Language/Icelandic/Culture/The-best-nightlife-spots-in-Reykjavík
Mellow by day and even through the week, Reykjavik turns into something of a boisterous powerhouse at the weekends, as cafés transform into bars and clubs playing everything from house to heavy metal. The more raucous spots are supplemented by a slew of craft beer places and wine bars where it’s possible to enjoy an evening out without feeling like you’re in a mosh pit. Everything can be reached easily on foot, there are very rarely any entrance fees or queues, and dress codes and VIP rooms are the exception rather than the norm.
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Slippbarinn[edit | edit source]
Slippbarinn, found inside the Icelandair Marina hotel down on Reykjavik’s pretty harbor front, has built a reputation as a trendy drinking den. The reasons for this are twofold: its warm and welcoming interior, which features a long wooden bar with designer barstools, large windows with views towards the harbor, and light fittings that resemble buoys as a nod to its location; and the high quality of its drinks – particularly its ever-changing cocktails, which are made from fresh, local ingredients and house-made syrups, and served up by enthusiastic mixologists. There are also five beers on tap, a number of good wines, and a decent gin and rum selection, and the food menu stretches to steak burgers, a lamb duet (fillet and shoulder) and a catch of the day. Expect DJs spinning jazz, soul, and funk (the Wednesday jazz session is popular), as well as film shows for families during the day.
Micro Bar[edit | edit source]
Hidden away in the brick-walled basement of Restaurant Reykjavík, the Micro Bar’s cosy confines consist of a slightly ramshackle assortment of tables and chairs, packed close together below low-hanging beer-bottle lamps, and a bar that knocks out the best selection of artisanal brews in the city. As well as around a dozen regularly-changing beers on tap, there’s scores of bottles spanning New England IPAs, German and Belgian wheat beers, plus local brews including the particularly delicious Gæðingur from Northern Iceland. Staff are friendly, full of beer-spattered anecdotes and knowledgeable enough to help you choose from the overwhelming array of options; be warned that some beers are more than double the regular strength. If you want to save some cash, visit between 4pm-7pm when two tap beers are offered at discount prices. Music spans soul, electronic and jazz, and peanuts and chips is the extent of the food; tasting flights are also available.
https://facebook.com/MicroBarIceland
Jacobsen Loftid[edit | edit source]
One of downtown Reykjavik’s classier hangouts, Jacobsen Loftid is located on the second floor of a clothes shop (Egill Jacobsen). It draws a slightly older and well-heeled crowd thanks to a swanky interior of brown leather armchairs, sofas and antique mirrors, as well as warm service and high-end drinks. The main room is dominated by an attractive bar festooned with a diverse collection of light bulbs; arrive early, pull up a stool and order one of the cocktail specials scrawled on the wall (the Reykjavik Pink Spritz, with ink gin, vanilla and rhubarb is a big hit), and watch the mix of locals and tourists arrive. Occasional DJs play current pop hits, Thursday is Ladies Night with discounts on gin cocktails, and the happy hours are extra long – until 11pm!
https://facebook.com/pg/loftidbar
Getting in: Smart – no jogging trousers or hoodies
Kaffibarrin[edit | edit source]
One of the city's most famous hangouts, Kaffibarrin, has precisely the kind of split personality its name (Café-Bar) suggests. Taken over in the 1990s by 101 Reykjavik director Balthasar Kormakur (with brief joint ownership by Blur’s Damon Albarn), its unassuming interior hosts two rooms and an upper floor, all with wooden floors, red-painted wooden walls, and a smattering of simple tables and bar stools. During the day and most weeknights, it serves as a mellow spot for a coffee or beer and a chat. From 10pm there are DJs every night playing everything from hip hop to disco; at weekends especially the place transforms into one of the area’s hottest party spots as DJs play a trendy mix of hip hop, pop, indie and house music and revellers start knocking back shots, a selection of draft beers (local and international) and mixed drinks. The later it gets, the longer the queues get outside, so arrive before 9pm to guarantee a spot – and prepare to get jostled as the pace picks up. Look out too for daily happy hours as well as themed events and occasional concerts.
Getting in: Get there early at weekends to avoid queues
Bryggjan Brewery[edit | edit source]
Set a little further out than most of the bars, this independent Belgian-themed brewery, bar and bistro is especially spacious for Reykjavik (it can handle up to 280 guests), and makes for a lovely quiet drinking spot through the week and at weekends. The bar has a great selection of home-brewed craft beers, bottled as well as draft, all of which use a range of global hops (except Belgian!) and carry no additives or extracts. Offers tend to be seasonal, with the hoppy and fruity Gullborg Pale Ale a major summertime draw, as is the German-style Waka Pilsner made with New Zealand hops; if you can’t decide, order a tasting flight of three or six beers, which can be combined with a tour of the brewery. Beer cocktails are also available. The restaurant does a great moules frites and there are live bands some nights through the week with a jazz night on Sunday evenings. Grab a table outside for wonderful views over the harbor.
Prikid[edit | edit source]
Alongside Kaffibarrin, Prikid is something of a legendary all-rounder, serving as a café-diner and casual hangout during the day, and a lively bar in the evenings, with vibrant parties at the weekends. Styled like a 1950s-era diner, the daily menu spans classics such as American-style milkshakes, pancakes and burgers (including vegan versions), and is a fun place to people-watch from its Laugavegur-facing windows. Come evening time, it serves a decent, if unfussy, range of mixed drinks, beers and wines and a regular mix of DJs and live music often with a hip hop theme.
Getting in: Get there early at weekends to avoid queues
B5[edit | edit source]
Another of Reykjavik’s more up-market venues, B5 is notable for its well-stocked, neon-hued bar, whose huge front windows allow two-way viewing, and its mixed crowd of locals and tourists. During the day it serves as a laid-back burger spot called Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar, changing into its dapper dancing shoes after dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. The DJs play a firmly commercial mix of hip hop, pop and euro-house to a dressy crowd – though that doesn’t mean you’ll escape the famous drunken-shoving and elbow-jousting that characterizes Reykjavik nightlife. The cocktails are well-mixed, with the Mango Tango being an especially fruity favorite, and there are a couple of VIP rooms, a downstairs lounge, and bottle service (minimum ISK 150,000/£1,000 per table – see website for details) if you prefer some privacy. The bar does a two-for-one deal between 6pm-10pm.
Getting in: Dress code here is smart and classy – usually dark jeans, a shirt and good shoes for the men
The English Pub[edit | edit source]
An English pub may not be the first venue that springs to mind during a trip away from the UK. But with over 35 types of beer (from Belgian brews to local craft ales) and one of the best whisky selections in the country, plus six big screens for sports and a decent mix of tourists, expats and local folk, Reykjavik’s English Pub is a warm and convivial spot – especially if you want to escape the too-cool-for-school alternative scene. Local artists and bands play live in the wood-heavy main room every night, there’s a daily happy hour from 4pm-7pm too and the outdoor patio is a boon in summer. And yes, there’s a dartboard, as well as a wheel of fortune with which punters can win a platter of local beers.
Austur[edit | edit source]
Austur is a pretty safe bet if you’re looking for a well-mixed cocktail, a fairly fashionable and well-heeled crowd, and a less alternative Reykjavik nightlife experience. The upstairs lounge is a small and relaxed area, good for pre-party drinks if you arrive early. But the richly decorated club area downstairs is another ambiance entirely, with bold red furnishings and lamps, framed photos on the wall and crystal lighting, and a soundtrack of r&b and hip hop mixed with house club hits. There’s bottle service, good cocktails with slick names, such as the Mercedes, and a VIP area near the dance floor. The space can hold around 300 people – meaning a party here is pretty much guaranteed.
Getting in: You don’t need to be sporting shirts and dresses to get in – but you will need to look smart. Hoodies and hats not allowed
Pablo Discobar[edit | edit source]
The punning name captures something of the cheekily ironic and slightly kitsch nature of this craft cocktail bar. Set above South American tapas restaurant Burro Tapas & Steaks (a convenient spot to eat before the night starts), it’s a colorful experience from the bright red front door to the floral wallpaper, mirrored ceilings and, yes, discoballs, inside. The bar, decorated with Mexican murals and manned by bartenders often wearing equally flamboyant shirts, serves beers and mixed drinks but mostly a good selection of cocktails (the margaritas are top-notch). The music, as the name also suggests, leans towards 1970s and 1980s disco and the atmosphere and crowd tend to be equally upbeat. Happy hour runs daily between 5pm-7pm and there’s light bar snacks and excellent tacos for sustenance.
Lebowski Bar[edit | edit source]
Yep, you guessed it: a bar dedicated to The Dude, Jeff Bridge’s personable slacker made famous by the Coen brothers movie The Big Lebowski. The riotous interior has rugs stuck to the bar, colorful bar stools and pop-culture photos – as well as a bowling lane – and diner-style tables that look out on the main high street. There are movie and music quizzes, sports screenings, comfy brown sofas to chill on, and the menu has a steady stream of American-influenced food (burgers, nachos, chicken wings) and drinks: choose from milkshakes, 10 draft beers, or more than 20 types of White Russian. Thursday is movie quiz night.
Kaldi Bar[edit | edit source]
This small but personable craft beer bar is set inside a red-fronted residential house on a side street off the main drag. An outpost of the Kaldi brewery, well-known across the land for fresh and chemical-free Czech-style beers, it has one of the best selections of Icelandic craft beer in town. The charming interior comprises two rooms (there's also an outdoor terrace) with comfortable benches, stools and chairs, tartan wallpaper, exposed brick walls –and a piano in the back room should you feel creative. For sustenance there’s simple bar snacks (olives, mixed nuts, chorizo with cheese) and there’s a guest (Icelandic) brewery each week – though it’d be a mistake not to try one of the Kaldi brews; the unfiltered beer is especially popular.
Saemundur Gastro Pup[edit | edit source]
Saemundur Gastro Pup is situated inside the popular Kex Hostel , but its many different elements have conspired to make it a highly popular hangout in its own right. Firstly, there’s the impressively spacious interior, dominated by a handsome, ceramic-tiled bar, and featuring large rustic wooden tables ideal for gatherings, and windows overlooking the harbour area and sea. Then there’s the decent selection of drinks, including 14 rotating draft beers and some great natural wines, plus a very good menu that changes weekly; the fish tacos are staples and there’s a well-priced lunch menu too. Last but not least, the venue hosts regular live bands, DJ nights and other events, ranging from jazz and hip hop to quiz nights.
Sources[edit | edit source]
Book: Learn to Speak Icelandic: without even trying, Stephen Hernandez
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
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- Djammið How to Party in Reykjavík
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- Dress Code and Age Limit for Partying