Restaurant Kuu

Cozy Finnish restaurant with a slightly outdated interior, but the food makes up for it. The menu is simple, yet everything we tried was fresh and tasty. Friendly service and fair prices. A solid place to visit with friends or family. Recommend

I had an outstanding dinner here. The salmon soup was rich and comforting. The reindeer fillet was perfectly cooked, tender, and beautifully balanced with its sides. I finished with the panna cotta, which was smooth, delicate, and the ideal ending to the meal. Everything was delicious, the atmosphere warm, and the service genuinely welcoming. A memorable dining experience from start to finish. Highly recommended!

This was our only dinner in Helsinki and we're so happy we chose this place. Our server Timo was a superstar, as he was so professional, friendly, and with great recommandations of food and drinks. The atmosphere was very laid-back and the place was packed! My wife started with their famous smokey salmon soup which she loved, and I went with the reindeer tartare which was incredible! For my main course I opted for the Artic Char, which was perfectly cooked! My wife had the reindeer steak which was so tender and absolutely delicious! For dessert we shared the cranberry chocolate cake, which was our least favorite dish there. The wine was really good and the complimentary raspberry sorbet was fantastic! Thank you to Timo for such excellent customer service and for the incredible food we had!

Absolutely amazing experience. The service was top-notch, and the waiters were super friendly and attentive. The predefined menu packages were awesome, and I really liked that you could swap dishes between different menus if you wanted. The wine package was really, really good and matched perfectly with the food. I would love to come back here again. Highly recommended.

After a full day of training, our brains were running on fumes and flip‑chart ink—so naturally we did the only sensible thing: we migrated to Helsinki in search of carbs, comfort, and the kind of lighting that doesn’t scream “PowerPoint.” That oasis turned out to be restaurant Kuu, booked as part of Dinner, restaurant information added (yes, we were organized enough to reserve a table—growth mindset!). We were nine in total, and booking ahead was a very wise move. When we arrived at 18:00, the place looked calmly civilized—almost suspiciously quiet—like it was politely waiting for us to stop talking about processes and start talking about potatoes. Within no time, though, most tables filled up and the room shifted into that perfect “busy but not chaotic” energy. The staff were friendly from the start, and the interior felt classy without trying too hard—basically the restaurant equivalent of “smart casual.” We went for the set menus, and I chose the Helsinki menu (a decision I stand by with the confidence of someone who has survived an all‑day course). The food was seriously delicious, and the wine pairings played along beautifully—no awkward “why does this taste like regret?” moments. Meanwhile, a couple of colleagues tried the reindeer, and the verdict was unanimous: tender, delicately seasoned, and absolutely worth the hype. Prices felt fair for the quality—premium, but not “do I need to expense my dignity?” premium. Final verdict: If you’ve had a long Tuesday and your brain is still buffering from training, Kuu is exactly where you go to reboot: warm hospitality, great food, and enough atmosphere to make you forget the phrase “action items” for at least an hour. Would happily return.

Kuu menu (64€): Traditional smoked salmon soup - Good. Reindeer fillet with celeriac puree, mushrooms and blackcurrant sauce - Not bad. Tender. Swedish cheese with house jam - Good. Coffee panna cotta with cognac mousse and pear compote - Good.

“They make an absolutely incredible smoked salmon soup. It was so delicious that I asked for a second bowl. The soup probably contained milk or cream. The fresh spring onions inside added a wonderful layer of flavor. The trout was also quite delicious. The waiters were very polite and friendly as well.”

Don’t have a lot of experience when it comes to Finnish cuisine, so I’ll give a touristic perspective :) I really liked this place! We had salmon soup and reindeer fillet and they both tasted great. Also the bread was good. Service was friendly and nice. Definitely recommended!

We had a reservation at 9:30 pm. The restaurant was right in the middle of a park. You wouldn't know there was a restaurant there unless you are familiar with it. My cousin was excited to dine here and was looking forward to the experience. We still had to wait despite arriving on time. The place was cozy but too dark for my liking. We were given menus but I couldn't even read it as it was too dark! The server placed an unlit candle on the table and went away. It was a few minutes until she came back and lit our candle to see the menu. We were just having some appetizers as it was quite late already for a heavy dinner. We ordered beef tartare, Mussels in wine sauce, patatas bravas, and grilled octopus. We also both had cocktails. Not impressed with the food and the service. The beef tartare was not cold enough so it tasted a bit off. The sauce in the mussels was quite good but the mussels itself were too small or overcooked. The patatas bravas came cold. I'm like, really? It was like getting fries at a McDonalds and waiting til you get home to eat it. The kitchen was just a few steps from our table! The octopus was tender and that was about it. Such a disappointment.

Phenomenal experience! Picked this spot based off the variety and prices were pretty good. We had outstanding service from a very sweet server and incredibly delicious food. Got the autumn course meal which was rabbit rillette followed with slow cooked moose then cheese with jam and finished with chocolate ganache dessert. The rabbit was ok but the rest were outstanding. My friends got the reindeer, meatballs, and liver which were all incredibly delicious also (I actually preferred the taste of all 3 of these over the moose but had to try moose since it's rare to find). If I were to go back I'd get the goat cheese salad followed with the reindeer main course. You won't be disappointed!

This was probably our favorite meal in Helsinki. A friend and I wanted to treat ourselves to a special meal, and this was it! The decor feels antiquey and gives the whole place a very cozy ambiance. We tried many dishes including the Russian pancake (so delicious), an amazing creamy soup, the reindeer (amazing), and the meatballs (also good). We also had two desserts, which were both light and tasty. The service was great, the food was great, I would highly recommend a visit!

Hands down, the best restaurant of our entire trip. Absolutely outstanding service, our waiter was fantastic; very knowledgeable and gave us great suggestions about the menu. The food and drinks were delicious, from the homemade bread and butter to the stellar salmon soup to the entrees. I ordered the meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries and it was fantastic. My friend got the reindeer and I snuck a bite; it was tender and tasty. Dinner is an experience at this restaurant and served at a leisurely pace, so don't go in expecting a quick meal. If you're looking to enjoy some traditional Finnish dining I highly recommend giving Kuu a visit.

Out of the way spot that features some great Finnish dishes. Reasonably-priced and, if, as I did, you have an eating companion that's not that hungry, you can split the Menu Kuu and get plenty that way.

This was absolutely a five star dining experience. We appreciated the ambiance and friendly service. The homemade breads and butter were a pleasant start to the meal. We ordered wine along with entrée items from the multiple course menu. I picked the one that was approx $60 USD. The salmon soup was the best I ever had. As a main course, the reindeer fillet was incredible. It was very tender and cooked perfectly. This was one of the most unique entrées I have ever had and some thing I would definitely have again. The celeriac and vegetables on the plate paired very nicely with the meat and sauce. It was picture perfect with just the right amount of seasoning to taste. The following course was fresh local cheese and jam, then followed lastly by a chocolate dessert.

Lucky we got to dine here on our trip before they temporarily close for awhile! The food is amazing and the service was very friendly! We got the Kuu special that comes as a set meal and every dish was absolutely delicious! We will never forget this meal!

We came here on a night out with friends we were visiting! The place is located in a more established neighborhood and has been in business since 1966 - legitimately half of the time that Finland has been a country! Reservations were recommended for our group so we made some a few weeks out. We were seated promptly and our orders taken shortly thereafter. Great wine list, good beers and only a couple mixed drinks - many of which were gin heavy. The classic cocktail of gin with cranberry and rosemary was nice but tastes too much like chewing on a juniper for my taste. For Gin lovers, I imagine it was awesome! They have a la carte options as well as 4 course set menus that offer classic Finnish dishes. A nice touch was the fact that we didn't all have to order the same menu! We shared the Kuu menu and the Helsinki menu. Both included meats, cheese and a legit dessert! My best half and I shared lamb belly, reindeer, pike perch and salmon soup. All were phenomenal! The lamb and salmon dishes were particularly lovely. The desserts were equally excellent and in my mind made the difference for the dinner. The blueberry pie and almond cake with birch sap was delicious. Great finishing dishes! The dinner took about 2 hours and was done at a very nice pace. It was as good of a dinner as we could have hoped for. Great place to check out some solid takes on classic dishes!

I was told about this place sometime ago by a friend in town and we decided to check it out. Established in 1966 it's been around a while and a sort of an establishment in Helsinki. They also tell you that when you get here ;-) Their menu for the evening was a choice of a la carte or a set menu consisting of four courses and each set menu had a variation of dishes from the a la carte menu. The wine list is fairly big and has a good selection of European and new world wines. The set menu starts at €45 and upwards. We settled for the Helsinki menu which was a reindeer pate, fish, cheese and dessert. The reindeer pate was fabulous and I was so looking forward to my main. The dishes arrived one after the other with minimal breaks which I must admit was a bit too quick for me. Our main arrived 60 seconds after we finished our starter so no time to take a small break. The poached fish with a caviar sauce was a bit disappointing and lacked flavour. The fish was beautifully cooked but lacked taste. The cheese course was lovely but the chocolate fondant was disappointing and did not go with the passionfruit ice cream at all. Such combinations have to be perfect and this was far from it. Both of us had the exact same view of the dessert and main as we both had the same menu. Staff are very nice and friendly and service was good. I wouldn't hurry back here as there are plenty of places in town with better food. All in all an ok experience.

Wow! Just, wow! This is the best meal I've had in Finland. I lived in Tampere and visited all over Finland at least 6 times when I did not live here. (We now live in Canada ) What a phenomenal experience! The food was amazing, the wine was amazing, and the pre-dinner cocktail was amazing, and the staff were amazing. Need I say more?! I had the the reindeer filet, others in our party had the liver and the fish. All dishes were spectacular. Do yourself a favour and make yourself reservations today!

I dined at this restaurant with my partner and we had a good time. The interior is quite modest and cosy, with a warm appearance. Staff were very friendly and service was good. One of the entrees we ordered were outstanding, that being the beef carpaccio. Words cannot describe the sensation of eating it! There were many textures and flavours in it. It was crisp but beautifully tender when bitten into, it was very fresh, it tasted sweet but salty with the vinaigrette, it had added crunch with the crushed nuts. The whole thing just melts in your mouth. The mains we had were the reindeer fillet with braised barley salad and port wine sauce, while my partner had the entrecote. The reindeer was very tender and tasty with the port wine sauce. It was cooked perfectly. However, I wasn't a fan of the barley salad, and didn't feel that it went well with the reindeer fillet because the textures clashed too much. The barley was a bit chewier. The entrecote was nice, but a little on the salty side. The desserts we had were also quite nice and balanced. Though it is on the pricy side, I overall enjoyed experiencing a slice of Finnish cuisine at this restaurant.

What can I say, this place was highly recommended and deservedly so. Excellent and attentive service, amazing bread (seriously, I don't say that lightly) and truly exquisite and creative courses that stun both the eye and tastebuds. I can heartily recommend a visit here, you won't be disappointed!

This is a very small restaurant and is very fancy. Probably one of the nicer ones in Helsinki. It's very pricey. You'll spend about $40 to $50 dollars in yourself. They only have a few items on the menu so not a lot of variety. They do each item well though. The service is very slow. We were there waiting 20 min to order, 30 for the food, and about 30 for the check. Very slow but a good authentic experience.

So sorry, Kuu. I heard you were Fantastic. And I wanted to like you more but left feeling disappointed. Here's why: - Portions were small (even for European standards). Some of us left hungry. And one of us needed a post-midnight snack. That said, the flavors were good overall (great butternut pumpkin risotto) -- but for what you get, it's just not worth the hefty price tag. - Service was Slow. Wait staff was friendly, occasionally forgetful (they'd forgot our bread request), and would disappear for long stretches of time. And this being when the restaurant was only half-full.

Kuu is a traditional restaurant run by the owners of equally good (or perhaps even a touch better) restaurant Carelia. This is a typical neighborhood restaurant focusing on traditional Nordic dishes and produce. It is not the place to go to experience new, innovative or cutting-edge cuisine but they do offer very well prepared food. Service is also very nice and flexible. On our recent visit I did bot find anything that really was to my liking among the starters but they very nicely offered to make the beetroot and blue cheese risotto from the mains into a starter. S opted for the goat cheese salad. We were almost equally pleased bit I would say that the risotto probably was a bit sharper. From the mains we enjoyed the lovely reindeer as well as the garlicky lamb. Both dishes perfectly executed. Staff of impressed greatly with fantastic wine pairings. The wine list is not huge but carefully selected and the champagne (Pierre Gimonnet Cuvée Fleuron 2006) we had as an aperitif was really excellent. Actually we were too full for dessert but still managed to share the vanilla ice cream with berries - simple but good. All in all a great place. What I may say is that to be a neighborhood restaurant it may be a bit on the pricey side to come every week but the quality is also very good.

Treat yourself! So I'm an American, and while I've traveled internationally a lot, this is my first trip to finland and Helsinki. I ended up at the Crowne plaza and hit up YELP for local help. I wandered into Kuu with no reservation about 7pm on a Sunday evening. The guys were polite even though they were almost full and found me a seat for one. I asked for a recommendation even though that usually means the financial works. I got the smoked salmon, reindeer, cheese and ice cream dessert to finish. I must say it was excellent. The smoked salmon was in a cream sauce with little potatoes. Unbelievable! I don't think I've ever had reindeer but it tasted like a fine filet of beef. It was over a nice bed of seasoned rice. I'm not a cheese expert but it was a nice Brie with the sweet berry and drizzle. The dessert was excellent. Strawberry sorbet with pistachio cake. The package deal was 51euro; add a glass of 11e red wine and your looking at 62eu for the works .... And worth every cent for the experience ! Not bad for my first finish meal!

Outstanding food, excellent service. A place for special guests and special occasions.

Reading all the wonderful reviews and then experiencing something mediocre made me quite disappointed. I ate reindeer fillet as a main dish and the cheese platter for dessert. The reindeer meat was very tasty and tender, but the side components were quite boring. The plate felt as if it came from the STONE AGE, it was so lame. A few additional vegetable components with a crunchy texture would have made all the difference. The cheese plate was also quite unimpressive, there was nothing interesting about it. Considering the price levels I would have expected more. A friend of mine said in Kuu's defence that they have the best salmon soup in town, perhaps I'll give it a try. Moreover, some of the table company ordered the 'namalake' dessert, which looked really nice and got compliments - I think that's something more worth ordering than the cheese platter.

In the mood for traditional Finnish food? This place hit the spot. It had a very homey, warm feeling, great staff, and a good selection of food for affordable price. Amazing Finnish soup and reindeer meat on a bed of mashed potatoes. It could not have been better!

The reindeer was literally the best steak I've ever had. The service is incredible and prices are very reasonable. Highly recommend

This restaurant came highly recommended by a few, and this might have played a role in my slightly-dashed hopes. Nothing, by any stretch of the imagination, was bad about this dining experience, provided one can overlook the absolute lack of sense of any humor displayed by the waitstaff. However, nothing at all was as awe-inspiring as Th recommendations might have suggested. The smoked salmon soup was exactly what you'd expect. Well-made but unsurprising. The poached whitefish is best described as "sufficient". An unassuming dinner that left me satiated but didn't challenge my senses or sense of satisfaction: definitely something I can't complain about, in an evening where I'd hoped to be raving.

A few young women,whom we met in the sauna, together agreed that our first Finnish dinner should be at Kuu. We found the resto easily, just behind the Crown Plaza hotel. My friend had reindeer, and found it to be tender, and almost reminiscent of elk. The lingonberry duck was delicious. We stayed on the covered patio despite a sprinkling of rain. Kuu means moon, but there was none of that this night. Instead, we wrapped in felt blankets,offered to all diners. Our waiter called for a car to take us back to our hotel. (heart) Helsinki !

This was one of the best meals we had in Finland. We went there for dinner and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The menu is modern and the cuisine is really refined. I like how the integrate some Scandinavian touch to some classical dishes. The reindeer filet we had was tender and soft, the smoked salmon soup just a great combination of flavours and the dessert delicious. For the quality that is offered prices are really good.

Really great place to eat! Excellent service and friendly staff. They found me a seat in a busy Sunday night without any reservation... Excellent food!