Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2017, Page 26

The R
eykjavík G
rapevine
B
est of R
eykjavík 20
17
26
Best place for cocktails
Apotek
Austurstræti 16
Apotek takes the cocktail crown for its third consecutive year of
mixed and shaken glory. Set in the lounge and restaurant of the
hotel by the same name, it’s a large, bright room with opulent dé-
cor—exactly the kind of setting that lends itself to sitting back with
a perfected blend of liqueurs and mixers. Their head mixologist re-
cently took home a prize at the Reykjavík Bar Summit, so they are
tens across the board. Plus their cocktail-and-dessert happy hour
deal is a steal!
Runners Up
Slippbarinn
Mýrargata 2
This standard go-to bar for cocktails
holds its own as far as the mixing game
goes, with a unique menu and highly
skilled bartenders to shake them up.
The bar itself is a beautifully designed
space with a gorgeous view, right in the
Old Harbour. It closes on the early side,
but it’s great to start out there.
Hverfisgata 12
Hverfisgata 12
The bar that unites The Pizza Place
With No Name and Mikkeller & Friends
holds a special place in cocktail-land
for our panel. “They have a cocktail
of the week offer and good DJs every
weekend, plus you can go upstairs to
get beer or stay down and have a pizza,”
said one gushing panelist. Great drinks,
great place.
Previous Winners
2016: Apotek
2015: Apotek
2014: Slippbarinn
2013: Borg, Hotel Borg
2012: Kolabrautin
Best bar for live music
Húrra
Tryggvagata 22
For the third year, Húrra lifts the best
live venue prize. Although we try to
honour different bars in each category,
this year Húrra won two unanimously.
“Is there any better place? It’s the best
and only place I like to play, anyway,” said
one musician on the panel. “The staff is
great, the sound is great on stage and in
the room, the sound techs are awesome,
and the sound system is proper!” Part
of us wishes there was another venue to
consider, but we love Húrra. It’s great!
Runners Up
MENGI
Óðinsgata 2
Although it’s not exactly a bar, the
art and performance space MENGI is
one of the top places to catch quality
concerts by unique, often experimental
musicians. Much of their programming
is quite niche but they do get some big
draws too, and the sound and visuals
are impeccable.
Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22
Gaukurinn has long had a reputation
as a place for harder-edged metal and
punk events, but over the last year it
has been ambitious in diversifying its
programming, improving its facilities,
and creating a friendly and safe space
for all. The sound is not that great, but
we hope this improves too.
Previous Winners
2016: Húrra
2015: Húrra
2014: Cafe Rosenberg
2013: Volta (RIP)
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2017
Drinking
Why have just one happy hour
when you can have nine?
Grófarhús Top Floor · Tryggvagata 15, 101 Reykjavík · Opening Hours: Mon–Thu 10–18, Fridays 11–18, Weekends 13–17 · www.photomuseum.is
Sigurgeir Sigurjónsson · Metamorphosis
20.5.–10.9. 2017
Best happy hour
Bravó
Laugavegur 22
Oh, bravo, Bravó, for having the best
happy hour in this fair city. In a town
with so many happy hours that we had
to go ahead and create an entire app
for them, Bravó edged out the entire
competition with their lengthy happy
hours. Namely, from 11am until 8pm.
Those are nine very happy hours. If
you get lucky and grab a table, or even
just a single seat in this small and often
very packed place, then it’s the happiest
place on earth.
Runners Up
Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1
For a classy happy hour, Kaffibarinn has
a great selection of Iceland’s finer beers
on tap at little more than half their reg-
ular prices. “I especially like going there
for their Wednesday cheese platter
evenings,” admitted one panelist. It’s
warm and welcoming, and a great place
to go relax.
Stofan
Vesturgata 3
When the name of the place literally
translates to “the living room,” it’s
pretty much expected to be a very cosy
place to kick back with some late-af-
ternoon/early-evening drinks. With all
their beers and wines on happy hour
from 4pm until 8pm, plus their lovely
central location and tasty menu, Stofan
thoroughly deserves a nod.
Previous Winner:
2015: Foréttabarinn
WWW.HANDKNIT.IS