Drinking is – both literally and metaphorically – our occupation. So sit back and relax as we tell you about the five best new nightlife hubs and hangouts we discovered so far this year: from high-flying rooftop bars to low-key, hip speakeasies, Shenzhen has it all.
If by some chance we missed your favorite, though, let us know in the comments!
Ciyuntang Traditional Massage
Image by Bailey Hu/That's
Behind a slate-gray panel and a door disguised as decoration is a hip hop-blasting party hub and bar, complete with upstairs cocktail lounge. On weekdays, the lounge attracts most visitors, who can choose from a wide variety of single malt scotches in addition to some very special cocktails. How special? We’d dare to say that no other bar in Shenzhen makes drinks with seaweed-infused Talisker whiskey – which, with its mix of salt and peat, is pretty bomb. And though baijiu cocktail fever has yet to make its way down south, Ciyuntang has that too, with a ‘steamed’ drink (RMB98) adding in passionfruit jam and lemon juice.
Price: RMB35-98 per drink
Who’s going: cocktail connoisseurs, hip hop lovers
Good for: unique drinks, hidden doors
Nearest metro: Taoyuan (Exit D), 13 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Ciyuntang Traditional Massage.
Ding Sky Bar
Image by Bailey Hu/That's
Located on top of luxury serviced apartment complex Fraser Suites in up-and-coming Huaqiangbei, the establishment offers an unrestricted look at Futian District’s ever-changing skyline. As brisk winds blow, we sample a tropical passion fruit mojito (RMB88 plus 10 percent service charge). The bar swaps out the traditional soda water for regular H2O, but we barely notice the switch: tangy and fruity with a hint of rum, the mojito is just as refreshing as it should be. The acid-green color of the Irish (RMB78) also belies a surprisingly sippable whiskey-based brew: mint liqueur gives it sweetness as well as a slight cooling sensation.
Price: RMB78-88 a cocktail
Who’s going: high-flyers, aesthetes
Good for: classic cocktails, scenic views
Nearest metro: Huaqiangbei (Exit C), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Ding Sky Bar.
Hangover Club
Image via Hangover Club
Hip-hop heads in the burgeoning Shenzhen scene now have a place to call their own. On entrance, patrons are immediately met with a simple interior that favors geometric shapes and flashing red neon lights. A well-serviced bar provides your standard cocktails (RMB108), mixed drinks (RMB68) and beers like Corona (RMB48). Due to its location, Hangover can afford to go crazy with their sound system – expect lots of noise and bass for a rotating selection of rap and trap, with dubstep sandwiched between. And here, the majority of patrons are actually on their feet, bobbing to the beat. Instead of being a venue to play dice and take selfies, the club offers a real sense of party spirit.
Price: RMB50-200
Who’s going: Hip-hop heads, Hypebeast devotees
Good for: popping and locking, getting your freak on
Nearest metro: Chegongmiao Station (Exit A), 1 minute walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Hangover Club.
The Loops
Image via The Loops
Stroll around the corner of Tairan Liu Lu and you’ll stumble across a blue British callbox. That’s odd. Step inside and you’ll find… a telephone. But with a press of the red button, a secret door pops open and you’re traveling through time to a Chinese vision of 1920s America: Tommy guns, sepia photos of rum-runners and gangsters and a wrought-iron chandelier. The mixology here is patient and artisanal, with a Smoky Old Fashioned (RMB90) served under a dome to contain its namesake and Smoked Negroni (RMB80) delivered as momento mori in glass skulls. A branded coconut atop a misty skull serves as chalice for a rum-and-juice blend that shows great attention to detail.
Price: RMB70-90 per drink
Who’s going: nostalgia buffs, whisky fans, tipplers in the know
Good for: craft cocktails, Prohibition kitsch, evenings out with a few friends
Nearest metro: Chegongmiao Station (Exit C) 11 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for The Loops.
NBeer Pub
Image via NBeer
In the sleek interior, silver pipes converge into an attractive tree that branches up to the ceiling and out to the kegs beyond. While the pub offers entrees and snacks, it’s really all about the beer: 26 on tap, 14 from NBeer’s Chengdu brewery and the rest from compatriot brewers across 80 cities. We were skeptical of sea salt-infused sour beer, but it won a gold at the 2017 Brussels Beer Challenge and it won us over. We delighted in the lemon brightness, like a shandy but with none of the sweetness. Award-winning Ligui Black IPA (RMB50) is rich and full flavored. It might be the best dark beer we’ve tasted.
Price: RMB40-65 a beer
Who’s going: OCT-Loft adventurers, beer buffs
Good for: excellent drafts, artistic environs
Nearest metro: Qiaocheng North (Exit B), 11 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for NBeer Pub.
READ MORE: Our Top 8 New Shenzhen Restaurants of 2018... So Far
Read more Shenzhen bar reviews and restaurant reviews.
[Cover image via Bailey Hu/That's]
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