Strip Clubs That Are "An Institution"

At the risk of being pendantic, many of these sound more like "good for the area/region" rather than "institutions ".

You may be right, in that case I would have to knock out - Houston & Myrtle from your comment.

knock of sapphire too.

For Atl Ga Follies Cheetah Tattle Tails

^if even argue cheetah is better than sapphire(basically a cheaper version of sapphire).

Shailyn, that is a fine list of tourist traps up there. ;)

Weirdly though, you also sprinkled in a few non-tourist trap places like the Toronto clubs. By all reports, there is a quality to service trade off in Toronto like anywhere else and those clubs are not reputed to have the hottest girls in Toronto by a stretch.

One other thing: the girls are MUCH hotter at the Lodge than anyplace else in Dallas. I don't believe I have ever reviewed the club, but I have seen the insides of both BBD and the Lodge to know that some of the girls in the Lodge will blow you away. The Lodge is where the hottest girls from Baby Dolls go when they grow up.

But anywho, while we are talking about tourist traps that few hardcore tusclers will likely ever spend much time in, I will also add a couple to the list:

ATLANTA, GA Cheetah. This is an amazing club. I'm as disciplined in my clubbing as anyone I know and I nearly opened my wallet wide a few times. In 30+ girls, I didn't see anything below a 7 and most were 8+ (with a lot of 9s and even a couple of 10s), all of them fully nude and well lit. After a while it can be simply overwhelming and I fell in lust a few times and then some.

NEW YORK, NY Gallagher's 2000 - it is were the locals go to see hot girls and do reasonably priced VIPs. The tourists and deep pocket types go to places like Hustler and Rick's, both long time institutions packed full of hot girls, expensive booze and endless ways to spend your kids' inheritance.

I would have said Scores, but the old Scores closed down years ago and the only thing the new one (which is in a new location) has in common is the name. The old Score was filled with uber hot girls going butt naked and was non-alcoholic, but the cheap knock-off that now exists is topless only and has looser hiring standards.

The only one I would add for sure is Tootsies in Miami.

Debatable additions would be Flash Dancers in NYC and S Rhino in Vegas. But I don't really like either of those clubs so I won't argue for them.

Nothing in or around Myrtle Beach deserves to be anywhere near this list.

Spearmint Rhino Las Vegas, to me, seems to be the epitome of everything TUSCL hates -- sure the girls are hot, but prices are super high, for low mileage, the girls all know (or think they know) they're the hottest girls around and are at the top-of-the-top club, etc. All show, no go, very expensive. Only been there a couple of times in the past year, but am I missing something?

When I think "institution" in the classic sense of the word, rather than shailynn's re-definition as "best club in that particular city", then SF has two:

Condor Club: it may be the oldest SC in the country. These days, it's a nightshift-only club with middling lineups (with occasional gems, of course) but super nice low-hustle girls (always a breath of fresh air in SF)

Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theater: Obviously enough, a nationwide institution that was at the forefront of the sexual revolution. These days, a shadow of its old self. From the mid 90's to mid 2000s, I would have been arguing that this is the best SC in the country -- girls as hot as any of the Vegas clubs (in fact, the hottest-girl flow was from Vegas girls to MBOT, not the other way around), all available for FS... prices were high, but not outrageously so, at least if you worked in tech or made tech-like salaries (doctors, successful lawyers, etc)

When I say "Institution" it doesn't mean (by any means) that it is the best of the best. What I mean is it's something that you should see. You know how you go into a city and someone says "oh you gotta try this restaurant because it was featured on this or that show or everyone goes there." That doesn't always mean it's the best restaurant in town but it has some resounding characteristic about it that makes in unique.

A lot of people knocked Sapphires, but (to me) it's the largest strip club I have ever been in. The place looks like the size of a Wal-Mart from the outside. It probably has the biggest line up of girls on any average night of all the clubs I listed, and it's open 24 hours a day. Granted those are things most TUSCL members (especially ones that participate on the discussion board) could care less about, but to the casual strip club enthusiast, if he or she is in town, they should stop in to cross it off their bucket list.

^yeah it's huge but cheetah is almost as big and to rickyboy point the dancers(almost as many as sapphire) look just as good but it's cheaper. Frankly, they are mirror images of each other.

On second thought, if it's just to see it and cross it off the bucket list(by your definition) it's fine. But I still nominate cheetah as well if you've never been.

I've been to Cheetahs many times and totally understand your point. My retired ATF worked at Sapphires, Cheetahs and Rhino. She liked working at Cheetahs the best. She claimed (of the 3 clubs) Cheetahs had the least amount of BS and that's where she made the most money consistently. I think she was a small fish in a big pond at Rhino and Sapphires, but a big fish in a smaller pond at Cheetahs.

My personal favorite in Vegas is Treasures, which I kept off the list. My best friends (who used to live in Vegas) favorite was the OG. But he would take a dive where you can get a handjob over a glitz and glam club anyday of the week - where I am kinda the opposite. To each his own... so I know not everyone is gonna agree on my suggestions. I mainly just wanted to see what others suggested, maybe somewhere I haven't been but should go see.

Scarlett’s in Hallandale Beach just north of Miami

I think an “institution” should be a club that is well-liked/popular and has been around for a while – I think a club like SR in Vegas qualifies perhaps w/ a caveat comment.

Once all comments are made; perhaps it should be turned into a TUSCL article to be referenced in the future by future PLs asking about clubs nationally.

Hong Kong in Tijuana should be there

I don't get around travel all that much, so I don't have a dog in this race.

I tend to look at it from the point of view that "A Rising tide Lifts All Boats." So I'd name areas with clubs that have stood out to me I have read about on here.

• Las Vegas, NV
• New Orleans, LA
• Portland, OR
• City of Industry, CA
• Atlanta, GA

When I think of "Strip Clubs" I think of those places. Perhaps they all have SC DNA for some reason. Disclaimer: I haven't been to any SCs in those places.

Added: Tijuana, Mexico

Exactly, like for example - everyone here knows that Las Vegas clubs aren't necessarily viewed in a favorable light, but man... if you're a strip club enthusiast and you're in Vegas with some spare time, you at least need to make a stop at one of them to say you've been there. I'm not saying a specific trip needs to be taken to Vegas to go to Sapphires.

Just like if you have some time to kill and you're in Dallas. Really? You wouldn't stop by Baby Dolls if you've never been there?

There are few cities I would recommend going there SOLELY to strip club. Detroit, Phoenix, Toronto are the only ones coming to mind that are currently good cities.

There actually still a number of strip clubs in my bucket list to visit. Many have or will be mentioned. Baby dolls, spearmint rhino, tootsies, mons venus, detroit(may have to dedicate an entire day and save up for a Detroit trip), bourbon street circuis, of course follies, 4play and when I find my passport Tijuana and Toronto.

Henry VIII South in Southgate Michigan. This is an institution all right, it's a sleazy dive, that the son of Hamilton must be paying bribes to the cops to stay open. Unbelievably high mileage in the dump of a VIP area. You didn't say the best, but it has to be seen to be appreciated.

If the topic is "Strip Club Bucket List" rather than "Strip Club Institutions", I would nominate:

S.F.: Mitchell Bros. Phoenix: Hi-Liter Dallas: Baby Dolls Atlanta: Follies Miami: Tootsie's Tampa: Mons Venus

and, of course, I absolutely must visit the Pitiful Princess in Portland :)

Porky's - Angel Beach Florida Titty Twister - in the Mexican desert

Outside of those two clubs - I've not visited any that are must see spots. I've been to a few in NYC - but nothing high end like the previously mentioned Scores. I may have been to Gallaghers - but it was part of a three day bachelor party and don't remember it at all.

Spearmint Rhino- Vegas 4 Play- LA Penthouse- Detroit Baby Dolls- Dallas Flashdancers- New York Tootsies- Miami Cheetah- Atlanta Mitchell's- San Fran

Bourbon- Phoenix Mons Venus- Tampa Casa Diablo- Portland Fuego- Maryland

Can Shadowcat tell us when Follies opened?

It's "relatively" new, right?

By definition, "institution" means long-lived. So I don't think Follies qualifies.

motorhead - I'm not sure of when Follies opened. I have only been going there for about 5 years. I did just look and found reviews going back to 2004 but the club didn't start blowing the competition away until about 5 years ago.

If you take the number of reviews into consideration, then these clubs must qualify as institutions:

Play House Lounge, Burlington NJ 1842 Baby Dolls Dallas, TX 1735 Platinum Plus, Columbia SC 1699 Follies, Atlanta GA 1635 Spearmint Rhino, Las Vegas NV 1631 Mons Venus, Tampa FL 1522 Flight Club, Detroit MI 1235 Tootsies, Miami FL 1185 Hiliter, Phoenix AZ 1157 Brads Brass Flamingo, Indy IN 1119 Bogarts, Detroit MI 1104 Treasures, Houston TX 921 Hollywood Show Club, Washington Park 875 Flash Dancers, NYC NY 745 Penthouse, Detroit MI 742

Yes. It has been a slow day for me. :)

I know I only remember hearing about Follies since about 5 years ago. Same as the number of years Shadowcat has been going there. Lol.

I can't even find a website. I tried on on-line search to find their history but came up zippo. Yeah, it's been a slow day.

Follies briefly had a web site last year but took it down for some reason. It wasn't very good.

"... I did just look and found reviews going back to 2004 ..."

For those that don't know I think that is as far back (2004) reviews go for all/any club.

“… but the club didn't start blowing the competition away until about 5 years ago …”

I assume you mean both figuratively and literally.

That was a cool/interesting list shadow - thanks for posting-it

Thanks for the list of most frequently reviewed clubs, shadowcat -- in the absence of reliable ratings of quality, sheer numbers are a decent proxy for SCs that are "institutions". Except for MItchell Bros., my own bucket list is a subset of your list.

C'mon there is NO stripclub in Las Vegas that belongs on any "best of" list unless it's a "best rip off" list.

^that's the thing. Its not a best of. Its a bucket list.

Not a major city - but in Reading Pa there is a club named Als Diamond Cabaret. It has (through the last 20 years) had a decent line up of feature dancers - and porn stars.

There was also an incident with Latoya Jackson - where she was supposed to dance nude - and I think she didn't perform - and there was a major commotion (at least a major commotion for the Reading area).

i don't travel regularly, therefore i haven't been to enough clubs to be able to have much say so in this. however, follies is one that is most definitely an institution.

i know john smith travels regularly, so he's been to a lot of clubs. interestingly, the only one he included was tootsies. i've been wanting to visit tootsies, but now i'm even more eager

OP- Please define what would make a club be an "institution." Although I haven't seen a formal definition, IMHO it is universally "understood" that an institution should be prominent in these areas: Notoriety/Popularity with locals and out of towners alike, Longevity in business, and so on. Although an institution doesn't have to be the largest club in town, it should at least be larger than an average hole in the wall club. Lastly, it should have that special "something" that sets it apart from, yea, head and shoulders above other clubs out there Several posters have listed some good choices. I'll put forth one closed club, and one still in business as honorable mention:

1. Wild Goose- Los Angeles. This was the first club that I heard referred to as an institution. For sure it had longevity, going way back to the 60's (1966 or 67) before being sold around 2009ish. Being located near LAX sure helped with the traffic into club.

2)Palamino Club- Las Vegas. While SR, etal, overshadow this longtime Vegas institution now, it was actually on some top 10 lists back in the 90's. For sure, Palamino has longevity in business. One unique feature is that it is outside Las Vegas city limits, and thus the only club in the area that has both nudity, and can serve alcohol.

I've been traveling to Atlanta for business maybe 1-3 times a year since 1998, and I think I've been going to Follies since 1999 or 2000. I discovered it by accident (didn't know anything about TUSCL back then) and just liked it, even though it was not known for UHM. (Was any club back then? I don't really know and I'd love to hear what y'all remember about mileage in strip clubs in 2000.) I agree with Shadowcat that in the last five years (or maybe just a little longer), Follies has really come into its own.

minnow +1.

Another LA icon was the infamous Century Lounge that was just north of LAX. You could see their giant lit up sign out front as you were taxiing to land at the airport. Between their "NUDES NUDES NUDES!!!" and later "VAGINAS R US!" slogans they became...well...infamous.

Is phoenix really that good? It's actually as close as Vegas for me.

The Follies building was originally a Copperfield's restaurant. It has been a strip club (I think under the name Follies the whole time) since the mid 1980's.

The Cheetah was ALREADY an institution when I came to Atlanta in the mid 1970's. Tattletale's opened around 1980, if my memory is correct.

Atlanta has a huge amount of clubs that have been there for decades. Other Atlanta locations that have been strip clubs since the early 1980's are what are now both Shooters Alley locations, the Dollhouse, whatever the club is now called at Northside and I-75, the Goldrush, the old 24K which went gay for a while and is now a black club, and the Oasis. There may be more. Mardi Gras, Pink Pony and Flashers (originally Stormin Norman's) are from the early 1990's.

And talk about institutions! The Clairmont Lounge goes back to the 1950's or 1960's and yes, one of the strippers still there (I think she's still there) goes back to the 1970's. I'm talkin 'bout you, Blondie!

goldmongerATL - I think that the Oasis was on Old National Hwy, just south of the airport when I moved here in 1987.

Shadowcat - That was possibly Oasis South (never went there myself). I have been going to the Oasis in its current location since around 1990 or so. Was it a club that moved from the southside?

How about Electric Blue in Connecticut? It has 1000+ reviews on TUSCL and one reviewer says he has been a regular customer there for over 30 years, so it's been around a long time.

^^^ I want to edit my previous post to add that EB doesn't get that much talk on the discussion section of TUSCL, I guess because it is not part of an area with a big cluster of clubs like Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, etc. It is in the country 20 minutes east of Hartford, not that close to anything, but also not that far.

Goldmonger - I really don't know. I went there a few times after work with the guys and they had that big fluorescent palm tree that was visible from I-85.

digitech - oops missed one.

EB has to compete with the RI clubs since they are so close.

I have a few reviews of clubs locally and when I get to travel and hands down my Institution would be Mario's Johnston RI may it RIP!

What about desire in providence? Seems to be generally well liked.