Shanghai Clubs Bars

cloud 9

a must for every visitor to shanghai is cloud 9, located on the 87th floor. from here, the highest point of grand hyatt hotel in jin mao tower, the city can be observed in 360 degrees in a romantic yet dramatic setting. perched on the 87th floor of the grand hyatt, cloud 9 is the highest bar in the world, which has been recorded in the list of guinness. it has unparalleled views of shanghai from among -- and often above -- the clouds. westerners tend to take their tall drinks up to the sky lounge one floor up where you can sit on the deck and gaze out on the curve of the earth. the sky-high views come with sky-high prices; there's a spending minimum of y95 per person. if you're lucky, maybe the chinese fortuneteller who makes nightly rounds of the candlelit tables will tell you that wealth is in your future.
various kinds of excellent drinks are available in cloud 9, among which there is a unique one named cloud 9 composition. cloud 9 composition is a world-class wine blend that breaks through old paradigms and charts a new course in wine blending tradition. bright fruit with hints of chocolate covered cherries, spice and dried fruits. costing rmb 87 yuan, it's well worth it. apart from wines, customers can enjoy tasty and excellent snacks such as shrimp spring rolls and grilled beef within rmb 100 yuan. if you are willing to spend rmb 140 yuan, you can taste an exceptional kind of ice cream with a beautiful name: sweat crystal with merry orange and pickled cherry.
one anomaly: cloud 9 is not easy to find - some obscure interior design law of the hotel means that they don't mark out how to get there. use the lift and let the discreet waiters at the top show you the rest of the way.
address: grand hyatt hotel shanghai jin mao tower - 88 century boulevard shanghai, 200121
tel: 021-50471234
opening hours: different hours each day (but mostly from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.)

california club

the fuxing park nightspot is reportedly the current king of shanghai's nightlife. maybe because it shares a complex with two popular restaurants (tokyo joe and baci) in a fuxing park complex known as park97, california club is a major hit with the city's trendiest young partiers. the atmosphere here is stylish, and the bar is decorated with an overabundance of reds. the bar is located in the center of the room, with several couches and small nooks that line the walls around it. because this is the place to be seen, the trendy set tends to flock here in droves to dance to the beats of techno and hip-hop. the club is the work of a promoter with plenty of experience packing a club by the same name in hong kong's lan kwai fong district known for good wine and martinis.

red bar stools, red couches, red cushions, red lights and those outstanding elites--all of which have made california club profoundly mysterious and extremely romantic. if you are lucky enough, you can share with the stories tellers who are willing to tell their most moving love memories. or, if you are there early enough, leaning on the soft and comfortable couch, tasting a glass of romantic cocktail, chatting gently with your dear friends or just peacefully listening to the melancholic voice from louis armstrong alone--would all be luxurious and precious enjoyments.
usually, when it comes to some 11 p.m., more and more customers will crowd to come, among which more than 70% come from different countries. the elegant environment, comfortable atmosphere and the rocking music are sure the main attractions.
address: 2a gao lan lu, fuxing park
tel: 021-63180785
opening hours: until 2 a.m. sunday through wednesday; until 4 a.m. thursdays through saturdays
tips: resident dj hiro spins sun-tue 9pm-2am. dj daiya spins latest imported house and tunes wed, fri & sat. late night grooving on weekends. regular guest dj chris lee makes an appearance on thurs.

george v

george v, one of the best-known bars in shanghai, is still popular with expats and local residents. situated in the former french concession area, this three-story bar has slowly built up a reputation as the best place in town to hear live blues and jazz. bands play here every night of the week. happy hour is from 7:30pm to 8:30pm, monday to thursday. crowds overflow at weekends, but it's also a good place for a quiet drink mid-week. the bar is said to be a reproduction of an original colonial villa. the interior is decorated to resemble an english pub with dark woods and dim lighting. if you're looking for a quiet place to chat, head to one of the upstairs galleries.
address: 1 urumqi south road
tel: 021-64667878
opening hours: 9am-2am mon-fri; 5:30pm-2am sat-sun
 

judy's too

"since 1997 judy's too is the original party bar on mao ming lu. traditionally untraditional and always packed with a cross section of shanghai knowing how to have fun." being shanghai's longest-running hugely successful nightspot, judy's always pulls in a crowd of people looking to dance the night away and make new "friends." behind the famed red french doors, judy's sports a mural of old shanghai with ladies and gents enjoying pints. street lamps exude a soft light that goes with the beer goggles on many of the patrons as the throbbing red air-conditioners fight off the heat from writhing crowds. a newly installed jail cell lines the wall on the road to the restroom. the dance floor is too small for all the friction going on but has great in-laid stonework, a lass with a fedora on her head. the winding staircase will take you up to a respectable restaurant with a completely new menu that promises to be one of the best in shanghai.

judy's too has been one of the favorites amongst the expat crowd for years and like a fine wine, judy's too seems to get better with age. great music played almost every night and the djs have the ability to vary the music according to the patronage - so no patterns and repetitive music here. it has a variety of themes during the week, from remix night on a wednesday, local dj on a thursday, 90's night on a sunday and lots of guest dj's making appearances at weekends. judy's too is the party place where no matter how many times you go, you never see the same thing twice!
address: 142-146 Tongren Lu, Nanjing Xi Lu near Nanjing Xi Lu, Metro Line 2 Jing'an Temple Station
tel: 021-64731417
opening hours: 6p.m.- 2 a.m. mon-wed, as well as sunday; 6p.m.- 4 a.m. thu -sat