Mesmerizing cocktail bar Barules is an establishment that is far from new, and nearly everyone seems to know it.It existed for six years on the corner of Fenyang and Fuxing Lu, before closing in 2020, and has since lain dormant in the heart of its visionaries – most especially in the creative minds of lead bartenders, Ian and Dante.Though it was lost in the Shanghai ether for three (*ahem*) strange years, it has returned to us in 2024, and can now be found on Tongren Lu, in the shadow of the Shanghai Center in downtown Jing'an.
Image courtesy of BarulesAt first passing, the exterior modestly whispers 'Speakeasy here…' with an unlabeled door spray-painted with the words 'Bartender is always right.'Image courtesy of BarulesPass through this, and a nearly wall-sized inner door swings open to uncover an arena of revelry.
Stepping into the reborn Barules is like stepping into a cocktail chapel: the very wood of this classically designed establishment seems to hum; the bar staff glow from warm backlighting.
Everywhere are relics of bar history, such as an antique silver shaker or a vintage register machine, while the water carafes on the second floor look like they were sourced along the Silk Road.The desire to bring back memories of what is truly holy in this cocktail universe rings through. 
