The Highlands

More of a tourist trap…

  • Venue Type: Club

Overview & Review

Highlands is literally the most typical Hollywood club there is. What does that mean? Expect a line, expect a cover, expect rude bouncers, and expect your night to be somewhat frustrating if you encounter all of these factors. Though this place can look nice, it does not make up for the typical club mumbo jumbo you will encounter.

Located on Hollywood and Highland, The Highlands is a spot you should try once, just to say that went. The venue itself is rather large because it also houses the restaurant Rise on its top floor. This creates a cool atmosphere because it is easy to venture between both the restaurant and club.

The Door

  • Line

While driving down Hollywood Blvd, you may notice a line wrapping around the Hollywood Plaza. There is a good chance that the line is for Highlands. Lines are typical in Hollywood and will become your best friend unless you know a promoter. Highlands is no different.

  • Cover

Expect a cover here ranging from free to $20 for the ladies and $15 to $20 for the guys. Again, it’s Hollywood and you should expect to pay unless you know someone with a hook up.

  • Bouncers

What is most annoying about The Highlands is how annoying the bouncers can be. Now there is something to be said about the clientele as well. The Highlands attracts a lot of different people. The bouncers generally have to deal with a lot of guff and therefore do not care to differentiate the pleasant people from the idiots. Depending on the bouncer, expect to get hassled unnecessarily. Some of these guys take there jobs far too seriously.

The Venue

    This is a large place, but you will probably spend your time in either Rise or The Highlands proper. Rise is at the top of the venue and overlooks Hollywood. It has the feeling of a lounge and can only be accessed via the interior elevator or stairs of The Highlands. This area of the club is definitely more laid back than the rest, a good place to chill when you need to slow down a bit. There are plenty of tables and a few separate rooms as well. There is also a larger dance floor behind the bar that’s worth noting, though I believe that is usually for VIP.

    • Atmosphere & Clientele

    If you go downstairs you will end up in the larger portion of the venue. Here you will find a large dance floor with a stage, go-go dancers on elevated platforms and three bars along the surrounding walls. The stage usually holds the DJ or any other performers for the night. There is an outside patio that over looks Hollywood and leads either back upstairs or to another room in the back. The back room is where Highlands has its table and bottle service (That is, if you didn’t get a bottle at Rise, which we would be a better choice)

    The Highlands often has special events with DJs or hip hop artists, which can be pretty enjoyable. Let’s not forget the lovely go-go dancers moving to the beats of the DJ. However the crowd at The Highlands can overshadow these aspects and make your night feel more like a chore. It is safe to say that if go you’ll want to be sober. Fun.

    • Pricing & Parking

    The Highlands is a far more expensive than it is worth. It feels more like a tourist trap, than a proper club. Unless you can find the coveted parking spaces on the street, you will most likely wind up in the underground garage of the Hollywood Plaza. There is $10 or so right there. At least there are establishments in the plaza that validate (if they are open). Then there is cover which can be $20 easily. Once you are inside, you have to consider buying drinks which are easily the normal $8 to $10 each.

    • Address

    6801 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 433
    Hollywood, CA 90028

    • Website

    http://www.thehighlandshollywood.com/

    Information

    It’s right on Hollywood and Highland inside of the Hollywood Plaza on the top floor. You can’t miss it.

    Our History

    We have definitely been here more times than we would have liked for a number of reasons. Though parts of each night were enjoyable, there were so many bumps in the night. The first night I went, I had some items confiscated, which of course were lost. The worst part of the night was the “way too into his job” bouncers who decided to give me the 3rd degree when I needed to reenter the venue to find a friend’s lost phone. The same bouncer gave the same headache when I need to reenter the venue to find a friend inside. It would have been understandable if I had actually left both times. Instead I merely walked outside. We’ve had people start fights with us here and we’ve have our own friends tossed out. Regardless this place always feels like more trouble than it’s worth.

    Pros

    Not many. It’s a large venue in the middle of Hollywood, so everything many places are in walking distance. Sometimes the venue has live shows there that are pretty cool if you can get tickets or know one of the DJs.

    Cons

    Long lines, rude bouncers, irritating crowd, and overall unnecessarily expensive.