Barules Group
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BARULES GROUP · SHANGHAI

Two bar brands.
One belief: people first.

Barules Group is an independent Shanghai hospitality group founded by Sam Kuan. Barules Cocktail Club creates Shanghai’s only fully bespoke cocktail experience; Reply Bar builds a living archive that changes with every city it enters.

Meet the brands
Barules Cocktail Club bar counter01 Barules Cocktail Club Reply Bar Shanghai interior02 Reply Bar

01 / Independent brands

Not a house style. A house of distinct ideas.

Barules Cocktail Club bar and counter seating

SHANGHAI · EST. 2014

Barules Cocktail Club

Shanghai’s only fully bespoke cocktail experience. Every drink begins with the guest, not a fixed list.

Explore Barules Cocktail Club↗
Reply Bar cocktail archive wall

SHANGHAI · CHENGDU · BEIJING

Reply Bar

A contemporary cocktail brand where every city becomes a different reply—through flavor, space and a living archive of 100 drinks.

Explore Reply Bar↗

02 / About Barules Group

People before format. Built for place.

Barules Group began with Barules Cocktail Club, founded by Sam Kuan in Shanghai in 2014. Reply Bar followed in 2020, co-founded by Sam Kuan and Luca Cinalli.

The brands share an operating culture, but not a visual language. Barules Cocktail Club builds every drink around an individual guest; Reply Bar asks how flavor can answer a city, a memory and a moment.

  1. Barules Cocktail Club opens in Shanghai.
  2. Reply Bar is founded in Taipei.
  3. Barules Cocktail Club opens on Tongren Road; Reply Bar Shanghai opens next door.
  4. Reply Bar Chengdu opens.
Sam Kuan outside Barules Cocktail Club

Founder

Sam Kuan

Originally from Taipei, Sam has worked in bar operations and cocktail creation for more than two decades. He founded Barules Cocktail Club in Shanghai in 2014 and co-founded Reply Bar with Luca Cinalli in 2020. His work also spans international guest shifts, education and competition judging.

His work has connected Shanghai with an international network of guest shifts, education and industry exchange.

03 / Team

The people behind the bars.

Dante
Dante
Ian
Ian
Sean
Sean
Luca Cinalli
Luca Cinalli
Freddy
Freddy
Sui
Sui
Lilian
Lilian
PP
PP
Rocky
Rocky
Lawrence
Lawrence

04 / Selected recognition

Recognition belongs to the brands.

Barules Cocktail Club

  1. China’s Cocktail and Spirits List Awards · 2 Star Bar of the Year

  2. China’s Cocktail and Spirits List Awards · 2 Star Bar of the Year

  3. Time Out Shanghai · Best Cocktail Bar of the Year

  4. DMBA Bar Awards · Best Bartender of the Year

  5. DMBA Bar Awards · Best Bar of the Year · Best Cocktail Program · Best Bartender of the Year · Best Bar Music

  6. Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition · China Champion

  7. Shanghai WOW Awards · Best Modern Cocktail Bar

  8. Time Out Shanghai · Most Popular Cocktail Bar

  9. DMBA Bar Awards · Best Service

  10. DMBA Bar Awards · Best Bar of the Year · Best High Volume Bar · Best Bar Design · Best Service · Best Cocktail Program · Best Bartender of the Year · Best Bar Team

  11. City Weekend Shanghai Awards · Best Bartender of the Year — Top 3

Reply Bar

  1. China’s Cocktail and Spirits List Awards · 2 Star Bar of the Year

  2. China’s Cocktail and Spirits List Awards · 2 Star Bar of the Year

  3. World’s 50 Best Bars · Best Bar Design Award 2024 — Asia Top 3

06 / Contact

Venue information

Shanghai · Chengdu

Write to Barules Group

For general, press, partnership and career enquiries.

This opens your email app with the message prepared for info@barules.com.

07 / Reservations