Niki Piano Bar

The 70-seat room is built around a restored grand piano — it literally sets the rhythm for the whole space. Designer Evgenia Uzhegova describes the concept as a cocoon: honeyed ambient light, a stained-glass bar throwing colored reflections, French curtains on the windows — all of it cutting guests off from the noise of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street. A painted coat-check area with motifs of Russian nature and secret “boxes” at the back of the room recall the private dining rooms of imperial-era restaurants. The entrance area is dominated by a canvas by Grigory Mayofis, an artist working in the rare bromoil technique at the intersection of painting and photography. It depicts a bear at the piano, a character that has become the piano bar's face. Works by Mikhail Psyurnikov, Anastasia Motina, and Olivia Lem sit alongside antique plush teddy bears on an open shelf.

In the opinion of our restaurant guide's team, Niki Piano Bar is a pleasant place to be, the crowd is good, and the room comes alive by evening — but after dinner, no real desire to come back remained.

Dan Miron's kitchen gathers familiar Russian occasions for a feast, but serves them without museum-piece literalism. The menu opens with caviar in two serving styles: a homier one with blini and sour cream, or a fresher one with chilled vegetables. To go with strong spirits, there are salty snacks, slow-simmered kholodets, salo, and mustard. Further on come dishes with a more restaurant-like tone: crab in potato rösti, small chebureki with different fillings, open sandwiches, fish, and seafood. In the hot section, the Russian canon continues with pelmeni, steamed muksun with asparagus, and salmon pie with a caviar-based sauce. For dessert: a signature take on “Kartoshka” with truffle richness and a cognac accent, a meringue roll with nut cream, and fruit-and-berry sorbets.

Head bartender Maxim Gorelik and bar manager Yuri Shaiditsky are behind the drinks. Their list combines old Moscow drinking culture with restaurant-level polish: strong spirits are served heavily chilled, nalivkas are brought out in decanters with a vintage mood, and cocktails balance local flavors with French references. Vodka is mixed with cucumber freshness and tonic, blackcurrant follows a French 75 logic, and melon comes in a sgroppino format. The non-alcoholic section also leans on familiar Russian associations: kissel with mandarin and pineapple kvass with garden herbs. On the wine side, the main focus shifts toward Champagne, alongside a separate selection of Russian labels.

Live music plays daily: guest performers play recognizable tunes, and this format makes every evening a little unpredictable. It's worth factoring in table placement, though — according to our restaurant guide's team, conversation near the piano has to be carried on at a raised volume, while the tables further back offer noticeably more comfort. At the time of the visit, questions remained about service: long waits for drinks and dishes arriving out of sync for different guests at the table. The place draws a pleasant crowd, and by Friday evening the room is full, yet a sense of completeness hasn't quite come together yet.