Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [164]
Cinespace (Map; 323-817-3456; www.cinespace.info; 6356 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood; 6pm-2am Thu-Sat, varies Sun-Wed) DJ-to-the-stars Steve Aoki has a Tuesday residency at this upstairs playground of skinny-jeansters who favored eyeliner long before certain pirates made it fashionable. The dinner-and-a-movie nights (Thursday to Saturday) are perfect if you’re not into switching venues halfway through the evening.
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TOP FIVE LATE-NIGHT NOSH SPOTS
Bowery (Hollywood, Click here)
La Cabaña (Venice, Click here)
Palms Thai (Hollywood, Click here)
Pete’s Café & Bar (Downtown, Click here)
Swingers (Mid-City, Click here)
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Avalon (Map; 323-462-8900; www.avalonhollywood.com; 1735 N Vine St; ) Booking superstar DJs for its Saturday night electronic ‘Avaland,’ the 1400-capacity former theater hopes to win the battle for hottest weekend dance club. It’s the only club with an after-hours permit, so party kids are still spilling onto the sidewalk when the sun comes up. A-listers can get into the club-in-a-club Spider-Club. Check the website for hours.
La Cita (Map; 213-687-7111; www.danceright.com; 336 S Hill St; 10pm-2am Thu) A Mexican dive bar turns into a hot ‘n’ heavy dance club for hipsters on ‘Dance Right’ Thursdays when DJs whip the crowd into a frenzy with hip-hop, soul, punk and whatever else gets people moving. RSVP online for free admission and come early for dollar Dewars and picture taking.
Highlands (Map; 323-461-9800; 6801 Hollywood Blvd, 4th fl, Hollywood; 10pm-3am nightly) A clubber’s nirvana, this sizzling club on the 4th floor of Hollywood & Highland has eight bars, a restaurant and four dance floors teeming with shiny happy and just-legal hotties. The multiple balconies are perfect for smoking, stargazing and breathtaking views of the LA skyline.
Nacional (Map; 323-962-7712; 1645 Wilcox Ave, Hollywood; ) Another entry in Hollywood’s growing cadre of club lounges, this one has a seductive prerevolution-Cuba theme with fiery mood lighting and clunky but comfy Bauhaus furniture. The door policy is picky on weekends when world-class guest DJs are often at the decks but relaxes for the Bud Brother’s Monday Social (www.budbrothers.com), the city’s longest-running house music club.
Bar Copa (Map; 310-452-2445; 2810 Main St, Santa Monica; cover Fri & Sat $5; 9pm-2am Tue-Sun) There’s a tantalizing underground vibe at this pint-sized, signless dancing den where drinks are reasonable, the crowd attitude-free and DJs spin a ‘Happy Feet’–inducing mix of dancehall, R&B, soul and hip-hop. Get there before 10pm to avoid the inevitable queue.
Circus Disco (Map; 323-462-1291; www.circusdisco.com; 6655 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood; ) It’s quite literally a ‘seven-ring circus’ on Saturday nights when DJs spin mostly hip-hop and Latin in – count them – seven separate rooms in this ginormous warehouse. Strapping gay boyz sweat it out on the dancefloor on Tuesday and Friday nights, but there’s always the patio for cooling off.
Zanzibar (Map; 310-451-2221; www.zanzibarlive.com; 1301 5th St, Santa Monica; Tue-Sun) Beat freaks will be in heaven at this groovetastic boîte dressed in a sensuous Indian-African vibe with a shape-shifting global lineup that goes from Arabic to Latin to African depending on the night. The crowd is just as multiculti. Show up early to avoid the inevitable line.
Vanguard (Map; 322-463-3331; www.vanguardla.com; 6021 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood; ) This warehouse of a club deals mostly in house and hip-hop, so expect plenty of b-boy posing. The pounding beats streaming from the enormous bass are so powerful, it feels as though God himself is speaking to you.