New Bar Alert: Candor is Back and it's F'n Amazing

Shanghai cocktail lovers can finally breathe easy, Candor is back in a glamorous new venue that matches every bit of their jazzy, burlesque charm.

Most have heard the Candor tale, a sadly common one among F&B venues here. They opened on Shaanxi nan lu in 2015, found enormous success, then got booted out in 2016 after being told that a local university “needed more space for student housing.”

Location

The Lyceum Theatre, Shanghai 1931. 

Photo source: Chinafestivalblog.org

It turns out that may have been a blessing in disguise, their new venue is a wildly charming one: the third floor of the historic Lyceum Theatre, located right downtown and somehow in perfect step with Candor’s bombastic Victorian-era circus vibe. Our best crack at a general description would be that it’s like a fever dream of a first-class Titanic cocktail lounge. 

While there are a million captivating things to look at once inside, you can’t miss the performance stage, which isn’t just for looks. They have burlesque performances, juggling acts, drag shows and all sorts of fun entertainment, currently just on weekends but eventually four nights a week (maybe more). 

To watch these shows (or just sit around and drink), they have cozy little tables to sit at, four lavish VIP booths, and of course a gorgeous bar. Which leads us to the most important part: the drinks. 

Candor previously got some heat for having expensive drinks (most notably the ‘most expensive long island iced tea in Shanghai’ at RMB 210). But all it takes is a visit to see they are well worth the prices, especially when you consider that A: many of the drinks are actually RMB 88 or 98, and B: every ingredient is either the best you can get or homemade.  

The playbill-themed menu boasts of “highest quality homemade ingredients” and “the very best spirits and in heavy pours.” We have to agree wholeheartedly on both counts. 

There are no hi-fructose syrups, unnatural sugars or weird synthetic gunk to be found here. The staff arrive 4 hours early everyday just to fresh squeeze juice, grapefruits from Thailand, Valencia oranges and whatever else they need. They also make alcohol-infused gummy bears (‘rummy bears’), as well their own cotton candy for one of their signature cocktails.  

‘The Candyman Can,’ Skittle-infused vodka, citrus and candy floss, served with a licorice straw. RMB 118

‘A&W,’ a scotch Negroni with a Root Beer aroma from high-quality cardamom bitters, served with a Root Beer gummy, RMB 88

'‘The Love Bite,’ Rum, served with coconut cream and homemade rum gummy bears, RMB 88

‘Orange You Glad I Let You Rum Inside Me’', RMB 98

‘Gin Fizz,’ takes about 15 minutes of shaking to be done correctly, there are 6 giant light bulbs behind the bar that signal customers if they are too busy to make them, RMB 158

Candor is still technically in soft opening, open every day except for Mondays from 7pm until 2am. They’re planning an official launch sometime in mid-March with an addition of some fun finger foods, “small bites but high concept.” The shows are free for now but they won’t be after the official opening so we HIGHLY recommend stopping by before then, and after. 

Candor

Address: 57 Maoming lu

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 7pm-2am

Tel: [phone]

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