Other entertainment in Brazil
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Praia do Jacaré
Almost every Brazilian tourist who comes to João Pessoa comes to the Rio Paraíba north of the city to hear saxophonist Jurandy play Ravel’s Bolero at sunset, which has spawned a tourism empire along the water’s edge (some come from as far away as Natal and Recife just for this). It sounds corny but it’s definitely a spectacle worth witnessing, and quite beautiful. Four overwater bars play host (try Bombardo for the added bonus of violinist Belle Soares, who plays afterwards). Arrive by 4:30pm (4pm in winter) to get a choice seat. A round-trip taxi from Tambaú (including wait time) is R$50.
reviewed
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Aeroclube Plaza Show
The young and wealthy head for Aeroclube Plaza Show, an outdoor entertainment complex with a few bars, dance clubs and free live forró nights. Inside, Rock in Rio (3461 0300; h10pm-last customer Tue-Sun) is a 1700-sq-meter dance club with eight bars that gets packed on weekends. Also in Aeroclube, Café Cancun (3461 0603; h9pm-last customer Tue-Sat) has a Mexican theme to its food and decor, and makes for a fun night of dancing and some tequila drinking.
reviewed
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John People Bar
This modern boteco (neighborhood bar) sits on prime people-watching real estate in Tambaú. There’s a front patio and breezy rooftop deck overlooking the stage elevated above the bar. Live music starts at 9:30pm and varies between forrópé-da-serra, a slower form of forró, on Tuesday, MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) by a Dave Matthews-esque power trio from Wednesday to Friday and samba on Saturday. A 2500ml tube of chope (draft beer) here runs R$28 – saúde !
reviewed
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Clube Finlândia
There is now only a sprinkling of Finns among the assortment of Brazilian people, but they all get together for traditional Finnish letkiss and jenkkas dances at Clube Finlândia every Saturday night. Finnish dancing lessons are open to the public starting at 9pm. At 10:30pm a local troupe presents a 40-minute traditional dance performance in Old World getup, then the dance floor is reopened to everyone for the rest of the night.
reviewed
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Sancho Music Club
The Alto de Ponta Negra neighborhood in the upper part of Ponta Negra, around Rua Manoel AB de Araújo and Rua Aristides Porpino Filho, is dense with a variety of bars, though most are almost cringingly steeped in sex tourism, a major problem in Natal. Sancho Music Club, with tapas and chope is one of the less slimy spots. This area, especially around Centro Comercial O Jardim, is packed from Wednesday to Saturday nights.
reviewed
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Rastapé
The Alto de Ponta Negra neighborhood in the upper part of Ponta Negra, around Rua Manoel AB de Araújo and Rua Aristides Porpino Filho, is dense with a variety of bars, though most are almost cringingly steeped in sex tourism, a major problem in Natal. Rastapé here, famous for live forró, is one of the less slimy spots. This area, especially around Centro Comercial O Jardim, is packed from Wednesday to Saturday nights.
reviewed
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Engarrafamento
The name means ‘traffic jam, ’ and that’s just what you’ll get at the door of this fun middle-class venue for live pagode (popular samba music), Música Popular Brasileira (MPB), forró and pop/rock. It looks little more than a restaurant from the outside, but inside it’s near disco-like, teeming with cool kids knocking back buckets of cheap Skol and picking at tasty bar food. Worth the R$15 taxi fare, especially on Sundays.
reviewed
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Boteco
Like most Brazilian cities, the boteco (Brazilian neighborhood bar) culture usually rules the nightlife and, though a chain, the obviously-named Boteco packs in the Recifenses. We’re not sure what whips through faster, the ocean breezes or the waiters loaded down with chope and Brazilian bar munchies such as picanha (choice beef cuts) and savory pesticos (bar snacks). It’s very hard to say no.
reviewed
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Planeta Jeri
Everything starts – and frequently ends – at Planeta Jeri, near the beach. Things don’t get going until at least 10pm, the caipirinhas (R$5) are divine, and the music runs the gamut from hip-hop to samba. Nocturnal cocktail carts parked on the street here provide an alternative source of inebriation with concoctions such as maracujaroska (passion fruit and vodka).
reviewed
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Bodega do Véio
Part small store, part bar, Olinda’s best dive serves ice-cold bottled beer and little charcuterie plates, and tries its best to manage the crowds of locals and tourists congregating on the street and the small terraces. A choro group plays here from 7:30pm most Thursday and Saturday evenings, with the former swelling to an all-out street party by 9pm.
reviewed
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Casa D’angelo
Opened in 1914, this low-key restaurant, café and bar is a Petrópolis institution, where regulars amble in for a cafezinho (coffee – short, black, strong and usually quite sweet) or a beer at all hours. It’s especially worth visiting on Saturday, when a tasty and inexpensive feijoada (black bean and pork stew) is served.
reviewed
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Café Pagliuca
Fortaleza’s most bohemian live venue is a sophisticated café offering jazz (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday), tango (Thursday) and bossa jazz (Saturday) from 9pm. It also does a good feijoada with a free caipirinha on Saturdays from noon (R$23). It skews 30-something-plus and draws artists, musicians and intellectuals.
reviewed
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Bar Brahma Brasília
The capital’s newest hot spot in the former location of the historic Bar Monumental. As Brahma’s plan for world domination of the beer market chugs along nicely, Bar Brahma Brasília is the first step towards a nationwide chain of bars promoting the brand. Live music most nights; check the website for upcoming events.
reviewed
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Decky
Stocks Brazil’s most accessible microbrews (Eisenbahn, Devassa and Baden Baden) along with live rock, blues, jazz and MPB every night from 8pm. Plop down on the massive, wind-struck patio or inside the spacious main room with air-con – it’s the most popular spot in Ponta Negra and caters across several age brackets.
reviewed
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Cachaçaria Brasil
Samba, over 100 kinds of cachaça (sugarcane alcohol) and live futebol make this Campo Grande’s new in place for a crowd of all ages. With a bamboo beach-bar atmosphere, gigantic menu of food and drink, pool tables and live music every night, there is a little bit of something for everybody here.
reviewed
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Tom Choppin
Outstanding brews and views are the draw for Cuiabá’s well-to-do at this cleverly named open-air MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) bar perched high above the city. Mondays get lively for choro, an informal, instrumental style of music. It’s halfway between centro and the zoo.
reviewed
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Café Alquimia
Located on the quaint cobblestoned hill leading up to Largo do Carmo (on the ground level of Hostel Cobreu), this bluesy café-bar is a happening spot for young travelers, musicians and artistic types. Arabic finger foods are on the menu alongside inexpensive cocktails and cold beer.
reviewed
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Sgt Pepper’s Rock Bar
Good for food (excellent burgers) and fun, both downtown and at its newest location in Ponta Negra, this hip bar/restaurant dreamed up the North-east caipirinha (pineapple, mint and cinnamon/clove-infused cachaça) and hosts a handle of resident pop, rock and blues acts.
reviewed
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Cine Rio
Palmas’s one and only movie theater isn’t much to rave about, with just three screens showing none-too-recent Hollywood flicks. It’s located in a somewhat moribund amusement center, down a no-name street just east of Av Teotônio Segurado between Av LO-03 and Av LO-05.
reviewed
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Conde de Azambuja
If pretensions aren’t your bag but drunk, dancing Brazilians are, then give this traditional bar in the old town a try. It’s not easy on the eye, but let the Skols flow and you may find yourself having more fun than you expected. Live music on Thursday to Sunday.
reviewed
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Spettus
For the quintessential Brazilian pastime of sitting around a plastic table with cold beers and hot munchies, head to this popular but low-key watering hole, tucked away in a mostly residential neighborhood, between Av Gov José Malcher and Rua Boaventura da Silva.
reviewed
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Drops
You feel like you’re at a private house party in this elaborate little villa in a residential neighborhood. Bartenders specialize in cocktails concocted with fresh fruit, and the little dance floor features music ranging from indie rock and hip-hop to ’80s hits.
reviewed
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Clube Vegas
Hidden in a basement in a seedy area just north of Av Paulista, neon-lit Vegas delivers a varied program, with music styles spanning jazz to rock to electronica, and attracting an eclectic, mixed crowd of die-hard night owls, both gay and straight.
reviewed
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Teatro Espaço
For years the Teatro Espaço has been garnering praise for its famous puppet theater. The performances are staged by the Grupo Contadores de Estórias, who present powerful, wordless theater (with musical accompaniment) with their lifelike puppets.
reviewed
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Patriota
A cool hangout during the day (and not just because of the air-con!) with a pleasant deck for people-watching after dark as you sip an ice-cold chope. Upmarket in everything but price, with a weekday happy hour (from 5pm to 9pm).
reviewed
