The Best Craft Beer Bars in Oslo

Oslo's most respected microbrewery operates out of the Schous Bryggeri complex in Grünerløkka — a 19th-century brewery building that now houses multiple bars, a climbing wall, and a cinema. Schouskjelleren sits in the basement and serves the house-brewed range alongside a rotating guest list from Norwegian and international producers. The dark lager here is one of the best beers made in Norway, full stop. Arrive at opening time on weekends to avoid the queue.

Order: Schous Langtidstrekkingen dark lager — a slow-conditioned Norwegian take on the Munich dunkel style, and exceptionally good.

A botanically-themed bar that divides its tap selection between craft beer and natural wine with enough intelligence to do both well. Torggata Botaniske has become one of the central social spaces for Oslo's food and drink crowd — the kind of bar where you will find a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant drinking at the bar on a Tuesday. The tap list skews toward Scandinavian craft with a strong Norwegian representation, and rotates faster than most.

Order: A Norwegian farmhouse ale — several small producers are doing excellent versions of this style and Botaniske reliably stocks the best ones.

A multi-floor cultural centre in the heart of Oslo that operates a ground-floor bar with twelve craft taps and unusually fair prices by Norwegian standards. Kulturhuset attracts students, creatives, and the generally curious — the crowd is younger and more politically engaged than most Oslo bars. The beer selection changes weekly and staff are happy to talk through what is on. The best option in the city for a casual weeknight beer that does not cost a significant portion of your daily budget.

Order: Whatever session-strength pale ale they have from a local Norwegian producer — value for money and reliably well-chosen.

A proper neighbourhood taproom with a house brewery and sixteen taps. Grünerløkka Brygghus brews a range that covers lager, pale ale, and seasonal releases with a consistency that has built a loyal local following. The outdoor terrace on Thorvald Meyers gate is one of Oslo's best summer spots — a long, flat street that fills with locals on warm evenings and creates exactly the kind of unplanned social atmosphere that makes a great bar night.

Order: The house Grünerløkka Lager — brewed specifically for this neighbourhood and priced fairly by Oslo standards.

A tiki bar that takes its craft beer selection as seriously as its rum collection. Aku Aku carries a curated tap list of Norwegian and international craft alongside an extensive menu of tiki cocktails, and manages both without losing focus. The combination draws a crowd that is more interested in drinking well than in category purity. Best in summer when the tropical theme makes more climatic sense — the indoor seating is cosy enough for the long Norwegian winter.

Order: A crisp Norwegian lager — the contrast with the tiki aesthetic is deliberate and works well in the context.

The west side of Oslo runs more expensive than Grünerløkka, and Palace Grill reflects that — but the beer and whisky selection here justifies the price premium. Twenty taps focus on the best Norwegian craft alongside selected European imports, and the whisky list of over 200 bottles is one of the most thoughtful in the city. The bar counter is the best seat in the house for a long evening with a knowledgeable bartender.

Order: A Norwegian smoked lager paired with a Norwegian aquavit — the combination is specific to this bar and genuinely worth experiencing.

Named, implausibly, after both Jimi Hendrix and Henrik Ibsen, this Majorstuen bar has been running one of the best craft tap selections on the west side for six years. Sixteen handles, rock music at a reasonable volume, and a crowd that includes everyone from students to retired professionals who have been coming here since the first week it opened. The bar snacks are good and the staff are reliably un-precious about the beer selection.

Order: An American-style IPA from a Norwegian producer — several small breweries are making excellent hop-forward IPAs with local character.

A genuine neighbourhood pub in Torshov with eight rotating taps and prices that prove craft beer in Oslo does not have to cost the same as a meal. The crowd here is almost entirely local — residents who have made this their regular rather than tourists or bar-crawlers. The tap selection mixes Norwegian craft with well-chosen European options, and the owners rotate kegs faster than most bars in the city, which means freshness is consistent. Cash is preferred and the kitchen keeps short hours.

Order: Whatever Norwegian pilsner-style lager they have on — the craft interpretation of this style is underappreciated and often excellent here.