Restaurant NJK — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

Dining at Restaurant NJK is like discovering a secret supper club at the end of a fjord fairytale—if that fairytale included a mildly awkward ferry ride and an entrance so understated it felt like sneaking into someone’s lakeside wedding. But once inside, any confusion about where you are—or why you came—is replaced by the simple, glowing certainty that this was exactly the right choice.

Let’s get the oddities out of the way first. The restaurant is located on a small island just off Helsinki’s harbor, which means taking a tiny ferry that arrives at its own leisurely pace. The dock is unceremonious, and the building itself, while charming, doesn’t scream “fine dining.” There’s no obvious front door, no grand entry. We wandered in half-lost, quietly asking, “Are we… supposed to be here?”

Yes. Yes, we were.

Because the moment you’re seated, the entire experience shifts. The menu is sophisticated but grounded, full of seasonal ingredients and Nordic precision. The food? Flawless. Rich without being heavy, inventive without being showy. Every dish landed. Every plate was a quiet triumph. And the service matched it—polished, present, never pushy.

Special praise goes to the sommelier, who not only paired our wines beautifully but was, frankly, the first Finn we met on the trip who wasn’t wrapped in a shell of gentle social discomfort. We joked about it between courses: A unicorn! A sociable Fin!

With views of the city twinkling across the water and flavors that lingered well past the meal, NJK felt like a discovery—a little odd, a little magical, and absolutely unforgettable. Just don’t miss...

We went to NJK to celebrate my husbands birthday, and we had a guest from New Zealand with us. Wanted to show her the best of Helsinki. Which NJK really delivers. The small wait and the short pleasant boat trip to the island puts you in a perfect holiday mood, just leaving the mainland is already enough. And the building itself is absolutely stunning, an icon. All the wonderful boats surrounding the restaurant just adds to the charm. Higly recommended to walk around the island before your dinner, to have a look at the boats and the scenery from all sides. Walking up the stairs to the historical dining room upstairs sets your final mood. The food is superb, even my very very difficult, demanding guests with tons of restrictions and demands - walked away happy. Me too - vegetarian. Very good menu and long wine lists with something for everyone. But the highlight for the whole evening was the fantastic staff. I have to say that the 2 waiters that served us ( one Brittish and one Estonian ) were the best ones i have had the honor to be served by in all Finland...ALL... And thats really something. Amazing attitude, super professional, and made you feel like you are the most appreciate one in the whole room. I wish all restaurants had staff like this, i wish... Thank you so much for making our dinner the most memorable ever. Keep up...

Event venues can be as uninspiring as a meeting at your local council. This one is a mix. Continuing with the metaphor, we were there when the meeting was quite spirited. Loud and singing tables were having a great time, and we were in the middle of it until the team leader moved us to peace. Most of the menu is well cooked and conceived. Morels were the sand in the machine, though, literally. It's not only that they were inedible, but a mouth full of soil is just mo fun. Letting the waiter know is usually avoided by me because of the fuss the restaurant makes afterwards. I'd not need to worry. After telling the waiter, we heard nothing more. I can happily report that I wrote to the place, and I received both kind words and a kind offer to return as their guest. An offer we were as happy to have as we were happy to pass up. Some visuals just don't bear repeating. The bread is pretty tragic and stale rye "crisp"bread is a national crime. Other than that, the food was quite good to very good, the chocolate cake being totally delicious. If only they had a natural wine or two, and some of the stunning IPA brews that are abundant... and a zero alcohol beer is pretty standard stuff, too. It's better recommended for a group, and the prices are up there, so make sure the...