Evening in Jing'an often starts around the temple, where the lights come on and people drift between the bars and restaurants that line the streets nearby. From there the night can move south, past the hotels and the elevated road, toward the bar strips and the edge of the old French Concession.
Jing'an's nightlife is mixed and easy to navigate on foot. It suits visitors who want a low-key start near a landmark, a choice of wine bars and restaurants, and the option of continuing south into a denser bar area. It is not a single-party district; the evening is more about moving between places than committing to one.
Where to go out in Jing'an
1. The bar strip by Jing'an Temple
Directly across from the Hilton, on the north-south street running along the west side of the park by Jing'an Temple, there is a whole strip of bars. The character here is straightforward and unpolished, and the strip is known for being well stocked with dubious women.
This suits a late, informal drink rather than a planned night. As a practical point, the Hilton sits a block or so beyond the Yang'an elevated road, which makes it a useful marker for finding the strip.
2. The road south toward the French Concession
Continuing south beyond the Hilton brings you toward the French Concession and what the sources describe as a better class of bar. The road the Hilton is on becomes Hengshan Road about a kilometer further south.
You do not have to go that far. Bars and restaurants are scattered all along that road and on the side streets off it, so this suits an evening where you want to wander and choose as you go.
3. Just Grapes
Just Grapes is a wine bar on Dagu Road that also functions as a wine store, with an upstairs restaurant serving salads, pasta and pizza. It is described as a good place to taste a glass of wine at the bar or outside on the wooden patio.
This suits a relaxed, seated start to an evening. It opens from 17:00 to 23:30, and a glass of wine starts from ¥58.
4. Dr Wine
Dr Wine on Fumin Lu is a classic style of European wine bar, offering a relaxed atmosphere and Italian antipasti.
It suits a quiet drink with food rather than a loud night out. A glass of wine starts from ¥58.
5. Uva Cafe
Uva Cafe on Beijing Xi Lu, near Shanxi Bei Lu, is a wine bar aimed at a younger set.
It suits an early or daytime stop as much as an evening one, since it runs from 08:00 to 21:00. A latte is ¥25.
6. Shanghai Acrobatics Show
The Shanghai Acrobatics Show takes place at 1376 West Nanjing Lu, inside the Ritz-Carlton hotel building, and packs the acts of a Chinese circus into a 90-minute show. The theatre is hidden inside the hotel, so the location is easy to walk past.
This suits an evening built around a performance rather than drinking. Tickets are best bought in advance, especially for weekend shows, and the good acts come up right from the start, so arriving late means missing them. Tickets are about ¥150. The Shanghai Circus in Zhabei is named as an alternative.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give only limited timing. Just Grapes runs from 17:00 to 23:30 and Uva Cafe from 08:00 to 21:00, so an evening can begin with wine and food and still finish at a reasonable hour. The acrobatics show lasts 90 minutes and is best booked ahead for weekends. Beyond these points, the sources do not describe when people eat, when they go out, or how late the bars run.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- National Day and the National Day Golden Week holidays, early October
- Double Ninth Festival, in October
- Christmas Day, in December
- New Year's Day, in January
- Spring Festival Eve and Chinese New Year, in February
Frequently asked questions
Where is the main bar strip in Jing'an?
It is directly across from the Hilton, on the north-south street running along the west side of the park by Jing'an Temple. The Hilton is a block or so beyond the Yang'an elevated road.
Can I find a quieter wine bar instead?
Yes. Just Grapes on Dagu Road, Dr Wine on Fumin Lu and Uva Cafe on Beijing Xi Lu are all named as wine bars, each with a different character and price point for a glass of wine.
Do I need to book the acrobatics show in advance?
Tickets are best bought in advance, especially for weekend shows. The show runs about 90 minutes and the theatre is inside the Ritz-Carlton hotel building, so it is easy to walk past.
How far south should I go for a better class of bar?
Continue south beyond the Hilton toward the French Concession. The road the Hilton is on becomes Hengshan Road about a kilometer further south, but bars and restaurants are scattered all along that road and the side streets off it, so you may not need to go that far.
Decide whether you want a show, a quiet glass of wine or a wander south, and plan your evening around that one choice.