Shanghai is one of the longest standing hostess bars in Phnom Penh. It has been around well over a decade. While the place is not nearly what it was at its peak it still deserves an examination. Any adult oriented business that can remain open through all the changes of the 21st century in a country like Cambodia must be worth a look.
At one point Shanghai was one of the most well known and notable of all the hostess bars in the city. I remember seeing an advertisement with pictures of dozens of beautiful women in the bar dressed in Chinese style dresses. When I entered the place I realized that unlike most ads of the sort it was entirely accurate.
Even after it was easy to enter the place and find lots of pretty women in tight fitting black dresses. Since drink prices were reasonable and there was even food available it was a popular place to go. It attracted a lot of expats and long time regulars. Then it went through some changes. Today it’s just a shadow of its former self. But since it changed in one direction it could surely change back in the right circumstances.
Shanghai in Phnom Penh
Shanghai is located on Pasteur right across from the infamous Golden Sorya Mall. Unlike some other bars that moved around the city it has always been in the same place. While structures around have come and gone Shanghai has stood the test of time.
Inside the bar is rather large. There is a square bar with stools around it. The majority of the women who work in the bar sit behind it most times. Towards the back there are several diner booth style seats too. People eat back there or share drinks with women in the bar.
There is a full menu of drinks and even food available at Shanghai. It’s all good enough and the prices aren’t bad either. Unfortunately the number of women who work in the bar has been greatly reduced from the days of old. On top of that the overall quality seems to have gone down too. I don’t only mean the looks of the ladies but the vibe inside and even the way customers are welcomed.
Less than a decade back there used a sort of party feeling at Shanghai on busy nights. Customers could be found all over. And they were outnumbered by women. People would go up on the roof and enjoy drinks while overlooking what was then a much smaller city. Nowadays the place is more like a quiet bar with people sulking over their drinks. The changes are somewhat sad.
Staff, services and summary
As stated there are just a handful of women working Shanghai now. And none of them are in sexy Chinese dresses. I don’t like to judge people who are making a living. Especially since beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But I am almost positive that a couple of the ladies at Shanghai have been working there since Montenegro was in a state union with Serbia.
Don’t get me wrong. The ladies are not ill willed or nasty. But this is a far cry from what Shanghai was like years ago. The women do their jobs and I don’t have any specific complaints with them as people. But I can’t help but notice how drastically things have changed as I have been visiting the place off and on for many years.
In its previous manifestation Shanghai had one of the most unique barfine systems to be found. Customers had to buy six lady drinks if they wanted to take a gal out of the bar. I guess this ensured that everyone was on the same page. It also allowed the bar to keep ladies around for some time and make money without charging a direct fee. This is similar to go go bars in Angeles City that sell bottles of “Party Animal” instead of asking for direct barfine payment.
These days it doesn’t appear that there is a barfine system in place at Shanghai. So any guy and gal who wanted to get together would simply have to wait until the midnight closing time. It operates like the legendary old Cathouse in its later days in that regard. It might be just as well though. I don’t know how many men would want to do a barfine here even if it was available. It is with sadness in my heart that I give the current Shanghai just one star. 
Shanghai. 21 Rue Pasteur No 51, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Click here for a map. Open every day from 3:00 PM until 12:00 AM. http://shanghaibarcambodia.com
