Ball House

The Ball House near Gulou (Drum Tower) is the archetypal hidden bar, almost impossible to find, even as you walk through the distinctive red door, it’s still not clear whether you’ve stumbled into a functioning bar or a squat. The cavernous space more resembles a post-apocalyptic youth club than a trendy Gulou drinking spot. Just bring some guys for a night of pool (30 RMB per hour) on one of the three top-quality tables, and stick to the bottled beer (Tsingtao 15 RMB).

If you want to relax between games, lounge around with the owner’s pet cats on the scatter cushions in one of three small mezzanine rooms that overlook the bar. One of the rooms has a large skylight with an impressive view of Gulou.