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Jin Du Billiards Club
Walk up the stairs past the poster of Stephen Hendry in his permed pomp and grab a game against the lads dreaming of becoming the next Ding Junhui, the young Chinese snooker player many believe will be world champion one day. This place never closes and the tables, from around Y14 to around Y35 , are in good condition. They serve beer, too.
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Judy's Too Tongren
All sorts end up here, especially after midnight when it really gets going. It's a great place for people-watching, as well as for getting utterly hammered and dancing like a fool. Guys, bear in mind it's not your undoubted charisma and good looks that are attracting the attention of the many ladies who gather here. Until , there's a two-for-one drink deal.
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JZ Club
The atmosphere at JZ Club in the French Concession is a little too reverent and drinks are overpriced, but at least the music is the real thing. It's mostly contemporary jazz and fusion.
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Kun Opera House
Shanghai's Kun opera troupe is based in this old-time theatre. They are sometimes on tour abroad, but when they're in town there are usually weekly performances on Saturday afternoon at . Call to confirm.
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Lin Bar And Grill
Formerly known as Number Five, the only view from this easy-going Bund basement bar is of people's shoes on the pavement outside. But it makes up for that with a buy one, get one free drink policy stretching from to . Then there's the free pool, darts, big leather armchairs, live music on the weekends and a good selection of Asian and western pub food. It's a nice place to kickback.
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Logo
On the far southwestern edge of the Concession, Xingfu Lu is developing its own nightlife scene for the alternative/student crowd. Logo is basic, cramped and smoky, but the drinks are cheap and the Friday night reggae session is jammed with the sort of people who like to roll their own cigarettes.
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Long Bar
Taking its name from the bar at the old British Club, this place is rather less sophisticated but still popular with the after-work crowd, who are drawn in by the easy-going atmosphere, sports TV and occasional model contests, in which young women parade around the bar in bikinis. Happy hour is from - on weekdays and - on weekends.
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Lyceum Theatre
Completed in 1930, this Art Deco theatre is one of the oldest in Shanghai and once housed the British-run Shanghai Amateur Dramatic Society. Now all manner of acts are staged here, including children's performances, Chinese opera and classical ballet and music. The box office is up the street on Maoming Rd.
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Manifesto
Upstairs from Mesa restaurant is this swish, sophisticated bar. The cocktails are strong, if pricy, but it's the large outside terrace, one of Shanghai's best, that make this place. Happy hour is from to .
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Mint
Mint occupies the 2nd floor of Woo Villa, known as the Green House, designed by Ladislaus Hudec in 1938 and previously owned by the family of architect IM Pei. It's a stylish, intimate place that attracts both Western and local hipsters. On Thursdays there's a popular salsa night, while Friday is R&B. The rest of the time it's house. There's a cool feel to the place, but you need to get here early on weekends. It's closed on Sunday.
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Mural
If those crazy Buddhist monks ever had a raging 8th-century party out in Dūnhuáng's Thousand Buddha Caves, this is probably what it would have looked like, minus the funky beats and DJ of course. Mural's big claim is not really the Silk Road décor, but the all-you-can-drink around Y100 bar every Friday night ( to ). There's a fun reggae night on Thursday. It's more popular with locals than expats, which is another reason to check it out.
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New Heights
The most amenable of the big three Bund bars, the splendid roof terrace offers the best views of the Huangpu and Pǔdōng. It's easy to be mesmerised by the seductive lights across the way and time tends to lose its meaning here, especially after a few of their properly mixed cocktails. Inside, it's less appealing but the DJ and fine nibbles are some consolation.
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O'Malley's
With an all-you-can-eat barbecue on Tuesdays (around Y60 ), an all-you-can-eat European-style brunch on Sundays (around Y85 ), a Thursday night quiz, good (though expensive) pub food and non-stop sport on the many TVs, O'Malley's spares no effort to pack in the punters. The family crowd like the lawn area and kids playground. Happy hour is from to , when pints of Guinness and Kilkenny are Y44 .
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Old Shanghai Teahouse
A wonderfully decrepit 2nd-floor teahouse, overlooking Old St. It's a sort of shrine to the 1930s, with period typewriters, sewing machines, electric fans and even an ancient fridge. It's a great place to put your feet up after a day spent wandering the Old Town.
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Paramount
For something a little different, this newly renovated old Art Deco theatre (the Paramount was the biggest nightclub in the 1930s) offers sedate afternoon-tea dances to the sounds of old-school jazz, or ballroom dancing in the evening. Dance partners are around Y25 for ten minutes. It makes for a nice nostalgia trip for those with a sense of humour.
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Partyworld
Partyworld is the nation's leading karaoke chain and this monster branch gets going early in the morning for those who just can't wait to belt out a tune or two. There are plenty of English-language songs to choose from. Prices go from around Y19 to around Y270 , depending on the number of people, size of the room you want and the time of day.
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People 7
Getting into this super-stylish bar/restaurant is an achievement in itself - not because there's a door policy but rather because the shiny steel doors will only open if you insert your hand (twice) into one of the nine holes set into the wall (we're not saying which one). Once inside, there's a backlit, long steel bar on which to rest the oddly shaped glass your cocktail will arrive in. They do surprisingly affordable minimalist fusion food.
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Pink Home
Walk down the psychedelic, neon-lit corridor to enter the most popular and upfront gay club in Shanghai. With a decent sound system and reasonably priced drinks, it pumps out hi-energy house for a friendly crowd intent on having fun. Nextdoor is Hotel 101, China's first and only gay hotel.
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Pirates
This out of the way bar is one of the best in town and attracts dressed-down hipsters, who could be called the anti-Bar Rouge crowd. The front room is a cool white space to drink in, while on weekends the back room hosts DJs who play the sort of cutting-edge sounds you won't hear anywhere else in Shanghai. It gets busy on Fridays and Saturdays, when it's around Y40 to get in.
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Sasha's
Housed in a fine old villa that once belonged to the Soong family, Sasha's large garden is one of Shanghai's most splendid summer spots. Inside, there's a vague French colonial feel with wicker furniture, wood floors and a cosy bar to perch at. Upstairs there's an expensive restaurant offering western food. Given the prices here, it's worth checking out their happy hour, from to , when all drinks are half-price.
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Senses Wine Lounge
Shanghai isn't the best city in the world for fans of the grape. Senses does its best to make up for that by offering a strong selection of mostly imported wine and champagne and by holding regular wine-tasting events and discount nights. The setting is pleasant, there are plenty of sofas and a decent garden complete with fountain, but it's not cheap.
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Shanghai Arts Theatre
Located north of West Nanjing Rd, this theatre stages an eclectic mixture of Chinese drama and classical Chinese and Western music.
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Shanghai Centre Theatre
The Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe ( Shanghai Zájì Tuán ) has popular performances here most nights at . It's a short but fun show and is high on the to-do list of most first-time visitors. Buy tickets a couple of days in advance from the ticket office on the right-hand side at the entrance to the Shanghai Centre.
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Shanghai Circus World
Out on the far northern outskirts of town is this impressive complex. The shows combine awesome acrobatics with new-fangled multimedia elements. Shows start at . Tickets are available at the door, but booking ahead is advised.
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Shanghai Concert Hall
In 2003, the Shanghai government moved this classic 1930s building (all 5650 tons of it) 66m away from busy East Yan'an Rd to a quieter park-side location, a relocation that actually cost more than building a brand-new concert hall. It now features smaller-scale concerts and local and international soloists.
