Trancher Entrecôte — Local services in Oslo

Great steak, but everything else left a sour taste – a disappointing end to our Oslo weekend

My girlfriend and I booked Trancher well in advance as the final dinner of our Oslo weekend. After fantastic experiences at Statholdergaarden on Friday and Frances Vinbar on Saturday, we had high hopes for our Sunday evening at Trancher. Sadly, it ended up being the most underwhelming and disappointing experience of the three — not because of the food, but because of how we were treated and how little value we got for the price paid.

We arrived on time and were greeted by a friendly server. So far, so good. But the atmosphere shifted quickly once we said we’d just have tap water rather than ordering wine or other drinks. The warm attitude vanished. When she asked if we’d like starters, we took a moment to decide but opted to go straight for mains. From that point on, her interaction with us felt cold, robotic, and rushed — as if we were no longer “worth” the table.

To her credit, our order was taken properly, and the food arrived on hot plates, well-timed and presented. The steak itself was excellent — exactly as described, with a beautiful crust and juicy, flavourful interior. The pepper sauce was absolutely spot on, and the chimichurri was one of the highlights — sharp, fresh, and balanced. The kitchen clearly knows what it’s doing.

But as soon as we saw the sides, our jaws dropped. 95 NOK (about €8.20) for each side — and what we received were shockingly small portions. We’re talking about three spoonfuls at most. I don’t expect massive plates, especially in Norway, but when you’re paying over 1,100 NOK for a meal for two, you expect at least some degree of generosity. These were stingy portions at a premium price, and it just didn’t sit right.

To make matters worse, the contrast in how we were treated versus the Norwegian couple at the table next to us was stark. The same server who had gone cold on us was suddenly all smiles and enthusiastic with them — offering suggestions, chatting, checking in regularly. We couldn’t help but feel like we were being quietly rushed out, or just not welcome because we weren’t splurging on alcohol or extras. It was disheartening and awkward — we were genuinely excited for this meal, and that energy was slowly drained as the evening went on.

Then came the final blow: trying to pay the bill. The card terminal was placed in front of me with the amount already entered (1,140 NOK), and the server walked off without a word. The machine was in Norwegian only, and there was no guidance. I pressed what I thought was “Pay,” only to be prompted again to enter the full amount manually, including being nudged to enter a tip percentage before I could proceed. This happened three times. I had to figure it out alone, dig out the receipt myself, and it left a sour final impression that perfectly summed up the whole experience: disconnected, impersonal, and not worth what we paid.

We’re not overly picky people — we’ve had meals in simple ramen shops and Michelin-starred restaurants, and we always try to respect the setting. But Trancher felt like a steakhouse that believes its name alone justifies the price, while offering no warmth, poor value, and service that clearly varies depending on who you are or how much you’re spending.

We left full, yes — but not satisfied, not appreciated, and certainly not eager to return. The food alone doesn’t make up for the rest of the experience. Trancher had every chance to send us home on a high. Instead, it left us both disappointed and feeling like we’d wasted our last...

With a restaurant named 'Entrecote' and only one main course on the menu we were expecting the best: A nice grilled entrecote with some fat on one side of the steak. So we were disappointed when the meat turned out to be a slice from a slow cooked prime rib. One style only: medium without the option to get either more or less cooked. The meat was somewhat chewy and lacked seasoning. The side orders compliment the meal very well, but the portion size is very small. Not really a generous portion of fries and vegetables. We skipped deserts and asked for coffee. We had the option of black or white; it turned out the coffee is regular brewed filter coffee; not fresh as the coffee was brewed earlier that evening and kept warm on a plate. What a let down. It baffles me why restaurants do not have an espresso machine for a nice after dinner coffee experience.

Overall, for Oslo standards a decent piece of meat, but not value for money.

The service was good and attentive. We were seated outside, which is nice if you do not have a problem with all indoor diners smoking next...

While the food was great, we didn't get to finish it because the service was appalling. A minor issue with our wine—which we barely touched because it was terrible—was met with escalating hostility from a staff member who was not our waitress, but who was clearly offended by the fact that we didn't like the wine. She pointed her finger in our face, repeatedly approached our table to confront us, raised her voice, and even told us to leave. Rather than offering professionalism or basic hospitality, she was aggressive and fully unhinged, making for an incredibly uncomfortable experience for us and the tables around us. No guest should be treated this way. We paid the full bill, including for the terrible wine, and left before finishing our meal.

To make matters worse, despite a phone call and a detailed email to the owner, we have received no response, no apology, and no acknowledgment of her atrocious behavior. Clearly, management has no interest in addressing such unacceptable treatment of customers. You could not pay...