Russian Samovar (New York)

Russian Samovar. A restaurant in the Broadway District of New York City.

Originally Jilly’s Canteen, and owned by a friend of Frank Sinatra, Jilly Rizzo, Samovar was the go-to hot spot for Sinatra and The Rat Pack. In homage to Sinatra, management maintained the original red banquettes and preserved the original bar.

Samovar was featured in the movie The Manchurian Candidate.

In 1986, Roman Kaplan, founder of Russian Samovar acquired the property and was joined in 1987 by friends and business partners: Legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and Nobel Award Winning poet Joseph Brodsky.

Baryshnikov’s baby grand piano is still used daily by our performers and guests can still request the Brodsky table, where the legends used to sit and drink away the hours.

Guests may enjoy the private dining room, where Baryshnikov filmed Sex in the City. Samovar has remained a celebrity hangout over the years.

Impromptu shows at Samovar have been performed by Liza Minelli, Cyndi Lauper and others.

An urban myth is that Mel Brooks adapted The Producers to film while sitting at Samovar’s bar.