Think of the color yellow. Then ignore the color. Break the word into pieces. Break yourself into pieces and yell. Whisper low. Then extract meaning from everything we ignore in our daily life—the little things we can’t live without. Crawl into a black cavern, behind the curtain of a theater stage.
And wait.
And drink.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Through a thin, dimly-lit doorway on Wuding Lu, which casts the shadow of many a dive bar that came before, we ascend into the bizarre beverage world of the most darkly minimalist new bar in Shanghai: YELLO(w).
The abstract mind behind this new haven is industry veteran Bella Lin, previously of Flask.
Translating the bar's concept from Chinese to English is no easy feat; her slowly distilled explanation is that the name has nothing to do with the color.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
It’s about depression and needing to ‘yell’—the first fragment of the word—feeling ‘low’—the second fragment—and embracing all emotions in a single space.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The ‘w’ is also for all the forgotten tidbits of our lives that are in fact essential to our existence—like water or our phone… or a bar.
The things we cannot live (w)ithout.
Photo courtesy of YELLO(w)
YELLO(w) feels more like an immersive art installation than a bar. The interior is stark—flat black with exclusively yellow detailing.
Photo by Heather Millet / That’s
Photo by Heather Millet / That’s
The bar top runs in a square surrounding the staff, and acts as a chalkboard for guests to express their creativity.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
One giant mirror hangs with the bar slogan “NO HELLO, SAY YELLO(w).”
YELLO(w) Mirror. Photo by Heather Millet / That’s
At the start of the night, entering the first room feels like being sucked into a starless outer space, but the sensation quickly dissolves into a cavern of vibrant discussions, patrons seated at all levels: small dogs, influencers in the wild, and cocktail enthusiasts.
Photo by Heather Millet / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The bar becomes crowded, loud and joyful, aided by upbeat music and access to a long porch for smoking.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The main bar space is all action, but there are an additional two semi-secretive rooms hidden behind black velvet curtains, begging us to brave the curiosity of what may lie beyond.
Photo courtesy of YELLO(w)
It feels like being backstage of a deeply serious drama. More blackness—but of course—is stippled by elegantly small images of faces of horror.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Twisted screams or blurred motions, teeth and confusion watch over this large-party seating. YELLO(w) is not a bar for the cowardly or coy.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Just past these two rooms is one more door, leading to the bathroom, but also revealing a massive roto-vape, injecting an evil genius laboratory feel to the hidden areas of the bar.
Like the bar top made for decorating, Lin’s cocktail menu tells another tale. In a gesture toward youth and glee, the menu is a fold-out of angular emojis, turning toward origami and a gamified challenge to refold the menu after opening.
Currently there are only eight cocktails available, all priced at RMB88, but options will soon expand to 12 or more, and be followed by a bar bites menu.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The drinks are titled in code—at the top are two ‘face’ drinks, to align with the smiley face logos, one as FL 01 meaning ‘face + low alcohol #1.’
FL 01: London Dry Gin, Yerba Mate, Mint, Chamomile, Tonic, Candy Sugar Garnish. Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The FL 01 cocktail certainly vibes with the space, arriving as it does with a long fluorescent yellow candy stick of garnish.
It’s bubbly and crafted with herbal teas, therefore light, refreshing, and mildly sweet.
OM 01: White Rum, Coconut, Dragon Fruit, Passionfruit Tea. Photo by Zhijue / That’s
From the signatures comes the OM 01 (original cocktail, medium alcohol #1) which is fruity and fun.
It’s a candy crush of doomscrolling; a late night insomniac sugar craving. But the aroma is buttery, and it goes down smoothly.
For classic-twists there are actually two martini variations, the MH 01 (martini, high alcohol #1) and the MH02 (martini, high alcohol, #2).
MH 01: Gordon’s Dry Gin, Chrysanthemum, Guava, Dill, Dry Vermouth. Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The MH 01 has a full guava aroma, served in a more iconic glass and with the expected olive.
MH02: Herbal Gin, Sweet Vermouth, Pineapple, Woody Bitters. Photo by Zhijue / That’s
The second martini twist, the MH 02, is smoked with apple wood before serving, offering an amazing woody depth akin to palo santo—a fragrant 'holy wood' treasured for its spiritual and medicinal properties.
There is also a barely detectable pineapple bite.
NH 01: Tequila Blanco, Mezcal, Herbal, Sage, Sweet Vermouth. Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Arguably the most exciting cocktail among an already bold set is the NH 01, a far-flung negroni riff using tequila and mezcal both, while highlighting sage as the key flavor.
It is super, super, super sage, and best sipped on the porch in the evening heat, overlooking the tree line from the hideout that is YELLO(w)’s terrace.
YELLO(w) Team. Photo courtesy of YELLO(w)
This is a bar for the happy and the depressed, the curious and the canine, the secretive and the ultra-artsy or chill.
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
For a real change of scenery, crawl into the dark and have a drink under a spotlight or behind a stage curtain at YELLO(w).
Photo by Zhijue / That’s
Daily, 7.30pm-1.30am
YELLO(w), 2/F, 982 Wuding Lu, by Jiaozhou Lu, Jing'an District 武定路982号，近胶州路
[Cover image by Zhijue / That’s]
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