I've been to the Pink Poodle...

I've been to the Pink Poodle a couple of times now while on business in Silicon Valley. Is this the best club in California? Probably not. It is, however the best club within an hours drive of the Sunnyvale/San Jose area. SF has a lot more to offer, but its a long drive and the prices there are higher than at the Poodle.

First the club. Its old and probably not to clean, but mercifully I've never had to see it with the lights on. The stage is a small main stage with a runway that extends to the door. Most of the girls work the runway, so sitting right near the tip gets you the best view. There is a shower show area off to the side, but we'll get to that later. The guy who runs the door is also the DJ and probably the owner. Every time I have been, its the same dude. $20 at the door, covers a soft drink (refills are $3). There is no alcohol served or allowed to be brought in. My reccomendation is have dinner nearby (there is a Korean place I always go to that is good, but I forgot the name) with an extra drink or three to get in the mood before you arrive. The DJ introduces the girls the same way each time - its lame, but who cares. The clientel ranges from software geeks to blue collar, overall, not much thug factor here.

The Girls: All in all, not too bad. There are always about 7 girls on shift, of these about 3 are pretty hot and usually there are one or two real hotties. They are not too pushy for dances, even on slow nights (I go on weeknights, and its often just half a dozen guys). Most of the girls put on a good stage show, you just need to ride the rail. Putting out $3-$5 a dancer ensures an excellent view (here is where the all nude part is nice!)and sometimes a nice bit of contact. All in all, the best strategy at this place is to ride the rail - great value.