East Shore Live Jazz Café

East Shore Live Jazz Café Review

The closest thing Beijing has to New Orleans is this bar. Expect cigar smoke, velvet drapes, sepia photographs of jazz greats, and plenty of vintage instruments on display. The owner, local jazz legend Liu Yuan, says he wants to use the bar to promote homegrown jazz talents. On top of the live swing and jazz, the bar boasts the best views of Houhai, either through the floor-to-ceiling windows (complete with telescope) in the bar or from the small, sparsely furnished rooftop. There are no guardrails on the roof, so drink and step with extreme care.