Reykjavik · guide
Best Nightlife in Reykjavik
The bars, beer rooms, dance floors, and late-night institutions that make Reykjavik nightlife worth staying up for.
Reykjavik in brief
Does Reykjavík have a nightlife scene?
Yes. Downtown Reykjavik has a concentrated nightlife scene of bars, clubs, cocktail spots, late-night food, and live-music venues.
What time does Reykjavík nightlife start?
Late. Bars generally fill after midnight, with weekend crowds often peaking between 01:00 and 03:00.
Is drinking in Reykjavík expensive?
Yes. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Iceland, so use happy hours and buy from Vínbúðin before it closes if you want to reduce the bill.
Where Reykjavik actually goes out
Reykjavik nightlife rewards patience more than planning: the best rooms are compact, the bars cluster around Laugavegur and the old center, and the real night often begins after midnight. I ranked these places for what they do best, from Kaffibarinn's film history and Kiki's queer dance floor to serious beer lists and a cocktail bar worth the splurge. I have also called out the stops that are more theme park than essential, because an expensive drink should at least come with a good reason.
The list moves from essential downtown rooms to beer specialists, then to characterful cafés and cocktail-led nights. Use it with Things to Do in Downtown Reykjavik, Where to Stay in Reykjavik, our Reykjavik 3 Day Itinerary, Is Reykjavik Expensive, and the Best Restaurants in Reykjavik.
The full ranking, compared
Every pick at a glance, ranked by how well it earns its place, not by tourist traffic. Tap a name to jump to the full review.
| Place | Why go | Area | Access / cost | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kaffibarinn | Film-famous DJ bar | Central Reykjavík | Free entry | Worth the hype |
| 2. Kiki Queer Bar | Queer dance floor | Laugavegur | Check event | Worth it |
| 3. Jungle Cocktail Bar | Cocktails and views | Austurstræti | $$$ | Mixed |
| 4. Skúli Craftbar | 14 taps and bottles | Aðalstræti | $$$ | Worth it |
| 5. Prikið | Café-to-party shift | Bankastræti | Check ahead | Mixed |
| 6. MicroBar Reykjavík | Gæðingur and flights | Laugavegur | $$–$$$ | Worth the hype |
| 7. Lebowski Bar | White Russians and kitsch | Laugavegur | $$ | Mixed |
| 8. Dillon Whiskey Bar | Whiskey and music | Central Reykjavík | Check ahead | Mixed |
| 9. Gaukurinn | Music history | Tryggvagata | Status uncertain | Mixed |
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Ranked, with honest verdicts
The best nightlife in Reykjavik, ranked
Nine downtown stops for late nights, good beer, dancing, cocktails, live music, and the occasional reason to leave before the crowd peaks.
The late-night rooms to hit first
These downtown bars have a clear identity, a real crowd, and the strongest claim on a first Reykjavik night.
- 1
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth the hypeKaffibarinn
The small red house remains Reykjavik's best all-purpose night out: film history by day, DJs and a dance floor by night.
Kaffibarinn earns the top spot because it feels like a real Reykjavik night rather than a bar assembled for visitors. It has served since 1993 and gained extra mythology after appearing prominently in Baltasar Kormákur's 2000 film 101 Reykjavík. The official site describes a café by day and DJ-led bar by night, with tables pushed aside inside the tiny red house. Daily happy hour runs from 15:00 to 20:00 for selected draft beers, and entry is free. Go early for a drink, then stay for DJs from 21:30 most nights. Confirm the address before setting out, since listings differ slightly.
Where: Bergstaðastræti 1, central ReykjavíkLate: Friday–Saturday until 04:30Happy hour: Draft beer 1,050–1,200 ISKEntry: Free; age 20+ with valid IDSourceseuropeanfilmacademy.org
- 2
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itKiki Queer Bar
Kiki is the clearest pick for dancing, drag, karaoke, and an open queer crowd on Laugavegur.
Kiki takes second because it gives Reykjavik nightlife its most specific social energy. The upstairs bar at Laugavegur 22 officially opened under its current name in 2014 and is described by GayIceland as Iceland's only dedicated queer bar. The weekend dance floor can be packed, and the programming gives you a reason to choose a night: Kikioke on Thursday, Drag with Faye Knús on Friday, and House of Heart on Saturday. New ownership reported a 3 a.m. closing time as part of updated safety policies, but current hours are not fully established in the supplied material. Check the night's schedule before walking over.
Where: Upstairs, Laugavegur 22Best for: Thursday–Saturday eventsProgram: Kikioke, drag, and House of HeartGood to know: Check current entry rulesSourcesgayiceland.iscntraveler.com
Beer and cocktails worth the spend
Icelandic drinks are costly, so make the money count at a focused beer bar or a room that takes cocktails seriously.
- 3
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedJungle Cocktail Bar
Jungle is the best choice when you want a properly made cocktail in a room that can turn from relaxed to rowdy.
Jungle ranks this high because it offers the most focused cocktail experience in the group without losing the looseness of a Reykjavik night. Four bartenders created the bar, described in the supplied research as Iceland's first cocktail-focused venue. It occupies a second-floor space at Austurstræti 9, with high ceilings, street views, statement wallpaper, and greenery. The menu moves from highballs and coupettes to tiki drinks, with a strong non-alcoholic selection, while the reported average cocktail price is $21. Happy hour runs all day Monday and from 15:00 to 17:00 Wednesday through Sunday. Go midweek for conversation, or late when the bartenders also DJ.
Where: Second floor, Austurstræti 9Order: Highballs, coupettes, or tiki drinksAverage: Cocktails about $21Happy hour: All day Monday; 15:00–17:00 Wed–SunSourcestheworlds50best.comjungle.is
- 4
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itSkúli Craftbar
Skúli is the serious beer stop if you want a rotating tap list rather than a generic lager.
Skúli is my pick for drinkers who want to study the glass instead of simply holding one. The bar sits at Aðalstræti 9, just off Ingólfur Square, and the supplied research describes 14 taps alongside a substantial bottle selection. That list has included Lost Abbey, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Jolly Pumpkin, and Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout on tap. Selected taps have appeared in happy hour, but the discount did not apply to every beer, so ask before ordering. Prices can be punishing: a 12-ounce bottle was reported at about $40 in 2018. Come for choice and knowledgeable drinking, not bargains.
Where: Aðalstræti 9, by Ingólfur SquareSelection: 14 taps plus bottlesPrice: $$$; rare bottles can be costlyGood to know: Happy hour applies to selected taps - 6
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth the hypeMicroBar Reykjavík
MicroBar is an approachable craft-beer choice, with a beer made by its own northern brewery.
MicroBar lands sixth because it is a good beer stop, but its appeal is narrower than Skúli's and older listings disagree about the address. The current brewery listing places it at Laugavegur 86 and gives hours of 15:00 to midnight Sunday through Wednesday, then until 01:00 Thursday through Saturday. AFAR reports up to 10 beers on tap alongside bottles, and the bar serves Gæðingur, made by its owners at their small brewery in northern Iceland. Tasting flights are also listed elsewhere, with the venue placed in the $$–$$$ band. The room's white walls carry murals by cartoonist Hugleikur Dagsson. Confirm the address before going, then ask what is fresh on tap.
Where: Laugavegur 86Hours: 15:00–00:00 Sun–Wed; to 01:00 Thu–SatTry: Gæðingur beer or a tasting flightPrice: $$–$$$Sourcesgaedingur.beerafar.com
The old corners and themed detours
For music history, coffee-house character, whiskey, or a movie gimmick, these are worthwhile when the mood matches.
- 5
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedPrikið
Prikið is the best bridge between daytime café and nighttime party, with more local history than polish.
Prikið earns a place because it is useful at several points in the day. The Bankastræti corner venue has been open since 1951 and calls itself Reykjavik's oldest coffee house. By evening, the café shifts into a party spot with DJs and bands, while its history is tied to the underground music scene and the launch of Sticky Records. The supplied research does not give current prices, admission details, or exact evening hours, so this is not the place to choose for a tightly planned crawl. Choose it for an easy first drink, a casual crowd, and the small novelty of seeing the drink printer put an image on coffee or Guinness foam.
Where: Bankastræti, near LaugavegurRhythm: Café by day, DJs and bands after darkHistory: Open since 1951Good to know: Current evening details varySourcesprikid.isguidetoiceland.is
- 7
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedLebowski Bar
Lebowski Bar is a cheerful film-themed detour, best for a White Russian and a little kitsch rather than a defining Reykjavik night.
Lebowski Bar is fun when you want a recognizable theme and a reliable place to sit, but it does not feel as essential as the smaller rooms above it. Open since April 2012 at Laugavegur 20a, the interior splits into four settings, including a bowling-alley scene, a 1950s diner, a Southern-style porch, and a 1960s lounge. The standard White Russian is joined by a 24-variation menu, and the Cocaucasian is topped with Cocoa Puffs. DJs play Friday and Saturday from 21:00, while live music is listed Wednesday and Thursday from 22:00. Choose it for the joke, the burger, or the Thursday movie quiz, not local texture.
Where: Laugavegur 20aOrder: White Russian or CocaucasianMusic: DJs Fri–Sat; live music Wed–ThuPrice: Burger of the Month 3,900 ISK - 8
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedDillon Whiskey Bar
Dillon is a sensible whiskey-and-live-music option, but the supplied detail is too thin to rank it above the better-documented rooms.
Dillon makes the list for travelers who would rather have whiskey and live music than chase the loudest dance floor. The official site describes it as a whiskey bar with live music, and the venue is also listed on Dineout. The supplied research does not establish a founding story, current hours, prices, performance schedule, or specific whiskey program. That uncertainty matters when you are planning a late night in an expensive city. Treat Dillon as a flexible stop if its live-music listing suits your evening, and check the official site or its @dillonrvk account before committing.
Where: Central ReykjavíkFocus: Whiskey and live musicBefore going: Check current scheduleListing: @dillonrvkSourcesdillon.is
- 9
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedGaukurinn
Gaukurinn has remarkable music history, but its post-renovation relaunch is too unsettled for a confident recommendation.
Gaukurinn would once have been an easy music-scene recommendation, and its history still makes it worth knowing about. It opened as Gaukur á Stöng on November 19, 1983, and before beer was legal in Iceland it served Bjórlíki, a mixture of non-alcoholic beer and vodka. After legalization in May 1989, it was reported to pour the country's first legal draft beer. The problem is current identity: after bankruptcy proceedings, cancelled events, renovations, and a relaunch associated with Fever Nightclub, the supplied sources do not firmly establish that the former venue is operating in its old role. Check current event information before making it your destination.
Where: Tryggvagata 22, by the harborHistory: Opened as Gaukur á Stöng in 1983Current status: Relaunched identity is unsettledProgram: Check event-specific listingsSourcesgrapevine.is
Start with Kaffibarinn or Kiki, choose Jungle or Skúli when the drink itself matters, and use Prikið or Lebowski Bar when you want character over polish. Reykjavik nightlife is compact, expensive, and late, so check each venue's current schedule before setting out. Rankings and verdicts are our own; where shown, star ratings open each spot's Google listing, and details shift by season, so confirm before you go.
The big decision
Dance floor or drinker's bar?
Reykjavik's best night depends on whether you want a packed room and a late finish or a focused drink you can actually taste.
The dance floor
Choose Kiki for queer energy, karaoke, drag, and weekend dancing, then let the downtown streets decide what comes next. This is the choice for a late, social night.
See more
The drinker's bar
Choose Jungle for cocktails or Skúli for serious beer choice, and make Iceland's high prices buy you something specific. This is calmer, more deliberate, and easier to enjoy before midnight.
See moreBefore you go
Know before you go
A few practical things that decide whether the day goes smoothly.
Start later than you think
Bars generally fill after midnight, with weekend crowds peaking around 01:00–03:00. Kaffibarinn's DJs start at 21:30 most nights, but that is earlier than the main runtur rush.
Walk the compact center
Laugavegur, Bankastræti, Austurstræti, Aðalstræti, and nearby streets hold most of this list. A self-guided crawl works without a car, and the central venues are generally only a few minutes apart.
Budget for Icelandic drinks
Alcohol is heavily taxed, and the supplied research places Jungle's average cocktail at $21 while Skúli has been reported with costly rare bottles. Use early happy hours, then buy alcohol from Vínbúðin before it closes if you plan to drink at your accommodation.
Carry valid identification
The legal drinking age is 20, and venues commonly check ID at the door. Kaffibarinn specifically requires valid ID and admits guests aged 20 and older, so bring accepted identification.
Check the exact night
Hours and programming vary by venue. Kiki's reported schedule centers on Thursday through Saturday, MicroBar closes at midnight Sunday through Wednesday, and Gaukurinn's current relaunch status is not firmly established.
Leave the car behind
The main crawl is designed for walking, while parking in the historic center is limited. Verify addresses first, since older listings for MicroBar and Kaffibarinn show conflicting locations.
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