Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Síða 26

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
26
Best Happy Hour
Kaffibrennslan
Laugavegur 21
As the day wanes and the caffeine jitters kick in, this cool coffee
house does the job of transitioning you into beer-land with their very
nice happy hour deals. “I always find myself going there because it’s
just comfortable and nice,” one panellist said. Located right smack
in the centre of town so you can easily pop in for a quick one on your
way, or stay and drink the evening away, it’s just a cool, casual calm
place with friendly staff, good beers and tasty snacks. There’s also a
great patio for when the weather is nice.
Runners Up
Bravó
Laugavegur 22
It’s pretty hard to be unhappy when
happy hour literally lasts all day long!
From opening at 11am until 8pm you
can get beers and wine at discount
prices and sip them in warm cosy
comfort whilst people-watching the
downtown riff-raff passing by the
windows. Bravo, Bravó!
Bryggjan Brugghús
Grandagarður 8
This massive bistro and microbrewery
boasts a gorgeous selection of beers
that you can watch being brewed on
location, and serve up their own IPA for
just 500 ISK during happy hour. It’s right
on the gateway to Grandi—a rapidly
booming hot spot in town—so it’s the
perfect place to start before catching
some culture.
Previous Winner:
2017: Bravó
2015: Foréttabarinn
Best Smoking Area
Boston
Laugavegur 28b
While not without its charm on the
inside, where Boston really shines is
on its hidden courtyard smoking deck.
Perfect for the most avid thirsty inhaler
who has no intention of letting a little
winter stop them, the area is sheltered,
heated and strewn with cosy pillows
and blankets to wrap up, plunk down
and keep sucking down the cigarettes
like Coca-Cola. If you do give up and go
in, the place has a kind of cool gothic
feel to it and a nice selection of drinks
to lubricate your lungs.
Runners Up
Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1
This infamous smoking area is not heat-
ed or cosy, but boy is it fun! If you want
to eavesdrop on some drama, make a
new single-serving friend, or make fun
of people with someone whom you will
later sleep with, this is THE place to go.
Just don’t let the door hit you on the
way out (seriously.)
Hressó
Austurstræti 20
Large, spacious, sheltered, seated and
heated, the inside-outside smoking
area at Hressó (a.k.a. Hressingarská-
linn) is a well-known classic in town
for those who must smoke with their
drinks. It’s decidedly a better place
to hang out during the day and early
evening, unless you’re really into super
mainstream pop fare.
Previous Winners
2017: Hressó
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2018
Drinking
Why have just one happy hour
when you can have nine?
Best Bar For Live Music
Húrra
Tryggvagata 22
Outside of dedicated concert halls such
as Harpa, Húrra is truly the best live
venue in the city—and in some ways it
even has them beat! With its modest but
spacious stage, fantastic sound-system
and tight, intimate capacity, the bar
holds most of the best gigs in town on
any given week. “The programming is
really open-minded because they book
unknown local up-and-comers to huge
international names.” Never is this more
apparent than during Airwaves, but
really you can almost always catch a
great gig and then stay for the DJ and
the party,
Runners Up
Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22
Running a close second is Gaukurinn’s
dark, deep-set, low-ceilinged stage in
their roomy bar. Hosting a great array of
shows often from the more eccentric
fringes of culture, it’s a great place to
find the dark-sided shows and circus of
drag darlings.
MENGI
Óðinsgata 2
With its impeccable programme of
quality concerts, Mengi hosts talented
artists who often fall within the
territory of experimental, avant-garde,
singer-songwriter and electronica.
Their sleek, gallery-like space is acous-
tically and visually lovely, but capacity
is limited, so arrive early. A members
card softens the blow of the 2,000 ISK
standard cover charge.
Previous Winners
2016: Húrra
2015: Húrra
2014: Cafe Rosenberg
2013: Volta (RIP)
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