Bip Bip

Very local place. Musicians are not using amplification. They are more in a jamming mode. The vibes and atmosphere is great. They started around 8:30 (although the Instagram schedule says 8). Cash only, no card. Expect to be standing, to be completely quiet (no clapping even), and to serve yourself.

I found the purest emotions for music here!! It’s the paradise, the best place in Rio de Janeiro!

Samba treat! So lucky to have a local friend to tip us off on this iconic spot. We loved the storytelling alongside amazing music. It was a special experience, very intimate and original. You can see it’s a neighborhood favorite with the local community.

a real gem for live local music with different circles on different nights be respectful of the unspoken rules. do not chatter over the music, snap instead of clapping, grab your drink from the fridge then add to your bill/pay out front. i went on a tuesday night and the music started around 8pm.

A local experience you must have. A small place where locals gather up to play some music (samba) other come to listen to it and have some beer. You have to serve yourself from the fridge and tell the owner who will charge you when you leave. Very Small place. You have to be standing so it’s not very comfortable. But the vibe it’s great and if you wanna really experience Rio you should visit bip bip.

Love the place, authentic vibe good people there enjoying random jam sessions. The owner passed away in 2019 and they remained the street after him. Nothing fancy but definitely good vibes

Incredible, the atmosphere was electrifying, the music, the people, you become part of the music singing with the musicians, this by far was the most enjoyable experience for me in Rio de Janeiro, this small hole in the wall bar beats most places in all of North America. Don't miss this place it should be number 1 on your list of places to go in copacabana.

The very best place to lessen good Brazilian music. This historic little place it's a point of good musicians, also has a very clear political side, left! Founded by Mr. Alfredinho, it's a meeting point of Brazilian musicians who use to improvise classical popular songs. Also is very important to be as much silent is possible.

If you are in the neighborhood and out late. We went too early. Stop in at tge rooftop bar at Selena across the street to kill time.

Music sounded good but you cannot get through the crowds outside. Might be ok for 20 minutes but you'll probably want to move on after that. Worth walking to if you're staying nearby.

Horrible. The customer has to do all the work at this place: Download the menu, use an app to order the food, pay remotely, etc. and then the staff want a tip. What a load of crap. Bad business model and bad for the customer.

Ambiance was amazing and the music was great! And the place has an incredible community that is extremely welcoming.

Bip Bip, one of Rio's oldest and most vibrant businesses, is where you head to find a crowd of samba lovers spilling onto the sidewalk, a diminutive interior just big enough to accommodate the table of musicians, and a set of refrigerators in the rear that offer self-service beers. The jovially crabby owner sits outside at a little desk with a makeshift method of keeping tabs (literally). His notebook is filled with names and tick marks representing the beers consumed by each patron. It would be easy to grab a can and slide away unnoticed, but that's not the style of people who frequent this spot. The trust system works and you just have to tell him your name once you get your beer. While the music plays, everyone tunes in and at the end of each song, fingers start snapping - clapping would mean waking up the upstairs residents. Everyone catches onto this almost immediately. There may not be a better spot to soak up the essence of Rio.

Bip Bip is a bar for the romantic ones -- and I do not mean couples in love, by any means. This tiny little place hidden in the heart of Copacabana has been around for nearly five decades. Its owner, Alfredinho, is an incredibly unique man. Every single night, he sits in front of the bar, wine glass in hand, and watches as the musicians - an enjoyable mixture of old and new generations - play through the very best of samba. Every now and then, the short and bearded owner stops the music to shout at his audience, all curiously watching him from the sidewalk (there is no space for anyone inside but the musicians). He complains about the conversations ("an offense to the music") and even the perfume the customers are using ("too strong"). His crabby ways don't fool anyone for too long. Shortly after the reprehensions, Alfredinho starts to go on about all of the charity work he does with the donations his clients give him every night. It is easy to tell he is a man who truly cares about the others -- maybe even more than about himself. Don't expect him to serve you any food though (maybe some olives if he is in a good mood and you ask nicely) and if you want a beer or cachaça shots (the only two options available) you should go grab it yourself and make sure to let him know. He will ask for your name and write it on his incredibly unorganized book. It is almost impossible to believe that this old fragile-looking man can keep track of everyone on the busiest nights. But he always does. Locals, foreigners, young, old, rich, poor - you can find them all here, fascinated by this sort of dirty looking bar whose essence is in taking people back in time. This might be the 60's all over again and these people might be the ones who helped turn samba into the most famous music rhythm in Brazil. Bip bip is classic old-style Rio de Janeiro. You could call it many things. I would call it absolutely charming -- against all odds.

Exactly what I was hoping for! After reading reviews, I was looking forward to a good jam session and informal singing and music-making. The space is tiny: a couple of tables for the musicians/singers, the bar and fridge at the end, and the patrons standing mostly outside on the sidewalk singing along. The rules: Be quiet, snap your fingers (don't clap), get your beer from the fridge and pay the owner once your tab is done (he keeps records on his notepad). The owner will tell you if you are being too loud, as I recorded him doing when I went on July 13, the night of the 2014 World Cup final. (https://vimeo.com/lpansaldo) The Samba gave me just enough felicidade and saudade, and the locals were singing along. I danced a tiny bit in place.

First, don't show up before 11 or midnight on Friday or Saturday. Artists show up when they feel like since the play for free. It's a dinky little place with a lot of heart that still attracts the old style Samba and Bosa Nova. Edson let's you pay at the end of your stay with out a credit card down...it's a really treat that takes you back in time when Rio was vibrant with young talent and music was everywhere. Lastly don't clap...snap your fingers

This place is such a local spot and extremely chill. You feel like you are in a friend's house or your own. You get your own drinks and then pay at the end. The owner has a mind of gold because he kept track of everyone and remembered my name. Locals will come in and start playing music, some will leave and others continue to join. It was great!

I would like to try Bip Bip again. I went on a chorinho night and the owner was in a very bad mood. He literally yelled and cursed at everyone there for socializing. He was very adamant that we should all be there for the music and if we wanted to talk, we should just leave. It was still fun, but it felt a little awkward after that. I wanted to like it, I really did. And so, I will give it one or two more tries before I give it less than three stars. Perhaps the grumpy man grows on you...but I was too scared to even get a beer, so I just stood in silence and watched the live music. PS- someone I was with had a camera and filmed the owner yelling and cursing so maybe I will upload and post the video...haha.

This music bar is the best thing about Rio for me. Bip bip is not for everyone. It is not for people who want to sit at a comfortable table. It is not for people who want to boisterously chat with friends. It is not for people who want a waiter to serve them drinks. No, here you serve yourself, you might get a chair, if some tables and chairs are set up that night, and you enjoy the music. If you want to chat or smoke, you should walk further along the street so you don't bother people who are listening to the music. The owner Alfredinho is a living legend and what I respect about him is his sincerity. He will tell people to quieten down, to respect and appreciate the musicians. And really, there is nowhere else like this in Copacabana where you can listen to A-list musicians for free. Mondays and Tuesdays, they play Choro, Wednesday is Bossanova and the rest of the week is Samba. As well as beer and cachaca, you can pour your own wine (kept in the fridge), batida (they have passion fruit and sometimes coconut options) and whatever other liquor that is available (campari, whisky, vodka etc). Alfredinho can get grumpy with people he considers "mal educado" or rude, however he has a big part and raises money for social programs in the area, including serving christmas dinner to needy families. Love that place and that guy!

Great music! Jam sessions were on point and there's a very friendly crowd. Drinks are also sold. The older man who's the owner cracks people up. I didn't understand but it seemed like many of the regulars loved this guy.

Very unique place in the world, don't miss it if you are in rio. Very safe with family ambiance. Don't speak loud and enjoy all kind of music of Brazil. Say hi to the owner of that place papa Alfredo ! Stringly recommended ! Beer is 5 reals only. Other alcohol is available as well.