Absolutely a must try. Can't get over how great the house lemonade tasted!!!! Some of the earlier reviews said there was no menu - no it has iPad menus with description in English. Traditional place with over 100 years of history, want service and delicious food. Came out to be ~ 68 euro for 2 for a starter, three drinks, 2 smorrebrods and 2 desserts. read more

saw this place with Samantha Brown on the travel channel...lets just say we expected something different...a lot different so, according to Samantha brown, this is a "deli" with over 200 types of sandwiches alright, there were definitely a lot of sandwiches, (well Danish open faced sandwiches) but don't think there was even close to 200, maybe 50..and there is no menu. you walk up to the counter where all the sandwiches are on display and point to what you want. and if you don't know, you have to ask about each one but before this, the hostess was very rude. we came in after walking in the rain who knows how many miles, and instantly could tell it was supposed to be more business-suited attire, while we had ponchos and sweaters. well hey they never mentioned it being in the business district shame on you Samantha brown the hostess also asked if we had reservations...well no body told us we need reservations and she wouldn't seat us because the restaurant was "full" until 330 when it was 2:00..oh btw there were at least 4 of 5 tables open in the main dining area and an entire wall of bar seats to the right so after complaining she gave in and let us sit we had to keep asking what each sandwich was and eventually chose 3, one for each of us one had cold roast beef, and a cold fried egg...what? another had hot fried fish filet which was actually the best and the last was cold bacon with cold potatoes now these weren't under cooked and left out to be cold, this is how the sandwiches are... and all these were very, very expensive; like overpriced, crap food expensive oh btw, the water is only bottled which is another $8 american dollars on top of the $20 sandwiches this place is definitely over hyped, over rated, over priced, and not worth it read more

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Walked in around 2:30 on a friday and there were plenty of tables open with no wait. Had the salmon which my wife thought was very fresh and good. Deep fried fish with shrimp and asparagus was great. I had one plate but my wife had two. One-two plates and a beer won't get you stuffed but is more than adequate. You can get some cheaper snacks outside if you're still hungry. Lastly, Ida was walking around and even took an order, which was cool to see. read more

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3 stars for the food, -50 stars for the pricing. $124 USD for a 3-star food lunch when still left hungry gets a 1-star. We're in Copenhagen, we want to try these famous "Smorrebrod" sandwiches, and while walking in the area see this venue. Check on Yelp, see 4 stars, and in we hungry folk go. Seated quickly enough without a menu, we sit there with no idea what to do. Eventually someone comes over to take drink orders - Him "What would you like to drink" Me "Whadya got" Him "Beer" Me "Like what" Him "A nice Christmas beer" Me "Okay" and similar with her. I know, great storytelling, you were on the edge of your seat right? Right. So once prompted, we walk up to the counter to find Miss Ida Davidsen herself explaining the meals, in a glass counter case. Again, no menus so someone has to present the offerings, and no pricing. I was a bit scared, but it's sandwiches, how much can it cost? We ask "How many do most people get?" She says "At least two. Most locals get 3 or 4." We started with two each because, well, this is all new to us. I order a salmon and a meat one (pastrami and sauerkraut on rye, this Jew can't help it) and she gets two salmon ones. The food eventually comes out, one at a time. It was decent, decidedly 3-star. Looks better than it tastes, with a small piece of bread which didn't even need to be there I felt. It did NOT tie the whole plate together, unlike Lebowski's carpet. So we eat our two sandwiches. We're both still hungry but didn't like the food enough to go for a third. So we get the check, and. . . WHAT THE FUUUUUU. 675 kroner. For 4 "sandwiches" and two beers. I know Copenhagen is expensive, and I should be smarter at a place without a menu and prices, but I didn't think it could come out to such an insane price. $124 in USD. WTF The food was okay but turned us off from all that is Smorrebrod and pissed me off for the rest of the day in dropping so much money like an idiot. So hopefully my mistake is your gain and you don't do the same dumb thing as me. Buyer beware, go elsewhere. read more

Still family owned (fifth generation!) it's been serving patrons since 1888, and it's considered by some to be the best smørrebrød in Copenhagen. At least, it's the best I've had... the freshness was really unbeatable. Opened only for lunch, it's always packed with people, absolutely no chance to get in without a reservation, so you might want to plan accordingly. Actually, I did get in without, mainly because I begged them to let me in and I was by myself, so they managed to squeeze me in and seat me at someone else's table, non the less! The service is not that great, and that is the reason why I'm deducting 1 star. I was actually debating whether to give them only 3, but the food is so deli that I really think everyone has to try it out. read more

We like Denmark and had some great original Danish diners during our trip. (if you find stæk fræsk anywhere... Eat it!!!) We wanted to try Smørebrød and in we went... We didn't really now what to do... We listened to a very quick summary in English (not our native tongue) what was on the plates and ordered. It looked really great though we never got any prices! We were really surprised to find out we needed to pay 440 DKK for just 4 pieces of bread and a diet coke. Never again will I order without seeing a menu first! read more

I wanted a classic smorrebrod and was not disappointed. Nice, clean interior. Friendly, helpful service. Ida Davidsen herself visited tables. The sandwiches were exquisite, fresh and delicious. The rye bread was hearty and paired perfectly with an assortment of herring preparations or smoked salmon, shrimp and white wine potatoes. The latter served with a caviar sour cream. read more

This place was suggested by a local and it is the proper place for Danish cuisine. I was eager to try a proper Danish sandwich. The choices looked amazing and the choice I made (Casper christiansen) was amazing. It is a well decorated place and the prices were average for a tourist. read more

A typical Danish lunch is Smørrebrød which is essentially an open sandwich usually on rye bread with any number of toppings. A visit to Copenhagen is not complete without lunching at Copenhagen's most famous Smørrebrød restaurant, Ida Davidsen. The restaurant is located near Kongens Nytorv and booking ahead is highly advised. We arrived at 1pm without a booking and were told that there was no availability until 3 but after some sweet talking and convincing that we eat really fast, the waiter offered us a table for 30mins which we took. After securing a table, we went up to the counter where we were greeted by Ida herself who talked us through the Smørrebrød selection of the day which was on display. After making our selection we sat down and waited for our Smørrebrød to be freshly prepared by the kitchen. We each chose a fish Smørrebrød and a meat Smørrebrød as advised by Ida and each one was delicious. After eating our Smørrebrød we were told that they had sorted things out and we were no longer on a 30 minute time limit and we could stay and enjoy a coffee and a dessert if we wish. We took them up on their offer and chose a dessert. While the rice pudding took a while to come out the waiter came over and apologised While I've not forgotten about your dessert, unfortunately the chef has! It will be out soon! Amused by this, we forgave him and our dessert was out in no time at all. The friendly family and honest approach to this restaurant definitely makes it worth a visit. read more

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Great sandwiches. I had the beef with egg and potatoes and horseradish. Everybody was really pleased with there meal and I am glad we came here. Everything was really fresh and tasty. Unfortunately, I was still a bit hungry after lunch because as a fat american I am used to larger portions. read more

Delicious food. You should call for reservations, they are very tiny and only open weekdays for lunch (10:30 - 16:00). We popped in near the end of lunch time and we were able to get a table without a reservation. It was really hard to pick, everything looked really interesting. The prices are listed on the menu boards on the windows before you walk in but it is difficult to know how much something is once you are at the counter ordering. You can always ask. I'd love to back. read more

We had not reserved a table and had read that it was impossible to get a seat without one. However on a Friday afternoon we were lucky and got a table for two! We shared four sandwiches which were really delicious and you could taste that the ingredients were really fresh and high quality. Ida herself was walking around the restaurant which I felt added a really nice touch! Be aware though it is quite expensive, and you might be shocked when seeing the bill as the prices vary a lot: one for 75 dkr and all of a sudden one for 150 dkr, but I feel the price was worth it as they really were delicious, although it does seem a little more touristic than 'danish'! read more

This is a great place to bring your out of town friends so they can experience the Danish open-faced sandwich. The combinations of sandwiches are unique and surprisingly delicious. The presentation is also great for those of us who love taking pictures of our food. We had a roast beef sandwich with hard-boiled egg and tomato. The roast beef literally melted in my mouth! It had such a delicate flavor that I preferred to eat it without the dark bread that it came on. The second sandwich was a ground beef patty topped with fried pate, bacon and asparagus. It was delicious and very rich. The flavors complemented each other surprisingly well. Finally, the sampler of herring included a ginger-marinated herring that stood out. It's a hot, stuffy restaurant though with very basic service- you order at the counter and sit down and hope the wait-staff will take your drink eventually and bring you your bill eventually! I would still recommend eating here. You just have to be assertive about getting the waitress' attention. As for price, we shared two sandwiches and a plate of herring, and with drinks the bill came to a little under 400 DKK. Do note that they close for most of July. We had lunch there on the very last day before they closed for the summer. read more

Iva Davidsen is one the best places in Copenhagen to eat "smørrebrød". We were in the city for only 36 hours and very keen to discover this great culinary tradition. The simplest description of smørrebrød is an open sandwich, mostly on rye bread, with an emphasis on salmon, herring or beef, and adorned with colourful, dancing embellishments and condiments. Ida Davidsen herself is in attendance, happy to describe every item in detail. She has every reason to be proud: this is a great establishment. read more

We had an unplanned lunch here- smoked trout and pan fried herring. Both were nicely prepared. The "menu" was unique. They had a plates arranged at the front instead of picture/sheet menu. We do not mind dining there again for a light meal. read more

First the price: EXPENSIVE! Get over it. You're in Copenhagen. The queen eats here regularly and came in with her entourage while we were finishing lunch. The food is delicious and magnificently beautiful. The presentations are spectacular. We watched the girls in the kitchen expertly preparing works of art with amazing dexterity and a look of intense concentration. The combinations were extremely imaginative in both taste and appearance. They have a book (which Ida tried to sell us)) which has beautiful photography that makes the food almost jump off the page. Buy it if you don't mind spending about the cost of a small car. Was I surprised by the cost? No. I had the audacity to ask first! Furthermore, tipping in Denmark is very voluntary. Servers don't really expect a tip and are very casual about the subject. At least I didn't have to carry around all that heavy money in my pockets for the rest of my trip. read more

the about securing a table, try to know in advance what you want to try for the list is very long and the waiter to patient at all (check on the internet page and make your choice) remember than smorrebrod is just an open sandwich so if you ask for a smorrebrod without saying wich one you won't make any sense. remember than smorrebrod is just an open sandwich and it' cold so you might no find it fantastic. Danish have other dishes that are warm and nicer in the winter when you had a long walk and feel cold. but you won"t find them at Ida's. read more