Shanghai Nightlife Recs for Every Single Kind of Person Ever

You know the situation; you've got your friends in from out of town, and they want to sample some of that famous (ish) Shanghai nightlife. Now you've got your own favorites – your rolodex of tested and true venues that you cycle through when you're looking to have a night out – but what if your friends are looking for a good sports bar to catch the big game? Or a jazz club to see a live band? What's your favorite dive bar, anyway?

Here's a taster's choice of Shanghai nightlife venues, broken down by genre, to suit every single type of person ever … get into it!

Clubbing

INS

Why recommend just ONE club when you can cheat a little bit and recommend a bunch of them all in one place? INS, which stands for "into nothing serious," is a very serious night out at a six-story building in the middle of Fuxing Park that houses nothing but nightclubs. Well, plus a few restaurants for good measure.

Since opening last year, INS has quickly defined itself as THE nightlife destination for Shanghai's new generation of clubgoers and a night at the venue is comprised of club hopping between a bunch of different locations: a celeb-heavy hip-hop club, an underground techno club, a crazy student EDM bar, a live pop venue, an upscale cocktail place, and everything else.

Check out La Fin on the sixth floor, an upscale hip-hop / top 40s club.

Also try: Found 158, another place with a collection of venues.

Address: Inside Fuxing Park, 109 Yandang Rd, near Sinan Rd

雁荡路109号,近思南路,复兴公园内

Alternative Clubbing

SYSTEM

If you're looking for a little depth to your night at the club, if you're looking to go off the beaten path a bit, if you're looking for something a little more alternative, you're looking for SYSTEM. Boasting five separate spaces in a giant factory-esque concrete box, SYSTEM hosts everything from indie fashion markets to live bands to avant-garde performance and dance events, but mostly, dependably, alternative electronic music events every weekend.

Shanghai cosplays as Berlin at this popular alternative clubbing destination, with local, national, and international DJs and live acts performing. Expect a truly unique venue with a forward-thinking music program that'll impress even the most jaded international clubber.

Pro-tip: Don't miss out on the "spa" on the top floor.

Venue: Yunhai Mansion

Address: 3/F, 1329 Huaihai Rd M., near Baoqing Rd.

淮海中路1329号3楼,近宝庆路

Also Try: Celia by Pulse, a smaller "underground" feeling vibe with lots of techno and deep house on the spin. Read more about The power trio fueling club Celia's 8 years

Address: 154 Nanyang Rd, near Xikang Rd

南阳路154号,近西康路

Cocktail Bars

Avenue Joffre

There's no shortage of cocktail bars in Shanghai, but we're recommending one that's stood the test of time. Avenue Joffre, a Japanese-style cocktail lounge, is a tribute to the finest endeavor in life: Putting delicious alcoholic beverages into your person.

With a seasonally rotating menu of creative house cocktails, a massive list of classics, and bottles, bottles, bottles, there's a reason why Avenue Joffree is a favorite of other bartenders. If you're looking for a really nice cocktail in a really nice environment, they never disappoint. It's also worth it to get a bottle of champagne, just so you can see barman Mune San open it with a sword.

Also try: Dead Poet, Senator Saloon

Address: Room 1, Bldg 5, 570 Yongjia Rd, near Yueyang Rd

永嘉路570号5号楼01室,近岳阳路

Lounges

Root Down

We kick it Root Down. A vinyl-listening bar with taste and style, Root Down keeps it locked on the 1960s and 1970s jazz, soul, and funk in a warm and bohemian environment with good cocktails and snacks to match. The drinks are from Japanese mixologist Masato "Martsu" Hika, and although of course they deserve special attention, the experience of the listening bar as a whole is what you're going for.

What is particularly unique about Root Down is the imported Japanese speakers that brings out in greater detail the nuances of the tunes being played. Sonically pleasing. Tune in and vibe out to classic vinyl sounds and catch up with friends in a classy but inviting space. A unique concept in Shanghai and a real gem of a venue.

Also try: Tang Tang Tang for chilling on the floor with your shoes off, or The Nest for something a little more upscale.

Address: 145 Nanchang Rd, near Ruijin No. 2 Rd

南昌路145号,近瑞金二路

Jazz Clubs

JZ Club

The first name in Shanghai jazz, now in its third iteration and just past its 20-year anniversary, is the JZ Club, newly relocated to Hengshan Road. Inheriting Shanghai's jazz legacy from the 1920s and infusing it with modern Chinese sensibilities and style, the JZ Club hosts live jazz music basically every night of the week in a warm and retro environment, great for both seasoned jazz enthusiasts and cultural sightseers just in for a one-night experience.

No Shanghai visit is complete without slotting this one into your itinerary for a couple of drinks and a show. And with a dependable music program, you're always guaranteed a quality act on stage no matter when you turn up, from jazz standards to original compositions.

Also try: Blue Note, House of Blues and Jazz, and Jazz at the Lincoln Center

Venue: Watertower Plaza

Address: 8 Hengshan Rd, near Wulumuqi Rd S.

衡山路8号,近乌鲁木齐北路

Live Music

Yuyintang Park

If you want to catch an up-and-coming act, or even just some original live rock, metal, folk, post-rock, shoegaze, and whatever else, you're heading to Yuyintang Park. Another scene veteran, the folks at Yuyintang have been hosting Chinese and international acts for over 20 years now, with their Yuyintang Park venue serving as a platform for medium-sized shows with really professional production.

The bigger names draw out crowds of a couple of hundred concertgoers on the weekend, but they host live bands basically every night of the week. Don't miss out on their quirky patio and BBQ to wash some of the booze down.

Try also: Harley's Backroom, OK OK Bar, Chair Club

Address: B1, 1398 Yuyuan Rd, near Dingxi Rd

愚园路1398号B1,近定西路

Dive Bars

Specters

The music is waaaay too loud, the bar is waaaaay too smokey, the bartenders are surly AF to the point of ignoring you, it's a dive bar, and you're at Shanghai's own punk rock dive Specters.

In a classy city like Shanghai, there aren't too many straight-up dives you can go to for a good, honest, dirty night on the town, but Specters, an American-style rock and roll dive, fits the bill. Motorcycles and rock & roll luminaries line the walls, the music is invariably really loud punk pretty much all the time (although, they occasionally drop some classics by Kate Bush for good measure), and the drinks are cheap and questionable.

If you're looking for a mind eraser on a Saturday night out, slot this one into your schedule and don't look back. (Or at the ground.)

Free pool and foosball too.

Try also: C's, The Hai

Address: Bldg D, 753 Yuyuan Rd, near Zhenning Rd

愚园路753号D幢,近镇宁路

Note: You'll need to go down an alleyway, as Specter's is slightly off the street side in a little courtyard.

Sports Bars

Parlay

We like the new sports bar on the block, Parlay, coming to us Kansas City-style – plenty of dry-rub-focused BBQ, sticky sweet sauces, and slow-cooks on the menu. Located conveniently in the Shan Kang Li (陕康里) F&B hub, Parlay is a relaxed, approachable, college-style sports bar that offers up the key element in abundance: plenty of flatscreen coverage.

If you're looking for a place to get some grub, knock back a few beers (or whiskeys) in the afternoon and catch up on several sports, Parlay is a great option. Great happy hour option as well: Daily, 4pm to 8pm, special prices on drinks and apps.

Try also: Cages, The Rooster, The Shed

Address: Rm 103, Bldg 18, 808 Shaanxi Rd N., near Kangding Rd

陕西北路808号18号楼103室,近康定路

Note: Parlay is hidden away in "the back" of a commercial area complex called Shang Kang Li 陕康里. You'll need to round a corner where you think nothing is there, but ... that's where Parlay is.

Just for Fun

Riink

It's a roller-skating rink that serves really great food and drinks. What more do you need? This one fits all the categories but is also a category all to its own.

With a retro 1980s neon-lit aesthetic, Riink is fun and fabulous, offering up skates in all sizes and cute little butt cushions for first-timers. You can hit it up for fun vibes in the afternoon, but stay later on into the evening, when the disco lights come on and the party gets started.

Great booze and food as well, which make for a really fun night out.

Try also: The Pearl is a fun dinner theater night out, featuring shows from Abba, to Lady Gaga, to cabaret.

Address: 358 Kangding Road, near Shaanxi Rd N.

康定路358号,近陕西北路