If you are in the neighborhood and out late. We went too early. Stop in at tge rooftop bar at…read moreSelena across the street to kill time.

Music sounded good but you cannot get through the crowds outside. Might be ok for 20 minutes but…read moreyou'll probably want to move on after that. Worth walking to if you're staying nearby.

A very cool street-side bar in Rio. One of those places you walk up to and only mean to spend an…read morehour at, and end up spending 5-6 hours at. This particular spot is ultra efficient, organized and is quick to replace your bottle of beer with a New even colder bottle of beer. Copa Americanos and classic snacks available. Great for people watching and enjoy the shady trees the neighborhood, many trees studded with orchids that the cab-drivers water and take care of. This is a great place to hangout and just watch the day pass you by. Zig Zag is one of the few remaining classics in Ipanema.

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.

My fellow Americans! (Obama voice)…read more So you're here in Brazil and realize the food is quite terrible, right? (I know, it's not what you expect when you travel.) Well this is a play-it-safe move for your Yankee tastebuds. Get the filet mignon and a side of rice. Don't even do the one that comes with sides because rice, French fries, and egg farofa is gonna be too much food. And besides, you don't even know what farofa is. I could tell you that it's a type of meal made from toasted cassava, but you don't know what that is either. (It's okay. We're gonna get through this.) Place is stuffier than my nose during the Santa Ana winds, so I wouldn't recommend going there wearing a ton of layers. Th-th-that's all folks! (Porky Pig voice)

My cousin and I decided to eat at Galeto Sat's because Anthony Bourdain highly recommended it. Long…read morestory short, totally worth it. If you're in Rio go get yourself some chicken. It is VERY popular and I'm sure being recommended by Bourdain has a lot to do with it. The first time we tried to eat there the wait was over an hour long. We went sometime after 1AM and there was still a decent wait, maybe close to 30 minutes. The place is pretty small and cramped, but that gives it some charm. Somehow that makes the food taste even better. We ordered a little bit of everything and it was all amazing. Chicken, steak, fries, garlic bread, polenta. It was all cooked and seasoned to perfection. Everything we ordered was delicious Service was fair and prices are reasonable. Do yourself a favor and visit Galeto Sat's!

Michelin star level favela style eatery. I could not believe my taste buds and eyes! I wish I had…read moreguts to go to the favela location (the original) but copa cabana location was exceptional too! Best food I have had in 2 weeks in Brazil!

I was a bit nervous about venturing into a favela (chalk it up to being mentally stuck in the era…read moreof "City of God"), but when a carioca casually asked if I'd seen the view from Babilonia yet, I realized my perception of the favelas was probably not accurate. I'm glad my misconception was corrected, because Bar do David was 101% worth the trip - it *doesn't* have a view, but we did have one of the best meals of our trip. Our favorite was the ribs with pineapple salsa, which were perfectly charred and fell off the bone. We also had a completely beautiful seafood salad and some croquettes with carne seca, plus a couple very tasty drinks. I can't recommend it enough!

This cozy bar is on the corner of Vinícius de Moraes and Barão de Torre (figure out their name…read moreyet?) Although it looks unassuming, I find myself coming here often (could also be because I live fairly close) for a beer and appetizers. I prefer this place because the outside patio is fenced off with bushes which makes it a bit more private and comfortable. Few things are more annoying than enjoying a beer with friends and then being hassled by a passer-by. They also have Original, which can sometimes be not so easy to find. Try the batatas portuguesas, they are basically homemade chips (crisps for you Brits) and are sliced thin and served fresh. Delicious. Stop by and enjoy a cerveja - you'll probably see me there.

All I wanted for dinner was a Frango com Catupiry pizza. I tried the fancy pizza place nearby and…read morethey didn't have it. I came to Torre and had a delicious Acerola and Laranja juice, the pizza I wanted, and it was all very cheap for Rio standards. The staff was funny and welcoming, and the environment is very relaxed.

It's from another era. Old school. The waiters are seasoned and wear uniforms from years forgotten…read more The dishes are straightforward and unpretentious, dare I say meat and potatoes (pun intended). Visiting from Miami we felt the trip to Brazil would not be complete without a trip to a steakhouse. Some of the options we actually have back home, so we settled on this one. The steaks are of great quality, cooked perfectly to your specifications and delivered by friendly knowledgeable staff. The sausage sent out before the meal was perhaps my favorite thing, rivaled only by the fried potatoes. The fried potatoes are masterful. It's like they thinly sliced two pieces of potato, stuck them together, and then fried them. So you have two crunchy sides with an air pocket between them. Where have these been all my life??? Don't leave without ordering them. The picanha was as good as we expected. The chorizo is actually a cut of steak here, if he had known Portuguese a bit better we wouldn't have ordered it because we thought it was sausage, but here it's a cut of meat. Delicious anyway. The side of broccoli rice made us feel a bit healthier. Lol.

This restaurant came highly recommended as one of the best "barbecue" places in Rio. It's really…read moremore of a steakhouse than a barbecue place, but I wouldn't advise coming here unless you are ready to eat a Fred Flintstone-sized cut of meat. You have the option of going to the counter and picking the cut of meat you want or ordering off the menu and letting them pick for you. I highly recommend ordering from the counter, so you can see what you're in for. I ordered the t-bone steak, and it's the biggest steak I've ever seen in my life that wasn't for two people. I don't even know how I finished a steak that massive. The only thing I'd recommend is that for anyone (like me) who doesn't like anything less than medium, to know what the Portuguese word is for "well done". Medium well got me a medium rare steak. After drinks and sides, our bill came to about R$ 135, which was like $35. Look at the picture of my t-bone (or a picture of my friend's steak which was half of a steak he split with another friend) and tell me where else you can get a brontosaurus steak like that at that price?