Vínbúðin

4/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4

3.34/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3

3.18/5  rDev -7.6%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3 | selection: 3.25

Vínbúðin Austurstræti. Visited 5/22/2016. Essentially, a featureless state-run liquor store. A decent selection of Icelandic beer, mostly Borg, Viking, Gull, and so on. There are also several Mikkeller SKUs, including Beer Geek Brunch Weasel, prices are decent for Iceland. The only such store I visited during my trip, and you are allowed to break up six packs and what not as the bottles are sold individually. Service is fine, nobody comes up to ask if you need help, but that's expected.

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2.7/5  rDev -21.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5

As far as I could tell, this was the only place in Reyjavik that sold to-go beers stronger than 2.2%. So, de facto, it's more or less a must-visit if you're in town. Just don't get your hopes up too high.

Also, I stopped by around 4 PM on a Saturday and it was CRAZY busy, since it's the only place in town. The narrow aisles and drunken clientele made it hard to maneuver through the shop.

THE GOOD:
-It's the only place you can get to-go beer.
-They have lots of Icelandic beers.
-The prices are about a 1/3rd of what you pay in Icelandic restaurants, though still high compared to American liquor stores.

THE BAD:
-Aside from the Icelandic beers, there's not much here that you can't get in the states.
-Most of the Icelandic beer isn't very good.
-The selection shown on the website isn't at all accurate.

VERDICT:
If you plan on bumming around Reykjavik, where open containers are okay, you should stop here and grab a sixer of something tame. Don't plan on loading up your bags with any European delights, however--there's nothing here you can't get in Boston, or at a Binny's, and the prices are much higher than in the US. If you absolutely need to bring home a couple tallboys of Thule as souvenirs (which I recommend, just steer clear of the stuff called Gull), you're better off grabbing them duty-free at the airport.

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3.98/5  rDev +15.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.25

In Iceland beer and other alcoholic drinks are sold from government run stores, this one is on Reykjavik's main street. They had a around a dozen or so Icelandic bottled beers in 6 packs, which you can open if you wish. From micro breweries such as Borg, Gaedingur, Olvisholt Brugghus as well the big boys like Viking.
I was after the local stuff, but I could not help but notice that there were a few Belgium bottled beers that I'd never come across before.

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