Food is excellent and service is exceptional, especially by Finn standards. This is a great location, former warehouse. Food is Michelins quality. Try the tasting menu and get the caribou!! read more

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Came by for dinner the other night and it was a phenomenal experience. Ravintola Nokka is featured in the Michelin guide and is facing the water. The restaurant also features a green star. Service started off with a complimentary coat and jacket check before being shown my table facing the open kitchen. Opted for the Taste of Nokka tasting menu for 139 Euro and it was phenomenal. Started off with the truffled potatoes with fish roe and the flavors were excellent and world class. Moved on to the bread course and the bread was tasty. The zander fish course was excellent. The fish appeared to be poached to a rare and was presented in a small portion served with some apples and sauce. The potato brioche was excellent and this was served with vendace roe which had some cream on the bottom. Another excellent course. The king crab course was also excellent. Delicate and precise cooking. For the mains, I was very impressed with the elk and reindeer. The elk was cooked to a perfect medium rare and seared on the outside. Meal ended off with the sea buckthorn which was a light and refreshing way to finish dinner. Service throughout the meal was excellent with super attentive service by the waitstaff, clearing plates, and go over each course. read more

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Coming from the US, this was an absolutely FABULOUS restaurant and meal at a Michelen green star establishment. And welll deserving of this award! I throughly enjoyed the green tasting menu which included 5 courses plus a delicious bread starter. My two companions both selected the meat tasting menu and raved about each course as well. We all started with the warm house-made glogg with an apple cider finish - perfect on a cold winter's night. The service was impeccable, the ambiance was upscale with a Finnish flair, and the dish presentations were beautiful. Bravo! read more

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I was in the restaurant business for a long time, and there's nothing I love more than a new culinary experience. I've followed this restaurant on Insta for years, and despite our 1-2 months per year in Finland, this was our first opportunity to try Nokka because we're usually dining with family at home. I was so excited that our meeting ended hours early in the last couple of hours of service on one of the last days of the lunchtime Christmas menu--what luck! We figured we could at least squeeze in a tasting to tempt us back for a full dinner when we next had a night in Helsinki. We'd just arrived off the boat from Stockholm that morning, so although we were dressed nicely, my husband and I each had small backpacks with us. I was a little concerned about showing up so encumbered and about wanting to "snack" rather than order a full meal, but the staff who greeted us were initially friendly. We explained that we were heading out that evening on the train and were expected home for dinner--we just wanted a drink, appetizers, and dessert from the a la carte, if that was possible. They said certainly, took our coats and the backpacks, and ushered us to a table in the near-empty dining room. The warm Christmas "glögi" was suggested to us, and after seeing all the unique pairings on Insta (of white pine needle and lemon verbena liquer, for example) I had high expections. The drink was just OK--in fact, the worst I've had in Finland, Estonia, Sweden, and Germany. It hit one sweet note of apple. What would have been fine in a pub was disappointing here. We then ordered the appetizer plates (3), and a glass of wine (as we'd explained before we were seated). The server was brusque and seemed annoyed that we weren't ordering more. We said we had a train to catch, and wanted to make sure we had time to order dessert afterward. She upped the pressure and said we had to order everything all at once, including dessert. (In other words, it was an hour from the end of her shift, and she had no intention of sticking around any longer than she had to for people who weren't ordering the full chef's menu.) I insisted on waiting. The appetizer boards arrived, beautifully presented. Each bite-sized piece was a masterpiece of visual and mechanical craftsmanship. The beet cube was not a cube at all, but impossibly thin slices layered atop one another, their flavor fanning out on the tongue in a way that makes you wonder why you'd ever eat a beet any other way. But that's all it was--a thinly sliced beet. The mushroom salad cup was good, but as my Finnish husband said, it was no different than the mushroom salad you buy at Citymarket for a fraction of the price. The cup was precisely executed and brought additional flavor, but when I asked the young man who'd delivered it to our table about the ingredients and methods used, he either had no idea or didn't care to answer. He said it was just bread. The blini was again perfectly executed. The texture was perfect. The flavors? Hard to find. The deer tongue was very good. The way it was prepared, in aspic, disguised the texture, which I usually find difficult to swallow, and delivered an artful twist. But overall, I'd say the appetizers were style over substance. I don't even remember the fifth appetizer in the sample. The bread they served was good, too. Technically delightful, but in need of a more interesting spread to complement it. The selection of Finnish cheeses was a mere two types, but I'm partial to cheese, and one of the two was the best cheese I've ever had in Finland. The man who delivered the food provided the name for us, and we'll certainly search for it in the market. Finding this cheese is the only reason I don't regret stopping for lunch. Once the food we'd ordered was on the table, we became invisible to our server. My husband wanted a glass of wine, after all. We ran out of water. And by the time we were able to flag down our server, we'd run out of time for dessert even if we'd still wanted it. But after the mediocre appetizer flavors, we were no longer intrigued. We asked for the check--and then waited 25 minutes. I even got up and walked around the restaurant looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. I ended up going to the bar and asking to pay there, which we did, with just enough time to make our train. I suspect that we were pegged by our backpacks and desire for a lighter meal, and treated as if we were not invested in the food, the ethos, and in a return visit. As another reviewer said, "commodified and coasting" perhaps? Certainly, there was an undercurrent of snooty attitude that helped to make the visit less than pleasant. Honestly, if someone else were paying, I may give this place another chance, given all the great reviews. But I don't think you could pay my husband to set foot in Nokka again. I feel like I fell in love online, but when we met in person, I realized I'd been catfished. read more

Commodified and coasting , Ravintola Nokka provides careless service, uninspired food and a large bill. As a fan of Michelin destination restaurants I make it habit to visit at least one in each city I visit. I've done it on every continent except Antarctica. This one deeply disappoints. The service was perfunctory with barely a care to our needs, with proactive requests needed to clear the table of used glassware, and frequent requests for water refills -- which one must pour on your own from a one liter bottle. Sadly, we were neglected. A local with us said this was the worst service she's experienced in Helsinki. Our server seemed inconvenienced by our presence, as if we had interloped on her evening. The table observed her setting glassware and chargers and silverware at empty table in lieu of asking for our needs. Perhaps this place has no table assistants? We chose from the a la carte menu so maybe that's why we're treated like chattle (is it that the tasting menu deep spelunkers get more focused care for their efforts to explore the unknown , yet the a la carte ended up costing us more). The cocktails were okay, with house made beer and gin. But they were not stellar. An amuse busche of an interesting Nordic chimmicuri and pea-hummus almost made up for the rude welcome. But this hope was soon quelled: We were upsold on a "reindeer delicacy" appetizer that was limp and tasteless. The charred salad is prepared with a gloppy sauce that obscures any bitter interest. It's a slapdash aside. A tomato tart was zesty and fresh, like someone actually cared about their station on the line. Kudos to whomever paid attention to their job. The table unanimously decided to have the local fish, which was bland and tasteless, formed in a terrine without a lot of effort. It was accompanied by a indistinguished potato side with a truly discordant "spring wrap" of sickly sweet rhubarb. Gross. After waiting for 25 minutes, we asked for dessert, which was slopped out like a cafeteria meal, melted white chocolate mousse, a mess on the plate, and financier, which was less satisfying than an airplane dessert -- and over priced. With a seat to the kitchen, I watched the chefs work all night. They seem earnest, but they are being asked to create a volume of food incommensurate to the ambitions of the menu. As to the service? It was insulting. I told the manager this. She blustered but had no answer. They get away with it too often to be accountable. This place is catering to tourists from Estonia, Russia and Finland with the "performance of service. " As if being a snooty jerk is the same as being a good waiter. Pathetic. We had much better food and care a few doors down for half the price. read more

This restaurant offered a great location and well run experience! The ambiance was nautical as it's across from a marina and very cool. The staff was super nice and well informed on the items on the menu. A description was offered for all of the dishes! The food was great! I asked for a wine recommendation and was happy to receive a great choice that was economically considerate! I would return for sure. They offered meat, fish and vegetarian options! We run and nicely designed menu with great tasting food! read more

If you look for a very nice gastronomic restaurant located right in front of the sea and without too many people passing in front of you, that's the right place ! We took the Green & Nikka menus and were delighted by the 3 plates and the dessert that were served. The waitresses were nice, really helpful and all of them were speaking fluent English, which definitely helped to understand what we served read more

Ravintola Nokka - Dessert (buttermilk with wild berries, flower petals and crispy oat) - Scandinavian Near Me - Helsinki, 18

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I was visiting Finland from the US and I really wanted to try a higher end restaurant while there. I was not disappointed, Nokka was a beautiful and cozy space and the service and food were absolutely perfect. If they were located here in the US, I would be going here once a month! read more

This is a must-stop-for-dinner spot every time I'm in Helsinki. Located near the harbor, a stone's throw away from the city square market, in an alley that used to house warehouses that have been turned into charming restaurants and cafes. The menu is eclectic but rooted in the authentic Finnish culinary tradition. Four+ course meals, each better than the previous, are accompanied by a variety of carefully-selected wines. The presentation is flawless and the staff impeccable. While the main dining room is impressive and pays homage to the building's marine merchant history, I prefer to sit near the laboratory-style kitchen, where I can appreciate the hard-working chef and staff dance the difficult but well-rehearsed choreography that brings them from dish to dish, until each plate is assembled. A feast for the senses worthy of a city like Helsinki. read more

Ravintola Nokka - Beautiful setting on the Helsinki Harbor, set in a former port warehouse. - Scandinavian Near Me - Helsinki, 18

Situated in a old warehouse at the docks and lovingly furnished. Exquiste food. Basis local producers. Menu short, only two menus, which is great. Little culinary surprises between each course of the fish/ duck based menu. Btw the other menu is vegan. So dinner there is really for everyone. Wine list has no really rich red wine. read more

Astonishingly overpriced with bland food. The fact that the food came out so quickly tells me that it was mostly pre-cooked. The duck confit was shriveled up, as if the poor duck had somehow contracted scurvy. Corn, cabbage and beetroot thrown together like clothes in a washing machine. The bread was banal. An appetizer of tomato, lovage and homemade cheese managed to taste dangerously close to egg salad. After I had to take all the finished plates and glassware that had been sitting there long enough for my hair to turn gray and placed it on another empty table, we decided not to stay for dessert and asked for the bill pronto. To give the establishment its due, it only charged us half price for the meal. But a bit of money does not make up for having such a miserable experience. read more

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Wonderful and welcoming staff. Dining room booked so we had the entire lounge area to ourselves for dinner. Great to not be on top of others in a dining area. Pumpkin nut puree with delicate cracker crisps was nicely presented and good. Charcuterie included smoked duck, dried shaved beef, and thinly sliced pork, plus some mushrooms that had been soaked in a vinegar or something, two breads, along with a small cup of broth featuring a potato foam. I would have loved one or two cheeses included on the board and olives or something to accompany or layer with the meats and breads. Local pan braised fish with thinly mashed potatoes featuring a sprinkling of more nuts was a highlight. Fish cooked perfectly. Would have liked to have seen the entree and the broth served at hotter temperature. Italian red wine among the four by the glass offerings on the menu was outstanding. Overall, we concluded it was good, not great. Atmosphere in the lounge was intimate and private with all other patrons packing the dining room. read more

preparation// formal dining attire STRONGLY preferred as this was my first meal off the plane...i was, unfortunately, still in jeans everyone else was in suits...so that tells you something ambiance//***** the outer reception room for drinks and bar remind me of a cozy cabin feeling step through a narrow hallway to find the main dining area tapestry sofa seating invokes the old history while floor to ceiling glass divider from kitchen allows a rare insight into the inner workings of a restaurant service//***** i don't speak finnish...luckily, they speak english relatively well everyone on the waitstaff was remarkably friendly ~ they greeted us immediately upon entry and took our coats even though we were obviously underdressed ~ they spent time explaining the menu what distinguishes Nokka is their farm to table organic philosophy - all fish are from local seas - beef are from exclusively selected farms ~ they aided us in wearing our coats on our way out too! food//**** while i enjoyed their philosophy and the taste of the food...i must say they prepare fish exceptionally in certain areas, i recommend ALWAYS ordering fish over meat-- this would be one of them exquisite sauces that have a HEAVY hand of butter...watch out cholesterol levels! ~*~ while i had a delightful overall experience, the food is slightly heavier and saltier than i would normally like...otherwise this would be a wonderful place for special occasions it's exterior is so unassuming that you wouldn't guess what a wonderful treasure resides within! read more

Wonderful atmosphere, food and staff!!! Easy walking distance from many of Helsinki's top attractions, this is a great little place to stop for a quick bite or drink. I was in jeans and felt very comfortable. Located right along the waterfront, the building has a industrial feel with the old brick and unique decor. Great archways add a tunnel feel. There are many rooms that can accommodate private parties of all sizes. The food was traditional Finish and of top quality. I tried the reindeer and Kalastajan Koju fish, both we excellent. Full array of local beers were also great. My coworkers went back and tried all the appetizers raving about each one. The best part was the staff. I was welcomed by friendly bartender, who let me try some of the local beer before I bought one (or three). The hostess took me around the place for a tour explaining the history of the building, and the waitress spent her time making recommendations on all the places to visit in town. Really go my trip off on the right foot. read more

If you are here and in the area Highly suggest stopping in for food and drinks. Near the city square. Get the lamb.

Fantastic dining experience. Each dish was very tasty and presented exquisitely. The reindeer appetizer was a wonderful combination of flavors. My wife and I both really enjoyed the lamb as our main. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. A truly wonderful dining experience: read more

Surprised that there aren't more reviews for this place. Focus is on locally sourced, organic food and my meal as fantastic. I had the local farm sampler to start, which was a variety of smoked meats and fish and fall vegetables, followed by a slow cooked beef belly. Absolutely delicious and one of the very best meals I have had in months. Staff was also outstanding. Would highly recommend. read more