Bars and Nightclubs in Shanghai

Windows Underground (the entire Windows chain, really) and Ricky's (crazy crowded) were always a good time, though Ricky's has more locals. C's, if you can find it, has a lot of foreigners. Zapatas is a Mexican restaurant that can get crazy on the weekends...and on Wednesdays, from what I remember. The Shelter was also pretty awesome.

Speaking as an ABC whose family moved to Shanghai while I was in college:

Lol seriously? The entire Window's chain has tons of high school kids from international schools / a very young crowd in general although the drinks are dirt cheap.

Among cheaper places like Windows, I definitely agree Zapata's and The Shelter are two places that you would like if like Windows but looking for an older age group. Zapata's has hookah too, lots of people there on weekends + Wednesday (Ladies night). Shelter is awesome and really well priced, pretty cool converted underground bunker turned club/bar.

Moving onto more nightclubs. Babyface/Richy's (I think that's what ^ meant) is filled with predominantly local crowd but packed. The Muse chain (Muse/M2/Muse at Park 97) are by and far the best chain nightclubs and are always packed and have a decent mix of foreigners/locals. I would definitely suggest checking them out at least once. Also check out Phebe, brand new club that is pretty sweet and one of my favorites. The other good places would probably be G Plus/SOHO/Bar Rouge/Sky/Sin/Angelina's/No 88 with pretty good mix of foreigners/locals and there's probably a few more I'm forgetting right now.

If you wanted to drop some money but have a good time go to M1NT, place is awesome and my favorite one in Shanghai.

Among lounge/bars I'd suggest Barborassa's (has hookah too and a Moroccan theme, but a bit pricy), People 6 is a cool place to check out, it's known for it's cool designs (be sure to check out the bathrooms too, they have a little trick to it), Big Bamboo (sports bar, good prices, pretty decent crowd).

I think that probably covers most of the nightlife in Shanghai, at least from my experience.

"I love Shanghai" is SICK

thanks a lot !!! I'll try them all

Those are all good suggestions. Go to smartshanghai.com and it will give you great advice and keep you updated and what's happening around the city.

Oops, sorry, did mean Richy's. And if you wait long enough, M1NT has get in for 100RMB nights - definitely worth a visit, as here's shark tanks inside. Along the same lines, Sin is also a pretty good club for the older expat crowd.

Seconding I Love Shanghai!

M1NT is the best place for models & bottles. Vue (in the Hyatt on the Bund, top floor) is also pretty sick... outdoor jacuzzi is available on the 80th (ish) floor deck so long as you purchase some champagne and bring a few lady friends.....

If you want to just get silly with a bunch of foreign students and shit, you can slum it up a bit and go to Baby Face. People will frown on it's relative lack of prestige -but I find it fun there... like cancun meets China. You WILL get laid.

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lol, the pymp-hating parade is back again!

M1NT is pretty awesome, I'd definitely check that out at least once. I thought Richy's was pretty awful, and didn't like Muse at Park 97 either. Muse and M2 were both good. I went to Vue once and it was just full of older people (old being in their 30's) conversing amongst themselves. Can't remember what day of the week it was, and not sure if it's a fair representation.

double post

Shanghai is fucking awesome dude, I just studied abroad there, that city is fucking bomb, I want to go back so badly.

Here are my recommendations:

Best Typical Dance Clubs: G+ (50 Kuai for 5 drinks), Muse (42 Kuai a drink), M2 (42 kuai a drink, or 100 kuai for 10), Sky (100 Kuai for Open bar every night)

Best Bund Places (High end, more lounge areas, not really dancing) - M1Nt (Typically thought of as THE premium Shanghai Club) (around 85-100+ per drink) - Bar Rouge (85-100+ per drink) - Vue (85-100+ per drink) - Glamour (75-100+ per drink)

Best Cheap spots: - Windows Scoreboard (and all other Windows places) (15-35 per drink)

Also whoever said Shelter is awesome does not know what a club is. Imagine the WORST frat basement party and then multiply that by 10. It is just a dark, super dirty, cave in the wall. Don't Go.

Also Zapatas is not that great. Its mainly filled by lots of older expats, (maybe that explains why one poster thought it was "cool"). I'm a guy, but lots of my girl friends get creeped out there as tons of old, fat, balding guys try dancing with them. Also Its pretty expensive relative to other places, and Ladies nights suck since there is no alcohol in the margaritas they give out. We went there the first wednesday of the program ("OMG FREE DRINKS") and then never went back again.

C's is a dive bar- REALLY cheap shots (10 kuai each), but it is either fake or watered down. Me and my friend took 10 shots in a span of an hour and didn't feel anything (My tolerance isn't anything to brag about either, its only average). Still we went there a few times because it was so cheap and you can write on the walls.

Also Punjabi- all you can eat Indian Food and all you can drink beer 80 Kuai, although its hard to get drunk off of this as you end up stuffing yourself full of food....

Better option is the many All you can eat and Drink Japanese places. You won't fill up as easily on sushi and you can also get unlimited different types of Japanese dishes (not just sushi) and some places even Korean Barbecue. Prices for this are around 160-190 per person. Sounds expensive compared to the rest of Shanghai, but thats only $25. Sushi alone for me usually costs like $30-35 in the states.

If you have ANY questions about Shanghai PM me, I'll gladly help.

Fuck this foreigner / expat / d-bag bullshit. Need to know where the Chinese heavy hitters go for the real models (not that prostitute shit either, the professional models - with a more long term approach to their "professionalism.") I have my own ideas, but curious to hear what pymp and dubsfan have to say, I think you guys both know your shit.

I mean Clubbing works a little different in Shanghai than it does in the states. Prostitution is pretty blantantly apparent in Shanghai clubs, so you may need to watch out when attempting to hit on a local because you could get into some trouble. Rebelcross I'm a little curious by what you mean? Are you looking for escorts, i.e. you pay to get girls to hang out with you but not necessairly for sex (They have this option to at many places), or are you asking where all the "fashion models" hang out?

I mean if you want hear really loud techno in a dark ass room that looks a like basement then sure go.

That's not what models and bottles are and its not what most people consider as "clubbing" even without bottle service.

Sure - but some people do go to clubs based on the music that's played there, and if you're actually into electronic music, Shelter is a pretty cool place to go.

Definitely agree with everything that's been said so far (except maybe Shelter--I wasn't a big fan). When I was in Shanghai, I liked M2, Richy's, and I Love Shanghai the best. The only place I would add that hasn't been mentioned is a place called Luxe. Pretty good club, and they give free drinks to Americans. Just be sure to grab some free drink coupons from the girls right by the front entrance.

Haha Rebelcross-

I'm a college student- not a professional banker (yet). My study abroad program went mainly to expat spots where we get good deals and "d-bag dance clubs". I don't know what clubs fall into the category you want. The richest and most expensive bars are on the Bund, but again those are heavily dominated by Expats.

Sorry.

^^^This is what I'm getting at, PM coming your way

hehe, this got kind of silly.

Loved M1NT!!

Haha private like P1.CN? Anyone?

can't remember the name of this one club opened by someone famous... somewhere downtown on the west side... still one of my best nights out 4 years later ha.