· 3 min read
Speed Dating in Oslo: How It Works and the Best Alternatives
How speed dating works in Oslo, who it suits, and real places to meet people instead: free salsa nights, a chess bar, a games bar and a sauna on the fjord.
Read the full guideWhere to meet singles in Oslo
Updated October 2026
The best places to meet singles in Oslo are Kulturhuset i Oslo, Café Sør, and Mathallen Oslo. Go on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening, when they are at their liveliest and it is easiest to start a conversation.
Norwegians are friendly but rarely talk to strangers in shops or on the tram. Bars, events and shared activities are different: there, starting a conversation is normal, especially when there is a game, a dance or a sauna bench involved.
These ten places are real and open, checked in October 2026, mostly in the centre, Vaterland and Grünerløkka, plus a sauna on the fjord. All of them work if you go alone.
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Kulturhuset i Oslo
Culture house and barSentrum (Youngstorget)kr kr20s
A culture house on three floors with a bar on each, a games room, DJs at weekends and weekly quizzes, talks and concerts. It is open until 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, the age limit is 20, and joining a quiz table or a game is an easy way to meet people.
Youngs gate 6, 0181 Oslo · Takes bookings
Café Sør
Bar and dance nightsSentrum (Torggata)krAll ages
A bar with a different night every evening: salsa on Tuesdays with a lesson from 20:00 and free entry, bachata on Wednesdays, DJs later in the week and a free live jam session on Sundays from 20:00. You do not need a partner, and dancers rotate all night.
Torggata 11, 0181 Oslo · Walk-in
Mathallen Oslo
Food hallVulkan (Grünerløkka)kr krAll ages
A food hall in the Vulkan area with specialty shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, open from Tuesday to Sunday, with some places staying open later. Counter seats and busy tables make it easy to chat while you eat.
Vulkan 5, 0178 Oslo · Walk-in
Vippa
Food hallVippetangen (Sentrum)krAll ages
A food hall at the very tip of the quay on Vippetangen, with stalls cooking food from Morocco, Syria, the Balkans, the Himalayas and more, and indoor and outdoor seating by the fjord. Regular events and a relaxed crowd make it easy to share a table and get talking.
Akershusstranda 25, 0150 Oslo · Walk-in
Oslo Badstuforening (Sukkerbiten)
Communal saunaBjørvikakrAll ages
A sauna association with saunas on and by the fjord, including a sauna boat, and communal sauna sessions every day from 07:00 to 23:00 with single tickets. Sitting on the bench with strangers and taking a cold dip together is one of the most Oslo ways to start a conversation.
Nylandsveien 28, 0150 Oslo · Takes bookings
The Good Knight
Chess barSentrum (Vaterland)kr kr20s
Norway's first chess bar, a café by day and a bar at night, with chess tables, pub chess tournaments, quiz nights and a weekly team league. It is open to every level, and the age limit is 20 from 18:00; asking someone for a game is a natural icebreaker.
Badstugata 9, 0183 Oslo · Walk-in
Tilt
Games barSentrum (Vaterland)kr kr20s
A bar built around beer, fun and games, open since 2009 and known for its pinball and arcade machines, open daily until late. Playing next to someone, or waiting for the next game, gives you an easy reason to talk.
Badstugata 6, 0183 Oslo · Walk-in
Grünerløkka Brygghus
BrewpubGrünerløkkakr krAll ages
The pub of a local craft brewery by Sofienbergparken, open every day and until 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. It is a relaxed neighbourhood place where it is easy to get talking at the bar over a beer brewed a few streets away.
Thorvald Meyers gate 30 B, Oslo · Walk-in
HIMKOK
Cocktail barSentrum (Storgata)kr kr kr30s
One of Oslo's best-known cocktail bars, with its own distillery for aquavit, gin and vodka, open until 02:00 from Thursday to Sunday. It gets lively and crowded, which makes it easy to mingle.
Storgata 27, 0184 Oslo · Takes bookings
Sentralen
Culture houseSentrum (Kvadraturen)kr krAll ages
A culture house in the centre with a café, a restaurant, a rooftop bar in season and a busy programme of concerts, talks and events through autumn. Events are a relaxed way to meet people with the same interests.
Øvre Slottsgate 3, 0157 Oslo · Takes bookings
Local tips
- Many bars have an age limit of 20 or more, so bring ID even if you look older.
- Drinks are expensive and you usually pay at the bar, so nobody expects you to buy rounds for strangers.
- Pick a weekly fixture, like Tuesday salsa or a quiz night, and go back; regulars quickly become familiar faces.
- A communal sauna with a dip in the fjord is a great icebreaker, all year round.
The YesTonite city index
- First date
- €32
- Dinner for two
- €114
- Women per 100 men
- 101.0
- Median age
- 36.5
- Overall4.2
- Date budget2.0
- Open to dating4.8
- Meeting in real life2.5
- Safe at night5.7
- Late nights6.0
- English spoken8.7
- Outdoor season3.2
Questions and answers
Where do singles go in Oslo?
Popular places to meet people in Oslo include Kulturhuset i Oslo (culture house and bar), Café Sør (bar and dance nights), and Mathallen Oslo (food hall). All of them are easy to visit alone or with friends.
What is a good first date in Oslo when it rains?
Pick an indoor spot such as MUNCH or Nasjonalmuseet (The National Museum). Both work well for a first date in any weather.
Is Oslo good for dating?
In the YesTonite City Index, Oslo is number 85 of 112 cities for dating, with a dating score of 4.8 out of 10.
How do I meet someone in Oslo tonight?
Open YesTonite and see who in Oslo is going out tonight. Say hi, agree on a time and meet at one of the places on this page.
Checked October 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so call or check the website before you go.
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