Bryggen

This is a traditional Scandinavian restaurant located in the heart of Bryggen. Even though we dined during the week and during the wintertime, they fill up fast so it may be best to make a reservation. I was excited they were offering their Norwegian tapas style Julemeny. This allowed for sampling of a variety of traditional items. We chose the beetroot salad, lamb meat balls, lutefisk, and rakfisk. The beetroot salad seemed to include about three types of beets, juicy orange, raisins, hazelnuts and lettuce. The meatballs were tender, flavorful and the plum compote complimented the rich flavor of the lamb. If you find yourself in Norway and want to taste traditional foods, lutefisk and rakfisk are a couple to try. The lutefisk, cod preserved in lye that has been rehydrated, was delicious though much saltier than I've ever had. The rakfisk which is fermented trout, was tasty, creamy and well complimented by the onion and sour cream. The decor is gorgeous and the dining area was comfortable.

TERRIFIC food, presentation and service! This place definitely deserves recognition, calling Michelin or James Beard? I had 4 tapas, all amazingly plated, each had harmonious flavor profiles that worked ever so perfectly together. From the traditional stock fish dish, to the savory scallops, and the bright tomato salad with hints of citrus. Wishing Norway wasn't so far away. And thanks Kulmie, for the tour of the restaurant (a UNESCO world heritage site), what a fantastic touch!

Survival Rule Number 1 in Bergen. If you are in the Old City, think long and hard about eating on the waterfront. There are a LOT of tourist establishments there. Prices are sky-high. (No, Yelper, it is not the case that Bergen is expensive and the waterfront prices are what you should expect. The waterfront is where tourists get gouged. The real city has reasonable prices.) Another hallmark of a tourist restaurant is a limited menu - often of exactly the same dishes every other tourist restaurant is offering. Whale Carpaccio. Halibut and Salmon served together in two sauces. Execution at many of these places can be excellent. But when you see your credit card bill at the end of the month, you may want to have yourself executed as well. * * * Moving away from the waterfront increases the chances of getting a more complex and diverse menu, with possibly a break in price. Bryggen Tracteursted is at the end of a long tunnel about 2/3 of a block away from the waterfront. Two restaurants come in front of it to draw off 'naive' tourists. Because they are "stuck in the rear", they have to compete on the basis of superior food. Bryggen Tracteursted has a menu about twice as long as the tourist restaurants with lots of entertaining and unusual items. They also have a terrific bar program with a great selection of sour Norwegian beers, and a fantastic collection of aquavits. Plus note: Their aquavits are kept in the freezer and served cold. This is not the case in many other establishments and it is how aquavit is meant to be served. * * * The absolute standout "food to be remembered" dish was a dessert. Fresh plums were spiced - but NOT cooked. This was not some worn out dreary compote. The plums were as firm and well textured as if you ate them out of the tree. And yet somehow, without marinating them enough to make them mushy, they were entirely infused with a divine gingerbread spice mix. I still can't figure out how they did it, but the taste was out of this world. Better yet, heh heh .... They were covered with a sherried whipped cream. I had never thought of mixing sherry with whipped cream. But sherry and whipped cream are like plug and socket, dynamite and a match, or chips and queso. These all were meant to be together. The harmony was the harmony of the spheres. * * * Other treats. a) A nifty cheese plate of a prize winning artisanal Norwegian blue cheese. The cheese was mild, sweet and suave and delightfully rich. Most blue cheeses are meant to put up a fight. This cheese was as welcoming as Mr. Rogers. I could like this cheese exactly as it was. b) A fine herring appetizer. c) A superlative apple brandy. (This was a recommendation from the house.) d) Rye bread to kill for. (It came with the blue cheese.) * * * There was one mis-step during the evening - and I should have known enough to avoid it. Dried cod was the leading export of Norway. Norway provides all the Bacalhao to Portugal, Brazil and Spain, and all the Morue to France. I was just at the Norwegian Fisheries Museum. Naturally I just HAD to have dried cod in Bergen. After all, Bergen is the ancestral home of all dried cod. I should have known better. Every time I have had bacalhao in Portugal or Brazil, it has been expensive and unimpressive. I always promise myself I will order cheaper tastier items from elsewhere on the menu next time. One part of me wanted to order a very intriguing veal dish. But dried cod is what I told the waitress. How was it? Well, the vegetables were lovely and the mustard sauce was just fine. But the fish was still dried codfish. Even the finest kitchen can't turn bacalhao into much more than a big thick slice of fish cardboard. * * * So do yourself a favor and order something from the non-dried-codfish part of the menu. Enjoy the room (which is super cozy and comforting.) Enjoy the aquavits. Enjoy your appetizers and desserts and non-codfish entrees. And look at the poor suckers being bled up near the waterfront side of the block, and think to yourself ... "There But For the Grace of God, Go I".

Stumbled in here for lunch on a sunny day in Bergen. Didn't know anything about the place but the menu looked good, and claimed to be authentic Bergen, Norway style food. I was really pleased. We tried the tapas style sampler platter which included: sausage, gravlax (smoked trout), smoked whale and fish stew. The sausage was good but nothing special. Gravlax was very tasty, if you liked smoked salmon you'll like this. Smoke whale reminded me of beef jerky, but softer. And the fish stew was amazing! Imagine the best clam chowder you've ever had, no puree it, now had butter and a layer of salt across the top, it was fantastic. We also tried the pickled herring sampler. Pickled in beet, mustard and a traditional sweet pickle. All were very good with the mustard pickle being my favorite. Everything came with rye bread and lavosh crackers. The people running they place were super friendly, and even filled up my water bottle for me. Food + 2 beers = 545KR ($76) Expensive, yes, but it's located in one of the most touristy parts of the city and it was delicious. I left happy and full.

We wanted traditional Norwegian food and we got the tapas. Several choices were good. They were out of 3 of our choices. Coffee was not as hot as I like it. Service was cheerful.

Sadly I can only give this place 3 stars. It was really low energy and service was a little slow. We had 3 tapas which were tasty but not really memorable. The plus is the location is close to main part of Bryggen but that is also a minus since the whole pace was full of tourists. Anyways maybe a full dinner would be better but I don't really recommend this place for dinner since there are so many different and better places to eat.

This whole area is really cool - lots of shops inside old buildings. The aroma from this place is what drew us in. I loved the decor with the old maps of Europe and the seating was old yet comfortable. It was early so the waiter was doubling as the bar tender. He was very nice and patient as we asked questions about the menu. The beer selection is excellent. You definitely have to try the mead - absolutely delicious with a great honey taste and very strong. The menu is full of traditional Scandinavian food and some newer items. My dining partner went with the open face reindeer sandwich. I ordered a special Bergen fish dish called plukkfisk. I thought it was more like a soup based on the menu's description but it was really cod mixed in with mashed potatoes. Interesting and tasty but I will admit I switched and went with the delicious reindeer sandwich in the end. No complaints as the plukkfisk was eaten in no time by my partner. Prices were great and the old ambiance of the place made for a relaxing and homey lunch. Really great location and plenty of seating. If you're looking for something different and traditional then this is the place for you.

Incredible meal and service. We followed our waitresses recommendations on her favorite dishes on the menu. We shared the codfish tongues and the smoked mink whale as appetisers. We each had the reindeer which was perfectly prepared. Instead of dessert, we sampled a couple of the aquavit options. The ambience is delightfully and rustically historic. Definitely, the best meal we had in our two week tour of Scandinavia.

First time in Norway. Stumbled upon this place while searching for a Place to eat and so glad we did. We ordered a few tapas, a flight of beers on tap and desserts! Food was absolutely delicious, great variety of beer (if don't like draft list there are bottle offerings) and desserts were great way to wrap up meal since we ordered 4! I am not usually a fan of mouse or cream items but these were amazing! Servers were beyond nice and helped walk us through the menu and all selections! Floor is lightly angled and mhm mom said bench was slightly uncomfortable but overall experience was so great!

One of the places in Bergen that has vegetarian options. I had cheese, potato salad, and season vegetables from the "norsk tapas" menu. All good -- potato salad was vinegary rather than mayonnaisey, which was delightful. Vegetable dish was smaller than expected, like most I've encountered here. (Not surprisingly, vegetables are expensive in this climate.) Fiancé had reindeer with a mysterious orange purée, which he thought was likely made of a bland vegetable. He liked it and the potatoes that came with it. Good service, wonderful historic environment. Had to put in our name for a reservation and then come back an hour later for said res, which was fine. NB: Fiancé fell on his butt on the rain-soaked wood flooring outside. Watch yourself.

Spent 12 days in Norway including Oslo, Tromso and Bergen. This was the pick of the bunch and exactly what I wanted! A place where I could try a bit of every Norwegian cuisine. To better my expectations the food was delicious, everything was reasonable priced (for Norway), the atmosphere is lovely, and our waitress was top notch.

A different kind of restaurant if you are a person as I, from SoCal. The menu was Norwegian as I was told. I had reindeer for dinner and it was prepared as ordered. This place was recommended by a few different people, and it turned out to be a great choice.

I really liked this place. Old wooden building with slightly uneven floors. It even has an outdoor toilet :) Friendly service: when a waitress noticed us discussing the suspicious wine that we got - she went back to the kitchen they tried it there too, noticed that it was bad, and brought us another glass, which was actually good this time. Loved the raw reindeer with cowberries and the plukkfisk dish (pieces of whitefish mixed with mashed potatoes).

So everything in Norway is expensive, but a woman at the Tourist Info recommended this restaurant to me as it has smaller plates for a somewhat affordable rate. I had the fish soup, which came with bread and butter. It was very nice. The staff was very friendly. The outdoor patio was wet with an earlier rain, but they wiped down a table for me and I just hung out out there resting my feet for quite some time. Plus it's in the fun historic Bryggen area!

We had heard from several sources that this place was great to experience Norwegian cuisine in the style of tapas. Overall, the food was delicious and as they were tapas, we ordered six small dishes, including a dessert. As a vegetarian, there were more limited selection for that night in particular, but overall, there is a whole section of vegetarian dishes offered. Not all dishes are available for the night, but it actually made it easier to choose and there were still many great choices! The service and the ambiance were great and really made our dinner a fun experience.

The ambiance here is unbeatable! Everything from the crooked floors to the wooden rafters to outdoor toilets just makes this restaurant such a unique experience. I love that you can try multiple different Norwegian dishes as small plates, giving tourists the perfect opportunity to sample. That being said, we didn't try the tapas for lunch but instead opted for the Bergen Fish Soup, Game Burger, and salad (after several days of camping in the mountains we were really in need of some fresh veggies!). The burger was really tasty- perfectly cooked, juicy, and dressed with a really nice mixture of blue cheese, greens, and a sweet marmalade. The salad was also good although not particularly special. However, I was really after the fish soup and found it a bit disappointing- it tasted slightly off and just couldn't compare to the amazing soup I ate at the fish market, so I would not order that again. However, overall I'd highly recommend this spot for a unique Norwegian experience, and I'll be back to try the tapas!

Six of us came here for dinner and tried every small plate on the menu, along with a starter, and each of the desserts. I can honestly say that everything was delicious and beautifully presented. If you enjoy trying traditional cuisine, this is the place for you! The wine, Bergen gin, and aquavit sampler were delicious. Lastly, our server Chloe was one of the best servers I have ever had. She was so kind, friendly, and knowledgeable. In fact, she gave us some recommendations for places to visit on the coast and was spot on. This is definitely a must-eat in Bergen!

Went for lunch with three other friends expecting to use the tapas or lunch menu. Tapas plates are NOT served at lunch and only a very few items on the lunch menu were available. Ordered the tomato soup, shrimp, lamb, & herring. Food & service was good but expensive. Don't go here for lunch since the selection on the menu is very limited. Go for dinner using the tapas menu to taste a variety of offerings.

This charming Norwegian restaurant is tucked a wee bit away from the the main stream of lovely, local eateries - yet Tracteursted should be your go-to restaurant for Norwegian cuisine when you visit the beautiful city of Bergen. The ambience is one to remember: lovely chandeliers, floating, overheard Viking ships, wooden floors, candlelight... And the food was mouth-watering, fresh, hearty... just stunning. I had the salmon, and it was delicious, absolutely delicious! My husband opted for the reindeer. (I don't eat red meat, but I don't think I could have eaten a reindeer anyway, even if I did) but he loved it, and it wasn't "gamey" more like a mild flavored filet, and rich in taste. He loved it! Vegetables were very tasty and nicely seasoned, and the butter just might be the best I have ever tasted. The bread served with the famous local brown cheese was also a true delight! We thought the prices were quite reasonable considering the high quality of the food and the delightfully, helpful, and friendly service.

This is a wonderful area of the town with an 'olde worlde' charm. Although, as you would expect, prices are much higher than in England, you must remember to get the paperwork so you can claim back the VAT before you leave.

I think tapas style restaurants are the way to go, whether its Spanish, Thai or NORWEGIAN. This was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to sample as much of the local cuisine since eating out is costly in Norway. This was the perfect spot to try several, traditional dishes rather than spending the same amount to eat one main dish--though they do offer main courses. The atmosphere was dark, cozy and candle-lit. The building sits at back of the UNESCO bryggen houses. The floor is slanted and feels authentic :) LOVED IT!

Jan Magne Fosse told us to try this place as it was one of the oldest restaurants in Bergen. We were a little worried when we entered as it was relatively quiet, but when we sat down at our perfectly dressed table and realized how pleasantly warm the dining room was our fears were dispelled. The restaurant offers a tapas formula, which we misunderstood as meaning a first course and second course. We ordered three tapas. We both tried the three types of herrings, and the smoked herring, but my partner opted for the smoked trout, while I had a tin of King Oscar's sardines. What can I say; the herring was absolutely delicious, firm pieces in dill oil, tomato sauce and in pickled onions, each type pleased. The smoked herring too was lovely. The sardines are apparently a Norwegian speciality and the secret is that they are not sardines at all but young herring! All with a glass of delicious aquavit. For mains I tried the Prince's cod, which turned out to be a portion of very fresh cod served with a piece of lobster, in a fine white sauce. Very nice indeed. We shared a dessert, as we'd had enough to eat, but here too the berries marinated in aquavit proved to be a fitting end to a memorable and reasonably priced meal. Thank you very much!

Rustic restaurant in the heart of the historic Bryggen wharf district. Quaint, cozy, warm, with attentive service. Food was good, not great, but a good sampling of traditional Norwegian cuisine. Worth a visit for the experience, though don't expect gourmet dining.