Wu Loves Lush
Posted: August 8th, 2011 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Bars & Nightlife, Foodies & Dining Scene | Tags: Blue Frog, burgers, Jade Gray, Kai Bar, Lush, Nanjie, Pyro Pizza, Rich Atkers, Shooters, Union Bar & Grill, Wudaokou | 6 Comments »
I admit that this was my very first time to Lush. And before this weekend, I had only been out to the Wu once in the 5 years I’ve been in Beijing. I have nothing against Wudaokou, but it is student-central and it’s a RMB 60+ cab ride from my Chaoyang hood.
Before going into Lush, I had pinned it down as something similar to the student hang-outs in Sanlitun like Nanjie, Kai Bar, Shooters…I was not expecting to stumble upon such a cool joint! Lush is open 24/7 and it is packed 24/7 - mostly with students but the vibe is chill and full of energy at the same time. I realize these are too opposites, but yet it works. People are chilled-out while still having a great time because they feel at home when they come to Lush. I even overheard someone telling their friend that they call Lush their second home.
Located up the stairs from a bookstore, the staircase is lined with fun polaroid photos of party people and inside, the tables are full, the vibe is buzzing, the drinks are strong, the food is good, everything is half the price of Sanlitun/CBD and I instantly understand exactly why Lush is a Wu institution that continues to reign supreme in this student-run neighborhood.
Inconspicuous Exterior:
Coffee-drinking study spot by day and lively hangout by night, Lush is known for their great breakfast options, giant burgers, delectable desserts and amazing drink deals like their daily happy hour from 8-10PM with buy 2 get 1 free, bucket of 7 Tsingtao for RMB 70.
LumDimSum Snapshots of Lush’s Food:
Tofu Burger with smoked tofu, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes and onions (RMB 45)
Lush Original Burger with a thick patty and carmelized red onions (RMB 50)
Check out theBeijinger review of this burger here.
Giant Chicken Caesar Wrap (RMB 30)
The “Cure-All” Hot Drink with Lemon, Ginger and Honey (RMB 20)
There you have it – Lush serves the food better than Blue Frog, Union Bar & Grill and many of the popular Sanlitun hot-spots. If you agree that you, too, love Lush’s burgers, you can vote for them here on theBeijinger’s Burger Cup.
It really is SUCH a shame they are so freakin far away because I kind of like Lush…a lot. So although I wish it were closer to home, i’ll have to let Wu keep this gem since they had it first.
LumDimSum Snapshots of LUSH:
Review of Lush: 2/F of O2 Sun Bookstore in South East corner of intersection by WuDaoKou Subway Stop- Bldg 1, Huaqing Jiayuan, Chengfu Lu, Wudaokou,五道口华清家园1号楼2层 Tel: 8286 3566
Best Part:
- With Jade Gray and Rich Atkers behind Lush and Pyro Pizza, it’s no wonder this place is packed 24/7. Everything is well done and the places just oozes of their fun, personal and lively personalities.
- Open 24 Hours with Free Wifi and great coffee
- Popular Pub Quiz every Wednesday, Open Mic Night on Sundays and Live Music Every Friday night
- Happy hour daily 8-10pm: buy 2 get 1 free, bucket of 7 Tsingtao for RMB 70
- They offer a great set combo meals
- Cheap drinks and they guarantee nothing they serve behind the bar is fake alcohol (which says a lot!)
- Great tasty burgers that are giant and crazy cheap
Comments:
- It’s in the Wu, which is so far away, it should not still be considered Beijing.
- It’s packed 24/7 so not everyone can be seated straight away.
- I can’t comment much on the service since I had the big man boss take care of my order. Needless to say, I was well-looked after.
Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best)
- Food: 8
- Atmosphere: 8
- Service: 9
- Overall Experience: 8
You know, those of us who go to school/teach nearby Beida/Tsinghua consider Wudaokou to be Beijing and crazy Sanlitun to be the “non Beijing” part. Long live the Wu!
@Dan: I hear ya…either way, it seems like we’re a world apart! At least you get Lush…you lucky, lucky people!
for those of us who live out here, Lush is more than just a great bar with great food. It’s home. Some of the best friends I have are people from Lush. There’s just something to be said for it, when you can walk into Lush and you know half the people there and the owner/manager greets you by name. It’s like Beijing’s version of Cheers.
[...] in her 5 years in Beijing and had wonderful things to say about us, which you can read at her blog here. Take a couple minutes and check it out for yourself! Posted by Josh at 5:51 [...]
Thanks again for the great review!
Hopefully the next time you come visit us, I’ll be around to meet you in person. Super glad Jade was there to give you the VIP treatment! Come out sometime on a Sunday night for Open Mic and watch Rich rock the stage with that charisma that only a tattooed, singlet-wearing Aussie can pull off
See ya soon!
@ChinaJosh: ‘Tis True – Lum does Love Lush! hahaha, great tagline! If ONLY you weren’t so FAR AWAY!! In any case, it was well worth the trip and I would be delighted to return and check out your open mic night and see Rich rock the stage…something I definitely don’t want to miss! Pass along my thanks again to Jade for a great evening, you guys should all be very proud to be part of such a fun, dynamic, successful establishment…but I’m sure you guys get these praises on a regular basis! See you in the Wu soon…