Exchange LA

Exchange LA works out of a building that used to trade stocks. The club's site says the space was formerly the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, and the street front still looks the part. A tall stack of pale granite with fluted columns and carved reliefs rises over Spring Street, and the number 618 sits right above the door.

The site says the renovation took nearly two years before it reopened as a nightclub and event space. The site mentions state-of-the-art sound and lighting and a high-energy dance floor, and it also rents the place out for fashion shows, film shoots and galas. For a night out, that means a big, polished room downtown rather than a dive.

Friday and Saturday are the regular club nights. Doors open at 10 PM and the lights come up at 3 AM. Other nights appear on the calendar from time to time, with hours of their own.

The door is strict. You need to be 21 and bring a physical ID. Sandals, flip-flops and tank tops are out, and so is sportswear, unless it's merch from the DJ playing. Shorts are fine in summer only. If you're driving, the club runs valet for everyone.