One of my favorite things to do in any country that I am "of age" in is to explore the nightlife. Think about it- you can mingle with locals, meet other foreigners, or just have a fun night with friends. It just so happens that Chengdu has an INCREDIBLE nightlife scene, ranging from pubs and bars to clubs and dance halls. Here are some of the places that I visited (and tips and tricks for foreigners).
One of the best tips that I learned from my dad was to always take the business card of the hotel/ apartment/ place you are staying. When you get in a cab, the driver will know where to take you. This is especially important in Chengdu where few cab drivers speak any English- getting home (unless you're within walking distance) may end up being the worst part of your night without this trick.
Once you have your business card, it's time to go out on the town! One of my favorite places to go in Chengdu is a small hole-in-the-wall bar called Mojar (located above the noodle shop in Soho). The staff are very friendly, speak some English, and it's a really popular spot for a lot of foreigners (so you can talk to people in English!). They have a really popular dice game, which is quite similar to the American card game B.S., and I highly suggest you learn it. If you play with a new set of people, ask for their rules (everyone has their own version). Good news for ladies here- Thursday night is ladies night, which means that if you order off of a set menu of about 10 cocktails, women drink for FREE! Other than that, the prices are fairly reasonable (20 Kuai for the cheapest beer- about $3.2 USD). There's a pool table and although it gets quite loud, the atmosphere is always friendly. The picture above was taken on the 11th floor of Soho (use the elevator for the motel, take it up to the 11th floor, take a left- when I was there, there were some sheets hanging- and you'll see this view right by the stairs to get to the 12th floor).
Another chill bar-type place is Commune (conveniently located almost right next to Mojar). It's a bit bigger, easier to find, and has a much wider selection of drinks. It is a bit more expensive, but for sports fans, it always has some game playing where Mojar usually plays movies (one time when I went, they were playing Lord of the Rings!).
If you feel like dancing, the place to be is Revolucion. Located right by the river, this dance bar is half inside, half outside. You'll know it when you see it because of the giant, glowing, gun-toting panda on the wall (no, I'm not kidding). They have some awesome drinks, even though they're a bit pricey. This place always has a mix of foreigners and Chinese nationals, so you get a nice mix of people to meet as well. When I was there I met people from 10 different countries! Pro tip in this place: don't be afraid to bring a bag- just give it to the bartender and they'll put it in a locker in the back for free! Just remember to get the number of your locker before you start dancing. In Revolucion, Sunday night is salsa night! They play more latin style music (though a lot of it is fairly popular), and a few professional salsa dancers and teachers come. It's absolutely wild and it's entirely possible to show up at 9:00 and close the bar down at 3:00 am- I've done it!
A slightly more clubby place is Propaganda- a really nice bar/club very close to the Tower in the center of Chengdu. Get there early and the place is dead, but if you stay (or don't show up until later), it gets nice and busy. This club plays a lot of popular, up-to-date music along with some throwbacks. Overall, the vibe is really nice. This is another one of those bars where women drink free on Thursdays, and the drink menu is a lot less limited than Mojar (about 30 drinks!). If you feel like going all out, this club is next to one of the craziest in Chengdu: Space.
No matter how disoriented you are, you'll be able to find Space from Propoganda. Just follow the music, and it's literally right across the street. This club easily has 1,000 people at any given night, dancers are up on tables, and in order to get a seat you need to call ahead. If you're just dancing to the techno beat, though, go in any time. You will need your passport to get in, so make sure you bring it. If you're lucky, one of the staff will pull your group aside and give you a "free rum and tequila drinks for foreigners wristband" (actually this may happen anyway- every time I went, they gave me a wristband). Be warned: the bar is hard to find. I recommend drinking at Propaganda, then head to Space. It's really crowded and loud in there, so if you have social anxiety it may not be for you. Even if you don't think it is, I highly recommend just checking it out, because it's a really cool sight even if you're just observing for a minute. Pro tip: if you're there when the glitter/confetti comes down from the ceiling, take it off of you before going to bed, because the dye will stain your skin red for a day or so.
I hope this guide to the nightlife in Chengdu helps! Always remember to be safe when drinking, if you're in a situation where you're uncomfortable, just leave!
