Push past the piano and the room goes dim and velvet, built around Russian and Eastern European cooking: borscht, stroganoff, caviar, and a filet mignon seared tableside on a hot stone that does more theater than any open kitchen could. The horseradish vodka is house-infused and worth the detour on its own, and the Specials menu runs a Jazz Sampler For Two alongside that stone-seared steak for anyone chasing the full show.
Chicago Magazine named it a Best in Burbs pick in 2025, which tracks — there isn't another hidden Russian speakeasy behind a Highland Park barbershop to compare it to. Reservations go through OpenTable or a call to the shop's own line; the room is small enough that walking in cold is a real gamble.
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