Pizzeria Via Tribunali — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

I don't understand why this place has such high reviews when there are much better pizza places in the area for the same price or less.

Service: Terribly rude. The hostess ignored us the three times we told her that she was calling our table (we were standing RIGHT next to her), then she chastises us for 'not saying anything and making her wait'. She then walks off even though we said we need to grab our drinks. They kept the restaurant over half empty while making people wait for 20+ minutes. Oh, the team set about rearranging all the furniture around patrons. Our waitress was the best team member, and that was because she ignored us rather than creating actual stress.

Cocktails: The bar wasn't even busy, and yet they poured drinks from a pre-made batch. It had been sitting there so long that the bitterness of the citrus rinds had seeped into the drink. Seriously, this place made the bartender's list?

Pizza: Edible. On the greasier side, with a crust that is bland and not committed to what kind it wants to be.

Vibe: Again, uncommitted to what it wants to be. It was too sloppy, loud, inattentive, and moist inside to be high end (also, let's talk about the super hairy waiter in shorts who was goofing off), but not actually cool or cheap enough to be a dive spot.

TL;DR: You can easily get better pizza for half the price. I mean, my frozen pizza from K-Citymarket last night was better than what we had here. You can also get really interesting pizza for about the same price elsewhere, if that is...

Fantastic pizza in Helsinki. We waited 45 minutes for our table, which was fine. We had a couple negronis by the bar and the time flew by. Once we were seated, they moved us along quite quickly. We ordered two pizzas immediately (one spicy pie with sausage and another with anchovies, capers, and olives), and they came out of the oven within 15 minutes, hot and fresh. Great flavor from the tomatoes and cheese. The crust was nicely risen with some crust, though perhaps it could have been a bit darker (we're New Haven coal-fired oven people). Husband and I fought over whose was better. Lots of laughter at everyone around us using a knife and fork to eat the pizza. Barbaric, though it makes sense those first couple of minutes when the pizza is scorching hot (like it should be). Friendly, funny, hipster service.

I'm frankly astounded by some of the negative reviews on here. Yes, the pizza is salty, because it's properly seasoned. Yes, the pizza is hot and wet when it first arrives at your table, because it just came out of a real pizza oven. Yes, the menu is small, because it is focused on a few things done exceptionally well. Yes, you will have to wait, because the place is always crowded with people who also love the pizza. If you have to wait, grab a cocktail by the bar and chill. It may not be the best pizza in the world, but that's a tall order, and this place really stands out among Helsinki restaurants....

Over spring break, I went to Helsinki, Finland for a hockey exchange trip. During the trip, after sightseeing in city center, I went to a pizzeria called Via Tribunali. It is supposed to be in the top 50 best pizza places in all of Europe. I went into the restaurant, I noticed that it looked like exactly what I would think of a pizzeria in Italy. There were neatly spaced tables and plush booths. The restaurant had a really nice black and white tiled floor and big windows. It is between the Helsinki Cathedral and waterfront Market Square. It is in a great location. The waiter was really nice and offered us still water when we were seated. He recognized that we spoke English so he took our order in English even though the rest of the group ordered in Finnish. I ordered Margarita pizza and waited for my food. When it finally came out, I noticed it was wood fired pizza. It looked amazing. I went in to take a bite. The cheese was gooey, soft and fresh. The crust was charcoaled and crunchy. The crispy crust, savory sauce and fresh cheese and basil matched together perfectly. It was topped off with olive oil, which was great! It was easily the best I’ve ever eaten. Next, I ordered the vanilla flavored gelato. Once it came I took a bite of it, it was so good! It was soft and packed with vanilla. I give Via Tribunali in Helsinki, Finland 10...