Sól restaurant — Restaurant in Hafnarfjordur

We visited Sol for dinner after receiving a recommendation from a local in Reykjavik. Our expectations were high—especially after enjoying excellent food and service in other restaurants in the city. Unfortunately, Sol did not live up to them.

The setting is truly unique: dining on a glass floor above the crops creates a memorable atmosphere. The food itself was enjoyable—some dishes even very good—though not quite spectacular.

The main disappointment was the service, which felt disorganized and inattentive from the start. Upon arrival, we were seated in the waiting area as our table was not ready. After ordering a drink, two different waiters asked for our reservation details, both struggling to locate it in the system. This created unnecessary confusion and suggested a lack of coordination. A designated host handling reservations would have avoided this.

Once seated, service remained inconsistent. It took a long time before anyone came to take our order, and even then the waiter seemed unsure whether another colleague had already done so. We also received no explanation of the menu or concept, which we would expect at this price point. When we asked if it was still possible to order the six-course menu (since it was already quite late), the waiter joked, “not for you”—a comment that caused more confusion than amusement.

Throughout the evening, four waiters busily rearranged tables, giving the impression of a rushed and chaotic environment. Combined with poor acoustics, this created an overstimulating atmosphere. For such a relatively small dining room, the service team still seemed stretched thin.

We eventually ordered the six-course menu, but were never asked about allergies or dietary restrictions—again, surprising at this level. Courses arrived with long delays, for which the staff apologized, citing a busy kitchen. The pacing further underlined a management issue with capacity versus service.

The dishes themselves ranged from pleasant to excellent. The highlight was the fresh skate, closely followed by the smoked haddock. The tomato burrata was a nice opener, and the lamb belly was flavorful. The dessert, Mysingur, was creative with its use of liquid nitrogen. The most problematic dish was the whale, which was not listed on the menu. This omission was concerning, especially given its ethical implications—we would have appreciated transparency and the option to decline.

While we appreciated the unique setting and generally good food, the overall experience was undermined by poor service and chaotic organization. At over €150 per person, one expects a far higher standard of attentiveness, professionalism, and atmosphere. We recommend that Sol streamline its reservation process, provide clear menu explanations, train staff in professional and consistent service, and improve the acoustics and pacing of the meal.

Until these issues are addressed, we cannot recommend Sol despite its promising concept...

Overall, our experience at Sól was mixed. It started off on a high note with warm, welcoming staff, attentive service, and a truly stunning atmosphere. The greenhouse setting is absolutely beautiful—lush greenery, natural wood, and a calming, airy vibe make it a unique and memorable space to dine in. The ambiance alone is worth a visit.

We ordered two drinks: a strawberry lemon mocktail and a cinnamon gin old fashioned. Both were enjoyable, though not exceptional. At around $15–$20 each, the pricing felt steep for what we received.

For appetizers, we tried the vegan “burrata” with tomatoes—made from pine nuts and nutritional yeast—which was creative and absolutely delicious. The steak tartare was also a standout. However, the dish was supposed to come with rye bread, which was missing. When we asked for it, there seemed to be confusion (possibly due to a language barrier), and we were instead brought potato bread—which we were later charged for. It was a frustrating moment that could have been handled better.

After appetizers, the service noticeably dropped off. Staff stopped checking in, and we had to wave them down for anything we needed. For mains, we ordered the mushroom mille-feuille, halibut, and skate. The halibut was the best of the three—perfectly cooked, paired with creamy spätzle—but it lacked brightness or acidity to balance the richness. The skate was nicely cooked with a delicious relish, but the accompanying sauce was overly salty. The mushroom dish was, unfortunately, a miss. Parts of it were inconsistently cooked—some mushrooms and potatoes underdone or overdone—and the flavor was lacking. The charred lettuce with marinara on the side felt like an odd combination and didn’t work at all.

In the end, while the setting is incredible, the food and service didn’t live up to the price tag—around $80 per dish. Some dishes were well-executed, but others missed the mark, and the service was inconsistent. If you’re looking for a beautiful place to enjoy a drink and a snack, Sól is worth a stop. But for a full, fine dining experience, we left feeling...

Fantastic spot for dinner. We had a stellar time here.

The design of the interior is something else. You might worry that so much attention being focused on that aspect might leave less focus for other aspects, but that simply wasn’t the case. Everything met that same quality and wow factor.

The food was wonderful. I recommend the tomato and burrata. High quality simple ingredients put together skillfully for a fantastic dish. I would advise your own, as you won’t want to share it! We also enjoyed the lamb belly with potatoes. Again, high quality products going in with skillful cooking yielded another fantastic plate.

A special shoutout to the cocktail program here, some world class things going on. I did two ‘bartenders choice’ selections. Both were amazingly good. The young man at the helm of the bar this evening was incredibly passionate about his work with house-made ingredients, including syrups and bitters which, like many of the dishes in the restaurant, highlight the quality products being grown in the greenhouse and regionally.

They have lots of things to be proud of here, I would go out of my way to return here for a...