What I liked the most? The boat trip from Bergen :) Food was not exquisite, we had the shellfish tower (which are raw and taste the same everywhere) the bread and soup for starters were tasty and the wine was fine. Service was nice and the environment romantic (we ate during sunset) Too expensive though.

Usually I try to keep my reviews positive and focus on good things whilst pointing out any negatives for people to expect and be aware of. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to give Cornelius more than 3 stars (and I am being generous at that) the food they offer even when presented well is bland. This is fine dining for people who are not familiar with fine dining - there is nothing wrong with that but if you are looking for a fine dining experience with some flare this is not it. What you will find is the exciting gimmick of getting on a boat to a private island with a pretty restaurant and views and mediocre food along with expensive alcohol choices. The best part of the meal was the bread - it was fantastic, after that each course was sub par and disappointing and if you want a dining experience go elsewhere (sister restaurant 1877 has an exquisite experience AND menu). There is no atmosphere and you will have to wait a while to return home again, by the end of the meal we felt like we were prisoners just waiting to be let out. There is no wine menu to be found, your server (who is unlikely to speak much English) will just "recommend" you a bottle and you won't know the price until the bill comes. The surroundings and building are both all very pretty. But we came here for fresh and exciting sea food - not the trip away from Bergen. If you are unfamiliar with fine dining you will enjoy this experience very much but you are not paying for the food you are paying for the location and transport - and there is nothing wrong with that. I just believe it should be advertised as such. We would happily have paid more for a better eating experience.

Haute cuisine, fresh but not exotic ingredients, well presentation and kind staff, but cleary overprized...

A Mixed Experience at Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant My recent visit to Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant left me with mixed feelings. While I usually focus on the positives in my reviews, this one proved challenging. Let’s start with the positives. The service was undeniably friendly, and we received a warm welcome upon arrival. We were seated at a table by the window, which initially seemed great, but it was also close to the door, allowing chilly air to invade our dining experience. Surprisingly, even though the restaurant had plenty of available tables, we were not offered a better location, and we weren’t the only ones in this predicament. The evening began with a delay in receiving bread and butter, which were, admittedly, quite good. Unfortunately, this set the tone for the rest of the night. The five-course meal we had pre-ordered took an excruciatingly long time to arrive, and this became a recurring issue. While I’ve dined in numerous high-class restaurants, the food at Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant did not meet my expectations in terms of taste. The most frustrating aspect was the extended waiting times between courses. Each dish arrived at our table lukewarm, which was unacceptable considering the restaurant’s controlled environment where they know in advance what each guest has ordered. This led me to suspect that these delays were intentionally designed to encourage guests to purchase more wine or other beverages. Although I enjoyed the company and conversation with my loved one, the evening felt unbearably long. My happiest moment was when the ship arrived to take us back. Ultimately, this dining experience did not justify the high cost. While the concept of a boat trip to an island restaurant is fantastic, I recommend seeking a better dining option in Bergen. I’m torn in my rating. I’ll give three stars for the restaurant’s ambiance, interior, and the efforts of the service staff. Furthermore as it was my birthday we got a small birthday cake surprise- see pictures. However, due to the disappointing food taste, unbelievably long waiting times, and the high prices, I can only award one star for the overall dining experience.

Beautiful location, educated and friendly young staff. The owner came to my table to introduce himself and was a real gentleman to me. Delicious food worth the money spent considering that the boat service to get there from Bergen Is included.

Very unique absolutely stunning venue, the atmosphere is fantastic, and idea of the surprise diner-you don't know what's on the menu before hand until it's served- is great, dietary requirements are carefully followed. Waiters are extremely attentive have a passion and appreciation for the work they do where they do. Brilliant. If you like sea food you must visit.

From the start, it's easy to see why this restaurant is special. To get there, you have to take their comfortable boat to the island the restaurant is located on. On the boat you can get alcohol if you want to start the experience early. Once you arrive, you are seated immediately and the server is very attentive. They explain every dish which contains local seafood. The food overall was okay, nothing I thought was very special. But I enjoyed the experience. Once you are done, they give you a tour of their wine cellar, or let you just enjoy the ambiance. Because it is a 5 course meal, you are there pretty late in the evening. We didn't get back to Bryggen until about 11:30pm. Recommend trying this place if you have the time and money.

Wow! The five course menu and raw bar was astounding! The cruise started with a lovely departure from the port in downtown, and took us on a scenic tour of the surrounding rocky evergreen shores. Upon arrival, we were greeted with champagne. Our knowledgeable host educated us all on the anatomy, environment, and culinary qualities of the shellfish we were about to sample. My partner and I were positively intrigued as to how dried scallop roe could taste so dynamic as to resemble a Mediterranean spice mix! The scallops, carpet clams, mahogany clams, and smoked salmon were all delicious. They literally could not have been fresher! The first course was a creamy cauliflower purée, topped with perfectly poached muscles, toasted/salted rye, and micro greens. Normally, I don’t favor muscles but this was exceptional. A perfect balance between flavors and textures, as was the rest of the meal! Next up, we were served cured halibut with orange and squid ink hazelnuts. Also perfectly balanced. We took a break to relax and take a few pictures in the coziest nook outside at sunset. Do make sure to take a short break to do this as there won’t be time at the end. Next, we had an enormous lightly fried horse muscle topped with tender mustard grains, in a celery cream emulsion alongside tender sweet roasted celery root. Then we were treated to a perfectly butter poached hake. It melted in your mouth like Chilean sea bass. I was too full to finish it unfortunately. The meal was topped off with a decadent dessert of chocolate ganache, pineapple sorbet, coconut cream ‘caviar’ and crispy tobacco leaf’. Of course, I found a second stomach to store all of *that* away into. Our waiter was amazing, and recommended an exceptional bottle of wine for us ; a lightly oaked chardonnay that even my boyfriend fell in love with. The island itself isn’t much to explore, and there is a lot of time between courses. However, as long as you enjoy your company and the views, what is not to love?! 100% worth it! And I appreciate them accommodating our last minute request to join!

A wonderful experience from start to finish. Blessed with 3 days of pure sunshine in Bergen, this was our last night. The food was simple, fresh and healthy. The service was very good and stories from the charismatic owner topped it off brilliantly.

Such an amazing experience, food and staff! 25 min by boat from Bergen. The place is something else, quite unique and stand out. The menu is called “meteorological menu”. As the name suggests, it depends on the weather and what it is caught in the sea. The food is always fresh and everyday is a different menu. The dessert was also impressive! The chef came to our table and explains every dish and each ingredient. They also offer a good variety of mostly white wines - around 7K if I recall. The cellar temperature is maintained by the fjord which is part of the wall. It keeps an optimal temperature of 8 degrees. You can also take a tour btw courses which I highly recommend!

excellent service, excellent food. what made it more interesting was the cellar - interesting and abundant selection of finest wine! love the service by Thea, who was exceptionally attentive to us and took time to explain the menu and the wine pairing, which was merticulously done, and well done.

Overall experience was very pleasant. Boat trip makes it special and romantic. Food was unique and we liked most of the dishes. Loved the main course. Soup was tasty but it wasn’t a soup, rather a seafood bite with a thick sauce poured on it. Staff was very gentle and professional! Giving four stars instead of five because of insanely high prices for the portion size you get on plate.

Seemed like a bit of a tourist trap at first however it is one of the highlights of my trip. Amazing food and an incredible atmosphere, coupled with the owner himself taking the time to chat with every guest and share his story about the restaurant. I would recommend it to anyone.

Must try experience in Bergen. The boat ride to the island, seeing the night view of the Bergen and surrounding islands on the water, was excellent. Upon arriving, the staff were outside getting us, and the whole vibe of the restaurant on the water was breathtaking. The five-course meals were well spaces apart for soaking up the ambiance and conversations. We also tried their local cider 🤌🏻. The whole experience is about 5 hours. (30-minute boat rides x 2 and 3 hours of dining). The owner, Cornelius, came around and chatted with everyone and gave a little background of the establishment, which made the experience extra special.

This place was amazing! Compared to all the other prices in Oslo and Bergen... this place was surprisingly affordable and provided a lifetime experience! We met some of the owners and the sous chef and they were so friendly and welcoming! The waiters and the sous chef and the owners/hosts made a friendly atmosphere full of lively conversation and shared experiences! I am very weird about textures (especially meat and seafood) and I tried everything here without hesitation! The food pushes your comfort without going too far, which was very exciting and an amazing accomplishment! The wine paring was very fun and had us feeling very silly and happy ;) We were treated like royalty! They were also incredibly accommodating to my mollusk allergy (clams, oysters, etc). They ensured I had an equally amazing experiences and provided wonderful substitutions without leaving me to eat something like a chicken (which I am so thankful for)!!! Thank you all for a great night!!!! They say this place was inspiration for the movie the menu, but oh man the atmosphere and vibe was the complete opposite with the most kind, loving, passionate people! ❤️

Outstanding... Entirely memorable. The meal was excellent, the food was to die for, the service was impeccable. If you're in Bergen, it's a Must!!!

Sure, you have had many great meals over the years, but how many really stand out as unique? The 1/2 hour boat ride is a tour of the gorgeous fjords and islands, the food is fresh and inventive, the staff knowledgeable and welcoming. You won’t struggle to remember this place!!

It’s a extra special experience. You can go there by ship only and they serve you extra fresh fish food

If you love seafood and are looking for a romantic dinner, you found the spot. Only way to get there is by boat. The boat transportation is included with the meal. 5 or 7 course seafood meal. All fresh from the sea. Breads and butter are made on site. Bring your wallet, but you will not leave hungry.

It was a wholly unique and wonderful experience! The food, the service, and the setting are first-class. A perfect place to experience Norway at its very best - with life, good food, and good wine pairings. I recommend adding the Raw Bar experience, it was fun and educational.

We got on the boat at Bryggen in Bergen harbour at 18:00. The weather was low and our expectations high. Half an hour later we arrived at the restaurant. The staff showed us our table and presented us with a glass of Tatinger. The wine list were limited. Some reasonable good champagnes and other basic wines. We chose a Riesling, and thought of the delights in our wine cellar back home. The Norwegian oysters were delicious. A huge mouthful of true delight, when I got it disconnected from the shell. Islandic clams filled with halibut, saus and a pice of crisp substance did not disappoint. Refreshingly in taste and texture. The horsemussel paste were also utterly delicious. Raw scallops with shiitake mushrooms finally finished the first cause in a perfect way. Fish soup with cod and smoked salmon impressed us. The bread and butter were a perfect match. The shellfish tower arrived. Delicious scallops with cauliflower puree. Cod cheeks and islandic clams. Blue mussels, virgin lobster, crab, oysters, shrimps and bread, butter and mayonnaise. We got delightfully stuffed. The dessert was the grand finale. Pastry, chocolate caramel and a beautiful sorbet to clean the pallet. Thank you for a wonderful evening we definitely will be back.

The Cornelius is not about the food - which is nice - but the total experience. The courses are paced out. You have plenty of time to chat and have conversation. There is a wide wine selection. Service is friendly, professional and attentive. The plating is attractive. The food is nicely done. The building being on the water makes for nice views. The boat to and from adds to the total experience. You will remember this unique dinner adventure.

An amazing restaurant with true gourmet multi course meals. This place also has amazing views. Enjoy your meal while you watch the sunset. If you are in Bergen this place is not to be missed.

A really nice experience. I recommend the raw bar. Fresh shellfish opened and served by a skilled guy who also explained the different species and how to open them etc. A real experience. Food in the restaurant was also great and the wine selection huge. Best thing about the place was the combination of really good and attentive service and the nice food. I definetely recommend a visit!

It is a very charming restaurant on an island outside of Bergen. The ferry leaves from Bryggen and it takes about 30 minutes to get there. The boat trip itself is a good experience and our international guests really enjoyed it. The food was very good. The first two dishes were some kind of sashimi with other local ingredients from sea and land. The combinations of tastes in these two dishes were excellent. The third dish was a kind of seafood soup, probably sea lobster and shrimp based. Quite intense flavers, but in a good way. The forth dish, the main dish, was cod with Holland sauce and cinnamon infused cabbage. This dish was not that impressive and I felt the sauce and cabbage was a bit too much. Would be better with a bit more potatoes and other veggies and less cabbage and sauce. Cinnamon in cabbage was not that good a combination I think. The dessert was very good. The staff on the boat were very friendly. The story of the restaurant by the owner was a highlight as well. Very good storyteller! All in all we were very happy with everything!

A great dinner experience in Bergen. And if Alexei and Erik are your waiters, you are in for a special treat. The seafood is stupendous, especially the scallops and trout tartar. The wines are great. And the 🚢 ride adds to the adventure...

I went to the Cornelius restaurant with my husband and my son and the experience was great. There is great attention from the waiters who are all extremely kind and professional. The food was a journey between 5 dishes with fresh fish of the day expressed with creativity and great accuracy in the balance of flavors. Original and fresh flavors. The flavor of the fresh fish was enhanced thanks to the skilful combination of vegetables, fruits and spices in an always well balanced mix. Even the dessert was original without going too far. Magnificent experience.

We had a 5 course dinner (seafood tower). Delicious safood, beautifuly presented. Be prepared, portions are very generous. Staff was very pleasant, friendly and knowledgeable.

Guaranteed fresh seashells. Well blended fish and vegetables. Excellent services. Wide variety of wine selection. The only drawback was that you might have to wait for the ferry to send you back to Bergen.

Cannot recommend this experience enough! The boat ride over the restaurant is stunning, beautiful views of the city, fjord and a sunset toast is available. The establishment itself is a gem with pristine scenery and a lay out that provides for no bad tables. From the moment you arrive, the smiling, waving staff greeting you at the dock sets the tone for a magical evening. Do be sure to do the lecture/sea urchin tasting. Everything is fresh from their waters and, as avid seafood diners, we learned multiple new bits of info on sourcing and preparation. The five course meal is fantastic and portioned well to be filling, but not overwhelming. The whole team was lovely and a truly extra special treat was getting to hear the origination story and spend time with Alf. This is an absolute must do during your time in Bergen. We look forward to making the trip again ourselves!