Eat, Drink ... Dud: Madam Zung is going out of business

Madam Zung almost lasted a year, not too shabby considering Shanghai's wintry climate for bars. Keeping with a recent trend, the Madam is closing up shop for good. SOCIAList hinted at this yesterday, but now we've got quotes. And everyone likes quotes.

"Madam Zung's will be closed by the end of the year, maybe sooner -- we haven't set a date yet," said Juliet Zhu, the bar's PR manager. And with upbeat PR like that, we bet the bar will be hoppin' until the plug is officially pulled. (Actually, SOCIAList said all the going away bashes -- with cheaps drinks -- has the place more packed than it has been in a long time.)

But, so what? Don't bars close every day in Shanghai? True, but this one is a little different. Madam Zung's departure signifies the first real failure of the Theme Pub Company, responsible for O'Malley's, Sasha's and Zapata's. "After successes like that, you think you are invincible," said one company alum who requested anonymity. "How wrong we were."

But, really, how far did you think the motto "drink, eat, dance" would get you in a city filled with places trying to attract the exact same crowd? The other three Theme Pub Company establishments have themes -- or at least great locations -- that separate themselves from the pack. Madam Zung was just another nicely-appointed, but empty, club. We've got enough of those.

Shanghaiist is curious what, if anything, will replace Madam Zung at its Xiangshan Lu/Sinan Lu location -- it's walking distance from our apartment. We actually kind of liked Shanghai Sally's, the previous tenant, despite its faux brick interior.

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