Words by

The Reykjavík Grapevine and Jóhannes Bjarkason

Photo by

Art Bicnick

Timothée Lambrecq

To those searching for their next favourite watering hole, date spot, wine bar, or cocktail dispensary, look no further — it’s the Best Of Drinking & Nightlife. Unlike those other bars you frequent, these ones are cool places filled with cool people. You want to be cool, don’t you?

Our panel of expert drinkers conducted a rigorous analysis of this town’s licenced institutions before assembling to give their opinions on the Best bars in Reykjavík. This group of extremely outgoing partygoers, booze drinkers and people in the know left no stone unturned, appraising layout, interior design, selection, customer satisfaction and even the bathrooms. 

Suffice to say, they were very thorough. So, crack open a cold one and pour one out for 2024, ‘cause it’s the Best Of Drinking & Nightlife in 2025, baby!

Best Happy Hour 

Veður

Klapparstígur 33

Veður has an absolutely stunning happy hour. Starting at 14:00, Veður greets you with discounted beer and wine. That deal runs until 19:35, when it’s time for the bar’s second happy hour — this time on cocktails. “It’s an insane happy hour,” gasped one panellist. Then there’s the weekly Sparkling Thursdays, where flutes of sparkling wine are just 1.000 kr. all day. What a time to be alive. 

Runner-Up:

Kaffibrennslan

Laugavegur 21

Photo by Art Bicnick

Kaffibrennslan is a favourite spot of, well, seemingly everyone. “You’ve got the young and old, and people with their kids,” remarked one panellist, describing the bar’s catch-all clientele. The café atmosphere slowly gives way to a bar vibe come dusk, turning this hip spot into a melting pot of various drinkers. With a greenhouse for outdoor drinking and happy hour every day between 16:00-20:00, this is a no-brainer.