china :: shanghai :: general

[aan den rijn]

I'll be in Shanghai periodically for the next 2 months and staying with a friend who lives close to the Bund. What sort of clubs and bars are popular in the area, preferably without being too ludicriously expensive? I don't want to stray too far from where I'm staying. Thanks.

[lv d0n]

go to this place called window(s). its seriously cheap and had good music when i went. It's small though =\.

[xcoldricex]

hahahahaha oh god windows.

[aan den rijn]

Can I get an address? Google shows a few bars with Windows in their name. Also I feel like there would be some hilarity happening there, but whatever, it's Shanghai.

[azn8oi]

wanna do a meetup with me and winq?

I'll be in shanghai between aug 20-31. hopefully youre an expert by then.

[aan den rijn]

I'm actually flying back to Los Angeles then Boston on August 23rd from Shanghai, and I live in Suzhou, not Shanghai per-se. But if time allows I'd be down.

[aan den rijn]

Post trip report: Ended up spending way too much at Bar Rouge and ended up at dkd where they were handing out free hair gel for some reason. Not cheap, but pretty fun nonetheless.

[fade to black2]

Bar rouge, that's at number 18 right? Last summer me and my dad went there...the staff tried to muscle us saying we couldn't sit on outside reclining chairs if we didn't spend $1800 or something like that, my dad told 'em to fuck off because we knew the manager and went there all the time (it was our first time), and they didnt say shit...then i convinced some local gold digger who was workin the bar to come sit with us because we were blowing big cash. After a couple hours of groping and making out i left her disappointed, she expected me to pay 2K for sex and all she got out of it was one heineken beer...ahaha good times i gotta go back to shanghai.

edit: that little story makes it sound like my dad isn't very morally upstanding. Not the case at all...i was the only one partaking in any hedonism. Heh thankfully my dad is a faithful husband, to be honest i dont know how i'd handle seeing him all up on some other woman either.

[TwentySomthing]

Hey all, I'll be in Shanghai for in a few weeks for over a month and I was wondering if there were any recommended spots I should try and make it too. I'm looking for a bit of everything in the way of recommendations. Shopping, restaurants, clubbing, and any other sites I should try and get too? Thanks in advance.

[danskee]

Check out a bar called Cloud 9. It's in the Jin Mao tower. I believe it's the world's tallest hotel or something like that. the view is pretty sweet.

here..i found a link for you..

http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/shanghai/piano-bar-patio-bar-cloud-9-shanghai.htm

[aan den rijn]

I had a great time at 18 on the Bund's Bar Rouge. There's a Zegna there as well. Also 3 on the Bund's pretty posh and all that, if you're into that kind of thing.

[aan den rijn]

Yeah there are spending limits there but it's in RMB so you only have to spend like $120 - $200 to not have them bother you at all, and just chat with the bar staff and they won't give a shit. Annoying gold-digging Chinese girls do suck very much though. Some lady was trying for me to get her a drink and left a poem that started with "The Whore of the Orient".

[TwentySomthing]

Thanks for the help fellas. Also, I was curious how the prices for shopping there compared to the U.S. For instance if I bought a pair of jeans or a sportcoat there is it significantly cheaper than if I bought a comparable one in the states? I assume it is but by a good amount or no?

[homme.homme]

Depends what brands etc you are after... there isnt really much of a saving to be had on designer/luxury stuff (not that i noticed) if that is what is what you want. You should try and squeeze in a shopping weekend in HK while you are there.

[styleofmind]

Thinking of visiting Shanghai at the end of the year for a holiday [roughly a week to 2]. Does anyone have any information on it, etc? Also, information on the shopping there would be very useful.

If anyone has recommendations about other places as well, it would be good. I mean... the trip isn't confirmed or anything so I wouldn't mind alternatives neither.

Thanks

[Tisswat]

I actually opened this thread hoping to find a long and extensive 'Traveller's Guide to Shanghai', including all the low/highlights of your trip, amazing restaurants, cool bars, hidden museums and art galleries, supershopping spots and awesome clubs.

Imagine how disappointed I am to find out that you want me to write one for you.

[styleofmind]

So far, all I've heard about is that food is going to cost me roughly the equivalent of 30USD for the whole week. Unless I eat at upmarket places.

And the two best clubs in Shanghai are Guandi and Babyface.

Apparently shopping spots are rather scattered and it's not in one central location. However, places to look out for are Plaza 66, Heng Long Guang Chang [i'm not sure of the English translation to this], Nan Jin Xi Road.

Disappointment alleviated?

More on the way, but I was hoping if anyone has been there, they could add to it as well.

[fallen angels]

you're gonna have a blast, Shanghai is one of my favorite cities in the world, but that place changes so fast. place is blowing up.

first thing you do when you get there is pickup some free magazines from any of the 100s of restaurants that cater to westerners. look for magazines like "Thats! Shanghai", or "City Weekends".. theyre all in english and tell you everything thats going on and places to go eat, see, and try.

places to eat:

there are so many good places to eat. if you eat like a local, you wont need to spend much money at all (but santitation is questionable, ur gona get the runs), but i would still recommend trying some of the nicer restaurants because theyre damn good and relatively inexpensive. here are my fav's:

Restaurant 1931 - nice and small restaurant, great food, cool 1930's theme (shanghai's golden era). 112 Maoming Road (mao ming lu).

Eat Drink Man Woman - really great food, kinda reminds me of taiwan style. on the corner of Tongren Road and Nanjing West Road.

Ding Tai Feng - located at Xin Tian Di.

Zen - also located at Xin Tian Di.

Ballegio - taiwanese style small entrees, drinks, desserts, etc. cool place to chill.

Barbarossa - cool restaurant located in the middle of the park new People's Square, surrounded by pond, next to some really nice scenery. if you eat there, ask for a seat on the patio.

Art Salon - small restaurant, decked out in cool furniture and decoration and artwork. everything in the restaurant is for sale. including the cool chairs you sit on.

for breakfast, i forgot the name, but theres this place that looks like KFC, with a red logo with white letters and an old chinaman that looks like Colonel Sanders... anyway that place serves good breakfast, like doujiang, youtiao, danbing, etc...

when you get tired of all the asian food, hit up Malone's or Rendezvous for some good old american style hamburger, fries, and a coke. pick up some free magazines there with things to do, written in english.

check out Element Fresh if you ever pass by one, great smoothies, and u can find some of those free magazines i mentioned there too.

shanghai's japanese restaurants are awesome, because you pay about $15-$20US, and you can eat and drink as much alcohol as you want. this is the policy at practically every japanese restaurant i went to there.

ah i cant think of any more, like i said the city changes so fast i am sure there are new ones that as just as good or better.

[fallen angels]

shanghai is decent for shopping, since the city is so influenced by western culture, you'll find a lot of familiar brands there.

best shopping would be on Nanjing Road. this a really long street, and divided into two sections, East road and West road.

-Nanjing West road has a lot of the high end shopping malls, with all the brands you can think of.. dior homme, gucci, LV, marc jacobs, etc etc etc... Plaza 66 is your best bet, its a mall with tons of nice stores. walk around Nanjing road around those blocks for plenty of other malls worth checking out too. you gotta explore when you're inside those malls though, i remember finding some really hidden stores with cool stuff.

-Nanjing east road is a pedestrian only area, a bunch of stores there, including Uniqlo, a bunch of local brands,and a few malls you can check out. Raffles City mall (lai fu shi) is not bad, has a few cool stores and another Uniqlo, good plcaes to eat.. its located by nanjing east road, kinda facing People Square. You have to back to Nanjing East Road at night when all the neon lights are on, it gets pretty crackin and its just fun to walk around and people watch...

Ruijin Road has a lot of street fashioned/streetwear styled stores. check out the blocks near Huahai Road. you gotta hunt for them though, so only go if you have a few hours to spend exploring.

also walk up and down HuaiHai road, lots of shops/malls.

then theres the blackmarket shopping, there used to be a huge blackmarket where everything was but the city cracked down on that shit and everythings spread out now. its fun to check out and bargain with the sellers, but not really worth buying anything there... u should still check it out though, its part of the "shanghai experience".

[fallen angels]

Guandii is probably the most popular place for asians in their 20's, definately all of my friends' favorite club in SH. on weekends they play american club music and sometimes some good hiphop, good crowd, good drinks (whiskey + green tea, thats all you need to know). never went to Babyface but i also heard that place is ok. nearby Guandii is Cashbox, the famous kareoke place, really nice inside, kinda expensive, but fun if you want to get fucked up and sing with your friends. Park 97 is also near Guandii, a nicer environment, two floors, not as clubby. there used to be way too many pro hoes that hang out there though, you'll recognize them as the girls who just come up to u and ask you to buy them a drink.

House of Jazz and Blues - my fav jazz bar, this place is great if you want to chill, listen to some good live music, drink wine, and puff on a cuban. its on maoming road, where theres plenty of other bars within the same block. get there early for good table/seats

The Bund - you HAVE to check out the Bund on the Puxi side at night. this is the area by the river that divides the city. on the east bank, you see all the european/western architecture, and on the west bank you see the asian/futuristic buildings/architecture. the lighting at night is fucking amazing, one of the most amazing sights in the world. bring your camera. go to Bar Rouge at Bund 18 for some drinks and the best view of Pudong. get there early though , place fills up fast. there are also several other nice bars/lounges on the Bund on the Puxi side.

Xin Tian Di - this is an area, kinda like a outdoor mall, but most of the places are for eats and drinks. gets real pretty and lively at night, lots of people, most of them foreigners or people with $$ to spend. theres another jazz bar at the end near the theatre, i think its called Cigar & Jazz.

museums - shanghai has tons of museums/exhibitions, so look some up on the internet to see what interests you... theres shanghai history, shanghai art, wax museums, modern art, etc. if you're into history/literature, you can chcek out Lu Xun's old home, its open to the public.

plays/performances - theres always shows going on at the performing arts center near People's Square.

after a long day of walking and shopping, one of the best things is getting a massage (the clean kind!!) the great thing is they are hella cheap, whether its a foot massage or full body or aroma therapy, whatever. i used to get 90 minute foot/leg massages for $5-10

[cchen]

Plaza 66 = Heng Long Guang Chang

Don't forget to have someone take you to a KTV

If you want a really tasty and cheap toro dinner, try "Tian Jia."

There's some mis-information in the posts above. Definitely do try Din Tai Fung, but its by no means a Cantonese dim sum restaurant. They serve Shanghainese food, and probably the best xiao long bao on the planet. There are several locations in Shanghai.

[xcoldricex]

shanghai is overrated. it's not a bad city, but it's not as cool as people make it out to be.

din tai feng isn't shanghainese- it's taiwanese. but they do have good xiao long bao. do not waste your time by going to the famous xiao long bao restaurant, nanxiang xiaolong bao - din tai feng's are better.

eat shengjian - there's an excellent place with two stores on the food street off of nanjing lu. there will probably be a long line at both stores- can't miss it.

go to hangzhou or at least eat at a hangzhou restaurant while you're in shanghai. their food is a lot better. eat dongpo rou.

as mentioned before, japanese all you can eat joints are a good value if you want to stuff your face and get trashed before going out.

guandii is wack. unless they have significantly changed in the past year or so, which i highly doubt. babyface is mostly chinese people - with foreigners that want to get with chinese girls - it's a chain club with locations all over china, ehn. park 97 is for the older, richer crowd - not my thing either.

http://www.smartshanghai.com/

skip nanjing road for shopping. unless you want to spend a lot of money on marked up designer clothes. save your money and fly to hong kong or japan instead.

ruijin yi lu, maoming lu area, huaihai lu area is much better - some local flavor, some imported japanese clothing, some knock offs, some factory seconds, some streetwear, a little bit of everything. the sycamore lined streets are a nice touch too.

[cchen]

ding tai fung is a taiwanese restaurant that serves shanghainese food.

[fallen angels]

oops i mixed up Zen with Ding Tai Feng..

yeah DTF is taiwanese owned but they are also famous for their xiaolong baos, which is shanghainese

i agree about shengjians, those are bomb, i think i know the place you're talking about, theres a yellow logo and always a line.

i personally dont like the clubs either (not my scene), but my friends do and they all like Guandii, but i think its just because they always go with fun ppl and have a good time, not necessarily because of the venue. but guandii did change in the last few years... 2 years ago when it was more wack, they only played trance in the main area and hiphop only in the small room.. now i thnk its all hiphop and sometimes theres freestyle/dj battles. mandarin freestyle is hilarious.

[subarashii_kudamono]

go to beijing instead. its way better for everything.

shanghai is a sterile and corporate metropolis mixed into this convoluted chinese hodge podge. children will attack you with these ubiquitous flyers from all directions while you walk down the street non-stop.

however there are some japanese department stores and a uniqlo. and a handful of flagship designer stores.

i suggest at least try to catch a cheap flight from shanghai to beijing while you're there. its more cultural, the party scene is more fun and people have way better taste.

[xcoldricex]

i agree. beijing >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> shanghai.

better clubs, better food, more character, more chinese, more culture...

better dialect®!

[subarashii_kudamono]

way better food indeed. i went to this 5 star hotel near 6 ring road and had the most orgazmic all you can eat sushi and all you can drink sake and teppanyaki for 50 usd.

and that was by far the most expensive meal i had there.

[subarashii_kudamono]

hahaha actually ....yes. what do you wanna know? it's the the only port city in china other than shanghai, and was involved in both opium wars, but is somehow after all the slaughters its nowhere near as affluent or post-colonial as shanghai.

still its a pretty big city, there are a few nice european art deco buildings. the food is alright. shopping generally sucks monkey balls but its dirt cheap. lots of vendors, lots of neo communist motifs. also alot of reconstruction. overall, i guess it's what many would consider a more 'authentic' china experience.

[subarashii_kudamono]

i'd say do it man.

1) the food is actually really good. if tianjin is known for anything it's the food. the dumplings are called ... gobuli. they've got alot of good stuff you won't find anywhere else. including these breakfast pocket things they sell on the street. its super cheap to eat well. (when i went, i was still vegetarian, and that posed ALOT of problems)

2)there is a bar district, some underground dance places and some huge clubs geared towards business types and foreigners. there are alot of ex-pats and french business ppl there. don't expect anything high-concept like they have in beijing but at least bottle service is dirt cheap.

3) look out for a department store called itoken. its japanese. they also have isetan which is ok. otherwise, the street shit can be ok, as some of it is overstock made for japanese labels.

4) girls are either ugly, or hot but they don't know it. most dress pretty lame. either fake dior steez or pseudo harajuku circa 1995. or just straight up nerdy.

5) most people use dodgy internet cafes but more and more are getting comps at home

bonus: if anything, its like an hour train ride to beijing.

so for two months, you'd be entertained but not frustrated and theres plenty to do and eat. and worst comes to worst, daytrip it to beijing!

when are you going? i'm between tianjin shanghai and beijing dec to jan.

[edmond]

id rather go to hongkong... around that time the streets in shanghai will be full of spits