7 Famous Featured Night Clubs in Shanghai

Shanghai has a very active nightlife. There are plenty of places to party and have fun, every night of the week, and it can all be rather decadent. Nightclubs and discos in Shanghai seem to come and go quickly. People’s taste is quite fickle in this big city. Do people in Shanghai tire easily from going to the same place, or are they always just looking for the latest, newest thing? Clubs here need to keep up – they keep having renovations every few years and re-launch parties, etc. It’s hard to know which ones will lose popularity or maybe even disappear within a few months!

1. Zeal

It is located on top of Bund 22, this club slash lounge has a terrace with some great views out over the Bund, as well as capturing the Pudong skyline. The atmosphere changes from a live band to DJ as the night progresses and offers up an interesting selection of mixed drinks and cocktails.

Address: 6/F, 22 Zhongshan Dong Er Road in Shanghai

Website: http://www.zeal-shanghai.com/

Email: info@zeal-shanghai.com

2. Flair

Flair is the crowning glory of the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. The rooftop bar’s interiors were created by Japanese design gurus Super Potato, but the real draw is the terrace. Standing approximately 250 meters in the sky, this is the highest bar terrace in the city, with tiered sofa-seating that looks onto the financial district’s skyscrapers. Drinks cost RMB 80 and up for cocktails. Sashimi is flown in daily from Japan.

Address: 58/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao Shanghai IFC, near Lujiazui Huan Road in Shanghai.

Tel: +86 21 2020 1778; 2 p.m.-2 a.m.;

Website: www.ritzcarlton.com

3. Laris

It is dressed in cool white and marble, the warmly lit interior of this elegant Bund view dining room also houses a seafood bar and lounge. Sip slick martinis as you chill out to the tunes of DJ Teng Boon, every Thursday night.

Address: 6/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu Near Guangdong Lu, Shanghai 200002

Tel: 86 21 6321 9922

4. Alchemist Experimental cocktails

Shanghai’s first molecular gastronomy bar, The Alchemist prides itself in concocting some of the most outlandish drinks in Asia. Tequila infused with bell peppers, sauvignon blanc chilled down into a fog, bacon-infused bourbon and sorbet rum are all featured on the menu. The service is friendly and aimed at educating curious imbibers about otherworldly aspects of alcohol. The decor blends old-school English themes with comfort and the highly regarded food menu is similarly creative, espousing a nose-to-tail dining ethos. Drinks are in the standard RMB 60-90 range.

Address: Sinan Mansions, Block 32, 45 Sinan Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Road in Shanghai.

Tel: +86 21 6426 0660; 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

Website: www.alchemistbar.cn

5. Volar

This Hong Kong import, designed by Philippe Stark, brings exclusivity, one of the best liquor selections and some of the best trained bartenders to the Shanghai scene–with prices to match. Expect nothing but la crème de la crème of Shanghai’s local and foreign crowd. Members only plus guests door policy.

Address: 99 Yan Dang Road, Near Nanchang Road and Fuxing Park, Shanghai 200021

Tel: 86 134 8223 9390

6. JZ Club

This dim, smoky room is the go-to place for jazz aficionados in Shanghai. Inside, it’s like a Parisian bar from the 1950s: a cluster of small round tables spilling out from a low stage, with a long bar at the back and a gallery up top. There’s live music here every night, from Gypsy jazz to swing and blues. Drink prices are around RMB 50 for wine and RMB 70 for cocktails.

Address: 46 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu in Shanghai;

Tel: +86 21 6431 0269; 8:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m.; www.jzclub.cn

7. The Geisha

This three-story complex features a restaurant serving edgy, West Coast Japanese on the first floor, a club on the second floor and a vaguely The Apartment-esque lounge and terrace on the top floor. The fun drink list was put together by mixologist George Nemec and includes a small selection of aged cocktails.