I went to Brazil for the first time (March 2023) and was recommended I go to this bar by one of the…read morehotel employees. This place did not disappoint. The drinks were fantastic, the bartender was superb and the vibe was super warm. If I lived in Rio I think I would be a regular coming to this car. If I ever come back to Rio I will definitely come to this bar.

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.

When your favourite bar or club closes, Emporio will be open. Small/busy/dirty inside with rock…read moremusic and unfriendly service. BUT you have the option to buy drinks on the street and enjoy Rio's mornings. Very alternative crowd, not the place to go if you like good looking people.

If you're looking for a nightcap, this is your best bet…read more The setup is kind of weird. You can go inside and order drinks off the menu (including draft beer), or you can go outside and order the bottles of beer that they have there. But you can't do both from inside, unless you're seated by the ledge and lean over. Another strange thing is that you have to tell the cashier what you want, pay, and then she'll tell the bartender. If you just tell the bartender he won't do anything but look at you funny. This system doesn't work very well because you'll see lines forming for the cashiers while the bartenders sit around waiting to make a drink. Is it that hard to pour a draft beer? You know someone else is going to order one. It gets packed and seems to attract the American frat boy type, though I don't know why. The music is good and loud and the crowd spills out onto the street, where you have to be careful because it attracts some shady characters. Expect to smell pot. It has a lot of character and is definitely unique, but bottom line, if every other place was closed I might come here. So would everyone else.

The first time we came here is wasn't too impressive because they had so many things missing off…read morethe menu. So we decided to give it another chance when it was a busier weekend. This place gets full on a Saturday night so we made sure we grabbed a table before it became impossible. We ordered a good mix of things to taste them all the cheese and meat plate came with a variety of each (3) though they didn't explain what exactly was on it. They ranged from harder to softer cheese each quite distinct. It was accompanied by some bread that also had good flavor to it. We tried each of the 6 different types of bruschetta: goat cheese with fig and honey, classic with tomato and basil, mushroom with melted Brie, shredded duck, gorgonzola with arugula and nuts. They had a bean one but later told us they were out so we doubled up on the classic. All were impressively good with decent bread. I would say there are better then Prima. The bolinhos arancini we tried were also decent, one with shrimp another with meat and the third with mushroom. The caipirinhas here are good too and they have my favorite cachaça, Leblon.

Three stars only because of lack of availability of items on the menu (as we only discovered once…read morewe tried to order them). The items we were able to order, however, were delicious. The place does seem to be targeted toward those wanting cocktails and tapas, but they have some entree type choices too. I didn't get to order a cocktail though because they had Jeffrey, one of my favorite beers here. The place is clearly popular among locals and there is always a crowd, inside and out. As I mentioned earlier, if the place had everything they listed, or at least if the waiter told us what wasn't available, I would have given the place 4 stars.

You wouldn't know it just by its appearance (or name), but Bar do Lado offers a sushi menu outside…read moreof their standard fare and it's quite good! For those wandering along the beach, looking for a spot to grab a drink or bite to eat after sunset, this corner spot is a great option. And because they're connected to a hotel, they're often open when many other restaurants are closed. My favorite part is that you can sit outside on a cushioned bench (same side of the bench for the romantic ones) and still see the water and the mountains off in the distance (during the daylight). I've gone for dinner and lunch and while the menu never changes, it's a solid, convenient spot for those in Leblon. My friend and I went for dinner and enjoyed a caipivodka (I recommend the caipiruby if you like berries). The meal was sashimi, niguiri, and temaki but for those of you craving un-Japanese items, there's a full and totally opposite menu for you to enjoy (hamburgers are great, I hear). Go because it's convenient and beautifully located, but don't go expecting a busy scene or anything like that.

Only 3 stars purely on the time we went. Think if we went later It would be much better.. Kicks off…read morearound midnight they say.. Free wifi and a good crowd watching drinking hole. Snacks are pretty good too :)

What can I say? The best bar in Leblon with the best pastel de queijo you'll find in Rio, the…read morecoldest fastest chopp service you'll have, and the most fun Brazilian atmosphere. Came here every night of my trip and will be back next time!

Pub/ resto in leblon. Great staff and lots of food options…read more There's lots on seating inside and out. Plenty of drink and food options. Amd we loved everything we got.

Came here with a few friends during the evening to grab a bite and some beer. The beer here is high…read morequality and has a better selection then most of the other places around. I liked the Bianca beer as it was very nice tasting and it wasn't too dark and it was good for just a light beer. We had ordered a few different items the first one was the pork with cheese bites I forget the name of the appetizers and I tried to find them on the menu online but I can't seem to find it the appetizers come in pretty large portions good for 2 to 3 people with a pretty unique flavor in different options to indulge all parties taste buds. What I really appreciate about the place is there attentiveness to always grab another beer or ask us if we need one. When we first walked in we were able to be seated right away even though this place is very packed with people in the other simply amazed we were able to get a spot. This is my second time here and both times have been great I would highly recommend it to the other yelpers. There was just one small issue we had as we came with two people and as the others started arriving we needed a bigger table and was told briefly that we need to wait back in line within a few minutes a bigger table opened up and they gladly moved us over there is the reason for the 4 not the 5 star other than that we were able to enjoy the three hours or so we were there.

They finally had the dark stout cioccolato barile that won the gold medal for Brazilian beer…read morefestival 2015 in Blumaneu, in stock for me to try. At 12.5% ABV, it's potent but also delicious! The whiskey caskets they seep them in really intensifies the flavor. This has to be my favorite Noi beer, though it only comes in bottle, not on tap. We tried a variety of food as well, such as the bruschetta, chicken strips, salad and chicken sausage. The bruschetta is usually delicious and comes with several pieces which is great for sharing. The frango crocante, is like chicken strips with a sweet mustard sauce, which is also idea for sharing. The arugula salad was topped with a light dressing and sun-dried tomatoes with a fist-size of mozzarella (huge!) and a mound of Parmesan bread- very filling. The chicken sausage was a huge plate with the chicken sausage coiled under a pile of potatoes. It is only for the truly hungry! All the food was great and service was good too. Definitely will be back.

After dinner in Botafogo, we tried to milk as much as could as the last night out and headed to Bar…read moredo Horto for a nightcap. We sat in the warm night under some cool looking colored lamps before turning in for the night. There is an English menu that you can order off of, and while we were full from eating, it was nice to sit outside and enjoy the warm night. We didn't stay for very long, but enjoyed being around locals and the few drinks we had.

This is a go-to place for us in Rio. For those visiting Zona Sul, it's still pretty close to…read moreLeblon, but has a completely different and more quiet, intimate feel. Outdoor dining, and live music on many nights add to the good vibe. For food, while a solid standard is of course the carne de sol and yuca, those that like The bolinhos de bacalhau should order that, and I'm sure the rest of the menu is solid too. I especially like the red wine they sell for R$48 per bottle (find that in the US!). You may want to ask for an ice bucket even for the red to get it down to serving temperature in the 50s... Make it here for one night and you won't regret it!

I've been meaning to compliment this cute outdoors bar. Our fun running group cooled off here for…read morea while with buckets of beer while thoroughbreds thundered by on the adjacent track. All those outdoor furnishings seem to be handmade, the furnishings and the staff were accommodating to people who just ran in that sauna called the Rio Summer, and the beers were cold and cheap. Past the track, the Jesus atop Corcovado turned his back to us, but we're used to that. Dammit, I wish our local Del Mar track would set up something like this (and no, the random tables and chairs on the infield and $8 Bud Lites don't count)

What a wacky, whimsical nightclub. A little dangerous at times when bustling with drunken people…read more(I'm referring to the tiny bridges that lead from the entrance to the central area of the club--I didn't see anyone take a spill into the creek, but I imagine that's happened before). It's mostly open-air, with colored lights projected on the trees that are interspersed throughout. The principal dance floor and DJ are tucked under a roof held up by wooden columns, giving the club a tropical and casual vibe. You'll want to dress up, though, so as not to look like a tourist. In case you get hungry, there's a shack that serves giant hotdogs on baguettes slathered with onions and mayonnaise in the corner. And don't forget to pop up on the giant wooden chair next to it: it's the best spot for taking in the whole scene, and you may catch a glimpse of Corcovado.