Welcome to Oslo’s premier nightlife guide.
On this page, you’ll discover the vibrant and varied nightlife scene in Oslo. You’ll find the perfect venue for you and your preferred night out. Whether you want to go all-out clubbing or if you’d like a more laid back dinner and drinks with a view, we’ve got your covered.
Enjoy!
Oslo is a 1000 years old city and the capital of Norway. The city was first built in the year 1040 as Anslo and elevated to a bishopric in 1070. The City was first made capital in the year 1300 AD under the Haakon V of Norway. Oslo is considered as one of the largest capitals in the world when measured by its area. Most of the capital territory’s land area consists of parks, forests, hills, and protected areas, making it an eco-friendly city.
This natural beauty of the city attracts tourists and residents to take a tour on foot. Overall features of the city make it very pedestrian-friendly especially the city’s main street, the Karl Johans gate. This wide pathway alone has numerous tourist attractions including the Royal Palace, Oslo Cathedral, the old university building, and the National Theater. Oslo normally ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live, the city has numerous attractions to die for.
Let’s start from iconic Vigeland Sculpture Park, the park contains over 600 sculptures related to ustav Vigeland’s lifework and considered a hotspot for history lovers. The city is full of historic museums, the Viking ship museum and The National Museum consider among the best museums in the city. Another museum named as Aker Brygge is the best spot to witness a perfect combination of old and new with awesome architecture. Some 10-12 million tourists come here to witness its glory by their own eyes every year.
If you love music and art, Oslo Opera House and Annual Music Festivals are waiting for you with open arms. This 14th century AD landmark is among the largest cultural building in the whole city. It is highly recommended to visit this place at least once in August when a month-long Festival of Chamber Music takes place every year. In the end, don’t forget to visit 17th century AD Oslo’s Cathedral for some historic knowledge and to buy some precious items from Oslo’s Bazaar situated along the old church walls.
Oslo has much more to offer during night time. The city has one of the best and vibrant nightlife in most of northern Europe. In the below-given section, you’ll learn how you can spend one of the best night in Oslo.
The Nightlife in Oslo
Though Oslo is famous for its cold nights, the nightlife here is not as cold and famous for being highly electrifying. There are culture nights, concerts, bars, quality restaurants, and shopping malls to make your night an unforgettable experience. Let’s explore some of the best activities to enjoy the nightlife in Oslo. Our recommended sites range from cultural events, eating healthy foods to enjoying a tasty cocktail in bars.
Enjoy culture night
Culture night takes place once in a year on one of the September Fridays. On this night, the best of Oslo’s art and music is accessible for everyone to enjoy. During whole night different concerts, art shows, and black parties are free to join. Therefore, avail this great opportunity to explore the culture of this great city of Oslo.
Enjoy live music at Bla
Located at the bank of the river, this club is famous for quality music. Music concerts take place almost every night, where the best local and international artists invited to warm your blood. Bla is famous in local as well as tourist alike, all because of never-ending fun activities here. There are some other activities to choose from, shopping, drinks, football, and many more.
Eat food at Mister India
Oslo is very famous for seafood and considered a paradise for seafood lovers. To challenge the seafood dominance in Oslo, Mister India brings the flavor of cultural foods of India here in Oslo. The restaurant is a hotspot for desi food lovers for the last 25 years or more. We recommend you to try this restaurant at least once to eat something new in the city.
Try a walk at Karl Johans Gate
This is the main street of Oslo that connects parliament with Royal Palace. Here, walking is unavoidable because of the rush and dozens of famous places for tourist to visit. There are several cost-effective malls, parks, and theaters to try. The place is very famous in local and any tour to Oslo is incomplete without visiting it. We advise you to visit it at night when its glory is at peak.
Enjoy a tasty cocktail at Steamen
This restaurant plus bar is a favorite place to arrange parties in Oslo. The menu of recipes includes seafood, chicken, and other meat products. The staff is very friendly and always stays active to serve a variety of well-mixed cocktails. During summer months, the main activity of the bar takes place outside the main building where one can enjoy traffic views of Olav V’s gate. Whenever you visit Oslo, spend some of your night time at Steamen to have some fun with your friends.
Have some fun at Kulturhuset
You can try different activities at Kulturhuset, located near Young Gate. You can find some of the best clubs here, delicious food restaurants, and libraries. These activities make this place perfect for hangouts during the night. Prior booking is recommended to avoid long queues.
The best bars in Oslo
Oslo considered one of the best city in the world with very high living standards. The nightlife here is really special with a lot of places to have fun and sip the finest cocktails available on the planet earth. The best thing about Oslo bar is that you are never too far from a quality drinking place. If you are searching for the coolest bars in the city, you can check out our list of best bars in Oslo below.
Himkok
Situated at Storgata 27, this bar is not only one of the best in Oslo but ranked among the best bars in the world. The bar was ranked 18th in the world in the previous year. The staff is professional and friendly and the drinks are equally fantastic. The bar is all about sitting with your friends in a calm environment having some refreshing drinks. Their menu consists of over 50 drinks and every drink has some unique characteristics. The architecture of the bar is no less than the taste of the cocktails. The architecture, the tasty drinks, and professional staff all make this place worth visiting.
Last Train
The bar was opened back in the year 1984 and is probably the oldest rock bar in the city. The bar is famous and running a very successful operation, all thanks to their unwavering passion for quality music and no-nonsense concept, this bar is following right from inception. International and best local talent are invited on a routine basis. The selection of music ranges from rock, punk, metal, and pop. The drinks here are equally best as is the rock music of this bar. The bar is situated at 45 Karl Johnas Gate.
Brooms & Hatches
Located at Kongens Gate, the bar is famous for the Norwegian identity that it holds firmly and proudly. If you are a tourist and want to enjoy the pure Norwegian style of drinking, there is no other place better than the Brooms and Hatches in the whole of the Oslo city. The interior of the bar is modern and classy while the atmosphere is fantastic and electric. The local craftsmanship is flawlessly served in shape of local cocktails and beer. The drink menu includes various types of local and imported drinks to choose from.
Fuglen
Fuglen means ‘the bird’ in English and considered a hotspot for night owls. Located at 2 Universitetsgata, this place is more than just a bar. It is a bar, an excellent coffee house, and a tasty cocktail center at the same time. The decoration of its interior is more than nostalgic and make you want more. There is good news for decoration lovers, you can buy any products used for decoration here. The bar will fulfill your needs for drinking and decoration at the same time.
Abelone
The bar is named after the infamous brothel madam Abelone Kristensen. Located at Brugata 5, this bar is a decent addition to the vibrant existing cocktail culture of the city. The place is famous for its sour cocktail served with a lot of ice. Abelone is known for its separate sodas and slushes instead of making cocktails utilizing a shaker. The inside of the bar is mystical with abundant of hanging rice paper lamps. All these features and unique cocktails are what you need to spend a quality night out.
Etoile Bar
Enjoying a cocktail at the rooftop of a bar is lucky to experience. Etoile bar is situated on the 8th floor of the Grand hotel and considered best for enjoying the scenic beauty of the city from the top. You can see the beauty of the city’s skyline and perfect view of Karl Johans Gate. Coming towards the cocktails, the bar serves a great variety of drinks, all thanks to their experienced mixologists.
Tosca Bar
Situated on the ground floor of the Thon Hotel Opera, in the area of 4 Dronning Eufemias gate, Tosca bar has all the reasons to visit it once in your lifetime. Extremely beautiful and delicate bar tables with equally comfort table chairs create the right environment for a party and attending guests here. The bar offers specially designed dishes to companion your favorite wine. Cocktails are served by professional mixers but you can prepare your favorite cocktail on your own at the same time.
The best bar restaurants in Oslo
The culinary culture of Oslo is as old as is the city itself. The idea of bar-restaurant is relatively new in the city and the country as a whole, all because of some restrict rules towards the alcohol. The situation has changed in the recent and years and over a dozen bar restaurant are working in the city. Their number is growing over the years. Let’s have a look at some of the best bar-restaurant in the city.
Champagneria
Are you fond of tapas dishes? This bar-restaurant serves well-made tapas dishes in the city with sweet potato chips with chimichurri aioli is on the top of the list. Champagneria is also famous for a variety of champagnes, beer, and other similar drinks. The best time to visit this bar-restaurant is from Monday to Friday to avoid huge crowds during the weekend’s days. The bar is located at 2 Frognerveien, Frogner, with all of its taste glories.
Brutus
Situated at2 Eiriks gate, Gamle Oslo, this bar-restaurant opens till late night. Brutus is very famous for local and Icelandic dishes. The flavor of these dishes multiplies with natural wines that are solely served at this restaurant. The other recipes you can try at this restaurant include chicken liver and crispy duck wings served with horseradish mayo.
Bar Vulkun
Located near the Akerselva River, bar Vulkun is very famous for a variety of drinks and quality foods. You can try beef tartare with miso mayonnaise and to increase the taste, have a glass of red wine. This bar is located at 9 Vulkan, Oslo. Eating while sitting at its terrace when the weather allows it, brings you a whole new experience, you’ll not experience anywhere else in the city.
Olivia
Opened in 2006, this restaurant is best for Italian cuisine lovers. The best dishes available at this location include hand-stretched pizzas, fresh pasta, and antipasti. You can find the restaurant at 3 Stranden, Sentrum Oslo. You can enjoy food while sitting outside the restaurant, thanks to its outdoor heating facility.
Maaemo
This restaurant is probably the best in the town for dinner purpose. Maaemo is including in the list of top 50 restaurants of Diner’s club’s list of best restaurants. Moreover, the restaurant is the only restaurant in the city that received 2 Michelin stars in three years. The best recipes to taste at this restaurant include Reindeer heart, fried rye-bread cream, and spruce juice. The restaurant is located near the 15B Schweigaards gate, Gamle Oslo.
The best Nightclubs in Oslo
There is no doubt about the lively nightlife of this great city of Oslo. From historic places to lavish bars, all are here to enthrall the public. The talk about Oslo nightlife is incomplete without mentioning the thriving culture of nightclubs that city is witnessing for a long time. We have selected a list of best of all nightclubs in Oslo that you should this week to make your night an unforgettable experience.
Bla
Located at 9C Brenneriveien, Bla is the ultimate nightclub to die for. It’s a great place for those looking for something very different in Oslo. Its location near a river makes it more scenic. This is also famous for live concerts that take place early in the evening before it turns into a fine club with DJs from all over the world. The music here is exemplary with jazz, hip hop, and metal along with other electric music on the top. When this music played from one of the best music systems, you want to dance till the last beat.
John’s Bar
This a bar and a nice club where quality music is an integral part of the atmosphere. Variety of music played here with everything from old 80’s music to recent electric music. The rock, jazz, hip hop, and other types of music warm your blood and make you dance more. The club has a moderate capacity of over 150 persons at a time with an age limit of 24 years. This age limit means only serious stuff is promoted here. The bar is located at Universitetsgata with all its glories.
SYNG
Coolest nightclub in the city located near the river. It’s a lively karaoke bar that caters mostly to a young crowd. The outdoor seating with a colorful environment and inspiring music is all that you need to stay energetic and dance all night. The music types vary from hip-hop to rock one. The place is best to enjoy with your friends and to sing along with the crowd. You can book a room with your friends and taste a Crabbie, known as the best ginger beer in the city.
The Club
Located at the most famous area of the city the Karl Johans gate, this nightclub is one of the posh one in the city. The nightclub hosts DJs almost every night and arranges different events every month to make your night experience worth remembering. A varied music profile that includes house, R&B and hits force you to dance at your best. You can arrange a grand party here with up to 50 guests at once. The club is situated on the 2nd floor in Scotsman.
Pigalle
Located at Groenlandsleiret 15, this club can be called as the hidden gem of Oslo. It is more than just a club, you can enjoy reasonably good foods with outstanding Norwegian and continental cuisine, drinks are awesome, and the atmosphere is just cool. The music is also really good and varied, not too loud, not too mainstream. It offers good wines and above all very friendly services. There is no shortage of quality music at Pigalle with daily DJ line and occasional live concerts. The main focus of the music is on the electronic type such as Techno, House and Hip Hop.
Jaeger
Located near the Grensen, Jaeger in ranked among the best clubs and bars in Oslo. It’s a great place for those that love quality music, drinking, and meeting with strangers. Jaeger remains crowded week around and there’s always something happening at jaeger, so you’ll never get bored at this bar. The music here is varying and different DJs performed every night. International artists perform on a routine basis and DJs line is always impressive. So be prepared for an unforgettable experience during your stay at this impressive Club.
The LaWo
The LaWo club is well known for dance and drinks opportunities. During day time it offers some of the finest foods in Oslo and during the night, it is a nice dancing place. The inside of the club is clean, cool, and relaxing. Located in Universitetsgaten, it has a great location at a walking distance from the Oslo train and bus stations. The music here is just great with long DJs line all the time and drinks are worth trying. Overall, you won’t get disappointed with this great club of Oslo.
Conclusion
Oslo is well known for its historic and cultural stature. It is considered as one of the best city in the world to live and for all the good reasons it is the best city in Norway. The climate of Norway is famous for being cold especially its nights are very chilly. But to be honest, its nightlife is not cold or boring at all and Oslo is no exception in this regard. The Oslo is famous as a city that never sleeps all thanks to its vibrant and lively nightlife culture.
There is no shortage of tourist attractions in the city. The city offers some of the best facility and tourist-friendly environment in northern Europe. You can spend weeks to enjoy all of the famous attractions located inside or nearby areas of the Oslo. The best thing that makes Oslo eye-catching is probably the eco-friendly outlook of the city. 2/3rd of the city area is covered with forest, lakes, and parks that are among the highest for a capital city in the world.
Nightlife in Oslo is all about bars, dancing clubs and spending time in partying with your friends. Like the high standard of living in Oslo, the quality of bars and nightclubs here is just great. Take the example of Himkok that is ranked 18th in the list of best bars all over all the world. This is not only one example to mention because the city is full of other quality bars and nightclubs to try. You can check our list of recommended bars, restaurants and nightclubs. We promise you will enjoy these nightlife attractions that can make your night an unforgettable experience for a long time to come.
