| Bars in Lisbon | Restaurants in Lisbon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indústria Rua do Instituto Industrial 6, Santos, 1200 (396 4841) Tram 15, 18, 25/bus 14, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 43. Open midnight-6am Tue-Sat. Admission free. No credit cards. Don't be deterred by Ferraris outside - you can be down-at-heel, trendy or baggy-wearing and still get in. This is a party, and the owners want to make sure it stays that way. A spin-off from Indústria in Oporto, this one opened in 1997. Following the Oporto model, the three bars within are all run by different people from different crowds - one of them Hernâni from Targus (above) - allowing Bairro Altistas to share a social space with otherwise antithetical Kapitalists. Despite being just another impersonal factory conversion, come 5am it's crammed with a fun-loving crowd of all ages and persuasions. DJ AL plays an infectious deep house and disco set which never fails to draw people closer. Frequently hosting international names and target audience one-nighters, Indústria hasn't been a huge financial success but its catch-all social role remains unrivalled. Kapital Avenida 24 de Julho 68, Santos, 1200 (395 7101) Bus 14, 20, 22, 28, 32, 38, 40, 43. Open 10.30pm-6am Tue-Sat; 10.30pm-4am Sun, Mon. Admission minimum consumption 10,000$00, but varies according to doormen. Credit AmEx, EC, MC, V. The Avenida 24 de Julho's most visible nightspot and the absolute antithesis of the Bairro Alto. It's essentially a hangout for young rich kids and poorer aspirational types but there's usually also a few students trying to negotiate the doormen's insulting criteria. They get very choosy after midnight, so to stand any chance at all, dress smart. A woman alone will probably get in after a wait; a man on his own has no chance. Once into the bright, white interior, there's a strict etiquette. Proceed directly to the top floor bar and terrace; then it's okay to check out the middle-floor bar; only late-late-late is it acceptable to venture into the bottom-level dancefloor where the music crashes through jarring changes and everyone sings along to the occasional Portuguese hit. A dismal place, really. Owned by Jo-o and Gonçalo Rocha, sons of a former Sporting proprietor. Frágil Rua da Atalaia 128, Bairro Alto, 1200 (346 9578) Metro Baixa-Chiado/tram 28. Open 11.30pm-4am Thur-Sat. Admission free but restricted. No credit cards. A Lisbon legend. When Manuel Reis opened this place in 1983 it was the first club around here - Frágil essentially launched the Bairro Alto as the kind of nightlife district that it is today, and has managed to keep one step ahead ever since, annually revamping its décor (last time we looked there was an entrance curtain made of illuminated plastic tubes of water) and slowly becoming an institution. Now Reis has sold up and moved on to open Lux, the club is run by former customers who seem afraid of changing very much. It's a small place to carry such a big reputation - just one bar, a cramped dancefloor and a seating area in between. Door policy is unpredictable, but more open than it used to be. Nominally gay but essentially mixed. Don't bother before 1am. Geronte Rua S-o Pedro de Alcântara 33, Bairro Alto, 1200 (346 8095) Metro Baixa-Chiado/tram 28. Open 3pm-2am daily. Credit AmEx, EC, MC, V. Cool and unpretentious, possibly best enjoyed away from the rush and push of Friday and Saturday night. There are two rooms: one has a long bar with stools for perching and a few tables, the other is book-lined and with nooks and crannies for more intimate patter. A good line in underground dance and ambient from a London-New York axis attracts a thoughtfully chatty crowd. Good place to kick off the night. WIP Rua da Bica Duarte Belo 47-49, Bica, 1200 (346 1486) Metro Baixa-Chiado/tram 28. Open 1pm-2am Mon-Sat. Credit MC, V. Very much a Bairro Alto bar although geographically outside the quarter - it's halfway down the Elevador da Bica. By day this big airy room with exposed brick and solid pillars is a hairdresser's and clubwear shop. By night, with hairdressing paraphernalia relegated to the status of exotic bar décor, it's a place to hang out, sip blue Margaritas, and listen to DJs play an assortment of house, breakbeats, jazzy groove and reggae. They also do Lisbon's best street parties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||