but the place has changed for the worse. My friend was sick after the pelmeni- it appeared to be raw. The loos were also very unclean and hadn’t been flushed. I will not go here again.

Aléjate de este restaurante. Camarera con actitud muy cama. servicio horrible y consiguió intoxicación alimentaria de dumplings (pelmeni) mantenerse alejado

Terrible food and awful service!waitress with bad attitude and got food poisoning don’t go there. The place should be closed down.

Fantastic experience! Definitely recommend. Thanks!

I am only leaving a review to make other diners aware that they need to check their bill as they will be scammed here. We ordered 2 starters and a few small pies, the bill came up to £75. When we checked it, it turned out that they added £2-4 to every dish/drink we ordered, it is an old trick which you do not expect in Knightsbridge. They operate 2 different menues, so take a picture of what you are ordering!

Top Russian cuisine at a good price

If you love Russian/East European food, this is the place! Amazing food and great environment and vibe

First time with my British Greek husband ( I’ve been before by myself many times). He loved the service, the food, atmosphere. Always a very very enjoyable experience.

Wel, very normal Russian food, nothing extraordinary. But it is too expensive considering I know what is inside the dishes. :-) And some Russian guests are not very polite. None are smiling, that's fine, but politeness should be there in the 21st century.

My favorite place in London. Delicious food, nice ambience, welcoming staff

Everything is great! Incredibly delicious pancakes and bird's milk. There are a lot of details in the interior. I give it a 5. Here the rating is below 4x simply because of the haters.

Absolute gem in the city! Feels like you are back home at your granny’s house, the food is magnificent, everything on the menus tastes great! Highly recommend:)

The place is elegant and has a British feel The coffee is delicious And I asked for a good honey cake The service is a little slow

Food was amazing! I had the chicken with mashed potatoes. The raspberry drink and honey cake are a must try as well.

The best Russia restaurant!!!!!!! Really really enjoyed it!!!!!!

The honey cake was a shock 🤡 I tried it in Riyadh, it is much sweeter.. but sweet Napoleon sweet, I liked it like the filet, but sweeter.. Is it worth returning, frankly, no, but let's try it

Exceptional food, fantastic decor and atmosphere. Will come back!

I was looking forward to visit this restaurant for 5 years. Finnaly it happened! The food, ambiance and live music where 10/10. Also nice that there was no trace of political agenda in accordance with current situation. Cant wait to get back here again!

I’ve been coming to this restaurant since 2021 and it is one of my favourites in London. I love the breakfast menu and honey cake, though the service takes too long but the food is always fresh.

Fantastic experience! Definitely recommend. Thanks!

I ordered delivery twice and both times the order was incomplete (for some reason unknown to me, the restaurant does not include sauces with which the dish comes with the menu for delivery) and differed from what was stated on the menu. And if in the first order the delivery was within an hour (I live in the same area as this restaurant), then in the second case, when ordering at 14:00, it was not delivered within an hour and I had to call the administrator and find out the timing, to which they answered me , the order will be delivered closer to 18:00(!).

I love breakfast at this restaurant. Everything is fresh and healthy, and the ambience is cozy.

What can I say, I ordered a red game and a Kiev cake to take home. Caviar in a can, although on the website it was by weight (I threw it away because it was spoiled). The Kiev cake turned out to be so stale that they couldn’t even stick a knife into it. All this fun cost £145, which went in the trash that same day.

Love Marivanna to bits ♥️ Used to go in Moscow, visiting a lot now. Always perfect service and delicious food. Also I want to note Tanya, a beautiful young waiter, always polite, is making this place so special. Hope you will give her a bonus this month.

I gave this place a chance several times: 1) I ordered borscht twice - overcooked substance. Maybe it’s ok for foreigners, but comrades, borscht usually tastes better! 2) the tables were very densely packed, and the English were noisy nearby. When I asked the manager to move us or calm down the neighbors, she refused, but at the same time she was offended by my answer, then I myself will calm down the loud-speaking neighbors. By the way, I calmed them down. There was nothing complicated. Why didn’t the admin, who is responsible for the atmosphere in the establishment, do this? 3) I ordered a fur coat with over-salted herring. After eating there, you get the feeling that you listened to the radio rather than enjoyed the meal.

The decoration of the restaurant is a bit much, though quite cosy. The food is tasty, and the menu has a lot of variety to suit different tastes. I've enjoyed the authenticity of the cuisine. Some dishes are a bit expensive. The staff are pleasant and the kitchen is accommodating to dietary requirements.

Amazing Russian food like Bortsch, also great tea selection, very cozy athmosphere and very kind service! Excellent!

the food was overall very good and service was ok but it was too hot no AC or open window and one more important thing the receptionist was very rude shouting about needing a table while we did a booking any way she was impolite

Distinctive restaurant with furniture.. I ordered an excellent Russian honey cake and asked not to add honey to it because it was already 10/10

Been to Marivanna so many times, tried different dishes and cocktails- never disappointed! Nice ambiance, friendly staff, food always great! Definitely will come back again 🫶

Fabulous food, authentic decor and music.

Estaba emocionado de venir aquí con mi pareja y probar algo nuevo! He leído otras críticas y debo decir que el personal no fue grosero, pero en realidad no hicieron mucho más que tomar los pedidos y servir la comida - el servicio no se destacó. Probamos muchos de los platos rusos que tenían que ofrecer, incluyendo el plato de compartir, sopa de pescado, así como stroganoff de ternera y las albóndigas siberianas. La comida era terrible. Estamos confundidos después de leer las críticas - ¿acabamos de elegir las peores cosas en el menú o todo el mundo se engaña? La sopa sabía a agua de vajilla - no había sabor alguno y todo lo demás simplemente no era genial. Las albóndigas tenían un extraño sabor a carne cruda. Quizás no sea una cocina que se adapte a nuestros gustos... pero de cualquier manera, la comida para nosotros fue muy desagradable. Quizás la ayuda y sugerencias del personal podrían haber mejorado nuestra experiencia - “Hola has estado aquí antes, déjame contarte sobre nuestro menú”.

Being a guest here feels like time traveling. It is pricey but worth the experience. I recommend the vegetarian dumplings and potatoes with mushrooms.

My woman sang Russian songs the entire time - it was amazing!

Very delicious, gastronomical euphoria. Service excellent, atmosphere very realistic and comfortable. Definitely recommend.

(Update: I was quite shocked to find out that Food Hygiene Rating was 2 out of 5) ... A dinner at Grandma’s. Mari Vanna keeps impressing by the standards of its authentic Russian food, friendly service and cosy atmosphere every time I visit it in Knightsbridge. Restaurant premises are beautifully decorated with various props from the Soviet times. It feels like you are visiting your grandma’s place back in the good ol’ days. Unpretentious food is full of flavour and has a home-made feel to it. The menu is very comprehensive and one might be lost in it. My recommendations for the newcomers, who are open to explore comforting Russian food, would be: - A delicate herring in a “shuba” (layered fish and vegetable - cold salad) or “kholodetz” (jellied meat) together with mixed pickles to start with, - Scrumptious “pelmeni” (dumplings) or “golubtzi” (minced meat wrapped in cabbage leaves) for your main course, and - A mouth-watering Napoleon cake to finish your feast - All goes well with cranberry “mors” – a light soft drink, or something stronger if you wish (cheers!) Prices are well reasonable, portions are generous, you are guaranteed not to leave hungry. Highly recommended!

Had such a great dinner! And of course a few shots of Beluga gold vodka.

Such an amazing place and cuisine! I go there quite often and right now they even have summer menu which I loved a lot. Vareniki with strawberries are the best. Also service and waiters were nice. Never had a bad experience there!

Went there with my friend a few times already and really enjoyed the cuisine. The place is unique and authentic with nice service. I loved chicken soup and potatoes with mushrooms a lot. Would recommend it 100% The prices for Central London is fine.

Great place, great food! Will come again next time when in London,

The following is very bad, I do not recommend it. The size of the cup is very large, so the taste of the coffee is not overpowering, and it contains a lot of annoying foam. The honey cake is good, but for me, the honey cake is better.

The food is nice. However, it cannot be properly assessed because it is a completely different cuisine. As expected, local dishes. The service is super friendly. The eyes were bigger than the mouth and a doggy bag was no problem at all and everything was neatly packed separately. The atmosphere of a large living room is very nice... Luckily no band this time ;-)

Finally we visited this wonderful Mari Vanna! I’m always very sceptical about our Russian food cooked and presented abroad, but I must say they managed to surpass my expectations! The atmosphere, the food (flavour and presentation), the service … everything was great and authentic! Felt like home ♥️♥️♥️ Thank you for creating such cosy and welcoming place!

Loved it I’m Russian myself and this place is the best place in London to get Russian food. great flavour in food good sized portions. Beautiful design inside great Russian music playing and Russian designs all over the restaurant. Will definitely come here again and you should too.👍👍