One of the newest additions to the Lapa area: a big house turned into a live samba music joint. Great finger food, cheap cover, lots of different areas for you to get quaint in. (ages 28 to 50) approach index: 4 Get there at: 9pm :: Dress casual

Rua Evaristo de Veiga 149, Lapa :: Also good on Thu-Sat

Definitely the most unique nightlife experience this writter has had in a while: Jazz on top Rio's safest favela, over looking Guanabara Bay, facing Sugar Loaf. The place is literally a maze of a building, inside the friendly streets of favela Tavares Bastos, where they filmed the Hulk 2. (ages 28 to 50) approach index: 4 Get there at: 10pm :: Dress casual.

Ask for The Maze after you get to the end of Rua Tavares Bastos, in Catete. DO CHECK THEIR SITE FOR JAZZ PARTIERS, AS THEY ARE NOT REGULAR: WWW.JAZZRIO.COM

If you are going, feel free to call me, cause I wanna go! Cristiano - 8894 9857

Clandestino is an European style underground club: dark, dungeony and with a basement with a compact dance floor. What´s cool is that every Friday is Black Friday, which is when Brazilians and foreigners get down to hip-hop, brazilian funk and all other types of “black music”. Given most travellers have been confused about how to enjoy brazilian music, here you see them really enjoy and dance to music they know. A great place to meet a Brazilian or foreigner. International beers and mixed drinks. (Ages 22 to 32 on friday) approach index: 5 Get there at 11pm :: Dress funky.

Rua Barata Ribeiro 111, Copacabana
Also good on Saturday

Lapa is great any day of teh week, specially on Fridays and Saturdays: you have a choice of over 12 bars and areas to hang out at, most of them with live Brazilian music. A most definite must (Ages 18 to 35) approach index: 4 Get there at:10 pm :: Dress casual.

Happy hour central. A colonial part of downtown is the Rua do Mercado, which has pagode street partiers every Friday avening. The area offers a dozen bars to hop around, with a square for the pagode get-together. (ages 20 to 40) approach index: 4 Get there at: 7pm

Rua do Mercado, Centro

Considered the best beer in Rio and possibly all of Brazil, Devassa is the answer to premium micro-brew. Apart from the lager, red, pale and stout, they have an exceptional food menu. There are Devassas popping up everywhere, so ask for the nearest one. (Ages 25 to 55) Approach index: 3 Get there at: 6pm :: Dress casual.

Good everyday
Rua Senador Vergueiro 02, Flamengo
Rua Prudente de Morais 416, Ipanema

Whenever you feel home sick, just go to Shenanigans: it has Guiness and vewcastle, burgues, nachos, barbecue wings, baseball, football and soccer on the TV screens, pool (Amercian table) and darts. Not only that, but the lion's share of its clients are gringos, so you can team up with them for your group excursions and sport activities. (ages 18 to 35) approach index: 4 get there at: 9pm :: Dress casual.

Rua Visconde de Pirajá 112, Ipanema :: Also good on Wed and Sat