Shanghai Club

So having rocked up at Shanghai during freshers week I was surprised by how small the place was, that’s not a complainant in fact its the opposite it felt like a intimate little club.
So of course I was a little bit drunk when I got there and a lot when I left this was due in the main to the shot girls going round friendly of course and very persuasive to boot. The dance floor a good size ratio to the rest of the place, the toilets were clean and the attendant friendly, outside smoking area was very good.
Now for the downers no beer on tap and over £4 for a bottle of mass produced fizzy yellow piss, the staff don’t tell you the price before they open it otherwise think we would of stuck to shots at £1.50 each much better value.
So would I go here again maybe I now have a card that gets me free entry so I should also it was a good night but I’m sure part of that was the people I was with and met.
I may have to update this when I go next as freshers always puts a shine on a night out.

I like Shanghai! Spacier than some George St clubs and with better music (actually plays some house music, as well as club remixes of chart hits — much better than repeating Rihanna radio edits all night long like some clubs do), I had great fun. There’s even free pizza on Tuesdays! I don’t find drinks or entry to be unreasonably priced, and service is fast and friendly. From all of the George Street clubs (I’ve tried them all), this is definitely my favourite.

So I had a really good time here. I never even heard of the place before I went, to be honest, as my buddy and I met some girls on the street while we were walking to a different place and they insisted we go with them to Shanghai. So we did. I had been drinking along pretty well at the hotel bar so I can’t say for sure what time it was, but the place was somewhat dead when we first got there; which I actually like because I enjoy a moment to have a drink and see where everything is. Within about a half hour the place was blowing up. My buddy and I were dragged on the dance floor by countless girls and the whole feeling was just a lot of fun. There was this one pair of girls who we were having a great time on the dance floor with, but we lost them in the mix for a little bit, then they came up to me and I nailed one of their names (no idea how I remembered), however sadly, the other one I got confused with another blonde I had met earlier in the night and both gave each other bitter looks and quickly rushed away like sad puppies. My advice to guys who are going to this club is: find a girl you’re attracted to and enjoy dancing with, get to know her name; and stick with her throughout the night. I personally wasn’t looking to hook up, so I didn’t really care.
I have been to more clubs than I can count, and I consider this one a great time. I can dance pretty well, and being from California was a hit with the girls; so I can’t say every guy is going to have as good of a time here as I did. Regardless, I ended up leaving this place when it closed at 3:00am with my buddy and four girls. The girls wanted to go back to our hotel, however my buddy and I weren’t tired; so we went to the casino located a few blocks away. I love Edinburgh.

Shanghai was the spot chosen by the powers for our works night out. It was my first big office night out… ever. Previous ones had usually started in a local restaurant and finished in a pub, but this place, well this place was setup for office Christmas parties, apart from the photocopier. That isn’t much of a compliment.
I think there was about 3 (or more) different work nights out in Shanghai that night. We took up about 3 tables worth. A cocktail was delivered upon arrival that went down pretty well, including the candy cane decoration. Drinks menu was limited, but understandable given the size of the parties. The place was heaving, but the staff did a good job of keeping on top of the groups.
The food — was mediocre at best. The starter was alright, the main (I had salmon) a little under generous and bland, with burnt potatoes and overcooked vegetables. The food was better described as catering competent rather than restaurant standard. The dessert — frozen cheesecake with what was described as Chantilly cream… more like cream out of a can.
Still, we paid thirty quid for the night, and in all honesty, I didn’t expect much better than what I described above. What narked me off was the karaōke competition launched between the main and dessert courses, that carried on until well after those had finished. It killed off the jolly mood of our table and various drunk revelers screeched out various classics of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Unfortunately we were seated right beside the karaōke machine, so there was no escape. After that, there was no recovery — the conversation died, and for me, I wasn’t even close to being drunk enough to dance in the corner that wasn’t occupied by tables, as some others did.
We were then asked to clear up our tables and move to a tiny bar on the side of the club, so that the place could be opened up to the public. Our presence was no longer required. So we had one more drink, then buggered off home. Best Christmas party ever? Hmm, not really, but definitely worthy of an Office sketch.

There’s no denying this venue isn’t immaculately kitted out with the latest lighting, slouchy booths, opulent wall décor and generally sexy looking bar space. I just can’t pinpoint what exactly the vibe is supposed to be, as despite all the snazzy décor surrounding you, it’s hard to really get a feel of the kind of club atmosphere Shanghai is aiming for.
Last time I was in here was during the week, and it was pretty quiet to be honest, however it is fairly large as night clubs go, so it’d probably tricky to fill it up completely, particularly on a week night. Weekends are most certainly busy, what with this being a club on George Street, plus the fact people come down from Le Monde, the bar above Shanghai. Lots of dark corners for dark snogging deeds, if that’s your thing, and plenty of dance space.

Whenever I’ve been in Shanghai it’s always dead. I am always enticed in here with promises of free drinks and free entrance etc by the men on the street. My friends and I never really realise he’s there precisely because the club is dead.
To be fair, there have been one or two nights here that have been a great success. It has so much potential, particularly being underneath the really trendy Le Monde bar, and it has a huge dancefloor. All the ingredients are here, but the cake is soggy.
they have a really cool fish tank on the floor when you first come in — when you walk over it the fish move and the water ripples! How cool is that! I think I spend the majority of my time in Shanghai playing with those fish. They never see me coming.

Okay so I revoke my two stars and give Shanghai one star. I went there last night and was reminded why I stick to places like Opium and The Hive. Yes they are dingy, but I always have a good time because nobody gives a shit.
Shanghai is full of scantily clad females grinding on boys who don’t look old enough to be out past 9 o’clock. I actually felt overdressed in here as most girls appeared to have come out in little more than their underwear. Everyone seems to take themselves very seriously and give you a once over before casting their disapproving eye over the fact your butt cheeks are covered up.
Hideous bar full of hideous people. I lasted an hour, but it felt like an eternity.

I agree with Amy and Fiona on this one with the two stars. It’s hard to give a club a 1 or 5 stars because it is completely dependent on what kind of music you’re into and that’s less of a place thing and more of personal choice.
HOWEVER, it’s pretty much just a dive. When I end up here, admittedly it’s never my first choice but I tend not to protest when in that state of mind, you can have a good night but it’s not a particularly wonderful place. The strange elitism image it’s given itself is really just in theory as the arse-​end of George Street pours out of it at 3 am in broken, cheap, diamanté shoes.

Considering the bar above it (Le Monde) is so amazing, Shanghai is definitely an anti-​climax. In fact, the only reason I’m not giving it 1 star is the fact that, being on George Street it doesn’t have sticky floors/​carpets/​that permanent vomit-​mixed-​with-​bleach smell that so many 1 star clubs have.
It is true, the venue looks nice, but ‘nice’ is about is excitable as you can get when talking about this place. On literally every street corner along George Street, on any given night of the week, you’ll be accosted by one of their street team trying to sales-​pitch you into going, and they always try to convince you it’s in some way unique and different from all the other clubs along this street.
Let’s see… it’s in a basement below a bar. Tick. It’s small. Tick. Unless you have done your homework on the drinks deals for that night then it’s expensive. Tick. All the waitresses are stunning. Tick. It’s pretty much the same as any other club nearby, like Opal Lounge or Lulu, but the difference is that in 4 years of going to Shanghai I’ve never had one of those great nights that everyone is still talking about weeks later. In the other two I have.
If I had to describe it in one word it would just be «blah».