We'd enjoyed a series of great Nordic-style meals on our trip to Copenhagen and then Oslo. But, on…read moreour last night with our granddaughter in Oslo, we craved a change from all those delicious steamed-in-cream muscles, tasty baked salmon and classic smoresbords. Izakaya fit the bill. In fact, it may have ended up being the best meal of our week-long trip. Yes, as you've read and can see from other Yelpers' photos, it's teeny tiny inside. But, when you get lucky and get seated, it's nice and cozy. You certainly aren't merely one 2-top in a long boring row of tables that's for sure. There's no sign outside but because it has a distinctive look on the exterior (see photos of the heavy grillwork on the windows) you really can't miss it. A Yelper's description of 'Japanese tapas' is right on the mark, tho this is a bit of mixed metaphor. Dishes (especially the last two below) are relatively small. Maybe four dishes will do for two people but you'll likely end up as we three did: wanting a bit more. We started with the Gyoza. Definitely delicious and served piping hot. Next was Bang Bang Ji - shredded chicken, julienned cucumber, and a spicy sauce. Good and a nice prelude to the Mazemen. Our hands-down favorite of the night was the Mazemen, broth-less ramen with a delicious sauce, oil, and toppings. Especially delicious with the egg (poached?) mixed in. Had we immediately ordered another three more bowls of this wonderfully tasty dish I doubt if there'd have been much of an objection! Okonomiyaki - a savory pancake. Good. We didn't want to leave without a bit more. So, we ordered the Senmaizuke, pickled turnip and chili with a sweet, tangy vinegar marinade, and the Shiitake no fukumeni, mushrooms simmered in a sweet and savory broth. Both of these relatively small dishes were quite delicious - but really would have tasted best as early appetizers. The Kirin beer really hit the spot. Service was quick and efficient. Pacing was fine with no rush despite the line that had formed in the little foyer. YELPER HINT: if you're stuck in the line but thirsty, you can go on in and stand at a small (2 ft. wide) open section of the bar and order/pay for beers (not sure about their cocktails) and then re-take your place in line. In short, Izakaya could - and likely will - provide your tastiest, most interesting and perhaps even your most delicious meal in wonderful Oslo.

It was closed for the summer when I went there in late July to find some dinner. A bit hard to find…read morebut never got a chance to eat there.

Awesome place and great food. Both flavor and texture were really good. I will definitely return…read morefor more.

Good food, quick service, and modern atmosphere. This hit the apot on a cold day of museum hopping…read more I wish we had something as good at home!

Atmosphere amazing! Service amazing! Sushi delicious! We are a flight crew and started walking and…read morelanded here. Def will be back when there again!

StraightUp, one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at. I'm not into sushi and shashimi, sort…read moreof been there, done that. The sushi at Hanami looked terrific, but for me its about the modern fusion dishes. I had seafood risotto with a core of sherbet. Just fantastic. Best miso soup I've ever had, hands-down. Even tempura shrimp appetizer was raised to a higher level. I was amazed.

Just had my first bite there: takoyaki wasabi, 8 hot little balls in a box, just YUMMY! Also took…read moresome "fish cakes" to go, small fish shaped goodies made in front of me with fillings to your choice. They'll be saved for later today, but I bet they're as good! Will go back to explore more dishes.

Second ramen restaurant I've been to in Norway. Again, very impressed to see noodle shops this far…read morenorth! Big change from when I first visited this counter in the 90's. The broth was a bit salty for my liking. Noodles were perfect, the size, the texture and firmness of the noodle was just how I like it. The meat was tender and melted in your mouth, the boiled egg yoke was overcooked. I like it when it's still soft. Gyoza was mostly meat, no veggies. Wouldn't order them again as I like my gyoza with more veggie and less meat. Service was quick. Parking is indoors, which is very advantageous for the cold months. Take the elevator up and you don't need to go outside! They share space with an Indian restaurant. There is a coat hanger and it's spacious. I would definitely come back here.

DECENT JAPANESE RAMEN It's not bad getting a taste of…read moresomewhat decent Japanese ramen in the middle of Oslo. I like the texture of the ramen, tastes quite authentic, not the "make-believe" ones you get from most non-Japanese restaurants here in Norway. The ambience is rather quiet, but I wouldn't say its kids friendly or good for large groups of people. We ordered the spicy ramen (mostly likely spicy miso ramen, since the broth base is miso) and Tangi ramen, which has two pieces of fried chicken on top,m. However, the soup-base for the tangi didn't quite hit the spot for me. The price is average, around $15-$20 per bowl, which is a decent price in Oslo. Overall I like it and would come back again.

I came to this Ramen shop during my trip to Norway with my friends as we were in the mood for some…read moreJapanese food after having Norwegian cuisine all throughout the trip. While we didn't make a reservation for this restaurant, we were able to be seated relatively quickly for our group of 5 for lunch. The interior of the place was modern and clean, while the service was relatively quick. For the food I ordered the Chicken Shoyu Paitan Ramen, which was made of Koji Confit Chicken as well as handmade noodles. While this was similar to ramen that I've gotten at other restaurants, I think that it was done well and I was satisfied with the quality of it as the flavors were good. I tried a bit of my friend's Spicy Hazelnut Tan Tan Men ramen and that had some pretty unique flavors, so I would recommend getting that if you want something different than your usual ramen options. Overall, if you want some ramen in Oslo this is a solid option to explore!

Delicious. We all enjoyed it. I should say the prices seemed a bit high. Friendly service…read more Casual atmosphere.The flavor profiles were excellent.

Everything was excellent, except waiting time of waiters. It was really hard to attract their…read moreattention. Also prices are too high as for this level of restaurants.

We had a wonderful experience at dinner last night. The food was delicious, service was spot on and…read morethe place was hopping . We loved it. We had the Opera pre fixed menu. Each course was a nice surprise from the dim sum thru the crispy duck, steak, shrimp and lamb chop. Then topped it off with a desert that offered just the right amount of sweet to finish the night. Cant wait to go back.

The friendly and efficient staff took great care of me. I really enjoyed the savory flavors and…read morerich broth of the Tonkotsu Ramen. The Japanese AOONI IPA was a great version on the American style IPA. Young hip date night vibe in trendy area on Oslo.

Really enjoyed this place in Oslo. I was really surprised at the quality!…read more Service is great at this cute little space downtown Oslo. My friends and I got a variety of different ramen and an order of gyoza. All were so good! I also got a yuzu margarita- which was refreshing! If you're craving ramen while in Oslo- definitely hit up this spot. Beware of peak times as it can be a little bit of a wait!

I had. a really great time here with some friends. They recommended this eatery and so we met them…read morethere for a lovely dinner. The appetizers were delicious as the dumplings were so juicy and tasty. I had gotten a Chinese meal (they offer various asian cuisines) that was strips of fried beef with onions, peppers, and carrots. It was really tasty, and had a unique flavor I had never had before. I wish there was a bit more sauce in this meal, and that the beer selection could have been a tiny bit better. Otherwise I had a great time!

This place is located just down the road from Hotel Continental. It's right on the main road across…read morefrom the park, adjacent to the parliament building. We arrived at 5:30pm, without a reservation, and they were able to accommodate us, though mentioned they'd prefer we finish up within 90 minutes. The tables around us definitely turned at least once during our time there, so they're quite proficient with their service, handily ferrying people through their dinner and our the door, expeditiously. As for dinner, we started out with the prawn chips, which were as good as they ever are (and later, we learned are all pre-fried and stored in a large bin and simply portioned out with each individual order). My friend and I both then had our own bowl of hot and sour soup (one bowl could be shared by two people, if neither of you are particularly hungry). If you love spice, you'll love this soup. Good flavors, most definitely spicy (said as someone who loves spicy food). We then both had stir fried veggies (carrots, mushrooms, snapped peas, and baby corn) with chicken and prawns, in a brown sauce, which we both liked OK (liked, not loved). Overall, we thought it was all OK, and service itself was attentive and good, but we weren't wowed as much as we hoped we'd be. We'd likely explore another option rather than coming back, though truth be told, this place isn't necessarily bad. Just...OK.

The force is strong with this one …read more.. This is some serious Sushi the like of which would normally require a high £££ round trip to Tokyo. A Japanese Sushi Jedii lives here and he is serving up stuff that will pleasure your palate like you would not believe. I had the Futamaki & Sashimi combination and literally inhaled it, it was THAT good. and get this .... it's actually priced sensibly unlike some of the other fuddamukkin faux fusion Sushi rip off places in town.

Came back 2 more times and unfortunately, both visits were quite disappointing!!! If you are…read morecharging a plate of nigiri for NOK285 (Sushi Moriawase), you do not put in the imitation crab!!! I despise that fake stuff and it should ONLY be put inside a noodle soup... The 3rd visit was to try their udon/ramen. The Nabeyaki 185kr was not bad. Came in a claypot with decent amount of seafood and vegetables. The broth was tasty but also loaded with MSG as i got very thirsty later. We also had the karaage (Japanese fried chicken nuggets), this is simply BAD! The batter was soggy, i think they pre-fried them in advance and then re-heat them in MICROWAVE. And the sauce that came with it didnt even work with it. Overall, big fail and we are looking for another place to go...