Ekspedisjonshallen — Restaurant in Oslo

Edit: Sad to be editing my review from last year. Yesterday, we wanted to grab a few drinks and popped in without a reservation, which is not something I'd recommend since they're often quite busy. We were asked to wait, which was fair even though we were not impressed by the fact that the welcoming staff placed guests without reservations before us even though they arrived after us. We were going to be 4, but our two friends were on their way, so we were offered a seating for two, but later on, there was an opening for 4, and I asked the hostess if we could move there instead which she accepted. We ordered two drinks which was a strange experience itself since the bartender refused to serve what my friend asked for even though she had the same drink there before and when I asked for a g&t he said leave it up to me and when I asked which gin I was having he said try it first then I'll tell you so at the end I never learned what I got.

However, this is where things start to get tricky. 15 minutes in, whom I believe the floor manager, another manager, and the hostess started talking loudly next to us about why there were two seats available and the hostess mentioned that we were waiting for 2 more. A minute later the staff who I believe was some sort of a manager came to us and asked when our friends were joining and we said in 10 mins and he said he'll only give us 10 mins and then he'll give the seats to someone else. We were okay with that, but we asked if he could offer us a table or another solution when our party was complete, and he refused it, mentioning that they were fully booked and there was a long line. When we asked about people coming in and leaving all the time, he said he couldn't help and shrugged us off. Then I proceeded to say that we'll finish our drinks and leave, and he said okay, chuckled and left. A minute later, another server approached us relatively aggressively and I said we're leaving in 5 don't worry which then he yelled me and said I needed to calm down and that wasn't why he was there. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I apologised and asked him why he was there then, which he couldn't reply since that was most likely why he was there and he just wasn't expecting me to confront him before we let him pester us. I'm highly disappointed about the whole ordeal. This is not type of customer service is expected from such an amazing venue and I'd invite the management team to train their staff to respect the venue and their customers.

Previous review: It's definitely way better than the top floor restaurant both with service and food. There's still some room for improvement in regards to seating etc. However it was a...

I am reviewing the Expedition Hall for the breakfast and for dinner.

For the breakfast buffet, this is the best European breakfast buffet I have ever had and is worth the walk even if you are not staying in the hotel. I give breakfast a 5 star plus rating! The breakfast buffet started at 6:00 am in Expedition Hall. You could order an item off the menu such as Eggs Benedict, Feggs Florentine, Portobello on sourdough toast with scrambled eggs, Belgian waffle, Scrambled tofu, or an American style breakfast (organic scrambled eggs with English sausage and bacon) plus help yourself to the buffet. There was so much amazing food in the buffet that I never ordered from the menu. About a dozen types of cheeses (including the Brown cheese) and meats, cut your own fresh bread, hard boiled eggs, soft boiled eggs, a variety of fresh cut fruits including berries (except on Monday), assorted fresh yogurts, granola, nuts, muesli, matcha chia cups, croissants and pastries, Valhalla chocolate, and a variety of fresh juices such as orange juice, pomegranate, passion fruit, and grapefruit juice and of course tea and coffee. Service was consistently pleasant and good for breakfast.

For dinner and the evening, there is a live jazz band or other entertainment and gets packed, so it is best to make reservations. We came on a Sunday night and since there was no entertainment, we were able to walk-in. The menu is a bit small. We both got a fish entree. My husband had a champagne butter sauce and his was absolutely delicious. My fish had a seafood broth which had a briny slightly fishy taste and really was not that enjoyable for me. If I could recommend, they change the broth into something more delicious, it would improve the restaurant. We had a ice cream with berries on top which was a good size to share and very good. I would give the dinner three or four stars, although the service...

On August 7 2025, my experience at the Ekspedisjonshallen Bar in Sommerro Oslo was deeply disappointing.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be humiliated for sport, go see a Barman by the name of Mijales (I think) at Ekspedisjonshallen bar. He has mastered the fine art of making customers feel unwelcome — starting with giving me a personal “last call” 45 minutes before closing, while happily pouring drinks for everyone else around me.

When I dared to ask about the discrimination, his response wasn’t an explanation, but mockery — the kind of smug, condescending smirk you’d expect from a schoolyard bully, not a professional bartender. And the grand finale? Calling the host to ask to leave, as if we were some kind of threat… for asking why was he still serving drinks to others in a bar that was still open for them.

If blatant favoritism, public embarrassment, and being treated like an inconvenience sound like your idea of a good time, this bar is the place for you.

Hats off to the bartender and the host — you’ve truly set a new low for hospitality.

To be fair, the food and service at the hotel’s restaurant earlier that evening were excellent, and the issue was confined to the bar. I urge the management to address this unprofessional behavior through better staff training to ensure all guests are treated with respect. Until then, I cannot...