Location: R. Dom Pedro V 89, 1250-093 Lisboa, Portugal

Year of Inscription: 2023

Venue Type:  Cocktail Bar / Private Collection / Quirky

Top 100 Bar In Europe

Map

Description

Gallery

EBG Rating:	9.6/10
Choice/ Quality of Drinks	❤️❤️❤️❤️ An extensive cocktail menu which is the focus. The cocktails are mainly classical right down to the glacé cherries, but competent. For alternatives, this is a well stocked bar which only really falls short in terms of its beer selection which could use an update.
Style/ Décor	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ The reason to visit. 5 large rooms with a high ceiling are given over to a private collection of a single individual, Luis Pinto Coelho. A former grocery store dating back to 1901, the place was reimagined in the 1980s to a museum/bar. A faux-Chinese entrance with a locked door leads to a large room with rows of glass fronted cabinets up the walls, then the bar itself with enormous backlit ceiling piece and grand bar, a side room of WWII memorabilia, and back corridor leading to a large billiards room, similarly decorated, where a second bar and private events are held.
Atmosphere/ Character	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A series of waistcoated servers, one who will greet you at the door keep the place feeling fairly formal, at odds with the curiosities and whimsy of the bar itself, but are probably necessary to maintain order. There is a sense of being among something unique and special, hushed tones of people pointing at the next item that catches their eye. This becomes a little more informal with live music and billiards in the backroom.
Amenities/ Events	❤️❤️❤️❤️ Billiards, live music, snacks, occasional events.
Value For Money	❤️❤️ Undeniably a little higher than normal Lisbon prices, but in line with the overall experience and nothing to frighten western wallets.
Description	Ah, the experience of stepping into the Chinese Pavilion for the first time, like wandering into an old fashioned collection, then a grand bar with further rooms to the side and rear. Don’t leave here without having a good look around, even if the stiff service makes you feel like you should be pinned in your seat, it’s definitely not the case. Such a collection is not easily copied or repeated, neither is it integrated into a bar with such ease. It is simply one of the standout venues in Europe to attempt something like this. WWII memorabilia, belle epoque cocktail menus, grotesque giant busts, model train sets, large oil paintings, billiard tables and much more besides provide an experience that is as distracting as it is intense, more still when their old fashioned cocktails slip down. A must-do experience in Lisbon, in Portugal, in Europe…in the world. (Added September 2023)