Iceland is a land of dramatic contrasts where fire meets ice, featuring active volcanoes, massive glaciers, geothermal hot springs, and the mesmerizing Northern Lights. This Nordic island nation offers breathtaking natural wonders from thundering waterfalls to black sand beaches, making it one of the world's most unique travel destinations.
Reykjavik punches far above its weight as a nightlife city for a capital of just 130,000 people. The scene is intimate, inclusive, and completely unpretentious – Iceland's most famous musicians drink at the same bars as everyone else. The famous 'runtur' bar crawl tradition means venues fill up progressively through the night, with the real party starting after midnight.
Extremely lively on Friday and Saturday nights, with bars on Laugavegur and Austurstræti staying packed until 4:30 AM. Weeknight scene is quieter but still active with live music and DJ nights. The scene is very LGBTQ+ friendly – Reykjavik Pride is one of Europe's most celebrated. Expect to pay $8-12 for a pint of craft beer.
At a glance
- Peak hours
- Most venues begin filling up after 11 PM. The real crowd arrives after midnight when clubs open and the runtur reaches its peak. Closing time is 1 AM on weekdays and 4:30 AM on Friday and Saturday.
- Average drink
- Beer $8-12 for 500ml pint of craft or local beer · Cocktail $15-20 for cocktails at most bars · Wine $12-18 per glass of wine · Spirits $12-16 for a single measure
- Dress code
- Very casual – Icelanders dress practically and nobody is turned away for wearing hiking gear or warm layers. Only a handful of upscale hotel bars have any dress expectations (smart casual). Warmth is more important than fashion in Iceland's cold.
- Cover charge
- Bars close at 1 AM on weekdays and at 4:30 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. No Uber – use the Hreyfill taxi app to book in advance on busy nights. Alcohol is expensive: a pint of beer costs $8-12. Pre-drinking (fördrykk) before heading out is culturally normal in Iceland.
Nightlife districts
Where the action happens after dark.
Laugavegur
Reykjavik's main shopping street by day transforms into the heart of nightlife after dark. Densely packed with bars from Kaffibarinn to Kaldi Bar. The runtur flows along this street as groups move between venues throughout the night.
Best for: Bar crawls, craft beer, meeting other travellers
Austurstræti & Ingólfstorg
The intersection of Austurstræti and Ingólfstorg square is anchored by Micro Bar (Iceland's best craft beer selection) and several late-night clubs. The area sees heavy foot traffic as the evening progresses toward midnight.
Best for: Craft beer, club nights, post-midnight dancing
Tryggvagata (Old Harbour approach)
The streets leading toward the old harbour host Húrra (Reykjavik's best live music venue) and Paloma nightclub. This slightly removed area has a more local, underground feel and hosts Iceland Airwaves festival events.
Best for: Live music, LGBTQ+ scene, underground electronic
Grandi Harbour District
The emerging creative district around Grandagarður has a handful of bars and restaurants with a more local, less tourist-dominated atmosphere. Good for a drink before heading to the main nightlife area.
Best for: Pre-drinks, creative crowd, craft cocktails
Bars & pubs
Where locals drink.
Kaldi Bar
Cozy bar specialising in Kaldi microbrewery's Icelandic craft beers. Popular with locals, laid-back atmosphere, good happy-hour deals 5–7 PM.
Laugavegur 20b, 101 Reykjavík
Micro Bar
Small bar with largest craft beer selection in Iceland – over 100 taps and bottles. Knowledgeable staff, no cocktails, serious beer focus.
Austurstræti 6, 101 Reykjavík
Kaffibarinn
Iconic Reykjavik bar that transitions to club after midnight. Known for DJs and the famous runtur bar crawl. Featured in the film 101 Reykjavík.
Bergstaðastræti 1, 101 Reykjavík
Prikið
Iceland's oldest surviving bar, open since 1952, now famous for hip-hop nights and a loyal mixed crowd of locals and visitors. The upstairs club hosts some of the city's most energetic weekend DJ sets.
Known for: hip-hop nights, casual bar
Bankastræti 12, 101 Reykjavík
Lebowski Bar
A laid-back bar themed around the Coen Brothers film The Big Lebowski, serving an extensive menu of White Russian cocktails alongside American-style burgers. Popular as an early-evening stop before the main runtur gets going.
Known for: cocktails, burgers, themed bar
Laugavegur 20a, 101 Reykjavík
Skúli Craft Bar
A compact and unpretentious craft beer bar near the old harbour with rotating taps focused exclusively on Icelandic microbreweries. Staff are knowledgeable and happy to guide choices from fruity IPAs to dark stouts.
Known for: Icelandic craft beers
Aðalstræti 9, 101 Reykjavík
English Pub
Reykjavik's original sports bar, modelled on a British pub with multiple screens showing European football, rugby, and other live sport. A favourite pre-match and post-match gathering point with a wide selection of draught beers.
Known for: live sport, draught beer
Austurstræti 12, 101 Reykjavík
Kiki Queer Bar
Reykjavik's dedicated LGBTQ+ bar on Laugavegur, offering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere with drag performances, themed nights, and a friendly crowd of locals and travellers. Especially lively during Reykjavik Pride in August.
Known for: LGBTQ+ bar, drag nights, dancing
Laugavegur 22, 101 Reykjavík
Bryggjan Brugghús
A harbour-side brewpub occupying a converted industrial building in the Grandi district, brewing its own craft beers on-site with large copper tanks visible from the bar. The menu pairs Icelandic seafood and small plates with the house brews.
Known for: house-brewed craft beer, seafood
Grandagarður 8, 101 Reykjavík
Clubs
For dancing into the early hours.
Húrra
Best live music venue in Reykjavik hosting concerts and DJ nights. Intimate space, eclectic programming from jazz to electronic.
Hours: Fri–Sat opens midnight, closes 4:30 AM
Paloma
Reykjavik's main club across two floors with rotating DJs. LGBTQ+ inclusive and very popular on weekends. No entry fee before midnight.
Hours: Fri–Sat midnight – 4:30 AM
Austur
One of Reykjavik's most popular weekend-only dance clubs, drawing a stylish crowd to its two floors of mainstream and commercial dance music. The venue fills quickly after midnight and queues form outside on Friday and Saturday.
Cover: ISK 1,500 (~$11) after midnight
Hours: Fri–Sat midnight – 4:30 AM
Live entertainment
Music, theatre, and performance venues.
Live music
Húrra (Tryggvagata 22) is Reykjavik's premier live music venue with nightly programming from jazz to electronic. Kex Hostel hosts regular concerts open to the public. Iceland Airwaves festival in November takes over the whole city.
Late dining
Bæjarins Beztu hot dog stand (Tryggvagata 1) stays open until 4:30 AM on weekends. Hamborgarabúllan burgers (Geirsgata 1) serves until 4:30 AM Friday and Saturday. N1 petrol stations offer 24-hour snacks.
Shisha
Shisha bars are not part of Reykjavik's culture. Instead, look for cosy wine bars or cocktail lounges for a more relaxed evening alternative to club culture.
Rooftop
The Reykjavik EDITION hotel's rooftop bar offers panoramic views and is open to non-guests. Loft Hostel has a rooftop terrace popular in summer. Fosshotel Reykjavik rooftop restaurant has city views.
Nightlife tips
Stay safe and have fun.
Pre-drink (fördrykk) at your accommodation before going out – alcohol in Iceland is extremely expensive and locals always start at home.
Nightlife only really begins after midnight – arriving at a club at 10 PM you will be mostly alone; at 1 AM it will be packed.
Book a Hreyfill taxi in advance on Friday and Saturday nights – they are in very high demand after 2 AM.
The runtur (bar crawl) tradition means you don't need a plan – just join the flow of people moving between bars on Laugavegur.
Reykjavik's clubs are extremely LGBTQ+ friendly – Paloma and Kaffibarinn are particularly welcoming spaces.
Iceland Airwaves music festival in early November transforms every bar and venue into a music stage – highly recommended.