Review of Tapas Barinn

First impression of this tucked away below street-level jewel: Warm, red-lit, boisterous yet not overly loud, and the perfect choice for our date-night splurge on an otherwise budget conscious trip. As a celiac who's extremely sensitive to cross contamination, I research restaurants in advance (it's rated well on FindMeGlutenFree and I'll be reviewing there too). So we made a reservation and I went in with full confidence, which was confirmed when the hostess immediately turned to me with a smile and assured me they were prepared. I wanted to sample everything, so when I asked our lovely server whether she recommended the Icelandic Gourmet Feast or the Chef's Choice, she told me the former would be the best route. My husband chose the latter. That meant we were being served multiple dishes at different times. The chef came out to speak with me directly and suggested I avoid the included sample of Brennevin as it's a barley-distilled spirit (I took his advice). On a busy Saturday night, this well-staffed, smoothly run establishment had different servers running food, and each one described our dishes, and knew to confirm to me that mine was gluten free. When one accidentally (yet understandably) gave me a dish meant for my husband, our "primary" waitress swooped over and corrected things before he'd even finished speaking! I feasted deliciously and safely; every bite was exquisite, and the juxtaposition of the best of Icelandic dishes with the Spanish-style not-so-small plates and decor/music, plus the romantic yet relaxed atmosphere, made for the perfect experience in every way. It was a pleasure and an honor to dine here, and I thank each and every employee for making our last night in Reykjavik such a delicious delight.

Celiac friendly?

Yes