When it comes to alcohol-driven nightlife, Shanghai leads the country in variety, quality, and trendiness. If you love going out, it’s a city where a trip “just for drinks” can genuinely make sense.

Whether you want to savor a drink in peace, chat in a lively room, dance all night, or get lost in a live performance, Shanghai has you covered. This guide organizes the city’s nightlife into three parts: bars, nightclubs, and livehouses.

Bars | Great Drinks First, Everything Else on Top

SUZU BAR Shanghai

Highlights: Top Three in Tokyo, Champion's Blend, Japanese Perfection

Shanghai has many "Japanese-style" bars, but when it comes to authenticity, none can surpass SUZU. SUZU hails from Ginza in Tokyo (a renowned hub for Japanese bars), where it consistently ranks among the top three on TABELOG in Japan. Master bartender Suzuki-san has been training under the "Martini God" Mori Takao since 2002 and has won numerous awards both in Japan and internationally.

A Japanese-style cocktail can be a pursuit of perfect balance or a creative custom creation. From the glassware to the temperature of the liquor, even the cut of the ice, the stirring motion, and the technique of twisting orange peels—every detail, already meticulous in Japanese-style mixology, is taken to the extreme at SUZU. Fresh fruit cocktails made daily are also a hallmark of Japanese-style mixology, yet they are rarely seen domestically. For those who appreciate Japanese-style cocktails, one drink here is never enough.

The ambiance of the shop is also Japanese-style "understated elegance", with most seats arranged along the bar, making it perfect for someone who wants to "seriously" enjoy a drink alone. Of course, there are also private sofa booths, making it a great spot for both business meetings and dates. A small highlight is that SUZU frequently updates the designs of their coasters, showcasing a meticulous attention to detail.

Japanese-style cocktails featuring fresh fruits of the day:
Whether in Tokyo's Ginza or Sapporo's Susukino, a distinctive feature of Japanese-style bartending is that most bars offer a list of recommended fruits for the day. Bartenders can craft cocktails based on these fruits, which are typically low in alcohol content.
This approach demands high standards for the freshness and aroma of the fruits, making it costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, yet not always well-received. As a result, many bars in China that claim to specialize in "Japanese-style cocktails" do not offer fresh fruit cocktails.

Address: No. 301 Huashan Road MORE Huashan 1st Floor

Average Cost per Person: 214 CNY

Sober Company

Highlight: Ranked 12th in Asia's TOP 50, Pass Design

Ranked 12th in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2020 and 45th in The World's 50 Best Bars 2019. Famous for its check-in- design! Only after spending at the first-floor Café second-floor Kitchen and third-floor Society can you enter the hidden space Tipsy and taste the exclusive cocktails by the mysterious mixologist.

Address: 109 Yandang Road

Average Cost: 198 CNY

LAB whisky & cocktail

Highlights: An extensive collection of limited edition, special edition, and IB (Independent Bottling) whiskies, equally impressive cocktails, and an engaging social space

As soon as you step inside, you might be awestruck by the floor-to-ceiling liquor cabinet behind the bar. Opening the drink menu, you’ll find over 10 pages dedicated solely to Scotch whiskies. Beyond the common whiskies, the selection of limited editions, special releases, and IB (independent bottlings) is enough to make any whisky enthusiast’s eyes light up—and leave them struggling with the sheer number of choices.

For those who are indifferent to whisky, the extensive cocktail menu and the bartenders' impressive skills can also bring joy.

The main concept of LAB is to use space to express the joy of drinking: people wine and the stories between them. The industrial- decor combined with the warm light from the fireplace and the gallery cabinets creates a deep yet gentle and magical combination that is very relaxing. Many stories unfold in such an atmosphere.

Address: 1093 Wuding Road

Average Cost: 188 CNY per person

Bar Renaissance

Highlights: Sinan Mansions exude a literary and retro charm, with a meticulously crafted drink menu and snacks that are anything but dull.

Without a grand porch or a conspicuous sign, pushing open the wooden door reveals a spacious interior, exuding a retro sense of sophistication. It's quite popular, but the seating is well-spaced, ensuring it never feels noisy.

The drink menu is quite extensive and thoughtfully curated, with names that evoke a sense of romantic imagination. The signature drinks, "Outlaw" and "Dragon Tamer," offer a perfect balance of strong and mild flavors. Of course, you can also explore other intriguing combinations on the menu or simply ask the bartender to craft something tailored to your taste. What’s particularly noteworthy is that the snacks here are also highly praised, so you can enjoy a satisfying bite without needing to change venues when hunger strikes.

Additional Easter Egg: The coasters here resemble theater tickets. If you like them feel free to write down the date and take one as a keepsake.

Address: 150 Nanchang Rd

Average Cost: 153 CNY per person

Beer Auntie

Highlights: Legendary Auntie, similar to Beijing's Heaven Supermarket, offers over 3,000 types of beer to choose from.

Three walls of beer totaling over 3000 varieties make it a tough choice for those with decision paralysis; a 400-square-meter beer convenience store including the courtyard can seat over 300 people inside and out. The lively and down-to-earth atmosphere ensures a good time even for those who don’t know much about beer. Pushing open this door feels like tomorrow is a day off.

Address: 1247 South Suzhou Road

Average cost per person: 119 CNY

Livehouse| Music is always the best companion for the night and a glass of wine.

Morden Sky Lab

Highlights: Integrated space featuring a livehouse, cultural and creative store, coffee shop, and craft beer bar

Rather than calling it a livehouse it’s more of an art space gathering all the life elements adored by "artsy youth." With professional acoustic design high-quality lighting setups top-tier domestic and international lineups and trendy themed parties this place is always brimming with passion. Here you can purchase signed band records original merchandise and even have a chance to bump into your idols in person. Whether you’re drinking alcohol or coffee there are professionals ready to cater to your needs.

Address: Units 309-310 Moon Bay Ruihong Tiandi Ruihong Road

Average cost per person: 200 CNY

Yuyintang

Highlights: A veteran livehouse, the nostalgia of that era still lingers.

In the song "After Party" by New Pants there is a lyric that goes: "I walked from Gulou to MAO but still couldn't find him." Yuyintang to Shanghai's livehouse scene is what Gulou MAO was to Beijing in that era. This small long-standing venue has persevered for nearly 20 years and ticket prices haven't increased in a long time. For bands and fans alike Yuyintang is always warm reliable and inclusive—true to its name. It serves as the starting point for many original bands and has witnessed the growth of generations of local musicians.

Address: No.1398 B1-02 Yuyuan Rd

Average cost per person: 140 CNY

JZ club

Highlights: A landmark of jazz in Shanghai, a veteran jazz bar with nearly 20 years of history

A 13-year-old establishment that originally opened on Fuxing West Road moved to Julu Road Datong Fang in 2016. The new venue is larger accommodating around 300 people with all seats in the audience area facing the stage directly. The extensive selection of wines and whiskies pairs perfectly with the non-stop JAZZ performances seven days a week. While cocktails are also available they are not highly recommended. As a local jazz landmark in Shanghai this is a must-visit for JAZZ enthusiasts.

Address: No.8 Hengshan Rd

Average cost per person: 180 CNY