La Social 2.0 Description

After a year-and-a-half hiatus, Latin American hotspot La Social made a comeback, this time in the old Mosto space on Shanxi Lu, with its first opening night on – what better date – December 31. 

The only major change comes in the form of an added bonus of a Columbian comfort eats dinner menu designed by Chef Richard Caba. But, aside from that, it still boasts the same late-night cumbia-bolero-salsa-reggaeton-Latin pop vibes of a South American speakeasy nightclub, the “original inspiration behind La Social,” according to owner Alex Molina (Moka Bros, Mosto Beijing).

Dinner runs daily from 6pm until 10 (or 10:30pm on weekends) with seating for 45, plus an outdoor terrace, and a background beat of Latin funk. Then the lights dim, the volume is cranked up, and the dance floor comes to life in a matter of minutes reminding diners and dancers alike of a faster and looser 2010s Shanghai, the "Wild, Wild East" through identical nostalgic La Social paraphernalia.

There's hanging retro Columbian license plates, neon glowing signage, tea kettle lanterns, glowing disco balls (a design feature that even extends to the bathroom), and the same back bar frame from the old La Social Beijing locale (as the previous Shanghai bar back is now in Madrid. But more on that later...)