All the bus routes run by Av. Venceslau Brás, just up the street from Rio Sul shopping center, so…read moreit's easy to get to. The distinct caricatures graffitied on the wall across from it is a telltale sign and makes it easy to recognize. Staff was friendly and allowed us to peruse the merchandise without hassle. They also were bilingual which helped if your Portuguese is not up to snuff. They had plenty of Botafogo paraphernalia to satisfy any fan. They even had a promotion that featured older season vintage shirts on sale. The soccer social club is right next door and ticket sales are just around the corner. The outside stairs down to the metro and bus lines are a little misleading. The Botafogo metro is a decent 15 minute walk at least.

La Plage at the Botanical Gardens. Although this has been around for a long time, this was a new…read morefind for us. The mansion that houses the restaurant is old-world elegant. The crowds lined up to take photos in the iconic courtyard, which encircles an old roman styled pool: The ambiance was beautiful, and the food was exquisite! I had one of the best steaks I've ever eaten in Brazil; it was so tender I would have cut it with a fork. My wife had grilled chicken Caesar salad which was very tasty. Then came dessert, along with a full-flavored cup of coffee. After the enjoyable meal, we explored the mansion, which abuts the rainforest. There are walking trails and other scenic areas to sit in and enjoy the plush greenery. I would highly recommend that this stop is on everyone's list of things to see in Rio.

You're coming here strictly for the views/vibe. The food is decent but it's nothing special. If…read moreyou're coming here strictly for the food you'll be disappointed. That's not to say the food is bad, it's alright. But on a Monday morning the wait to get a table was over an hour. It's outdoors so it can get really hot too. Even after we were seated it took FOREVER to get our food. Luckily we were just killing time until our flight. If you have other things to do it could be annoying. I got a burger and it was ok. It was cooked alright but it was a little bland. The fries were also just ok too. It's a nice experience but temper your expectations.