I think Jamie W and I followed a familiar pattern for the first-time gay traveler to Porto. After…read moredinner, we went to Kiosk, super-popular and supposedly LGBTQ-friendly, a completely outdoor watering hole, and found ourselves disappointed by how generically youthful and straight the crowd was here. After just one drink, we gave up our table to a group of squealing skanks and walked over here.
The low-key vibe was exactly what we were wanting to cradle a drink, and the bartender was quite welcoming to expats and travel misfits like ourselves. Definitely not a dance club, but there was a stage which made me believe there might be karaoke and open mic nights. Not us though since my Sylvester impression is not what it used to be. The couch was taken over by affectionate lesbians.
Fortunately there was a hi-top table available for us near the funky restroom. Jamie enjoyed the 8€ Tequila Sunrise, and I sipped the 9€ Espresso Martini (Photo 9). Both suited us quite nicely as the alternative music played rhythmically over the speakers. We were hitting the Shazam app a lot, always a good sign. We could hear each other talk, another plus, and apparently it's a coffee shop during the day. Sold.
DRINKS - 4 stars...smooth at the right price
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...darkly social space with cool music
SERVICE - 4 stars...solid bartender with the right attitude
TOTAL - 4 stars...not sure where the bar of soap comes in, but it used to be a laundromat
RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/tE8KWKidp7