Phone: (215) 413-1700

Add beer taps.  Re-finish the bar upstairs.  Refinish the upstairs.

Veamos.  No sé donde al comienzo. I guess the first thing is that Brazil is a Portuguese speaking country and not a Spanish speaking country, so probably using Spanish in this review is really not correct, but let's face it, the latino culture in and around Philly is not Brazilian, but Puerto Rican, Mexican, and la gente de otros países latinoamericanos.

The first floor of Brazil's is for dining.  There is a small bar as you enter the door that is used to provide drinks for the diners and people waiting for a table, but it is not a place to hang.  The dining room is quite large and nicely decorated.  The dining area is a combination of two areas.  The back area is separated from the front area by a raised platform and two fish tanks on either side of the passage.  The one problem that I noticed was that you can hear the people from upstairs stomping.

The fun of Brazil's is upstairs in their club.  The club is laid out for dancing.  There is not that much room around the bar but there is a fairly (for Old City) large dancing area.  When you go to Brazil's you are not going for the drink, for drinking hit an Irish place, but for dancing.  Let's face it the latino culture is una cultura con la pasión para la vida. Which is evident in their music, their dancing, and the way they play soccer (which should really be football or fútbol).

There is an Irish legend that when England destroyed the Spanish Armada, the refugee sailors where taken in by Ireland.  From this injection of Spanish blood came the Black Irish--the Irish with brown/dark eyes.  Now if these Spanish were anyway like los hombres at Brazil's, I can see why there are so many Black Irish in Ireland from so few sailors.  These hombres know how to treat women.  Needless to say one of very Irish blood like myself was totally out of my league.

The music was all latino.  The women were incredible (I love latina women).  And the fiesta was in full swing.  Everyone (even myself) was dancing and having a great time.  Latinos really know how to party.

So let's get away from the dancing and total fiesta and tell you what to expect.  The people that frequent Brazil's are party people, but they seem to be light on the alcohol.  I did not see that much drinking (compared to Pubs).  Brazil does not have any taps but carries and interesting selection of bottled beer: Brahman (Brazil), Sagres (Portugal), Negra Mondelo (Mexico), Corona (Mexico), typical American beers, and yes, can it be . . . Guinness (Ireland) in the can.

On Wednesday nights Brazil offers latin dance lessons (upstairs).  From 8-9 advanced lessons.  From 9-10 beginner lessons.  The cost is $5 but you get a free drink.  Negra Mondelo, Sagres, and Brahman are $4 a bottle so the lesson really only costs $1.

Brazil's es excelente, but you have to respect the culture.  This applies to the dancing.  Everyone is dancing with everyone else.  Guys ask other guys' girlfriends to dance which I found very unnerving, but which is the best way, let the woman decide if she wants to dance or not.  I mean it's only dancing in the vertical position, not the horizontal position.  This bit of culture took me by surprise in that all these guys were dancing with the girl that I came with.  We were not dating, but if this was in an Anglican setting the other men's behavior would be insulting and confrontational.  In this culture it's all cool.  So this is a warning to women who might want to bring your men here.  If your man is jealous or hotheaded, leave him at home.

- As reviewed by The Nutty Irishman

His other reviews include: The Erin Pub, The Elephant and Castle, Oscar's Tavern, The Samson Street Oyster House,  Maggie O'Neal's, Barnaby's, Shampoo, Rio, The Great American Pub, The Boat House & Valley Forge Brewing Company.