Restaurant Nili

Someone from this business manages this listing.

1,704 reviews

#5 of 98 Restaurants in Rovaniemi$$$$, European, Scandinavian, Vegetarian friendly

+358 40 0369669+ Add website

Hours

Tue

4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Wed

4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Thu

4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Fri

4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Sat

2:00 PM - 11:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

1,704 reviews

#5 of 98 Restaurants in Rovaniemi

Travelers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$25.00 – $60.00

CUISINES

European, Scandinavian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

Valtakatu 20, Rovaniemi 96200 Finland

+358 40 0369669

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Details

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About

Mouth-watering Lapland Step into our restaurant in heart of Rovaniemi and let the unique atmosphere take you to the jourmey of fells and wilderness. Be delighted by the flavours of Lapland prepared from fresh Arctic ingredients. Warmly welcome!

PRICE RANGE

$25.00 – $60.00

CUISINES

European, Scandinavian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

FEATURES

Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.0

1,704 reviews

Excellent

842

Very good

579

Average

174

Poor

Terrible

Maisha R

116 contributions

A taste of Lapland

Feb 2020 • couples

Nili was recommended to us so on our second night in Rovaniemi, we made a reservation and took the short stroll to the restaurant from our hotel. The restaurant is relatively small, with a main dining room and a smaller dining space near the kitchen. The menu looked good and I wanted to try some of their tried and true favorites, such as the reindeer. The amuse bouche was a smoked Finnish fish mousse for me and a reindeer drink shot (yep). We think it was the au jus that the reindeer was cooked in. For our entrees, we ordered reindeer two ways (overnight braised reindeer loin and grilled reindeer sirloin roast) and beef steak. We split their chocolate cake with crowberry sorbet. So this was my first time - but not by last time - in Finland trying reindeer. The two preparations offered different cuts of meat and they reminded me of veal and goat meat. The meats including the reindeer and beef steak were really good but the potato needed some seasoning. We really enjoyed the sorbet. Crowberry reminded us of blueberry and the sorbet was thankfully very light to accompany the dense chocolate cake. We enjoyed our lappish dinner in an environment filled with animal hides, reindeer antler chandeliers, and servers in traditional clothing. The prices were a little high compared to the nearby restaurants but it was a great find to introduce us to the area. I

Written February 12, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Newyorklondonparis

England83 contributions

Customer service, ambience & food - all seriously good

Mar 2020 • none

The title says everything. If you’re in Rovaniemi and you want to know where to go for some seriously good food then this is the place. Our snow mobile guide recommended the place and he was quite right to do so... The Chef knows his or her trade and cooks with passion and an obvious desire to please The fish (both the salmon and the arctic cod were cooked to perfection) The cost seemed average for this area at 90 euros for two courses tea coffee (not including tip and without alcohol). Don’t miss this one.....

Written March 7, 2020

Erin_ATX

Austin71 contributions

The best part of the experience was the service we received.

Jan 2020 • none

We were interested in having traditional food of the area. We had not made a reservation, but they got us in for a later hour in the same evening. We went to a nearby bar for a beer while we waited. Our server, Sarah, was very friendly and super helpful with recommendations for food that was the most traditional and representative of the area. She made suggestions for each course of the meal as we asked. The food was good and not quite like anything I'd had before. We started with a mushroom soup which was tasty. We got a bear dish and a reindeer dish. Both were served with root vegetables. We also had a squeaky cheese dessert and a cloudberry one too. More than anything, we enjoyed having the opportunity to sample the local cuisine in a comfortable environment with helpful, friendly staff.

Written January 22, 2020

MDP

London16 contributions

Awful food!

Feb 2020 • none

We were recommended this restaurant by our hotel, and boy, they were wrong to do so! The service was super slow (took us nearly 30 minutes to get tap water and some wine). The food was super heavy and very-samey to what you can get elsewhere in Finland for much, much cheaper. We had the salmon soup, porcini soup, cauliflower steak main, and the chocolate cake with cloudberry jam. To top it all off, the bathrooms were so bad that you could see out of the stalls because they didn't close properly! On the whole, this was not a positive experience, and we had far better food, for cheaper, elsewhere.

Written February 24, 2020

Young

Espoo1 contribution

Experience soured by furtive tactics and hidden charges

Dec 2020 • couples

What could have been a great experience was soured by several hidden charges, including one for tap water. Nili proudly claims they serve tap instead of bottled water for economic purposes; but they ironically fail to inform their ‘dear guests’ that they’ll be charged for tap water. They also offered several other beverages (e.g., sparkling water, glöggi) with such nonchalance that implies no additional charge. This happened both before and after the meal. Usually, in Finland, a server would direct their guests to the drink menu before offering to bring a certain drink. It’s an unpleasant surprise, therefore, to be billed in such a furtive manner that is very unconventional by Finnish standards. What a stark contrast to the Finnish transparency I have come to know and love over the years! All of this is unfortunate because Nili does offer an interesting menu with local specialties like sautéed reindeer and bear stew, and the food is quite tasty, albeit rather heavy and rich. The restaurant also has a uniquely Lappish interior and ambience. In short, my experience at Nili would have been great if not for the furtive tactics and surprise bills for the likes of tap water.

Written December 14, 2020

Steven R

Greater London56 contributions

Authentic Cuisine of the Region

Feb 2020 • none

This restaurant is extremely popular so you must book. The interior of the restaurant is very unique, wood, skins, teeth and antlers. We have the four course menu at €68 not cheap but worth every €. The food was wonderfully cooked and presented exquisitely a picture on a plate, your we’re enjoying it even before you had tasted. They do on occasions have bear on the menu, but it sells out very quickly. Drinks prices are normal for the region, but acceptable. Do try you will not be disappointed

Written February 15, 2020

rgnanook

Myrtle Beach37 contributions

First taste of Finland, hopefully not the last.

Jan 2020 • none

My wife & 7 yr old traveled to Rovaniemi to see Santa & The Aurora Borealis. When we travel we try to seek out the best of local cuisine. My search led me to Nili. Online booking was a breeze and when we arrived delayed at RVN, I phoned the restaurant to advise of our tardiness, they quickly accommodated my request to change the reservation. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted and seated and our server came quickly to get our drink orders and explain the menu. Drinks-Good wine at a reasonable price and fresh juice for my daughter. Food- Fantastic! We shared the smoked whitefish appetizer, mushroom soup and bear stew for starters. Whitefish was the clear winner, delicate and mildly smoked with delicious little dill blini and fresh creme. The soup was a close second, silky and rich with the woody/earthy goodness of the wild mushrooms. The bear stew was hearty but a but salty and overly oily. Next was the mains, the wife and daughter both had salmon (they served a half portion for the child.) This, easily, is the best salmon I have had yet. Moist and succulent with a light smokiness and the root veg accompaniment was comforting and delicious. I had the reindeer 2 ways, my first time with reindeer. It was quite beefy, but a more robust mouthfeel. Wholly satisfying. For dessert we shared the squeaky cheese. Fun, light and fresh. If you are looking for a comforting delicious meal served in a friendly and vibrant atmosphere, Nili is the place.

Written January 19, 2020

Tutku

Giessen8 contributions

Really good food, great atmosphere!

Oct 2019 • friends

I had a good friend who invited me to the Nili restaurant for an excellent dinner. We had three different dishes, I cannot even say which one was the best, because they were all great. We had a special berry juice to drink, which has become my favorite juice ever. The atmosphere is very authentical, the tables, the decoration made us feel "really in Lapland", the music was so special that I even asked where can I find that kind of music and asked the name of the CD. Okay, it is an expensive restaurant, but without the dinner in Nili my visit of Rovaniemi wouldn't be complete, so it was worth it.

Written June 16, 2020

GingerCat101

Dundalk133 contributions

Gorgeous restaurant!

Jan 2020 • none

Really lovely atmosphere; it looked cosy and welcoming which we really enjoyed. The food was delicious and the drinks menu very interesting (sparkling cloudberry wine and blueberry cider were our favourites). The complimentary rye bread basket and amuse buche of something intensely mushroomy were much enjoyed. We were there for my 40th birthday and the meal really made it feel like a special occasion.

Written February 1, 2020

Craig and Chars

Brisbane31 contributions

Great food but high prices

Dec 2019 • couples

We went to this restaurant on Christmas Day and availed ourselves of the 3 course set Christmas menu. The food was terrific, really tasty and authentically Finnish. Because it was Christmas Day and we wanted something special, we didn’t mind paying the price but could be seen as exorbitant at any other time.

Written January 9, 2020

lorelife22

Madrid55 contributions

Tasty but expensive

Feb 2020 • couples

The decoration of the place is very well thought and typical Lappish. Also the staff was very helpful and nice (and super quick at serving!) Don’t get me wrong, the quality of the food was very good but the portions were extremely small for the prices of each plate. We got the opportunity to try some local and more unique specialities but we were underwhelmed by the portions (even for dessert)

Written March 1, 2020

Hugo M

London17 contributions

Traditional Lappish Food

Jan 2020 • none

The reason I booked Nili was to try for the first time Bear steak for dinner. This is considered a delicacy in Finland and they have a special number of Bears that can be hunted for food, unfortunately for me, they had only just ran out so no bear steak for me. I had the famous two way reindeer dish and it was delicious. The place is traditional and the food is inspired in the Finnish culture. They play Sámi folklore music and the vibe is awesome. The highlight of the evening, however, was the kind and friendly waiter, a Vietnamese student called Anne. Anne made us feel at home and her insights of the menu were crucial for us as we ordered the two way reindeer and the grilled salmon which, by her suggestion, were delicious. The fish soup from the catch of the day was also really nice. If you come around Rovaniemi, be sure to have a nice time at Nili, especially if Anne is serving you.

Written January 29, 2020

Fahad A. Al-Thenayyan

Riyadh336 contributions

Cozy Lappish Restaurant

Feb 2020 • couples

We booked the restaurant through our hotel but on arrival we discovered there was no book.. the waitress did her best to accommodate us although the restaurant seemed busy.. We had the creamy salmon soup and mushroom soup with a green salad to share.. they were all pretty good, the mushroom soup was especially interesting.. For mains we ordered the pan fried salmon and the beef steak, the salmon was cooked pretty well (pan friend) with some veggies and king crab sauce.. the beef was a bit chewy but okay and the veggies and gravy were amazing.. The desert was a chocolate cake with raspberry icecream.. we enjoyed that as well.. The restaurant interior was somewhat cramped but it was cozy and warm so we didn’t mind too much.. It was a very nice meal and we enjoyed our time.. Enjoy! Best regards,, Fahad A.

Written February 20, 2020

Gilad Even

Madrid4 contributions

Not more then 2 stars

Mar 2022 • friends

The food is the best part, we all took different stuff - reindeer roundup, salmon, steak beef and the bear Good news that the reindeer was kinda good, steak was great, salmon ok+ and the bear was horrible(15 euros for a small “cup” of something you called a soup and leftovers), we return it after one taste and didn’t order anything.( mostly because all the food took so much time to arrive) But still in the bill they charged us cause this was the “head waiter” said, we argued and they removed it. Service was horrible, didn’t come to our table for long time, food took too much time, and the price was awfully high

Written March 28, 2022

Dilxat P

12 contributions

Reindeer and appetiser was brilliant!

Sep 2020 • friends

My friends were visiting me from Southern Finland and I decided to bring them to Nili restaurant since I live in Rovaniemi and restaurant have a great reputation on its delicious food and service. We ordered the surprise menu and it was a great choice! Two starters and two main dish with a desert made the whole experience memorable. It's kind of place that I would go to have a special moment.

Written September 15, 2020

PooloHuttunen

Dear Dilxat, Thank you very much for your nice review and your effort. We are happy you all enjoyed. Hope we meet soon again, it was a pleasure to serv you. Wishing you very best autumn from Lapland :) Br, Poolo Huttunen & Nili team

Written September 17, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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