Nili Restaurant

cool dining experience sitting at the front of the restaurant facing out. cozy space to eat and people watch, slightly chilly after a while but there are shawls provided (not super clean tho). food is realllllly good, best we had in finland during our trip. they actually do take your feedback to the chef to make our food less salty after the soup. quality food with impeccable service. we loved everything served to us in the surprise menu, insanely good desserts. we added salmon soup which was out of the world, and reindeer steak which was lovely too. thanks for the wonderful dining experience!

It’s one of the best spots in town to experience authentic local delicacies, beautifully prepared and deeply rooted in the region’s traditions. The service was exceptional from start to finish. We indulged in the reindeer steak, sautéed reindeer, and the Rovaniemi Market platter, a generous showcase of local flavors that felt like a culinary tour of Lapland on one table. One of us chose the Chef’s Surprise, and it lived up to its name in the best possible way. Do make a reservation in advance. The restaurant is almost always full, and once you taste the food, you’ll understand why.

I had the opportunity to dine at Restaurant Nili in Rovaniemi and it was a truly unique experience. One of the highlights of the meal was the bear soup, which was something I had never tried before. It was rich, flavorful, and perfectly prepared, offering a taste of traditional Lapland cuisine. The atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and authentic, with a cozy Nordic style that makes the experience even more special. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure everything was perfect throughout the evening. If you are visiting Rovaniemi and want to try something truly local and memorable, I highly recommend this restaurant. It’s a great place to discover traditional flavors in a welcoming setting.

Great restaurant. We wanted to eat some authentic cuisine and this place was just perfect. The reindeer tartare was tender and a nice combination of texture and taste. Sauté reindeer portion was good and perch was tender as well. The staff were very nice and attentive. Highly recommend!

Nili did not disappoint. I had read the reviews and wanted to try it myself when I was there. I was staying next door so was very easy to get to. The food was very good. First time I had reindeer. The service was very friendly and was super quant inside. Definitely recommend making a reservation. I had a booking for 4pm and by 5pm it was fully booked and I saw them turning walk ins away. If you’re visiting Rovaniemi you must go there for either lunch or dinner. Though not listed on the menu you can order the salmon soup as a small portion highly recommend.

The restaurant was nice, very polite waiters/waitresses. Unforntunately even if we booked we got a table in the middle of the room which wasn't ideal. In our opinion the salmon soup was mostly made of potatoes and vegetables and didn't have much taste.. The raindeer was very nice, as much as the desert (creme brulè). Overall it was quite expensive considering everything ☺️There was typical music so if you want the full esperienze it is good, I personally didn't appreciate as it wasn't very relaxed during a meal. Overall considering taste and price it's not the best in my opinion.

We went there to try some traditional Finnish food. Fortunately, we made a reservation beforehand because it was crowded, and many people who came without reservations were turned away. We had the traditional sautéed reindeer and the willow grouse. They were both nice to try. The dessert was a little unusual, it had cheese in it and is a traditional sweet there, so we decided to try it.

Nili Restaurant offers a truly memorable Lapland dining experience that blends tradition, craftsmanship, and warmth. The 4-course surprise menu was the highlight of the evening. Perfectly balanced. Each course felt thoughtful and well-paced in terms of flavors. A great progression from start to finish. It showed confidence in the kitchen and respect for local ingredients. An ideal choice if you want to trust the chef and enjoy the journey. Beyond the surprise menu, we also tried several dishes shown in the photos. Traditional reindeer, salmon in different forms, local bread with butter, and carefully composed starters. Everything was beautifully presented. Portions were generous but refined. Flavors were clean, deep, and unmistakably Nordic. You could taste the quality of the raw products and the precision in execution. The interior deserves special praise. Cozy, authentic, and full of Lapland character without feeling touristy. Warm wood, soft lighting, and a calm atmosphere that makes you want to stay longer. The service was excellent. Friendly, attentive, and professional. The staff explained dishes clearly, handled recommendations with confidence, and made us feel welcome throughout the evening. The only reason for 4 out of 5 stars is the waiting time. Some dishes took longer than expected to arrive. Nothing dramatic, but noticeable. Overall, Nili is a must-visit in Rovaniemi if you value local cuisine, strong identity, and high-quality cooking. I would happily return, especially for the surprise menu.

We stumbled upon this place by accident and it turned out to be our favorite dinner of the entire trip! The staff were all very kind and the servers provided great menu recommendations and checked in often. They even put together a flight of local liquor so we could try them all. The food was great from the Christmas menu. I had the arctic pike perch which was very tasty. Others in my party tried the reindeer (both the traditional sautéed and the reindeer roundup) and it was EXCELLENT! If you're worried about a gamey flavor, it was not gamey at all. It was like a very tender steak. The restaurant was not too loud and the decor was beautiful and cozy! There were plenty of coat hangers throughout to keep your table free from clutter. Highly recommend this place for anyone visiting Rovaniemi!!

Had an incredible meal here on vacation in rovaniemi. The place is beautifully and authentically decorated! The menu is extensive and everything we tried was amazing!! The staff was extremely attentive and so nice with great service! Food service was also very quick and we had a great and relaxing meal!! They started us off with some rye bread with butter along with a crispy rye bread topped with smoked salmon sour cream which was delicious! For meals we got the arctic pike perch which was delicate and delicious served with mashed potatoes. The star of the meal however was the king of the forest which came with braised bear, reindeer sausage and potato. This was my first time trying bear meat and it was surprisingly so delicious! I can't recommend this place enough!! They do get quite busy it seems so good to book a reservation in advance!! For dessert we got a couple hot chocolates and the sea buckthorn crème brûlée. I had never had sea buckthorn before and it was a bit tart but the crème brûlée was delicious and also came topped with some cookie crumbs and sweet apples in addition to the sea buckthorn! Possibly our best meal of ou

Nili is a traditional Lappish restaurant on the pricier side in Rovaniemi. I recommend booking a reservation online, which is English-friendly, because it gets booked and busy and the hostess was quoting an hour wait for those who walked in. The restaurant is very warm and cozy with traditional decor - hides & taxidermy. My sister and I got the potato pancake to start and had the reindeer & salmon entrees. The potato pancake was delicious and featured a whitefish mousse and smoked salmon. The creamy mousse paired nicely with the pickles on top, while the smoked salmon was extremely fresh. The salmon was good and came with potatoes. The reindeer was personally not for my taste, but I am glad to have tried it! The mashed potatoes were extremely smooth and buttery. Overall, I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Rovaniemi who wants to have a taste of Finnish cuisine!

Nice place. Super attentive staff. Made a reservation well in advance which I recommend. They get very booked up. I know this is an extremely meat forward place but still it's the new century so there should be vegan options - we marked on the reservation one person was vegan and they did make note of this and bring it up during ordering and mentioned there was exactly one dish that was vegan available. I appreciated it of course but perhaps one other option since otherwise Finnish cuisine has had lots of vegan options in my experience! Nonetheless very high quality - partner had the fish dish and it looked exquisite. We don't do dessert but they had some excellent options. I am so glad we were seated in kinda a side room with only four tables as with this cool ceiling (of hides) as I would I have been really overwhelmed (circulation and covid wise) in the big dining room which was just chock full of people. If you can I'd request the side room in the reservation notes though there was still a large table nearby with 3 children that had a gross cough.

Food was outstanding as was the service. Ambiance was spot on and made us feel like we were dining in a Sami home n

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.

Authentic Lapland food, nice employees, aesthetic of the traditional ways. There was a large party in and the waitresses made sure I was taken care of and were kind and considerate.

Excellent ambience. Very attentive waitstaff. Exquisite food. We also loved the vodka flights!!

Whitefish tartar with goat cheese mousse, sugar salted egg yolks, over salad was the first dish I had. The tartar was alright. I thought the sugar salted egg yolk was tasty and a creative way to utilize egg yolk in a tartar dish. The salad was flavorless but the goat cheese mousse was light yet dense with flavor. The steak was great and tender and the potato was a bit flavorless had it not been for bursts of bacon. The decor is a bit overwhelming bit I loved the staff and the traditional music that they played. The servers are dressed in traditional outfits.its interesting and a great alternative to the plethora of pizza and burger places around the city center.

The food offered is no better than that in other lapland areas. The reindeer tastes sour unlike what I had in other places. To be honest, this place is best for tourists like us to check-in. 150 bucks once for all. :)

We stayed at Arctic Light Hotel and they were able to get us last minute reservations for dinner here. I liked that Nili boast traditional Finnish fare and the servers were in the traditional garb- the restaurant was cozy and decorated in rustic reindeer antlers and bear skin rugs. The tables were made of dark distressed wood and very roomy for my husband, son and I! The space is small but they made the best of it! DS has the classic reindeer dish which is chopped reindeer on a bed of mashed potatoes and ligonberry sauce- he was a huge fan as he ate the entire dish, which is a rare feat as he is a very picky eater! I had the braised bear loin, with a bacon n wrapped potato and a bear consommé I can't say I've ever had bear so I didn't know what to expect. The server told us that traditionally it is an honor to eat bear as it's the largest animal in the forest and they don't eat it often and the whole village would take part in the harvesting of the bear meat. I liked the texture and rick iron flavor of the meat- it was tender and flavorful. DH had the reindeer prepared two ways and found it to be just the right portion despite it bit seeming to be a large serving! It was a very nice evening and our server couldn't have been nicer- I really enjoyed the interaction with him and learned a lot about Finnish culture. I liked that there was an apertif nightcap at the end of the meal to digest the food! All in all a great dinner!

My last dinner in Rovaneimi was here, and I have to say I enjoyed it. The decor of the restaurant and attire of the waitstaff was intended to make you feel like you were in ye olde Lapland, which I could personally take or leave, but it wasn't the kind of silly, over the top stuff you see at some theme restaurants. I had the Reindeer prepared two ways, and a local dark ale, who's name I don't know. The beer was good, and the Reindeer was too! I liked the grilled better than the braised, but they were both pretty good. The menu isn't huge, but that's not a bad thing - I'd rather a restaurant do a few things good instead of a lot of things 'meh.' Would I come back? Sure!

My family and I had dinner at Nili. This restaurant came recommended to us from one of our tour guides. The place is nicely decorated and they have several authentic Finnish dishes. My son's girlfriend is Finnish and she thought that the food was a good representation of tradition fare that Fins eat at holiday time or special occasions. I was fortunate that they had bear available since it is not possible to order all the time. It was a very enjoyable experience. The stewed reindeer was a very ample portion and enjoyable. The reindeer prepared 2 was was also very good.

Glad I took Yelp advice and got a reservation. We went on a Thursday and they were turning people away. Not a large place but it is decorated wonderfully. Nice seleciton of traditional Finnish food. Staff was very nice. My kids (11 and 13) found food they liked too.

Our homage to Finnish cuisine, traditional decor and dress for the servers. good attentive service, warm and cozy atmosphere. We sat under Wilma the Bearskin, her head almost touching Pablo and she was draped over the wall.. Blini with roe, always a fave but even more delish was the zander (perch) with potatoes. All washed down with a Mondavi chardonnay and a shot of Finish Herb Vodka (liquorice). $65 euros...When in Rovaniemi at least one meal here is a must.

Lovely, high quality restaurant. Serves traditional Finnish food with a twist. A big more expensive place but worth the money.

nice food nice service，it's easy to find good location，but you'd better to make a reservation for dinner that you needn't to wait.it's a good place to enjoy the local food！

Mediocre food, paltry service and a terribly uncomfortable dining area make Nili a great disappointment for anyone thinking that the high price tag will equal a quality meal and an original Lappish experience. As a gift from my in-laws, we decided to go to Nili for our 10th Valentine's Day together and will never go back. The dining room is packed with small tables separated by tacky dividers. Packing the tables in like sardines means that you'll have either the rear-ends or crotches of the wait staff in front of your face for half off your meal. Portions are tiny, and mine was made even smaller upon discovering a hair in my food. The staff offered to compensate with a free coffee, but we declined and left to have coffee and dessert elsewhere. Having lived in Rovaniemi for nearly a decade, I can say that Nili is an over-rated, tourist trap that will leave you feeling hungry and ashamed as this restaurant isn't even among the top ten of restaurants in our city.