"After reading SmartShanghai’s recent review of Barber Shop and needing a place to pop in after a dinner in the neighborhood, I decided I would give the place a try. I’ve been to most of the speakeasy’s in town and have to say there is something about the theme that appeals to me. I think it is primarily because there is a part of me that thinks that these places capture something of the golden age of Shanghai—a modern take on the hidden gem you might stumble upon in an alley during the 1930’s.
Upon entering the “barber” part of the barber shop, one is greeted by an attendant stationed behind a desk. The entryway to the actual bar is through a one way mirror that slides out of the way when you depress the correct shampoo bottle pump. One of the ladies in the group, who admittedly had imbibed before we stumbled upon the place, walked right up to him and said “we’re here for a haircut!” As a result, the attendant briskly ushered us toward the mirror and found the correct plunger to depress. The mirror slid out of the way to reveal the bar area. This is much different from Speak Low, which seems to require a spy master to convince the attendant of that you’re worthy of getting behind the bookshelf, something that can be enjoyable when you have a little time on your hands.
I like the idea of the interior, but the execution feels a bit forced. The walls are comprised of adhesive tiles which are meant to look like old exposed brick, but they’re not quite right. It seems more Ikea living room than hidden smugglers den. The lighting is low, music is unobjectionable, and the general atmosphere is vaguely similar to Constellation but at a lower quality level.
The drinks all tend to be on the expensive side of the spectrum, but are well executed. I had a Manhattan which was tasty and well made. I also ordered a round of four shots of whiskey which set me back a cool RMB300, steep, to be sure.
We ordered some bar snacks which were pretty terrible. Fries came out of a bag and were really soggy. The chicken wings fared little better and reminded me of what you get at the cookie cutter Chinese bar.
It might just be growing pains, but at the price point you really expect perfection. Barber Shop has quite a long way before it hits that mark.
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