Experience authentic Icelandic home cooking, with unique seafood and meat dishes, in the heart of Reykjavik. The restaurant sits on Ingolfsstraeti in the middle of Reykjavik's restaurant and bar street, and it is popular enough that we recommend booking your table at Íslenski Barinn before you arrive.
Íslenski Barinn is part of Guide to Iceland's VIP Club. Members get 15% off the food menu, and the discount does not combine with other offers.
Íslenski Barinn Menu: What to Order
If you want to taste classic Icelandic food without committing to a full plate, Íslenski Barinn's taster-sized dishes are worth a try. Smoked lamb on flatbread, dung-smoked salmon on rye bread, and traditional Icelandic meat soup let you sample several local favorites in one sitting.
If you want to try one of Iceland’s weirdest foods, fermented shark is the dish to order. It comes as six pieces with dried fish and butter, plus a shot of Brennivín on the side if you want the full Icelandic experience.
The larger plates bring more Icelandic comfort food to the table. Try sviðakjammi, a singed sheep's head, or the slow-cooked lamb shank in beer sauce. Gratinated plokkfiskur is another classic, comforting dish that many Icelanders grew up eating.
Íslenski Barinn's “dogs” section puts a spin on the classic hot dog. The lobster “dog” swaps the sausage for deep-fried langoustine with garlic mayo and Feykir cheese. There is also a lamb version with shredded slow-cooked lamb, Béarnaise sauce, and pickled cucumber.
The reindeer “dog” is another fun choice, pairing reindeer meatballs with Dijon mayo and blueberry syrup. If hot dogs are not your thing, the burger menu has beef, lamb, reindeer, chicken, and vegan options, all served with waffle fries.
For sides, you can add gratinated onion rings with chili cheese sauce or popped cod skin with tartar sauce. Save space for dessert: lemon skyr tucked inside a deep-fried Icelandic pancake, with blueberries and whipped cream on top.
Drinks at Íslenski Barinn: Icelandic Beer and Spirits
Drinks are a big part of the experience at Íslenski Barinn, which stocks the world's widest variety of Icelandic beers, spirits, and liquors. Beer lovers can choose from local names such as Víking, Einstök, Kaldi, Ölvisholt, Gæðingur, Borg, and RVK Brewing.
For a true taste of Iceland, try Brennivín, the country's famous schnapps. Íslenski Barinn pours several versions, including seasonal editions and one made with dill. Other Icelandic spirits also lean on local flavors, from crowberry and blueberry to juniper and Icelandic moss.
The bar also has plenty of Icelandic gin, vodka, rum, and whisky. One unusual choice is Flóki whisky, which comes in a version smoked with sheep dung. It may sound strange, but it is a fun option if you want to try something you will not find everywhere.
Beer is especially popular in Iceland, and Íslenski Barinn has a wide variety of local brews. If you cannot decide, ask the staff for a recommendation or order the beer of the day, which is an easy way to try something new.
If you are not in the mood for alcohol, you can also order Icelandic soft drinks, sparkling water, coffee, or tea. For something stronger after dinner, try the Icelandic coffee with Brennivín, an Irish coffee, or a cold brew coffee martini.
Íslenski Barinn Location and Opening Hours
Íslenski Barinn is at Ingolfsstraeti 1a, 101 Reykjavik, where the street meets Bankastraeti. Laugavegur, the main shopping street, starts a two-minute walk away. Hallgrimskirkja Church is about ten minutes uphill, and Austurvollur Square is five minutes in the other direction.
The dining room is small and fills up in the evening, so a table is worth booking at busy times. The bar and the kitchen keep different hours. Opening hours are:
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Sunday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM
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Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM to 3:00 AM
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Kitchen, daily: 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM
The restaurant's website carries the full food and drinks menus, plus its phone number and email address.
Why Visit Íslenski Barinn
Íslenski Barinn puts the whole Icelandic table in one room: fermented shark and sviðakjammi at the traditional end, the lamb and lobster dogs at the modern one, and a bar stocked almost entirely with Icelandic beers and spirits. With 15% off the food menu for VIP Club members, it is an easy place to try several of these dishes in one sitting.
Book a table at Íslenski Barinn ahead of time to be sure of a seat.
