| Night Life Part I
I will focus on expat night life first. All of the places have either all or some English speaking employees. If anyone has some places I missed I am always looking to check out new places. I am happy to say Shanghai is back to the City that never sleeps as it was quite depressing post sars last year. Night Life starts at 9 PM anything before that is Happy Hour pretty much and there are literally thousands of pubs with local flavor to check out. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are packed everywhere in Shanghai with Monday Night being the slowest. However every night can be a different adventure. Night Life is not cheap by local standards. If you want to sit by yourself and nurse a beer you can get away with ten dollars in an evening however expect to spend $100 USD or more for a whole night out if you are a single guy and perhaps less if you are a couple. As a girl told me this last trip if you want to play you gotta pay! These are all in downtown Shanghai I have only briefly explored Pu Dong but its a long trip and there are plenty of places in downtown. The best places to go (in my opinion): Part 1 Hengshan Lu Fuxing Park Xiantiandi Part 2 Mao Ming Lu Ju Lu Lu Tongren Road Hengshan Road Hengshan Road has many little pubs that are colorful if you want a drink without the noise. Some come with companions and some not. My favorite place and first stop on Hengshan Road is usually Bourbon Street. Its across from the Real Love Disco which used to be popular with foreigners but no longer its mostly local teens. Bourbon Street usually has a decent live band and dancing, Drinks are reasonable (for expat bars) and there is no cover. If you are lonely the second floor has plenty of rent a companions who will want to be your friend just beware if a women wants to get money and then buy the drinks for you. If you are happy tell the girls you are waiting for your girlfriend and they will leave you alone. The staff is also not high pressure if you tell them you dont want a second drink they will not ask you over and over. Its a relaxed casual place. I usually stay to about 11 unless I meet someone interesting and stay the evening it closes at 3 AM. The band sings almost all songs in English by midnight its packed on the 1st floor. Fuxing Park If you have a girlfriend this is the place you want to go. Both places are pretty upscale and nice and they weed out the working girls. The cost is a bit higher but again if you are having fun and not just drinking you can have dinner and a few drinks for under $100 USD. Both places have cover charges unless you can get in on a VIP list. First is Park 97. Several really good restaurants and then you can dance the night away at either the Califoria Club with DJ or the new popular spot which is upstairs at 97 which has live music. Its all white collar upper income people. However, I prefer Guandi across the way. Guandi has two dance rooms and is very upscale. The service is great and it alot bigger so you have room to breath. They have DJ music with a mello R&B and a faster pace techno/trace room. Xiantiandi In the heart of one of the most upscale areas in Shanghai sits Xiantiandi. Its an outstanding collection of first class restaurants, pubs, and clubs. Its also where you too can pay 70 rmb for a glass of coca cola. However its a nice place to stroll and take a girlfriend or just listen to the live music in all the clubs. I would suggest you try them all over time to see which ones have music that fits your taste. If you liked part 1 let me know and I will push on with part 2 and then cover the best Chinese clubs and KTV's.. |
Shanghai Consolidated Guide