Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
West of downtown, this is worth the cab ride for its relaxed good cheer, regular live rock (Fridays) and popular Saturday feijoada (bean-and-meat stew; R…
Must-see nightlife in Brazil
Paraná
This cozy cantina is Paranaguá's best, serving up a good mix of bottled craft beers from Curitiba and Santa Catarina (plus a few Belgian stragglers), good…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
Viva Bella is perched precariously on a hillside over the Rio Paraguai. From the outdoor deck, watch the sunsets over the Pantanal while sipping beer or…
Amazonas
Some people in Tabatinga told us this club was 'un-Christian, immoral and homosexual,' which means, of course, it's awesome! Located about five blocks…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
Locals with huge tankards of beer pack the outdoor tables at this hugely popular cafe in the evenings. The food – fried chicken, burgers and more – is the…
Brasília
Slightly less bohemian than its progenitor in the Asa Sul, this has the same happy combination of cold draft beer, well-priced Lebanese comfort food and…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
Samba, over 100 kinds of cachaça (sugarcane alcohol), an extensive food and drink menu, pool tables, nightly live music and live futebol make this Campo…
Belo Horizonte
Since 1967, this strategically located corner bar with tables spilling onto a long island of sidewalk has been drawing crowds with ice-cold buckets of…
Rio Grande do Sul
Count on Santa Catarina brews like Cerveja Coruja, Saint Bier and Barco as well select local suds on the four taps at Santo Ângelo's most intimate bar, a…
São Paulo
The flagship of this rapidly expanding juice-chain burns through 600 glasses daily, mixed with water, orange juice, milk or coconut water. Also offers…
Minas Gerais
With a prime location on Mariana's prettiest square, this brewpub featuring local beers has become the town's go-to nightspot since opening in 2017. There…
São Paulo
Good wine, light meals and a simple but elegant design built around a cleverly serpentine bar, this Jardins delight is especially popular with well-heeled…
Rio Grande do Sul
Yes, this is wine country, but this bar is worth a try for its 15 or so craft beers on draft (many hail from their own brewery). Expect proper pints and…
Bahia
This is the place to hear (and dance to) live forró three nights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9pm). There’s a spacious wooden deck and…
Manaus
This bar is super-cool – a moodily lit, semi-subterranean spot on the basement level with great music and drinks and a laid-back backpacker vibe…
Minas Gerais
This corner bar is a Diamantina classic, with locals popping in day and night for drinks of all kinds. It's also a prime spot to watch the Vesperata.
Bahia
Drop into the aptly named Coffee Bar for a cappuccino in the morning or unique iced coffee after a long day at the beach. They also serve simple breakfast…
Minas Gerais
With stone walls and wood beams, this cozy and convivial bar-restaurant features live music on weekends. Its sanduiche de filé (steak sandwich; R$26)…
Belo Horizonte
Serving multiple varieties of draft beer along with bar snacks, this branch of Belo Horizonte's beloved Albanos brewpub is housed in a converted 1930s…
Ilhabela
Extremely pleasant cafe and bookshop in the historic district; easily the island's best.
Salvador
Art mavens and a young, queer-friendly crowd flock to Beco dos Artistas, a small alley with several bars and a nightclub. Take a taxi and enter from Rua…
Belo Horizonte
This cool and colorfully lit garden bar draws regular crowds for its creative mixed drinks and nightly musical offerings that run the gamut from samba to…
Amazonas
One of several small roadside restaurant-bars in a mango-tree-shaded spot known as Muralha, located just off Tefé's main drag, with open-air tables and…
Brasília
Chipped formica tables, makeshift wooden benches and cheap Skol…yes, it's a well-loved local pé-sujo (Brazilian dive bar) that draws a student crowd.
Porto Alegre
A great little GLS (Gays, Lesbians and Sympathetics) pub where you can drink, eat and dance – a great option if you're not looking for a glamorous…
Centro & the Mainland
Jivago Social Club is one of Floripa's hottest gay clubs – expect bright lights, parlor games and DJ's spinning pop, Brazilian funk and electronica.
Bahia
Located inland near where the buses let off, Bar Souza is the rowdier cousin to Souza Bar on the beach. Come on the weekends to hear live music.
São Luís
In the historical center. This is the second location of the famous reggae spot; the other is in Calhau.
Praia da Pipa
A big dance hall at the far end of Av Baía dos Golfinhos that fills for live forró on Sunday and Euro-style DJs the other nights.
Salvador
This perpetually cool bar and restaurant, right in the middle of the Rio Vermelho nightlife action, has ocean views and a long drink menu.
Búzios
The star of Búzios' late-night scene is this sleek nightclub with two dance floors and four bars on the Orla Bardot waterfront.
Goiás
One of the few actual bars along action-packed Rua do Rosário. There's a small craft beer selection, including local brews.
Minas Gerais
This convivial little wine bar with its 18th-century frescoed ceiling makes an agreeable spot to sip a glass or two.
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
The best bar in town sits on a central corner with a thatched roof. It gets crowded on weekends, with live music.
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
The rich and beautiful practically trip over themselves at this chic outdoor bar, with live rock music nightly.
Praia da Pipa
The classiest and certainly the most beautiful option along a bar-heavy stretch of Av Baía dos Golfinhos.
Espírito Santo
This year-round backstreet hangout draws a local crowd with drinks, snacks and occasional live music.
Porto Seguro
If you're really looking to chill out try this 'leisure complex' on the beach north of Porto Seguro.
Brasília
This warehouse venue is Brasília's iconic LGBT+ venue, with shows, DJs and a very late license.
