São Paulo
A homage to the Velvet Underground started by well-pedigreed alternative nightlife empresarios in Sampa, this 2017 newcomer on the club scene skews retro,…
Must-see nightlife in Brazil
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…
Salvador
This friendly neighborhood bar specializes in flavored shots of cachaça (sugarcane alcohol), including its trademark clove-infused variety. Decorated with…
Manaus
Rio-style bar and dance club, with a semi-open-air bar, performance stage and dance floor, with room for 7000 revelers! DJs spin everything from samba and…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
Near the entrance to Mem de Sá, the Leviano Bar is part of a new crop of slightly more upscale drinking and dance spots. Watch the passing people parade –…
Ipanema & Leblon
Opened in 1948, Bracarense is a classic carioca watering hole, famous for its simple, unpretentious ambience and its heavenly salgados (bar snacks). A…
São Paulo
Rua Augusta's hottest club, and one of the city's newest, Selva makes no commitment to any one genre – you get funk, electronica, pop, reggaeton – and the…
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…
Santa Catarina
Cervejaria Blumenau's brewery in Itoupavazinha, 16km north of Centro, features 15 taps, the majority of which feature some of the city's best craft beer,…
Bahia
Barra Beer offers a nice reprieve from the beachy cocktail-soaked nightlife in Barra Grande. It has an exciting selection of craft beers – everything from…
Recife
The most happening of several bistros in this middle section of Boa Viagem, Alphaiate is a bit hectic for a meal but is a good place for a drink. It has…
São Paulo
This maritime-themed gay/straight nightclub mixes mirror balls and blue walls with nautical overload. Two large mezzanines stand sentinel above the large…
Porto Seguro
Ilha dos Aquários is traditionally a good party, probably because of the novelty of the aquariums and its river-island setting (reachable by boats from…
Recife
Recife’s best gay (and GLS – Gay, Lesbian and Sympathetics) club has multiple spaces, from its main DJ-ruled 'NY Street' dance area to an outdoor area…
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…
São Paulo
This little-cafe-that-could brews some of the city's most sought-after 'third wave' coffee from a bright blue La Marzocco espresso machine that barely…
Café com Letras – Centro Cultural
Belo Horizonte
Decorated with vintage artwork and exuding the same cool but relaxed ambience as the original Café com Letras in Savassi, this bohemian cafe enjoys a…
Minas Gerais
This back-alley cafe is perfect for chilling out between church and museum visits. The ample menu ranges from teas, espresso drinks and hot chocolate to…
São Paulo
You could barely fit the Village People into this tiny cocktail bar, the trendy anchor of Largo do Arouche's gay scene. Though a 2016 opener, it screams…
Ipanema & Leblon
Overlooking the Praça General Osório, Shenanigan's is a friendly, Irish-style pub with imported beers, exposed brick walls and a couple of tiny balconies…
Santa Catarina
Joinville's most well-known brewery runs this fabulous beer garden at the town Pórtico (entrance). Featuring a rotating list of 18 or so beers (several…
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…
Belo Horizonte
Locals flock to this retail branch of Belo Horizonte's popular Wäls microbrewery for weekday lunch specials (R$20 to R$30) and late-night weekend…
Fernando de Noronha
The famous open-air 'Dog Bar' is the hub – in fact the only locale – of Noronha nightlife. It's busy every night but really packed from Thursdays through…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
Going strong since the 1980s, Buraco da Lacraia always makes for a riotous night out. You’ll find glamorous and trashy visitors, bizarre drag shows,…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
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…
Belém
Outdoor tables have river views at this lively but low-key bar-restaurant. There's the Torre de Chope (Tower of Beer), a 2.5-liter silo of suds for just R…
Flamengo & Around
Hidden down a narrow cobblestone side street off Rua do Catete, Bar do Zé has bohemian charm and remains little known to most cariocas (Rio residents)…
Ilhabela
With bass-heavy lounge music at tolerable volumes, hip-tropical decor and table service on the sand, the island's fanciest beach club/bar attracts rich…
Brasília
'Crazy Like Your Mama' has a great outdoor space that caters to well-heeled brasiliense imbibing to the sounds of nightly DJs spinning pop and MPB at…
Pernambuco
During the week this bar/restaurant in an elegant older building with dark wood ceilings and a large balcony out the back just opens for lunch but the…
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…
Belém
A huge Union Jack and other flags from around the world suggest an old-school English pub, but the sleek booths, creative cocktails and pulsing DJ-mixed…
Centro & the Mainland
Revelers spill out onto the sidewalk at this tiny bar – the 'Fucked Up Cat!' – that is Centro's happy hour king. Rarely seen craft beers (Itajahy,…
Santa Catarina
In a cinematic stone-and-brick home, this brew pub is the domain of the canyon's own craft suds, made with water from its own backyard. There are four…
Goiás
Look for the eagle sign to find this worthwhile bar with an unparalleled domestic craft beer list, including 11 taps that rotate brews rarely seen outside…
São Paulo
Dress up a little for the rooftop bar on the top floor of the Hotel Unique, whose sleek design and unparalleled views make it the perennially perfect…
Santa Catarina
A top see-and-be-seen refuge in Praia do Rosa, with DJs, live music and miles and miles of beautiful people. The owners have lived in Rio de Janeiro,…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
This ancient rough diamond of a bar is tucked away on a backstreet. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are crammed with dusty old bottles of cachaça (high-proof…
Gávea, Jardim Botânico & Lagoa
In an area commonly referred to as Baixo Gávea, Hipódromo is one of several bar-eateries responsible for the local residents’ chronic lack of sleep. Most…
