Pick-for-me guide

The best clubs in Rio de Janeiro, by music and area

Lapa pub crawl with cachaça and samba

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Summary

The best clubs in Rio de Janeiro depend on your music: samba halls and late dance floors in Lapa, rock and open-air clubs in Botafogo and Gávea, electronic music in Copacabana, and big lounges in Barra.

Before you go

  • Bar Bukowski opens at 9:30 PM2
  • Leviano Bar in Lapa runs until 4 AM1
  • Carry a copy of your passport27

Two questions, one night out

Which club night suits you

Say what you want to dance to and where you are staying, and a guided night appears with its starting price.

1What do you want to dance to?

The best clubs in Rio de Janeiro are spread from Lapa's old townhouses to Barra's glass lounges. Pick by the music you want, the area you sleep in, and how late you plan to stay.

Editorial team, lapapubcrawl.click · Updated November 11, 2026 · 7 mins to read

Basics

  • Latest nightsLeviano Bar in Lapa, open until 4 AM.1
  • RockBar Bukowski, Botafogo, from 9:30 PM.2
  • Open airBosque Bar, with Christ the Redeemer in view.3
  • Big loungesBarra's club street, on Fridays and Saturdays.4
  • GuidedCopacabana bars and clubs, 4 hours.

How a club night in Rio works

The best clubs in Rio de Janeiro do not keep a single style. Riotur sums up the city's nights as bars, nightclubs and samba, with fun in every season, and a club here can mean a samba hall in Lapa, a rock house in Botafogo or a lounge in Barra.5 Most people start at a bar, eat something, and only head to the dance floor late in the evening.

Timing follows that rhythm. In Urca the sea wall fills from 7 PM on Thursdays and Fridays as a warm-up for the clubs.6 Bar Bukowski opens its doors at 9:30 PM, and at Leviano Bar in Lapa the acrobats perform from 11:30 PM on Thursday to Saturday.2,7 Leviano stays open until 4 AM, which tells you how late a Rio night can run.1

Choose the area before the club. The dance clubs in Rio de Janeiro sit far apart and the metro stops at midnight, so changing districts in the small hours is slow and costly.8 Lapa and Botafogo suit a night of several venues on foot, Copacabana works from your hotel, and Barra is a taxi ride from almost everywhere else. Use the club chooser further down this page to match the night to the music.

Clubs by music

Where to dance in Rio, by sound

ClubAreaMusicOpen
Leviano BarLapaSamba to pop-rockWednesday to Sunday
Lapa 40°LapaGafieiraBy program
PortalLapaPop, funk, pagodeBy program
Bar BukowskiBotafogoRockFriday, Saturday
Bosque BarGáveaDJs, guest actsDaily acts
Tau Bar ClubCopacabanaElectronicBy program
Vitrinni LoungeBarra da TijucaEclecticBy program
Espaço HallBarra da TijucaPlanet partySaturday

From Riotur's nightlife pages; programs change, so check each club's own channels before you go.1,13,15,2,18,19,20,21,22

Lapa: samba halls, gafieira and late dance floors

Most nightclubs in Lapa sit within a few blocks of the arches, and Riotur lists them alongside the bars and restaurants that fill the district.9 Leviano Bar, on Avenida Mem de Sá, runs a daily program from samba and choro to salsa and pop-rock picked by a DJ, with samba circles on Fridays.10,11 Its bartenders work in ties and red suspenders.7

Lapa Café doubles as an art gallery, with a modern, well-lit dance floor once the night gets going.12 Lapa 40° is the place for gafieira, the couples' samba, with live bands and group classes led by Carlinhos de Jesus's dance teachers.13 Rio Scenarium, on Rua do Lavradio, keeps its antique-filled rooms for root samba, gafieira and chorinho.14

Lapa is also one of the centers of the city's LGBTQ+ club scene. Portal, on Rua do Lavradio, runs several dance floors at once, with pop, funk and pagode, and Street Lapa grew from a single room into a club over several floors.15,16 Our LGBTQ+ page covers these nights in more detail. For big concerts that turn into parties, check Circo Voador's program.17

A club night

How the hours run on a club night

  1. Early evening

    Warm-up outdoors

    The Urca wall fills from 7 PM on Thursdays and Fridays.6

  2. Late evening

    Doors open

    Bar Bukowski opens at 9:30 PM.2

  3. Near midnight

    The show starts

    Leviano's acrobats perform from 11:30 PM.7

  4. After midnight

    Metro closed

    The metro stops at midnight Monday to Saturday.8

  5. Small hours

    Last dance

    Leviano closes at 4 AM; take a booked ride home.1

Botafogo, Gávea and the Lagoa

Botafogo is the South Zone's easygoing night. Baixo Botafogo has no dress code at all, Riotur says, and draws every kind of crowd.24 Bar Bukowski, listed by Riotur as Rio's oldest rock house, fills a large house on Rua Álvaro Ramos and opens on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves.23,2 Inside, several bars and dance floors play rock in all its forms.25

In Gávea, Bosque Bar is set inside the Jockey Club, fully outdoors, with Christ the Redeemer above the trees.18 It has guest acts every day and more than 40 drinks, signature and classic.18 Dancing under the open sky with that view is the draw, and it suits a group that wants a polished night without the crush of Lapa.

On the shore of the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Miroir is a club with sophisticated rooms and a view of Christ the Redeemer.26 Expect a dressier crowd here than in Botafogo. Venues in this part of the city change their programs often, so follow Riotur's own advice and check each venue's official site or social media for the night's times before you go.22

Go with a group

Guided nights out with music

Guided

Copacabana clubs

Bars and nightclubs

  • Length4 hours
  • StartsBeach kiosk
  • RunsTuesday to Sunday
See this night

Guided

Lapa pub crawl

Sold on this site

  • Length4 hours
  • MusicLive samba
  • StartsAv. Mem de Sá
See this night

Guided

Copacabana crawl

Clubs and bars

  • Length3.5 to 4.5 hours
  • AreaCopacabana
  • LanguagesEnglish, Portuguese, Spanish
See this night

Copacabana and Ipanema after midnight

Copacabana's clubs sit on the beachfront avenue and in the streets just behind it. Tau Bar Club is the place for electronic music with its own DJs, and Casa Copa Bacana on Avenida Atlântica has a dance floor and a long history: Janis Joplin was once a guest.19,31 TV Bar, a block inland, pairs its music with a decor theme taken from the history of television.32

The kiosks keep the beachfront alive too. Coisas de Bamba, at post 4 of Copacabana beach, is open 24 hours every day and puts samba at the center of its program.33 Treat the kiosks as your first round of the night rather than the last: the UK government says to keep off city beaches once it is dark.34

For a guided version, the Copacabana bars and clubs night booked on our Copacabana page runs Tuesday to Sunday from 8 PM, starting at a beach kiosk and moving through a hotel bar and Tau Bar Club. It lasts 4 hours, with a guide speaking English, Spanish and Portuguese. Another Copacabana crawl of clubs and bars lasts 3.5 to 4.5 hours, from $20.

Guided club nights

Price a guided night out for your group

Compare the guided nights that take you dancing.

Side-by-side: 4 options

Price a guided night out for your group

Compare the guided nights that take you dancing.

2 people
  1. Copacabana clubs4 hours · starts at, per person $30

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    View
  2. Lapa pub crawl4 hours · starts at, per person $33

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    View
  3. Copacabana crawl3.5 to 4.5 hours · starts at, per person $20

    ≈

    View
  4. LGBTQ+ night4 hours · starts at, per person $61

    ≈

    View

Starting prices as on the booking platform, converted at the ECB reference rate. You see the exact price at booking.

Barra da Tijuca: the big lounges

Barra is where Rio builds its big, glossy clubs. Riotur points to Rua Olegário Maciel, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays as a stop after the beach or before a party, with nightclubs such as All In, Vitrinni, Lalu Lounge and Close a few steps away.4,35 The lounges lean toward table service and a crowd dressed up for it.

Vitrinni Lounge covers 500 square meters of cabins and dance floors, mixing lounge and club.20 All In changes its decor for each kind of event.36 On Avenida Ayrton Senna, Espaço Hall runs as a big show house, and its Planet party happens on Saturdays only.21 Up Turn, an LGBTQ+ club on Avenida das Américas, has its own dance floors and lounges.37,38

The catch is distance. Barra sits well to the west of Copacabana and Ipanema, and after midnight the practical way home is a taxi or a ride app. Taxis use the higher night fare between 9 PM and 6 AM, so budget for the ride as part of the night.30 If you sleep in the South Zone, Barra makes more sense as a planned outing than as a stop on a crawl.

Video

Where Rio parties now: the bars and clubs

Swedish Gringo on YouTube · The video stays unloaded until you press play.

In Rio, fun is guaranteed in all seasons, with incredible options of bars, nightclubs and samba.
Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority)5

Club night checklist

Before you head to a club

At the door3

  • A copy of your passport and a photo ID27
  • Closed shoes for the smarter clubs
  • The night's program, checked on the club's own channels22

Paying3

  • Keep any drinks card with you like cash
  • Check the amount on the card machine before paying28
  • Cash for the ride home as a backup

Inside3

  • Sealed bottles or a trusted bar for spirits29
  • A friend who knows where you are
  • A booked ride for the end of the night30

Funk, charme and the dance parties

Baile funk is the dance music of Rio's working-class suburbs and favelas, with heavy beats and call-and-response lyrics. In the center, clubs such as Portal in Lapa and Kode in the port list funk among their sounds, so you can hear it without leaving the city's heart.15,39

The UK government advises avoiding all favelas, including tours marketed to tourists and any bars advertised as being inside a favela.40 That advice covers favela funk parties sold as nights out, so weigh it before you book one. A city-center funk night in a licensed club gives you the music without going into a favela.

Charme is the smoother side of Black music in Rio. Every first Saturday of the month, for more than 15 years, the Baile Charme Rio Antigo has turned Rua do Rezende, beside the Lavradio fair, into a street dance floor from 3 PM to 11 PM.41,42 Out in Madureira, the Dutão viaduct shelters what the city calls its largest center of Black culture, with dance parties of its own.43

Door, dress and paying

Dress codes vary by area. Baixo Botafogo has none, while lounges in Barra and clubs like Miroir expect a smarter look.24 Closed shoes and a smart shirt are a safe default; beach sandals look out of place at the glossier doors. Carry ID: the UK government says to keep a photocopy of your passport on you at all times, plus a second photo card if you have one.27

Some clubs hand you a card at the door on which your drinks are recorded, to be paid when you leave. Treat that card like cash and keep it with you. Check the amount on the card machine before you pay, and keep your bank card in sight: the UK government reports payment machine scams in busy tourist areas.28

Drink with care. The UK government warns that criminals have used dating apps to target foreigners with spiked drinks, and that methanol in spirit-based drinks has caused deaths in Brazil.44,29 Order your own drinks, stick to sealed bottles or a trusted bar, and if you feel strange after only a couple of drinks, tell a friend or security staff.45

FAQ

Quick questions get quick answers.

What time do clubs open in Rio?
Late evening.

Bar Bukowski opens at 9:30 PM; Leviano's acrobats start at 11:30 PM, Thursday to Saturday.2,7

How late do Rio clubs stay open?
Into the early morning.

In Lapa, Leviano keeps going until 4 AM from Wednesday to Sunday.1

Which area has the most clubs?
Lapa.

Riotur describes Lapa as full of bars, restaurants and nightclubs for all tastes.9

Is there a dress code?
It depends on the area.

Baixo Botafogo asks for none; Barra's lounges and the Lagoa clubs lean smarter.24

Do I need my passport to get into a club?
Bring a copy.

The UK government says to carry a passport photocopy and, if you have one, a second photo card.27

Is it safe to go to a baile funk in a favela?
UK advice says avoid favelas.

The UK government advises avoiding all favelas, including bars advertised as inside one.40

Where can I dance under the open sky?
Bosque Bar in Gávea.

It sits inside the Jockey Club, fully outdoors, with Christ the Redeemer in view.18

Sources

  1. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Leviano Bar ↩
  2. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Bar Bukowski ↩
  3. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  4. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  5. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  6. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Mureta da Urca ↩
  7. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  8. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Informacoes uteis / Useful information ↩
  9. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Lapa ↩
  10. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  11. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Leviano Bar ↩
  12. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Lapa Café ↩
  13. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Lapa 40° ↩
  14. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  15. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Roteiro LGBT+ no Rio ↩
  16. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · LGBTI+ tour in Rio de Janeiro ↩
  17. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  18. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Bosque Bar ↩
  19. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · LGBTI+ tour in Rio de Janeiro ↩
  20. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  21. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  22. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · LGBTI+ tour in Rio de Janeiro ↩
  23. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  24. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  25. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Bar Bukowski ↩
  26. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Miroir Club ↩
  27. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  28. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  29. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  30. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Informacoes uteis / Useful information ↩
  31. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  32. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · TV Bar ↩
  33. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Quiosques ↩
  34. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  35. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Rio Nightlife ↩
  36. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · In the hustle of nights ↩
  37. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · LGBTI+ tour in Rio de Janeiro ↩
  38. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Roteiro LGBT+ no Rio ↩
  39. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Roteiro LGBT+ no Rio ↩
  40. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  41. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Baile Charme Rio Antigo ↩
  42. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Baile Charme Rio Antigo ↩
  43. Riotur (City of Rio de Janeiro tourism authority) · Viaduto de Madureira ou Baile do Dutao ↩
  44. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩
  45. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Brazil travel advice: Safety and security ↩

Read on

More for your night in Rio

GuidePub crawl prices and the cost of a night outGuideRio pub crawls and nightlife tours comparedGuideWhat to expect on the Lapa pub crawlGuideRio's bars, the caipirinha and cachaca

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