10 Best Bars in Lisbon, Portugal

Reservations are essential at this intimate speakeasy bar, which is famed for its inventive cocktails and its air of secrecy. Post-pandemic, Red Frog made the puddle jump from its previous spot on Rua do Salitre to a new home within the confines of hipster hangout Monkey Mash (they're both under the same ownership). Alongside inventive small plates for sharing, the signature drink is the Spiced Rusty Cherry, ranked among the best cocktails in the world. If you can't secure a table at Red Frog, Monkey Mash is a fun alternative.

With moody lighting, rococo furnishings, and creations that look (almost) too good to drink, this spot is prime Instagram territory. It's an intimate space, so book in advance. CINCO Lounge also runs cocktail workshops for those who want to learn how to shake and stir their own boozy showstoppers at home.

This slick minimalist cocktail bar would easily rank on a list of Lisbon’s best bars, but refreshingly put down its roots on the southern bank. The carefully curated cocktail list focuses on the flavors and vibes of each drink, rather than the booze within.

The largest rooftop bar in town sits at the top of the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Hotel. It looks over Avenida da Liberdade and the castle and serves predinner drinks and late-night cocktails to a mix of locals and hotel guests.

In business since the 1970s, this bar feels like it could have opened in the early 20th century thanks to the art deco interior. Inspired by English pubs and Prohibition-era speakeasies, you must ring a bell to enter the dimly lit rooms. There's a cozy fireplace for chilly evenings and a pleasant open-air patio for warmer nights. In addition to a long list of creative cocktails, Foxtrot serves small bites and larger plates, perfect for late-night snacking.

Cited as one of the world's 50 best cocktail bars, Monkey Mash is a playful younger brother bar to the sophisticated celebrated Red Frog speakeasy (housed behind a secret door inside Monkey Mash). Although the decor and atmosphere here are more flamboyant and tropical than Red Frog, the fruit-forward designer cocktails—many of which feature sugarcane rum—are prepared with every bit as much care and attention.

One of the few late-night bars in Campo de Ourique, Nexo 1/2 is run by a young Portuguese couple who previously worked at Red Frog and Monkey Mash, two of the city’s best cocktail joints. The duo’s playfulness comes across in the bar’s colorful interior but also in their concoctions, which mix ingredients like blood orange, Japanese spices, and Mezcal. Pets are welcome too.

Old Vic is one of Lisbon’s oldest and most beautiful bars, but it’s hidden between apartment buildings and you have to ring a bell to get in. Red velvet booths and the low-lit, Victorian-inspired interior are conducive to sipping cocktails late into the night.

An Italian and a Basque walk into a bar . . . actually, a couple from the two parts of Europe opened one, on what has turned into one of Lisbon's buzziest streets. Quatto Teste emphasizes high-quality cocktails (starting with the obvious ones from their native regions: Negronis, of course, and Kalimotxo, that Basque specialty made with Coca-Cola, Rioja wine, and raspberry). There are also Basque-style pintxos (tapas) and ciders on tap. 

This tiny five-seat bar, named one of the Top 50 World's Best Bars, serves only classic and bespoke cocktails catered to each guest. It also has one of the largest bourbon collections in Lisbon. Reservations (via Instagram or WhatsApp) are a must.