Reykjavík: 7-Course Teppanyaki Tasting Menu with Fire Show

Fire meets dinner in central Reykjavík. This 1.5-hour meal pairs fresh Icelandic ingredients with a chef-led teppanyaki show, giving you more than a standard restaurant dinner. I like the chance to taste lamb, langoustine, salmon, and skýr in one sitting, and I also like watching the cooking happen inches from the table. The main drawback is the $120 price, especially since transportation is not included and the northern lights are never guaranteed.

You check in at Flame Restaurant and Bar, inside a modern glass building about 200 meters from Höfði House and Fosshotel Reykjavík. I would choose this for a special evening rather than a quick meal. The staff and chefs have earned strong praise, with Wilson and sous chef Kai singled out for friendly service, conversation, and cooking skills. A few diners experienced a slow or confused start, so allow yourself a little patience if the welcome is not perfectly smooth.

Key details before you book

• Seven courses built around Icelandic produce: Expect beef carpaccio, langoustine, Arctic char, lamb, rice, vegetables, and blueberry skýr yogurt.
• A real fire show at the grill: The chef cooks in front of you with open flames, utensil spinning, and other teppanyaki tricks.
• A sake cocktail comes first: Your ticket includes a welcome sake cocktail or a similar drink.
• Iceland’s only teppanyaki restaurant: This gives the dinner a novelty that ordinary steakhouse meals do not offer.
• Central Reykjavík location: The restaurant is close to Höfði House, Fosshotel Reykjavík, and the ocean.
• Northern lights are only a possibility: You may try viewing them near the nearby lighthouse in winter, but nature keeps the final say.

A theatrical dinner in central Reykjavík

Flame Restaurant and Bar offers a meal designed to entertain as much as it feeds you. You sit near a teppanyaki cooking surface while the chef prepares parts of the tasting menu in front of you. The open flame is the star of the room, but the appeal comes from seeing Icelandic ingredients handled in a Japanese-inspired style.

I like this format because it gives you a clear sense of occasion without taking up an entire evening. The listed duration is about 1.5 hours, long enough for a seven-course tasting menu and a cooking performance, but short enough to fit around other Reykjavík plans.

The setting is practical and modern. You are in the city center, not on a remote excursion, so you can reach the restaurant as part of an evening walk or pair it with other central sights. Höfði House is only about 200 meters away, and the ocean is nearby.

That location also adds a seasonal extra. In winter, you can try looking for the northern lights near the lighthouse by the sea after dinner. I would treat that as a bonus, not part of the meal itself. The lights are a natural event and cannot be guaranteed.

The welcome cocktail sets the tone

Your meal begins with a welcome sake cocktail or an equivalent drink. This is included in the ticket, which helps the $120 price feel a little less stark than it might at first glance.

The cocktail is not just a token pour. Several diners found it flavorful and satisfying, and one described the drinks as both good-looking and tasty. That matters because the opening drink gives the evening a proper start while you settle in and watch the kitchen prepare.

You should note that the information does not specify the exact cocktail recipe or the alternative beverage. If you have a strong preference, ask the staff what is available when you arrive. The experience is conducted in English, so communication should be straightforward.

The drink also helps separate this from a simple restaurant reservation. You are buying a set experience with a welcome beverage, a fixed tasting menu, and live preparation. For a birthday, anniversary, or final-night dinner in Iceland, that structure can work well.

Course one: Icelandic beef carpaccio

The sample menu begins with Icelandic beef carpaccio. Served thinly sliced, carpaccio gives you a cool, delicate opening before the heat of the teppanyaki grill takes over.

I like this first course because it introduces Icelandic beef without burying it under a heavy sauce. It also provides a change of texture from the cooked seafood and meat that follow. Since this is a tasting menu, the early courses are meant to keep your appetite moving rather than fill you immediately.

The precise preparation can vary, since the menu is described as a sample. You should think of the carpaccio as an example of the restaurant’s approach: local ingredients, presented in a Japanese-influenced meal with a clear progression from lighter to more substantial dishes.

Course two: langoustine with homemade lava sauce

Next comes tempura Icelandic langoustine, paired with a homemade lava sauce. Icelandic langoustine is one of the meal’s signature ingredients, and the tempura treatment adds a crisp contrast to the sweet seafood.

This course is likely to be one of the most memorable bites on the plate. The menu uses a local product that many people specifically want to taste in Iceland, while the cooking style gives it a playful restaurant-theater quality.

The name lava sauce fits the Iceland theme, but do not expect every part of the dish to be a fiery challenge. The supplied information does not specify its heat level. If you are sensitive to spicy sauces, ask before eating. The important point is that the course connects Iceland’s volcanic identity with the restaurant’s presentation.

Rice, vegetables, and the rhythm of the grill

Premium Japanese rice and mixed fresh vegetables follow as supporting courses. These may sound less dramatic than lamb or lobster, but they give the meal balance.

The rice provides a plain, comforting base for the stronger flavors. The vegetables add freshness and keep the tasting menu from becoming a long procession of rich meat and seafood. I appreciate that the menu includes these elements because a seven-course meal needs contrast, not just expensive ingredients.

This is also where the cooking show becomes more than a single burst of flame. The chef’s work continues across the meal, with tools, heat, timing, and movement all happening directly in front of you. Several diners particularly enjoyed the tricks, flame work, and utensil spinning.

You should expect the show to be part of the meal rather than a separate stage performance. The chef is cooking your food while entertaining you. That means the presentation feels personal, but it also means the pace can depend on the chef and the room.

Arctic char with teriyaki sauce

The sample menu includes Icelandic Arctic char with teriyaki sauce. Arctic char is a useful middle course because it brings a lighter protein after the beef and langoustine, while the teriyaki adds a familiar sweet and savory flavor.

This dish should appeal to you if you like fish but want something more substantial than a delicate starter. It also reinforces the restaurant’s blend of Icelandic ingredients and Japanese flavor ideas.

The menu description does not give the portion size or exact preparation beyond the sauce. That is worth remembering when judging the value. A tasting menu gives you variety, not a large serving of every course. You pay for the sequence, the ingredients, the performance, and the setting together.

The main event: free-range Icelandic lamb

Icelandic free-range lamb is the heartier main course. It is served with pepper sauce and cooked on the teppanyaki grill, right in front of you.

This is the point where the fire show matters most. Diners describe the chef cooking only inches away, using flames, spinning utensils, and confident knife and grill work. Some chefs also explain where the ingredients come from, so you may get a little food story along with the performance.

Wilson received special praise for being entertaining and personable. Kai, the sous chef, also came out to chat during one dinner. Those details suggest that the evening can feel quite interactive, although the exact staff lineup will depend on the date.

The lamb course is also why I would avoid booking this as a rushed meal between activities. You want time to watch the cooking and enjoy the service. The listed 1.5-hour duration is reasonable, but it leaves little room for a delayed start if the restaurant is busy.

Dessert finishes with blueberry skýr

The final listed course is traditional blueberry skýr yogurt. Skýr is an Icelandic dairy food with a thick, yogurt-like texture, and the blueberry flavor gives the meal a clean, local finish.

After beef, fried langoustine, fish, lamb, rice, and vegetables, this dessert should feel lighter than a cake or pastry. I like the choice because it keeps the menu tied to Iceland rather than ending with a generic international dessert.

The meal is designed to leave you full. One diner specifically noted being surprised by how much food was served and leaving very satisfied. That is useful when weighing the price: this is not only a short demonstration with sample bites. It is a complete dinner with seven courses and a welcome drink.

How good is the fire show?

The fire performance is the experience’s main selling point. You watch the chef grill with open flame, handle utensils, and turn the cooking process into entertainment.

The strongest praise centers on this combination of food and skill. Diners describe the chefs as entertaining, talented, friendly, and highly skilled. One evening began awkwardly, with a reservation issue and a chef who seemed nervous, but the food remained good and the owner offered complimentary wine to make up for the delay. That gives you a realistic picture: the show can be excellent, but live service is not always perfectly polished.

I would book this if you enjoy watching food being made directly in front of you. If you prefer a quiet dinner with long conversations, the flame effects and chef interaction may feel like too much activity.

The show is especially useful for families and mixed-age groups because it gives everyone something to watch while the courses are prepared. Couples can also enjoy it as a date-night meal, provided both people like a lively restaurant setting.

Is $120 a fair price?

At $120 per person, this is a costly dinner by normal restaurant standards. You are paying for seven courses, Icelandic seafood and meat, a welcome cocktail, chef performance, English-language instruction, and the novelty of dining at Iceland’s only teppanyaki restaurant.

I see the value most clearly if you want one memorable food experience during your time in Reykjavík. The menu includes several ingredients that can be expensive in Iceland, including langoustine, lamb, Arctic char, and premium rice. You also receive a planned progression instead of choosing individual dishes and hoping they work well together.

The price is harder to justify if you are mainly looking for a large casual meal. Transportation is not included, and the northern lights possibility should not affect your calculation. You are paying for dinner and entertainment, not an aurora excursion.

The included cocktail helps, but the supplied details do not say whether additional drinks are covered. Plan your budget on the assumption that extras may cost more unless the restaurant tells you otherwise.

Location, timing, and practical planning

You check in with staff at Flame Restaurant and Bar in Reykjavík. The restaurant is in a modern glass building in the city center, close to Höfði House and Fosshotel Reykjavík.

No transportation is provided. You need to make your own way there, but the central location makes this easier than a countryside dining experience. If you are staying near the center, you can build the dinner into your evening without arranging a separate transfer.

The activity lasts 1.5 hours, and starting times depend on availability. I would check the time carefully before booking, especially if you are planning a northern lights outing, a concert, or another timed activity afterward.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. English is the listed language for the experience, which should make it easier to understand the menu and ask questions about the ingredients or cooking.

Cancellation is flexible up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. You can also reserve and pay later, which is useful when Iceland weather or flight plans are still moving around.

Who should book this dinner?

I would recommend it most strongly to you if you want:

• A special dinner with a built-in show
• A first taste of several Icelandic ingredients
• A central Reykjavík activity that does not require a day trip
• A meal suited to a celebration or final evening
• Food preparation that feels social and interactive
• A substantial tasting menu rather than one main dish

You may want to skip it if you dislike open-flame cooking, prefer quiet dining, or have strict dietary needs that are not covered by the supplied menu information. The menu is fixed around beef, seafood, lamb, rice, vegetables, and skýr, so ask the restaurant before booking if you need substitutions.

The experience also works best when you have enough time to enjoy the performance. A few diners encountered confusion at the start, while others described excellent service from beginning to end. I would not schedule it so tightly that a small delay creates a problem.

Should you book Flame Restaurant’s teppanyaki experience?

Book it if you want dinner to be part meal, part show. The strongest reasons are the Icelandic langoustine, lamb, Arctic char, and skýr, plus the chance to watch a chef work with flame and utensils at close range.

At $120, this is not the budget choice for eating in Reykjavík. But as a one-off evening, it offers variety, a welcome sake cocktail, a full seven-course meal, and an experience you will not find at another teppanyaki restaurant in Iceland.

I would make the booking for a celebration, a family evening, or a rainy winter night when you want an indoor event with energy. Just keep the northern lights out of your price calculation, confirm the start time, and arrive ready for a theatrical dinner rather than a quiet one.

FAQ

Where is the teppanyaki restaurant located?

Flame Restaurant and Bar is in central Reykjavík, inside a modern glass building. It is about 200 meters from Höfði House and Fosshotel Reykjavík, and it is also near the ocean.

How long does the experience last?

The teppanyaki tasting menu lasts about 1.5 hours. Starting times depend on availability.

What does the ticket include?

The ticket includes a seven-course tasting menu and a welcome sake cocktail or a similar drink.

What food is served?

The sample menu includes Icelandic beef carpaccio, tempura Icelandic langoustine with homemade lava sauce, premium Japanese rice, mixed fresh vegetables, Icelandic Arctic char with teriyaki sauce, free-range Icelandic lamb with pepper sauce, and blueberry skýr yogurt.

Is transportation included?

No. You need to arrange your own transportation to Flame Restaurant and Bar.

Can I see the northern lights after dinner?

You may have a chance to see them near the nearby lighthouse by the ocean during winter. The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, and English is the stated language.