The highest-ranked bars in Shanghai
Pony Up (Jinxian Road) at No.20, on the current Asia list. Positions move with each edition, so a room can climb or drop between seasons.
Best bars in Shanghai
One ranked room in Shanghai, with the address, booking rule, and what to order.
We publish 1 ranked room in Shanghai. It is below with the detail that decides where you actually go: the address, the reservation rule, what a visit costs, and the serves worth ordering.
Booking and what to expect
Pony Up, the only ranked room in Shanghai, takes walk-ins, so timing matters more than a booking date. Every profile carries the phone, website, and reservation rule we last confirmed with the room. For a sense of spend, Pony Up lists cocktails ¥55 to ¥95.
How we chose these bars
The single room here holds a position on our Asia ranking for the current season. Editors visit unannounced, more than once where a room has changed hands or rewritten its menu, and score on drinks, hospitality, consistency, and sense of place. We take no fee for inclusion, so nothing on this page can be bought. Shanghai rooms we rate but have not ranked are published as profiles without a list position.
Questions about Shanghai bars
Booking, districts, and how the Shanghai ranking works.
What is the best bar in Shanghai?
Pony Up holds No.20 on our Asia ranking for the current season, in Jinxian Road. Its profile carries the address, hours, reservation rule, and what to order on a first visit.
How many Shanghai bars are in the Top 50 Bars Asia directory?
One room in Shanghai. It holds a position on the current Asia list, and we add rooms when an opening changes how the city drinks rather than to fill a quota.
Do you need a reservation for bars in Shanghai?
Pony Up, the only ranked room in Shanghai, takes walk-ins, so timing matters more than a booking date. Each profile lists the exact rule, the phone number, and the booking link.
Where should you start a night out in Shanghai?
Jinxian Road, where Pony Up sits at No.20. The entries here are spread across the city rather than concentrated in one district, so it is worth fixing your first booking and building the evening around it.
Nominate a bar for the next Asia list.
Tell our editorial desk about a room we should visit next season. Send the city, the bar, and what makes it worth the trip.