Expensive, yes. Once in a lifetime experience, absolutely! An absolutely amazing experience, meal, environment, service, everything. This was one of my major treats while I was away and was not dissapointed, simply amazing! The less you know about it before hand, the better!

Very trippy culinary experience! Paul Pairet has managed to put together a really different kind of concept at Ultraviolet. You could not ask for any more ambience; the food is extremely well thought yet seemed effortless, every single course was executed to perfection and paired with the most exquisite wines out there. If you are a food enthusiast and you are in Shanghai,this place should not be missed. Reservations are a must,in fact it is the only way to dine here so plan ahead. Be prepared to shed some hard cash to dine at Ultraviolet, but know that it is totally worth it, for you will have an unforgettable evening. Chef Paul Pairet: You are something else!

At least now I have a very clear answer for that party question - "So what was your most memorable meal ever?"
Ultraviolet Shanghai exceed expectations even though they were very high to begin with. I went with 4 mates form Sydney, Australia. We all agreed that even thought the price was approx 850USD, it was good value believe it or not.

Like other reviewers on this page, I do not want to share too much. I deliberately did not scan reviews before my dining experience at Ultraviolet. I was not disappointed.
It truly is a dining experience, it is not just about extraordinary, exquisite food, but also about getting sensory stimulation through sounds, sights and smells that are pared with each of the 20 courses, just like the drinks are.
The food is 1 fantastic course after another. The way it is presented, prepared, flavored and constructed is innovative, unique and utterly delicious. Even for a non-oyster eater (me!) I absolutely loved the way that Chef Paul created that particular dish.
I devoured everything put in front of me - in many cases, I actually wanted to lick the plate clean. I am still in awe of the taste explosion that was our meal!
Some highlights: ALL of the food, the intimate, attentive and very personal service, meeting the chefs at the end of the evening (with surprise).
If you are in Shanghai, this is most definitely a MUST VISIT restaurant. The only problem will be getting a seat at the table.

I was quite skeptical before going as I usually don't agree with hype surrounding many of the places in this town. It is a bit of a show going on as well during the dinner and I can understand that some dislike that. I personally felt it was a good distraction and during the 3h-3h30 the dinner took I never felt bored in any way. It is a bit of a special experience.
For the food, some dishes I loved, they were really stunning, such as the oyster with caviar, the foie gras tartine, chicken with foie gras and also the bread with truffles, those were some of my favorites. Some others also great, the rest good. The desserts were a little less exciting. Many of the dishes were very playful along a theme which is also really nice but in some cases a little too much.
Drink combinations were overall okay, some wine not really great in my mind, most good and in some cases excellent. Also quite playful as well.
Overall a great dining experience and I'd really like to try out the UVA menu as well.