If you’re anything like me, I judge a place and how expensive it is by the price of its beer – and Iceland, specifically Reykjavik, is no different.
I visited recently, and it was actually as a present from my significant other – so I was a bit blind sided and couldn’t quite do my research, although I knew it would be fairly expensive being a nordic country. We got there late, checked into our hotel and had a walk down the main road, soon finding “The English Pub” about half way down. The vibe was fantastic, there was a guitarist playing in the corner, it was busy, so we went up to the bar and ordered two pints of the local beer.
I paid in ISK, checked my phone, and was pretty taken aback by what it was converted to.
Table of Contents:
Price of a Standard Beer (Draft)
The price of a pint, or rather, large beer is extremely expensive in Iceland.- Small Beer (33cl): 1100 – 1300 ISK (£6.58 – £7.78 / €7.67 – €9.07 / $8.87 – $10.48)
- Large Beer (50cl): 1600 – 1800 ISK (£9.57 – £10.77 / €11.16 – €12.56 / $12.89 – $14.51)
Is It Cheaper In Shops?
My first thought is, is it way cheaper to buy a beer in a shop? The answer is yes, a small bottle of local beer in the shop will cost you about 380 ISK at the cheaper end (£2.27 / €2.65 / $3.06) but I noticed for the most part they were relatively weak in ABV. But on a side note, it got me thinking, it must be tax. Again after a little bit of research, that turned out to be the reason, it depends on the alcohol percentage as to how much the tax is but for instance the Iceland Mag reports that Vodka can have a staggering 84.4% tax!How Can I Make It Cheaper?
I found the solution, HAPPY HOUR!
That might not sound ideal, but in Iceland “Happy Hour” works a little differently, and it essentially means half priced drinks, and for most bars it’s much longer than an hour.
The good news is that majority of bars have different happy hours, and Reykjavik is pretty small, so getting from one side to the other doesn’t take long.
Let the bar crawl commence.
| Start Time | Bar Name | Address | Google Maps | Happy Hour | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | The Irishman Pub | Klapparstígur 27 | Map | 12:00–19:00 | Longest happy hour in town; beer & wine specials |
| 12:00 | 22 Bar | Laugavegur 22 | Map | 12:00–20:00 (beer/wine) | Laid-back; extended window; separate cocktail hour |
| 12:00 | Veður | Laugavegur 20 | Map | 12:00–19:35 | Stylish bar; cocktails extend to 21:00 |
| 12:00 | Sólon Bistro Bar | Skólavörðustígur 22 | Map | 12:00–18:00 | Early drink & dine option |
| 14:00 | Skúli Craft Bar | Aðalstræti 9 | Map | 14:00–19:00 | Fantastic Icelandic craft beer selection |
| 14:00 | Kokteilbarinn | Klapparstígur 28 | Map | 14:00–18:00 | Trendy cocktail spot; 25% off drinks |
| 14:00 | BREWDOG Reykjavík | Laugavegur 20–22 | Map | 14:00–17:00 (Wed–Sun) | Craft beer lovers’ heaven |
| 15:00 | Saeta Svinid | Hafnarstræti 1–3 | Map | 15:00–18:00 | Great central location; beer & cocktails from ∼1,090 ISK |
| 15:00 | Apótek Bar | Austurstræti 16 | Map | 15:00–18:00 | Upscale cocktail bar with half-price drinks |
| 16:00 | Kaldi Bar | Laugavegur 20B | Map | 16:00–19:00 | Cosy vibe, great beer |
| 16:00 | Den Danske Kro | Ingólfsstræti 3 | Map | 16:00–19:00 | Danish-themed pub; 2-for-1 draft beer & wine |
| 16:00 | Prikið | Bankastræti 12 | Map | 16:00–19:00 | Iconic downtown dive bar |
| 16:00 | Loft Hostel Bar | Bankastræti 7 | Map | 16:00–19:00 (except Sat) | Rooftop terrace, casual vibe |
| 16:00 | Bryggjan Brugghús | Grandagarður 8 | Map | 16:00–19:00 | On-site microbrewery near the harbour |
| 16:00 | Lebowski Bar | Laugavegur 20A | Map | 16:00–19:00 | Based on the movie, unique place |
| 16:00 | American Bar | Austurstræti 8–10 | Map | 16:00–19:00 | 2-for-1 cocktails, lively vibe |
| 16:00 | Bastard Bar | Vegamótastígur 4 | Map | 16:00–19:00 | Craft beer, cocktails & tacos with a hipster edge |
| 18:00 | SKY Bar | Ingólfsstræti 1 | Map | 18:00–20:00 / 20:00–23:00 | Rooftop views; stylish cocktails |
| 19:00 | Veður (cocktails) | Laugavegur 20 | Map | 19:00–21:00 | Twilight cocktails after wine/beer deal ends |
| 20:00 | 22 Bar (cocktails) | Laugavegur 22 | Map | 20:00–21:00 | Cocktail-specific late hour |
Although I always try and travel frequently, and I have been to Reykjavik fairly recently things can very quickly become outdated – such as bars changing their happy hours, or closing. If you noticed something is wrong, please contact us and inform us so we can make the changes for future travellers.
There’s also ever chance I’ve missed a bar or two, so let me know!
