Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.06.2014, Page 26

Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20a
Lebowski is a pretty nice place to grab
a drink on weekdays or during the early
shift on weekends. On weekend nights,
the bar fills up with the sort of lively
crowd that's best taken in moderation.

950 1500 1100

Crowd-pleasing '80s, '90s and '00s
pop music. Turn off your brain and
music taste centers and you might
be able to dance.

Young (20s - 30s
Bacon bros, rural guidettes,
LAN-dweebs, strays & stragglers,
Grapevine columnists, Average
Janes, shifty headbutters
It's all themed after the film The
Big Lebowski. They do good White
Russians and the staff is unusually
friendly. Happy Hour is 16.00-19.00.
A nice little patio upstairs for sunny
days.
If you like The Big Lebowski and
aren't too picky about your club
mates, you'll probably like this bar.
– RE
Loft Hostel
Bankastræti 7
Loft Hostel is a big bright place with a lot
of floorspace and a very mixed crowd
of young, seemingly hip Icelanders
and tourists. It often plays host to
joyful events like live music and poetry
readings. Those with a cynical streak
might find Loft a little too cheerful, but it
is guaranteed to help you make friends
and/or enemies if you stay there long
enough.

850 1200 1100

Playlists are a mixed bag of hipster
friendly music, while the live bands
are often of the indie-pop kind.

Young (20s - 30s
Young hip Icelanders, poets,
politicians, musicians,foreigners
The balcony has a great view and is
perfect for chain-smoking, chatting
and drinking on sunny days. They
also have a foosball table, which is
almost always in use.
Playful, light, happy and friendly,
perfect to make friends and puke
over the balcony onto passers-by
after drinking too much beer. – JL
Loftið
Austurstræti 9
Loftið’s décor is inspired by fashion
design, with a ‘60's vibe—vintage light
bulbs illuminate the bar, mannequins
are draped in lovely dresses and a side
of each table is edged with measuring
tape. Everything about the bar is well
thought-out, geared towards customer
enjoyment. The windows are large and
look down onto the street. The staff is very
accommodating. The downside, however,
is having to adhere to a strict dress code,
and pay more for your drinks.

1000 1700 1200

We enjoyed an iPod mix of electro
and R&B, however they have DJs
Thursday through Saturday night.

Young (20s - 30s)
The rich and famous, yuppies and
their parents
Spacious and very clean. Loftið has
a fantastic selection of cocktails
and we were given free nuts with
our beer. Unfortunately, they
overcharged us for said beverages
and the smoking area leaves a lot
to be desired.
If you've ever dreamed of sitting,
dressed up, in a leather arm chair
with an expensive cocktail in hand
and laughing at the proletariat
passing by outside, then this is the
place to do so. – TGB
Micro Bar
Austurstræti 6
Micro Bar poses a problem. While it
offers Reykjavík's greatest selection of
beer on tap and in bottles, the interior is
dull to the point of offence (indeed, the
bar is connected to a hotel lobby). If only
all that great beer could be enjoyed in a
livelier environment.

900 1300 1100

Random playlists at a low volume.

Young (20s - 30s
Beer enthusiasts, tourists, people
looking for variety in their drink
selection.
Biggest selection of beers on tap
and in bottles in Reykjavík.
If only the interior was as ambitious
as the beers. – RJH
Nora Magasin
Pósthússtræti 9

Nora Magasin's two-tiered space—a bar
area with high and low tables, and an
elevated dining area—features a decent
domestic beer selection, shabby-chic
decor, and a nouveau Icelandic bistro
menu. All of which makes it the perfect
place for [students/tourists/artists/
businesspeople] to [grab a casual Happy
Hour beer/celebrate that big promotion/
have a formal dinner/have a casual
dinner/have a nightcap/start the bar
crawl].

950 1200 950

New Icelandic indie rock
(touristcore), in the background,
retail style.

Young (20s - 30s
Icelandic eyeglass models,
professional women traveling
in packs, luxury hotel guests in
North Face fleeces, foreign hipster
entrepreneurs unwinding after a
hard day of kicking ass.
The bar opens onto Austurvöllur,
and floor-to-ceiling windows all
along the front offer a lovely view
of the patrons sitting at the handful
of outdoor tables, desperately
sucking the warmth from their
cigarettes.
At least a little bit of everything,
for at least a little bit of everyone.
– MCA
Obladi Oblada
Frakkastígur 10
We showed up just in time to enjoy the
talents of a covers band performing
classic rock staples. In line with that, the
atmosphere was predictably middle-
aged, dad-rocky and nostalgic. The
interiors give a cozy at-home vibe: comfy
sofas abound while the walls are covered
with Beatles posters and paintings. The
place is so homey, in fact, that people
were actually playing UNO at one of the
tables.

850 1200 900

They often feature live bands that
mainly play classic rock covers.

Older (40+)
The '68 generation, ex-hippies.
Lots and lots of Beatles
memorabilia.
A cozy bar for the 40+ crowd that
milks a feeling of nostalgia.. – DRG
Ölsmiðjan
Lækjargata 10
This place looks and feels like a typical
British pub. The familiar pub atmosphere
is cozy, and the bar's staff and patrons
are quite friendly. Ölsmiðjan is a great
place to enjoy a few drinks before a long
night out.

700 1300 750

Occasionally Irish folk bands
or troubadours will perform on
weekends. Usually, Ölsmiðjan's
speakers blare classic rock and
funk at a comfortable volume..
Saturday 7th June
Kaffibarinn, Bergstaðastræti 1,101 Reykjavík
9PM – 3AM
26 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 07 — 2014
Prikið serves as a Cheers-style
establishment for everyone involved
or interested in the Icelandic hip hop
scene.