Shanghai Bar Review: 3&Co.

By Cristina Ng, May 1, 2019

We’re beginning to think Shanghai will never reach its speakeasy limits, and this month, Three on the Bund joined the fray with a well-designed rectangular bungalow hidden inside the newly opened contemporary Japanese restaurant, Shinpaku.

Disguised as an office, 3&Co. requires a code to enter, but once inside, you can enjoy 27 cocktails designed by Three on the Bund drinks manager Chris Sun. A rotating cast of bartenders that you might recognize from Mercato, Pop and Jean Georges might also make an appearance.

Drinks are organized by flavor profiles such as sour, floral and bitter, making it easy to narrow down the options. True to our personal tastes, our favorites come from the sour and herbaceous sections.

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

The Tokyo Sour (RMB120) is a stunning layered drink combining an excellent balance of Japanese whisky, passion fruit, lemon, sugar, and egg white with a red wine float. The bittersweet flavor of Cynar (an artichoke-based bitter) is mellowed in julep form by the freshness of mint.

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

If you want something sweet, try the Roselle (RMB88), which is a cool Chinese riff on a cosmopolitan based on hibiscus-infused gin with lime and hawthorn syrup. Celebrating the warmer days to come, the #3 Painkiller (RMB108) is a fun tiki-style tipple with a mix of dark and white rum accented by orange, pineapple, cinnamon and lime.

There’s also small menu of snacks like Mini Hamburgers (RMB88), Sea Urchin Cream Noodles (RMB138) and Mercato’s Truffle Pizza (RMB218).

They seem to be doing well for a ‘secret’ bar, as there are plenty of well-dressed patrons willing to pay Bund prices (plus 10 percent service charge) populating the space. The electronic dance music and the lively crowd make it one of the noisiest speakeasies we’ve ever been to. We’d say the energy is better suited to pre-dinner drinks or pregaming for a big night on the Bund rather than winding down.

[Cover image by Cristina Ng/That's]