Key Club

Gangster Mickey Cohen took a bullet in the shoulder here in ’49 when it was Sherry’s Restaurant; Ben Gazzarri, self-proclaimed “Godfather of Rock and Roll” operated it as Gazzarri’s from ’63 till his death in ’91. After suffering major quake damage, the building was torn down and did a two-year stint as Billboard Live until Key Club opened in ’98, inheriting its odd modern design. An elevator will carry you three stories, from the balcony dining room overlooking the stage, to the main room, to an intimate subterranean bar, the Plush Lounge. The music ranges from hip-hop artists like Warren G and Pimp My Ride host Xzibit, to mainstay punk acts the Adicts, Fear, and the Misfits, with a little bit of Michael Schenker thrown in for good metal measure.