What's not to like about delicious pestiscos (Brazilian tapas), fresh caipirinhas, and homely…read moreBrazilian service all by the beach! The caldinho de feijão, essentially a cup of black bean "soup", was served with chicharrones and was so flavorful, I could have had a whole bowl of it. The highlight for me was definitely the empada de palmito, like a mini pot pie of palm hearts, it was so creamy, smooth and the pastry melts in your mouth. Of course can't pass on a caipirinha de maracujá (passion fruit), this one was probably the freshest of the whole trip! If you're in the Leblon area, stop by here after a beach day for an incredible Brazilian lunch

I stopped here for an afternoon snack and a drink and had the loveliest time. The staff was warm,…read morewelcoming and attentive. My passion fruit caipirinha was delicious. And the shrimp & cheese ball was fantastic, I had 2 orders. Looking forward to returning on my next visit.

Nice place. Average price is around 28 reales for a salmon plate with fries and rice…read more We also had the chicken plate that was around the same price. Nothing extraordinary but if you need a quick lunch this place is not bad.

Degrau is a very old restaurant in town, and a very traditional place in leblon. The food and the…read moreservice are good.

The service was pretty good but the food disappointed me. I ordered the coxinha (chicken cheese…read morecroquette) which had almost no cheese and meat and loads of nasty chewy dough. They only serve Pepsi there so stay away coke lovers. The olive oil is good Portuguese import and the location is great; right in the beginning of the food court in the beautiful and posh Shopping Leblon.

The waiters are friendly, for a Leblon Establishment it is not expensive, great food, great…read more"executive lunch" menu. Went twice and would go back for more.

If you are a gringo, eat here. You won't be disappointed. The food is seriously good. Typically a…read morefilet, chicken, or chicken Parmesan is served to you on a bed of rice, with beans, pico de gallo, batatas frites (French fries). I say typically because I'm a traveler and I have little to no idea what I'm ordering; I just point and say "obrigado". Definitely come here. My fellow travelers and I came to the conclusion that you would never pay this much for a dinner of this quality in the states.

This cozy bar is on the corner of Vinícius de Moraes and Barão de Torre (figure out their name…read moreyet?) Although it looks unassuming, I find myself coming here often (could also be because I live fairly close) for a beer and appetizers. I prefer this place because the outside patio is fenced off with bushes which makes it a bit more private and comfortable. Few things are more annoying than enjoying a beer with friends and then being hassled by a passer-by. They also have Original, which can sometimes be not so easy to find. Try the batatas portuguesas, they are basically homemade chips (crisps for you Brits) and are sliced thin and served fresh. Delicious. Stop by and enjoy a cerveja - you'll probably see me there.

All I wanted for dinner was a Frango com Catupiry pizza. I tried the fancy pizza place nearby and…read morethey didn't have it. I came to Torre and had a delicious Acerola and Laranja juice, the pizza I wanted, and it was all very cheap for Rio standards. The staff was funny and welcoming, and the environment is very relaxed.

On my first visit to Armazém Devassa we partook in their buffet lunch on a Saturday afternoon. It…read morewasn't cheap and it wasn't particularly lavish given the price. That said, we were able to sit outside and enjoyed a couple of cold chopes (almost freezing beer served in small glasses) with our lunch. We were also able to try a few staple Brazilian dishes for the first time here like manioca and feijoada. On another trip to Rio I stayed at the Mar Ipanema Hotel which is connected by a door to Armazém Devassa. Most mornings we had breakfast here and we also came for happy hour drinks. Whilst not worth making a special trip for, if you find yourself near Armazém Devassa and in need of a beer or a snack this is a fine spot to stop.

If you're looking for an afternoon spot to have a couple beers, Devassa is pretty ok. And I say…read moreit's only ok because I don't care so much for their beers (all are the Devassa brand). Despite not being a fan of their home brews, I like the location (only a few blocks up from the beach and in the middle of Ipanema) and I appreciate the fact that they're nearly always open. It's a good spot to enjoy an outdoor table and share some fried snacks (lots of standard Brazilian options and even some American ones too -- cheese and bacon fries). I wouldn't recommend going out of your way, but if you find yourself in a bind on the corner of Visconde de Pirajá and Anibal de Mendonça there's always Devassa.

Botequim Informal has several locations, but he one I visited was in Leblon. Outdoor seating, nice…read moreservers, caipirinha's by the pitcher, and feijoada. What's not to like? Actually, that wasn't a rhetorical question. Things not to like: you have to add your own sugar to the caipirinhas (granulated packets, not fine sugar like you're supposed to use). Their feijoada was listed on a Time Out Rio list as one of the best in the city, but it was just pork parts, way too many black beans, and a relatively small pot (supposed to feed 2). The portions of the side dishes (rice, collard greens, etc.) also left too little to go around. From what I can recall, there was sausage, maybe some ribs, and some other fleshy pork involved. The meat was actually decently stewed. Things I did like: service was quick (you have to assume they'd been cooking the feijoada all day). There was also a pretty extensive menu with lots of appetizer choices. Their (presumably homemade) pepper oil was HOT. All in all, this was a last resort for us because it was late and we wanted feijoada on a Sunday without waiting forever. It hit the spot, but it's probably better geared toward the less discerning masses.

Barthodomeu is an unremarkable open air bar in Ipanema where it's easy to get a couple chopes…read more(Brazilian draft beer served icy cold in small glasses so it doesn't get warm). And on the occasion I visited that's exactly what I drank. Barthodomeu also strikes me as a nice spot to catch a football game.

This place has poor reviews, but the expectations should be reasonable since its a crowded bar…read moresetting. I went here during off hours to catch an afternoon snack and the service was fine. The staff was friendly and no one was too busy to pay attention. The menu seems to offer a lot of variety. The meat croquettes with gorgonzola cheese were definitely very flavorful (one must like that type of cheese). The arancini (fried balls of rice) with cheese were much milder and very palatable. Both were quite filling. Plenty of beers to chose from and sucos (juices) as well. I've always seen this place jammed packed and a few times with live music. When that's the scene, I think the expectations for a full meal and service should be a little different.