Reykjavik Lodging:
Find a hotel near Austurstraeti or Laugavegur (main sections of 101 Reykjavik) that you’re happy with as far as price and reviews and you’ll have a great time. We liked our stay at City Center Hotel and we’ve liked Centerhotel Klopp as well. We love the bar at the top of Centerhotel Arnarhvoll, called Sky Bar, and a room here would also be a quiet place to sleep while putting you in the center of both happening areas. It offers harbor views and is also across the street from Harpa.
Everywhere is quite safe so you just want convenience and value.
City Center Hotel – Great location near the harbor, good restaurants, bars. Super cozy rooms.
Centerhotel Klopp– Great location close to good restaurants, bars, sightseeing. Breakfast included.
Center hotel Skjalbreid – Great location close to good restaurants, bars, sightseeing. Breakfast included.
Hotel Fron – I have often found that this is the best value and location on otel.com. Breakfast included, quiet rooms – especially in the detached building at the rear, amazing location in the center of everything. Also offers a restaurant.
Reykjavik Food:
Most places offer a cheaper lunch menu so if you want amazing food at a cheaper price point, check out these places for lunch.
Grillmarkadurinn – Delicious and a beautiful, uniquely decorated restaurant. Make reservations (can do online).
Fiskmarkadurinn – Delicious and a beautiful restaurant. Make reservations (can do online).
Skelfiskmarkadurinn – cozy, brasserie style restaurant. Good value lunch menu, offered until 5pm! This is the ONLY restaurant in Iceland that serves Icelandic oysters on the halfshell. They are small, but beautiful, with a deep shell and a delicate taste. Can reserve online.
Hofnin – beautiful, cozy restaurant in the old harbor. The style of old Iceland meets modern. Rich food, good prices. One of our very favorite restaurants. Reserve online.
Bryggjan Brugghus – very hip space, super cool indoor and outdoor eating options. They brew their own beer and have amazing fish and chips. Located in the harbor, futher west of Hofnin. Can reserve online.
Sky Bar – Partly because of the great view of mountains and water and partly due to the fact they have great food at pretty reasonable prices, Sky Bar is a great place to grab some food in a quiet, casual but upscale environment in Reykjavik. Make reservations for dinner. Can reserve online.
Cheap Eats:
The Deli – slices of pizza, whole pizzas, paninis. Easy, quick food. Great value.
Open until 5am Fridays and Saturdays. Monday-Thursdays close at 9pm. Closed Sundays.
Located on Bankastraeti, near Skólavörðustígur.
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur – hot dog stand for the “best hot dog in town.” My recommendation: get one with “everything.” Everything = ketchup, sweet mustard, fried onion, raw onion, remoulade (mayonnaise-based sauce with sweet relish). Open almost all the time.
Closest location to downtown: Tryggvagata, near the Reykjavik Art Museum in a food truck.
Glo – vegetable-rich dishes, some dishes offer meat. You can get a lot for your money here and it can be taken away. More of a casual dining experience something like Panera in the United States.
Closest location to downtown: Laugavegur 20b
Vegetarian Eats
Glo – variety of bowls, salads, soups. Also, a great value for anyone looking for a vegetable rich dish.
Closest location to downtown: Laugavegur 20b
Things To Do:
Shopping – there are MANY boutiques and craft shops on the main streets in and around Laugavegur. If you are in the market for wool goods, a great place to make your purchase is the Handknitting Association of Iceland on Skólavörðustígur 19. If you shop elsewhere and want Icelandic wool, check the label to make sure the item is actually made in Iceland!
Museums – I like The Settlement Exhibition. You probably can’t go wrong with The Iceland Phallological Museum, either. Especially if anatomy is your thing.
Sightseeing – Visit Harpa – go for the architecture, stay for a drink or a bite to eat at one of their cafes. Check out Hallgrimskirkja for the best view in Reykjavik. Walk or run the Sculpture and Shore Walk for a great view of the sea and mountains across the water, plus there are beautiful sculptures along the way.
Reykjavik Night Life:
Alcohol is super expensive in Iceland – Think $10—$13 for 1 beer, $20-$25 for 1 cocktail. Best bet is to find happy hours by downloading the app “Appy Hour” or buy your alcohol at the airport or the local Vinbudin (liquor store) – beware of the short opening hours. The beer that is sold in convenience stores cannot legally top about 2%.
Dillon Whiskey Bar – (on Laugarvegur) We love this place because they have a huge selection!
Hurra – Great vibe – sometimes live music.
Hard Rock Café – I swore I would not patronize this chain venue, but I did during Iceland Airwaves 20thAnniversary in November 2018. It was actually great with a cool stage and bar downstairs. I would definitely return. The venue is intimate and you can get really close to the music.
In general, there are a LOT of bars.