Restaurant Linnankellari — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

We booked a table for two, for Christmas Eve. When we arrived, there was already some people waiting in the stairs. So we waited behind them, and some others started to wait behind us as well. After 5 or 10 minutes a lady came to say that the restaurant was full at the moment and we should wait at the bar (even if we had booked a table already). We went to the bar upstairs to wait. We asked when are we going to know when there is a table free for us. They told us that they will come to tell us. After one hour waiting we decided to go downstairs again and ask for how long it's gonna take. They told us to wait here that in a few minutes a table will be ready for us. When it was ready we realized that next to us, the people who were waiting behind us, one hour ago in the stairs, were already eating. They brought us some water to wait, but forgot the glasses, we had to ask for it while ordering the food. The waitress can't answer what was in our plates, she had to ask in the kitchen. Some of the food in our plate was not written in the menu (mashed peas), and some written on the menu was not in our plate (pistachio & almond). I personally, didn't really enjoy the food and found the quality very disappointing (stringy meat, lack of flavor, really dry, potatoes for starters and main course...). I'm not used to waste the food but sincerely cannot finish there... And not used to give bad reviews on Google maps but I was really disappointed and can't recommend this place unfortunately as I had a very disappointed experience there.

I can understand that it was Christmas Eve, probably a lot of work, not the easiest day of the year to work, probably have to adjust the menu for this kind of event... but I don't understand why the food was so low quality and so bad organisation as we had to wait 1 hour and started to eat one hour and half after the time we had booked... One nice point : they nicely offered the glögi to apologize for the waiting time.

Some of our friends recommended this place, so I don't understand why our experience was so different. And why is there only 15 reviews on Google maps? Did the owner change recently?

PS : we got, both of us, stomachache after the dinner... I don't know if it's linked to the food, but it didn't help to end up well...

Dining at Linnankellari in Helsinki is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Set in a former prison turned hotel, the restaurant showcases its history with some fun decorative details. I loved the little metal prison cups & brick surroundings! The atmosphere strikes a fun balance: a bit creepy at first, but once you settle in (and realize you're free to leave after dinner), it becomes a memorable adventure!

They provide generous portions of food. However, the beef was a bit on the raw side for my taste. One standout feature to check out in the back of the restaurant-the chance to dine in an actual solitary confinement cell, with a tiny table for two!! I couldn't stomach it with the scary toilet nearby. Not sure if that's how it was left or just for show, but I certainly didn't want to find out!

If you're looking for a meal that’s as much about the experience as the food, Linnankellari is a...

The breakfast buffet had a variety of options. Typically I don’t like hotel buffets but everything was fresh, delicious and a great way to try some local food. They charge 17 euros if you stay at the hotel. Which is a decent price compared to the other breakfast spots. They open at 7am. Had the made to order omelette, porridge with tons of extra options including rhubarb and apples, seeds, nuts, coconut flakes and Lingonberries. They also had a Greek yogurt and chia seed station. Great coffee and nespresso station. They had salmon, pastries, scrambled and hard boiled eggs and...