Matthew C.
Yelp
Okay, so, I ain't one to ask when it comes to night clubs or dance clubs, since I never go to any. But due to a cabaret show hosted here last night, I'd come out of my man cave and into Echo Park for some rare night life adventure.
So... this is what it's like. A night out in the town past 9:00 pm.
Hmmm.
It's ok.
I mean, surely, this wasn't my typical idea of fun for a Thursday night, but I didn't quite regret going, either. For my thoughts on the show "Tarantina" itself, check the review on that particular Yelp Business page. This is my review for the club or the venue only.
Location: Yeah, I wasn't a fan. I am not familiar with this area, so right off the bet, I felt uncomfortable. And incidentally, since my bf needed to use the bathroom before the doors opened, we had to visit a nearby Jack in the Box/CVS. ...And the close by area did not exactly give me an impression of safety. Walking on the streets in the vicinity at 8:30 pm made me feel a little uneasy. I would recommend all Yelpers to be alert when in the area. (It wasn't quite that bad, but I am used to more well lit and more well populated businesses. I am sheltered, perhaps?)
Outside Decor: Colorful and strange wall murals. Can't miss it! It gave the venue a unique flavor, though it could borderline as tacky as well.
Parking: This aspect, however, I give total props to the club. They have two big parking lots, one on each side of the establishment. They were both valet, for $10 a car. (And plus tips, so it's roughly $12 to $13, which I thought was reasonable.) The lots would be locked behind gates when you're having a good time inside the building, so you'll certainly have peace of mind. If that's too rich for your blood, there's always "easy street parking", quoting from Bahia directly. (Which, isn't false. I see a lot of available street parking spaces on a Thursday night. Good luck in the weekends, though!)
Inside Decor: It's spacious enough that I never felt claustrophobic, though your miles may vary on the weekends.
Drinks: My friends both got mojitos, which they *both* thought were sub-par. (It was $13 per drink, including tax and tips and all that, I believe. So your expected pricing.) I am not a drinker myself, but I thought the mojito was fine. I ain't picky. It was sweet, lime-y, and got a bit of rum in it. It gave me a little buzz that I needed to help elevate my show watching experience to the next level. For me, personally, no complaint. The bar was quite busy during an event, and it took about 10 minutes for my friends to obtain their alcoholic beverages. So, I do wish the service was a little speedier in that regard, though I have no gauge whatsoever to what's a gold standard as acceptable service in this field--again, I don't club. Or drink. Or go out often.
Food: I think they served food in Bahia, though I didn't get any. There's an entire section called the Bahia Cafe, which to my understanding, isn't always an option at clubs. So that's good--always a selling point when you have something that other competitions may not have. If you don't want to purchase food inside the club, there's a taco truck just 1-2 blocks nearby, which serves your typical Mexican food for very reasonable prices. So there's a pro tip for your pre-club or post-club sustenance needs, my fellow Yelpers.
Wait: Apparently, if you're holding GA tickets (for a show or an event), you gonna wait outside the club, on the sidewalk, even when the doors open. The VIP people would be let in first, with couches and tables reserved for them inside. I get it, money buys your priority, I have no problem with that. However, the door opened at 8:15 pm, and the GA line did not move until... close to 9:00 pm? (The show starts around 9:15 to 9:30 pm.) I was terribly unprepared for this kind of idling time, which put me in a semi-bad mood. I suggest coming with a realistic expectation. Bring friends to chat, or have some nice games or apps on your phone to pass the time. Regardless if this is a convention to all clubs or not, it did affect my personal rating, since it was one of the negatives of the night.
Staff: I had limited interaction with them, though everyone seemed nice and polite. I didn't think anyone was rude or off-putting, per se. So I guess we were lucky, since I know other Yelp reviewers think so otherwise. And for the performers of the show "Tarantina"... some were seasoned and spectacular, and some were meh. I am regular goers of Las Vegas big production shows, so perhaps, my expectations were skewed. Again, I'd expand on these thoughts on the show-specific review page.
Environment: Pretty clean. At no point, did I feel like, "Ohhh, I ain't touching that!" The bathroom was up to my standards as well. So for this area alone, it's worth all the stars I gave Bahia.
All in all, it's average. I don't hate it and I don't love it--although I can see a great appeal for the right kind of audience.