A Glimpse Inside

:: opinion ::

Nightlife
On Broadway (SD) :: B+
E Street Alley (SD) :: B
Martini Ranch (SD) :: B
Club Rox (SD) :: B
Club Axiom (SD) :: B-
Aubergine's (SD) :: C-
The Bitter End (SD) :: C+
Star Bar (SD) :: B
Club Montage (SD) :: C
Plan B (SD) :: C
PB Bar and Grill (SD) :: C+
Margarita Rocks :: (SD) :: C-
Dublin's (LA) :: C+
Sunset Room (LA) :: B
Le Prive (LA) :: B
The Century Club (LA) :: A-
The Highlands (LA) :: B+
Soho (LA) :: C
Grand Avenue (LA) :: B-
Club Red (LA) :: B
House of Blues (Anaheim) :: B-
The Shark Club (Irvine) :: B-
Ibiza (SF) :: B-
550 (SF) :: A-
NV (SF) :: B+
Up and Down (SF) :: D
Baby's (LV) :: C
Studio 54 (LV) :: B+
Rain in the Desert (LV) :: B

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On Broadway

615 Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.231.0011

Crew :: Various Nights :: Fridays, Saturdays Times :: 8:00PM - 1:30AM Cover :: $15-$20

Pros :: upscale, diverse crowd, 3 areas of music (house/trance, hiphop, 70s/80s) - typically good, pool room, not so crowded on Fridays, large main area of electronic music, lots of sitting space, large and clean bathrooms, free before 8
Cons :: cramp and stuffy hiphop area, lots of older people who shouldn't be clubbing, long lines on Saturday after 10:30, expensive drinks (~$10), no smoking area inside, no seperate re-entry line, strict bouncers
Summation :: This is San Diego's first and perhaps only true upscale night club, almost on par with LA's Highlands. When we first started coming here, we couldn't get enough. Unforutnately, there are few options in San Diego in terms of clubbing and I'm afraid we've grown bored of this venue. The hiphop area on some Saturdays also becomes unbearable. But if you've never been here, it's definitely worth checking out.

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E Street Alley

E St. between 4th & 5th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.231.9200 www.estreetalley.com

Crew :: Deviate and various Nights :: Fridays, Saturdays Times :: 8:00PM - 4:00AM Cover :: $15

Pros :: 2 fairly large rooms, doesn't take long to get drinks, drinks fairly affordable for a club, open till 4AM, sometimes good music, lots of places to sit, readily available discounts
Cons :: some nights are just dead (no real reason), bouncers are sometimes strict, often does not play any hiphop at all, the smaller room (when crowded) can become unbearable, only one bathroom
Summation :: I think my crew and I have had a really up and down relationship with E Street. At times it has been simply crazy and off the hook, other times the wackest club I've ever been too. It took a turn for the worse last year, and was dead both Fridays and Saturdays for many weeks. Last spring, things started looking a lot better. People started coming back but it was sorta ghetto and there was that whole no hiphop thing. But now, Chester tells me that Deviate is throwing parties there the first Saturday of every month and mad asians are in attendance so I might have to just check it out. Definite one of the better ones of the few SD has to offer and it is THE after party spot in downtown cause its open till 4.

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Martini Ranch

528 F Street San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.235.6100 www.martiniranchsd.com

Crew :: None Nights :: All Times :: 4:00/6:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: two distinctly different areas, badass bartenders, good music, nice setting, plenty of sitting space, little or no lines, good dancers, break circles, diverse crowd
Cons :: sometimes a sausage fest, really cramp bathrooms, small dance floor
Summation :: I haven't really been here all that often, but I will say this, if you need a place to party on a Wednesday night, this place is far superior to something like Plan B usually. There are times where it is just dead, that sucks, but hey it's Wednesday. You're rolling the dice anyway you look at it.

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Club Rox

901 5th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.234.4166 club rox website

Crew :: None Nights :: Friday, Saturday Times :: 8:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: large dance area, affordable drinks, good music, good crowd, little or no lines, well ventilated, lenient dress code, enforced lines
Cons :: only one area, only one bar
Summation :: I actually like this club. The two or three times I went, it was a lot of fun. Not exactly upscale, it's a nice break from large and fancy clubs like On Broadway. The music in the only area is usually good and it doesn't take long to get in. Plus it's all around affordable which is always a plus.

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Club Axiom

655 4th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.231.6700 www.axiom.com

Crew :: None Nights :: Friday, Saturday Times :: 8:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: good crowd, affordable drinks, affordable cover, good music, large bathroom, inside smoking area
Cons :: often the line just does not move, trance area often empty, hiphop area often packed, sometimes dead, sometimes very hard to get drinks, hiphop area tends to close at 1:30
Summation :: When I first came to this club, shortly after it had changed from being Club Sing Sing, I noticed gross problems. There was only one ticket seller, which made the line move extremely slow and there weren't enough bartenders which meant waiting up to 30 minutes for a drink. Since then, things have gotten better. The lines move a tad bit faster and the they have more bartenders. The hiphop room does tend to get a bit packed sometimes but sometimes thats a good thing. Overall not a decent club if you got the right people.

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The Bitter End

770 Fifth Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 Phone :: 619.338.9300 www.thebitterend.com

Crew :: None Nights :: Thursday, Friday, Saturday Times :: 6:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $5-$10

Pros :: nice setting, 3 floors, upscale upstairs lounge, affordable cover, extremely strong mixed drinks, diverse crowd, little or no lines
Cons :: narrow areas, dance floor is small and quickly turns into a sauna, special dress code for upstairs lounge, slightly expensive drinks
Summation :: One of many bar/clubs in SD. While it does have a true dance floor, it is fairly small and is in the basement which doesn't make for the best ventilation. At times it makes On Broadway's hiphop area seem like a cooler. The drinks, especially the Adios, are extremely strong, so be careful. I prefer true dance clubs but for some, bars are where it's at. If that's you, this place is pretty good.

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Club Montage

2028 Hancock St. San Diego, CA Phone :: 619.294.9590 www.clubmontage.com

Crew :: None Nights :: Thursday, Friday, Saturday Times :: 8:00PM - 4:00AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: large high ceiling main area, laser light show, roof bar and smoking area, plenty of bars, open late
Cons :: bizarre crowd at times, a lot of old people seem to frequent montage, tiny hiphop area, obscure location
Summation :: Honestly, I don't know why, but never have a good time at this club and I don't like it very much. The hiphop area is beyond tiny, so that could be a big factor. If you're really into electronic music, this is a good club for those raver kids out there. Although these days almost all the clubs in SD including On Broadway, Axiom and E Street play a good amount of electronic music in their main areas. But since the close of Club Velvet I'd still say this is the premier raver haunt.

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PB Bar and Grill

860 Garnet Ave. San Diego, CA 92109 Phone :: 858.272.4745 www.pbbarandgrill.com

Crew :: None Nights :: Thursday, Friday, Saturday Times :: 8:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: Free

Pros :: it's free!, lots of bars, a fair size dance floor, large enclosed open air lounge area, quick re-entry
Cons :: the same bad songs on repeat, same people all the time too, frat boys, gets extremely crowded, asshole bouncers
Summation :: This place probably isn't as bad as I make it out to be. It is the premier spot in SD to go to on Thursday nights. It's just that I've been here so many times I've lost count and probably would be rather depressed to hear the actual number. The music does truly suck there. But for a free place to kick it on Thursday night, it can't really be beat in SD. Personally I'd rather be at Qs in South Pas.

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Dublin's Irish Whiskey Pub

8240 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90069 Phone :: 323.656.0100

Crew :: None Nights :: Daily Times :: 11:00AM - 2:00AM Cover :: Free

Pros :: nice setting, large seating areas, good service, lots of bars
Cons :: weird choice in music, no true dance floor, no parking (it's on Sunset)
Summation :: As with any place you go to, the amount you enjoy yourself is entirely dependent on what you're looking for. This place is a sports bar on most nights. It's also supposedly a good singles place. But since I'm mainly interested in dance clubs, I wasn't overly impressed. Some the bars in SD at least play decent music. But who knows, it might be your thing.

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Sunset Room

1430 N Cahuenga Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028 Phone :: 323.463.0004

Crew :: None Nights :: Wednesday - Saturday Times :: 9:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: large dance areas, high ceilings, well ventilated, all asian on some nights, valet parking
Cons :: small bars, narrow hallways
Summation :: I'll be honest. I dont' really remember this club that well because I was heavily intoxicated the one time I came here. From what I remember it seemed like a nice place. I don't think I remember enough to give it a bad review, so instead, I give it a slightly above average. The way I see it, I had a good time, it must be decent. Haha. Feel free to add something if you have a clearer recollection that me.

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Le Prive

721 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90005-3113 Phone :: 213.381.7007

Crew :: None Nights :: Daily Times :: 5:30PM - 2:00AM Cover :: by Table

Pros :: all asian, large dance floor with very high ceiling, good music, lots of tables and seats
Cons :: must have reserved tables, tends to be very expensive, booking (this could be a good thing), watered down crown (damn k clubs)
Summation :: As far I know Le Prive is the premier K club in LA with all that entails. That means occassionally fights break out and I've heard they even had a drive by. But what in life is not fraught with some risk eh? If you're will to brave all that, and actually know a waiter who can get you a table, and find a crew who will be willing to fork out a grip of cash, it's not such a bad place. Girls just need to watch out for those pesky waiters always booking everyone.

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The Century Club

10131 Constellation Blvd. Century City, CA 90067 www.centuryclub.com

Crew :: Proof Positive (Sat) Nights :: Fridays, Saturdays Times :: 9:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $15-$20

Pros :: 4 rooms, large inside area (2 rooms downstairs, 1 upstairs), large outside area, good music - mainstream hiphop and techno, strong drinks, primarily asian (this can be a con depending on what you're looking for), fast or no lines, lenient security, numerous bars (inside and out), food available, open bar before 10PM (Proof Positive)
Cons :: likely to be seeing the same people all the time, bathrooms are small and sometimes abused, other than that, not many negatives though Frani complains that all he guys are short
Summation :: At the moment, this is our preferred haunt in the City of Angels. Almost everytime we've gone has been crazy, but maybe it's just us and our 20+ crews. DO NOT drink the liquid cocaine unless you are ready to reap the consequences all that entails. A very good club if you like primarily all asian events.

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The Highlands

6800 Hollywood Blvd. Ste 433 Hollywood, CA 90028

Crew :: None Nights :: Fridays, Saturdays Times :: 9:00PM - 2:00AM Cover :: $20

Pros :: upscale, 2 large areas + an outdoor terrace, diverse crowd, typically good music, gogo dancers (this is for guys mainly but some girls too I suppose)
Cons :: prick bouncers, expensive in general, not much seating, supposedly no cameras are allowed, hard to find, parking
Summation :: Probably the nicest club I've been to in Los Angeles. It's located on the 5th floor of the Kodak Theater and may be hard to find. Parking also is quite a problem as well as nearby traffic. The bouncers sometimes won't let you take in cameras but give it to a girl cuz they don't even bother to search them. The interior is extremely nice but sometimes it's not packed and they close on area as a "VIP" room. If you've never been here, it's a definite must do at least once place.

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Grand Avenue

1024 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90015 Phone :: 213.747.0999

Crew :: None Nights :: Fridays, Saturdays Times :: Fri 10PM-6AM; Sat 9PM-2AM and 3AM-10AM Cover :: $10-$15

Pros :: large dance floors, no real lines, fairly affordable, decent music, all asian
Cons :: bad bartenders who don't really know what they're doing, youngings running around everywhere (this could be a good thing), kind of ghetto
Summation :: Yet another club that I've only been to once, but believe me it was enough. It is a fairly large place and it wasn't any where near full when I went. Everyone looks like they're in high school, even more so than normal because its 18+. If I hadn't been intoxicated, it probably wouldn't even have been half as fun, but I think that's always the way it is when you're drunk. I wouldn't recommended this place unless you're into underage girls. Haha.

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