Bar Urca

After a lovely tour of Sugar loaf, we decided to come here for lunch. I've had my heart set to try Moqueca all week, so I was super happy that this place offered it.
Again- I really have to be extra grateful to the staff for their kindness. Our Portuguese was definitely not the best, but they worked with us to figure out our orders. I started off with a shrimp empanada and crab pastel, and of course, the shrimp moqueca as a main. Everything was DELICIOUS! Though, I believe I prefer the crab pastel over the shrimp empanada.
It was obvious that this spot is a favorite, as many locals filled the tables. It was a great scene of happiness over food.
What took our meal over the top was their in house hot pepper oil. It was so good, we had to ask the staff for extra to take home!!

We enjoyed this family style restaurant. It was busy but we scored a table for two immediately. A little surprised that shrimp Milanese meant fried shrimp but good. Big salad. Husband had steak in seafood restaurant but said it was ok. Nice view out windows of the sea.

Best meal in Rio! Seafood is so fresh and delish n priced reasonably . You cannot miss this meal when you are in Rio!

We just had a few appetizers and one large dish. But the food was fantastic. The restaurant is located upstairs, if you just want a few fried things to snack on they are available for grab and go at the downstairs stall. We had the shrimp with catupriry and crab pastels which were both phenomenal. For our main course the pumpkin filled with shrimp looked too good to pass up. And we were right. Creamy and rich with so many shrimp that you were likely to get at least 2 per spoonful. The pumpkin was not just for show, and it added a nice counterpoint to the rich shrimp broth. The service was old school, very friendly, and carried out by older more mature men. All this and the restaurant overlooks a beautiful bay with docked boats.

Very posh and scenic spot. I heard the cafe downstairs is the spot to be seen at - bourdain was here for the pastels! We came a little late night after being tourists at sugar loaf. My partner is Brazilian (and born here). His aunties are locals in the next town over and recommended this spot.
Couldn't help but order the main star of this dining establishment / the pumpkin shrimp thing that is enough for 3-4 people! Took forever to prepare and serve (we were informed / warned) and it was def a show when it came to the table.

They delicately serve you pieces of the pumpkin and serve you...feel like royalty lol. Deliciousness it was and I really liked the farofa that had a hint of coconut that went well with the pumpkin "cheesy" sauce. We actually had the same dish a few days later in Cabo Frio with other family that ordered it and that one was NOT good (looked orange and tasted like cheez wiz).

So this place def has made it their mission to ensure the authenticity and balance is perfected. I would def spend the $ for this dish but bring 2 more friends! Unless ur ok with eating this for days (leftovers) which we honestly didn't have the pleasure too. I would come back to try the pastels next time I'm in Brazil which I hope because this is to be an annual thing for me!

What can I say. The place is a Rio institution. Getting a drink and taking it across the street to watch the sunset is a tourist's dream come true. Awesome! Don't miss this one

It used to be much better. They have added too many extra tables and now the waiters have difficulty moving around the tables to serve the customers efficiently. The food is not as tasty as before.

Bar Urca
Antonio was amazing and a perfect location to stop at to have a drink on our way back to our hotel.
I have never had a colder beer in my life. It comes out of the freezer and it has plenty of frost on the bottle, plus they put it inside what they called their beer condom (a Styrofoam container for the bomber beers).
We started downstairs, ordered beer, grab and go, at this famous little place and walked Across the street to the wall to watch the sunset. The history is great, and it's right across from Rio's famous skyline wall. We moved upstairs where my new friend, Antonio took care of us. It was a tiny little place upstairs that serve some great food, with maybe about 10 tables if you're lucky enough to sit by the window you could look at the sky line.
I WOULD recommend, the coldest beer EVER!

The hike down from Sugarloaf Mountain didn't cause me to work up an appetite. Nor did the stroll past the picturesque beach, Praia Vermelha, and down neighboring streets. I almost succumbed to the charm of a busy restaurant sitting just above Praia da Urca before my son reminded me that my desire was to go to Bar Urca.

Though Bar Urca was mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebook that wasn't what caused me to forge ahead. It was something else that I couldn't recall until arriving there. Rounding the corner from the military post above Bar Urca, the landscape of patrons lining the seawall came immediately into view. Drinks in hand, fried goodies being noshed, I knew immediately: this was a place I'd seen Anthony Bourdain at in his series, "No Reservations".

There's an upstairs restaurant which I wanted no part of. The day was gorgeous and a place along the seawall called. Purchases are made across the street from the seawall, downstairs from the restaurant, at a confusing counter. It was a relief to know that Bar Urca employs an English-speaking "concierge" who they called down to help with the ordering process (the first few things I tried to order were not available). Fried calamari they had, and from there I took the concierge's suggestion for some other perfectly fried seafood appetizers then pointed at several savory, pastry-wrapped items to round out the meal. Caipirinha and icy cold beer were a given.

More perfect food and drink could not be imagined in this astoundingly idyllic setting. I lined my plates along the seawall to form a point of interest for the camera. For a moment, a very long moment, I was Anthony Bourdain. From the setting to the food, the drinks, and the company, Bar Urca was perfection.

There's a reason you should seek out Bar Urca for an afternoon. It will remain a lasting memory long after you've savored the last morsel of food. I'm not certain what all they serve here but you can't err if you do as I did - drinks, some fried seafood appetizer platters, and some selections from the case. Ordering is a bit confusing if you don't speak Portuguese but that concierge helps immeasurably. Grand total for the first round of food and drinks ran about $45 US. The food left me sated but more drinks were called for if only to provide a reason to sit on that wall a little longer.

If you're a tourist you are no doubt headed to Sugarloaf Mountain. Make time for Bar Urca as well. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Waited for 40 min but was worth it.
Had some kind of Portuguese paella and for dessert or Sobremesa as they call it , bananas with icecream + beer.
Total bomb
Delicious
Must in Rio!!