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Pensão Amor
★ 4.0(1 review)Bar
burlesquefestivemoody
About the Vibe
Pensão Amor is what happens when a former brothel in Cais do Sodré gets a glamorous burlesque makeover — and somehow it works brilliantly. You'll climb stairs lined with hand-painted murals of sailors and seducers, pass frescoed ceilings and mirrored walls, and land in a multi-room bar that oozes old-world naughtiness without feeling gimmicky. It's one of Lisbon's most distinctive drinking spots, and the festive, anything-goes atmosphere makes it a guaranteed fun night out.
Why it's worth it
A former Cais do Sodré brothel reborn as a five-floor burlesque bar with frescoed ceilings, pole dance rooms, and hand-painted murals of sailors and seducers.
Highlights
former brothelburlesque decorlate-nightcocktails
Before you go
Go before 10 PM on weekends if you want to appreciate the decor and grab a sofa — after that it gets packed, especially once Bairro Alto bars start closing around 2 AM.
Known For
- •Former brothel turned cocktail bar
- •Burlesque decor with frescoed ceilings and hand-painted murals
- •Pole dance room with leopard-print decor
- •Multiple rooms including bookstore, hair salon, and Peruvian bar
Best For
late-night drinksgroup nights outdate night
1 review
City InsidersEditorialJuly 7, 2026
Lisbon's most theatrical drinking den — a former brothel gone gloriously burlesque
Walking into Pensão Amor feels like stepping into a bawdy 18th-century fantasy. The building was once a cheap pension where prostitutes rented rooms by the hour, and the current owners have leaned fully into that history with burlesque posters, mirrored walls, frescoed ceilings, and a stairwell covered in hand-painted murals by artist Mario Belem depicting sailors and their conquests. It's theatrical without being tacky — the kind of place where you instinctively order a cocktail and settle into a velvet sofa. The space sprawls across five floors, with different rooms offering different vibes: a main bar, a pole dance room decked out in leopard print and gold, a bookstore specializing in love and erotica, and even a tiny hair salon. There's also a Peruvian bar serving food if you need something to soak up the drinks.
The atmosphere is festive and lively — don't come expecting a quiet, intimate evening. Reviewers note it gets packed, especially on weekends and after 2 AM when Bairro Alto bars start closing and the Cais do Sodré crowd migrates here. The cocktails are solid if not groundbreaking, but you're really here for the setting, which is genuinely unlike anything else in Lisbon. With a 4.4 rating across over 6,000 Google reviews, it's clearly doing something right. Go early if you want to actually appreciate the decor before it turns into a full-on party.