You know how it goes: It's a weekend night – you've drank and danced and drank and partied and drank till you can drink no more. And then you must eat. I'm pretty sure scientists have found that late night drunk food cravings are quite possibly one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Or something like that. Regardless, stumbling into your favorite late night joint for a pig out feast with your friends is just one of those unique guilty pleasures. And Shanghai happily indulges by providing a plethora of restaurants open into the wee hours of the morning. Read on for some of my favorites, and feel free to post your own recommendations in the comments section!

1) Bi Feng TangView In Map
Probably the go-to drunk restaurant in Shanghai, I remember being surprised to learn that Bi Feng Tang is actually open during the day as, you know, a real restaurant. Prepare for a mixed crowd of Chinese and foreign club-goers who stop in for the decent Cantonese food that magically tastes even better after a few (or more) cocktails. The meat buns, the stir fried noodles, xiaolongbao… it's all perfectly filling and just greasy enough for a pre-bedtime nosh fest. Just don't be surprised if you get there toward closing time and the waitress responds "mei you" for a decent portion of the menu.

Add: 175 Changle Lu, Shanghai (near Maoming Nan Lu), Shanghai
地址：上海长乐路175号，近茂名南路
Tel: 021 64670628
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00; Sat-Sun, 8:00-5:00

2) WoJiaView In Map
If you're able to ignore the line of talk-girl bars that lead up to WoJia, you'll find it's plenty worth it. This is the place to go if you're in the mood for all your Shanghai favorites, like fried shrimp or lion's head meatballs. It's not the largest of restaurants, which is fine when you manage to nab a spot but not so great if you're made to wait. Depending on your level of drunkenness and patience, this could be your new favorite go-to.

Add: 7, Lane 229 Huashan Lu, Shanghai (near Yan'an Lu), Shanghai
地址：上海华山路229弄7号, 近延安路
Tel: 021 62793985
Opening hours: Daily, 11:00-2:00

3) Hot Pot KingView In Map
Ahhh, Hot Pot King. Not the best Chinese hot pot you'll have in the city, but certainly the most rewarding at 3:00 in the morning. The menu is huge, the dipping sauce bar is decently sized, and the service is surprisingly good. Choose from basically any type of meat imaginable (including pig brain, although I don't recommend that as a drunk snack), vegetables, dumplings, and seafood. They even have a guy cooking flatbread at a mini grill in case you need that carb fix. This is also one place that welcomes large crowds, which makes it extra convenient for an after-party party.

Add: 2/F, 1416 Huaihai Lu, Shanghai (near Fuxing Lu), Shanghai
地址：上海淮海路1416号楼，近复兴路
Tel: 021 64736380
Opening hours: Daily, 11:00-4:00

4) Number 17 Crawfish HouseView In Map
Although the entire street of Shouning Lu is rightly famous for their yummy summertime crawfish, Number 17 Crawfish House is a great place to start for the uninitiated or overwhelmed. You can buy an actual tub full of fresh crawfish coated in an addictive (seriously, what do they put in there, crack? - it's the only explanation) mix of spices and garlic. Or, for those who aren't as nuanced in cracking off heads and shelling teeny tiny crawfish bodies, the shrimp may prove a better bet. Either way, seafood will never taste quite the same as it does here on a late night food binge.

Add: 17 Shouning Lu, Shanghai (near Xizang Lu), Shanghai
地址：上海寿宁路17号, 进西藏路
Tel: 021 63280098

5) Velvet LoungeView In Map
OK, OK, for those who just can't bring themselves to stomach Chinese food while drunk, I've included the place that countless expats have come to simultaneously love and loathe – good ol' Velvet Lounge. And if there's one place to get your fix of late night, gooey, meaty, cheesy pizza – it's here (and anyone who mentions that Melrose Pizza is a cheaper alternative – seriously, just don't. Or go gnaw on a piece of cardboard because it's pretty much the same thing). Velvet Lounge has always had shockingly good pizza, especially in a place as over-the-top as, well, Velvet Lounge. I don't know how they do it, I don't know why they do it, but until they stop, they'll be my late night drunk pizza of choice.

Add: 1/F, Bldg 3-4, 913 Julu Lu, Shanghai (near Changshu Lu)
地址：上海巨鹿路913号3-4号楼1楼, 近常熟路, 地铁1号常熟路站
Tel: 021 54032976
Opening hours: 18:00-3:00

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