Shànghǎi Entertainment

  1. Ark Live House

    Incongruously located in the yuppie heart of Shanghai, this venue for Chinese bands, generally with an alternative edge, is the best place in town for live music. Weird Japanese acts and the occasional Western band end up here, too. Gigs get going on Friday and Saturday from , but there are also occasional weekend afternoon concerts.

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  2. Attica

    Shanghai's club of the moment, Attica deserves most of the plaudits that have come its way thanks to its attention to detail. It has a larger dance floor than most Chinese clubs as well as two roof terraces and a small hip-hop room with fantastic views of Pǔdōng. The crowd is young and enthusiastic. From Sunday to Tuesday, it functions as a normal bar from until late.

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  3. Babyface

    The Babyface brand has spread all across China; you can even find one in far-off Urumqi. Slightly soulless and with an irritating system for getting drinks, this is very much a locals place and foreigners are not always welcome. But they do fly in a steady stream of top-name house DJs, and it's always busy.

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  4. Bandu Cabin

    Tucked away in the Moganshan Rd Art Centre, this laidback café-cum-bar is the epicentre of the local folk-music scene. It hosts folk singers and bands on Saturday at .

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  5. Bar Rouge

    Hip but slightly tiresome, Bar Rouge attracts Americans, Eurotrash and cashed-up locals. The swish, red-curtained booths are reserved for big spenders and ordinary mortals sometimes struggle to be served on busy nights. But the terrace does offer fantastic views and big-name European DJ's are frequently flown in to provide the soundtrack. If one is on the decks, expect to pay around Y300 to get in. Otherwise, it's around Y100 Fridays and Saturdays.

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  6. Barbarossa

    Set in Renmin Park beside a minilake, Barbarossa is about escapism. Forget Shanghai, this brash and flash concept bar is like Morocco as imagined by Hollywood set designers. Ascend to the roof terrace via the ground floor dining area and the cushion-strewn second floor, where the hordes puff on fruit-flavoured hookahs. Happy hour is from to , when all drinks are half price. There's a strong music policy and tasty, if expensive, food.

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  7. Big Bamboo

    Popular sports bar on two floors serving up decent western food and offering pool and darts. There's another branch in Hongqiao called Baby Bamboo (6465 9099; No 26, Lane 3338 Hong Mei Entertainment Street).

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  8. Blarney Stone

    More intimate than O'Malley's and more authentically Irish, the low ceilings, stone floor and wood panelling give the Blarney Stone a genuine pub feel. It's a friendly place that attracts a slightly older expat crowd, who enjoy the fish and chips (around Y85 ) and pints of Guinness and Kilkenny. There's also a small roof terrace, live Irish music every night except Tuesday and lots of sport on the telly.

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  9. Blue Frog

    There are six Frogs scattered around Shanghai and their comforting mix of western bar food, English-speaking waitresses and sports TV means they're perennially popular. On Tuesday nights all drinks are around Y25 , but if you can down all 100 of the shots they list, you'll get a free one every day for life and your name on their wall of fame. The branch at 86 Tongren Lu (6247 0320) is busier.

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  10. Bonbon

    With the backing of the Godskitchen clubbing crew, Bonbon has become the destination of choice for a very young mixed crowd of Chinese and Westerners. Mainstream hip-hop party favourites keep the small dance floor packed.

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  11. British Bulldog

    With its Filipina barmaids and by-the-book English pub styling, this place is not so much British as firmly located in expat land. Nevertheless, it pulls in sports fans when there's a big game on, thanks to the big screen, while the upstairs pool table has a loyal following. The pub food is so-so, but there's McEwan's Ale, Kilkenny and cider on tap. Happy hour is to Monday to Friday and to on the weekend.

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  12. California Club

    Located on the ground floor of the Upstairs at Park 97 complex, this place is rather more sophisticated than most of Shanghai's clubs. The dance floor is tiny, but the surrounding area is stylish. The 2nd floor hosts a different live band each night and is very popular with Hong Kong Chinese, well-heeled Shanghainese and expats, who pack it out on weekends. Get here before midnight, or be prepared to queue. Admission prices vary.

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  13. Captain's Bar

    Don't let the crummy lift up to this bar on the top floor of the Captain Hostel put you off. This is the only bar in the area offering both a decent, if slightly restricted, view of Pǔdōng's lights from the outside terrace and drinks that don't cost a bomb. It's also less crowded and far more laidback than the other Bund bars. They serve American-style food too.

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  14. Cloud 9

    Officially the highest bar in the world, you have to take three separate lifts to get to Cloud 9. But as long as it's a clear day or night, it's worth the trip because the views are spectacular. The Bund looks very small from this high up and, at night, the lights of East Nanjing Rd curve away into the distance towards Renmin Park. The cocktails are decent, which they should be for the price, and there's a non-smoking section.

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  15. Conservatory of Music

    The auditorium here holds classical music performances (Chinese and Western) daily at and the musicians are often the stars of the future. The ticket office is on Fenyang Rd, north of the main entrance.

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  16. Cotton Club

    Harlem it ain't, but this is still the best and longest-running bar for live jazz in Shanghai, featuring blues and jazz groups throughout the week. Wynton Marsalis once stepped in to jam, forever sealing the Cotton Club's reputation as the best live-music haunt in town. The crowd here is younger than in the more portly hotel jazz scene and the drinks are reasonably priced. The music gets going at .

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  17. Cotton's

    Perhaps the most pleasant spot in the Concession for a libation or three, this converted 1930s villa has cosy sofas, fireplaces to snuggle around in winter and a tiny outdoor terrace on the second floor. The real draw though is the garden - intimate yet big enough not to feel cramped. The drinks and bar snacks, pizzas, burgers, salads and sandwiches are reasonably priced and the crowd is a good mix of locals and expats.

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  18. DKD

    This basement club is the only place in Shanghai playing progressive house on a regular basis. As such, it's a mostly teenybopper-free zone. It's not as popular as it once was but it gets busy if a big-name DJ is playing. It's free to get in most nights.

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  19. Dragon Club

    More of an after-hours place than a genuine club, this is a good spot to head to when you really don't want the night to end. It's free to get in most of the time and drinks start at around Y50 .

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  20. Dublin Exchange

    Those still in Pǔdōng when the sun sets will be relieved to know they can always take solace in a pint of Guinness at this Irish pub. It's closed on weekends.

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  21. Eddy's Bar

    Shanghai's longest-running gay bar is a friendly place with a flash, square bar to sit around, as well as a few corners to hide away in. It attracts both locals and expats, but it's mostly for the boys rather than the girls.

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  22. Face

    A contender for most beautiful bar in Shanghai and certainly one of the most popular, Face is located on the ground floor of a 1936 mansion and has Southeast Asian antiques and a Chinese opium-bed set against persimmon-coloured walls. Outside is a glorious manicured lawn, around which it's easy to idle away a summer afternoon or evening. Just don't try walking on the grass. There's a happy hour between to when drinks are half price.

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  23. Glamour Bar

    Not as glamorous as it was when it first opened, nor particularly exclusive, the Glamour Bar is still one of Shanghai's most popular watering holes. The faux-Art Deco styling and massive bar give the place a pleasingly retro feel and the martinis are particularly good. Get here before midnight on weekends or be prepared to queue. It also hosts monthly jazz and classical concerts and Sunday afternoon readings (around Y50 ).

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  24. Goodfellas

    A good old-fashioned dive bar with no pretensions to be anything else, Goodfellas' grungy vibe makes it a refreshing change from most of Shanghai's bars and it's virtually open 24 hours. Happy hour is between and .

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  25. Guandii

    Very close to California Club, Guandii attracts a similar crowd of young Hong Kong Chinese and upmarket Shanghainese who like to flash their cash on Champagne and Chivas. The hip-hop room is a hotspot for those who like a bit of West Coast-style bump and grind.

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