Element Lounge

My friends and I came here expecting to have fun. We signed up on the guest list in advance because we obviously didn’t want to pay. We got there before 11PM in time to make it for guest list, but when we got there, the guy that was checking names told us to pay $ 5. He said he couldn’t find our names, so we complained saying that we did indeed put our names there. He eventually agreed and just rushed us in.
As soon as we walked to the main area, it was empty. It reminded me of a school dance or party where a few people gather around the sides and just sit there with their beverages. We saw some dingy fog machines with sad little spotlights. After seeing this, we ran to the bathroom in hopes of finding somewhere else to go on a Saturday night. Once we figured out our plans, we bolted.
Two words: Never again!

While the venue itself was cool, the DJ sucked. The venue is very urban, you know, the typical graffiti on the walls, etc.
My friend hosted her birthday party here, complete with bottle service and the back room reserved. The back room was cool; it had a sunken part in the middle with couches. It was a great little room to party in, but awkward b/​c of the steps. Too many drinks and you could easily trip and fall. Party fail!
The attentiveness of the staff for our bottle service wasn’t great. We ran out of glasses and they barely checked on us. The bathroom was a mess and there were no dividers between the two urinals. Peep show city!
I don’t go out often, so I doubt I’d ever return here. I can’t get past a lounge with a horrible DJ who plays «Toot It and Boot It» 3 times within a 3 hour time frame. C’mon son, step your music game up!

I don’t remember that place looking like the video on the main page AT ALL. I understand that this place is supposed to be a lounge, but it’s more like a basement during the «club» time. I personally didn’t drink anything here, I was good off the saki from dinner. There was about 30 people in there…15 of us were with the birthday group. My friend and I had a fun time dancing, since five other people were on the dance floor.
I’m not sure if this place deserves to be called a «lounge». Well, maybe it can be called a lounge, but I wouldn’t classify it all as being nice or classy by any means. The speaker system could use some updating… you know, install some speakers on the ceiling so you get better sound. Get rid of the portable speakers, we’re not a high school dance. The bathrooms were gross… and I’m pretty sure that it was a single one. Must be a fun wait when there’s more than 100 people in that building.
My friend picked this spot to go to after dinner… I would never pick this place to go to ever again. Save your money and time and celebrate at another venue… unless you like hanging out in basements.

Was here for my cuzin and fellow elite Tisha K.‘s Birthday. The party was a lotta fun because of the number of friends we had there. Since we had bottle service, the little gazibo in the middle was reserved for us. However, the crowd seemed to be a little on the weird side. The guy to girl ratio was a little ridiculous. I didn’t really care coz i was with a date but there were too many fatties. lol.
I can’t believe the doorman gave us a hard even after paying for bottle service. But they redeemed themselves on my list for the good service they provided at the bar and the bar.
The place looks much darker in real life than in the pictures. But it is a good sized lounge.
All in all, good times here.

Friends were DJing here so I decided to give it a try. At the beginning of the evening, a special price was made equaling a beer and a Jameson for $ 6. Halfway through the evening, this special just «disappeared» and so did all common courtesy from the bartenders.
Even if the special disappeared, the next round of «funny business» happened when each glass of Jameson tasted like different alcohols.
For example:
Shot glass = clear
Liquid inside = Brown
Bottle pouring liquid = Green Jameson
Taste of brown liquid = Butterscotch
Taste of brown liquid second time = Vanilla
Tip left = $ 0
Thanks Element Lounge staff!

I would say there is a real stinky element to this «lounge». The bathrooms stink, some of the bartenders service stinks, and the cardboard boxes littering the floor when we showed up at 9:30pm didn’t particularly improve the aroma.
My friend’s were djing here, which is why I left the familiar stink of my own neighborhood to come here. I expect a place that calls itself a lounge to charge a little more but c’mon. A $ 6 well cocktail that I have to drink, like, three of to get a buzz is unacceptable. Also, I’m a little confused. Since when was a Bud Light $ 5 anywhere, except for maybe a baseball game or a concert?! A BUD LIGHT! The same price as my friend’s Sierra Nevada!
When the bartender is being a dick and deciding to charge you whatever he wants, that’s when!
When the same bartender scoffs at being asked politely for some water at the end of your friend’s particularly rough evening, sarcastically responding with a comment about how he doesn’t know what water is, and then serves it in a plastic party cup, it’s time to go home.

Element Lounge helped me realize there are different kinds of darkness in the world. There is the calm, relaxing darkness of your bedroom before you drift off to sleep. There is the seductive, sexy darkness of a nice lounge that heals the week’s wounds. And then there is the darkness you find in a cemetery, a dark alleyway, or Element Lounge.
So, if your idea of a fun «lounge» is a dark sketchy alleyway, then you’ll find yourself in your element here. It has the feel of a basement party – dank with a cement floor, loud music, and a bathroom that left me nostalgic for an outhouse. It’s the kind of bar where you could probably pass out and die, and nobody would notice until the next morning.
On the plus side, they play some house and some hip-​hop, a good mix. The drinks are cheap and the staff is friendly. I would come back for a friend’s birthday party but that’s about it.

THIS FRIDAY: 9÷17÷10
DJ Empire Presents:
**STYLE WARS**
Friday September 17^th 2010
…@ Element Lounge
1028 Geary St. [Between Van Ness & Polk]
4 DJ’s, 4 Turntables, 1 Amazing Party!
One of A Kind Spectacular Event!
Music By:
DJ I-​CUE,
DJ EPIC
SEAN G
DJ EMPIRE,
Hip Hop, Top40, RnB, Hip Hop Classics, Reggae Dance Hall and Club Classics! Spinning On 4 Turntables All Night long!
10PM/​2AM
21& OLDER
Dress Code: Stylish Attire Required. No Sports Apparel. Keep it FRESH!!!
First i would like to thank those who have been supporting this Event since Day one! The Party, The People and The Vibe was truly a one of a kind experience. Now were Back at it again Sept 17^th !!!
**Style Wars** is a party created by DJ Empire for those music enthusiast that just love all aspects of it! The name Style Wars is to give you an understanding of what you can expect. Which is 4 DJ’s on 4 Turntables! The benefit of that is for everyone to feed off each other and to out do one another on a musical level, to give you the ultimate party experience. Our Goal is to provide you with every Genre of music that’s out there. Whether your taste is Is R&B, Classic Hip Hop, Dancehall or Soca, you can be sure that by the end of the night you can leave with a sense of satisfaction that all your musical needs were satisfied. So please come with an open mind and a positive attitude. Hope to see you all there.
Peace!
FREE Before 11pm!
$ 10 All Night!
With RSVP ONLY!!!
Complimentary Bottle of Champagne for a Party of 8 People or more!
MUST RSVP!
Click Attend to be added to the Guest List

************* REVIEW 177 ****************
Came here for Ashton & Kira’ BDAY last FRI. They had the room in the back which was nice, private & intimate. The table service was nice & very accommodated our group.
I didn’t care much for the place. The layout & design were strange. Hip Hop all night & the crowd was different! The cocktail glasses were dirty & we asked to changed twice. Odd.
The drinks were really cheap though!

This is not the place to go if you want to rub your p to someone else’s v. This is not a club. For sure. They say it’s in the Tenderloin, but it’s not that bad. It’s near Van Ness so it’s not in the middle of it.
But if you want to feel like you’re having your own private party? Come to Element. The décor is sweet. It’s super nice inside.
We came here to celebrate my girl friend’s birthday and it totally felt like our own personal party. The place never got packed, which on a normal night would be awkward but we had so many of our friends that it was actually so fun.
The music was pretty good except that two different djs played and they played some songs twice. The dance floor is small but for this night it was just right.
The bartender even bought us all a round of shots and there was at least 30 of us. It was tight.
Come here if your down to chill and listen to good music.

This place is cool. I came here a few months ago with my best friend and all we really wanted was an unpretentious place to just dance. And Element Lounge was perfect for that.
From my recollection of that night’s events, here is what I can remember:
Brian, the bartender, really took care of us girls. When a guy offered to buy my little group a round of shots, I was like YAH! I don’t turn down shots. But early on, I had told Brian I didn’t want any more alcohol. Brian, being a complete gentleman and responsible bartender, gave me a shot of water instead of tequila while everyone’s livers took another beating — and I got to partake in the tequila festivities without being a party pooper. I get a lot of slack for being a lightweight. White wine, I’m telling you, is lethal. Absolutely lethal.
Element is also friendly and open to local artists. They had two artists painting next to the dj booth. I have no idea what they were painting — one was painting a fire hydrant, which turned into a mouse? which evolved into a monkey. I swear, this is true.
Another thing I remembered, salsa dancing with a really good dancer. but I feel like that may have been at another club. Or Element Lounge. oh, I need to start tweeting these things.
I also remember the security guard escorting us ladies to our car, which was just a block away! How nice is that?! This lounge is definitely worth checking out.

I don’t frequent this place so I can’t attest to how it «normally» is, but this is my experience from this weekend…
Paid $ 10 to get in to meet up with my roommate and her man friend
$ 7 for a drink
Saw a bouncer yelling at another bouncer to close the front door
Got a feeling that something was about to go down but I thought it had to do with the dance crews
5 minutes later there was a big commotion in the back of the bar
People start running out the bar
I see someone with a taser and a brawl breaks out
At this point my girl friend and I exit the bar followed by all the guys hopped up on adrenaline and looking to start a fight. Evidently the bar owner had left the bar a few minutes before all of this went down. Everything about what went down in the bar was super shady. I won’t be back.

I’ve only been here a couple times and its alright. Not the best club, but I have always had fun when I have come here. Its a little on the smaller side, so I can’t imagine what its like when its packed. The VIP section is okay, its also on the smaller side and it didn’t feel like we had our own little area… seemed like there was just a partition and thats it…
+Drinks were moderately priced and the DJ was good.

I came here for the first time to celebrate my birthday. I was a little skeptical cause some of the reviews were a little boo-​boo, but I went ahead anyways. I called ahead of time to reserve a table and to get all my friends on the guestlist. I was told I’d only have a table good enough to seat 4 – 6 people, I was like «I guess» better than nothing.
My friends and I got there at like 11:05, 5 minutes past the time guestlist closes and they still accomodated everyone for free! I was happy about that. But I got to my table and I was so impressed, I had an area closed off for my friends and I and it was large enough to seat like 12 people! Double the amount promised. They served us their complimentary champagne along with orange juice. It was awesome. Not only that but the manager came over personally and asked if everything was okay and wished me happy birthday, bought me a drink and took a shot with us! I was blown away by the accomodation here.
From what I remember though, I didn’t really like the music they had going on. I was pretty drunk though so I didn’t care, but on any other night I probably would’ve been like «wtf is this shit?!» Cause he’d play like hip-​hop then like reggaetone and shit. But whatever it didn’t damper my night.
Element lounge was awesome, I’d definitely come back!

Pretty small lounge. I got on the glist so there wasn’t any cover. No line and no dress code, or if there was then they were very lax about it. The music is very hip hop/​mainstream. There is 1 long bar area and I never had to wait too long for a drink. The drinks were pretty strong and a good size (not like those ghetto clubs with the small plastic cups.)
1 star gone = only 1 bathroom
1 star gone = not enough seating
… the night I went to this place I saw some poor woman on a bicycle get hit by a drunk driver. =(

It really isn’t anything special. It’s small and sometimes I feel they abuse the maximum capacity limit. They play a lot of hyphy music whenever I got, eh… I thought hyphy died. Um, even though it’s small, it’ll take you like 20 minutes to move from point A to point B. It’s like playing Frogger, you really need to dodge past the sleazy guys on your left, the person dripping with sweat in front of you, and the short guy gyrating on your leg as he attempts to dance with you… all so you can go to the restroom. The line is never long when I go. I do recommend that if you aren’t on the guestlist, don’t bother going since it’s really not worth paying for cover.
+2.5 because the place is really a bore just like this…

Came here for a birthday party and the bday girl had the seating area in the back reserved. It was nice having a seat … The space was alright… small and kind of cramped.
All I really have to say is this:
I asked the DJ if I could request a song and he gave me the ‘hand’ … first of all, how old are you? Giving someone the hand is outdated… just like the songs he was «mixing» on his pre-​recorded cd. I should have given him a thumbs down or a ‘you stink’ gesture… or given him the ‘loser’ gesture with my hand over my forehead… or something to match up to his ‘hand’ … … …
it’s ok, I forgive you for being totally laaaame. (cartman’s voice)

This place is the size of my desk at work. Okay, maybe two of those. I must be just used to the multi-​level, multi-​room clubs in LA, but you walk in and there’s a bar that runs lengthwise down the hall. A few stools at the bar and then there’s the main room. VIP roped-​off area to the left, VIP room straight ahead, DJ to the right, a bench alongside that same wall and that’s it. The music was decent, but there was some random saxophonist there who just looked like a perv when he wasn’t playing. The music was okay, but the DJ could’ve just said «Hip Hop» on his MS Sync and it would’ve done the same thing.
What I didn’t understand was why one VIP section was right next to the bathroom. Granted, there was a low wall separating it, but still, you’re basically sitting next to people who’re waiting in line for the bathroom. And those people take up the middle of the club. Weird. And gross.
I give it two stars only because I didn’t smell any smoke at all in there, which was nice. I didn’t come out reeking like a cigarette butt.

So let me preface this by saying that my girlfriend and I were staying at the Hotel Carlton a few blocks away and we were kinda weary about the neighborhood. We saw our fair share of bums and crack heads walking around but they never posed any problems.
That being said… this club was a true diamond in the rough. We came here for the New Years Eve bash and had an absolute BLAST! It was a bit pricey but that’s only because I waited too long to buy a ticket but the open well bar was still very worth it. Our bartenders were quick, friendly and VERY effective at their job. Our drinks were strong and never failed to disappoint. Towards the end of the night the bartender named Micko (pronounced Mee-​Koh) made a drink consisting of 3 different alcohols in one hand. I took a great picture of it that I will post up later. That was my last drink of the night (I think). I don’t remember much after that except taking more talking and picture taking.
As for the crowd it wasn’t pretentious at all. Everyone was very friendly and outgoing. People were willing to take pics with my girlfriend and I’ll post some up here. The venue itself was nice and an odd combination of things. As Joanna C pointed out, there was a huge 2008 mural across from the bar which led to the main dance floor. The dance floor was kinda small considering it was flanked by the DJ and another bar area. One thing that I didn’t like was that there was only 1 restroom so the line would occasionally cut through the dance floor during peak usage.
And the DJ… OUTSTANDING job! I was hearing some interesting mashups throughout the night but it all flowed perfectly. From the people I talked to and took pictures with, it didn’t seem like anyone was having a bad night. Even the bouncers were talkative and friendly.
Bottom Line: A great little gem hidden in a rough area but filled with good people having a great time (even while in line for the bathroom).
:P

Located near Mel’s Diner, this place is a reasonable kick back spot to dwell in. I was introduced to this place through my friend Gabe who invited me to this spot only because there was a «beat battle» being hosted in the premises. Now at first when I heard «beat battle» I assumed beatboxers and that really hyped me up. Only because I haven’t seen one in ages, and sadly enough I was disappointed at first.
The «beat battle» was to see who can make the best «slaps» (yes Bay Area slang for you SoCal Slangers) out of music samples. These people came from the Bay, out of their basement or bedroom to show all of us (Sober and Non-​Sober) what great music producers there were. Surely there were maybe a few notable ones… but I didn’t stay too long to see who came out on top.
After some Coronas and a couple of red-​headed sluts both my friend and I were wasted, enough to go home. The staff was friendly both before and after we left the place. So we left with a good impression in hopes to come back again.