38 Best Nightlife in Lisbon, Portugal

The quality of both the food and the singing is dependably good at this family-run establishment, and the setting---which calls to mind the dining room of a well-traveled older relative---is always welcoming. It's a fado vadio ("vagabond") spot, meaning the night often ends with amateur singers lined up outside, raring to perform.

This under-the-radar spot draws an extremely enthusiastic crowd for live Brazilian music. The excellent caipirinhas help get the party spirit flowing, and traditional snacks from Brazil keep energy levels from flagging.

Occupying three stylish terraces beneath the ruins of the Convento do Carmo, this bar is in a prime location next to the Santa Justa elevator. The cocktails and views are the main attraction, but there’s also a tempting array of light meals like salads and homemade burgers, and a fashion market takes place here until 9 pm each Saturday. Regular open-air cinema screenings take place in the warmer months.

With moody lighting, rococo furnishings, and creations that look (almost) too good to drink, this spot is frequently cited as Lisbon’s best cocktail bar. 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.

On Lisbon’s famously rowdy Pink Street, Collect is a space for those who take their music as seriously as their eating and drinking. With an on-site vinyl store and its own radio station, the spacious bar attracts a hip crowd of partiers keen to discuss their latest film and music obsessions over a craft beer, hard seltzer, or cocktail. The burgers are crowd pleasers, too.

A former bakery, this cool restaurant, bar, and concert venue is one of the best spots in Lisbon for live music. Local and international bands and DJs take the stage around 11 pm every night of the week.

Open since 1976, the city's oldest gay club remains a hugely popular hangout, thanks in no small part to the wonderfully flamboyant drag shows. The biggest star is Deborah Kristall, who regularly calls on audience members to join in the onstage singing and dancing. In addition to its famously packed dance floor, the club now has a restaurant and table service. Book in advance if you want to catch the show.

Europe’s oldest jazz club started in a tiny basement in 1948, and all these decades later Hot Clube de Portugal remains the place for live jazz performances. It features local and international acts and has almost daily performances.

This hip joint is where twenty- and thirtysomething vinyl lovers gather to chat (or shout) to the pumping sound of dance music. Some of the hottest DJs in the city take turns on the decks, and live music performances (think hip hop, punk, and Brazilian funk) draw big crowds at weekends.

For a sophisticated sundowner before a night out in Bairro Alto, head to this leafy roof terrace with sweeping city views. The cocktails are excellent across the board, whether you order a classic margarita or a signature drink like the Lumi Negroni (made with infused gin, Portuguese vermouth, and Madeira wine). Soak up the alcohol with light meals and snacks, which are prepared with seasonal ingredients by Chef João Silva.

This small restaurant is one of the most authentic venues in Lisbon for listening to mournful and soulful fado music. On the site of the former house of famous fadista Maria Severa, the venue hosts regular concerts, sometimes luring big-name singers to perform. You can dine in the restaurant, which serves traditional Portuguese dishes, while you listen, or try your luck arriving just for the concert, but tables may be sold out.

All the rage among local fado lovers, this performance space is housed in a tiny, azulejo-lined former chapel. The traditional Portuguese food is perfectly palatable, and the music and atmosphere are always top rate. You can slip in at the end of the night, order a drink or two, and enjoy the show.

Under the arches on the famous Pink Street---you can find it by the enormous mural overhead---MusicBox is one of the best spots in Lisbon to catch well-known bands and popular DJs. The musical menu is quite eclectic, so check listings in advance, and be prepared to dance until dawn.

This little club has been owned by fado legend Argentina Santos since the 1960s, and although she no longer sings, she sits by the door most nights greeting newcomers and listening to other highly rated singers. Chef Jaqueline Silva ensures the food, which includes rich seafood stews and other traditional dishes, is as appealing as the music.

For a quiet drink 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.

Housed in a former bordello, this offbeat hangout recalls its decadent past with velvet armchairs, tassled curtains, and a huge mural across the ceiling. Its warren of rooms houses an erotic bookshop, a bar, a café, and a dance floor. Burlesque shows add to the racy appeal, but it's more suggestive than sordid.

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 da 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.

This Lisbon institution attracts some of Portugal's most accomplished fado singers. It also serves better food than many casas de fado and is one of the few touristy spots that still attracts locals. The name literally means "Mister Wine," and as expected, there are some good bottles to choose from.

Drink mead from a ceramic mug, eat flaming chorizo sausage, and pretend you're back in medieval times at this offbeat and off-the-tourist-trail tavern. Exposed rafters, flickering candles, and live folk performances add to the old-world ambience.

One of Lisbon's most iconic gay clubs, Trumps has attracted the city’s trendiest crowds since it opened in the 1980s. Two separate dance floors pack with partiers dancing to everything from reggaeton and Brazilian funk to pop hits, EDM, and house.

There's literally nothing between you and the view---this smart vintage cart has a near-permanent pitch in the gardens of the Torre de Belém. It peddles Portuguese wines of every style and hue, which be sipped from reusable plastic wine glasses while sightseeing.

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. The name comes from the coordinates used by Portuguese sailors heading out on voyages of discovery, and revelers on the terrace can watch yachts and sailboats bobbing on the water.

Prominent fadistas, both traditional singers and next-generation artists who are expanding the boundaries of the form, perform most nights in this modern café attached to the city-run Fado Museum. Since this is a popular spot, reservations are essential in the evening.

A bright and breezy spot with a nice line of cocktails and petiscos, Boteco.47 is a Cacilhas bar that buzzes with Lisboetas after dark. Order a bottle of wine and some small plates to share, pull up a seat outside, and watch the party unfold.

An international crowd flocks to this spot to hear established performers and rising stars take turns at the microphone. Dinner is pricey at this two-story restaurant, but music fans arriving from around 10:30 pm can skip the food and concentrate on the music. 

Lisbon's most famous club is dotted with designer furniture and has two dance floors favored by big-name local and foreign DJs—plus a rooftop terrace with great river views. A young, stylish crowd comes to dance until dawn.

The doormen are selective and there can be a long line so be prepared.

Recently revamped, 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 roomy terrace, but the interior of the bar is still reliably packed with young people 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.