Mysterud Bar

About this place

Mysterud Bar at Arendalsgata 18 in Oslo's Sagene district is a neighbourhood bar with a founding story that is unusual enough to be worth knowing. The name comes from Mysterud, an ironmonger's shop that occupied the same premises for three generations and was a fixture of the local community. When the last owner, Ove, announced the shop would close, a group of Sagene locals who had grown up buying toys and hardware there asked if they could take over the space and open a bar under the same name, keeping the facade and as much of the original interior as possible. Ove agreed. After a renovation that cost around three million Norwegian kroner and a significant amount of volunteer hours, Mysterud Bar opened in 2017. What resulted is a bar that feels genuinely rooted rather than designed. The bar was founded in collaboration with Sagene Bryggeri, and that local brewing connection shapes the drink selection throughout. There are around twelve beers on tap at any given time, with most coming from Oslo-based breweries. Names like Graff, Homborsund, Kinn, and Schouskjelleren appear regularly, and Sagene beer is available both on tap and in bottles. Norwegian-produced kombucha is offered as a non-alcoholic alternative, which is a more thoughtful option than many Oslo bars bother with. Food is available, and guests frequently mention the sandwiches as a solid complement to the beer selection. The pub is divided into two rooms and is medium in size — intimate enough to feel social, but not so small that it becomes uncomfortable on a busy evening. Staff are consistently described as friendly and knowledgeable about the beer range, and getting a recommendation based on your preferences is straightforward. The atmosphere leans cosy and relaxed, and the crowd tends to reflect the neighbourhood: a genuine mix of regulars and people who have moved into the area relatively recently. Sagene has changed considerably over recent decades, transitioning from an industrial district along the Akerselva river into a varied and lively part of the city. Mysterud Bar fits that evolution well — it preserves local identity while offering something that appeals across a broad range of tastes. Sagene Church is around 140 metres away, and Arne Gjestis plass is a short walk west. The bar is straightforwardly reachable by public transport from central Oslo. On Foursquare it holds a score of 8.9 out of 10 and is ranked among the top five bars in Oslo; on Facebook, 98 percent of reviewers across more than 140 reviews recommend it.

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