The 10 Best Bars in Bergen, Norway

Awarded the title of Norway’s Best Bar in 2015, No Stress is an absolute must on a late night tour of the city of Bergen. Priding themselves on their extensive and creative cocktail menu, No Stress is concerned with sourcing their own ingredients, making everything from scratch and, as the name dictates, providing a laid back, non-stressful environment. In the relaxing atmosphere complete with a Nintendo 64, fair prices and fun drinks, No Stress is the favorite spot for a wide and varied clientele. There’s word on the street that their newly opened place, Vaskeriet, is also worth a try.

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5pm-1.30am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2.30am,

As the name dictates to anyone familiar with the Scandinavian languages, this place puts its main emphasis on its selections of good wine and beer. Henriks Øl og Vinstove has an extensive drinks menu with 50 different kinds of Norwegian and Scandinavian beers on tap at all times. This place is a true beer lover’s heaven, and does everything to focus solely on the drinks and the experience of drinking. Henriks Øl og Vinstove therefore does not play music or appreciate loud behavior.

Opening hours: Sun-Fri 4pm-12.30am, Sat 2pm-12.30am Beer | © Thomas Hawk

Functioning mainly as one of the finest restaurants in Bergen, Lysverket also boasts a great bar with what is allegedly the very best cocktail menu in the entire city. Enjoy a drink in refined, sophisticated surroundings, before or after a world-class meal of Scandinavian cooking. Lysverket has a fine selection of Nordic and European wines, sure to provide a light aperitif for any occasion.

Opening hours: Tue-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-3am

Slightly off the tourist track lies Barkollektiv – a solid, classic take on the bar genre, with cheap beer and ample opportunity to socialize with friends and colleagues. Sporting a small selection of burgers, Barkollektiv becomes a place to kick back, grab a bite to eat, and relax. This establishment is also the proud owner of a number of shuffleboards, much to their customers’ delight. A large selection of cocktails and other alcoholic drinks makes Barkollektiv a place worth staying at as the evening wears on.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-late, Sun 1pm-1am

Mainly serving as an independent place for the sale of vinyl records and music, Apollon has, since 2012, also served the people of Bergen their extensive selection of beers. Sure to please even the pickiest beer-enthusiast, Apollon Platebar combines two interests in a seamless and natural manner. With an enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff eager to make your stay as accommodating as possible, one of the country’s oldest record shops has found a way to keep its doors open for a long, long time.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-12am, Sun 12pm-12am Apollon | © Arne Halvorsen/Flickr

With a growing student population in some of the country’s most popular universities, Bergen is host to an ever-growing demand for suitable bars and clubs for entertainment after hours. Klubb KOK is one of the places attempting to satisfy this demand, with a hip venue hosting several club nights, concerts and DJs throughout the week. For anyone looking for a venue that extends its hours and drinks into the night, Klubb KOK is the perfect destination.

Opening hours: Tues 8pm-3.30am, Thu-Sat 11pm-3.30am Courtesy of Klubb KOK

Originally a 400-year-old inn converted into a winebar, Altona has a tradition for serving good food and drinks. Renowned for its wide selection and refined elegance, the old inn was an important cultural center for the city in the 1700s. Today, it serves as an important institution on the Bergen bar scene. Authentic charm, as well as mentions from the Wine Spectator, singles Altona out as a perfect destination for a glass or two.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 5pm-12.30am, Fri-Sat 6pm-1.30am

A part of the famous Dickens restaurant, Kontoret Bar (‘the office’), boasts the best selection of Scottish single malt whisky in the entire city. With over 70 kinds of whisky and 80 types of beer available, Kontoret is a great place for anyone keen to taste the best scotch on offer. Calm surroundings and a knowledgeable staff makes for the best experience possible in charming locales.

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 4pm-1am, Fri-Sat 4pm-2.30am

As one of Bergen’s oldest remaining pubs, Skipperstuen prides itself on its long and solid bar tradition. A simplistic, traditional bar with live music and what is reportedly some of the cheapest beer in the entire city, Skipperstuen is the ideal destination for anyone looking for an informal pub experience. With a more mature clientele, this place is perhaps better suited for those who have had enough of the frenzy of the student milieu.

Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11am-1pm, Thurs 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am

As the only whisky bar in the Nordic region to achieve gold status from Great Whisky Bars of the World several years in a row, Terminus Whisky Bar does not need to broadcast its qualities to have visitors. Located inside one of Bergen’s historic hotels and having retained its original interior from the 1920s, Terminus Whisky Bar has over a thousand different whiskies on offer. Widely regarded as perhaps the very best place for whisky in this part of Europe, and indeed the world, Terminus is sure to have a drink to suit everyone.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 6pm-12.30am