Recommendations for Rio de Janeiro
 

I will be traveling to Rio next week and was looking for any recommendations for restaurants/bars while there. Any information is greatly appreciated.

Recommendations for Rio de Janeiro
 

If you eat meat you have to go to a churrascaria- Brazilian bbq buffet. Check online.

My favorite was porcao.

The restaurant at hotel Windsor Miramar in Copacabana is wonderful.
http://sarestaurante.com.br/en/

Rubaiyat- get the baby gold, best steak in all of Brazil- warning if you get something besides this cut it may totally suck!
CT boucherie- another meat option from perhaps rio's most famous chef, Claude troisgos
ZaZa bistro- excellent place, eclectic cuisine with Brazilian touches
Gero- best Italian restaurant, part of famous fasano group

Porcão has closed. If it opens again, avoid it at all cost. It has become a zombie in bankruptcy.
If you must try a Southern Brazilian BBQ, then go for Fogo de Chão, but its buffet is quite disappointing. If you would like to try one with a buffet that mirrors the old Porcão, then prefer Churrascaria Palace or even Carretão.
If you'd like to try Rio-style BBQ, then go for either Braseiro da Gávea or Filé de Ouro.
Avoid Filé de Ouro in the evenings, I only recommend it for lunch.
Braseiro da Gávea is always terribly overcrowded, so arrive at noon sharp if you'd like to avoid waiting on the curb.

Thank you all for the input. Will definitely look into these places

if you like Cachaça (the liquor used in caiprihana), make sure to stop by a market & pick some up.

The bottles we brought back were $3-$6 a bottle in local markets yet sell in the US for $40-60 a bottle.

Besides the churrascara/Brazilian BBQ places, do yourself a favor and eat local/regional dishes, a few are discussed on this wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_cuisine

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Definitely excited to try some caipirinhas there so I expect to bring cachaca back. Thinks for the wiki link I'll check it out

You'll find good caipirinhas at Astor, overlooking Ipanema beach. Also good at Comidaria (Leblon) and Aconchego Carioca, both from the same owner. Latter is near Maracana stadium and worth combining a lunch there with a tour of the stadium. Some of the best food in Rio.

Definitely reccommend Rubayiat for steak and great scenery. Sushi Leblon has decent sushi and great vibe. Lots of bars on Sushi Leblon's street (Dias Ferreira). Rio bar scene is generally disappointing for foreigners (mostly sitting in groups at rundown places, little chance for mingling). But try Belmonte and Brewteco on Dias Ferreira, Bar Urca for sundowners, and very traditional (yet rundown) Pavao Azul in Copacabana, with great food (lunch only, no cards).

Another vote for CT Boucherie; it's not a meat rodizio in that you place individual orders for portions of meat but they circulate with side dishes. I find Brazilian steak cooking to be quite poor but this is a good one. Another option is Tragga in Humaita (between Copacabana, Lagoa and Botafogo). I was there at the weekend and I was impressed.

Mee at the Copacabana Palace is well rated but I found it meh, to be honest.

Very Expensive!!!

I'm also in Brazil next week and can't wait.

I've always preferred eating in little local places, and have never been disappointed yet. My Brazilian meat feast was at some local dive in Catete IIRC and was amazing.

I always hit Sushi Leblon at least once when I am in Rio.

Another really good churrascaria is Barra Grill but it is a bit of drive to Barra de Tijuca. Their Sunday menu includes all you can eat lobster !! Get there in the afternoon.

I am looking for a good Italian restaurant recommendation either in Leblon or Copacabana.

None of them are at either neighbourhood, but I guess they are close enough:

1. http://www.damiciristorante.com.br/
2. http://www.ristoranteanna.com.br/
3. http://www.restauranteartigiano.com.br/
4. http://www.ristorantepomodorino.com.br/oficial/
5. http://www.fasano.com.br/gastronomia/restaurante/22
6. http://www.fasano.com.br/gastronomia/restaurante/24

Beware that restaurants from 2 through 4 all belong to the same owner and only take cash or Brazilian-issued checks.