Photographing the #1 Speakeasy Cocktail Bar in the US
Shanghai MKE is hidden, intimate, and cinematic by design, which makes it a dream to photograph when you lean into what it already is: shadow, glow, texture, and surprise.
Shanghai MKE was named the No. 1 speakeasy in the United States by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in October 2025.
The shoot: holiday cocktails with Quinn Rosen
This project centered on photographing bar lead Quinn Rosen and a set of easy holiday cocktails tied to that 10Best feature. (Instagram) Read how to make easy holiday cocktail recipes from the best speakeasy in the US here.
The assignment was not “take a pretty drink photo.” It was “make it feel like Shanghai.” That meant treating every drink like it belongs in a scene.
Cocktail names featured
Fig and Rosemary Old-Fashioned
Pecan Pie Espresso Martini with Shanky’s Whip
Pineapple Upside-Down Margarita
Chinotto Gin Mule
Absinthe
