The Russian Lady

Hit or miss type of place.  Walked into this place about a month ago after walking around downtown New Haven.  It was a Saturday night, mostly techno and crazy college kids.  I walked in and walked out.  

This past Friday found myself walking around downtown New Haven after leaving C.O. Jones for dinner.  As were were walking passed the Russian Lady two doormen said hello and handed my friend and I tickets to get in free, we kept walking...We decided to pop into Black Bear (will comment on that in a separate review).  We left Black Bear and decided to give the Russian Lady a try.

As soon as we walked in I started dancing, fun crowd and 104.1 I guess was hosting the front section, gave out a few free shirts to men and women, good time.  I ordered a beer, didn't try their any of their cocktails.

We went to the back were another DJ was spinning top 40s, with a sprinkle of rap/hip-hop and a dash of reggae.  Great mixed crowd, awesome time.  

Might be back on a Friday night.

*very casual, ladies had flip flops on with jean shorts and tank tops. didn't bother me, wasn't a club in Manhattan.

Surprised to see some of the reviews on The Russian Lady as low as they are. I'm a 29 year old male, who tends to have a better time at smaller Irish style pubs, but my group of friends and I decided to try something different last weekend and had an amazing time!

They have a ton of different micro style beers, to choose from and the bartender really helped me decide on which one to get by letting me sample a few different beers that I have never had before! I normally drink lighter Belgium style beers, but they got me hooked on a beer called Shabadoo, that was FANTASTIC!

Rather then bar hoping for the night we decided to hangout, and the place really started to get packed as the night went on. Again usually being a fan of smaller pub style bars, I was a bit hesitant, but to my surprise we had a blast! There was enough room in the place to really move around and kind of bar hop all in one building. They had a room downstairs devoted to scotch and whiskey, another on the top level that was filled with a ton of different vodkas and playing techno style music. and then a big room in the back filled with people dancing and just going nuts!!

One of the guys I was with somehow was able to make friends with a group that had bottle service in the back room. And we hung out for the rest of the night in the back at their table watching the crowd, all while enjoying my Shabadoo's! (what an awesome name for a beer, its just fun to say...)

If I had to rate this place off my experience from a one to ten I would say;

Atmosphere; 9
Staff; 10
Drinks; 9
Food; - Sorry we didn't try any food this time...
Music; 8
Overall experience; 9!

I 100% will be back again next time I have a night off!

Want to waste your money on watered down drinks and over priced drinks? Then head here. First I would like to say this is the poorest management that I have ever dealt with in my life. They never followed through with phone calls, and one manager's information about table service is different then anothers, by hundreds of dollars. I tried booking a table over there. It was the most unorganized thing I have ever dealt with it is almost as if they don't want you to be apart of their table service. WAY over priced for no reason, when the one in Hartford is cheaper, has better atmophere, more to offer (roof top bar) and friendy employees. It is $10 to get into this dump, and I am SO happy I did not book the table service because when I went in the night I was planning on have the service I paid $7 for their "TOP OF THE LINE" infused vodka that came in a cup smaller then a child's dosage of Tylenol that was filled with bad tasting water. WHAT A RIP OFF. Poor Service, poor drinks, do yourself a favor and pay the bum outside begging for money for a Lou's Lunch burger the $10 you would pay to get in to this place. When you see it just keep walking by.