For the most part, I felt like I was back in the United States because the majority of the music…read morewas American Pop. There were stark differences to how you get into the club here. For one, I was confused by the people looking like they are standing in line. In fact, they are actually not. They were pre-drinking on the street. I even saw vendors on the street selling alcohol which was very interesting. The only place I know of in the US that allows drinking outside is in Vegas. Also, I only brought a photocopy of my passport because I didn't want my real one stolen. They were nice enough to accept my passport as proof of age. So they give you a card to track all your expenses including an admission fee of R$50. The club opens at 1130pm so it wasn't so packed when we got there. To my surprise, they played all American music for the first couple of hours. It was nice, but I was also looking forward to Brazilian pop music in which they did play later on in the evening. Drinks were very strong! Just the way I like it! I did appreciate those bartenders dressed in sailor outfits. Overall, it was a good club although some areas were cordoned off. Maybe those were VIP areas? Who knows. At the end of the night, you settle your bill at the front.

So I get to know Sala Especial via one of the monthly cocktail nights…read more Lets start with the good parts (trust me, this is going to be a short paragraph) - The ambience is quite well decorated, low lights and overall intimate. Sala Especial is supposed to be a bar and a restaurant but it completely fails to deliver on what it sets out to do - with an interesting menu, they fail on the execution front. With the prices, once would expect a decent drink - even their old fashioned, a relatively simple classic is really syrupy, killing the Makers' Mark bourbon that goes in it. I had their version of the Moscow Mule - its well presented and ok. Talking about prices, Sala Especial is quite pricey - as some other reviewers have put it, they conjure fancy names for some of the most basic snacks and charge high - disappointing. I really would not return to Sala Especial - with so many better options in the city, they will have to reinvent themselves for me to return.

Interesting ambiance, but not really my taste. A good spot for social gatherings. I was here last…read morenight for an awesome event actually! The use of individual cards makes it easier for payment at the end of the night when in a large group. Decent cocktails and large portion nibbles for sharing. Service was attentive. Our group received a free cocktail coupon when we arrived, as we arrived at the opening time which is 8pm!