For every alcohol lover/life enjoyer, there is always an exclusive selected bars list. Some of those bars may remain unknown to tourists, rarely mentioned by travel guidebooks, some located in hidden alleyways… There are hundreds of reasons why they are unique.
Here we have summarized a list of most popular hidden bars in Shanghai. Explore them before they get packed!
Tips: Fancy speakeasy (hidden bars) in Shanghai are usually kinda pricey, e.g., the price of one cocktail may start from ¥90.
Speak Low
Ranked No.35 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2019, Speak Low is one of the most popular speakeasies in Shanghai. It is hidden behind a secret door in a bartending equipment shop. The bar has four floors, and each story has its theme. Speak Low offers classical drinks and creative cocktails made with local Chinese drinks Wang Lao Ji Tea and Thai milk tea. Also, order a Sexy Colada, and you will get a little surprise 🌂
Location: No. 579 Middle Fuxing Road
Business Hour: Daily, 7 pm-2 am. Better to make reservations beforehand
Phone: +86 64160133
Suit Club
Inspired by the film <King’s Man>, Suit Club is disguised as a high-end tailor shop, where you can find nothing but suits, shoes, hats, and fabrics. The newcomer might be wondering where the entrance is. The picture below is the trick to open the door, but you need to figure it out by yourself 😜
P.s. this bar is just a 10-minute walk away from the above-mentioned bar Speak Low. Perfect location to go for a second round!
Location: No. 50 Second Ruijin Road
Business Hour: Daily, 6 pm-2 am
Phone: +86 13818981314
Barber Shop
The bar gets its name by hiding behind a real barbershop – A real barbershop where you might encounter people having their hair cut right there. If you are interested, there are combs and hair wax for sale as well. Then you need to go through a “lucky draw” to open its secret door: pick and press the RIGHT bottle pump.
The bar is decorated in a 1930 retro style with a large backyard. The signature cocktails here are quite fruity, which makes it a perfect choice for a girl’s night or a date.
Location: No.615 Yongjia Road
Business Hour: Mon-Fri, 6.30 pm-2am Sat-Sun, 6.30pm-1.30am
Phone: +86 18801777008
Laundry Co.
Steel coin-laundromats, blue neon lighting, and clinical doors are the main three elements you will see at the first sight of Laundry Co. Contrast to the futuristic outside look, the inside bar is in a cozy vintage ambiance.
They have delicious shrimp taco as an appetizer, although total options are quite limited. They also offer a large variety of whiskeys. You can get good recommendations from the friendly bartender there.
Location: No. 93-5 North Xiangyang Road
Business Hour: Mon-Fri, 6:30 pm-1:3 0am Sat&Sun, 6:30pm-2 am
Phone: +86 13681898798
The Tailor Bar
This low-key bar is located next to a Chinese medicine store with a very secret elevator entrance. When you get in, you will find blue, gold, and black as its primary decoration colors. The bar is owned by David Hong and Eddy Yang, both of whom have over ten years of bartending experience. There is no cocktail menu, as all drinks are “tailored” to the customers’ tastes. Due to its location on the 4th floor, it offers a fantastic night view of the nearby Jing’an Temple.
Location: 4/F, No. 2 Huashan Road
Business Hour: Daily, 5 pm-2 am
Phone: +86 183 0197 7360
The Pearl
Pearl is a theater bar where you can enjoy great drinks and live performances. Actually, this is not a typical hidden bar, what makes it unique is the architecture: a historical India-style temple built by the Japanese in the 1930s, called Nishi Honganji. The interior decoration style may immerse you in the golden colonial period of Shanghai from 100 years ago. Everyone who comes will be amazed by this extraordinary fusion of Shanghai’s old and new!
Location: No. 471 Zhapu Road
Business Hour: Tue-Sun, 6 pm -late
Phone: +86 137 6488 9962