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Newcomers to Lisbon often hit the bars around 9 pm and head home at midnight thinking that the bar scene is rather quiet. In fact, Lisbon bars don't get going until after midnight, clubs even later. On weekends, lively groups spill out of bars and stand shoulder to shoulder in the streets, especially in the lively Bairro Alto and the revamped Cais do Sodré. Many places are rather quiet from Sunday through Wednesday although, in the summer high season, bars fill every night of the week with holidaymakers who don't need to rise early the next day.
Some dance clubs charge a cover of €15 (more on weekends), which includes one drink; if you come early you may get in free. Clubs are open from about 10 or 11 pm (but only start filling up well after midnight) until 4 or 5 am; a few stay open until 8 am. Be aware that some unscrupulous door staff will try to overcharge out-of-towners; if the price seems way over the odds, walk away.
For a less boisterous evening out, visit a café-bar or a casa de fado, where professional or amateur performers sing the city’s world-renowned, beautifully mournful style of music.
Lisbon has a well-established gay and lesbian scene, concentrated primarily in and around the Bairro Alto and the neighboring Príncipe Real area, on the way to Rato.
This homey bar serves bottles from Lisbon's major craft breweries, Portuguese wines, competent cocktails, and a handful of typical Portuguese snacks, as well as some atypical ones like seitan prego (typically a small beef sandwich) on sweet-potato bread.
Occupying three stylish terraces—designed by Pritzker laureate Álvaro Siza—below the ruins of the Convento do Carmo, this bar is in a prime location next to the antique Elevador da Santa Justa, but it can also be reached by taking a regular elevator (for free) from Rua do Carmo. The cocktails and views are the main attraction, but there’s also a tempting array of light meals like salads and homemade burgers. Most weekends DJs liven things up from mid-afternoon until late.
Named for Rio de Janeiro's most upmarket beach neighborhood, Leblon attracts the same type of well-groomed beachgoer as its Brazilian namesake. Locals come here for tasty post-swim petiscos and strong caipirinhas, with things getting very busy on the weekends. Open until late during the summer, it's day drinking only from October to May.
For a sophisticated sundowner before a full night out, head to this leafy roof terrace with sweeping city views. The cocktails are excellent, whether you order a classic margarita or a signature Lumi Negroni (made with infused gin, Portuguese vermouth, and Madeira wine). Light meals and snacks are prepared with seasonal ingredients by Chef João Silva.
This fun and funky bar retains the giant wood-fired oven that harks back to the building's previous life as a bakery. There's now a spacious rooftop terrace, but the interior is still reliably packed with hipsters who've turned out to hear the hottest local DJs. The lengthy cocktail menu and famous shots of strong spirits can ramp up a night on the town.
For a classic cocktail in an intriguing setting, you can't beat this speakeasy-style lounge. Its five rooms are filled to the brim with fascinating junk collected over the years—from old toys to miniature statues—and it has two snooker tables where locals just might challenge you to a game. Cocktails and service are spot-on, and you may be reluctant to leave once you've settled into one of the comfy chairs.
From this bar on the rooftop of the NH Collection Lisboa Liberdade Hotel you can look over Avenida da Liberdade and see the castle at the top of the hill. It’s found next to a pool that’s open to everyone (for a fee, if you’re not staying at the hotel), and on warmer days it attracts a mix of locals and hotel guests enjoying cocktails with the views.
This hotel bar exudes a youthful upmarket vibe and features striking artwork by local street artist Bordalo II; the combination makes it a great spot to enjoy a cocktail, a glass of wine, or a beer. The outdoor terrace is another great spot for a drink and a bite to eat—the short menu includes snacks and burgers.
Cocktails, DJ sessions, light meals, and glorious sunset views draw a well-heeled crowd to this slick bar on the banks of the Tagus River.
This bright and breezy spot with nice cocktails and petiscos buzzes with Lisboetas after dark. Order a bottle of wine and small plates to share, pull up a seat outside, and watch the party unfold.
The craft beer revolution is here in force: of the ever-changing list of 23 beers Brew has on tap, half a dozen are local. New York–style pizzas, whole or by the slice, accompany.
One of Lisbon’s least-known rooftop bars, this one is located at the top of the Jupiter Lisboa Hotel, on one of the busiest avenidas of the Avenidas Novas. Open for drinks and light meals throughout the day, it attracts workers from the neighboring offices, who relax by the pool (which only guests of the hotel can dive into).
Tucked away behind the ramp up to Rossio's grand old train station, Lisboa Bar has a charmingly old-school exterior but draws a youthful crowd of sangria sippers until the early hours, not least for its great roof terrace.
The perfect place for a sundowner, Á Margem is a minimalist white cube of a restaurant-bar perched on the banks of the Tagus.
Tucked away in the back of Bairro do Avillez—the "neighborhood" of eateries overseen by top local chef José Avillez—is this fun burlesque-themed gastrobar. Here you'll find a menu of small plates with some of his greatest hits, divided into different “acts.” You may choose to just have a drink and enjoy the "opening act,” or stay on for live music and/or DJs and dancing on Wednesday and Thursday nights—and on weekends a show, too.
A bar that doubles as a barbershop, or vice versa, this is where Lisbon’s coolest guys come to ensure they look sharp for a night on the town. The interior is classically decorated, a comfortable space for men (and women) to relax with a gin at any time of the day or night.
For a taste of Lisbon’s artisanal brews, head to this craft beer bar in the heart of Alfama. All of Portugal's major breweries are represented, along with others from around the world. If you want to try a beer (or cider or barley wine) from Warsaw or Tallinn in Lisbon, this is your place.
Take the elevator and ramp to the top of an unassuming multilevel car park to emerge onto a leafy terrace where a trendy crowd sips cocktails and DJs spin tunes to the early hours, against the backdrop of Lisbon's stunning skyline. There are several bars and seating areas, but it's standing room only as soon as sunset approaches.
The Portuguese have turned canned fish into an art form, and at this chic neighborhood bar you can sample a range of tinned tuna and sardines transformed into snacks. There's a good range of wines and Portuguese spirits, as well as live music.
Partiers spill out into the street from the massive front doors of this former old-world tavern, now a gay-friendly bar, one of the busiest in the area, whose dance floor attracts a lively crowd keen to dance to Brazilian beats. Shots and cocktails keep the party spirits flowing until the early hours.
Sipping a drink at one of Lisbon's many outdoor kiosks is key to enjoying the city's fine views and fine weather. Belém's own quiosque is perfect for a sundown ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur) or a chilled white wine overlooking the leafy location.
A building that once housed the Brazilian consulate was turned into a hotel, Le Consulat, with this classy second-floor bar whose windows open to a view over Praça de Luís de Camões. Open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday, it’s a place to enjoy pre- or post-dinner drinks and snacks to the sound of chill-out beats and also to admire some art, as it’s connected to a gallery of Portuguese and international contemporary art. There's a surf shop, too, adding to the relaxed vibe. The drinks menu is quite long, offering Portuguese wines, tea, gins, and cocktails.
A refined place to start off your evening (it is open during the day, until 7 pm) is the relaxed Solar do Vinho do Porto, on the first floor of a grand former palace, the rest of which is now an upscale hotel. Here you can sink into an armchair and sample port wines from a list of several hundred. You can also buy bottles to take away.
This bustling rooftop bar has great views of the castle and the ancient neighborhoods that sit on the hill beneath it. It can be a little hard to find, but persevere and you'll be rewarded with fine views and a wide selection of drinks along with a lively young crowd.
Drink mead from a ceramic mug, eat flaming chouriço sausage, and pretend you're back in medieval times at this offbeat tavern. There are flickering candles and live folk performances.
Steps from the water at the popular Praia da Sereia, Waikiki is a place for late-night summer beach parties or for daytime drinking and sunbathing during the warm spring months. There are sandwiches, salads, and fruit smoothies on the food menu, which could come in handy after a surf class.
