If you have the time, this is a must-do dining experience in Helsinki. From what I understand, it…read morehas been open since the '70s. It has a bit of a formal feel so we made sure to dress nice - I wore nice pants, a polo shirt, and nice shoes. My wife dressed similarly. The restaurant was a bit empty when we arrived, but it was earlier in evening. We made sure to make reservations. The dining room is beautiful and lined with stained glass windows. Our waiter was very friendly and helped us with the menu. I had the spiced beef Repin style and my wife had the bilinis with toppings. I spiced beef came out on a sizzling hot plate (kind of like fajitas in the U.S.). It was delicious! My wife really enjoyed her bilinis too. For dessert we shared a creme brulee. I also am a big fan of vodka and they had several varieties there. I asked the waiter to bring his favorite and he brought me a wonderful Ukrainian honey pepper vodka. It was honestly some of the best vodka I've ever had! I definitely recommend dining here.

Ambiance is very good. Service is friendly. This is a small and tasteful restaurant. The quantity…read moreof meals is small but absolute enough. We got 4 different meals, and all of them was delicious. Price and performance is correct. Recommendation 100 % .

This restaurant had been our favorite in Helsinki from 2005-2009. In the last two years, something…read moremust have happened because each of our meals were terrible the 2-3 times we returned. Both times, the pepper beef sauce was runny and tasted like straight alcohol. As well, the meat wasn't properly cooked and the service took nearly an hour, despite there only being two people in the restaurant at both times. I was saddened when it went downhill. I just am not going to trust 200e on the chance of a bad meal again. It's a shame, because it used to be our anniversary, birthday, and place to bring friends mainstay. We haven't been back since 2010.

Best Russian food in town and absolutely amazing staff. Just go there, a must for a game meat lover.read more

Wow, I found this place and what a cool restaurant. Are there many old Americans who grew up…read moreduring the cold war and aren't curious about all things Russian? I should have had more than one meal at Bellevue. Everything was very ornate inside, but in a way that seemed like nothing had changed for 50 years. Extra points if you can do shots of really cold Vodka. Thanks to my late Estonian ex father in law for teaching me that one back in the day. Do not skip over the Borscht!

Considered the oldest restaurant in Helsinki this place goes beyond good. Typical Russian…read more Borscht....awesome. Bear stake with mushrooms and potatoes .....AWESOME and for dessert pavlova on merengue cake topped with raspberry sorbet. I mean I can't even explain it. All served on beautiful plates and pristine silverware. If you are in Helsinki you must visit this place. It doesn't even have a sign!!! Only for the adventurer and food lover. Not for the person who likes "things on the side" and picky about food. This is authentic, hearty Russian food. With a touch of melancholy. Will come here every single time I'm in town. Pricey but totally worth it!!!!!!!!

So you want a Revolution?! This place is better than…read moreBorsht! It's a legit Russian bar. I strutted in there with the few Russian words I remember (I can order a beer like a Stalinist!) They immediately responded in Russian, and brought me a Baltica. Aaahh- reminds me of Moscow. The bartender was really a local, who is in the local Russian Language Club, where they meet up here to periodically discuss Russian cinema, books and so forth. While here, you're sure to hear about many Russian thoughts and ideas- they speak of revolution! It's a great place for an American to get some alternative viewpoints on the "system." By your third Russian Standard you're sure to be joining with the workers of the world to unite! The bar is small, and authentically decorated in drab Soviet accouterments. They have authentic Russian LPs behind the bar, and a sign from a defunct Soviet airline. Even the paintings have that kind of weird Soviet charm. They have 3 kinds of Baltica, as well as the cheaper Carlsberg Beer from the tap. Don't expect a Siberian tour of beers here- they have the basics and that's all. Don't be a greedy capitalist wishing for more beers than you can sample. It's a great place to people watch here- don't mind those burly guys in the corner in slick shark skin suits and their hair all slicked back- the Russian that they're quickly speaking to each other in hushed tones is only friendly. It's a little hard to find this place, as there's no flashy neon sign, or any sign at all, for that matter. It's a place that I found hidden behind an unmarked glass door covered in curtains next to the Mexican cantina, Corona.

Quite possibly one of my favorite stops in Helsinki, and definitely memorable. One can only…read moredescribe it as being very Soviet inside: dim, red lighting, surly bartender, old music. Order a Baltika and shot of vodka and just enjoy the fabulous ambiance. Pro tip: they stock Żubrówka, a delicious Polish bison grass vodka that is a little hard to find. Drink it here.

This restaurant is wonderful! Cozy shop that serves delicious dumplings and blini's, we were so…read morehappy with the food and service. The atmosphere was very nice, a great ambiance with light background music. Very close to public transportation, we suggest reservations as there are not many tables. If we are in Helsinki, we will definitely be coming back!!

Very delicious blinis. The ordering process was also very easy and quick. It is a smaller…read morerestaurant, but the ambience is nice and cozy.

Perfect 5 course dinner in this 1 year old fine dining Restaurant in Southern Helsinki near the…read moreRussian Embassy. The owner is former Michelin star chef. Perfect wines and nice staff. I recommend.

When I heard that there's a restaurant with the audacity to call themselves "Grotesk", I had to try…read moreit. It was a metro ride and a walk up the street away. It had just snowed several inches so the sidewalk was slippery. As I was approaching, I slipped on some ice and hit the ground hard like a hockey check. It was a bit embarrassing, so I entered the restaurant feeling a bit humbled. Grotesk is the kind of restaurant that can lift up a humbled man by reminding him where he stands on the food chain. I ordered the Black Angus Sausage with Sauerkraut as an appetizer/snack, and the Black Angus Flank Steak. The sausages and sauerkraut was just a tiny portion. Three bites served in a bowl the size of a teacup. Not filling at all, but full of flavor. The sauerkraut seemed a little creamy with some mustard seeds mixed in there. Very tasty. I like that this steakhouse is not afraid to tell you that your steak will be served medium-rare. It was served with some extra crispy fries, bearnaise sauce, roasted onion and a salad. It was presented as shown in the photo below. At first I was annoyed that everything was presented on separate plates, but it turned out that this way helped me to slow down and enjoy the flavors. The steak was cooked just as they said, and was seasoned with large salt crystals. Delicious. The weakest parts of the meal was the salad and the fries. The salad was meh. The fries were tasty and crispy, but maybe overcooked. I know they were intended to be well done, but some of them were on the verge of burned. Nothing some salt and a dunk in the bearnaise sauce couldn't cure. Overall it was a great meal and I left feeling restored to full carnivore glory.

Modern, stylish and pleasant establishment. Me and my girlfriend want it talk eat well and also…read moredrink something nice. Service was excellent, we had 3 course meal and starter and desert was nice but main course let me down. I had fish and it was blend :( wines that they recommended with the food was nice. I will go again, as it was today's specials I will give another try to see what they have this time to offer. Relaxed, stylish, great service

Munkkiniemi + Pub = Ukko-Munkki. I've patronized this venerable pub many times over the years --…read moreit's my local. For those making a trip here, it's conveniently located near a Tram 4 stop. They have seasonal outside seating, and inside the upstairs is more for dining while the downstairs is a bar setting. (It is not strict, just a guideline.) The on tap selection is fairly limited, the bottle selection slightly broader. I started with a bottled domestic Huvila Pale Ale (Malmgårdin Panimo). They keep a rotating seasonal draft -- this time it was Brooklyn Lager. I had a pint since I don't recall having seen this on tap in Finland. Storied tradition notwithstanding, what differentiates Ukko-Munkki from any other random Helsinki pub is the food. They serve up hearty portions from Finnish classics like meatballs, to steaks, burgers, and pizzas. On this particular Saturday afternoon visit I ordered the escargot with goat cheese -- my personal favorite. Tasty -- hadn't changed at all since the first time I had it years ago. So if you're in Munkkiniemi with a hankering for a traditional pub setting, look no further than Ukko-Munkki!

Last year was my first time ever in Ukko-Munkki - during Vappu…read more It was a festive affair and many drunken Fins congratulating eachother. I thought the place was allright. Different than what I know in Edinburgh, but a nice place to be nonetheless. Onnea!