Rio’s Hostel Bars: Not (Just) for Tourists

Rio is full of tourists right now. The reason, of course, is the World Cup. They’ve been coming in waves – our Latin American brothers, especially. One week, it was the Argentineans. They invaded the city in their motor homes and with their raucous, passionate songs. The next week, it was time for the Chileans to do the same. It’s a rollicking good time for everyone! And for us cariocas, we finally feel like we’re at the center of the world.

But happiest of all are Rio’s hostels, which are packed with guests. And the ones with excellent bars are even more so. On match days – that is, every day – hundreds of foreigners – both guests and not – crowd these bars to watch the games, eat, drink and party.

These are a few of our favorites.

Guilhermina Bar
One of the newest hostel bars in town and an especially charming one, Guilhermina sits inside a beautiful refurbished old house with stone walls and wood-framed windows and decorated with pipes suspended from the ceiling. The bar serves good food with a touch of sophistication, special beers and colorful drinks, and brings in a lot of young travelers hungry for some company. The chef used to work at one of the most highly regarded grill houses in town, and he brought with him his specialty, an excellent mushroom and eggplant pastry.

Oztel Bar
This hostel bar could be considered a little on the fancy side – but we’re not talking about luxury here. The sophistication is found in the drinks menu, which is pretty much the same as that of Meza Bar, the very best cocktail bar in town and run by the same owners. It’s an environmentally friendly place, with a patio and a huge amendoeira tree, offering the perfect setting to enjoy such drinks as the “Vertigo,” a mix of vodka, tangerine, ginger and basil, or “Beach, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” made with vodka, strawberry, caramel and Champagne. Oztel’s intriguing take on the caipirinha uses cashews. The food is no slouch either; if you need something to soak up the alcohol, try the roast beef and parmesan sandwich.

The Maze
This is arguably the grandfather of all gringo hostels in Rio. Well, certainly it’s the first to open inside a favela (a very calm one, of course). Run by an English couple who have been fans of Rio since the 1990s, The Maze isn’t a regular bar, but a renowned jazz venue in Rio. On the first Friday of each month, The Maze hosts amazing shows – not only because of the excellent music, but also because of the fantastic view of Rio’s South Zone. The rest of the month, other music events take place, but not regularly, so it’s a good idea to call before to check. But if you’re lucky enough to be in Rio on Maze music night, don’t miss out! The next jazz show will be on July 4.

Published on June 26, 2014

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