Mikko

Mikko’s is one of my family and my favorite restaurants. We have dined-in, take out, and gotten catering for small parties and big holidays. The food and the service is wonderful and our guests are always excited about eating authentic Finnish and Scandinavian cuisine. I highly recommend trying Mikko’s because we go there regularly and will be back soon.

Stopped in for dessert on a recent evening. I sat inside at the counter / bar next to the food prep area (like at a sushi bar). There is also plenty of seating outside, if you'd prefer and if weather permits. The lingonberry bread pudding was out of this world. The servings of Norwegian Linie Aquavit "high spirits" were exceedingly well flavored, driven by caraway, with notes of star anise, vanilla, and even a bit of coriander. If "high spirits" of golden color with a subtle sweetness sound intriguing, get in here and get some Linie Aquavit! And, for another dessert, after your first dessert, get the salty licorice ice cream (it is sooooo good) that comes topped with a salty licorice lollipop! A lollipop! This place is crazy wonderful! So good, in fact, that I came back for breakfast the next day. I had the ham and cheese quiche, and a large cup of Illy coffee with cream. Extraordinary! The cozy, colorful and happy surroundings are made even better by the attentiveness of the friendly servers, the manager, and the host or hostess. This is a go-to favorite for the local neighbors in the DuPont Circle community. And now it is my favorite too.

I love Nordic food, so was excited to try Mikko on a recent trip to Washington. This is a fun restaurant just behind Dupont Circle. There is no indoor seating, but the outdoor space is colorful and fun on a summer evening. We shared their pickled herring small plate, which was truly excellent. The entrées were a little disappointing. The lamb burger, chicken schnitzel and salmon were all fine, but didn't seem particularly Nordic. I'd love to have main dishes that I couldn't find elsewhere and had the unique flavors of Scandinavian. Overall, good food but a little mainstream. But the cocktails were great.