Top Night Clubs in Shanghai

Paulaner Brauhaus

This large bar is popular with the upwardly mobile expatriate and local set, and is generally busy all the time. Many people come here for Paulaner's excellent live band, not to mention the authentic German sauerkraut and sausage. Oktoberfest picnic tables on the main floor provide an authentic, if sturdy, feel. (The booths upstairs are more comfortable). Fruhschoppen brunch is great value, served every Sunday. The beers made on location and stored in copper tanks are worth a try, as well as the canned Weissbier.

Cotton Club

Cotton Club has the distinction of being the first and the most popular live blues and jazz bar in Shanghai. Buzzing with people, especially on weekends, the raucous bar sees a mix of locals and expatriates. Seats at the T-shaped, dark bar fill up quickly so come early for a prime position. Asian snacks, sandwiches, ice cream and fruit platters are available.

789 Nanjing Road

789 Nanjing Lu is a semi private bar located at the top three levels of Le Royal Méridien Shanghai. This allows for amazing views of the city and uninterrupted views of the Bund and the Huang Po River, 360 degrees around the city. 789 is not a loud dance club but rather a meeting point where good conversation and great music go hand in hand. Enjoy a drink or maybe a dance.

Peace Hotel Jazz Bar

The historically famous Peace Hotel hosts this equally famous live music bar. One of the jazz bands was the original band that performed here in the 1930s. Persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, the group disbanded, but recently the members regrouped. The bar has been renovated many times since a bomb damaged the hotel's ground floor in 1937, but the vintage flair is maintained with art deco lighting and windows.

Shanghai Shen Da Entertainment Center

Spread over an area covering 24,200 square metres (yes, you read right!), this entertainment center has something for everyone. From arcade games to bars, and a chess room to a fitness area, it has everything! Pay a visit to the spring bath, or guzzle a few lagers in the beer room. You can never run out of things to do at Shen Da!

Rojam Disco

No expense was spared in creating Rojam, and it has paid off by becoming one of Shanghai's club scene leaders. It often gets crowded early on. There are two dance clubs, 11 KTV (karaoke) rooms, a restaurant, lounge, and VIP room. The music is industrial house and techno, and the décor reflects this with its use of brushed steel and exposed ducts. The friendly staff and the crowd warm up the industrial feel. Drink prices and clientele are high-end.

BabyFace

Known as the Chinese party goers hub, if you want to see how clubbing is done traditionally then BabyFace is the way to go. Oozing with locals and of all variations this is where you will feel the youth of China letting go of themselves having a nice night out. So as they say "When in Rome do as the Romans" thus "When in China party like the Chinese" and for that BabyFace is the only way to go. Call or check their website for further details.

M2

Wanna hear world-class DJs spin their stuff as you dance the night away high on the intoxicating spirits and ambiance? Then visit the M2 at the Plaza 66. The clubbing joint of the 'it' crowd, this place doesn't come cheap, but the impeccable service, the groovy music and international music will make it worth the tall fare. The club is designed with the intention of making the visitors feel comfortable so that they can just relax and enjoy the night outing. Regular visiting DJs, both international as well as local, make the joint a 'must visit'. Please see the website for further information.

House of Blues and Jazz

A prominent name on Shanghai's growing and prospering jazz scene, the House of Blues and Jazz is a great place to be if you like to spend your evenings listening to mellow music in a brilliantly soft environment.  This spot is located inside a house, thus making it a very homely and warm experience. The smiling pictures of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and other legends look down on the scene that is bustling every night with some live 'jazzicians' sharing their tunes with an ever-eager audience. The wooden, dim interiors definitely help set the mood for a blues evening, which you can either share with fellow enthusiasts while drinking the house spirits, or sit by yourself and take in the atmosphere of this lovely jazz and blues joint.

Yuyintang

Yuyintang is one of the most happening places in Shanghai where all your live music cravings comes to a halt. They have local, International, acclaimed, amateurs everyone and anyone under the sun but priority is given to rock music. So are you in the mood for some beer and a few riffs and bangs or a cross over to Dj music which will include house, trance or drum and bass? Well you know where to head to now. Check their website for further details and go have yourself a night you'll never forget.