Cocktail barRooftop bar$$$101Thu-Sat 16:00 to late
Petersen Svitan crowns the historic Gamla Bio cinema on Ingolfsstraeti, a Reykjavik rooftop bar with a two-level terrace and 360-degree views over the centre.
Signature drink: Cocktails with a city view
Food: Snacks
Tip: The upper terrace has the wide views over Vesturbaer. Best on a rare still, sunny Reykjavik evening.
Cocktail barLive music bar$$$101Sun-Thu 16:00-01:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-03:00
Gaukurinn on Tryggvagata is a scrappy Reykjavik live venue and bar, hosting rock gigs, drag and DJ nights with some of the cheaper beer downtown.
Signature drink: Cheap beer
Food: None
Tip: A long-running grassroots venue for new bands and drag nights. The crowd mixes locals and visitors.
Cocktail barHostel rooftop bar$$$101Daily 16:00-20:00 happy hour
The fourth-floor bar at Loft Hostel on Bankastraeti is a see-and-be-seen Reykjavik balcony bar hosting up-and-coming bands and DJs above the main street.
Signature drink: Beer and live acts
Food: Light bites
Tip: The balcony catches afternoon sun over Bankastraeti. Free gigs and DJ sets run through the week.
Cocktail barCocktail bar$$$101Mon-Thu 11:30-23:00; Fri 11:30-00:00; Sat 12:00-00:00; Sun 12:00-23:30
The long bar at Apotek on Austurstraeti mixes well-made cocktails in the old first-pharmacy building, one of central Reykjavik's more grown-up drinking rooms.
Signature drink: Classic and house cocktails
Food: Small plates
Tip: The happy hour at the marble bar is among the best central deals. Quieter and more polished than the clubs.
Cocktail barCocktail bar$$$101Mon-Thu 11:30-00:00; Fri-Sat 11:30-01:00; Sun 11:30-00:00
Tail is the cocktail bar of the Le Kock complex on Tryggvagata, a moody Reykjavik room near the harbour mixing seasonal drinks beside the food counters.
Signature drink: Seasonal cocktails
Food: None
Tip: Shares its building with Le Kock and Deig, so you can eat next door. Cocktails change with the season.
Cocktail barBar and club$$$101Mon-Thu 15:00-01:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-04:30; Sun 12:00-01:00
Kaffibarinn on Bergstadastraeti has anchored Reykjavik nightlife since 1993, a cafe by day that turns into the city's most packed DJ bar by midnight.
Signature drink: Beer and DJ nights
Food: Snacks
Tip: Part-owned over the years by Damon Albarn. Queues form after 23:00 at weekends, so arrive early.