Reykjavík Nightlife: Bars, Clubs, and Live Music
Reykjavík may be small, but its nightlife is epic. The main drag, Laugavegur, is ground zero for the hottest clubs and bars in town. If you are up for dancing, Kiki Queer Bar is your spot. If you fancy a whiskey bar, Dillon is the place. If you want to catch a hot Reykjavík band performing live, Gaukurinn is your best bet.
Be prepared for it to be a late night and for your wallet to take a hit. Locals don’t venture out until around midnight, and drinks are expensive—expect to pay upward of 1,200ISK for a pint of beer and 2,500ISK for a cocktail. Because mixed drinks are so expensive, cocktail bars are scarce, and beer is the favored beverage. But for such a small city, you can’t help but be impressed by the number of hot spots catering to different genres. Your biggest challenge will be narrowing down your options!
Bars
Hressingarskálinn
Austurstræti 22; tel. 354/561-2240; 8am-10pm daily
Hressingarskálinn, simply known as Hresso, is a casual restaurant serving hamburgers and sandwiches by day. Free Wi-Fi attracts writers, visitors, and locals, who are known to spend hours sipping endless cups of coffee. By night, Hresso transforms into a dance club, with hot DJs and live bands. Expect trendy dance music.
Kaldi
Laugavegur 20b; tel. 354/581-2200; noon-1am Sun.- Thurs., noon-3am Fri.-Sat.
Kaldi has a very warm, relaxed atmosphere with cozy seating and four types of Kaldi beer from Kaldi brewery on tap. There is a piano on-site and sometimes there is live music. If you are looking for a quiet place for a beer or two, stop by here before 10pm.
Röntgen
Hverfisgata 12; www.rontgenbar.is; 4pm-1am Sun.-Thurs., 4pm-3am Fri.-Sat.
Röntgen opened at the end of 2019 and quickly became a favorite hangout among the locals. In fact, the magazine Reykjavík Grapevine named it the “best goddamn bar” in recent years. They have a good selection of beer and wine, as well as cocktails, and hold pub quizzes, karaoke nights, and concerts.
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20; tel. 354/552-2300; www.lebowski.is; 11:30am-1am Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-4am Fri.-Sat.
Lebowski Bar pays not-so-subtle homage to the Coen brothers movie The Big Lebowski. Inside, there is bowling paraphernalia, posters from the film, and even a hanging rug by the bar that brings the room together. It’s a casual eatery during the day, like many of Reykjavík’s bars, but at night it transforms into a pretty wild scene, playing the latest dance music. There’s a dance floor in the back of the room. A White Russian, the cocktail famously featured in the film, costs 1,850ISK.
The English Pub
Austurstræti 12b; tel. 354/578-0400; www.enskibarinn.is; noon-1am Mon.-Fri., noon-4:30am Sat.-Sun.
The English Pub is part English pub, part sports bar. There’s a nice selection of Icelandic and foreign beer, and Guinness is on tap. If there’s a soccer game being played anywhere in the world, it will likely be shown on one of the many screens in the bar. If there’s a Premier League game on, expect a crowd of expats, visitors, and locals.
Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1; tel. 354/551-1588; 5pm-1am Sun.- Thurs., 3pm-3am Fri.-Sat.
Kaffibarinn has been a Reykjavík institution since scenes from the indie film 101 Reykjavík were filmed here. Damon Albarn, the Blur and Gorillaz front man, used to own a stake in the bar. It’s a tiny space with a rich red exterior, and it gets jam-packed during the weekends, but it’s one of those places that it’s cool to say you were there. Expect trendy dance music to be blaring as you enter.
Veður
Klapparstígur 33; www.vedurbarinn.is; 2pm-1am Sun.-Thurs., 2pm-3am Fri.-Sat.
Veður, which means “weather” in Icelandic, is a chic bar popular for happy hour and a casual drink with friends. On nice days there are tables and chairs outside so patrons can enjoy the sun. In addition to beer, wine, and cocktails, Veður serves charcuterie plates, cheese, and olives, as well as coffee drinks and pastries.
22 Bar
Laugavegur 22; tel. 354/580-8020; 11am-1am Sun.-Thurs., 11am-4:30am Fri.-Sat.
Located downstairs from Kiki Queer Bar, 22 Bar is a place to chill, have a cold beer, and meet with friends. There is a casual vibe, and at night local DJs routinely play, attracting a younger crowd.
Micro Bar
Laugavegur 86; tel. 354/893-5960; 3pm-midnight Sun.- Thurs., 3pm-1am Fri.-Sat.
Micro Bar is a beer lover’s paradise. The bar carries about 80 different beers from countries including Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and the United States. The big draws are the wide selection of Icelandic beers on tap and the number of Icelandic craft beers available. Stop by and try a local stout, pale ale, or lager. The atmosphere is relaxed and relatively quiet, with dim lighting and a large wood bar. You’ll find locals at the tables enjoying a beer and conversation with friends.
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LGBTQ+
Kiki Queer Bar
Laugavegur 22; tel. 354/571-0194; www.kiki.is; 8pm-1am Thurs., 8pm-4:30am Fri.-Sat.
Kiki Queer Bar is Reykjavík’s only LGBTQ+ bar and is a welcome addition to the scene. Many locals will tell you this is the place to go to dance because it attracts some of the best local and visiting DJs. You can expect music ranging from Lady Gaga to the latest Icelandic pop music.
Live Music
Loft Hostel
Bankastræti 7; tel. 354/553-8140
Loft Hostel has earned a reputation as a place to see and be seen. The 4th-floor bar and café hosts up-and-coming bands, established live acts, and DJs. An outdoor deck overlooks Bankastræti and is packed with locals and visitors alike when the sun is shining, and filled with mingling concertgoers at night. Since this is a hostel, it’s open 24 hours, so check listings at www.grapevine.is for concert and event times.
Mengi
Óðinsgata 2; tel. 354/588-3644; www.mengi.net; 7:30pm-10pm Thurs.-Sat.
Mengi is an exciting music and art space that showcases up-and-coming and established artists. The room holds no more than 100, so performances are intimate, making this a unique space in Reykjavík. You can see experimental musicians like Ben Frost and dj. flugvél og geimskip, or Icelandic favorites like Ólafur Arnalds and Högni Egilsson. There is also a small shop inside where you can pick up CDs, vinyl records, and art prints.
Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22; www.gaukurinn.is; 5pm-1am Sun.-Thurs., 5pm-3am Fri.-Sat.
Gaukurinn is the place to go for live events—concerts, karaoke, drag shows, it’s all here. Expect high energy, cold drinks, loud music, and a lot of fun.
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