By Mercedes Deleon / Staff Writer
By Mercedes Deleon / Staff Writer
VIP is a place where anyone, gay or straight, is welcome to dance, have a few drinks, and enjoy each other’s company.
“Even the most tragic looking drag queen is welcome,” said DJ Jonathon, a DJ and bartender for the club.
VIP Nightclub first opened up for business in 1992.
In July of last year Bob Warner and Cal Shreve got married on the dance floor of VIP Nightclub.
Needless to say, VIP is a very special place for club goers, where they can come together as one, and are welcome to come be a part of the family.
“We all have such amazing relationships and view each other as more of a family rather than just co-workers,” Jonathon said.
VIP’s DJ Jonathon always knows how to please a crowd by playing what’s popular and in demand.
“I play a variety of music including house, hip-hop, and the Billboard’s top forty,” he said.
He went on to say, “I just basically read the crowd before me and play music that the crowd as a whole will enjoy.”
Some of the featured songs played at the club are “Throw it in the bag,” “Paparazzi,” “Ice Cream Paint Job,” “Every Girl,” and “Make her Say.”
The club‘s calendar is full of events and special nights for people to attend.
Monday’s are free pool all night long with no cover charge.
Draft drinks are $3 from 8 p.m. to close.
Thursdays are the busiest days of the month.
“Last week there were 560 people here,” Jonathon said. “People come from everywhere including Los Angeles and Long Beach,” he said.
There’s an $8 beer bust that continues from 8-11 p.m.
Cover begins at 7:45 p.m., 18 and over are $10 and 21 and over are $5.
The same cover charges apply to Friday and Saturday nights.
VIP is equipped with a dance floor, stage, dining area, pool area, and a 3,000 square foot patio.
Five flat screen televisions playing music and music videos are located behind the bar and in the dining area.
The dark setup, dim lighting, and disco lights greatly contribute to the club and party scene of most nights.
There are seats and a table that run along the perimeter of the stage so people can sit with their drinks.
A foundation pole is located in the center of the stage. There are two full service stations inside and a fully stocked bar outside on the patio.
The menu has several items such as the sampler, barbeque wings and the jumbo shrimp cocktail that is only $7.75.
Generally everything on the menu is under $10 which is extremely economical for the given portions.
“My favorites are the chicken Caeser salad and the bacon cheeseburgers,” said student Maria Villela.
VIP is and has always been a Grade-A nightclub.
Cleanliness is evident upon entering the club. All the round tables, bar tables, and floors are continuously cleaned in order to avoid hazards or disgustingness.
VIP is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
VIP is located on 3673 Merrill Ave. in Riverside.
Everyone 18 and over with a valid driver’s license is welcome at the club. All events and details can be found online at http://www.vipriv.com.
