6 Underrated Places to Go Dancing

We all LOVE dancing in clubs, bars, pubs, our living rooms, in our underwear, in our party dresses in our birthday suits, basically anywhere, anytime. We love to dance and have rhythm from our souls to our toes. Or, if you’re anything like me you have zero rhythm and just flap around wildly trying to express your joy without injuring anyone. We all know the big name clubs but it can be hard to find somewhere a little more chilled to boogey. Here are five excellent bars for dancing.

Specters

Address: 1485 Beijing Xi Lu

The fairly new kid on the block in terms of nightlife, Specters has quickly become a favorite of the shanghai underbelly. Whilst there isn’t much in terms of dancing on week nights, it gets pretty rowdy on the weekends after 1am. With fireballs at RMB 20 a shot and a foosball table what’s not to love.

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 its 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 not-to-be-missed. Watching a room full of drunken adults screaming ‘love shack’ was one of my highlights of 2017.

Elevator

Address: 4/F, 218 Xinle Lu

Everytime 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, and they have a solid house crew of DJs as well as pretty incredible guest DJs from all over the world. Well worth checking out specially if you really care about the music you’re moving your body too and don’t want it to be ‘love shack’.

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. 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. If we get down of 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’s is your friend.

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