I'm not afraid to say that this is the best cocktail bar of São Paulo. The job Spencer Jr. and his…read morecrew do is remarkable. They seem to take care of every single detail to prepare the perfect cocktail. From the ice craving, the glasses to the quality of the liquors, everything is perfect. Had different cocktails here, so I won't tell details about every single one. But be sure that you will have a great time The environment is classic, with a piano on the outside, and dark and cozy environment inside. The bar is located on the Maksoud's Plaza lobby. The price is a lit bit expensive, but it[s something you can afford every once in a while. The service is very good, and be prepared to wait depending on the time you arrive.

An incredible cocktail bar, one that evokes an age where classic cocktails were king: an intimate…read morebar, the red banquettes, and the piano with a light jazz accompaniment in the background, setting the stage for a perfect night-cap. We decided to sit at the bar so we could watch the masters at work, bartenders who are obviously very proud of their craft. For me, it was a Boulevardier - think Negroni, but subtract the gin and add bourbon in its place. The drink was beautiful, with a hand-shaved ice cube that looked like a glimmering gem surrounded by what was easily the best cocktail I've had in years. (For those of you who follow me, you know that's high praise!) One of my friends opted for the Gin Cocktail, what the drink menu calls a "high-strength stirred drink": Umburana gin, Grand Marnier, ginger, and Rangpur lime bitters. I took a sip and can vouch for this being a high-octane drink, a quite delicious one at that. For many of the drinks, the original source of the recipe is cited. The Gin Cocktail comes from "Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks", published in 1869 - a nice touch of history that takes one back in time while enjoying their cocktail, right down to the quintessentially British instruction to the bartender: "The recipe of Terrington demands a table spoon of bitters". How imperial! The bartenders were great, answering all of our questions about the array of items displayed on the bar, from the little misters used to give a finishing touch to cocktails to the array of botanicals and garnishes in the Mason jars on the bar. Frank Bar should be on everyone's list when they visit São Paulo, whether it's for a pre-dinner cocktail or for a nice way to end an evening out with friends. Muito obrigado ao bartênderes!

Welcome to my favorite cocktail bar in São Paulo. This Jardins watering hole is tops for specialty…read moreand craft cocktails and offers a nice blend of swank and cool. The place is pretty intimate and always plays music that'll have you opening up your Shazam app. Every time I've gone, there's a decent crowd but the nice thing is everyone's filed away into tables; so none of that bumping elbows to make your way to the bar. The cocktail menu features a mean list of gin and tonic preparations and the Camden Town comes served with a tea bag (this is my friend's favorite). As for me, I tend to stick to the classics and opt for the Vesper (perfectly balanced and prepared) or a Negroni (similarly fantastic). I even ordered off the menu when I asked for a Penicillin. Despite not knowing the ingredients, the bartender pulled it up on his phone and mixed away. It ended up being one of the better versions I've had! There's also a great food menu to ward off evil hunger pangs and the items I've tried have all been great (I love the potatoes with the egg on top). Overall, Barê is great for before/after-dinner drinks. It's a great refuge whether you're dressed to the nines or sporting jeans and a t-shirt.

We had no idea what we were in for, but a bunch of our new Brazilian pals suggested we rendezvous…read moreat Igrejinha for an early one. In a city where the usual going out time is, oh I dunno, like 12am, I was really pleased when I heard we'd be meeting around 8/9pm. So, note to those of you looking for a cool spot before you hit the discotheques, Igrejinha is perfect to get the mood (and cocktails) going. First thought was: super cool ambiance. Igrejinha literally translates in "little church" and while I didn't quite feel like I was in a little church, I certainly felt like I was at a friend's really cool house party and I loved the layout -- the small bar in the main room, the little hallway that leads to a few steps that leads to a cozy dancefloor, and then behind that, a mini terrace where all the smokers congregated. This made it really easy to mix and mingle and meet people (of which we met many). The many people we met were varied. Lots of gay people (mostly men) and lots of alternative folks. This isn't a cheesy, techno thumping gay bar, so the gay guys here didn't walk around with glitter covered chests. Just the opposite, these were more the kinds of dudes I'd almost always welcome being around. The cocktails were fantastic and when my friend recommended I get the best drink ever... and that the best drink ever is a long island iced tea... I got scared. Very, very concerned that I was heading quickly in the direction of a night I'd likely never forget. But instead, I tried her long island iced tea, and it tasted more like a fancy Brazilian version. Somehow, and I didn't know this was even possible, Igrejinha makes a mean, classed-up long island. The other drinks were great too and the bartender was super cool. After drinking and chatting and watching other people smoke, I hit the dancefloor. It felt something like partying in the 90s -- kinda grungy, but definitely respectable. Will I be back? Yeah, totally.

My boyfriend andd I visiting SP and truly enjoyed the bar. Friendly staff, great music, perfect…read moreatmosphere and non cruisy. Cocktails were delish and the bars decor was true to church feeling.

What a night !!!!…read more One of my friends recommended this bar to me and the whole concept of a speakeasy, prohibition era bar with a limited number of guests really got my curiosity factor going. After some date haggling, we were able to get a reservation for a Wedensday night - this place only opens on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, reservations and payment of R$ 150 per person need to be done well in advance, further information can be obtained via email (details section). The whole night was an awesome experience - the mastery of Silas at the bar, the ambience and the service - all worked together to produce one of the best nightspots in São Paulo. The whole concept is very well thought and kudos to the folks of NOH bar who thought of this. I really want to tell you more, BUT, this is going to be an experience and if you like great cocktails, you will be blown out - the prohibition era cocktails are very well made and I am already thinking of when I can return !!

Cute coffee shop with a surprising amount of vegan options! I came here during Carnaval so it was…read morereally crowded, but the staff was still attentive and everything we ordered was really good. I appreciate the way the menu is labeled, especially the tags for special diets. I also really enjoyed the vegan yogurt made from yams! I'd definitely come back to try more things. Café bonitinho com opções veganas. Passei por aqui no Carnaval então estava bem cheio, mas mesmo assim conseguimos sentar logo. Gostei muito do iogurte vegano de inhame.

This is a lovely coffee shop. The lighting is dim but welcoming with interesting decor on the…read morewalls. There are upstairs and downstairs seating depending on your liking. Perfect environment to get some work done or meet up with friends to chat over a cup of coffee. The menu is a large page front and back with a variety of food and drinks to choose from. I struggled a little because they only had menus in Portuguese (at least I think). I forgot the name of the sandwich I ordered but I believe any food on the menu is a safe choice. The servers were really nice and patient when taking our order especially since we didn't speak Portuguese. Food and drinks came in a timely manner.

On one of my last night in Sao Paulo, I stopped by SubAstor for some late night drinks. Not to be…read moreconfused with Astor, SubAstor is located within Astor. You walk straight through the restaurant and then make a left to go down the stairs to bring you to this speakeasy. I've always been a fan of speakeasies. There's something special about the dim lighting, the craft cocktails made with care, the elegance, and the nod to Prohibition times. SubAstor delivered. We sat at a small table in the middle of the bar and the service we received was great. I tried two cocktails, one of which was gin-based, and they were both 5/5. If you're looking for a romantic bar with some great ambiance, SubAstor is a great place to check out. It was one of my favorite bars I visited during my trip to Brazil.

Located a floor under Astor, veiled in thick velvet curtains is one of São Paulo's most stylish…read morebars - SubAstor. The bar is very well decorated with hints of speakeasy inspirations, a beautifully lit bar balcony and comfortable seating arrangements. With decent ambience music and perfectly lit settings, the bar as all the makings of a winner but however when it comes to the drinks, it falls a tad bit short, especially if you have been drinking at some of the fantastic bars in São Paulo like Boca de Ouro & Frank. Recently the winner of the best drinks menu and under the supervision of an italian bartender, Fabio LaPietra, SubAstor is focussed to serving a stylish, albeit "lighter' & a more tropical version of drinks. They have a cube with around 24 drinks, all drinks on the cube priced at R$ 29 (as of 19/11/2015) most of which are house versions of the famous classics. I tried 2 drinks from the cube - Kentucky-Tivo (Bourbon based drink) and Ceará Vs. 007 (house version of Vesper) - the Kentucky-Tivo was beautiful to look at but a bit boring to drink with bourbon almost missing, the Ceará Vs. 007 was much better and definitely made up for the Kentucky-Tivo dullness. Just to try, I ordered a Manhattan with Woodford Reserve (they charge R$ 40 for this) and it was good, not excellent but it was good. SubAstir is a cool bar, a bar where you can hang out with friends who aren't so familiar with cocktails, you can bring a date here (get in early, if you want to sit) - however the popularity of the place leads it to getting overcrowded especially Thu-Fri-Sat and the due to overcrowding service tends to get a bit slow. Fabio is a great bartender but he is faced with a full house almost every evening and it gets difficult for him to make/supervise the bar 100%. I would recommend SubAstor to newbies, for dates, for a 'lighter' bar experience.

Guilhotina Bar means guillotine bar. Not the most appetizing of names for a bar but I decided to…read morerisk decapitation and check it out and I was glad I did. It was our first night in Sao Paulo. After dinner, Guilhotina Bar was recommended in my guidebook and it was close to the restaurant so we decided to check it out. Upon entering, I was initially impressed with the vibe of this trendy bar. It reminded me of the type of spots that I like to frequent back home. The crowd was young and the bar was full. To the point that we hung out at the bar for a bit before we found some seats. Guilhotina Bar is known for their craft cocktails and they didn't disappoint. We're talking the type of cocktails where artistry is part of the equation. And they looked just as good as they tasted. The bartender and several members of the staff went above and beyond in making us feel welcome. A+ customer service. If I lived in Sao Paulo, this would be one of my go-to spots!

I came here with a friend one night and had a great time! From the outside, Guilhotina is pretty…read moreunassuming, and it blends in well with the other businesses and homes on the street. Inside, however, it is a wonderland with creative libations, amiable staff, and a diverse crowd. I won't go into loads of detail on the drinks because the menu changes regularly, particularly the top section, which changes based on which guest bartenders are invited on a particular night. Such a cool model, featuring bartenders from around the world! I will say that each cocktail is inventive in w everything from name to ingredients to unusual combinations of flavors and cool combos that cross borders and please palates. Here are some deets on the drinks: -São Paulo-Milano: whatever blend of cachaças they used was the bomb! It also had a pineapple flavor and some rum and mezcal, along with some spices that I'm still trying to identify. -The second custom drink: I know there was elderflower in it, but aside from that, it was a symphony of flavors that was delicious, even though I'm unsure of all the ingredients. Sooo good. The owner, Marcio, is AWESOME, the bartenders are ridiculously friendly, the crowd is chill but not in that "we're trying to be relaxed" type of way. I absolutely loved it here and sort of hope no one ever reads these great reviews so that Guilhotina doesn't get more packed!

Amazing rooftop restaurant in São Paulo. Food was above average, the drink concoctions were…read moreawesome. I sampled the wagyu toast and the Caesar salad. Both were great. We were a large group so they gave us one of the best tables, corner booth with a breathtaking city view

Great place, great view, great service, good food! They have beautiful bar and wrap around balcony…read moreto see the whole city!

Guarita Bar - the new kid on the block with some solid names at the helm - Jean Ponce ex-bartender…read morefrom the only 2-Michelin star restaurant in Brazil, D.O.M. controls the bar and Gregor Caisley, from Twelve Bistro, manages the kitchen - these 2 names anywhere raise expectations ! I went to Guarita the first time while it was in soft opening, the kitchen was not in operation but the bar was fully operational. Jean Ponce, besides being the great bartender, is one of the most welcoming hosts - he really makes you feel at home and all of a sudden you are part of the family. The first time around I tried his signature 'Rabo de Galo' and the classic Negroni - both drinks are well prepared, with good ingredients and hand-crafted crystal clear huge ice cubes. One interesting thing that Jean told me is that he will used different types of glassware to serve the same drink - keeping it casual but at the same time the quality of the cocktail served should be consistent with their standards. The second time around, Guarita was fully operational and I decided to give the food menu a try. I orders the pork belly sandwich and trust me when I say this - it was one of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted - spiced pork belly with thin slices of cucumber and some coriander make it a gem in the menu. Since greed has no limits, I shared a pizza with my friend and once again the kitchen deserves full points - the food at Guarita is really spectacular. I tried a 3 lime lemon caipirinha with some good 'ol cachaça and Jean's caipirinha fame is well deserved. So if I had such a good time, why do I give Gurita 4 stars - the drinks are good but Boca de Ouro and Negroni (2 similar priced bars) are better..and there Guarita drops a star. I love the laid back ambience, the quick service and Jean Ponce is one of the best hosts - definitely a place to return !

Tasty drinks and food. Nice atmosphere. Packed. Hard to find a spot to seat down. Would return but…read moreprobably not on a Saturday evening.