Very busy late at night, but quiet earlier in the evening. I had the local cheese plate and wine. Server was very friendly, told me about the origins of each cheese and the order the chef recommended enjoying them. Accompanied with thin cracker and a slightly spicy fruit chutney. Excellent early evening appetizer spot, near the center of town and with a cozy, fun atmosphere. read more

Pingvinen - So cozy and fun - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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Long story short, Pingvinen is awesome! Pingvinen is a traditional Norwegian pub located on a nice street in the city centre. Their food is awesome and so authentic! My friend and I often go there to have the open face sandwiches which never fail to disappoint. They have a great selection of craft beers that are priced relatively ok for Norway standards. Their cappuccino is also the best one I have found in all Norway so far! Would recommend going to Pingvinen to get your taste of authentic Norwegian cuisine! read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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So delicious, best place we ate in Bergen and always packed. We actually liked it so much we went twice on our trip. Everything we ate was delicious . read more

We came here starved after our flight to Bergen. We shared the cheese plate, which was delightful, and I got the pumpkin soup. I didn't know what to expect when having Norwegian food for the first time, but this was scrumptious! It tasted fresher than anything at home, and we left satiated and happy. read more

Pingvinen - Pumpkin soup! Pretty and tasty. - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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[OVERALL] The pub had a nice atmosphere - it was quite busy and loud but lively at the same time. There are English menus available, and there's a huge selection of beer (many local ones included). However, while the food tasted good, I didn't think it was anything special. It was very warming and filling for the cold weather though. When I asked the waiter what he recommended for beer, he simply said he didn't know and kind of ignored me and turned to another person in our group - a little unfortunate. [FOOD] Pumpkin Soup: I love pumpkin soup, but I thought the one I had here tasted a little off. The toasted pumpkin seeds were very nice though - they added a really nice smokiness; they weren't peeled though, so I just ate them with the shell on. Winter Lamb Stew: This tasted okay. It reminded me of minestrone with bits of lamb. The meat was tender and had a good lamb taste. The soup was really watery unfortunately. The buttered flatbread that came with it was really good though - nice and crispy. Popcorn: I ordered this because a lot of people recommended it. The portion was pretty big, but it was just really buttery popcorn. I didn't enjoy it, but if you like your popcorn super buttery, I guess this would be good. read more

Pingvinen - Winter Lamb Stew - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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First night in Bergen looking for comforting meal. This Norwegian restaurant got the spit. Starting with the slow cooked Moose was amazingly delicious. I want this again. Good selection of fish dishes all local products. Enjoy! read more

Pingvinen - Moose - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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Cozy little spot in the heart of Bergen. Stop in here for a local feel and a ton of local flavor. Their menu is super Norwegian, minke whale, reindeer, fish of all sorts, beers, and liquors. Prices are very reasonable for the area but keep in mind that Norway is crazy expensive even compared to other Scandinavian countries. Staff was very friendly and answered all of our questions. Food was made fresh and came out nice and hot. We got a fairly large spread of food and shared around the table. The whale was delicious but my favorite was the salted fish that were mashed into mashed potatoes. Beer selection was great we opted for some local ales, highly reccomended. read more

We were looking for a local establishment that served local food. More, we were trying not to go too touristy. Pingvinen is the place. Locals come here to eat and drink. A wide variety of beer and wine compliments any meal. The menu includes a variety of local sandwiches and hot courses. Generous portions and well prepared. My daughter was surprised by firm whale steak is but liked the meal. I recommend a visitor to Bergen come here to taste local Norwegian food and if you are experienced still come here becasue the meals are great. read more

Very friendly waitress, cozy ambiance, and tourist friendly (without yet being too tourist-filled). I ordered the salmon sandwich, and was happy with the quality of the salmon. I was unable to try the famous lamb stew/ lapskaus as they were out but my friends had great fish cakes and cat fish. Great prices and quality-- it is worth the short walk from the harbor to eat here! read more

Pingvinen - Very inexpensive salmon sandwich-- great quality and value! - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

I was recently in Bergen for work for about 6 days. I will admit that the last three nights, I ate at Pingvinen, through a combination of convenience (very near my hotel) and excellent food. All three meals were fantastic, but the Plukkfisk stands out. There was also a very good selection of Norwegian beers. Maybe I should have branched out more, but the quality was just far and away better than anything else I had in Bergen. Highly recommended. read more

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After arriving to Bergen after a long day of traveling from Oslo, we relied on Yelp to help us find a restaurant that served classic Norwegian food. After some searching Pingvinen was one that was reasonably priced and open later in the evening. Upon walking in, you see a large room with a long bar in the center. It had such an interesting vibe with a mix of different crowds - people studying or reading a book on the bar tables along the window side of the room, people enjoying a drink at the bar after work, and families eating dinner at their tables located around the bar. We waited at a bar top table along the window until a dinner table opened up and was quickly served water once we settled down. I ordered the mashed potato with cod. When the dish came out, it definitely did not look like what I was expecting, but it still tasted great. The cod was mixed into the mashed potato and the flatbread that came with it was thin like a cracker. The pieces of bacon mixed in the mashed potato added great pockets of flavor and saltiness to the dish. I must give a shout out to Yelpers for posting pictures of their food because it definitely helped us pick our dishes for the evening! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for Norwegian style food and some drinks at a reasonable price. read more

I came here strictly for the food since it seemed to have relatively high reviews. I knew it was a bar but I figured good food can come out of anywhere. In my quest to try unique foods that I can't get home I ordered horse and popcorn. I know there's plenty of popcorn back home but I got suckered by another yelpers review :( HORSE (259 NOK) I'm pretty open about food and I'm willing to try most things once. This dish came with 2 small chunks of horse meat, a handful of tiny potatoes, and some onions with some white sauce. The meat was cooked a bit too rare for my liking but I still ate it anyways. It's quite gamey, so it's not exactly my favorite. The potatoes were good. I think I have a soft spot for tiny potatoes with the skin on it still. Despite all of this, I finished everything on the plate. I wouldn't really recommend it unless you want to try horse though. POPCORN (39 NOK) I don't remember which user said the popcorn was heavenly but boy was I disappointed. Don't get me wrong. It is decent popcorn but I suspect that the person who wrote about how amazing it was may have been drunk :) It costs 39 NOK(about 6 USD) Do yourself a favor and skip this unless you have a stupid craving for popcorn. BARTENDERS The bartenders were very good and personable. They kept the drinks flowing and were really nice. I understand that most people here in Norway are nice and this was no exception. ****CONCLUSION**** I liked this place despite being a little disappointed in the food department. I suppose I can't blame the place too much since I might not be the biggest fan of horse HAHA. This place was packed when I arrived but it wasn't too noisy where you have to scream to talk to the person next to you. I think my favorite part about this place was the friendly bartenders working here. read more

Pingvinen - Mr. ED - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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Pretty good place in Bergen. Worth the raving reviews on Yelp. Got their soup with pork and potatoes and carrots and other veggies as well as their white fish over a bed of a mustard based sauce. The fish was extremely fresh and the soup was healthy and flavorful with good pork meat and sausage. A good place to try some good Norwegian food. I don't know Norwegian food enough to judge its authenticity, but seemed like they used local ingredients and there were many locals there as well although many were just there enjoying a beer or chatting with the bartender. Very casual atmosphere. read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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My first night in Bergen and I discovered this wonderful place. A reindeer stew wrapped in a crepe, topped with lingonberries and raw vegetables was very satisfying, as was the local beer recommended by the friendly waitstaff. Highly recommended. read more

We enjoyed food here very much . Service was quick . Place kind off unusual looking , but food very good . We wanted to try some local Norway food ,and I glad we came here. We had whale stake and was so amazing , not fishy was like eating stake just lighter really have to try it. Also we had Monkfish and meatballs and reindeer and was very good . Great selection of bears and ciders and wine We had great time here too. read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

-nice atmosphere -prompt and friendly service -tasty, subtle traditional Norwegian food like my grandmother would have made if she had been from Norway instead of Raeford N.C. Spiced milk rhubarb pudding ***** read more

This tiny place was recommended to me by multiple sources so I had to go check it out. I was hoping for reindeer but they had just taken it off the menu. Instead, I tried another classic Norwegian dish of plankfisk. The idea of mixing cod with mashed potatoes did not sound enticing, but it was delicious! It came with flat bread, which was exceedingly flat. They had a great beer selection as well! read more

We came here our first night in Bergen. There were no tables, so we sat at the bar. The interior is small, so it fills up fast. Talked to the very nice bartenders and locals who were full of recommendations for food and beer. The cheese plate was good, and my wife's stew was great. I had the fish and mashed potatoes, (I cannot remember what it was called), but it was very good, and my first real experience with traditional Norwegian food. Go here when in town to say you have been at the Penguin! read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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Best meal we had in Norway. The value was also incredible. Very cool atmosphere! We were only in Bergen for a day and this was our favorite spot read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

I really liked the potato sunchoke soup and my husband liked his whale dish. I got the wolffish dinner and thought it was ok. The vegetables beneath the fish were not very good and the roe on top of the fish was salty beyond belief. I ate my fish and left most everything else. I'm glad my husband had a good experience. read more

First stop in Bergen and was blown away w the beer choices and FOOD here! Had a whale barley salad, my kid did meat balls dinner plate w smashed peas!!!... and I tried a couple local IPAs, total came to 530 NOK so I showed my love and sign for 600. read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

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Try the local food and like it. Friendly staff. Fair price. Not very big space to accommodate more people gathering.

We were looking for authentic local food. After a recommendation at the outdoors store we stopped by for a meal. I tried the meatballs and mushy peas. It was like eating a home cooked meal. While I was uncertain about mushy peas, they were excellent. My wife ordered the fish pie. I am not crazy about fish but this entree tastes great. Service was friendly and attentive. If you want to get away from the tourist food, this is the place. read more

Found this through a Yelp search for "authentic" food. I probably wouldn't have gone in otherwise, it's hidden in plain site. The pub was very busy but we got seats at the bar. They didn't let people stand around so it didn't feel crowded like at other bars or pubs. They were very attentive without making us feel rushed as they had people waiting. The food menu was available in English and had some local foods as well as standard snacks for a bar. Great place! read more

Pingvinen - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

I just loved my visit to Pingvinen. Excellent food, good beverages and friendly service. Highly recommend. My only regret was that I didn't find it until my last day in Bergen read more

Let's get serious here. The menu has Norwegian ingredients, but the dishes are cooked with 1960s flair. The fish pie is actually a $20 serving of Hamburger Helper tuna casserole. And that's being generous. Hamburger Helper is a 5-star culinary experience compared to this dish. Don't even get me started on the braised reindeer shanks. The consistency is equivalent to eating keratin gel covered goat meat. Confused by this description? Probably not as confused as I was eating that shank. The only saving grace was the cheese platter, and that didn't require anything more than a sharp knife and a nominal amount of upper body strength. Save your money and pop by the kebab place a block away. Your stomach (and wallet) will thank me later. read more

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The street not far away from city center reveals the cozy pub styled restaurant. Waitress was advising us what to choose from menu. Traditional norwegian food and big choice of local beers. I habe ordered meatballs of beef and local lager. The tastes were equally balanced and food was prepared from fresh ingrediences. read more

Pingvinen - Readonable prices around 150 NOk - Scandinavian Near Me - Bergen, 12

My wife and I had our first dinner here at this restaurant. My whale was excellent, perfectly cooked, and prepared as I like it. My wife enjoyed my creamed mushrooms which I don't eat. The carrots and potatoes were cooked just right. She ordered meatballs which I thought were a bit salty but she really enjoyed them. Also included smashed peas, lingonberry, and potatoes all of which were prepared just right. Service was prompt and efficient. This is a very popular restaurant so reservations are essential. Prices were very reasonable. It definitely earns four and a half Stars. Highly recommend it to visitors to Bergen. Very few tourists with mostly locals in the dining room. I highly recommended the 7% Porter on tap which was great. read more

went here one rainy September evening and a nice couple shared their table with us so we didn't have to wait long. A cozy tavern environment and had a good mix of tourists/locals. We got the soup and cod mashed potatoes. Both amazing and surprisingly filling, or maybe that was just for my Norway adjusted stomach ;). Either way, one of my favorites in Bergen! read more

I was really excited to try this place. The food was very good. I had the fish of the day and the parsnip soup. I wanted to get dessert as well, but unfortunate the service was not the greatest and I got tired of waiting around. read more

Unfortunately was not up to par. First the wine that was ordered was not good and we requested another as substitute but to our surprise we were charged a "full price" for the wine that was returned and actually was quite undrinkable. The server responded that he will not be able to "serve it to anyone else". Not a great customer service. The food was ok with the fish being quite rubbery but may be it's how is expected to be in Norway. read more

This place was recommended by the travel guide 'Le guide du routard'. My friend and I ate here daily during our stay in Bergen. This was the most delicious and affordable food I experienced in Norway. Everything was extremely fresh and flavorful. The size portion was generous. The service was great. The atmosphere was relaxing. read more

We ordered two beers, the cheese plate, the meatballs and fish pie, based on previous reviews. The beers and cheese came quickly and were good. Then we waited almost an hour for our entrees. I finally waved down a server (who had been practically avoiding us all evening), when another server told us that they were supposed to inform the kitchen when we finished our cheese plate, but no one ever did. After about 8 more minutes, the food came. It was good, but by the time we paid we spent two hours there. Not what we had expected. Perhaps this was an off night for them, or just an unusual case. No one else around us seemed to have any of the same problems, but I can't say I would recommend this place to any friends visiting. read more

On a rainy, cold day we were welcomed in for fabulous food, great local beer, and friendly service. This is a repeatable experience and highly recommended. read more

I really loved it here!! Everywhere in Norway is pricey so that was expected. I got the plukfish which I would highly recommend. My sister got the vegan stew which she also greatly enjoyed. The vibes were great and the service was pretty quick! I'd recommend. read more

Great cozy bar in Bergen, friendly for travelers who may not completely understand the Norwegian delicacies. My friend and I sought this place out after reading reviews and were not disappointed. The menu at the bar was written out on a long chalk board but we had no idea what each entree or appetizer was. Thankfully, our bartender was friendly and very helpful. He explained every entree and what he recommended we try. Before making our decision we decided to try the popcorn for a snack. OMG!! GO FOR THE POPCORN!! Not too salty, just perfect. We devoured it in minutes before our meal was served. I'm still dreaming about this popcorn. Now onto the main course: My friend had trout and I had horse. YES, horse. Sorry if you're an animal lover but I'm a big "When In Rome" type of person and I was determined to try any recommended Norwegian meal. So my week there consisted of Moose, Horse, Norwegian trout, and tons of Reindeer stew. Ok, back to my meal. The horse was lean and delicious with a rich brown sauce. Excellent flavor! My friends trout was excellent as well and everything was served with boiled plain potatoes which I find interesting. But I guess that's a Norwegian thing because it was common in several restaurants we tried. All in all this is a great place to have a drink and a really nice meal without breaking the bank which is tough to find in Norway. :) read more

Very good atmosphere and nice people. They serve Norwegian food at Norwegian price and beers. You can taste whale, salmon and meatballs there. Place to bring people who visit norway. read more

If you're not down for pickled herring or dropping $50 but want to experience Norwegian cuisine, this is the place for you! Reasonably priced, delicious, and not a hot dog! On the hunt for "traditional Norwegian food" during Easter proved to be a mostly fruitless feat, until we found this place. I got the plukkfisk, which tasted like mashed potatoes mixed with clam chowder, topped with sausage - highly recommend. Super dense, and very filling. My friends got the fish macaroni pie (fish casserole essentially, for us Americans) Service was friendly, albeit slow. Update: It's been two weeks, and my pleather purse still smells of fish. Pungent fish. read more

I wanted to like this place...but I didn't. It took over an hour to get my mediocre food from the apathetic bartenders. I was so disappointed with my food that I (calorically) splurged for an ice cream cone immediately after. On the bright side, they have local drafts and password-free wifi so you can get drunk and surf the Internet while waiting for your pile of mush. read more

Great place. Small comfortable space. Great friendly service. Food was tasty and delicious.