Nightlife · Oslo · Norway
Oslo nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Oslo, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Trond Strandsberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Oslo's evenings centre on bars and live music rather than huge clubs, with craft beer, cocktail bars and concert venues spread across Grünerløkka, Torggata and the waterfront. Drinks are expensive, and many locals have a drink at home before heading out. The main areas are Grünerløkka, Torggata and Youngstorget, Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen and Grønland and Tøyen.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Grünerløkka
- Local drink
- Aquavit
Where to go out
Grünerløkka
Relaxed bars, craft-beer pubs and cocktail spots along Thorvald Meyers gate and Markveien, with a mostly local crowd.
Torggata and Youngstorget
A pedestrianised strip of bars, food halls and music venues just north of Karl Johans gate, busy on weekend nights.
Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen
Waterfront terraces and smarter cocktail bars with a well-dressed after-work crowd.
Grønland and Tøyen
Lower-key, lower-priced bars and live-music venues east of the station.
Nightlife tips
- Many bars serve until about 3am at weekends; check age limits at the door, as some venues admit only over-20s or over-23s.
- Night buses and extended metro services run on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Beer is the most affordable drink in bars; wine and cocktails cost considerably more.
What to drink
- Aquavit — A caraway- and dill-flavoured spirit sipped with Christmas food and with fish. Linie aquavit is aged in casks that cross the equator twice on board ship before bottling.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 13°C (55°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 15:48 | -6°C (21°F) | 10 |
| April | About 20:34 | 1°C (34°F) | 8 |
| July | About 22:24 | 13°C (55°F) | 11 |
| October | About 18:09 | 4°C (39°F) | 11 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Buy tickets in the Ruter app before boarding; inspectors check regularly and fines are steep.
- Tram — Trams serve Grünerløkka, Frogner, Aker Brygge and the Ekeberg hill, and are the easiest way to reach the Akerselva at Kjelsås.
- Bus — Bus 30 runs year-round from the centre to the Bygdøy museums, and buses fill the gaps between tram and metro lines.
- Ferry — Check whether the Bygdøy ferry is running during your visit; outside the warmer months, take bus 30.
- Walking — Most central sights, from the Opera House to the Royal Palace, are within a 20-minute walk of each other along the harbour and Karl Johans gate.
Late-night bites
- Brown cheese — Every supermarket and breakfast buffet; cheese counters at Mathallen Oslo let you compare styles.
- Hot dog in potato flatbread — Convenience-store counters such as Narvesen and 7-Eleven, and kiosks at stations and ski areas.
Staying safe at night
Oslo is generally low-risk for visitors, but pickpocketing happens around Oslo Central Station, on Karl Johans gate and on crowded trams. In winter, icy pavements cause many falls, so wear shoes with good grip.
- Emergency number
- 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire
Where to stay for nightlife
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and budget
Grünerløkka
North of the centre along the Akerselva, Grünerløkka grew up around 19th-century textile mills and is now Oslo's favourite area for coffee, secondhand shopping and evenings out. Thorvald Meyers gate and Markveien hold most of the cafés and boutiques, Birkelunden park hosts a Sunday flea market, and the Mathallen food hall sits by the river at Vulkan. Trams 11, 12 and 13 run to the centre in about ten minutes.
- Good
- Strong local café and bar scene; More apartments and smaller hotels at lower prices; Riverside walks to the centre
- Watch out
- Few major sights within the neighbourhood; Weekend noise around the bar streets
- Nearby
- Mathallen Oslo, Akerselva river walk, Birkelunden, Sofienberg Park
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Oslo?
Grünerløkka, Torggata and Youngstorget and Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen. Relaxed bars, craft-beer pubs and cocktail spots along Thorvald Meyers gate and Markveien, with a mostly local crowd.
+Which area of Oslo is best for nightlife?
Grünerløkka: Old workers' district by the Akerselva river with cafés, vintage shops and bars around Olaf Ryes plass.