Shanghai's bar scene is the deepest in mainland China and competes with Hong Kong. Speak Low has been a global top-10 fixture; Sober Company won World's Best Bar in 2018. The 10 below cover the French Concession and Xintiandi — Shanghai's two serious-drinking quadrants. Most cocktail bars are reservation-only.
Part of our 50 Best Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
Read the world list
The 10 best bars in Shanghai
01 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$$
Three-floor speakeasy
Three different drinking rooms, each more hidden than the last. You climb up through stairs that get progressively narrower.
Order: A spec made with their house-aged spirit
02 · Shanghai
Xintiandi
$$$
Three concept rooms · Asia 50
Three drinking rooms in one building, each a different concept. World's Best Bar 2018. Asia 50 fixture.
Order: The signature spec from whichever floor you choose
03 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$$
Speakeasy · Reservations
Through an unmarked entrance in the French Concession. Reservations only. Classics-led, quiet by Shanghai standards.
Order: A Negroni made with their reserve Italian amaro
04 · Shanghai
Xintiandi
$$$
Rooftop · Skyline
Rooftop bar with sweeping view of the Pudong skyline. Polished cocktail program, prime sunset hour for the view.
Order: A signature with the Pudong skyline
05 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$
Cocktail bar · Modern
French Concession modern cocktail bar. Knowledgeable bartenders, casual atmosphere, technically excellent drinks.
Order: Bartender's choice
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
06 · Shanghai
Xintiandi
$$
Surrealist · Modern
Surrealist-themed Xintiandi cocktail bar. Theatrical drinks served in unusual vessels, technically rigorous despite the gimmick.
Order: Whatever's most theatrical on the menu
07 · Shanghai
French Concession
$
Late-night · Casual
French Concession late-night cocktail bar. Casual, friendly, cheap by Shanghai standards. Open late.
Order: A whisky highball at 1 AM
08 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$
Spanish-influenced · Counter
Spanish-influenced cocktail bar. Vermouth-led drinks, sherry program, Mediterranean small plates.
Order: A copa of fino + a vermouth flight
09 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$
Speakeasy · Through a sandwich shop
Through an unmarked door at the back of a sandwich shop. The original Shanghai speakeasy template.
Order: A perfect Manhattan
10 · Shanghai
French Concession
$$
Modern · French Concession
Modern French Concession cocktail bar with a serious food program. The drink-and-dine option for serious eaters.
Order: A drink built around baijiu (Chinese white spirit)
More Shanghai bars by categoryCocktail, rooftop, hidden gem — the full Shanghai index.
See the full list
Why Shanghai cocktailing now
Shanghai's combination of unprecedented investment, Tokyo-style training and Chinese-spirit experimentation (baijiu, huangjiu) has produced rooms that compete globally. Speak Low and Sober Company are essential. The Odd Couple is the alternative — quieter, more intimate. Most cocktail bars peak between 9 and 11 PM; some run until 3 AM in the Concession.
