by Cheryl Pallansch on This place is hot. Went here for a USC VDSA Inter-University Professional Health Mixer and I had a freaking great time. UCLA, USC, and Western U were all representing their respective programs by being loud, having fun, dancing, and drinking the night away. Guys & Dolls Lounge is very classy, good looking, and all the lights are pretty magical. Since the place is a lounge, it is kind of small. They have ledges on the sides of the tables they let people stand up on and dance. Dance floor was super crowded. The bar got crowded and you had to be pretty aggressive to get served. Lots of beautiful ladies, didn't notice any creepy guys, besides maybe me. I like this place, cover was $10 before 10 PM, but I don't know if it's like that all the time. I don't know if I would willingly pay $20 to go here, expected or not. I would love to come back or host an event here!
by Juan Hoffmaster on Having never been to the former Tokio bar and lounge before (venue Ecco replaced), I was curious when a friend invited me to check this place out last night (Saturday). This might have been the only nightlife scene I haven't checked out in the Cahuenga corridor yet. So what I read about this venue prior to visiting...it's supposed to be a "green" bar and lounge, with low or reduced energy consumption in mind, hence "ECCO" Lounge. They recycled a lot of materials from the former Tokio for use here; LED lighting; organic food & drinks; state-of-the-art energy efficient sound system; Waterless urinals in the mens room. Overall, a really neat concept. They run a REALLY tight door here on Saturday. I mean, massive long lines stretching down to the entry of adjacent Beauty Bar, where even groups of scantily clad, but beautiful women were held outside, waiting in the cold. Every new hotspot in Hollywood will be like this, nobody should be surprised. You have to personally know whoever is running the door to save yourself the hassle and embarrassment of waiting behind the velvet rope, hoping for a chance to get in. I may come off as an asshole, but what I'm about to say is oh so very true: people that review clubs negatively and with 1-star are the ones that usually are refused entry or were held outside in the line. People, grow up. It's L.A. You shouldn't be appalled that you paid $20 to get into a club after waiting outside for an hour. YOU CHOSE to go. Do people NOT know how clubs work? A tightly run door means they regulate the quality of the crowd and prevent over-capacity, which are two HUGE factors in what makes a place fun, and eventually successful. It was packed enough inside to be bumpin', but not overcrowded to a point where making your way to the bar means having to rub ass and crotch with strangers *cough* Citizen Smith *cough*. Ecco isn't a mega-club, but a very intimate spot...more like a boutique nightclub showcasing a funky theme concept. The dance floor is a bit on the smaller side (like Opera Hollywood), but it's plenty of space to throw it down without any worry of elbowing some chick in the face as you're popping a dance move. A hundred or so flashing multi-colored LED lights directly over the dance floor, synchronized to the DJ's beats is the centerpiece of this venue. The DJ was on FIRE all night. He did a really incredible set, and the crowd's energy and mood definitely reflected that. While on the topic of the DJ, I want to say that this venue's sound system has a great "wow" factor. You feel the beat of the music pulsating in every bone of your body. Rarely do I ever enter a spot out in Tinseltown and stick it out until closing (my friends and I generally hop from one watering hole to the next). I had a blast. The crowd here is beautiful AND friendly! Met quite a few people, took shots with strangers (thanks for the Patron, Darren!), and did a little networking! I think I may have found my new Saturday night spot in Hollywood! Other notes: - Relatively spacious outdoor smoking patio that is sunken down from the club level. - The large main bar flanks an entire wall opposite the DJ booth on the other side of the dance floor. But a smaller, quick service bar is tucked into the little corridor leading out to the outdoor smoking patio. - Mens room was really clean and had nice decor.
by Leah G. on For the record, I have never eaten at the diner. This a review of the lounge. I'm not sure how I feel about the "new" Silk City. I don't want to rush to condemn the place compared to how it used to be, since I have only been there once under the new ownership. Its no longer has the dive bar feel it used to, which in some ways is a good thing (the bathrooms were spotless). They got rid of the stage and there is a doorway there now leading into the diner. I agree with some recent reviews that say the crowd was mixed. The old Silk City was just so fun and so bad ass. I used to go there and dance, drink, bump into people I know, and then have new music and fashion ideas for months afterward. Totally 5 star worthy. The jury is still out on the new place.
