Have your say and vote for your favorite in our global Facebook poll.
Best Shanghai theme bars
Sometimes you just need a little kitsch to be served alongside your drink, from pirates to planes, these Shanghai bars have you covered
Shanghai bars come and go with the seasons, so it makes sense for venues to do what they can to set themselves apart from the crowd.
Dismiss them as gimmicky if you must, but Shanghai theme bars have their places, and if you get into the spirit, a night out with a theme can be a fun one indeed.
1. Arrr me hearty: Rhumerie Bounty
Rhumerie Bounty's theme: Pirate.
Is there anywhere else in Shanghai where talking like a pirate seems so natural?
These nautical-themed establishments have become firm favorites with bar-goers looking for strong drinks and a casual (if somewhat smokey) vibe.
The music selection is more 1990s and noughties than sea sounds, but sometimes it's a good idea to depart from your theme rather than assault the ears of your patrons.
Don't leave without: Sampling a selection of their special infused rums. With revolving flavors including coffee, cinnamon, citrus and many more, there's something to suit every taste.
Rhumerie Bounty, 550 Wuding Lu, near Shanxi Bei Lu 武定路550号, 近陕西北路, +86 21 2661 9368; 47 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu 永福路47号, 近复兴路, +86 21 2661 9368, www.bountybar.cn
2. Friendly skies: Departure 10 Ultra Lounge (D10)
If there's any club that proves Shanghai party-goers love a gimmick, it's D10, a bar impersonating a commercial airliner.
Departure 10 Ultra Lounge's theme: Plane.
Even after many years of watching nightlife options come and go, it's still impossible to pick what will develop a following in this town. But this place (in new underground nightlife strip Datong Mill) has taken off in a big way.
- More on CNNGo: Plucky cherubs and bored bar girls at Shanghai's new underground nightspot, Datong Mill
If your idea of a good time involves shakin' your groove to the latest R 'n' B and hip-hop and indulging in the odd amateur rap battle, then D10 is your kind of place. It's packed on Saturday nights with a mixed crowd of young (early 20s) locals and foreigners wanting to drink -- cocktails are RMB 70, shots are RMB 55 and bottles start from RMB 600.
Don't leave without: Putting your stuff in the overhead compartments. It sounds lame, but it's actually a very useful aspect of the airplane bar concept -- there are overhead luggage compartments along the sides of the club where you can stash your coats and scarves and keep them out of your way.
Departure 10 Ultra Lounge, 158 Julu Lu, near Ruijin Lu 巨鹿路158号, 近瑞金路, +86 21 5386 5159
3. It takes two: Tango Bang
Tango Bang's theme: Tango.
Five years is a lifetime for a Shanghai nightlife establishment, and the fact that Pudong's Tango Bang has been going strong since 2006 is testament to the popularity of its Argentinian Tango theme.
With lessons, restaurant, bar and, naturally, a decent dance floor on offer, Tango Bang has all the ingredients necessary to stir up a memorable evening.
- More on CNNGo: You guide to the perfect Pudong pub crawl
This April the East-side stalwart will be moving to a new location near People's Square (check the Tango Bang website, below, for updates).
Don't leave without: Finding a new dance partner at the Friday and/or Saturday night Milonga (a place where people meet to tango). From 9 p.m.-2 a.m., RMB 80 for non-members (including a confidence-inducing beverage).
Tango Bang, 545 Pudong Dadao, near Dong Fang Lu 浦东大道545号, 近东方路, +86 21 5877 1881, tangobang@yahoo.cn. www.tangobang.cn
