Le Benjamin bar & bistro

I visited Le Benjamin the other day, and it was a truly beautiful experience from start to finish. We began by sharing bread and butter with charcuterie, along with the two daily starters: langoustine and raw marinated skrei. The langoustine was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had; perfectly cooked, delicate, and full of sweet, clean flavor. The skrei was incredibly fresh and beautifully balanced. We didn’t leave a single crumb on the plate. After that, we had the tartare, which was exceptional. The addition of beets gave it a subtle sweetness and earthiness that elevated the dish and added a very elegant touch. It was thoughtful and incredibly well executed. It wasn’t easy to choose from their wine list, as they offer a really strong selection of excellent wines. In the end, we decided on a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet to pair with our main course. For the main course, we both chose the Sole Meunière, served with a fresh fennel salad and potato purée on the side. The fish was cooked to perfection. Tender and buttery; and paired beautifully with the wine. For dessert, we shared bamsemums, which were delicious, and the chocolate soufflé with caramel and pistachio ice cream. The soufflé was the undeniable star of the night; perfectly risen, intensely chocolatey, and beautifully balanced by the caramel and the slightly nutty freshness of the pistachio ice cream. The service was splendid throughout the evening. The dishes were presented with care and attention, the pacing was excellent, and we never had to wait long. We truly felt taken care of from beginning to end. I would definitely come back.

If you like your French bistro well look no further. This is the place to go in Oslo. Great location in the hipster area of Grunerløkka with the best atmosphere and service. We love sitting in the bar and just being part of it all. Great food and always busy. So you have to have a reservation. Can’t estimated come back.

This was the one restaurant that appeared on both lists of recs and I can totally see why. I walked in and was able to get a seat at the bar where Magdalena took such great care of me and everyone else. The seabass with phi quoc chilli was outstanding. Such incredible flavors! All the wine suggestions were spot on and thanks to her recommendations, we found one great spot after another on our trip to Oslo and Bergen!

Best food in Norway, possibly one of the best dining experiences in all my travels in and out of the USA. We had the daily specials and the souffle, all cooked and seasoned to perfection! Even the house wine was impressive. Definitely try to make a reservation in advance, my partner and I were refreshing the website regularly to get our second dinner here during our 5 days in Oslo. Do not miss this place!

My go to place in Oslo when in doubt and if I can get a place. I always dine alone, but if you're more than one, try to book in advance. The service is excellent, probably the best I had in Oslo. The food is always on point, just never disappoints regardless of the menu changes. Do take the staff advise on the wine pairing, it never failed me.

Best dinner I have ever had in Oslo and I come here quite often!!! Everything has super high quality ingredients, tastes so good. We had langoustine as the starter. Duck breast with chanterelle and entrecôte as main dishes. Even the side dish potatoes cooked in duck fat is amazing!!!

One of the BEST meals I've ever had! Deliciousness langoustine appetizer, followed by perfect ribeye AND salad, plus thick potato (chips) cooked in duck fat - just ridiculous. Best meal of our entire trip to Norway!

I’ve tried this place just recently and I can that it’s one of my favorite restaurants in Oslo! All the food we had was tasty, seasoned well and cook til perfection. Nothing was boring and the wine suggested by the waiter was also pretty good. Service was very friendly and the whole experience was amazing. The bill was on the expensive side, but overall it was totally worth it. I suggest to try the crayfish, the crispy ravioli with chevre And the ice cream with crunchy almonds and salted caramel. Be sure to reserve weeks (or more) in advance because it seems they’re always fully booked.

Highly regarded by local Chefs and traveled gourmands Le Benjamin Bar & Bistro fills an important niche in Oslo thanks to not only its hearty French fare but opening hours inclusive of Sunday from 16h00 to 21h30. Family owned since its inception, a location amidst homes and businesses in Grünerløkka finding the space mostly full of locals, it is outdoors at the bar or seated at tables that guests are treated to top notch service plus a menu that changes at least monthly. Dimly lit with candles on wood tables, leather banquets offering a comfortable seat regardless of weather, diners may choose a la carte or a daily prix-fixe consisting of three courses. Known for a terroir-driven Wine list, mostly French with several offered by the glass, Sunday found Riesling with moderate sweetness well matched to good Bread and a torn Tarte Flambée topped in melted Comté plus roasted Cepes. Hard to pass up Beef Tartare or Norwegian Langoustines, the latter a daily special, suffice it to say there are no regrets when it comes to Turbot roasted until the collagen melts slightly and paired to Chanterelle Mushrooms plus Dill Butter and Leeks the plate more than justified its 465 NOK. Casual and English friendly, though service is gracious and professional, it was only after finishing several creamy Pommes Dauphine that Dessert arrived as dueling Homemade Nougatine Ice Cream and flawless French Toast caramelized over a Custard center with Raspberries and Pistachio Ice Cream.

From what I can tell, this is the place that everyone goes for a more discreet, high level dinner experience. We sat at the bar--which is very usual for us. The staff was excellent. we ordered the olives...great, but just olives in olive oil..simple is sometimes the best. Then we did the sardines, which come in a tin that is halfway rolled open. Super tasty and reminded me that this is available in most places around the world and I needed to be eating it like this more often. Sardines are great nutrient rich food, especially for those of you looking for choline. This followed by one of the stars of the evening--white asparagus In a buttery creamy, maybe a bit of light cheese as well...delicious. We ended the night with two fish dishes, the hake--very good and the poached turbot, which was off the charts exceptional. This is a must try when you visit Oslo...try to make a resy. And then if possible, try to find a spot at the bar.

Le Benjamin portrays itself as a French bistro, but it also makes some experimental dishes. We had an extensive sampling with a 5-course menu. My advice: Stick to the classics. The more classic French it is, the better they are at it. The 5-course rates as follows: eccentric grilled tuna and papaya [Rating: 5*], skate on Hollandaise [4*], confit duck on a bed of couscous with a green pea sauce. Good duck, but in combination it was a touch too heavy [3*]... You can't complete a French meal without LE FROMAGE! (comte, langre and a sharp blue cheese) [5*]. Vanilla cream with raspberries [4*], macarons (some of the best in town?) and surprisingly indulging coconut ice cream [5*].. I don't normally think much about the service, but the server was very attentive in spite of a busy afternoon. [5*] Summary: Reasonably priced French corner in Oslo for a nice outing, good wine and cheese, pushed by its trendy clientele to be a little too edgy away from a perfected old-fashioned French menu. Overall a strong 4 stars.

If you're visiting or living in Oslo and looking for a great French restaurant with a nice ambiance, fabulous wine selection, good food and great service I recommend coming to Grünerløkka and eating at Le Banjamin. This is a family owned and operated business and it shows by the way they treat their straff and customers. A lot of dishes have gluten or dairy however they can easily accomodate your needs. You can't go wrong with the fish of the day. This is a great place for parties, families or just a quiet evening out. And did i mention they have the best French Pinot in town?

Omg, so good. Came here with my work on my first day and absolutely loved our three course meal. (Menu of the day) We had open faced ravioli, duck for the main course and some berry-ish dish for dessert, all of which were fantastic. I also had their white wine recommendation and it was delicious. (Not sure about prices, but it's definitely worth it!)

This is a really lovely bistro. Free wifi. Fantastic ambience and location overlooking the river. Would certainly go back. I'd give it higher points but the prices are too high. The toastie was lovely but I'd want a little more than just cheese and capsicum for the price. Wine is pretty much on par with the rest of Oslo and the selection is acceptable. Good service. Menus in English for those uncomfortable with Norwegian but the staff are also perfectly fluent in English.

Really good food - good atmosphere - kitchen open late - creative, but firmly rooted cooking - highest quality ingredients. A Grünerløkka favorite.

If you never had French before then maybe you're think it's great. Dishes lacked balance and were over salted. Really over priced but for the amount and quality. But very good service. Serious lacked the extra something that justifies the price. Would of given it 2 1/2 stars but that's not possible.