Best Shanghai Bars on Anfu Road: Live Music & Nightlife Guide
Anfu Road Nightlife Guide: Shanghai Live Music & Bars
1. Intro: When Artsy Vibes Meet Nightlife
Under Shanghai’s night sky, Anfu Road flows like an artsy river of jazz and cocktails. In just one kilometer you’ll find indie music venues, hidden bars, design-forward cafés, and creative art spaces — a nighttime playground for local hipsters and foreign visitors alike. It’s not as flashy as the Bund but it feels more relaxed and inventive. Around any corner you might run into an impromptu jazz set or discover a bartender mixing a creative cocktail using Shaoxing huangjiu.
Anfu Road’s nights are never boring: you can squeeze into a livehouse to cheer for an underground band or curl up with a whisky and an old book in a bookshelf-lined bar. It’s a microcosm of Shanghai’s “small but beautiful” nightlife — diverse, inclusive, and always full of surprises.
2. Core Features: Artsy Heart + Diverse Experiences
“One street that captures the soul of Shanghai nightlife”
Anfu Road is known as an artsy neighborhood, but its nightlife goes far beyond cafés and galleries. Its bars and livehouses often combine two identities:
– Cultural fusion: many spaces are cafés or bookstores by day and bars or performance venues by night;
– Boundary-free music: from jazz and folk to electronic rock, you can hear very different styles every evening;
– Design-first venues: vintage shikumen houses, industrial warehouses, Japanese minimalism — each venue’s décor is worth savoring.
3. Nightlife Map: Music, Drinks, and the Crowd
3.1 Live Music: From Jazz Improvs to Indie Rock
Anfu Road’s livehouses are “small but refined,” hosting a wide range of shows:
– Jazz meccas: venues like JZ Club (a long-standing Shanghai jazz bar) often host open improvisation nights;
– Indie band incubators: Yuyintang Music Park (Yuyintang) showcases local up-and-coming rock and folk bands, with tickets usually 80–150 RMB;
– Electronic experimental spots: hidden clubs such as ALL Club focus on Techno/House and peak after midnight.
Tips:
– Buy tickets in advance on Xiudong (Showstart) or Damai for popular shows;
– Thursdays are quieter; arrive at least one hour early on weekends to secure a spot.
3.2 Drink Menu: Creative Cocktails and Craft Beer
Bartenders on Anfu Road love blending local ingredients with classics:
1. Osmanthus Whisky Sour (Bar No.3) — Shanghai autumn osmanthus honey adds floral sweetness;
2. Shaoxing Mojito (Senator Saloon) — Jiangnan huangjiu meets Cuban mint;
3. Hotpot Gin & Tonic (experimental bar Taste Buds) — a daring pairing of Sichuan pepper and gin.
Craft beer fans should head to The Beer Shelf, which pours 30+ draft options including local label Tomorrow Brewing.
3.3 Atmosphere & Crowd: Find Your Nighttime Persona
– Artsy crowd: 1984 Bookstore Bar is perfect for solitary reading with a drink;
– Party animals: LOGO club goes late with DJs and projection art;
– Social butterflies: street-side terrace bars like Blaz are ideal for people-watching stylish Shanghai youth.
4. Suggested Itineraries
4.1 Classic Night Route
18:00 Dine Italian at Funkadeli → 20:00 Listen to jazz at JZ Club → 22:30 Try creative cocktails at Bar No.3 → Midnight dance at ALL Club.
4.2 Best for Different Occasions
– Romantic date: candlelit vintage booths at Senator Saloon;
– Friends night out: Yuyintang show followed by craft beer on the street;
– Solo exploration: 1984 Bookstore’s hidden bar.
5. Practical Tips
5.1 Basics
– Opening hours: most bars 18:00–02:00; live music usually starts around 21:00;
– Costs: cocktails 60–120 RMB, craft beer 40–80 RMB, livehouse tickets 80–200 RMB;
– Payments: about 90% of venues accept Alipay or WeChat Pay; some accept international credit cards.
5.2 Local Advice
– Happy Hour: many bars run 17:00–19:30 buy-one-get-one offers;
– Avoid disappointments: popular venues may require shared tables on weekends — call ahead to confirm;
– Bonus tip: mention “Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) recommendation” to bartenders and you might get a complimentary sample.
5.3 Getting There
– Metro: Exit 8, Changshu Road Station on Lines 1/7, about a 10-minute walk;
– Parking: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center underground lot (20 RMB/hour);
– Taxi: ask to be dropped at the Anfu Road and Wukang Road intersection for the easiest access.
6. Closing: Nightlife as an Art Form in Shanghai
Anfu Road shows that true nightlife isn’t just loud drinking; it’s finding your own rhythm among music, drinks, and people. Whether you seek a soul-stirring live show or a quiet toast to Shanghai’s night, there’s always a corner here with its lights on for you.
Now, go get lost in the night.
