The Discreet Gentleman
O Bom O Mau e O Vilão
Bar

O Bom O Mau e O Vilão

4.4
(1,169 reviews)
Cais do Sodré, Lisbon

O Bom, O Mau e O Vilão takes its name from the Portuguese title of Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and the cinematic reference sets the tone for a bar that treats music as its main event. The venue sits on Rua do Alecrim between Cais do Sodré station and the Chiado slope, one of the busier crossing points in Lisbon's nightlife geography. Inside, the space splits into two rooms: a front bar with seating and a calmer pace for conversation, and a back room that turns into a small dance floor once the DJ takes over around midnight. Programming ranges across jazz, funk, soul, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and house, with different DJs booked most nights of the week. Drinks are priced at the mid-range for the neighborhood, the cocktail list is competent rather than showy, and the crowd skews toward Lisbon residents in their late twenties and thirties, with a steady Erasmus contingent mixed in.

Where to stay near O Bom O Mau e O Vilão

Hotels and rentals within walking distance.

What to Expect

A two-room bar that works equally well for a quiet drink at 9 PM and a proper dance at 1 AM. The front holds a small crowd in conversation mode; the back heats up once the decks warm up, though it stays intimate rather than packed.

Atmosphere

Cinematic, music-forward, and unpretentious. Works as a warm-up or a destination.

Music

Eclectic DJ sets spanning jazz, funk, soul, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and house

Dress Code

Lisbon casual. No one is checking at the door; jeans and a shirt are standard.

Best For

Music-led drinkers who want to dance without committing to a full club night, groups of three to five, solo travelers looking for conversation

Payment

Cards widely accepted including international and Multibanco. Cash optional.

Price Range

Beer (imperial) 3 EUR, cocktail 8-10 EUR, no entry fee

Beer ~$3.20, cocktail ~$8.60-10.80

Hours

Tue-Sat from 7 PM to around 3 AM, closed Sun-Mon

Insider Tip

Come early if you want a seat in the front room; the back fills once the DJ starts. Check the bar's Instagram for the night's booking, as the music varies sharply by selector. Order the gin tonic with Portuguese gin rather than a premium import; the bar keeps a decent local selection.

Full Review

O Bom, O Mau e O Vilão anchors the lower end of Rua do Alecrim where the street meets Praça Luís de Camões. The location puts it inside walking distance of both the Cais do Sodré bar strip and the tile-street cluster of Bairro Alto, which means it catches foot traffic moving between the two. Inside, the front room carries the bar along one wall, with a handful of small tables and bench seating arranged to favor conversation. Framed posters and cinema references hang on the walls; the lighting is dim but not dark, and the room holds its conversation level even when full.

The back room is where the night tilts. A booth sits at one end, a small dance floor occupies the middle, and the sound system is tuned to fill the space without wrecking conversation up front. Programming changes nightly and covers a broader spread than most bars in the neighborhood: a jazz and soul selector one night, Afrobeat or broken beat the next, house and disco at the weekend. The bookings rotate local DJs with occasional international visitors, and the quality holds up across the week.

Among Cais do Sodré venues, O Bom, O Mau e O Vilão sits between the tourist-heavy Pink Street bars on Rua Nova do Carvalho and the serious electronic rooms at Lux Frágil. It offers more musical depth than the former and a far lower commitment than the latter. The crowd reflects that: Lisboetas on a weekday warm-up, mixed groups of travelers and locals on Friday and Saturday, and a steady creative-industry presence throughout the week.

Arrive before 11 PM for a seat. The bar is not strict on entry, but it fills quickly once word spreads about that night's DJ. Drug hawkers work Rua do Alecrim and the surrounding streets in Cais do Sodré, so expect to be offered hashish or cocaine several times between the metro station and the door; a firm no keeps them moving. Inside, the bar is relaxed about pace and does not push the tab, which makes it a sensible choice for a long slow night.

The Neighborhood

Rua do Alecrim runs down from Chiado to the Tagus waterfront and forms the spine linking Bairro Alto with Cais do Sodré. The street holds a mix of restaurants, bars, and the Pensão Amor complex a few doors away, which makes it a natural crossing point during the night.

Getting There

Metro Green line to Cais do Sodré station, then a two-minute walk uphill on Rua do Alecrim. From Bairro Alto, walk down through Praça Luís de Camões in about five minutes. Taxis stop along the street but traffic can slow on weekends.

Address

Rua do Alecrim 21, 1200-292 Lisboa

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