We were very cold and wet from a nasty weather day and wanted to try something warm. Also wanted…read moresomething local to Helsinki as well and Yelp said this one would satisfy our taste buds. Not a single tourist in site, everyone speaking Finnish so we knew this was the perfect spot. Had only 30 minutes before lunch ended so we ate quick and snapped as many pictures as I could. Very interesting salads with unique dressings, most them couldn't tell what in the world made them taste so good. Helsinki proved to be awesome and to not copy Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Finland borders Russia on the East side which might be why their foods are so different and yet so delectable. Would be better to visit when the weather is warmer with some sunshine. For sure would return to this place as it was superb!

Love the unpretentious lunch hidden in the street corners of Helsinki city centre here. You kind of…read morehave to look for a place as it doesnt have street front...just a sign they put outside to say they are open...and you kind of have to brave yourself to step in a small corner inside the streets to actually get to the restaurant. There are all types of clienteles here and you pay right when you arrive, get your plate, grab your food from the buffet line and seat whereever the table is free. Pretty casual and stress free...and the staff there do run like a well-oiled machine. They clear thr empty plates and clean the tables, and refill the food in tje buffet line as much as they can. The buffet line has a section for vegetarian and regular hot meal food. There's also a separate corner to grab your own tea/coffee as you wish, too. For ~€12 and quality all you can eat lunch...this is a very very good deal! I did try everything from the buffet line and they all tasted fresh! I had 2 full plates and a cup of tea..and didn't feel bloated after eating so much afterwards at all. If I had time to come back to Helsinki again, I would definitely want to have lunch here again. I debated goinf back there again my last day in Helsinki but unfortunately didn't have enough time to go back there...else I would be back there again! Give yourself and your friends a nice casual lunch when you are in Helsinki and you will be happy to stopped by for sure!

Local food with exceptional service. We missed our reservation so they called and were flexible…read moreenough to accommodate us. Our waiter was delightful, explaining each dish, recommended wine pairings. The experience was delightful and delicious. We had an epic night.

Aito was so perfect for a special meal in Helsinki with my husband. We did a four course tasting…read moremenu and it was so creative and delicious. The server was great at explaining everything to us and we love how cozy it felt. I highly recommend aito for people who want modern Finland food.

From start to finish, an excellent experience. Enthusiastic service by the staff, beautifully…read moreprepared delicious dishes. View of the park across the street is charming.

Phenomenal experience! Picked this spot based off the variety and prices were pretty good. We had…read moreoutstanding service from a very sweet server and incredibly delicious food. Got the autumn course meal which was rabbit rillette followed with slow cooked moose then cheese with jam and finished with chocolate ganache dessert. The rabbit was ok but the rest were outstanding. My friends got the reindeer, meatballs, and liver which were all incredibly delicious also (I actually preferred the taste of all 3 of these over the moose but had to try moose since it's rare to find). If I were to go back I'd get the goat cheese salad followed with the reindeer main course. You won't be disappointed!

Came here on 2 separate occasions. Since it was near my hotel. The food wasn't anything crazy and a…read morelittle pricey. This place is known for their fried herring. First few bites of this were pretty good. Salty and flavorful that comes with mashed potatoes that helps reset your taste buds when it gets too salty. But after halfway, I got tired of the taste. Wasn't enough variety. The salmon wasn't anything crazy. The shrimp tartar sauce that came with it was really tasty.

First meal in Finland, after checking into the hotel checked Yelp for a real Helsinki style…read morecuisine. This came up and we took Uber and arrived 10 minutes later. We tried quite a few things, my buddy wanted to sample their different looking items as well. It was fun trying their seafood, their unique sauces that accompanied them, the lamb, the mystery fish which I couldn't find in google translate, the wild mushroom soup, and to top it off was that excellent cloudberry cheesecake. Had to google was 'cloudberry' was and this was the definition "Cloudberries are very juicy, and they taste a bit like a cross between a raspberry and a red currant". We were sold! So unique and different at the same time had to upload a picture so one could see what they look like before turned into a dessert. For sure would return to this place, great service, excellent tasting food which is so different from other countries.

OMG. So so good!! Their presentation is impeccable and the flavor of each dish is very well thought…read moreout having quite exquisite balance. I had big lunch so was not hungry at all but the dish I order, a lamb dish from the appitizers menu blew me away. The portion here is pretty small. The size is not any smaller than what you would expect at qualifying three dollars sign restaurant. You get complimentary breads and chips with spread. So so good :) If I were to visit Helsinki again, I would definitely be coming here again. It's a place that you want to introduce to your friends!

This was honestly one of the best and most memorable meals from my trip to Finland. My friend and I…read moreopted to just order a bunch of Sapas so we could try a bit of everything. Every dish was so delicious. My favorites were the pork tenderloin and the celeriac dish. I had to order another pork tenderloin dish because it was so good! What I liked best is that no ingredient is used in vain. Every part of each dish really shined and blended together perfectly. I had the petit fours for dessert and like the Sapas they were a great way to taste a variety of desserts. The service was also amazing. Our server was very friendly and attentive. She gave us a few suggestions for dishes and also recommended some of of her favorite local libraries to visit when she heard we were in Finland for a library conference. This was simply a wonderful meal and a nice twist on Finnish food.

Shelter is located in the harbor with views of the President's resident. Walking in, there was a…read morewarm reception with a basket of blankets and a coat rack. The interior was nicely decorated, minimalistic and elegant. I'll warn not to arrive hungry because service was slow; very slow hence I removed a star. It was my first dinner in Helsinki after a day of traveling, and I was famished. I ordered the risotto and fish of the day; double entrees due to hunger. The food was tasty. I also ordered the real passion cocktail and didn't like it at all. The bread selection, especially the brown/black bread, was so fresh and soft. I ended the night with the honey dessert that was beautifully plated.

Very good value for multiple course tasting menus. Has a fun looking outdoor bar that I didn't…read moreutilize. They were able to make my menu vegetarian with no problem. Most staff were absolutely excellent. Food is bib gourmand level and affordable for the quality level. Worth a shot

Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience. Karl Johan is located away from the…read moretouristy areas and seems to cater to locals. Reservations are not accepted for lunch. They have a rotating lunch menu and I opted for the tenderloin lunch special for 25 euros. Ordering and payment is done at the counter. Complimentary salad, bread, and water are self service by the bar next to the cashier. Staff bring out entrees and also bus the tables. To my surprise, the tenderloin was excellent. The medium was a perfect medium rare and it was seared on the outside to perfection. This was served with some flavorful grilled vegetables that were seasoned to perfection.

I was rushing by looking for a restaurant that no longer existed due to Covid. I decided to go to…read moreKarl Johan instead and it was a great decision. The lovely server immediately gave me some bread with the best tapenade I've ever eaten. It was a combo of olives and dried tomatoes with tons of flavour, but very little salt. I started with the traditional Finnish Vorschmack. It takes three days to make this delicious beef and fish mush. It's served with chopped onions, beets, pickles, sour cream and a large dollop of mashed potato's. It's the perfect comfort food and I could get seriously addicted to Vorschmack!!! Everyone around me was happily ordering pork schnitzels. I ordered the green risotto. It had a lot of vegetables in it: green beans, arugula / rocket and fresh peas. I found it bland and missing a taste direction. I do not recommend the chocolate dessert, it was the least impressive part of the meal. I think they need to up their dessert game. Based on the description, I thought it would be a chocolate mousse, but instead a dense hard cube of chocolate ganache arrived with a Basil flavoured green whipped cream. Toasted Quinoa was sprinkled on top which led to an unpleasant, gritty taste sensation. Totally unnecessary addition to the dessert.

Real hidden gem in central Helsinki. The restaurant is small with an industrial interior which…read moreworks very well. There is only a few tables so reservations is a must. The menu is based on the Nordic cuisine and we got both fish and duck among other well prepared dishes as part of our menu. A clear value added was the service with the chef presenting each meal.

FYI I was i here in June of 2017…read more First of I just have to say wow just wow. This may have been one of the best meals I have eaten. The food here is absolutely amazing. I can't remember what I had but whatever I had I know it was really good. The one thing I remember however is the Spruce Sorbet. It was good and tasted exactly how a Christmas tree smells. I also thought it was pretty cool to be eatting tree sap. which basically is what it is, a tree sap sorbet. It is a small restaurant but I think it is the perfect size for it. I really liked the vibe too. Overall, I really enjoyed the place and would definitely would recommend it. I will come back the next time I'm there.