Íslenski Barinn

Small restaurant in the center of town with lots of atmosphere and a really good menu. Even if you don't feel adventurous and try the fermented shark or whale meat, you will find a bunch of great options. We had the fish pie (delicious!), a burger (fantastic!) and some of the dogs, which were also great. My personal favourite was the Popped cod skin. Staff was friendly and very quick. Great beer selection, too. Absolute recommendation!

We had our final dinner in Reykjavík at Islenski Barinn. When we arrived, there were about five groups ahead of us in line, but we were seated after roughly 15–20 minutes. We ordered the Slow Cooked Lamb Shank (5190 ISK) and the Reindeer Burger (4290 ISK). Although the restaurant was quite busy, our food arrived surprisingly quickly—within about five minutes of ordering. The lamb shank was extremely tender and flavorful, a hearty and satisfying dish that we thoroughly enjoyed. As for the reindeer burger, I honestly couldn’t distinguish it much from regular beef, but since trying reindeer was something I wanted to do in Reykjavík, I was still glad to order it. However, the patty was served undercooked. The unusually fast serving time suddenly made sense. The staff looked very busy, so we didn’t ask for a remake and simply decided to leave. Still, I regret not letting them know at least that the patty was undercooked—this was entirely my decision and not the restaurant’s fault. For anyone planning to visit, I recommend checking the doneness of your burger patty before eating, just to be safe. Overall, the restaurant had a lively atmosphere and we could see why it’s such a popular spot in Reykjavík.

This restaurant has a quaint, homey atmosphere that feels intimate and welcoming. The staff were genuinely friendly, and while they only take a few reservations each day (with most tables kept for first-come, first-served), they still accommodated our large party without any issue—even with us being split up. Food came out impressively fast. I had the Reindeer Burger and the meat (lamb) soup. Both were tasty, though the meat in the soup was a bit dry. The burger was well cooked, but the apple topping really dominated the flavor in each bite. My wife ordered the lamb hot dog and it was the table favorite—seriously delicious. A friend had the whale steak and it was just ok. The flavor was a bit dominating. Overall: cozy vibe, great service, and lots of memorable Icelandic options.

We had a great meal here. I had the meat soup and it was delicious. I also had a taste of the puffin and whale, they were both very tasty and definitely worth a try. We booked ahead as a table of six but arrived early, the staff were very accommodating and were able to seat us when we arrived. The service was fast and friendly.

Íslenski Barinn was where we went to have what we hoped would be fairly traditional Icelandic fare. We were there early and it was already packed, by the time we were done, there was a line out the door, given how cold it was, I thought it must be good. We were lucky enough to slip in just before the rush. It was a lively atmosphere, a warm, busy pub vibe. Looking at the menu, we decided to make the night a full Icelandic food adventure. This was my first time trying whale, puffin, reindeer. I’ve also never ordered a full lamb’s head before. I started with a few of the local beers to get myself ready for what was to unfold. The Lundi (puffin) and Skonsa hvalur (whale on Icelandic flatbread) were both surprisingly good: rich, smoky and far more approachable than we expected. The Hreindyraborgari (reindeer burger) was lean and had some of the usual elements of game meats, but was worth trying - but it won’t be replacing the usual fattier, beef burger mix anytime soon. They had fermented shark here too I think, but we didn’t try it as a local said it is not eaten that often and it’s more of a tourist dare than a dish these days. Then came the lamb’s head. The cheek meat was tender, the tongue was somewhere between what I think of as organ meat and lean more traditional meat in texture, the eyeball was not something I was sure I’d be able to stomach but it is apparently some sort of delicacy. It’s definitely a dish that requires some effort and a bit of bravery. It is probably one of things I’ve tried once, appreciate it for what it is, and will definitely remember doing. For dessert, we wrapped the night up perfectly with some rhubarb dessert and some pönnukökur (Icelandic pancakes) - the desserts were great and if you have room, give them a try. With friendly service, a buzzing atmosphere, and a menu that lets you be adventurous - Íslenski Barinn is obviously a popular location with locals and tourists and was a nice location to sit, relax, keep warm and eat some Icelandic cuisine.