We made reservations for a Saturday but due to a change in plans we arrived early. There was no issues accommodating us. The ambiance inside was cozy with a variety of decor in each room. This restaurant still used real candles on each table and lit it when we were seated. Norwegian specialties filled the menu. We decided on two entrees: Monk fish was moist and the brown butter sauce made it tastier. A small assortment of different mushroom varieties and small potatoes rounded out the dish. The reindeer steak was cooked to a medium, was nice and tender and the lingonberries sauce to the pickled onions complemented every bite. Service was quite good throughout and empty water vases replaced with full on a regular basis. Would definitely come back here again. As the quality of food and prices were good. read more

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This is one of my favorite restaurants in Oslo, and we make a point to come at least once or twice on every trip. We always come for lunch to enjoy their simple, yet delicious smørbrød. My fav is the reindeer, while my spousal unit enjoys all of the seafood versions. The interior of the restaurant has such a cozy, classy vibe, and it's fun to walk around to check out the different rooms. So much history, and so lovely! And the staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive. Can't wait to go back! read more

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When you step into Engebret Café, you begin to get a sense of the history of this 175yr old establishment, which counted Grieg, Ibsen, Munch and scores of others as its patrons over the years. The white tablecloths and low lighting set the tone, while the menu leans heavily into Norwegian traditional cuisine. I figure I won't have a chance to taste reindeer back home, so I went with the braised reindeer shank. The meat was...funky. In a good way. Very, very gamey while also rich and tender, while the sauce of mushrooms, pickled onions, and cherries worked wonders. It was a phenomenal dish in a phenomenal setting read more

Engebret Café - Braised reindeer shank in a mushroom + pickled onion + cherry sauce over potato puree - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

Food was delicious. Walked in on a Fri ~17:30 without a reservation and the place was relatively empty. Lots of wine options. Supposedly one of the oldest restaurants in Norway. Decor reflected antique classy. read more

Engebret Café - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

Really good Norwegian food. We came for lunch, I asked the waiter for a suggestion that was Norwegian, he said the reindeer sandwich, so I ordered it. It was delicious, tasted like New York steak to me. It was an open faced sandwich, Norwegian style. My wife ordered the toast with shrimps, crayfish and kingcrab. She didn't like it much since it had mayonnaise mixed in, but I loved it, tasted like lobster roll filing, it came with 3 pieces of toast. We sat outside on the patio on a sunny day. The service was good, as were the drinks. read more

Engebret Café - Reindeer sandwich - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

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Whenever you see "the oldest", it's either a total tourist trap or it's so so good it stands the test of time. This place certainly is the latter. A great ambiance, very nicely decorated. A menu of delicious local items. The reindeer is really just out of this world, the sauce, the companions, so good. A full wine list had plenty for everyone. Friendly and professional staff, you should listen to their recommendations. Conveniently right on the square, easy to find. Really very happy, and a well earned reputation. read more

Engebret Café - Kit royal - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

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Parking is not a problem if you are willing to pay. Oslo is not a car friendly city, but it has expensive parking garages. This cafe is just by the Norwegian State bank and it shows judging from the customers and the price on the food. Having said that, it has food that tastes as it looks! Good presentation and awesome taste. We were a party of four that had fish soup. The soup had fresh seafood and was perfectly creamed accompanied by a symphony of seasonal vegetables. Needless to say, but it was good and tasted delicious. Not 5 star because of the price in comparison to US, but in the other hand everything is pretty expensive in Oslo. I would def recommend the food and the attentive staff. read more

Definitely underrated food. Food was way better than expected. They say it's the oldest restaurant in Oslo & the service & food was above 5 stars.it was a rainy & cold evening but we still had a wonderful experience. My first time in Oslo, I was a quiet & dimly lit. The trout was melt in your mouth delicious, my wife had some king of oxtail base soup with mushrooms & reindeer & kept talking about it all the way to The Netherlands. The chicken liver pâté was also unforgettable especially because it is something I can't consume in the US because it taste really weird over back their, maybe it's the effect of the us feed on organ meat. Definitely will revisit this restaurant on our next trip back to Oslo. read more

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The food was outstanding! 3 of us had reindeer steak after being assured it was not Rudolph and the fourth person had monkfish. Service was excellent as well. The restaurant was established in 1857 and is so quaint and charming. Bonus points for very handsome waiters read more

Engebret Café - Reindeer steak - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

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The food is amazing!! Every dish was packed with flavor on so many different levels. We had chicken pate', trout, reindeer shank, and the waffle with plums and plum ice cream. Service was great and the decor was very Norwegian. Highly recommended read more

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Delicious find while we were wandering around, playing tourist. Great ambience, delicious food. Very friendly staff. read more

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I found this gem while looking for a restaurant with some more regular Norwegian food. The first two places I tried to get to failed because Google maps started getting me lost. But I ended up here and couldn't say no to a place where the signs said 1857. That's one long lasting cafe! I ended up torn on what to order because of my jetlagged stomach (9 hours from California) but the waitress definitely steered me correctly. Ended up with a house beer and the best meatballs I've ever had. The meat flaked off onto my fork and the gravy was decadent. But the Lingonberries, oh my gosh the lingonberries. Cooked a bit to lightly caramelize the sugars and bring out an explosive flavor that I've never had in the ones we get down in San Diego. (Ikea needs to sit in a corner and invent a way to send fresh lingonberries and I'd pay double retail for them now and then.) Finished up with a "Napoleon cake" and some black coffee to compliment the sweetness. I left stuffed and happy, all on under $50. Honestly I enjoyed it more than the Michelin places with the 24+ page wine menu. If you're in Oslo and their menu has something that appeals to you, try Engebret! (They even had news clippings dated from the Fram on their walls. PS: the Fram museum is a must see if you're curious about early Arctic exploration and want a dose of Norwegian history.) read more

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Engebret Cafe has an interesting menu including whale steak and reindeer as options. We tried the reindeer and the mackerel as our mains and portions were large. I felt I would have been happy with half the amount of fish. I also tried the seafood soup which was rich and creamy with large chunks of seafood. Per Wikipedia: Engebret Café is a restaurant in downtown Oslo, Norway. It is the oldest restaurant in continuous operation in Oslo.The restaurant is named after its founder Engebret Christoffersen, who started the restaurant in 1848 and moved it to the present location in 1863. The food is based on exclusive (but expensive) Norwegian cuisine. The building is listed and protected by law by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. The restaurant is known for the famous artists who have frequented the restaurant, such as Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Edvard Grieg and Edvard Munch. All of them had regular tables there.[2][6] read more

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This is the oldest restaurant in Oslo dated back to the 1800s! The food was not bad but not the best so if you still wanna come here maybe order something small just for the experience. (Note: alcohol is very expensive!) Unless you want to spend close to 800 kr for 2 people for ok food, then have your main meal elsewhere. I'm not saying the food sucks but I don't think it's worth the price. We had the assorted appetizer with crab, shrimp, fish roe and raw whale meat! Norway is one of the countries where whaling is legal, so of course we took the opportunity to try it out. We even got the whale steak and it's weird how it tastes like beef, but a bit fishy, which is weird... It's worth trying once but I'm not a fan. I might as well just order a regular steak! The seafood soup was delicious but was nothing special. It's a bunch of shellfish and fish in a broth with cream added. I can easily make that myself. Their fish special was good though! The grilled mackerel was fresh, tender and flavorful! In Norway, their specials are real specials where the food tastes good and is a bargain, versus in the US the specials are always the most expensive item of the entire meal; it's especially made to rip you off. Service was friendly and food was delivered in a timely manner. Outdoor seating was nice. It faces the plaza that includes an art museum. People watching is always a source of entertainment. read more

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Went here for dinner on a cold winter night. You sense that it is a really old place and the decor is unique with a classic feel. Place was pretty crowded. Staff was very accommodating and explained the menu. I went with the cod tongues as an appetizer. I had not heard of this before but they serve the tongue cheek and jaw of a cod fish, fried, with some root vegetables which were a nice complement. Very good dish. I had a cod fillet for the main, with boiled potatoes, bacon, eggs and butter, crunchy carrots and fish livers and roe. Excellent. Service was a bit slow as I think they had a shift change. All in all a nice experience. I recommend it. read more

Engebret Café - Fish tongues. - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

I saw something about this place and asked one of my colleagues what he thought and we ended up booking to come here the next day. The oldest restaurant in Oslo that has been operating for about 160 years and has historically been a hangout for writers, celebrities and artists over the years. It's also a place well known to the political community in Norway. It's beautiful inside and has retained its period charm. But darker with nice chandeliers and gorgeous old style furniture. There are tons of photos and paintings hanging on the wall from patrons and guests. The menu is typical Norwegian and they have many seasonal dishes like reindeer, whale, ludefisk and dried fish. The service was average and very slow at times. That would be my biggest disappointment here. The dessert was also a bit disappointing. I enjoyed my starter plate of crab, reindeer, whale, prawn and some herring. I chose the ludefisk for main and it came with bacon and pea purée. I liked that too. Nice flaky salty fish and it tasted pretty good. The plum crumble was a bit too sour and the sour cream ice cream was also sour making it too sour overall. The aquavit was great and expensive. They have a ton of different Aquavits here. We sat at a table next to the Atrorney General of Norway and some very rich and famous people in the restaurant. The people were really nice and I spoke to a few outside. The atmosphere was great and I loved it. This is an expensive restaurant so unless you are willing to spend money don't bother going here. I would come back here again for more Norwegian specialities. It's good food and beautiful atmosphere and is the old Oslo. read more

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Service was excellent, smoked duck appetizer, the vegetarian main course (who would have grilled romaine lettuce could be so good?) and the reindeer steaks were all very, very good. The decor is wonderful, old wood and glass. Would go back again but we are on to another town for more adventures. Thanks for a wonderful experience. read more

When in Oslo do not miss this place. A very popular establishment for all the right reasons: history, service and delectable meals. We had lunch and there was choice between a sandwich buffet (priced based on number of items one chooses) and a la carte. We opted for the latter. Well all I can say is that I would go back anytime I am in Oslo. The reindeer was superbly cooked. The desserts were delightful. read more

Engebret Café - Reindeer. Perfectly cooked with a great sauce - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

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Never had a taste of fish the way the Nordic fish plate tickled my taste buds. Friendly service without hassle, WiFi and a beautiful playlist of Satchmo, Dexter Gordon and Bill Evans. Oh and the Reindeer's blown my mind. Did I mention Ibsen and Munch used to take their meals here? read more

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Old school since 1857. I'm a fool for historic restaurants no matter what the cost, that is sometimes. This is Norway and yes it is expensive but I wasn't about to pass up the oldest restaurant in the city where Munch the painter used to hang out. After reviewing the menu and walking in without reservations I told the hostess we would only be having soup and be on our merry way. The restaurant has several rooms and there was actually a lot of tables available. We ordered two different soups and they were both really good, it was perfect for the cold weather outside. The soup cost about $20 USD each and they were small portions. After our quick meal we headed for a pizza place down the street. read more

Engebret Café - Old school since 1857 - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

***FOOD: Very good food, local dishes , unusual dishes,tasty ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $$$ ***SERVICE: ok service not o rely attentive. Is close to city hall so I think they're use to business people eating here for lunch ***RECOMMEND: yes recommend and would go back to eat here if we are every back in town. read more

Dinner in Oslo's oldest restaurant? Why yes, it was a must see!, We went for dinner on a Monday night so it was not busy at all. The restaurant is housed in an old home so you also get to sneak a peek at what a traditional Norwegian house might have looked like back in the day. The food was good. I had the fish soup as a starter - warm, creamy and comforting, this was full of mussels and fish and was delicious served with soft bread and butter. A friend of mine got the whale carpaccio which was interesting but I didn't like the way it tasted and I am not a big fan of hunting whales! For my entree I had the pollack which was great, served with mashed potatoes and a red sauce atop it. My friend had the game stew which included reindeer and moose, it seemed a little tasteless to me but then I also not a fan of game meats. And for dessert I had what they called a "parfait" . I would call it strawberries served with a scoop of ice cream. Whatever it is called, it was a fresh ending to a nice meal. The serving staff is excellent and the house wine was quite good. My only issue was that it was quite warm in the restaurant which didn't seem to bother most. Really a great place to experience Oslo! read more

Don't know what happened tonight but this was the worse meal I've had in a very long time. Service was also surly. Beef was fatty and tough. Save your money and eat elsewhere. Perhaps someplace that really wants to serve you a decent meal. read more

Expensive but good. Of course Oslo is expensive. We paid 2871 or $550 for dinner for 4 people. We had 1.5 glasses of wine and shared 2 deserts. Would be a 5 star if cost less. The food was very good and the portions were good. Everyone like what they had. Not just the main protein but also the sides were tasty and nicely presented. I can easily recommend if you can afford it. I had the Reindeer medallions with mushroom and chestnuts, Brussels sprouts, black current game sauce and potato pure. read more

Engebret Cafe is Oslo's oldest Restaurant. Engebret Named for "entrepreneur", Engebret Christophersen from North Odal. History: Engebret started almost as Uncle screw, with two empty hands and gradually various "ten aurar" As a young boy he had wanderlust, packed what little he had and went to town. After just a few days he got a job as a shill for Lars Ihles little cafe on Stortorvet. In 1848, he rose through the ranks and was waiter at the "Swamp", basement restaurant in an award ceremony, where artists and theater people slaked throats with cheap beer, toddy, punch and drams. Engebret received many tips, for he was a nice guy. He saved his money and soon he could open his own cafe. In 1857, he started in a small location in Church Street, "Kvæl". He worked hard and put up even more money. In 1862 he bought Bank Square 1 and it was the start of Engebret Café as we know it today. He just had time to open the doors before Asbjørnsen, Bjornson, Ibsen and John Brown came to get a sip of thirst. Sister to Engebret was a chef, and those who came to eat almost could not get enough of her "fiskekager and Wood Marvben" Regardless of the thickness of the cheese sandwiches were a manageable affair at the time. A price list from 1938 shows that the sandwiches with lobster cost 100 cents! For "mayonaise" had to be out by ten cents to. A "gin" cost one dollar and five cents. In the tradition of characters, Engebret Café serves sandwiches even daily, and they are as popular as ever. We decided to dine in inside for lunch because I wanted to see history and decor of the building. It is decorated victorian like with dark cherry wood and many old paintings/portraits hanging on the walls. Their menu is the best authentic scandinavian meals has to offer. I decided to get the Salad with Norwegian gravlax and smoked salmon with a glass of Cabernet. The salad was absolutely delicious. I really enjoyed the Norwegian Mustardsauce (dressing with salad) and salmon was fresh. The staff was very friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. It was a great experience to dine in the oldest restaurant They also have free wifi. Pricing is alittle pricey, but worth the visit. read more

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I went to Engebret for an authentic Norwegian Christmas dinner. I ordered the Jul platter which included ribbe. The food was excellent and perfectly seasoned. The spices used were very aromatic and really captured the spirit of the season. The aquavit that was recommended for the dinner complemented the meal nicely and served as a good digestif. The interior of the restaurant is historic, classy, and quaint. The meal was an authentic and worthwhile experience! read more

Engebret Café - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

Beautifully presented authentic Norwegian cuisine in this quiet, quaint old restaurant. They've been in business for over 100 years for a reason. We tried the northern Norway sampler appetizer, which has many small items including whale and reindeer carpaccio, arctic shrimp, and salmon tartar to name a few. We also had the delicately crispy croquettes. For my entree I HAD to have the whale. It was meaty but subtle at the time and cooked to perfection. Despite being full, we couldn't help having dessert. Perfect meal in a perfect setting. read more

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Nice place on a square near the Akershus fort. Friendly service and good beers, gotta be back to try the food. Beautiful inside.

Ive had hot chocolate in Italy and France and this place holds toe to toe for quality with Le Duex Magots. The cocoa isn't on the menu - but pop in and ask for it. Even the whipped cream is good and I do not like whipped cream. read more

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Five of us girls walked into this restaurant after finding great reviews and great ratings. Just to paint an image, we werent exactly dressed for fine dining. We all wore sneakers, tshirts and a like jacket. Service: When we walked in the hostess with the glasses just looked at us and didnt not greet us. So i walked to the next not much more friendly looking than the first lady and asked for a table of 5. The first lady rolled her eyes and mumbled "ok....." reluctatant to seat us. But she came and took our jackets ( only two of us had on a jacket). I politely requested for the jacket to be hung on one hanger because i dont want to lose an extra ticket and i figure it would be easy. The lady response was " It doesnt matter, its free" . I was like "What"!?. How dare here to think that we cant afford it. We chose this restaurant knowing that it would be pricey and we still came it. It was just very demeaning of her. So for me service was one star. But the waitress that helped us was very nice and we only tipped her in cash. Food: Three of us just wanted to try their fish soup. We have been fish soup hopping and was hoping this place would give us the best fish soup. THe portion was small which we expected so we did get burger king after. But it was no the best fish soup we've had in Norway. It was very salty but they did give enough seafood and a tiny bit of fish pieces. One of my friend is a vegetarian so she ordered an appetizer that had a very fancy description of goat cheese, wheat bread and pears. WHen she got her order, it was two round lumps of goat cheese, 4 pinky slivers or pears and one small round slice of wheat bread placed neatly under of her two goat cheese. Another friend ordered Lab chops and she said it was quite good. The best part of this dinner for me was the scalloped cheese potatoes that came with the lamp chops. All in all , food was a 1.5 for me. Although we had the most fun eating here and bonded the best since we all agreed that we were probably not invited here. read more

Three words to describe this restaurant are romantic, traditional, and dark. Now I don't mean dark in a bad way. Dimly lit is probably a better description and it contributes to the romantic ambience of the restaurant. Oh, and I would add classy to that list too because every table is draped in a nice white tablecloth. Engebret serves traditional Norwegian fare and that's the main reason I seeked out this restaurant. I ordered the whale steak and it was fine. I do feel bad for ordering whale and I probably wouldn't order it again. Not because It tasted bad but simply because it was whale. If you're wondering what whale tastes like, eat a porterhouse steak. Whale meat tastes more like beef than it tastes like fish. The restaurant is located inside a very old building. There is one main dining room that contains individual tables and there are a couple smaller rooms that contain long stretched tables (for groups and special event dining?). By the way, for some reason I had a really hard time finding this place. Maybe I had the wrong address, but it should be easy to find if you look for the Museum of Contempory Art on a map. This restaurant is within a stone's throw of that museum. read more

This is where we stopped by to sample some authentic Norwegian food. The place has a really homey feel; something like your grandma's dining room. We had the reindeer and a whale steak. The reindeer tasted like deer, but a little gamier. Somehow, they managed to make it taste really good with everything else. The whale steak looks like a regular steak, but tasted like a hybrid between steak and fish. It's hard to describe. You would need to order it in order to understand it fully. It's really lean and apparent, very healthy for you. The service is top notch. Do stop by if you are ever around. read more

Engebret Café - Reindeer Meat - Scandinavian Near Me - Oslo, 03

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Come for the traditional Norwegian food and stay for the history. A great melding of both in a historic location. The reindeer marinated in Aquavit was top notch. A sampling platter gave a nice taste of Norway, which included thinly-cut whale. The main course portions were certainly american-sized. read more

This is the most AUTHENTIC Norwegian you can eat at in Oslo. I've been told this restaurant has been at this location forever and serves real Norwegian cuisine. I've been to this restaurant several times for dinner and lunch. For lunch they offer a buffet of traditional open face sandwiches with smoked salmon, shrimp, egg salad or roast beef to name a few. Also offer a dessert buffet of cakes and other sweets. Dinner has many specialties especially around different times of the year. Since I didn't grow up eating some of these traditional dishes, the cod fish soup that my coworker ordered didn't look as appealing to me but its prepared the way it's supposed to be. Can't argue with homemade and traditional food. Prices are steep but hey, you're in Norway where everything is expensive. read more

We came upon this place walking from akershus, and we had no idea it was Oslo's oldest restaurant. The table we were seated on had the name of Edvard Munch indicating it was his usual table. Apparently this place had table reserved for Oslo's luminaries. Our server told us to feel free to explore the place while we waited for food. It was stunning albeit a bit dated on the furnishing, still loads of charm. Upstairs they even have a piano used by Grieg! My husband could play a melody on it. I had reindeer and my husband had Halibut. Mine was excellent, his was great just a but much oil. The bill was 900 NOK, about 150 $ with a glass of wine. I am more then satisfied. Will Return! This is magical. read more

I didn't know this was a well known place - I just stumbled by it on my way from the National Gallery to Akershus, and if I didn't sit down for a minute and get a little something to eat, I was going to pass out. A few minutes later, I'm enjoying the shrimp sandwich, at the recommendation of the waitress. It was a huge helping of nice little shrimp, some cucumber slices, lemon wedges, all on a nice thick piece of brown bread. This hit the spot, and definitely filled me up If only it wasn't for the fact that my 350mL Coke cost over $7, I'd be pretty happy with the place. Shame on me, I didn't see it marked on the menu and should have assumed it would be pricey. But, high Scandinavian prices or no, $7 for a Coke is just stupid. Sorry - I can adapt to a lot in the name of "it's not home" but not Cokes for $75/gal. You realize what that means, right? A barrel of oil is what, $105 right now? A liter of gas (in Norway) is looking like 15 NOK - so, let's just say it's 60 NOK, or $10/gal? Just silly. Norway should start exporting Coke instead of oil - it's clearly worth a lot more. If only I had ordered a glass of water. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to visit the Engebret Cafe, Oslo's oldest restaurant for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner and that is definitely what we got! Engebret pays homage to classic Norwegian fare with their dishes and specialties. We were started off with a delicious beet soup and both chose the halibut. The fish was expertly grilled and practically melted with a slice of a fork, served with a decadent caviar butter sauce and asparagus. Also served with a side of potatoes. Overall a delicious meal in a cozy and established restaurant! read more

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Zero zero zero!! Got here at 7:30 - terrace empty!!! They said no service outside - too busy! Really?? Hire staff!! Inside was 1/2 full - they only book for reservations. Snotty and unprofessional! read more

We stopped by for lunch on a weekday as a large group, and there was plenty of outdoor seating on a nice day in Oslo. We split a variety of dishes, including the seasonal platter with fresh fish, herring, cured meats, and cheese, as well as the whale steak and the creamy fish soup. The meal was overall alright; I thought the creamy fish stew was fairly hearty, but the platter pretty ordinary and nothing particularly well prepared, while our whale steak was also decent but a bit overcooked. It's a bit gamey and was not very tender. It's not a bad place to enjoy a meal outdoors, but not a place I'd go out of my way to eat at. read more

Charming, old style restaurant in quaint and quiet part of Oslo. Enjoyed reindeer medallions with savory mushroom gravy. I was surprised how tender it was compared to the venison served in most US restaurants. House Cotes de Rhone very good. Service efficient and friendly. read more