Shanghai Lil's

Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd


Recently relocated to the after-dark scene of Karangahape Rd, a louche old-world Shanghai vibe pervades this small bar, where the owner dispenses charm in a silk Mandarin jacket and octogenarian musicians tickle the ivories for satin-voiced jazz singers. It attracts a widely varied and eclectic crowd, with a healthy quotient of gay men in the mix.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd attractions

1. Moses

0.2 MILES

This reproduction of Michelangelo's Moses was made from marble from the same quarry as the original.

3. Civic Theatre

0.61 MILES

The 'mighty Civic' (1929) is one of only seven ‘atmospheric theatres’ remaining in the world and a fine survivor from cinema’s Golden Age. The auditorium…

4. Auckland Art Gallery

0.67 MILES

Auckland's premier art repository has a striking glass-and-wood atrium grafted onto its 1887 French chateau frame. It showcases the best of NZ art, along…

5. Sky Tower

0.7 MILES

The impossible-to-miss Sky Tower looks like a giant hypodermic giving a fix to the heavens. Spectacular lighting renders it space age at night and the…

6. Albert Park

0.77 MILES

Hugging the hill on the city’s eastern flank, Albert Park is a charming Victorian formal garden overrun by students from the neighbouring University of…

7. University Clock Tower

0.85 MILES

The University Clock Tower is Auckland's architectural triumph. This stately ‘ivory' tower (1926) tips its hat to art nouveau (the incorporation of NZ…

8. St Patrick’s Cathedral

0.85 MILES

Auckland’s Catholic cathedral (1907) is one of the city's loveliest buildings. Polished wood and Belgian stained glass lend warmth to the interior of the…