Hamish Wyatt/Shanghai Daily

Down and dirty but with soul.

There are two truisms about food and drink in Shanghai. One is that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and the other is that there is no such thing as a cheap drink.
Unless, of course, you are female and can be bothered to take part in the numerous ladies nights around
town or you are happy to drink in a dive where going to get a pint entails three possible fist fights. Not to point any fingers but there are three such dives around town, and they all go by the same name. However, there may be an alternative.
Cs is a small, underground bar that initially seems to slot right into the “dive” category. However it does have an interesting, rustic attraction.
Going down the dark stairs that lead to the bar at 685 Dingxi Road near Fahuazhen Road, one cliche keeps
on popping up ... ghetto. The entire bar is in a rather advanced state of disrepair but there is definitely a filthy charm about it.
It seems as though the layout of the bar was conceived by one of its less sober patrons. Although rather
small, Cs manages to seem catacomb-like, especially after a few drinks. However, once again, the yellowing and peeling walls of the corridors that lead their way to what seems like dozens of rooms have their own allure.
Cs definitely has “character” and that’s not just a euphemism for filthy. This bar really does exude something that many bars in Shanghai seem to miss completely, it has some soul. Mind you that doesn’t necessarily mean the more squeamish patrons will find it any easier sitting on some of the downright unhygienic sofas.
Admittedly, Cs is not sounding so good. However the best part about it is yet to come: All drinks at Cs cost 10 yuan (US$1.2). From Tsingtao beer to Becks and bourbons to vodka tonics, everything is a measly 10 yuan.
However the crowd isn’t the same as that which usually comes with these prices. Perhaps it still has a level of anonymity in the drunken bar-hoppers guide book, but for whatever reason, Cs is a cheap place where there is very little risk of being surrounded by slurring, and occasionally violent, 20-somethings. Like all cheap places the music of choice is usually hip-hop but due to the bizarre design of the bar there are many places you can slip off to for a somewhat quieter drink with the once pounding music fading to background entertainment.
As is expected the facilities are pretty basic, let’s call them “authentic.’’ If you order a mixed drink, expect the coke to come from a 2-liter bottle.
However, apart from that, Cs offers an all round good night for the price of one drink at most bars in Shanghai. So long as a little “character” doesn’t upset you overly.