Barcelona's Independent Review Website

Shoko
Click here to view map Click here to launch website Shoko is a beautiful club in a pretty nice location. About as different as you could get in style and concept, and yet just next door, to Baja Beach. Shoko is certainly one of the sleekest looking clubs in Barcelona. Part of the reason for the high quality interior is the fact that Shoko is primarily a restaurant. Located on the nice end of the beach at Barceloneta, very close to the Hotel Del Arte, diners are treated to exquisite views, out and in. Shoko’s décor is a mix of oriental and occidental - kind of like a Chinese beach club (if such a thing were to exist). I really like the illuminated Chinese parasols and glyphs covering the walls and the giant indoor trees - which I always imagined were supposed to be palms but now thinking about it must be bamboo - silly me. The club is decked out in rich reds. Banks of giant sofas stretch across one wall and the outdoor patio area. And perhaps this is the best thing about the club. Because of the sheer amount of seating - even after the dining areas have been “transforma magicamente” - it gives the place a much more relaxed feeling than it might otherwise offer. It’s a great club for breaking up your time on the dance floor and it’s pretty fantastic to go to a place where you can actually have a conversation. The beach side patio area, which is a good place if you feel like meeting new people, is a nice feature of the club but tends to get pretty busy. The overall look of the venue is unfaultable. I really love the low, warm lighting and how nice is it to dance on a floor which isn’t totally scummy before you even step on to it? One reservation I have about the place is that the actual time you can dance for (as it closes already at 3) is pretty short - especially as we don’t normally get out of the house until at least 1. I’m also not the biggest fan of the house music they play. On the nights I have been when there’s a hip hop DJ I’ve had a lot more fun - with poppy but credible stuff played - compared to the extremely bland, near totally instrumental house. For a club in a rather tacky location I find Shoko surprisingly enjoyable. The excellent interior design and outdoor patio are real draws for me - especially during the summer when a night club with real, true air conditioning is something to be treasured. The music and opening times leave a little to be desired but it’s a beautiful club nonetheless.

Address:

Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 36, 08005

Area:

Barceloneta

Nearest Metro:

Ciutadella-Villa Olympica

Club type:

Straight

Opening times:

Weds-Sun till 3am

Drink prices:

Entry prices:

Music played:

Electro
Funk
Hip-Hop