Best restaurant in Espoo? What the reviews say about Ravintola Buka

Buka's ratings on Google and Tripadvisor

Review sites collect guests' own ratings; they are not independent comparisons. They still show what people have experienced, and you can check them yourself.

The figures change as new reviews come in, so each one is shown with the date it was checked. Check the latest numbers on Google and Tripadvisor directly.

• Google: 4.7 stars, 480+ reviews (Google Business Profile, as of 24 August 2026)
• Tripadvisor: 5.0/5, 27 reviews (as of 26 October 2026)

Miska Haakana's Espoo video (23 October 2026): Buka first stop, rated 9/10

On 23 October 2026, Finnish YouTuber Miska Haakana published a Finnish-language video, "LÖYTYYKÖ ESPOOSTA YHTÄÄN HYVÄÄ RAVINTOLAA?" (roughly: is there a single good restaurant in Espoo?), in which he visits several restaurants in Espoo. By 26 October 2026 it had more than 128,000 views. Buka is the first stop on the tour (from 00:00:46).

At the start of the video (00:00:46–00:00:55), Miska Haakana says that Buka has 4.7 stars and 496 reviews on Google, and he also mentions Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor's own figures, with the date they were checked, are at the top of this page.

Miska Haakana notes that Buka is a lunch restaurant with no traditional lunch buffet: dishes are served to the table (00:01:01–00:01:11). He ordered the beef cheek, which by his estimate arrived in about five minutes (00:02:11–00:02:23). He praises the meat strongly: "You rarely come across meat this tender and melt-in-the-mouth." (Miska Haakana, 00:02:36, translated from Finnish). He rates Buka 9/10 (00:04:32), and in the tour's final summary he names the beef cheek among the highlights (00:24:47).

The video is not all praise. Miska Haakana reviews several restaurants in it, and he chose a different restaurant as the tour's overall winner. He also criticises Buka, including the exterior and courtyard, the salad buffet, the toilets and the lunch price level. We recommend watching the whole video to see the full review: Miska Haakana's video on YouTube (opens in a new tab) .

What reviews and press have highlighted

Guest reviews and a Länsiväylä article, for example, mention tender meat, the charcoal grill and the owner working in the dining room himself.

The local newspaper Länsiväylä wrote about Buka on 14 October 2024 in the article "Kuumana käyvä hiiligrilli ja Etelä-Eurooppaa henkivä palvelu" (opens in a new tab) (in Finnish: a hot charcoal grill and service with a Southern European soul). The article praised how tender the pork neck was.

• Several guest reviews mention the owner, Mentor Shala, and the staff's service.
• A guest review mentions that lunch is always made to order.
• A guest review says the charcoal grill concept comes through in both the atmosphere and the food.

How Buka cooks

This section is our own information about how the food at Buka is made. It is not a review.

• Beef cheek and pork neck are braised for 16 hours, overnight, in the stone oven. That is why you can eat the beef cheek with a fork, no knife needed. Read more: charcoal grill and stone oven.
• Steaks and burger patties are cooked on the charcoal grill.
• At lunch, every dish is made to order and brought to your table. See the lunch menu.

How to read restaurant reviews

A review is most useful when you read more than the stars. A few rules of thumb help you compare restaurants fairly.

• Look at the number of reviews. An average from hundreds of reviews is steadier than one from a handful.
• Read the texts and look for what matters to you: lunch or dinner, waiting time, dietary needs.
• Check the dates. An old review may describe a menu or staff that are no longer there.
• Compare more than one site. Google and Tripadvisor collect reviews from different people.
• A video review is one person's experience of one visit. Watch the whole thing, not just the title.
• Rankings are based on user reviews and change constantly. Always check when a figure was recorded.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best restaurant in Espoo?

There is no single answer, because it depends on what you want: a weekday lunch, a steak or a place for a group. Here is what third-party ratings say about Ravintola Buka: 4.7 stars from 480+ reviews on Google (as of 24 August 2026). 5.0/5 on Tripadvisor (27 reviews, as of 26 October 2026). Finnish YouTuber Miska Haakana rated Buka 9/10 in his Espoo video of 23 October 2026. Miska chose a different restaurant as the video's overall winner.

What did Miska Haakana say about Ravintola Buka?

Buka was the first stop on Miska Haakana's Espoo restaurant tour, published on 23 October 2026. Miska Haakana had the beef cheek, praised how tender the meat was and rated the restaurant 9/10. The video also contains criticism, and he chose a different restaurant as the tour's overall winner.

What are Buka's ratings on Google and Tripadvisor?

On Google, Buka has 4.7 stars from 480+ reviews (as of 24 August 2026). On Tripadvisor the rating is 5.0/5 from 27 reviews (as of 26 October 2026). Review-site figures are guest ratings, and they change as new reviews come in.

What should I order at Buka on my first visit?

If you want the dish Miska Haakana ordered in his video, have the beef cheek, braised 16 hours in the stone oven. Another option is the grilled pork steak with truffle mushroom sauce. The full menu with prices is on the menu page.

Do I need to book a table at Buka?

You are welcome without a booking. For a larger group it is worth booking ahead, because lunchtime is busy. You can book a table online.

Where is Ravintola Buka and when is it open?

Ravintola Buka is in Bemböle, Espoo, at Turuntie 205, 02740 Espoo. Lunch is served Monday to Friday 10:30–15:00, and on Saturdays the restaurant is open 12:00–18:00 with an à la carte menu. On Sundays the restaurant is closed, except on Father's Day and Mother's Day. Directions and contact details are on the contact page.