Bar entertainment in Portugal
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A
Pavilhão Chinês
Pavilhão Chinês is an old curiosity shop of a bar with oil paintings and model spitfires dangling from the ceiling, and cabinets brimming with glittering Venetian masks and Action Men. Play pool or bag a comfy armchair to nurse a port or beer. Prices are higher than elsewhere, but such classy kitsch doesn’t come cheap.
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B
Rua do Prior
Faro's student-driven nightlife clusters around Rua do Prior and surrounding alleys, with bars and clubs open most days till late, though things pick up considerably on weekends.
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C
Fonte da Pipa
A hip tiled bar, this has craggy, cavelike rooms and comfy seats.
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D
Noobai Café
Three words: Lisbon’s best-kept secret. Though it’s next to Miradouro de Santa Catarina, you don’t realise this bar is here until you descend the steps and a terrace unfurls before you. The vibe is laid-back, the music funky jazz and the views – wow the views! – magical, sweeping from the castle to Cristo Rei.
reviewed
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E
Joe's Garage
With a dishevelled, bar-scene-from-Star Wars vibe (think Aussie backpackers, not aliens), this is the kind of place where you're not sure what might happen next, though shots and dancing on the tables are likely. Staff set fire to the bar to signal closing time and chase out stragglers with chainsaws.
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F
Solar Do Vinho Do Porto
In a 19th-century house near the Palácio de Cristal, this upmarket solar (manor house) has a manicured garden offering picturesque views of the Douro. There are hundreds of ports available as well as refreshing aperitifs, such as portônico (white port and tonic water).
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G
Taberna de Lagos
Boasting a stylish space and brooding electronic music, this airy and atmospheric bar attracts a somewhat savvier bar-goer (higher cocktail prices also keep some punters away). It’s set in a handsome town house, complete with high ceilings and old stone walls hung with vibrant paintings.
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H
Havana
The skinny-jean set rock up at this Cuban bar for hip-wiggling to Latin rhythms and cuba libre (rum, lime and cola) by the bucket. Skip the hit-and-miss menu and head straight for the dance floor. The glass walls offer superlative views of the Tejo and Ponte Vasco da Gama.
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Gaia's Esplanade
Just across the river from the gritty Ribeira waterfront, Gaia's esplanade is trendier (though also more mainstream). A string of identical looking chrome-and-glass bars and nightclubs are surrounded by open-air decks and designer fountains. Poke around until you find your scene.
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I
Real República de Coimbra
Students flock to this laid-back watering hole, recreating a Coimbra tavern with its stone floor, wooden benches and white tiles. Note the sketches and doodles of past punters dangling from the ceiling. It occasionally hosts gigs by up-and-coming Portuguese bands.
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House of Vodka
This ice-blue bar inebriates locals with 300 different types of vodka. Purists go for Russian ones, while adventurous tipplers sample varieties like potato and fig. It also serves tasty Portuguese food laced with – you guessed it – vodka. Nostrovia!
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K
Fábrica do Inglês
In the surroundings of the converted 19th-century English Museu da Cortiça (cork factory), 300m northeast of the new bridge, this complex has restaurants and bars. From July to mid-September, it hosts a nightly show with dancers and singers.
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L
Taberna e Artes
Ideal for quaffing a cold one and nattering with the bearded owner Antônio, Taberna e Artes is an eccentric little bar full of dog-eared poetry books and Franco-era posters. Note the mini spitfires above the bar and vinyl placemats.
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M
Crew Hassan
Grungy Crew Hassan smells like teen spirit. Alternative types dig its graffiti, threadbare sofas, cheap veggie fare and free internet. Its line-up spans films, gigs, exhibitions and DJs playing music from reggae to minimalist techno.
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N
The Loft
Hipsters love the ultraglam design of this dockside newbie – think violet lighting, polka-dot walls, beanbags, primary-colour cube stools and mirrors for slyly checking your look. Grab a caipirinha and join the house party.
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O
Vinologia
This cosy wine bar is an excellent place to sample the fine quaffs of Porto, with over 200 different ports on offer. If you fall in love with a certain wine, you can usually buy a whole bottle (or even send a case home).
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P
Tuareg
Throw pillows, flickering candles and Arabian music set the mood at this atmospheric drinking den. In addition to cocktails and ambience, Tuareg serves up several dozen teas, waterpipes and Saturday-night belly dancers.
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Foxtrot
By the same designer as Pavilhão Chines, this splendidly stately place feels like it has been here since the 1940s (actually only since the '80s), with low lighting, staid sofas, oriental silks and rambling rooms.
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R
Bicaense
Indie kids have a soft spot for this chilled Santa Catarina haunt, kitted out with retro radios, projectors and squishy beanbags. DJs spin house to the preclubbing crowd and the back room stages occasional gigs.
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S
Hawaii
Chavs and bootylicious 18- to 30-somethings flock to loud and flirty Hawaii, one of a clan of similar dockside joints. Cheap mojitos and Latino hip-wiggling fuel the party under the giant surfboard.
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Majong
Bairro Alto’s gay-friendly cabbage patch kid, Majong oozes shabby chic with pak-choi lights, deep-red walls and school chairs. Mojitos flow as DJs spin minimalist techno, rock and reggae.
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Akiákopus Bar
This place looks intimidating because you have to ring the doorbell, but inside it’s a cosy little drinking hole with stone walls, beamed ceilings and a surprisingly good margarita.
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V
Mullen’s
It may have lost some of its former energy, but this long-established adega típica (wine bar) still attracts a crowd. The restaurant turns into a bar later in the evening.
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Arco Bar
This small bar is fairly stock-standard (let’s face it, there’s not much choice), although fired-up by the owner and patrons. On Monday nights there’s a drag show.
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X
Bar Marroquino
The Arabian Nights-inspired 'Moroccan Bar' provides a cosy setting for smoking banana- or cherry-flavoured tobacco out of large waterpipes. Look for the blue lantern out the front.
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