Times bar on Yongkang Lu, Shanghai revives 1980s Hong Kong nostalgia with creative cocktails (RMB98-108) and Cantonese bites like Typhoon Shelter Prawns (RMB88). Open daily 10am-1am. Retro-chic vibe.
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By Heather Millet
We often dream of yesterday. Perhaps we dream of our youth—of where we grew up, or first learned to ride a bicycle.
We dream of visits we paid to relatives in homes now gone or sold, and the way decades of the past had distinctive smells.
We dream of travel before we mastered airport lines, before smartphones demystified menus with instant translation.
And in Shanghai, those who have been here long enough still dream of old Yongkang Lu.
Photo by Nicky Almasy
Until 2016, Yongkang Lu was a snakepit of cheap drinks, blonde dreadlocks, thick crowds, and layers of competing music spilling from open bar windows.
As with any party spot that spirals out of control, the government eventually conceded to residents' complaints and shut it down.
READ MORE: This Day in History: Yongkang Lu Bar Street Shut Down
For roughly a decade, only the Blarney Stone Irish Pub remained—dark and sturdy, like a relic of the past.
Across the street, Tap House served quiet beers.
Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Otherwise, the street filled up with coffee shops and flower boxes, looking more like a seaside selfie town than a bar street.
The Yongkang of today. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
But now—finally—a few new bars are starting to return. Silently opened in December, one new cocktail bar bringing back the old Yongkang vibe (with somewhat more sophistication) is Times.
Street view of new Yongkang Lu cocktail bar, Times
It's a concept from the Oude Group, the team behind J.Boroski, NO FILTER, Bijou, among others.
The venue's vision is based on a fictionalized character of the past—1980s Hong Kong, where the grit of the working class met higher aspirations: travel, journalism, and European influences.
Times interior
Although this story goes untold within the bar, it is embedded in the dark wood detailing, fogged-glass lamps, and wicker-backed chairs.
The Food
Times menu. Photo by Heather Millet / That's
The menu tells a similar story. A tiny pencil accompanies sheets of paper—yellow for food, blue for drinks—that you mark to select your items.
Both food and drink are inspired by Old Canton.
Typhoon Shelter Prawns (RMB88)
On the food front, the most popular dishes are those faithful to their classic inspirations. The Typhoon Shelter Prawns (RMB88) are perfectly cooked, crunchy and in a portion beyond bar-food-sized.
Char Siu Sauce Grilled Ludao Scallops (RMB48)
There are grilled bites as well, such as the Char Siu Sauce Grilled Ludao Scallops (RMB48), which are sliced thin and lightly cooked to retain texture. A relaxed option for a gentle appetite.
Braised Beef Trio in Chu Hou Sauce with Rice Noodles (RMB78)
On the heartier side, a fan favorite among those already frequenting the bar is the Braised Beef Trio in Chu Hou Sauce with Rice Noodles (RMB78).
It's substantial for spring weather and portioned with chunks of stewed beef cubes, tendon, and tripe.
Assorted Pickles (RMB18). Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Pairing it with the house-made Assorted Pickles (RMB18) provides a perfect palate cleanse between mouthfuls.
Lotus Seed Paste & Salted Egg Custard Ice Cream (RMB48)
For an absolutely stunning dessert finale, the Lotus Seed Paste & Salted Egg Custard Ice Cream (RMB48) offers a miraculous duo of texture and flavor.
Not too sweet, this beautiful dish draws on ingredients traditionally used for mooncake filling, but gives them a fine-dining makeover.
Safe to say it is worth dropping in just to try this singular delicacy—a rare find, even on a street with ice cream shops.
The Drinks
The cocktails are not shy on flavor either. There is a run of 18 signatures, as well as a few carefully crafted virgin options.
Juju Fizz (RMB98): Rum, Mixed Herbs, Bitter Gourd, Bubbles, Mung Bean & Salted Egg Foam
To open, the Juju Fizz (RMB98) makes clever use of bitter gourd alongside herbs such as lemongrass and curry leaf, plus mung bean.
The foam is a salted egg that offsets the bitterness of the key ingredient—one known in Traditional Chinese Medicine for clearing heat and restlessness.
Yuanyang (RMB108): Maker's Mark Whiskey, Black Tea, Coffee, Evaporated Milk, Truffle. Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Straight from the heart of Hong Kong comes a milk tea cocktail called the Yuanyang (RMB108).
Coffee and black tea are both employed, with a hint of truffle, in this alcoholic twist on the beloved beverage of the south.
Like the original, it can be served hot or cold.
Bun Punch (RMB108): Butter Rum, Filbert Pineapple, Evaporated Milk, Lemon, Vanilla, Cocoa. Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Once more, memories of simple snacks are reimagined in the Bun Punch (RMB108), which was inspired by buttered white buns and pineapple cakes.
With a crispy cookie garnish, it's childhood comfort served in a tumbler.
Shiso Olive Sour (RMB108): Gin, Green Olive, Gentian Liqueur, Guangdong Sugar, Citrus, Shiso
Bartender-recommended, the Shiso Olive Sour (RMB108) is a bright and lively cocktail—dry, but sharp from fresh olive rather than the typical brined variety.
Mala De Mer (RMB108): Mezcal, Pickles, Ginger, Lime, Spicy Chili, Coriander, Tomato, Peanut, Fish
Finally, in an absolute fit of Southern Chinese loyalty, the Mala De Mer (RMB108) is an explosively flavorful cocktail.
It's made to evoke a dish whose Chinese name, 鱼生 yú shēng, translates loosely to 'raw fish'—wherein thin slices of raw white river fish are paired with various herbs and vegetables in a risky feast.
鱼生 yú shēng, the Southern Chinese dish inspiration for the Mala De Mer cocktail at Times
Rest assured, no raw fish (or actual fish at all) is used in the making of the cocktail; rather, it's crafted using the accompaniments—ginger, coriander, and peanut.
Fishy fishy. Photo by Heather Millet / That's
The result is a zesty and bold beverage, adorned with two small dried fish in a nod to the original dish.
It's a wild drink.
The Vibe
Times bartender, Nanoko, serves a long pour of the Yuanyang cocktail. Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Times harkens back to a time in Hong Kong that many still yearn for, and is a must for those who love creative cocktails and thoughtful settings.
Struck with red neon lights, the concrete walls on one half of the bar displace our sense of modernity. It is definitively retro-chic.
Concrete and red neon, Photo by Heather Millet / That's
Open day and night, it's ideal for bringing visitors to sample the brilliance of Shanghai's cocktail scene fused with Cantonese tastes.
During the day, light brunch and tea are served for the sunny Aperol spritz crowd. But at night… Yongkang just might be back, with a little piece of 1980s Hong Kong.
Price: RMB100–300 per person
Who's Going: Cocktail enthusiasts, nostalgic Shanghai veterans, Hong Kong cinema fans, design lovers, after-work crowd, late-night industry folks
Good For: Afternoon Aperol spritzes, bringing out-of-town guests, Cantonese-inspired cocktail deep dives, retro date nights, solo bar seating, Yongkang Lu memory fixes
Daily, 10am-5pm & 6.30pm-1am, kitchen closes 10pm
Times 43 Yongkang Lu, by Jiashan Lu, Xuhui District 永康路43号, 近嘉善路
[All photos courtesy of Times unless otherwise stated]
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