Grünerløkka has long been Oslo’s playground for creatives, night owls and food lovers. In a lively corner of the area, you will find a place that feels more like a house party than a traditional restaurant. In just under two years, Jimmy’s has carved out its own lane in the capital’s competitive food scene.

Walk down Leirfallsgate on a busy evening and you will hear it before you see it: the low thrum of music, glasses clinking, laughter spilling onto the pavement. Warm light glows from the windows, drawing you closer. Grünerløkka has no shortage of character, but step through the doors at Jimmy’s, and the neighbourhood’s pulse feels amplified.

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

Perhaps you are drawn in by the gold sign and cosy lights, but once inside, the energy speaks for itself. What began as a wine bar has grown into a lively restaurant where music plays at just the right level, the room feels full without being crowded, and the scent of good food fills the air.

Somewhere between a relaxed dinner spot and a casual night out, Jimmy’s is the kind of place where one glass turns into two, and no one is in a rush to leave.

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

From wine bar to full-blown restaurant

When Jimmy’s opened in May 2023, the plan was modest: a wine bar with “a little more food than a typical wine bar,” but the guests had other ideas. “When people started ordering the entire menu, we realised that we probably had to start making some changes,” says founder Lars Jimmy Örnewald.

What started as a few snacks to accompany the wine quickly evolved. Not only the menu had to expand, but they found themselves needing to set seating times to manage the demand.

“There is so much good food around Oslo, many excellent and fun restaurants, but one thing we felt that our area was missing was a place like this, where the food is great and the atmosphere is even better,” he explains. “While the food obviously also has to be good, we wanted to create something that wasn’t just about food or drink. It’s about having a great time.”

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

Fun, fresh, and unpretentious

Örnewald is clear about the kitchen’s philosophy: “We don’t focus on unique culinary experiences, but just make good food. We’re not reinventing the wheel, but rather rolling it forward.”

In an era obsessed with novelty, Jimmy’s leans into true pleasure. The tartar and smoked bone marrow have already become classics, staying on the menu longer than most dishes. The Galician entrecôte on the bone – a full kilo served with generous sides – is unapologetically indulgent. Iberico ribs with sweet barbecue sauce and blue cheese dip have also become recent crowd favourites. And then, of course, the calamari. “In the summer, I dare say we have the world’s best calamari,” he says, only half joking. The calamari is made exclusively when fresh Norwegian squid is available, a quiet nod to the founder’s own maritime roots.

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

Born and raised in Gothenburg, the sea became a defining part of his life. Despite three decades in the food industry, he trained and worked as a boat captain, and diners at Jimmy’s can still sense how the sea runs through his cooking – even if the captain’s hat has long since been replaced by a restaurant apron. “We focus on seasonal ingredients, working to get the best out of them. Local produce is also prioritised, and our carefully curated wine list is always evolving to compliment the dishes and the atmosphere,” he says.

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

The evolution of a vibe

“We’ve warmed up now,” Örnewald says after nearly two years. The menu now changes at a “raging pace,” not to mention the team’s expansion.
A second restaurant has opened at Aker Brygge (Stranden 30), bringing the Jimmy’s energy to the waterfront. Meanwhile, Jimmy’s Pizza is taking shape in Frogner, marking the move into yet another neighbourhood. “Today, everyone wants something more than just good food and drink. They want an experience. Add amazing service and music you can sing along to, and you get very far,” says Örnewald.

Jimmy’s understands modern dining as theatre – not in a pretentious way, but in the sense that mood, soundtrack, and human connection matter as much as plating. Here, good music makes up the architecture, and the staff are co-creators of your perfect night out. Why not test it for yourself next time you are around?

Jimmy’s: turning up the volume on Oslo’s dining scene

Web: www.jimmysoslo.no
Facebook: Jimmy’s
Instagram: @jimmysoslo

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