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.

If you're in Ipanema and in search of some great beers, don't miss this hidden gem inside the…read moreshopping center. We were lucky enough to catch the sign on the newspaper stand outside advertising good beers inside and we were not disappointed. In addition to having a wide selection of beers from around the world (including Speakeasy!), they also have a several taps with rotating beers from both local and international breweries. The prices are a little higher than in the United States, but considering this is in Brazil, we were willing to shell out a few more dollars for some good stuff. For our first trip we tried a a Brazilian Imperial Stout from Schornstein and were impressed. It's not really an imperial stout, but it was far better than some of the other Brazilian stouts we've tried. Stop in, say hello to Bernardo, and grab some beers!

This place is located on the second floor of the shopping center on the corner of Visconde de…read morePirajá and Maria Quitéria, right across from Praça Nossa Senhora da Paz. Go up the escalator (it's a self-starting one so if it isn't moving when you get on it - be prepared) and then take a left. They've got pretty much any kind of beer you want. Lately I've been stopping by to pick up some Ballast Point Sculpin (they've even got the new Grapefruit Sculpin IPA). There's a refrigerator as well, which obviously has chilled beer, or you can pick any off the shelves. The people who work there are friendly and speak English so if you're able to read this you'll be able to get by OK. The only downside is that it is very expensive for just a bottle. However, they have several rare brews that I haven't found elsewhere in Rio.

Well I have to say I wasn't expecting much for this bar/nightclub/restaurant. It was surprisingly…read morereasonably priced for their executive menus, it would be ridiculous not to try them. You could choose grilled chicken two sides and a sauce for R$20 and get a dessert. The other options included pastas with meat and sauce. We tried the chicken and the bolognese sauce on spaghetti that was fairly decent especially for the price. The option side Service was fair and more attentive that other bars. The bathroom was upstairs and quite disgusting. For a late night bar it was ok but for a restaurant during the day it was gross. It smelled and the motion sensor light kept clicking off. Also if you don't like loud obnoxious daytime TV shows, sit outside where you can get away from the yappy TVs For a cheap executive lunch, this is the place to go.

Came here twice during my trip to Rio. With the exchange rate between 3.6 and 3.8 reals for one…read moreamerican dollar , prices were excellent. Service was pretty good which is not something I found very easily in this town. Drinks came out quick, dinner came out soon thereafter. Everything tasted great. Our waiter kept checking on us and made sure we had everything we needed. First night here was a quiet night while my second visit was in a packed house. Ambience is cool and casual - TV is on playing UFC and the music is blasting.

Good place for hooking up the way Charles Bukowski would have wanted it. First night in Rio and I…read moregot lucky here with a girl (and necessary to say not a working one since too many bars have those). It closes at 5am-6am on Saturdays and it's a two-story house where basically each room has its own DJ and bartender. Same with the backyard. So it's like bar-hopping but all at one place!

Bukowski you say? And then you think: "oh that dirty-naughty old man, right?" And then I say:…read more "yep, but it is a bar!" And then you say: "Wow it must be awesome, underground and things". But no, it used to be. Sadly, Bukowski bar has changed a lot, it is not underground anymore, and it is not necessarily a bad thing, it really depends on what kind of place you are looking for. It is a cool two-floor house, located in Botafogo, a trendy-young district in Rio. There is a patio with some outdoor seating, great for chatting while having a beer with friends. There is also a garage, where, later on, a dj start to play and the whole thing becames a dance floor. Inside the house, you have a downstairs dance floor, with some serious sweety-too close-dancers and the second floor area, with some space and sofas for chatting and ladies queueing for the toilet and a second dance floor. It is open until late and always attracts young crowds. Just a bit too expensive compared to other places in Rio, around 40 reais entrance and 9 reais for a beer.

It was good just because I was surrounded of good friends. Otherwise, this place would suck! The…read moredrinks are expensive, on the website they say they have more than 3 THOUSANDS songs(Brazilian songs and International ones). On the playlist they had around 200 songs. I'd guess 190 songs were Brazilian ones. I was expecting more from the bar, especially because it's charged for you to get in there. Unfortunately that wasn't one of the best birthday celebrations I had. Wish I had a better and really good time there.

I am LONG overdue for a review on this place. I have been going here for over a year now and it is…read morejust wonderful. Since Brazil doesn't really have the same 'coffee shop' culture as the US, I had trouble working from home the first year that I lived here. FINALLY, I found Grão & Cia where they have free wifi, great coffee, nice people and a quiet upstairs to work where you are undistracted. Sometimes I literally work here for 6-8 hours so luckily they have snacks like nuts, cheeses and gluten free breads and granola bars. It is full of artisan snacks and craft beers and great wines. I bought this farofa that is so good! It comes in a fancy glass jar and has rosemary, Brazil nuts, basil and some other spices. I coated a piece of dourado (I think that is Mahi Mahi) with it and baked it and it turned out so yummy! The manager is really helpful. He is always getting new snacks in and has picked up on the types of things I like so every time I go in, he suggests new products. He also speaks English. Though, now I am fluent enough and we speak in Portuguese. The ONLY downfall of this place is that they literally play the same CD of 12 tracks over and over and over and over. In the year that I have gone there, it has NEVER changed. Thus, I bring headphones and play my own music.

It is very "Ipanema". A fusion of high quality gourmet products, a great selection of wines and…read morebeers and an addition of a very special food truck every Saturday, offering a mouthwatering pork sandwich. That is the time that I like most. The ambience is great with few outside tables and people gathering to talk, eat, drink and have fun. A very positive atmosphere. The sandwich itself costs 20 reais and it is delicious (ask for the "special" sauce). You can buy special beers or wine by the glass from the store. But it is not cheap after all: one imported beer and one sandwich (or a glass of wine) will end up around $50.