Macaco is a Temple Bar inspired rock bar in the heart of Cococabana. It's rare that I go to the…read moresame spot twice, but on my week-long trip to Rio I came here three times. They have excellent and talented bar staff, but best of all, amazing live bands. The live bands were AMAZING! They played an array of mostly American rock (with a few Brazilian songs,) and on one night had Karaoke with the live band (you sang, they played the music.) A truly unforgettable experience. Oh and the burgers are awesome!

I really hate when people review places they haven't been inside. But this was my experience here,…read moreI didn't even get a chance to fo inside this bar because the bouncer was such an Ass. We came to Rio with the family and finally got away for the evening and all we wanted was a drink. We got to the front entrance and the bouncer informed us that there was a R$20 cover to get in. I looked at my husband because I didn't really want to pay to get into a bar that I was probably going to pay about R$30-50 reals for each drink and we were feeling like drinking. Anyways the bouncer didn't even give us the chance to respond when He said "why don't you go home and make your own drink, it's cheaper!" He was so rude that we left and went down the street to El Born. Which had some amazing premier cocktails. Bottom line they need to be more welcoming and perhaps explaining that they have a cover because there are live bands according to the reviews.

Travelers beware - they will rip you off!! I'm pretty non-confrontational, so even though I was…read morepretty sure I was being overcharged, I paid anyway. A couple of us in our group came back from paying and said as much. One very smart friend of mine slipped the drink menu into his pocket when he went to pay - and when told the inflated price, he pointed to the menu and said "I had this, and this, should be only $20 reais (or whatever the price was). The girl went to get her manager. The manager arrived and confirmed the price. My friend said "What is the extra charge for?" The manager said, "It's for the band." There was NO BAND! We had been there for hours and no one played. The manager finally backed down. These people like to prey on homesick gringos. Don't be one of them. Eat down the street at Redentor; drink at Che Lagarto. Anywhere but Lord Jim Pub.

The doorman couldn't have been more rude if he'd tried. His aggressiveness and attitude do not…read moreresemble what I came to love about Rio, yet it was precisely this kind of thing that would appear to give the city a bad reputation. I didn't experience anything like it elsewhere. I was so put off, I turned around and went to the hostel bar next door which had a great vibe and friendly staff.

Didn't even realise that it was there until friends pointed it out. Semi-pub-ish kinda place, with…read morea decent selection of food (burgers look great! but too bad I don't take beef...), ordered rice balls which were decent. Another friend ordered their fish and chips, which was not what I expected - big portion of fish fingers and a whole load of wedges being passed off as fries. All in, it was good. Dessert was nothing to shout about though - we shared a brownie and were not at all impressed. They also have a beer menu (font and back page of an A4 sheet) which offers beers in pints and half pints. Tips : do select a more strategically located table, where you know the wait staff can see you, otherwise forgot about being served. Food comes fairly quickly so that was nice. Also, I went on a Saturday at about 7.30-8pm and stayed till about 10.30pm. When I went, it was crowded but I was still able to find a table - the crowd seem to start at about 8.30pm or so. When we left, there were quite a number of people outside waiting for a table.

4 stars here just for the beer. If I were rating just on food, I would give it a 3 because the…read moreburger was average in my opinion. For beers though, they have a great selection, including plenty of stouts and American IPAs/APAs. We came as a big group of Yelpers, so I'll give the wait staff a little credit for trying to take all of our orders and not getting mine exactly right (I'll also take into account my poor Portuguese). On the bright side, they actually fixed our order and didn't charge us, so I can't mark them down for that. There is one big projector screen in the back that would be nice to watch sporting events, but I don't think it would be sufficient for everyone in the restaurant to just watch from that screen. Overall though, if you're in the mood for good beer, check this place out.

I came across this pub while looking for sports bars in Lapa so I could watch some US college…read morefootball games while I was traveling through Brazil. I arrived as the band was setting up, but was still allowed to come in. I speak *zero* Portuguese, so I was completely at the staff's mercy. Fortunately, they were warm, welcoming and spoke solid English. Bells was the main bartender that night and incredibly helpful all around - quickly finding the correct TV channel so I could watch the game, accurately describing their craft beers to help me decide which to order and also offering a few suggestions on places to explore during my Rio trip. The beers and nachos hit the spot that night, a perfect combo for watching the game and listening to the local band jam a diverse set of tunes. Thanks for the great visit!!

Cute and cozy coffee spot within walking distance from our hotel. Our first attempt to eat here…read morefailed due to the wait time. However, the second time we came , we were in luck because a table was leaving when we arrived. Anyway, we put in our orders and still ended up waiting for 25-30 minutes. So be prepared to wait. The food was decent. I had the 1/2 LF salad and veggie omelette. We both had their Irish cream coffee and they did not skimp on the alcohol.

This little bistro is just off the main street. It has a nice little outdoor patio, and a cozy…read morelittle indoors. They have a surprisingly good collection of craft beers. And a small but decent wine list. The staff is a bit under, so my tip would be if you sit outside, order at the counter. It'll move things along.