Shanghai's Best Bars For Dancing

There is more to Shanghai nightlife than Diva (thank god) and night clubs are not the only place to get your groove on. Shanghai has a great range of bars that love to spice things up a bit and make you get your tap shoes out. Here is our list of the best place to go dancing in Shanghai.

UNICO

Address: 2/F, Three on the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 

UNÏCO, linked with The Chop Chop Club is one of Shanghai favourite nightlife destinations. Nestled in the midst all of the bund hub-bub, it’s the perfect mix of loungey and dancey. They throw amazing themed party and have live music that will make you want to tap to the beat. Thursday’s is ladies night and Saturday night is Latin night. 

Celia

Address: 298 Xingfu Lu

If the party is over, like really and truly over, but you’re just not ready to call it a night then Celia is the place for you. Most weekends they don’t wrap up the music until 10am. Expect some hard hitting techno and a completely mental crowd. 

Craft

Source：Dianping user dpuser_6678794352

Address: 7 Donghu Lu 

Craft is a discrete little vodka bar hidden down an alley on Donghu Lu on top of The Parrot. The atmosphere is pretty chilled most of the time but once the crowd has got a couple of drinks in them and midnight is disappearing into the distance then it all kicks off. The dance floor is small but perfect and expect to see people dancing on the bar. It’s all go here on the weekends. 

Reel To Reel

Source: official wechat ReeltoReel卷对卷

Address: B1/F, 388 Madang Lu

Reel To Reel is still pretty new to Shanghai but it’s made one hell of an impression. Head down there from Thursday onward to hear great music and get your heart pumping. With the multi-room layout there is something for every one.

C's

Source: Dianping user 咱清醒着呢

Address: 685 Dingxi Lu 

When it comes to dive bars C’s knows exactly what it’s doing. It’s been around for an age and like many fine things, it’s vintage status has matured it and ingrained it into the Shanghai nightlife scene. If you’re looking for cheap drinks and a sweaty dance in a cave then C’s bar is just the spot for you.

The Parrot

Address: 7 Donghu Lu 

"A disco bar for grown ups" say The Parrots owners. Post 10pm the lights go down and the music goes up. Everyone is sipping a Moscow mule and having a whale of a time. Their 80’s music night hosted by DJ Beardslap and Turner is a night not to be missed. Watching a room full of drunken adults screaming ‘love shack’ was one of my highlights of 2017.

Elevator

(So dark in there.)

Address: 4/F, 218 Xinle Lu

Every time anyone from out of town hears the name of this place they’re like ‘whhaaat?’ Then they arrive and they’re like ‘I get it.’ While the lift might be small the parties are big. They have a solid house crew of DJs as well as pretty incredible guest DJs from all over the world. Well worth checking out. Especially if you really care about the music you’re moving your body too, and don’t want it to be ‘love shack’.

Lucca Cafe & Lounge

Source: Dianping user supes

Address: 390 Panyu Lu 

Lucca is Shanghai’s biggest LGBTQI friendly bar and they sure know how to throw a party. It’s all about sexual freedom and freedom of expression which lead to some pretty wild dance moves. Get yourself down there on a Saturday night to party with drag kings and queens and get to know the who’s who of the Shanghai gay scene.

Le Baron

Address: 7/F, 20 Donghu Lu

Okay so Le Baron is kind of a club, but it's still good for a boogie. They have a seriously annoying door policy but you can get around that by knowing a promoter or logging onto their website and sending an email, to get yourself on the guest list. It’s frustrating because you have to plan way in advance. Honestly I could write an essay just on how much I hate Le Baron’s door policy. BUT that’s not the point. The music is good, the dance floor is big, go and have a boogie (if you can get in).

Zapata's

Address: 5 Hengshan Lu  

If you’re looking for a spot to go out on a Wednesday night then let Zapata’s be the spot. But prepare yourself for a hangover to end all hangovers. Wednesday night is ladies night, top 40 tunes from 2010 (ish) are blaring and everyone is dancing on the bar, up the walls and generally completely mentally. Dancing on the bar at Zapata’s is a rite of passage. You have to do it before you leave Shanghai.

Perry's

Source: Dianping user 一只荷包蛋酱

Address: 1333 Huaihai Zhong Lu

Okay… So we’re not saying it’s good. BUT… the air is smoky, the drinks are cheap the crowd is all underage and the playlist hasn’t changed since 1998... FUN. If we get down off our ‘sophisticated expat high horses’ we know it’s a great laugh, whilst there isn’t actually a dance floor the whole place goes mental from about 10:30 onwards every single night of the week. Sometimes it’s a Monday night and you just have to dance to the spice girls. Well then Perry is your friend. 

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