Shoko

For those whom have never been to Barcelona, a night out in Barceloneta is an absolute must. The board walk there is a sight to behold at night. Upon arriving on the boardwalk you look over and the grandiose and glowing W hotel jets into the sky; you pause and wonder where all of the clubs that you have been hearing about are. You glance about and see only tiny little entrances along the boardwalk, most of which are nothing but a glass enclosure. What you initially fail to realize, is that once you are granted entry into one of these seemingly underwhelming clubs you will be so utterly and totally overwhelmed by the time you step foot onto the dance floor. As you enter these clubs via escalator or elevator they transform into massive dance clubs underneath the boardwalk and flowing out into the sandy beaches of Barcelona. Shoko to me is the premier spot along the boardwalk, though clubs such as CDLC are preferred by some and also excellent. Shoko however, is busy every night of the week.. Monday and Tuesday are as good as Friday and Saturday. The crowd is as diverse as the music is excellent; with a spread from Dutch to American to go along with the beautiful Spanish dancing the night away inside. While there are more authentic Spanish clubs scattered throughout Barcelona, this multi tiered part night club part beach club has an atmosphere that welcomes all; that is as long as you are well dressed and good looking. My first night there was a Monday night and simply put, it was one of the best of my life.

Barcelona's Passeig Maritim is one of the places that knowledgeable clubbers from the whole world should all refer to as an essential spot for international nightlife. Down the well-known towers of the Arts hotel and Mapfre building, you will find these strange but stylish 'cubes' outside which you will be selected to have a chance to experience one of Barcelona's most famous and appreciated clubs. Shôko is the one with the Japanese touch; once you get inside the cube, an exotic wooden and plant scenery will welcome you to this incredible nightclub. Once you get downstairs, the warm lighting of the dressing is just an appetizer for what you will find behind the curtains that don't quite reveal the dancefloor yet. As you discover the main room, the best music is played (Shôko's DJs generally have house, commercial, popular tastes), people dance as if no one was watching them, and the setting reminds you of the atmosphere you first experienced at the entrance. Shôko's fame makes it a rather crowded place most of the time, even on the terrace, which is also made of wooden floor and furniture - although it will be pretty difficult to find a place to sit! At some point I almost always need fresh air, so I get out of the terrace to find nothing but... the beach! Walking on the sand up to the sea where you can sit down for a while before going back to the madness of Shôko is an opportunity you will have only when you party in one of these well-known 'cubes'!

This club is really fun and is right on the beach. Its really nice inside and it seems to be kind of a more American club. The club is set up really nicely with different levels and gets pretty crowded. The music is pretty good, nothing to European though. It's a really fun place to go in a group! There's a nice patio right on the beach that has good drinks as well. This club is nicer than one I've been to in the US! With any club, just be careful who you are around and watch out for yourself. Some of the guys are kind of aggressive, much more than in the US. Other than that, it is a really fun, trendy place to dance all night to some good music!

Shoko is a nice ocean front club, however if you are looking to meet locals in Barcelona you will not find them here. The club is almost only Americans because it is heavily promoted on facebook for the Study Abroad students. Everyone speaks english and the music is typically Top 20 songs and some House. It's a fun place to go if you want to dance all night to American music. The energy is great and the way the club is set up is cool. A few balconies for VIP and the bars are spread out. There is also a really nice outdoor area right on the beach.

Shoko is a pretty cool club and nice restaurant during the day! I went once at night with some friends and had a great time, even though I had to wait in line for a bit to get in. The club is very spacious and nice and had fun music! There is also a great patio that is practically on the beach (you can exit to the beach from it if you want). During the day, Shoko has tapas and great drinks! I highly recommend it! Shoko is a fun, trendy place in the fantastic location of Port Olimpic.

I came here with a friend that was studying abroad and had somehow landed a job as a promoter at this trendy spot. I can't speak for the food, but the place was packed with trendy Barcelonians (is that the correct term...probably not) dancing to a surprising amount of American hip-hop and also mingling through the spacious rooms. Not to mention the outdoor area on the infamous man-made beaches where couples were sneaking out for a moment away from the crowd. Even with the beautiful beach front, the decor and the music inside was enough to keep me sipping vodka limons and dancing all night.