Can you recommend a place for drinks in the Bund, Shanghai?
 

I'm getting into PVG Saturday at 6:30 pm. Never been there, but I was hoping to make it to town at a reasonable time and meet a friend for drinks. I'll be staying at Les Suites Orient in the Bund. Two part question:

a) Would it be reasonable to plan to meet with someone around 10pm? (taking into account immigration, transportation by car, check-in at my hotel)

b) What's a good place nearby for drinks? The Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria looks good, but I have no idea if it's easy to just walk in on a Saturday night. Any other suggestions? Thanks!

You should have no problem walking into the Long Bar on a Saturday night. A seat at the bar itself will surely be available, if not a table. It's a loooong bar!

If it's not raining (the weather has been nice, but of course it changes), I suggest you cross the river and hit up Flair. Otherwise, apart from the Long Bar, Rouge, House of Roosevelt, and Peace Bar are okay. I have one more suggestion that is (uniquely) cheap, but I need to hit up the guy who told me about it. I will message him, and update this thread after he replies.

For part a), I would be very confident that you will make a 10:00 PM meet-up. Probably even 9:00 - 9:30.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...-Shanghai.html

My friend got back to me, and this is the place he likes. I haven't been there myself yet, but he told me it's pretty nice, and the beers don't cost Y80 per bottle (which, is pretty much the standard in that area).

This is the place to go for people who want the bund views but not the bund prices. If you want to be feted with sparklers coming out of your champagne bottle delivered by women in bikinis then this is not the place to go. Many people want the full "bund experience" which you won't get at the Captain, but it's my favorite place on the bund for precisely that reason.

That being said, the heart of the burgeoning Shanghai cocktail culture is definitely not on the bund. It's in Xuhui District (old french concession)

As you know quite well, I am a beer guy, and the Carlsberg at Rouge or M1NT is no different than the Crocus. But, whenever I go to Flair, I pony up for their craft cocktails.