Chair runs Oslo's first dedicated gin and tonic bar from Thorvald Meyers gate 45A in the heart of Grünerløkka. The bar keeps around 130 gins and eight tonics, and Alt om Gin, the Norwegian gin title, notes it has poured the format for roughly a decade.
The room
The room is small and casual, a Grünerløkka bar built around the back wall of gin bottles rather than a long cocktail counter. Funk and soul play low, and the staff lean toward recommendations over a fixed menu. It reads as a neighbourhood bar with one clear specialty.
What to order
Order a gin and tonic built to the bar's recommendation, since the staff pair the 130 gins against eight tonics for a living, and ask for a style rather than a brand. Regulars on local guides single out the staff for steering newcomers well. The kitchen is not the point here; the pour is.
Who it is for
Chair fits a gin drinker who wants range, a Grünerløkka local after a relaxed nightcap, and a pair who want a bartender to lead. Skip it if a broad cocktail list or a large group night is the goal, since the room is small and the focus is narrow. It rewards anyone curious about gin.
Best time to go
Weeknights are the easy windows for the staff's full attention and a seat at the bar. Friday and Saturday fill the small Grünerløkka room from the afternoon, so arrive early for a table. A quiet gin and tonic reads best midweek.
The bottom line
Chair is Grünerløkka's gin specialist, Oslo's first gin and tonic bar with around 130 bottles and a staff that pairs them by hand. Alt om Gin marks its long run on the street. Come midweek, skip the menu, and let the bar build the gin and tonic.
Keep exploring with our best cocktail bars in Oslo guide. the full Oslo bar guide. and our edit of cocktail bars worldwide. Pair Chair with F6 Cocktailbar in Oslo, Revolver in Oslo, Aku Aku Tiki Bar in Oslo.
Sources: Chair official site (chairoslo.no); Alt om Gin; Evendo Oslo; Aktiv i Oslo; Google Maps reviews.
