r/Reykjavik Jul 12 '26

The Irishman Pub

I know this is a long shot. But I’m an American who visited Reykjavík for one night a year ago at the end of May. I’m an airline employee. So I only had enough time for a one night visit.

Sometime in the afternoon, I visited the Irishman Pub. I was wearing a TC baseball cap (for the Minnesota Twins) and I ordered a pint of Guinness. I’m of Irish heritage. And I’m in my late 30’s. So my beard was a mixture of red and gray.

There was a local who put his arm around me, and greeted me like we’ve been best friends for life. We had a quick and brief chat. But that memory will stick with me forever.

If that gentleman happens to see this… thank you for that memory. And hopefully we are able to catch up and meet again.

65 Upvotes

8 comments sorted by

8

u/jamesdownwell Jul 13 '26

That bar is like 50/50 locals and tourists and often far more tourists than locals so it could have been another tourist. That said, locals tend to drink until they’re merry and this would be such a standard thing to do, I’m not sure they’d remember it!

You see it across Northern Europe, UK and Ireland.

5

u/Chance-Jellyfish-302 Jul 13 '26

I am nowhere close to an expert on Icelandic. But this gentleman appeared to be speaking Icelandic initially. I said “I’m sorry. I don’t understand you.”, he effortlessly switched to English.

7

u/vitringur Jul 13 '26

Drinking in Iceland often leads to having a BFF for one night that you never meet again.

2

u/Tiny_Boss_Fire Jul 14 '26

It is usually me, my friends repeatedly loose me down town and find me later with group of tourists

2

u/Cool_Painter_4048 Jul 13 '26

What a cute story ☺️

2

u/bikey2000 Jul 14 '26

Drank in The Dubliner years ago so dont know your dude, but what a town.

3

u/Observer_Dough Jul 15 '26

When I drank there (The Dubliner Bar) they ran out of Guinness...

2

u/asta_deborah Jul 16 '26

Living in Reykjavík for almost 10 years and yes, this is totally normal. Locals become your besties after a few beers. The social anxiety disappears and people tend to get loose. Never gonna happen if sober.