For weeks, we joked about how many of the best bars in Reykjavik are country-themed and clustered together in the downtown area, until one night the joke turned into a plan: a European bar tour without leaving the city!
On the night's itinerary: Irishman Pub, Den Danske Kro, and English Pub.
Why You Can Trust Our Content
Guide to Iceland is the most trusted travel platform in Iceland, helping millions of visitors each year. All our content is written and reviewed by local experts who are deeply familiar with Iceland. You can count on us for accurate, up-to-date, and trustworthy travel advice.
With our group of three, we were excited to judge Reykjavik’s interpretations of these European classics. Drinks, darts, and plenty of laughs awaited, and first up: The Irishman Pub!
Céad Míle Fáilte: A Very Irish Welcome!
I wonder if The Irishman Pub serves Guinness today? Well, no stress, according to this sign, it's a yes!
Irishman Pub is located just off Laugavegur Street, on Klappastigur 27. The maximalist green and gold exterior catches your eye straight away and gives an impression of what's to come.
Visitors are met with a "Céad Míle Fáilte" by the entrance, meaning "a hundred thousand welcomes" in Irish.
On the inside, it has to be the most decorated pub in Iceland, and you can spend the whole night there just taking in all the tiny details. There’s carved wood all over the place, including the ceiling, along with stained glass windows, and references to Irish culture everywhere.
As I discovered later in the night, it’s also where you’ll find the most intricately detailed bar bathrooms in Iceland, complete with a huge, dramatic mirror that’s great for some millennial selfies.
There are so many fun details to find!
As our friend described it, it’s one of the best “English pubs with Irish dressing,” referring to the theatrical flair that some may describe as a bit Disneyland-ish. But for us? That was part of the charm! It's very cozy, with a lot of “secluded” corners where you can sit and chat while enjoying some privacy.
Foam, Music & Guinness Games
There are plenty of options to choose from at The Irishman Pub, but is there anything more classic than a Guinness?
As is the law in any Irish pub, we ordered a round of Guinness. No worries if that's not to your taste. They have many other options for the rebels that don’t want to follow the theme of the bar.
However, one of us joked that Guinness is always "a good first beer of the day," as it contains Vitamin B, so it only made sense as the start of our bar-hopping night!
The Irishman Pub has regular live music events and even has a karaoke room.
As we found our seats, Elton John blared through the speakers, going on about Susie's red dress, but I noticed they have a whole corner dedicated to live music, complete with decorative instruments hanging on the wall and a real piano just waiting to be played. It’s easy to imagine how lively the pub must get when bands take over!
We didn't quite manage to split the G, but we tried!
Of course, we had to take on the challenge of “splitting the G,” drinking our first sip with a goal of the foam and beer meeting exactly in the middle of the “G” on the glass. It didn’t turn out too badly, to be honest.
You'll see the result in the photo above, with my attempt to the right!
Darts & Discoveries
Let's just pretend I got bullseye after bullseye because I'm great at darts... That would mean I'd be good at it, right?
No Irish pub experience is complete without darts, and the Irishman Pub doesn’t disappoint. The boards were popular the night we visited, so if you’re planning to play, arrive early to claim your spot. Still, waiting gave us time to chat, laugh, and soak up the pub’s busy but friendly atmosphere.
During this, it came to light that I had never actually tried Irish coffee, leading to my friend running to the bar to order one. Irishman Pub is pretty proud of its Irish coffee, so if there was ever a place to try it, it was here.
The Irish coffee at the Irishman Pub is a local favorite.
I don’t know what I expected, really. I’m not a fan of whisky, but I do like a nice espresso martini! I guess I just hoped for something similar, but I could not have been more wrong.
After the first sip, the drink did grow on me, though, and I didn’t mind it. I would have finished it, but seeing that I clearly didn’t appreciate it enough, my friend cheerfully grabbed it from me and downed it for himself.
It was probably for the best, as he seemed very happy with it, and the drink got the appreciation it deserved.
If you’re considering giving it a go but don’t like whiskey, I do still recommend trying it! If you do like whiskey and Irish coffee in general… well, then definitely order it. That would just make sense!
The Irishman Pub definitely stands out in the Reykjavik bar scene.
With our pints emptied and darts finished, it was time to continue our barhopping night. First stop on our European bar tour: success. Next up, a visit to Den Danske Kro, and then, to the English Pub!
Conclusion: The Irishman Pub took me by surprise. It was cozy, the bartenders were super friendly, and I’ll definitely come again to chat away the night over a pint. It may not fool every Irish traveler into thinking they’re back home, but as a Reykjavik bar experience, it delivers warmth, fun, and a strong sense of character!
