A Favorite Gets a Face-Lift

For all the Bund party goers looking for a new hot spot to dance away the summer nights, you'll feel right at home at Mundo Latino's reincarnation, Bar Hulu. The black-and-white mirror laden interior boasts a sleek contemporary design. Candles abound throughout the ... Read more »

Pick Your Poison

Even the pickiest cocktail enthusiasts will find something pleasing on Kiittos' mammoth drink list. The list features dry, medium and sweet martinis and classic cocktails with various spirit bases. We settled on a fresh Mango Martini (￥50), an American Lemonade (￥80) and a Sidecar (￥60). The Sidecar ... Read more »

All in the Name

Although located in the "far reaches" of Thumb Plaza in Pudong, this aptly named Irish pub adds some new life to a family oriented, chain restaurant dominated area. We found the bar sitting in a quieter corner of Thumb Plaza with a mini patio which piqued ... Read more »

Hot Summer Wine

With wine nights happening all over the city, we were eager to check out the newest wino haven on the Taikang Lu strip. On opening night, we joined the crowd sipping complimentary 2000 Chateau Saint Pierre, a dry California red. The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (￥48 per glass ... Read more »

Perfect for the Neighborhood

This exquisite café and lounge is located in Shanghai's new artsy area on Jinxien Lu, a neighborhood peppered by hip shops where Bliss fits in perfectly. The bar's apple-green neon sign stands out in the dark and our first impression of the venue was ... Read more »

Americana Brewing

Set in Shanghai's suburban expat bubble, this brew house gave us an immediate sense of comfortable familiarity and is a welcome addition to the city's ever-growing group of Western breweries and saloons. From the Southern accents of the businessmen unwinding at the downstairs bar to the ... Read more »

No News Here

Flashing Christmas lights beckoned us into Kaya. As compensation for the outside lighting, half the inside lights were turned off, although the fake candles dotting the tables helped us to read the menu. As we pondered the uninspired 60s acid-trip / 90s industrial rave decor, we tasted a ... Read more »

Park Here for a Long Afternoon

After our first visit to Park Tavern, we will likely find ourselves there again spending many weekend afternoons among good friends knocking back pints of Strongbow, Boddingtons, Beamish, Tiger or Stella (RMB35-55). Food is available and their tasty fish and chips (RMB60) subsidize a ... Read more »

Stop for Red Lights

In its previous location, this groovy lounge was known as "that Japanese gay bar above Shanghai Studio," and regulars will be pleased with its sleek new make-over. The red light and curtain in the entrance are a bit disconcerting, as they invite the notion that Transit ... Read more »

So Long Pirates, Hello Anarrrrrrr

The recent history of this new venue proves just how fickle our city truly is. In two years, the location has mutated from Shuffle Bar to Pirates and now to the newly opened Anar. After hearing that the current line-up is in the hands of ... Read more »

Sipping the Night Away

Shanghai residents have seen enough bars and lounges packing long wine lists come and go, so it was with (yet another) roll of the eyes that we plodded over to Shimen Yi Lu to check out Berlucchi. Set atop the third floor of the stylish Villa ... Read more »

Simply Style

The latest addition to the Simply Thai family, The Bar, is exactly what we have come to expect from this established Shanghai brand. Located on the second floor of the newly renovated Xintiandi branch, The Bar is an intimate, cozy locale, perfect for unwinding after a stressful day ... Read more »

Will Be Better in Byron Bay

Spring in Shanghai brings the yearly new club boom, with each new venue hoping to survive in this strumpet of a city. But will an adaptation of the super-club concept mesh well with the (in)famous local dice game? The recently shows at BRB ... Read more »

Drink Your Way into Spring

With all the buzz about the Cool Docks becoming the next Xintiandi-Chip shops, restaurants and bars housed in renovated shikumens-CSpring Sunrise will likely benefit from being the complex's first open establishment. Currently, the vibe is a bit empty, but not lonely. The staff nurtures ... Read more »

Mmmama Mmmia!

"M" seems to be the word these days for club goers, maybe even more so if it's located in Shanghai's historical party spot, the former dkd. M Seven opened with almost the same interior layout as dkd-Cexcept for the dance floor shrinkage, which now is occupied ... Read more »

Red Station I Fuxing Park

Seeing as this smokey, red-tinted dance hall is the only option for lesbians in Shanghai, it's worth at least one visit. Travelers who want to see a genuine Chinese "lala" bar will most likely enjoy getting an inside glimpse at this clandestine community, but ... Read more »

The Wall | Lujiazui

Although we were concerned about navigating the Pudong streets, The Wall, situated practically beneath the Pearl Tower, was easy to find. From the street, the club appeared to be pretty standard Shanghai nighttime fare: Ferrari parked out front and a crowd of well-dressed Westerners and hipster locals ... Read more »

Our Little Secret

A note scrawled on the mirror of Hush, the perennially nearly-open companion bar to Kommune, asks customers to help the establishment remain Shanghai's secret. Apparently, it has gotten its wish. Arriving with six in tow around 10pm on a Saturday, we found the bar empty. Situated ... Read more »

Rack 'Em Up!

Some like their cocktails served with a side of competition and, well, some people are just pool sharks. If pool's your thing, head over to Racks in Xintiandi. Located next to the now "other" Xintiandi fifth floor club, Racks' elaborate, well-lit pool tables are the stars ... Read more »

A Step Above the Rest

Although it's surrounded by some of Shanghai's seedier nightlife haunts, it appears that RedBeat is trying to set itself apart. The décor is simple and tasteful—a black ceiling, a black floor, and bright red walls in between. An energetic house band with ... Read more »

Enjoy a Bird's Eye VUE

The Hyatt on the Bund is located on the northern end—some say far reaches—of the Bund. The VUE Bar on the 33rd floor of this new hotel provides a breath-taking view of both Pudong and the Bund. This classy lounge features a ... Read more »

Fuxing Park | Hiro's

Nestled in the back of a Japanese cafe and below a Thai restaurant, this bar is a cozy space to savor sake, shouchu or umeshu (Japanese distilled spirits). On a late Saturday night we attempted to check out Hiro's–it's a bar after all ... Read more »