Íslenski barinn

We were told this was a good place so we made a reservation as there were lines of people waiting outside to get a table. After waiting a day longer than planned due to being fully booked, we made it in. The service was very friendly and very fast. I ordered three dishes of which I had no idea if I would like them. For starters I went with The Puffin On Icelandic Crumpet, followed by The Reindeer Burger With Waffle Fries and a side dish of Popped Cod Skin With Tartar Sauce, to finish with Skyr in Pancake with Whipped Cream and cranberry Ice.
Everything was SOOO good. We’re going back in two days. Highly recommend the food and prices were very reasonable.

There was a line up but turnover rate was fast, so I only waited for 10-15 minutes. Went there for dinner, they serve tasting menu for traditional Icelandic food - such as puffin and fermented shark (we didn’t try it though). We ordered the regular stuff - traditional lamb meat soup, classic Iceland burger and lobster dog. All of them taste wonderful! The lobster was rolled into a ball and deep fried to the perfect state and then served in a hot dog bun! Traditional lamb soup was just the thing to warm you up in winter and it did not taste gamey at all :) highly recommend

Really nice authentic Icelandic food. We went for the grilled puffin, fin whale, reindeer burger and fermented shark.

All were good. The puffin especially was delicious and the fin whale was also very nice, but be prepared for some extremely rare meat. The reindeer burger was just a normal burger, still tasty though.

Lastly the fermented shark was the most interesting. They serve six small cubes in a sealed glass jar to keep the smell in. And it basically smells and tastes like ammonia, but surprisingly was actually quite nice. If you can get past the ammonia smell.

Service was friendly if a bit slow. And overall a great value meal. We spend 10,000 ISK on 3 starters and 1 main course plus drinks which seems relatively affordable for Reykjavik.

Great food, great atmosphere, well worth a visit. We have been three times during our trip. Tried a number of different dishes and all were yummy. They treated my missus very kindly on her birthday meal. Very happy

First of all, make sure you make a reservation because its a very popular place to eat.
The staff is friendly and relaxed althougt its always very busy. You have a lot of things you can choose from the menu. For starters we had fin whale and puffin.
As main course we noth ordered reindeer burger. I asked to bake the burger well done, otherwise its still a little bit red in the centre.
They also have a lot of beers on the menu to choose from.
We definetly enjoyed are meal and if we visit Reykjavik again, we will Ccome here again.

The Icelandic meat soup tasted better than I feared 😉 and it was quite filling. Burger and fries were good too, pancakes did not live up to expectations.
And they had a piano player in the restaurant that played super nicely!

There’s always a line BUT it is 100% worth it! Fermented Shark it’s a nice experience and the Main Courses are unbelievable good!

Sheep Head and Fin Whale Steak are delicious beyond belief! Desserts are a great and they also have a diverse selection of Icelandic beers and spirits.

Would highly recommend, 10/10

The service was very good. The waiter got us all that we needed, helped with everything.
Also he told us about a dish that wasn’t on the menu, that was prepared only in that day of the year for a local celebration.

Lobster soup was absolutely delicious !!! The lamb shank was very yummy too . For the price you are definitely getting big servings !!! I would recommend booking ahead if possible , we arrived around 6pm and waited around 20 mins however around 7pm the line was out the door and up the street . Would highly recommend this place for dinner

What an amazing place! We tried it out while in Reykjavik for my 30th bday trip and, oh my, what a treat. The food was delicious. We came back a few times as nothing else really compared. We tried the reindeer burger, lobster dogs, crackling fish skin, lamb shank, and a few others. The waffles fries were out of this world, too. We will definitely go back the next time we're in town.

Absolutely fantastic place. The staff are kind and polite, the atmosphere and the vibe are very warm, and the menu has some unique options. We tried the Reindeer Burger and the Whale steak, which were really delicious. Try early evening around 17:30 to avoid the crowd. Cards are welcome.

We were looking for some more authentic dining options and came across this place. My fiance ordered the fish pie, and I ordered fish of the day, which was a much larger serving than anticipated but very delicious. We shared the fish soup and the puffin. The puffin was definitely interesting as the crumpet it was served on was slightly sweet, as were the blueberries. That may seem out of place, but it definitely added to the dish. And if you aren't a fan of wild meat, it hides some of that gamey taste.

4.9/5

Great ambiance of a local bar/restaurant.

My wife picked the restaurant knowing I would pick some of the more unique options on the menu.

I went with the fermented shark which came with a shot and some dried cod. It was cool and worth the appetizer.

The Sheep Head was the most unique food I ate in Iceland. It had a lot of meat to go with the wow factor.

My wife ordered a chicken sandwich and waffle fries, which was also excellent.

Excellent beer menu was also a plus.

Hidden gem of Reykjavík.

Amazing food, great drinks and really nice wait staff! Icelandic meat soup was even better than I heard it would be. Definitely understand the ratings for this place. Tried the cod and chips, meat soup, surf and turf burger and we loved them all! Smoked stout was also surprisingly yummy

Really enjoyed having dinner here! We tried the shark with brennevinn and it tastes good. (Shark is just fishy tasting, and the liquor is very light in flavor). We also tried the puffin, and it was so delicious! For entrée I got the reindeer burger and really enjoyed it. My husband likes the haddock fish of the day.
The atmosphere was nice. I liked the decor inside. They honored a 15% off coupon we had. All the staff were friendly. Would highly recommend.

Very nice restaurant. Cosy and warm place. Delicious food. We chose Fish and chips, smoked salmon and reindeer burger. The price wasn't high. Atmosphere and served was very good. I recommend

Amazing and very special restaurant in Reykjavik. Perfect mix of traditional Icelandic and standard fare. We tried the Christmas lamb and platter, and went back twice afterwards. Book for supper, but not that busy over lunch. Good service as well. Loved the dunk-smoked salmon on Icelandic rye, like eating Lagavulin.

A very cosy place! As a solo traveler, I sometimes get nervous dining alone, but I didn't feel awkward at all here.

The waitress who served me was lovely and she showed me how to eat the dishes in line with icelandic tradition.

I had a ghost rider beer, dried cod, fermented shark and a reindeer burger. Every single thing I ate was delicious!

It was a bit on the pricey side, but I'm still glad I went.

An amazing Icelandic meal! I would highly recomend the Christmas lamb if you are around at that time of the year, it melts in your mouth! The service was also very quick and the waitress was the friendliest in Iceland!

Very nice place for a beer and for local food. Staff is very friendly and the atmosphere quite relaxed. Prices are good for Reykjavik. I recommend the plate to share!