Red Viking Restaurant

Yes, we tried Danish food! I had the combo plate with sausage and meatball, and we also tried the aebleskiver (those fluffy round pastries with jam!) sweet and fun, but I’ll admit Danish cuisine isn’t really my thing 😅 The red pepper soup though? 10/10! The restaurant was clean, cozy, and welcoming. Service was great and the vibe was awesome!

We came here for brunch because a local told us that this was THE place on Solvang to get ebelskivers (if you don't know what those are, I can't help you!) We had an excellent brunch and the ebelskivers were delish!! I completely don't understand the reviews complaining about the portions, what?? I was so full! We were all stuffed. And the prices are very reasonable. Great for a casual meal, great for families, a Solvang gem.

The Red Viking is a favorite of Locals of which I'm one. Some of my favorites are the Roast Pork, Roast Beef, Salmon, Lamb,Fried Chicken and the Deluxe Burgers The onion rings and curly fries are great, but be ready to ask for a bit of extra gravy, because it's Sooo Good. The included dinner salads and soups are top notch. They have a liquor license and serve a good, reasonably priced drink. Forgot to mention the bread. Baked locally at the Family owned Olsen's Danish Bakery. I've tried to understand some negative reviews recently regarding food and service. There was a time recently when the town was over filled with visitors. Restaurants ran out of food early in the day and none had enough staff to handle the crowd. Not a normal occurrence. This review has gotten me hungry, heading over there now, maybe I'll get some pics to attach...

Pros: good atmosphere, authentic Danish food, clean restroom Cons: long wait, inexperienced staff, bland food, small portion value Disclaimer: We visited during peak weekend lunch hours. Our experience may be different. We asked for a table for 4 and waited nearly an hour to get seated. After getting seated and placing an order for two dishes (Sausage Platter and the Scandinavia's Famous Bay Shrimp Sandwich), it took 30 minutes for food to arrive to the table. The sausages were cold, dry, and overcooked. The sandwich had terrible thawed shrimp in it, even the side of mash potato was better than the main entrée. Insane pricing for bland food. Staff constantly ignored us when we asked how much longer should we wait for a table while half the dining space was empty. People seated after us eating hot dishes got their orders before we did. Wait staff also took my plates and utensils away before I finished eating. They don't listen and seem inexperienced. Overall, pick someplace else if you really want your money's worth.

For over $40, we got two open face sandwiches with no seasoning, no flavor, just slices of deli cheese or meat. For the price, we expected better. Place was cute and staff was nice but would not go back.

I been going to Paula's for years... today I got tired of that looong wait at Paulas and gave this place a try. BEST decision! Red Viking Restrnt larger, more chairs, service is faster. Best part, Food was way better. I have Mex heritage so I tried the California Ommelette, it was Bom dot com!

The service was pretty decent and accommodating. Unfortunately the food didn't cut it. I'm very fond of this ethnicity of food and even cook it at home, so this was pretty tough to experience. The meat was all luke warm. The taste was pretty bland. For $30/plate, I'd at least expect hot food. Unfortunate.

Great food and staff. Food was flavorful, don't know what these other folks talking about food being bland - mine was seasoned as it should be my Danish standards.

This is a YES! I drove up to Solvang because I wanted to try and find a butcher or shop where I could buy some real danish liver pate or in danish, leverpostej. Sadly, as I walked around and went to shop after shop, no one really knew what I was talking about. It seemed as though the true soul of Solvang had been long forgotten... Until... I sat down inside Red Viking Restaurant. The menu listed TRUE DANISH FOODS!!! I was in Danish food heaven. I had my choice from Frikadeller to AEbeleskiver. And YES, double high five emoji, I found real homemade leverpostej. This place even had, and gave me a shot of, Aalborg aquavit!!! Massive shout out for having the higher end gold version! Fist bump emoji to the owner for that one. I had asked for no mushrooms since I'm allergic, which was no problem according to my server, but my liver pate was not served with bacon and the crunchy onions I was expecting. Instead it was served with red cabbage and potato salad. It was still delicious and I was so excited that I didn't even take a picture. I just dove right into the food. This one little danish restaurant is holding down the true origins of Solvang!!!

Such a good experience at this little Solvang Cafe! Fast and friendly for sure! I had alot of "adatations" to my meal- they were quick to accommodate! Its kiche- perfect to duck in and get warm and have a bite! Service up traditional food but they had no idea what cheese bread was) The autumn sou was a little spicy but everyone loved it! The traditional beef plate had homemade mashed potatoes, red cabbage slaw, a salad and a smile! We will be back!

Having a great meal in Solvang is so much more than good food. It's the warm atmosphere and friendly environment that creates wonderful memories when visiting Solvang. Good old fashioned menu options are the only challenge you will experience. Fast service and hot, tasty food will make the table quiet as you enjoy the food.

Home-cookin'! That's what we got during our visit to the Red Viking: familiar comfort food that feels like it came straight out of your grandma's kitchen. Hearty vegetable beef soup, meatballs (Swedish or Danish), sausage and sauerkraut, mashed taters...what's not to love? The Red Viking is a humble little establishment that apparently has been here in Solvang for quite a while, and after our meal here, it's easy to see why. The food is unassuming, understated...but fantastic. It's hard to articulate, but the feelings that washed over me as I was enjoying my meal reminded me of Thanksgivings at my grandma's house, surrounded by family...back when we had one, anyway. It was a wonderful feeling, and the fact that the food here was able to transport me to a time and place so far away, and in the past...that's pretty special. I'm sure some people won't have a clue what I am talking about, and probably won't see the modest fare being served here as being anything special...but for those of us who DO get it, a dinner at the Red Viking is more than just a meal: it's also a memory. A good one.

I've been to Solvang probably two dozen times and had never eaten here, only had my son take photos with the wooden Viking out front. We stopped in today for lunch. Restaurant was clean, the service was friendly, and the food was good! They have a paper placemat with some interesting information to read while waiting, as well as decorations on the walls. We ordered aebelskivers to start. I love the raspberry sauce that's pured in top. I had the roast beef sandwich with au jus and a side of potato salad. The roast beef was thinly sliced, had a nice au jus to dip, and the roll was delicious! I enjoyed the potato salad, it was very creamy. My son ordered the Knud sausage sandwich which came on the same delicious roll, with sauerkraut and he had a side of fries. It was a good choice!

We wanted to try danish food and figured this would be the best place to go. Staff were friendly and helpful. I got the red pepper soup and it was delicious and creamy, just like warm, I wish it were warmer. I got the danish meatballs. They were fine, nothing special. This is a fun place to visit for a danish experience.

It's 3 pm, most of the restaurant are closed, but The Red Viking is opened. So we decided idea to eat here. We have our fur baby with us, we weren't sure if they would let us in. But they have no problem with that. They put us toward the back of the restaurant away from other customers which is totally understandable. We ordered a Reuben Sandwich with coleslaw and a Beef Dip with Fries. Both sandwiches were good. The coleslaw and fries were good!!! Server was attentive. Would definitely come back.

We came here for brunch because a local told us that this was THE place on Solvang to get ebelskivers (if you don't know what those are, I can't help you!) We had an excellent brunch and the ebelskivers were delish!! I completely don't understand the reviews complaining about the portions, what?? I was so full! We were all stuffed. And the prices are very reasonable. Great for a casual meal, great for families, a Solvang gem.

Probably never going to eat here again unless I'm desperate and hungry. This restaurant is in Solvang next to many shops and a few other places to eat. I just wanted to add that there aren't that many places to eat in Solvang. The only reason why we came to this restaurant was because the wait times were very long at the other restaurants and I couldn't find a reservation anywhere nearby. Solvang was filled with visitors that day so maybe I came on a wrong day? My family and I were seated immediately. Unfortunately, it took an hour for the waitress to hand us a menu and another hour for our food to come. My daughter ordered the beef with onions. When they served it, there were 3 pieces of beef and nothing but onions. She was disappointed. I ordered the sausage with sunny side egg, with pickled cabbage. It was very bland. No seasoning? I tried to like the food, but the horrific wait time, small portions, bad service, and bland food just didn't sit right with me. We ended up leaving hungry. At least I tried.

The Red Viking was our 2nd option after the Solvang Restaurant. It had no lines and less than a 20 minute wait. I now know why.. food was pretty mid and portions were okay. I had a couple family members order a sampler and captain which came with soup and bread. The servers had forgotten about it until we asked. Safe to say, we'll just wait for 1 hour for Solvang Restaurant.

Extremely slow service and long wait for food. I was served a drink with a bug in it, they replaced it (thank god) but still gross. They are not understaffed, they just intentionally avoid tables/eye contact when they don't want to serve you yet. Other guests sat around us had a very similar experience. Would not come here again.

Solvang offers many restaurants to dine at and my parents and I stumbled upon Red Viking for lunch. The restaurant looks small but you'll realize there's an area in the back with more seating tables. The host was kind and explained the menu to us as it was our first time dining. We wanted to experience Danish food so we ordered the Liver Pate, Sausage Platter, and a Sandwich which had Danish sausage. Judging the food based from a perspective of my culturally diverse background, the food tasted good, but was bland in flavor. The pate was good, sausages tasted like sausage, onions and peppers tasted like.. well onions and peppers. Not to say it tasted bad, it just tasted like what it was. I'd definitely come here again for the experience of eating Danish food, also after doing research about Denmark and Danish food, you'll learn that the cuisine was rooted in peasant dishes. Don't judge a dish by its flavor but appreciate the culture that it came from!

Meatballs and mashed potatoes were delicious! The ground beef with egg on top was also quite tasty. First time having red cabbage- was not disappointed. The red pepper soup was amazing. Decor is very welcoming and staff was very attentive. Def worth a stop. Only drawback - strange for sure; but they should pick better background music. More authentic would be appreciated as much as I love Ton Loc playing the Funky Cold Medina; better experience with actual music from the Motherland.

This place was pretty slow today. Got seated had their main four meals with alcohol margarita. Good was good. Service was good. Good setup for tables

The food was great and the portions are a good amount. The servicer was quick with the drink refills. If you haven't been here you should definitely try it.

Loved that we didn't need to wait for a table. The servers were great and checked on us often. I had a turkey sandwich on sourdough and while I'm used to my bread being toasted, this was a pleasant surprise. I could tell everything was freshly made and that makes a huge difference in the taste. My fiancé had the French dip and couldn't stop raving at how delicious it was and that we HAD to make this a place to stop at on our next visit. They offer a full bar too. It's really small but fully stocked! The restaurant was very clean too and they give you a little complementary bag of cookies with your bill.

Nothing wrong with this place. The food is great for lunch. And the staff is very friendly. The princess cake is absolutely phenomenal...DO NOT SKIP THE PRINCESS CAKE! Giving this one 3.5 stars. Give it a try if it's not too busy.

First time visiting Solvang and came across this restaurant. Never had danish food and this was a lovely experience. The staff was welcoming and accommodating. Will definitely visit again !

The Food was good but the service was horrible. Horrible They took our order then the food is sitting on the counter. We had to ask for it We never saw anyone agin until we finally asked for the bill

Our waitress was nice. The Food was tasty but the portions were too small for the price. The hot open sandwich was like a large cracker with a small sausage sliced in half. The potato skins was 3 tiny slices of a small potato. The toppings looked good but were bland. Would not return.

I just ordered the aebleskiver here but the staff were so friendly and were really nice! The aebleskiver were really good with the raspberry jam! And the ambiance is nice as well we sat in front of the restaurant!

Food was served warm. Didn't seem fresh. My husband and I ordered combination plates with sausage and meatballs. My daughter ordered a hot dog. Not sure how you can mess that up but she didn't like it and either did we. We used to love coming here and food was better. Must be under new management.

This is the only Danish restaurant open midweek after 6 pm. Since I am only familiar with Ikea and cruise ship Danish dishes, I felt I had to eat at a Danish restaurant in a Danish town. Service was great - felt welcome; staff was friendly; wanting to please; clean and well lited; and hostable. I told them I only had an hour to eat. They took my order and I was done within an hour. The marinated red cabbage was absolutely delicious - great mixture of the vinegar and spices. I ordered the combo of one sausage and one meat ball that came with a soup, a bread basket, mashed potatoes and gravy. Gravy and potatoes were on the thick side - not creamy nor fluid like. The portion was ample. I took out an order of aebleskiver because I wanted to know what it was like. Aebleskiver are puffy Danish pancake balls. Mine was quite disappointing. The three balls ($4.95) weren't fluffy. I felt it was super condense with no taste. I only had one bite and threw the rest away.

Came here for a Saturday lunch on a gloomier day, and there were plenty of seats inside! I've been wanting to try this restaurant every time I drove up to Solvang. The ambience is homey and service was good. I ordered a Danish sandwich (first one on the menu), which seamed to have a meatball in it, some lettuce, and red cabbage. It was served with potato salad and a slice of red beat. To be honest, I wasn't that impressed-- the bread seemed a little hard/gamey and the portion was quite small. However I'm also not well-versed in Danish food, so that might play a factor! The American sandwiches might be better portion-wise. That being said, our table also ordered some aebleskiver for dessert, and it was so delicious! It was still warm and fresh, so soft and the jam went so well with it. I would recommend getting them for sure!

One of the only places that didn't have a line out the door. We didn't have time on our trip to wait all morning for breakfast so we decided to give it a shot. The reviews weren't the best but we tried it anyways. Service was great and staff were friendly. Food was good as well. I wouldn't say this place was anything to write home about but nothing negative to say about it. Quick, good and fair priced in a small town. My wife did love her Bloody Mary actually, so that's a win!

People should consider the harm they do before leaving bad reviews. Running any business is hard to do and i believe it's especially difficult for a restaurant in a tourist town. This restaurant deserves many more five stars than it gets. Seven days a week The Red Viking Restaurant opens earlier and closes later than just about any business in Solvang. Staff was pleasant and courteous. The wait was reasonable and the food was very good (a perfect Reuben sandwich with perfect onion rings on the side). Well deserved five stars!!!

I've never had Danish food before other than the similar IKEA meatballs so I was really excited to try the food here. We arrived around 1 p.m. and it was already half full. It's definitely a cozy Mom-and-Pop looking like restaurant. Our servers were all super nice and checked up on us often. I want to give a shoutout to the girl who was hosting, she was not only hosting, but also taking orders, cleaning tables, and running checks. Our order was the combination plate and the sampler. The combination plate had a sausage, meatball, mash potato, gravy, pickled cucumbers, and cabbage. I thought it was all very good. Tasted like your standard IKEA dish and the portion was pretty decent. The sample was your All American kind of sampler with onion rings, wings, and cheese curds. I'd probably skip that if I were you.

Hunger struck at an inconvenient moment, at the height of the lunch hour during Solvang's busy season. The bakery danishes had worn off and this place was the only option with a wait that was less than an hour. Allegedly. We were initially told it would be 45 minutes but it was closer to an hour and a half. When we were finally seated the service was fine. I enjoyed reading the history on the menu. For such a long standing staple, I expected at least standard greasy spoon quality. The food was disappointing, worst than Denny's. Sidebar: Due Credit. One of our kids enjoyed the kids pasta with marinara. The end.

Stopped in for lunch. Nice restaurant, walked in solo, and just told to take a seat! I like being able to choose my own table. Service was excellent! I picked a plate that came with a ground sirloin, topped with an egg. Sides were cucumbers and some sort of red cabbage slaw. A bit too sweet for my taste. The mashed potatoes and gravy were delicious! I loved the included soup of red pepper as well. Came with a platter of bread and butter too. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

We had a last minute ladies get together that grew two more than we had expected. The management and staff at the Red Viking accommodated us very well. The waitress took care of 23 of us with a calm and cheerful spirit. The young men from the kitchen, who delivered the dishes to the tables and fulfilled the additional requests that were made as they passed by. The food wasn't particularly fancy, but it was good and wholesome. We all had a wonderful time.

We stopped in for dinner on a Saturday during a consistent dinner rush. The combination plate was delicious! The cucumber salad was a cool balanced side to complement the warm red cabbage & potatoes. The meatball was a bit dry, but the sausage was savory. My only critique is for the staff. We were greeted and our order was taken right away, however our server only checked in with us once after being served & forgot to bring out my beverage & extra side I ordered. Upon getting our receipt, we were charged for everything we ordered but didn't get everything brought out.. Aside from the service, the food was delicious! Plan ahead, as this place gets full for dinner & you may have to wait.

When in Solvang...one must try the specialty food of the country. If you're a foodie and enjoy trying different foods then great but I'm not so I can't say I enjoyed this dish as much as I'd hope to. The starter was actually really good though! The red roasted peppers soup was so flavorful and delicious along with the sourdough bread. I decided to give the combination meal a try. It was the meatball with sausage, red cabbage and mash potatoes. The sausage I didn't care for, especially because of the thick skin layered, it was too chewy for me. The meatball flavor was ok. I was able to eat that along when the mashed potatoes and gravy that gave it a good flavor. They pickled cucumber was actually really good! I edited that a lot but not the red cabbage. Thinking it was going to be pickled and cold, turned out to be warm cabbage and I didn't like it at all. Overall the service was ok. The restaurant itself is fairly large and because it was later in the evening, the restaurant wasn't that packed so I didn't have to wait long. It's a good place for any size party. One of the local favorites, if you're a foodie wanting to try a bit of Denmark, then definitely check it out. They do offer other traditional food items as well if you're not wanting to try something different.

Yikes! Do not go here. Just don't. But if you find yourself stupid one day and you're in this restaurant, be forewarned that this food is not very good. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was because the whiskey sour was good. It probably benefited from being made fresh to order unlike the food. We ordered the roast pork dinner and the meatball dinner. Came with soup or salad. We both opted for the salad which wasn't bad but it was just a pile of greens with maybe 4 slices of red onion. Not much to it. The entrees arrived lukewarm at best. Roasted pork seemed like a day old or so...dry and not fresh tasting. The meatballs were a bit chilled in the middle. The accompanying red cabbage was soggy and old tasting. Mashed potatoes came with one scoop and maybe a teaspoon of gravy. Both lukewarm. French fried onions and pickled cucumbers completed the sadly plated entree. There was a basket of cold bread and it wasn't very good. Service was fine. We could not wait to leave and didn't finish our meals. Interior seems old and tired, a bit like the food. We cannot recommend this place.

The positive: They have outdoor seating right in the heart of downtown, so you get a good view of the charming Danish town as you eat. The negative: Unfortunately, other reviewers are correct about the mediocre food.

Every time we visit Solvang, we come here. It is located in middle of Copenhagen street, very convenient after exploring around. Food is tasty and service is awesome!!

Wonderful food! I love the red pepper soup and Danish meatballs. They also have great service.

We had some tasty danish inspired dinners here in this quaint but lively little restaurant. The bread served, especially the flatbread, was very appetizing, and we were happy to learn something about danish cuisine! Can't go wrong with our entrees. Meatballs and patties, very delicious. Thank you for the great service

Great breakfast spot right on the main street in Solvang! Cozy, classic atmosphere with a solid menu and friendly service.

Plan B as we were hoping to try the Chicken Pot Pie at the Irish bar but service was slow and understaffed. We were window shopping and either the owner or another patron waved us in to try it out. Quaint establishment, casual diner-like and family friendly. Never had Danish food that I could recall, so thankfully, there was a burger on the menu, a safe choice for a particular tteen boy. He said it was great. Hubs and I shared the Combo plate which consisted of a meatball, sausage, red cabbage and mashed potato with gravy. Loved it and we will definitely be back.

Service was friendly, located off the main street in Solvang with street parking only. Place seemed clean. This review is ONLY for the pancake balls (Aebleskivers), which we picked up to go. They were just ok for me. They were made to order, so we got them piping hot. It's hard to find fault with freshly baked goods, I suppose. But I don't feel they're quite worth the hype and the cost. I gave more stars for the good feel of the restaurant and service.

There was 4 of us and three of us enjoyed the 4 tasty sausage plate with red cabbage and sauerkraut plus mashed potatoes. I was born and raised in Germany so the various tasing sausage were a welcome treat. Red cabbage had a nice flavor. Service was excellent and the seating comfortable.

Went on a weekday and while the food is filling it seems far from good. Not sure how close to authentic Danish food this is. The meatball sandwich: bland meatballs, a single lettuce slice which caused everything to slide off. This is the main reason for two stars. Consider skipping all open faced sandwiches here. The potato salad, lightly flavored. The sausage plate: sausages were lightly seasoned, mashed potatoes were ok although the gravy was very light in flavor, the red cabbage sweet, and the pickles were possibly best. The veggie soup was normal and heavy on the tomato taste, accompanying bread slices just ok. The service was fast since there weren't many customers during a weekday lunch. The atmosphere felt cozy in an old fashioned kind of way.

Visited the Red Viking in Solvang, California, based on local recommendations. The outdoor seating and quaint storefront set a charming vibe. The staff was friendly, though not overly so. Ordered the roast beef Danish sandwich, not realizing it was an open-faced dish. While the food wasn't bad, it fell short of my expectations. The elderly couple next to us enjoyed their meal, making me wish I'd ordered what they had. Service was average, and the restaurant's Viking-themed decor added to the atmosphere. Appreciated the cleanliness of the restaurant. Giving it three stars--decent but not exceptional. I question if my letdown was due to high expectations or the restaurant's performance. If you visit, share your thoughts--was it me or the restaurant?

I would've given this place a 5-star review but, the main problem was that our pancakes were undercooked. The service was good and our waiter was funny. I got the breakfast sandwich and it was super delicious so I think it was a fair and deserved 4-star review from me.

Spent a day in Solvang with friends. We had lunch here and the food was good and the staff were friendly. Our food was good but I think a little expensive for the amount of food you get. My pieces of fish were kind of small. Overall a good place to eat in the main Solvang area.

Awesome customer service! The host was extra sweet and kind! Thank you ! Definitely coming back for a Danish Breakfast!

This place was easy to get seated and I was hungry. The visitors center suggested this place and it was desirable because it had German, Danish and American food. Something for every one. I ordered the Rueben sandwich and instead of fries, got the side of fried cheese curds (which are not in the menu). Food came and it looked good. I'll start with the Cheese Curds. Definitely a good pick!! Great taste and you get a lot of them. But the Rueben was very disappointing. The corned beef was super dry. Even with the cheese and sauerkraut, it was floppy, hard and dry. Not appealing at all. I was hungry so I ate half of it, but I definitely would NOT order it again. We were going to order dinner Ableskivers but decided against it after the terrible Reuben. We will walk down the street and get those somewhere else. Service was okay. Nothing extraordinary. Will not be back. Oh and their bathrooms are gross! Water all over the floor.

We decided to road trip up to Solvang for a fay during MLK Jr weekend and was looking for a family-friendly Danish restaurant, and Red Viking checked the boxes! The food is very mid. Having lived traveled to the Nordic countries often, I get that by the American palate, the food can taste a bit bland. That's OK for me as that is the way the food tends to be prepared. The red cabbage is sweet (with cooked apples, I think). The mashed potatoes and gravy are standard, tastes fine. The sausage, while not with a whole lot of seasoning, is what it is. Actually, the split pea soup was the one thing that I thought was surprisingly good, but overall most items were OK. Two things in what we ordered were not great. Some of my daughter's meatballs were burnt... with a very inedible, crispy outer shell, like they had been in the pot/pan for too long. Additionally, my roast pork had obviously been roasted and then pan seared, and overly so where it was dry. And all that I could assume is that it was probably pan seared because it was old. If the food tasted fresher and closer to made to order, this would easily be a 4 to 5 star review. Service was great, but maybe under-staffed. The restaurant is centrally located and convenient, but it is showing its age. Prices are reasonable without feeling like a total tourist gouge. It's a solid choice to eat, especially if you are looking for Danish food. Just maybe don't go in with high expectations.

Delicious authentic Danish food. Amazing pumpernickel bread. Large kids menu. Short wait for lunch on a very busy Saturday. The nice servers got our table ready very quickly. They also have Vegan options. Great service. Large portions and everything is made fresh.