The 15 Best Bars in Salvador, Brazil

Open-air bar with cheap drinks, affordable cover, and a Friday reggae night that draws a young mixed crowd of locals and backpackers. The terrace overlooks the colonial rooftops of the historic center.

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Family-run Barra institution serving Bahian comfort food, draft beer, and a parade of regulars who have been coming for decades. The kitchen runs late and the sidewalk tables stay busy on weekend nights.

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Polynesian-themed cocktail bar on the Barra strip with tropical drinks, a small dance floor, and a rotating roster of DJs on weekend nights. The crowd is younger and more tourist-heavy than the surrounding botecos.

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Iconic Pelourinho bar specializing in cachaça infusions, operating since 1989. The signature drink (cravinho) combines cachaça with cloves, honey, and lemon. Four connected spaces give it room to breathe even on busy nights.

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Casual bar run by a British expat near Terreiro de Jesus, popular with visitors looking for a low-key place to drink. English-speaking staff, a small menu of grilled food, and a courtyard that stays busy on event nights.

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Restaurant-bar named after the Jorge Amado character, set on the small square of the same name. The terrace fills with people for the Tuesday outdoor concerts and the kitchen serves classic Bahian dishes until late.

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Renovated complex on the site of the old fish market with around 11 restaurants and 8 kiosks under one roof. Multiple stages host live music, the seafront patio overlooks Praça Caramuru, and the food options span Bahian classics to pizza and burgers.

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Long-running boteco repeatedly voted the best in Salvador, with cold beer, traditional petiscos, and personalized service. Sidewalk tables fill up nightly and conversations stretch past midnight.

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Beachfront bar on the Avenida Oceânica with a covered terrace, casual menu, and a sound system that picks up after 10 PM. Reliable spot for a late beer with sea views before moving to a club.

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Bar set in an old tire shop with a deliberately industrial aesthetic, rock-leaning playlists, and a young alternative crowd. Stays open late on weekends and draws a different demographic than the Largo da Mariquita botecos.

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African-themed bar set in a colonial sobrado, decorated with maps and masks from across the continent. Reggae, salsa, and Afro-house nights with hammocks upstairs and a veranda overlooking the lane below.

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Seafront bar with Bahian cuisine, draft beer, and a deck looking out over the Atlantic. The setting is upscale by Rio Vermelho standards and the cocktails are reliably well made.

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Modern boteco a block back from the beach with a sidewalk patio, craft caipirinhas, and a menu of Brazilian small plates. Popular with the post-beach crowd from late afternoon into the night.

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No-frills boteco a few streets back from the Avenida Oceânica, with cheap beer, simple food, and a local crowd that drinks past midnight. One of the more authentic stops on the Barra side.

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Beachfront seafood and crab boteco on Avenida Oceânica with sidewalk tables that fill up nightly. Strong caipirinhas, fresh fish, and a view of the Atlantic at one of the busiest stretches of the Barra strip.

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