The Place
Beijingers have gotten used to new clubs popping up, and then closing down before most people even get a chance to check them out… but 3x3 By the ROOF's unique features make us think it will soon become one of the city’s nightlife institutions.
Soft opening in July, the new Chaoyang venue has already hosted several international acts and a diverse collection of crowd-drawing events.
3x3 is a collaboration between nightlife veterans Mark Zhang and Pancake Lee, although Lee views Zhang more as a mentor than a partner.
Shanghai-native Zhang has been in the club business since 1990 – it’s fair to say that he was one of the founders of China’s modern nightlife scene.
He moved to Beijing 13 years ago and has been the man behind numerous notorious venues in the city, including Elements, Banana, Coco Banana, and Unico.
Pancake Lee
In 2007, Beijinger Lee founded Acupuncture Records and has been an integral part of bringing Chinese electronic music to the world stage. He also helped bring techno fans the INTRO Electronic Music Festival and iconic late-night club Lantern.
Lee’s techno venue Aurora recently shutdown, but it lives on through this new project with Zhang – the club’s events are promoted as presented by ‘3x3 x Aurora’.
3x3 has it all: two DJ setups, an outdoor seating area, private rooms, stages for dancers, an epic bar, and great food.
It is located atop THE BOX – Beijing’s trendiest new mall, which is also home to Fusion Restaurant & Bar.
Although there are similar places in Shanghai, there is no venue quite like it in Beijing – read on to find out what we mean.
The Food & Drinks
The bar at 3x3 is a bit of a masterpiece. The main attraction on their drink menu are the free-flow packages – which give you three hours of unlimited access to 16 different wines for RMB119, eight different beers for RMB159, and to both the wines and beers for RMB199.
When you purchase one of these packages, you get an electronic wristband that tracks your time and gives you access to the libations.
Image by Yinmai O'Connor/That's
Although overly high-tech wine dispensers with touchscreens aren’t exactly new, going to a Beijing nightclub and scanning a wristband to serve yourself a pour is a fairly novel experience.
3x3 also has great deals on bottles – their approach is similar to that of Heaven Supermarket, but way less shady; they have a wide selection of bottles with slim markups, such as Bombay Sapphire (RMB499) and Grey Goose (RMB799).
In addition, the cocktail menu does not disappoint – their hip mixologist has created a solid list of concoctions with brilliant names, such as Cigarettes After Sex (RMB68), Zodiac Signs (RMB58), Bye-Bye Ex (RMB58), and Oh F**k (RMB88).
Their approach to cocktails focuses much more on substance than style – you won’t find tropical flowers or other garish garnishes atop your drink (although the glass chalices the cocktails are served in are stunning, and make you feel like a 16th century lord grasping his goblet).
L to R: Memoirs of Geisha, Fall Head Over Heels, and Back to Alive (image by Yinmai O'Connor/That's)
Memoirs of a Geisha (RMB88) contains vodka, sake, Cointreau, and lemon – it has a light rice liquor flavor, and that distinctively satisfying taste a drink has when you know it won’t give you a hangover.
Their signature drink for the ladies, the Fall Head Over Heels (RMB88) is unlike most other pink drinks designed for that particular target audience; not overly sweet, nor light on the booze, Yangmei and lemon juice somehow managing to mask the gin, vodka, rum and tequila that make you realize the cocktail’s name is a warning, and not a reference to falling in love.
With the menu was designed by Wang Shengjun – a well-known chef and the founder of Yunshen Barbeque – 3x3 has great food options as well, including a Charcoal Braised Australian Wagyu Steak (RMB128) and a variety of chuar options.
They also take smoking to the next level – you can also order 10 different flavors of Shisha (RMB160) and a selection of Dominican Cigars (RMB248).
The Vibe
Trying to summarize the vibe of 3x3 is kind of like trying to describe the weather of a country – it greatly depends on when you are there and what part you go to; the place has everything from free tables and cheap drinks to private rooms and luxury imports.
Before it fully launches its brand, 3x3 is still attempting to identify the gaps in Beijing’s nightlife market and cement its role in the scene through a bit of trial and error – but Lee and Zhang assure us that, above all else, they will avoid becoming a Gongti-style club.
There won’t be any EDM nights, but they will vary the music style with 80s/90s electronic tunes, techno, house, Latin, and even a little bit of hip-hop
Lee hopes to still attract the cool kid party crowd that frequented Lantern, while Zhang has ensured his Rolodex of celebs and loyal high rollers can still be well-taken care of.
The décor is playful and funky without being over the top. The around 200 capacity space has free seating, as well as tables that range from RMB800-2,000, depending on the day of the week and event schedule.
VIP room
There is also a VIP table for RMB3,000 that includes the passcode for a snazzy private toilet by the DJ booth, and a RMB4,500 private room that accommodates about 20 people with multiple tables, KTV, and its own bathroom.
Outdoor seating
In addition, an outdoor area overlooks THE BOX’s basketball court with several tables and a standing area along the railing.
We've stopped by on several occasions, and while the vibe has varied, 3x3 consistently has a tasteful mix of class and depravity that anyone can appreciate.
The hostesses, meanwhile, are stunning and tower over you in that way only beautiful young models can – they are sourced from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT).
If you don't have time to check out 3x3 anytime soon, we think time is on your side, because this venue has what it takes to stick around.
Price: RMB200- 300
Who’s Going: Electronic music fans, alcohol enthusiasts, celebrities, students – there is something for everyone.
Good For: Most nighttime activities – except for cuddling up with a book.
3x3 By the Roof, L3 THE BOX, No.12 Chaowaijie, Chaoyang
[All other images are courtesy of 3x3 By the Roof]
0 User Comments