Skál!
Reykjavik
Reviews
We stopped in for a quick snack and a drink on my last day in Iceland, and I'm honestly so disappointed I couldn't inhale the whole menu. Every dish we tried was delicious. The scallops were not only beautifully presented, but the combination of red currant, horseradish cream, and dill oil was absolutely phenomenal. The crispy radish salad was unlike anything I'd seen before, and I have to admit, the presentation was incredibly clever and such a pleasant surprise. And then there was dessert—absolutely sublime. This is one of those places I would recommend to anyone visiting Reykjavík without hesitation.
BEST food we’ve had during our 12 days Iceland trip. This is one of the best restaurants my fiancé and I had that we still talks about it time to time even after 2 years. Everything was good. We got one fish dish and a lamb dish and every single thing in the plates were amazing.
Beautiful? Absolutely. Delicious? Well, I wouldn’t say so. Every dish arrived looking like it just came off the pages of a culinary magazine. We had the beef tartare, halibut ceviche and rock crab to start, followed by the cod and lamb. Everything was pretty, but the flavor seemed to have wandered off most dishes. The lamb was smothered in so much barbecue garlic sauce that I’m not sure what it really tasted like. The cod was perfectly enjoyable, just not something you’d be dreaming of after this visit. Then there was my gimlet cocktail- it was so sweet I thought my lips were sealed together forever. Service was not great either, and it felt quite rushed. Visit this place for the presentation if you wish but seek the authentic Icelandic flavors elsewhere!
Skál! was a great lunch spot during my time in Iceland. I learned that the name means “cheers” or “good health” in Icelandic, which I thought was a pretty cool touch. I visited for lunch and found the restaurant to be nice and quiet with only a few other guests dining there. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and they took the time to explain the 2 course and 3 course lunch specials, including which menu items qualified for each option. I heard this restaurant serves some of the best Arctic char in Iceland, but I didn’t see it on the lunch menu, so maybe it’s available during dinner service. Instead, I ordered the baked cod with summer cabbage, runner beans, and a mussel reduction. It was a very good dish with excellent flavour, and the portion was surprisingly large and very filling. I hope to return in the future to try some of their more popular dishes, especially the raw scallops and the Arctic char.
The food was excellent—everything we ordered was delicious, and I would highly recommend eating here. Unfortunately, the service wasn’t nearly as impressive. Our initial interactions felt a bit unfriendly and even somewhat pretentious, which was surprising and disappointing (it was my birthday). Things improved toward the end of the meal, but the first impression wasn’t great. Thankfully, the quality of the food more than made up for it.
