Must-see nightlife in Rio de Janeiro State

  • Bar 1928

    Rio de Janeiro

    Tucked away on an otherwise quiet backstreet, Bar 1928 specializes in cocktails and superior bar food. The street-side veranda gets packed early on…

  • CoLAB

    Rio de Janeiro

    CoLAB is one of Botafogo’s increasing number of lively bar/restaurants attracting a predominantly young crowd with a combination of international cuisine,…

  • WineHouse

    Rio de Janeiro

    WineHouse is a stylish yet unpretentious wine bar – a welcome break from Rio’s traditionally expensive and starchy wine-drinking scene. A blackboard lists…

  • Hocus Pocus

    Rio de Janeiro

    Helping to lead Rio's craft-beer revolution, Hocus Pocus opened this beer hall in 2016 to provide its fans with easy access to its brews. There are over a…

  • Comuna

    Rio de Janeiro

    This creative space is equal parts bar, art gallery and independent bookseller (and indie publishing house). There’s always something afoot in the…

  • Bar Urca

    Rio de Janeiro

    This much-loved neighborhood bar and restaurant has a marvelous setting near Urca’s bayside waterfront. At night, young and old crowd along the seaside…

  • Noo Cachaçaria

    Rio de Janeiro

    This cozy little bar is one of the highlights of the growing oasis of drinking dens in the otherwise drab neighborhood of Praça da Bandeira. While the…

  • Estrelas da Babilônia

    Rio de Janeiro

    In the uppermost reaches of the Babilônia favela, Estrelas da Babilônia has a picturesque open-air setting with an unrivaled view of the mountains and sea…

  • Curto Cafe

    Rio de Janeiro

    Though it's tricky to find, and it has all the charm of a department store, Curto Cafe shouldn't be missed if you're a coffee fan. Staff prepare excellent…

  • Hop Lab

    Rio de Janeiro

    This beer-lover’s paradise offers 30 draft beers on rotation – more than any other bar in Rio – many of which are locally brewed. The English-speaking…

  • Bar Léo

    Rio de Janeiro

    A great place to retire after a day of exploring, Bar Léo serves ice-cold brews with just the right amount of froth. The setting on a pretty cobblestone…

  • Sofá Café

    Rio de Janeiro

    You'll find Copacabana's best coffee inside this roomy and atmospheric coffeehouse – part of a chain. You select your beans and your preferred method of…

  • Bodega

    Rio de Janeiro

    A hip little spot with furniture and fixtures made of recycled products, Bodega stocks an impressive array of craft beer from near and far (including Rio…

  • Pavão Azul

    Rio de Janeiro

    A Copacabana classic, Pavão Azul is a simple open-sided bar where huge crowds gather on the sidewalk out front to drink ice-cold chope (draft beer) and…

  • Bar do Oswaldo

    Rio de Janeiro

    Going strong since 1946, this Barra classic serves some of Rio's best batidas (icy cocktails of cachaça and fruit juice). On weekends there's often live…

  • Café e Charutaria Lolló

    Rio de Janeiro

    This standing-only coffee counter serves one of the most authentic cafezinhos (small cup of black Brazilian coffee) in town. Drinkers exchange R$2 at the…

  • Cafe 18 do Forte

    Rio de Janeiro

    The best place for a coffee or a microbrew in the Forte de Copacabana, this outdoor cafe serves a fine array of craft beers from Rio (Hocus Pocus, Three…

  • Amarelinho

    Rio de Janeiro

    Easy to spot by its bright amarelo (yellow) awning, Amarelinho has a splendid setting on the Praça Floriano, with the Theatro Municipal in the background…

  • Vila St Gallen

    Rio de Janeiro State

    Brazilian waitstaff in faux Swiss-German attire sling the city's famed Therezópolis beer at this cavernous beer hall, built to celebrate the brewery's…

  • As Melhores Cervejas do Mundo

    Rio de Janeiro

    More bottle shop than bar, this friendly space is nevertheless a must-visit for any self-respecting beer lover. You'll find an impressive selection of…

  • Ponto da Bossa Nova

    Rio de Janeiro

    On a lively street sprinkled with bars, this boxy, wood-lined space has a tiny outdoor patio that makes a peaceful spot for sampling appetizers such as…

  • Bar Bukowski

    Rio de Janeiro

    Paying homage to the eponymous bohemian American writer, this club has a downstairs dance floor and bar, and an upstairs level for live bands playing rock…

  • Escondido

    Rio de Janeiro

    One of the top beer bars in Copacabana, Escondido has a rotating selection of microbrews such as American pale ales (IPAs), stouts and ciders, including…

  • Cine Botequim

    Rio de Janeiro

    Vintage film posters and the odd Star Wars figurine adorn the old stone walls at this atmospherically lit space at the north end of Centro. The after-work…

  • Boteco Belmonte

    Rio de Janeiro

    With a peaceful beachfront location, this casual, breezy bar is a relaxing and largely local spot to enjoy a draft or a filling meal. Like the other…

  • Mud Bug

    Rio de Janeiro

    Mud Bug is a buzzing, warmly lit sports bar that has a rustic, all-wood interior where cariocas and foreigners mingle over football games, bar bites and a…

  • Clássico Beach Club

    Rio de Janeiro

    Atop Pão de Açúcar, the handsomely designed Clássico Beach Club serves excellent cocktails, which go down nicely with the satisfying appetizers (ceviche,…

  • Caverna

    Rio de Janeiro

    Yet another reason why Botafogo may be surpassing Ipanema in the cool factor these days, this always buzzing rock-and-roll-loving bar and bistro serves…

  • Fuska 2.0

    Rio de Janeiro

    When you need a break from upmarket drinking and dining, head to Fuska 2.0, a hole-in-the-wall gathering space where a fun crowd gathers at tables on the…

  • The Week

    Rio de Janeiro

    Rio's best gay dance club has a spacious dance floor, excellent DJs and lots of go-go dancers. Saturday nights are when the big parties are held. On other…

  • Calavera

    Rio de Janeiro

    Calavera is one of the newest gastropubs to open in Humaitá. You’ll find creative snacks (including outstanding burgers), craft beer and a hipster-leaning…

  • Privilège

    Búzios

    The star of Búzios' late-night scene is this sleek nightclub with two dance floors and four bars on the Orla Bardot waterfront.

  • Café do Bom Cachaça Da Boa

    Rio de Janeiro

    With a vaguely professorial air, this wood-lined cafe and bookshop is best known for its cachaça (sugarcane alcohol) menu, which includes more than 100…

  • Espírito do Chopp

    Rio de Janeiro

    One of many open-air venues in the Cobal, Espírito do Chopp fills up its plastic tables most nights with a festive, low-key crowd. The beer flows in…

  • Alice Bar

    Rio de Janeiro

    Hordes of young drinkers spill out onto the sidewalks around Alice Bar, merging with the crowds from nearby bars to make this one of the liveliest spots…

  • Chopperia Atlântica

    Rio de Janeiro

    Perfectly positioned, this open-air bar and eatery looks out on wide Av Atlântica, with the beach in the background. Owing to its breezy location, it…

  • Bar Mercadores

    Rio de Janeiro

    Hidden in a narrow lane leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro, this place is one of many popular open-sided drinking spots tucked into Rio's old…

  • Urca Grill

    Rio de Janeiro

    Cariocas have found creative ways to spend a summer evening while the economic crisis still grips the city – namely stopping by well-positioned snack bars…

  • Casa da Matriz

    Rio de Janeiro

    Artwork lines this space in Botafogo. With numerous rooms to explore (lounge, screening room, dance floors), this old mansion embodies the creative side…

  • Toca Raul

    Rio de Janeiro

    One for the rock-lovers, Toca Raul has live bands at weekends (typically from 8pm Friday and Saturday; check the Facebook page for the latest schedule)…

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