Firebird Restaurant

I am so sad to hear this restaurant closed. We are going to a play and tried to call. This was a great restaurant: Fantastic food, awesome vodka drinks and a great atmosphere! I will miss it!

Found this restaurant from groupon for a seafood tower. The first warning sign is how little people are in the restaurant. Needless to say the tower is extremely small but you know what, that was actually a good thing because the seafood is old and not fresh.
We were pretty disappointed with this place.

I went there with my groupon, the place looks cool!
However, the seafood tower disappointed me… frozen, and taste not fresh…
And the attitude of the waiters were like.“I don’t want to serve you”…
Very bad dinning experience… place to avoid!

Save some money and half of an evening next time you venture to Manhattan for this exquisite Russian eatery in Hell’s Kitchen. My experience here in December 2011 ranks alongside my recent visit to Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London as one I will never forget.
I memorized the taste of each dish and every detail, wishing I could pack them in my suitcase and take them home.
The Tsartini with house infused honey vodka, fresh lime juice and dusted with cinnamon still ranks as the best cocktail I have tasted anywhere.
The opaque but ornate dining room adds to the place’s flair for exorbitance. Our waiter delivered attentive, five-​star service. The butternut squash bisque and roasted duck (which may no longer be on the menu, not sure) were beyond piquant. I left nothing on either of those plates. What the bananas foster dessert finale lacked in distinct taste it made up for in lavish presentation.
I doubt I will ever take a trip to New York again without making an appointment at Firebird.

I had a coupon for 10% off and although I had been to Firebird recently, I decided to use the coupon. The last time I had been there I had the Chicken Kiev-​this time I had the beef stroganoff which was very good. I ended up getting dessert {$ 10] and coffee {$ 5}. I am glad I returned but if you suggest this restaurant to friends or family, make them aware of the fact that it is pricey so you can spare them the «sticker shock»

I’m from NYC so it’s difficult for me to admit ever eating on restaurant row. It’s for tourists. But I have an open mind and under pressure from friends ate dinner here before the glass menagerie.
Fire bird is a fancy, elegant, and expensive Russian style restaurant. The food is all very good prepared by known chefs. The vodka and caviar menu is extensive and very very pricy.
The décor is from 19^th century guilded age, I like the ambiance it creates of old upscale New York. Service was attentive, informative, friendly. Waiters speak many different languages but make a point of French or Russian.
I wouldn’t eat here often, it’s too expensive, but know what you’re getting into. This is a very fine restaurant.

This place is pretty damn old school.
I’m talking classic décor ripped straight out of a 19^th century Russian palace, mixed with waiters and captains in uniforms and a menu that feels about 30 years behind the times.
But then again, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
The food here is decent, though I honestly recommend you order a la carte in favor of the prix fixe menu. simply because you need to try their borscht here. It’s well made, with oodles of tender brisket. Can’t really complain about that.
Also, who doesn’t love tableside flambé? Again, very very old school, but I am just a sucker for a show, and a tasty night cap of bananas foster.
I really don’t have anything negative to say, other than wishing that the (very polite) service was a touch warmer. Otherwise, this is a fine place to dine before you catch a show or are looking to impress a date. Just make sure your wallet has enough plastic or cash to get your through the night.

I love trying different cuisines, and was über hyped up about spending the week before christmas in NYC, even more so when I found this place! Go here dressed to the nines and prepared to take in an old world mother Russia feeling. Try a flight of vodka from their EXTENSIVE list, or try the honey vodka. I hear the lamb was lovely, the borscht is great and the beef stroganoff isn’t too bad. Very rich food, culture and tab… but when a tourist in NYC, give in and splurge a bit. Remember to say spasiba as you leave;)

Opulence. I has it.
Seriously, this place is the epitome of Russian opulence to the point of absurdity.. . but It’s kind of charming. I arrived late on a Sunday for brunch and was promptly greeted and asked if I had a reservation.
«uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no [interior monologue: «oh shit”]»
«Ah, well that’s ok, we can find a space for you»
*phew*
I was promptly lead into a dining room FULL of golf and pretty Russian things. But not people. Two other tables were currently taken. I had to giggle a bit under my breath.
The menu was fun, but I settled on a Georgian omelette. I mean really, how can I go wrong with lamb chunks in an freakin omelette. And the tea! It was in really really real glass Russian team mugs! The bread was fantastic, the lamb was quite good, and the experience was very Russian.
Quite enjoyable, just enjoy the opulence with a subdued smile. I can tell they really pride themselves on it.

Firebird Restaurant is a Russian eatery among the varied and typically mediocre locations along Restaurant Row. Its easy to walk right past it, as the outside is a bit plain compared to its lively neighbors. I must have walked by here at least 20 times without even knowing it existed. I came with friends who had the groupon (which somehow turned every Unilocaler into a grumpy hater here — seriously guys.)
The décor is very old world opulent, with jade green walls, heavy curtains, plush carpet, and intimate booths. To the modern New Yorker, it may feel too over-​the-​top and outdated — but for me I appreciated the authenticity points. The feel of the restaurant almost peer pressures you into using the coat check and over ordering — but really, they won’t give you the stink eye if you don’t.
Service is pretentious (that’s what you’re paying for) but they are still polite. We didn’t have any rude staff or rushed service and one of our guys was rather easy on the eyes. teehee. They were also accommodating of one of our chronically late friends and our groupon hiccups. The waiter also gave us a mini history lesson on the mugs they serve tea in — apparently they’re typically used in the dining cars of trains. Who knew?
We ordered the seafood tower, the wild boar, chicken kiev, and the duck breast. On another day I may have splurged for the caviar, but it was already a late dinner. The seafood tower was fresh, but they should rename it to a seafood platter. There is only one tier (Grand Central Oyster Bar/​Bathazar it is not) and it had 3 – 4 crab claws, oysters, clams, jumbo prawns each. There were two lobster claws and the tail. Its good to share among four, but definitely as an appetizer. The tower also came with cocktail sauce, migonette, and tartar sauce. The boar was good, and not too gamey. The duck was prepared well and was a good portion. The chicken was as expected — and the server even cut it up for us so that it wouldn’t «burst» unexpectedly. All three dishes were tender, well seasoned, and medium sized portions. A steakhouse this is not. I did wish they served more vegetables on the sides however, so the meal would be a bit more balanced. We also had the bananas foster, complete with the table side show oohs and ahhs. Overall the food was okay to good, but the experience was a bit forgettable.
A few simple details could turn this into a four or five star meal. Better lighting. A more detailed menu. A short schpiel on their vodkas and specialty house selections. And for God’s sake — no more Groupons. If you’re going for old school Petrossian, you must get rid of the drivel and aim higher. While Russia isn’t known for warm personalities, warm and articulate service turns a meal into an experience and encourages repeat service.

Came here with the groupon for the seafood tower and two glasses of champagne or vodka. A lot of other Unilocalers seem to be hating on this place and this deal a bit, but I thought it was kind of just average…
My friend and I both thought the seafood tower was passable, especially considering that this isn’t a place necessarily known for having ‘amazing’ seafood options (it’s a Russian restaurant!). What we thought was stranger is that we came here on a weekend afternoon, around 2 (so still at a reasonable time for lunch), and the place was absolutely empty. We were the only table, literally. I think if nothing else that’s a pretty bad sign for the health of the restaurant…

This was pretty bad.
For starter we had the seafood platter. What is mentioned by other reviewers is true– this is simply atrocious. I was afraid of food poisoning so did not touch any of the oysters/​clams… Gross, pre-​frozen, etc.
For the meal we had the wild boar and rabbit stew. The stew was much to be desired, very salty, unidentifiable meat floating around in mystery sauce. Terrible. The boar was undercooked and rare inside, too rare to eat. My friend was less than impressed with the meal.
For dessert we got chocolate cake and cappuccinos. The cappuccinos were not great, and the cake was nothing special.
The décor is not great– the place looks great from the outside, fails to impress inside. Service is spotty — they accidentally bought us 2 chocolate cakes, took it away once we mentioned it. Water was not refilled very often.
Save your money– it’s pricy. For the same price, you can get MUCH better value elsewhere. Fast food can be better than this. As I write this, I fear food poisoning.

Came here for the groupon deal for the seafood tower. Just like the other reviewer said, it’s not a tower. It’s just a plate put on a wire frame. You do get enough pieces BUT the food SUCK!!! The only thing that was relatively fresh was the lobster itself. That’s probably only because lobsters have to be transported fresh. The shrimp was soggy, the crab meat was soggy, the claws were really mushy and tasted like it was frozen, thawed, and re-​frozen. Just TERRIBLE. I would not recommend coming here to eat their seafood. We also tried their wagyu tar tar and that was terrible. The meat was chewy and the spicy cabbage was quite sour, that it overpowered the meat flavor which absolutely ruined the dish. The spiciness was too much too!
This was my first time where I actually had to get food afterwards because I wasn’t full nor satisfied.
Only thing that was good about the restaurant was the décor.
The service was mediocre. It seemed like they didn’t have enough workers and I could tel that there were some other patrons that were getting annoyed with the wait time.
Do not come here!

I love Firebird.
I mean really, really I do.
I have only eaten a full meal there once and had the Chicken Kiev. IDK why but I have a hard time NOT ordering this at Russian places. It was done very well and I wasn’t disappointed in the least. I’d taken my mom out for her birthday and I don’t recall what she ordered. It was also good — but I need to remember that my mom feels somewhat uncomfortable in places like this.
And by like this i mean extremely opulent in décor. Really, this is an amazing place to just sit in the bar area, sipping honey vodka (or horse radish vodka as my fiancé prefers), relaxing, taking in the scenery, and forgetting you are in NY for a while.
When mom and I went, we were allowed upstairs despite the fact they were having a private event for the Russian ballet. Really neat!
Also the manager is very nice.
So I suggest going for the caviar and house-​infused vodka. It’s not cheap, but it is quite yummy.

I had the $ 65 voucher that was good for: 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and 2 shots of vodka.
I made a reservation for an early dinner for 2 on a Saturday. My husband and I were «fashionably late» …over an hour!
We were scolded by the hostess, who was, of course a pretty blond in her mid 20’s, with a very thick Russian accent, dressed in nothing but black and red lace. At least she was nice enough to seat us immediately.
In fact everything in this place is very Russian, as could be expected — the furniture, the dark green carpet, the decorations, the waiters, etc.
I was extremely surprised to find out that their chef is an African-​American.
Now onto the food.
The dinner rolls were cold.
I had:
Olivier — it was tasty and the saffron mayo was a nice touch. I have to say — my mom makes a much nicer version of this appetizer. She uses bologna or Canadian bacon instead of Kielbasa. The black bread was very dry and hard to chew.
Beef Stroganoff — that’s a long-​time favorite dish of mine. And I was simply not impressed. The only good thing about it was the tender veal. (Ok, maybe some of the mushrooms too.) But the sauce had some overwhelming spice in it. It wasn’t traditional. And did not like the taste at all. The pasta was overcooked, as other reviewers have noted. I’d never pay the full price ($ 35) for a portion of that particular .
My husband had:
Vareniki — they were warm and very tasty. The yogurt sauce was delicious. But the portion was tiny. He was only given 4 pieces. And a traditional Russian appetizer would consist of 8 or so.
Chicken Kiev — this dish was just fine. I think the Buerre Noirsette (almond butter) was what gave it a distinctive taste. It’s commonly used when preparing pastries.
Desserts:
Ptichye Moloko (Bird Milk) — it was very light and delicious.
Bananas Foster — that’s flambeed tableside. And it’s absolutely worth it (even if you have to pay $ 18.) They show you all of the ingredients they put in it — butter, brown sugar, orange juice, brandy, bananas, vanilla bean ice cream. It’s a relatively easy dessert to make at home. But it’s fun to watch the preparation. And the end result is finger-​licking good.
The vodka shots we were served tasted like pure rubbing alcohol. We were told the vodka is Siberian and made from grain.
The waiters need to cheer up a bit. They were professional, but very standoffish.
Overall we had a nice experience.
If I ever go back to Firebird, I’d only order some desserts and maybe try their in-​house infused vodka types.

5 for romantic ambiance, 4 for service, 3 for food = an average of 4 stars.
Romantic ambiance: Super old school, regal Russian royal palace vibes. Very quiet with lots of dim fuzzy lighting, conducive to intimate conversation. The dress is far more casual than you would expect from the décor; I saw some walk-​ins with flipflops and backpacks.
Service: Very upright Eastern European waiters with stiff/​formal manners, the utmost politeness, and the most delightful accents. Water was refilled promptly and often. A waiter was easily flagged down at any time. We asked to box our entrée, which is not the norm for an establishment such as this, and they were very nice about it.
Food: Disclaimer — my date and I had had burgers and shakes at Shake Shack about two hours prior, so we weren’t that hungry. I had the lobster appetizer, and it wasn’t good. It was like lobster pieces mixed with un-​spicy salsa and mashed into a bowl shape. For $ 19. My date had the lamb pierogi (they looked like little miniature Chinese pork buns and smelled amazing), which he loved, and he ordered the lamb entrée, but we were SO FULL still from Shake Shack that we actually ended up getting that to go because we physically could not eat anymore. Just for the sake of it, we ordered a shot of vodka each; he had regular and was unimpressed, I had the honey-​infused vodka which I thought was sublime. They have an extremely extensive and well-​rounded selection of vodka and other spirits.
To give you an idea of how pricey Firebird is, I glanced at our bill for the aforementioned items and saw three digits. (don’t worry, the first digit was a one!!!)
I would recommend coming here for a special night out, but not for a casual meal with friends! Also, 1,000 OpenTable dining points are yours if you reserve through their website and honor your reservation, and you know what 1,000 OpenTable dining points means, right? Halfway to a $ 20 dining gift certifiate. Just sayin.

Service: 4.5÷5
Dating Scale: ⁶⁄₅
Food: ³⁄₅
So can I give this place 4 stars? I am hesitating between 3 or 4 stars. Bought a groupon here for 65 dollars includes:
— 2 appetizer
— 2 entrees
— 2 desserts
— 2 house infuse vodka
That vodka is not to everyone taste. I guess they just pour it purely and it tasted like a shot. I saw many tables came with groupon and they had the same drink. It’s pretty interesting to see how their face change after that. I only took 2 sips.
Ok. Appetizer. We ordered the Firebird appetizer for 2 (is all the way down the menu). It’s like an appetizer tasting to me, with a little bit of everything. It’s pretty good to try different variety of Russian appetizer. (I had it in my photos). The waiter taught us how to eat it with the «pancake» they had. You can had it with some butter and whatever you like. The salmon and all the meat was really fresh and good.
For the entrée. Friend had a sea bass and I ordered the duck. Chef recommended medium to medium rare duck. I guess I always had duck in well done. Never thought that it can be served with medium, so I am adventurous but not too much so I went for medium.
The sea bass was really crispy and flavorful. Right amount of saltiness, you don’t even need pepper on top. I actually enjoyed the duck breast but the sauce they had it with it was a little too much. It spoiled the «chewiness» of the duck. My entrée also came with some mushroom with beans at a side. Oh I love that! Hard to tell how I feel if you never tried it.
Dessert, I ordered the banana foster and the chocolate molten cake. Chocolate molten cake was nothing special. Just like how I will get it in other restaurant but you can’t go wrong with it. Banana foster, why is it 18 dollars? I thought it was served with something special. The only special thing is they cooked in front of you. Thanks for letting me knowing how much BUTTER, SUGAR you had in my dessert!!! No big deal. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you have a groupon like me. :P
Overall, our waiter was really helpful throughout the night. Took his time to explain to us how to eat and what’s good during the night. This was so fast the most «enjoyable» meal I had because the food came out in an «average» speed. You had your appetizer, the entrée will only be served after 5 to 10 minutes, you have the time to digest and had more! :D

This place is great to experience! We went for drinks and appetizers before a jazz concert.
Great perogi with a dill sauce
Vinegret was great, but was an awkward eat, since it was in small cubes. my family shreds the vegetables instead of cubing them, which makes it an easier dish to consume.
We ordered the three vodka sampler. The bartender was super friendly and helpful in selecting vodkas. The honey infused vodka was great!
The décor of this place is unusual, but interesting! Very clean.
The only quasi bad feedback was from the hostess stand. She was not friendly!
Also, this place could add up quickly; our bill, with tip was 73 dollars for 2 small appetizers and 3 shots of vodka.

I came here during Restaurant Week Winter 2012 so my experience was limited to the RW menu. I was very impressed with this place’s décor and service. After all, the outside is gated and there is what looks like a Russian Guard standing outside letting people in. Very quaint.
The interior looks like you just stepped into a 19^th century parlor or study room. There is a wall with books (not sure if they’re real or not) and a fake golden tree in the middle. Very charming indeed. Also all the waiters and busboys have similar attire that remind you of old fashioned bell boys in high end hotels.
I ordered the olivier (the Russian salad) — it was basically glorified potato salad with some chicken in it. I thought it was quite tasty but nothing that I would pay $$$ for… my friend got the pierogies. Honestly they kind of looked like the Chinese dumpling shells with some potato stuffed in it. The dumpling shell was a bit dry.
I ordered the Chicken Kiev and it was rather overwhelming! It was not bad, but as other reviewers said, it is overloaded with butter flavor. You definitely see this when the waiter cuts the chicken open for you and a torrent of melted butter/​oil just spills out. I kinda wish there were more flavor to it besides butter.
I tried the chocolate cake for dessert. It was a bit dense but it was all right.
Also, my friend got the steak medium rare, but later on the waiter informed us that Russians actually like their steak medium well to well done. So… today I learned something.
Anyway, come here just for the décor and service alone, even if the food does seem kind of mediocre to not bad, at best.

Came here a few times, it never disappointed me. Fantastic food, great service and very elegant ambiance. I don’t know why this place is getting a such low rating on Unilocal,maybe because it’s too expensive?
Since is my birthday, we started with Caviar tasting — 5 different kinds. The waiter was very helpful, instructed us the best way to enjoy the tastes for each kind of caviar. It was phenomenal and time consuming as well, but totally worth it!
We had firebird house salad and Gravlax cured red beet salmon for appetizer, they’re both great, highly recommended. The Pierogi (potato dumplings) was interesting but good too.
For Entrée, we got confit of duck leg and Beef Stroganoff. I LOVE LOVE the duck, I kind of wish the portion size were a bit bigger, cause it only had 3 slices of the meat, it was lightly crispy outside and tender /​juicy inside. We ordered a bit too much for two people, at the end we only had 2 bites the beef and had no room for dessert.