Oh, Exchange LA. How I hate to love you and love to hate you. You've been a crucial part of my EDM days in the 2010s era. Since the pandemic, I've come to visit this venue three times. Once for Dillon Francis, then for Kaskade, and then most recently for Snakehips. I'm shook at how expensive drinks are here everytime I come out here. For reference, two double vodka sodas came out to $65. YOWZA. Be prepared to spend money when you're here, especially if you don't have a friend who has a table. The lines can get long and the place can get super packed, but you probably already knew that going into a venue like this. This venue has two stories, with the second floor being mostly bottle service with two bars. The venue is smack dab in the middle of DTLA, so it's definitely in a prime location. read more

I don't understand why so many people have had such a shitty experience with security... my experience was pretty amazing. I went for the first time to see Dash Berlin spin this last Friday at ExchangeLA. We had VIP access and let me tell you... it was THEE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER. Took a Lyft to the club and hopped out right in the front and we saw two LONG ASS lines on both sides for GA and I'm not sure what the other one was for so my friend asked the security bouncer at the entrance where The VIP line was and he said "oh you guys have VIP ? Come right in" literally NO FKN WAIT...Mind you we arrived at 11pm it opens at 10pm. A girl walked us in and we showed the tickets on my friends phone and they gave us a wristband and did a normal really quick pat down.. literally took less then 3 min from walking in the door to walking up the stairs.. VIP access was so amazing because you get to walk to the 3rd floor I believe it was to this awesome balcony. It was air conditioned! It had a private bar ! And the best part...TWO bathrooms with NO LINESSSSS AT ALLLLL there was so much room to breathe and dance. If you wanna know what the main dance floor is like have someone wrap you and three other people up with rope and duct tape and then have them light you on fire. Every security guard we came across helped us with any questions we had and were chill af. Y'all must be drunk messes to have that many issues bro.. the crowd was chill.. I met 4 awesome people on the balcony that took some great pictures of my friend and I so thank you whoever you are! Dash Berlin had such an amazing set ! I def will be back ! VIP ACCESS = LIFE READ THAT AGAIN^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - I was actually kinda nervous after reading all of these people's reviews about how shitty people are and how bad the place is. -Vip = 3 drink tickets & free water and red bull till 2 am read more

Exchange LA - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Venue is a hellscape of heterosexuality. If you're gay or queer, you will hate it. If you're straight and tend to stare at the dj recording with your phone all night, you'll love it. Security: feels worse than going through an airport. They're terrible. Sound is decent. Crowd is random and not nice. Everyone's looks like an AI generated idiot. read more

Meh. They shamelessly steal phones at this club. I got pickpocketed at the dancefloor and it happened in a matter of seconds. Too packed.

Security is strict and racist like they made my friend wait outside for 30min even though they bought a ticket. She didn't even drink like the rest of us. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Very crowded, way overpriced drink. Red Bull and Vocka was $30!!!!! Crazy. Bouncers were ok. Most of attendees wore very casual... I didn't see any upscale read more

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I don't know why the reviews are so low. There is a lot of good about this venue, including a nice warm up area downstairs before you go to see the main act. Typically one of the nicer concert venues in DTLA catering to electronic/EDM. It's not cheap but they bring in some top artists, good lighting and space, and I've met some cool people here, too. read more

Atmosphere was good. Sound system can be better. Drinks are reasonable. You need ticket for entrance and be ready for long line even with ticket. read more

Super cramped venue!! So hard to move along. Staff was SO RUDE ! Upon entry, this dumb bouncer lady with BRIGHT RED HAIR was rude and condescending when I asked her a question. I let it slide because I did ask as she was checking my bag. However, after that she was just pushing everyone along. Making everyone go super fast like lady I'm trynna ask something! Other people were trynna ask questions too but she was just like nope! Move along. She had a shitty attitude and that hair was NOT CUTE! The bouncers were so bitchy and rude. I had two cups of water and I went downstairs.. a bouncer saw me and took my waters! I said excuse me? These are waters, smell it? Try it? I needed the water it was hot and I been dancing and drinking to the point I needed TWO cups lol but noooo he rudely took my water. Luckily another nice, perhaps the only nice bouncer there saw what happened and had a good heart and went to get me my own water bottle. Shout out to that guy man! Honestly it's always fun here but that security is ASSSS! Oh and what is even the deal with hats? My boyfriend and guy friends have been turned down in the past for wearing hats. Last night they were okay with it?? I don't know. Someone needs to clarify the hat policy because the bouncers be doing whatever the fuck they want & it's really not fair. It's already expensive enough in there. At least be cool and don't kill the vibe. I'm all for the greater good + safety but them bouncers got a stick up their ass! read more

Cramped venue, feels like they always oversell tickets. The building itself is gorgeous. Each time I've been to this venue there's been problems though, it draws a negative and pompous crowd. I've never once gotten the same vibe from The Palladium or Academy that I've gotten from exchange. And it's always a 50/50 as to whether the staff you're interacting with are nice or not. First time I went we couldn't get in because they thought my older sister's REAL ID was fake, then refused to give it back when SHE was the driver that night. Ended up getting law enforcement involved just to get an ID back - fortunately the cop that helped us made the process super simple. Second time we went, some guy had a seizure near our group (not necessarily Exchange's fault for that.) I hope that guy ended up being okay. But maybe it's just a sign. You'll basically end up paying slightly higher than average for a ticket for X artist than you would if you saw them at a different venue. And what you get in return is overpriced drinks and a dancefloor that maxes out at 100 people. This venue has lots of potential if it maybe just got new management. Edit: I haven't been there since late 2023, so hopefully things are different now. After the next time I visit if things are better then I'll update my review. read more

horrible venue grown ass unprofessional security power tripping coming like the swat team just to take our pens with no warning treating us like were bad people when were just there to enjoy the music and have a good time.. me and my group are very respectful we would have put it away if told how is it our fault the security that checked us at the entrance didnt find it and didnt warn us about "vaping" in the venue not a damn thing was told about it no warning no nothing snatched it out of our hands rude asf read more

Service at this venue is horrible once you enter, the doorman is the only person/experience that's good. Once you enter your groped by security (I've been through countless security this is the most inappropriate ones), to the people in the bathroom providing "service" they'll hit your hand if gets anywhere near their products. To the rude bartenders that seem to hate their jobs giving attitude. God forbid you look or touch security once you're in there, they'll put hands on you if you touch them in a CROWDED VENUE, and even if you don't touch them you better not be in their way because instead of asking politely to move they'll just push you over. MY FRIENDS AND I WILL NEVER BE RETURNING TO THIS AWFUL PLACE! read more

Just last week we had our date night, and my husband and I had a great time. The drinks were good nothing special about them, and the music was good with the theme being 90s-2000 music. Service was good, get your VIP entry for sure. read more

Exchange LA - Time Machine, Drinks, Dance 90s-2000 - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

*DISCLAIMER* DO NOT BUY TICKETS FROM THIRD PARTY SITES LIKE TICKETMASTER OR STUBHUB. THEY DO NOT ACCEPT THEM ANYMORE! I came here to see Deadmau5 and I really enjoyed it! I had VIP tickets which allowed entry into the second floor balcony and gave a great view of the venue! The tickets also come with three free drink tickets for use at the two bars on the balcony! The balcony wasn't really crowded and there was a lot of space to move around which was great compared to the relatively packed first floor. However, the entire area immediately surrounding the railing was reserved for table service. This made it a bit difficult to get a really good view as everywhere you went there was a few feet of space for the couch and table. Luckily, the couch and table in front of me only had four people that reserved it so they didn't completely block my view of the show. Lastly, there weren't any troublemakers when I went and everyone seemed to be pretty nice. I had no issues with anyone and it was a fun and enjoyable night to see Deadmau5! read more

Exchange LA - VIP level view - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My sisters and I visited Exchange LA this Saturday and were disappointed overall. The dance floor is extremely SMALL for the number of people they let in the doors. Do you want to be packed like Sardines with no room to dance? If so, Exchange is your place! Do you want to watch people drink with nowhere to sit? Watch people stand on the dance floor with ZERO vibe? If so, this is your place! Somewhere, there are DJs, still playing awesome Trance, before this sold-out, zero-vibe scene took over -- somewhere those DJs are still holding down the vibe that helped to create this whole EDM scene in all of its glory. I want to find them again, dance, and become one with the music. It won't be at this place - that is for sure. read more

EVERYONE HERE HAS LICE DO NOT COME EVER. I literally got lice and was itchy asf after. All my friends had lice too. pretty sure one of the security guards gave it to me bc she was literally all up on me and in me?????? read more

I was at Exchange LA this weekend and I was turned away because I was wearing shorts. I've been to this venue several times, but apparently they have different dress codes for the different times of the year? Wild. Luckily I had an extra pair of pants in my car, which was a few blocks away. After leaving and coming back with pants on I am able to get in. Once I am inside I am being patted down excessively, with the security person literally digging in my small pocket on my pants. He was in there for a long time... I've never been patted down like this before at any of the Insomniac events/venues. It was a little much and extreme. Then I turned around and he had me basically pull everything out of my fanny pack, again, too excessive. Once we got upstairs, my group and I saw this skinnier, younger guy with short shorts on. What the heck? Let's be consistent and have the rules apply to everyone. I can't help to think that I was targeted because I was older and thicker than this other person. If they are going to pull that my shorts were not "fitted", they certainly were not workout shorts. It's really messy. Please do better. Drinks are really expensive here too. I'd probably encourage pre-gaming at any near by bar, you'll definitely save some money that way. I prefer to go to Academy LA over this venue. read more

yesterday because they don't have apple pay in 2025, I couldn't pay with my phone, I had to go to the car to get the card. manager, it's 2025 now. do they accept apple pay at your bar, put another device at the entrance. imagine, it will be useful. read more

The reserve was better. Security was rude, and inflexible. Overall felt like my business was not wanted nor appreciated.

One of the worst experiences I have. They literally took my belongings and threw it all out. Im diabetic and they threw out my medication. I kept trying to tell them. I'm going to press charges eff this place read more

A lot of great artists play here but I avoid this place as much as I can. The line to get in is always crazy, especially with a big artist. There's one bathroom in the corner so the line is always insanely long. Most of the time the girls just say fuck it and line up for the men's room too so the whole area is just a clusterfuck. The concert floor itself is a shit show too; the walkway goes right past the bar so it's always a crowded mess trying to get a drink. read more

I checked out this place time on Sat June 15 after they reopened. I was dancing moderately like 1 hour in the same spot. 3 Latina ladies came dancing next to me & kept pushing my side so I resisted it and said don't push...she then pushed me harder with the back of her body. So I danced harder to let her off my body. They attacked me & a big fat lady grabbed & pulled my hair like 2 feet that broke my fake glasses & she used her nails scratching my face long strokes from forehead down on eyelid, under eye & along my nose, side of my nose, can see red blood on scratches & little nose bleed. 2 Security guards came to rescue me right away otherwise, it would have been worse otherwise. This kind of violent people are ready to throw alcohol on you & lid the fire. I give 5 stars on securities who tried to help & made me feel better, enough guards walking around & stop the incident as soon as they can. The location is not far from Hollywood, but I think I'll stick in Hollywood places. But bad people can cause the problem everywhere you go, so securities are the key for your safety. I just wish they made those group in custody as I could show law enforcement what a mess on my face. read more

Exchange LA - Security guards are everywhere, nice EDM music & visions - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I love this place to go out and have a good time I hope it reopen soon I miss coming to see my favorite dj

I've only ever had wonderful experiences during my visits here. I typically go for house/ trance shows and I've seen a numerous amount of top tier DJs here. Pricing for tickets is usually ranging from 20-50 bucks, but make sure you purchase early to avoid hike in fees and/or missing out on shows as tickets sell out quick. Much like any other venue, amenities such as drinks are always expensive and watered down. So don't expect to receive any bang for your buck . The crowds are typically friendly and security isn't overbearing. There is a wide availability of local public parking garages and sometimes street parking if you get lucky. Keep it in mind they Exchange is in DTLA and I would not be parking far from the venue to avoid any unsavory type of people . The venue surrounds heavy populations of homeless people , some of whom who may harass you or make you feel uncomfortable, but I've yet to experience that. There are late nights eateries available once your show ends as well . Overall , great investment in buying tickets for shows here. read more

Got tickets for ExchangeLA? Knock yourself out ONLY if there's a good artist. This establishment is okay, with mainstream and underground EDM vibes. Let's start with the pros. You have a main stage and VIP upstairs on the 2nd and 3rd floors while the 1st floor has the local DJs playing there. I thought both were great at getting you to vibe with the crowd in different ways, which I highly recommend doing the bottom floor stage first before the top. Bathrooms are clean and modern, and I thought moved very fast. Now the cons. Personally, I find the atmosphere of Exchange itself to be kinda dreary, perhaps due to the fact that the architecture is that ugly government building look when you first walk in (the hallway especially). Not only that, but ventilation is pretty garbage so it was hot in the main stage. 2nd is that the drinks were hella watered down. We got 4 AMFs and it just tasted like the mix only, with barely any alcohol. Not worth the price tbh. Lastly is the sound design. Now unless you're in the front middle the mids are garbage for some reason. Mercer has a wide range of house but the mids were seriously lacking in favor of lots of bass. Not I'm not sure if that's his sound technicians but I didn't hear that issue when I heard Mercer in Chicago, so it makes me think that it's the venue. Oh well, minor detail. I'd come if there's a good artist. Pass if there isn't one. read more

Exchange LA - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Large iconic venue in DTLA, expect to Uber there or pay for parking in a nearby garage. Strict dress code and required line wait, make sure you rsvp on discotech for ease! Interior is spacious and beautiful, great lights and cool historical building, fun for dancing, very loud and expect expensive drinks read more

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OK so it's been a LONG time since I've gone out to a club... like so long that I arrived dressed to impressed. Since when did girls stop wearing heels to clubs and boys stop wearing their adorable dress shirts? People were legit getting in wearing sneakers, so notes to my fellow dancers, just be comfy. Other notes: - Don't arrive here holding alcohol. We pre-partied with a small soju bottle and couldn't find a trash can so were planning to drop it off in the trash inside... 'cept when they saw the bottle they took my girl's comp ticket and put us in time out! Luckily, we ended up meeting Anton, who gave us the blessing to re-enter plus VIP bracelets, so I can share that the 3rd floor is pretty nice where you can spend time with your people (although not a great place to meet new friends). Bottles expectedly pricey and the girls do the fancy bottle presentation if that's your thing - People don't dance anymore - they mainly just face the stage and maybe gently nod their head. There are people like me who go to dance but alas, I miss those days - Drinks are $14+ so be prepared - Guest lists available and lines are organized, they do check IDs plus COVID vaccinations read more

EXchange LA is the quintessential venue for EDM shows (as well as ACADEMY LA.) I went to l see Deorro, 12/29. Got there super early, first in line. The security guards as well as people that work there were all so nice- it being my first time there, they were so welcoming. The atmosphere is badass--used to be an old bank-- so the high walls make for an echo and AWESOME acoustics. All my EDM lovers, y'all know what I'm talking about! read more

Exchange LA - Adam Auburn, opening for Deorro 12/29 - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Exactly what you feel it will be a government building with it's dark and dreary inside hiding lies to what has been done and is currently being done inside the walls of what once was nothing more than a market! My friend brought me here I really didn't know what to make of it other then hey it's a night at some place that sounds interesting why not go once here they do like a line if you have a ticket and another one for guest list which you can get on a few different ways so don't forget to check that out. Once inside it was a hallway of many doors with just a feeling of what it was as if it's past can't be hidden one of the doors on the right led to a room with some music and then they had some stairs that went up to the top floor where a much bigger dancing space is as well as what's pretty much the better side of the Club. Either way it was an alright time here I dunno if I'd really come back here though as something just didn't feel right to me and that's that. read more

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I paid for a table with a credit card that I don't ever use, it was the only charge on that card before 150+ fraud transactions all near the venue a month after, they even called my bank asking for info and to add it to apple pay on a device that I don't recognize. Please keep an eye on your credit cards after giving it to the shady people working at this club! read more

The bad reviews for this club are misplaced. I've been about four times over the last ten years and each time was its own good experience. I love that they have real trance DJs at this club. They deliver good DJs at least once a month whether it's a cult classic or somebody on the up and rising. I've done general admission, VIP bottle service, and just regular VIP. I'd say just regular VIP is the best value for your buck. With VIP admission you have access to the VIP table section which has two bars, access to the main stage, and access to the third floor balcony. Second floor is lame if you don't have a table you're up against the wall and can't see much. The third floor balcony is super spacious, has a big private bar, and big bathrooms. You get an amazing view of the DJ and the dance floor even if you're not front row. We ended up spending most of our time on the third floor balcony last time we went, where they were pumping cool air and the views were incredible. VIP admission also comes with a front of the line entry, three premium cocktails, unlimited Fuji water, and unlimited red bull. Not sure if this is for every event so call ahead. The most impressive part of this club is the production. The sound is amazing and they have great light shows. If it's a good DJ the main dance floor will be packed, that's just the reality of any good show. Smoking section is tiny and they have weird Indiana Jones looking security guards out there. In fact, the whole place had a ton of security, I got some eyes when I dropped my water bottle for the 15th time. TLDR: cool venue, worth the upgrade to VIP, if you're a drunk asshole they'll kick you out. read more

Exchange LA - Dance Clubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Not a good atmosphere. They charge a lot for drinks. Will power trip when you question them about it, just not a good experience.. spend the time to find a better club. read more

I've been coming to this club since 2018 and here's my full list of pros/cons: Pros: -Sound system is AMAZING, the acoustics in the room carry the heavy bass well without sacrificing audio quality or clarity. -this venue attracts top-of-the-line DJ's from around the world. -Security is usually pretty nice, although note that men cannot come in wearing tank tops or sleeveless shirts so the dress code is a bit strict. -The venue decor itself is beautiful, I like the addition of the disco ball above the pit. -The bathrooms are pretty good, there's a lot of stalls and they're pretty decently clean. -there are a lot of side rooms for you to explore if you're not feeling the set or need a break from the crowd. -the alcohol is priced normally for a club ~$16 and is strong but tastes good, bang for your buck! -the crowd is usually pleasant, I've had a lot of positive interactions with the people here -the big screen at the front offers visuals that are easy to see -the bowl shape of the venue offers everyone an equal opportunity to hear and see the DJ pretty well Cons: -parking can be hard to find. There's a tiny lot across the street that's very dark and looks unsafe and it only has a few spots (less than 10). I usually use a well-lit 24 hr guarded public parking garage down the street and it's a bit of a walk if you're wearing heels but it's pretty cheap and convenient. -This club has bad AC or something because even if it's not too crowded it's always extremely humid and hot inside so don't wear anything too warm! Overall, this is hands-down the best and my favorite nightclub venue in LA! read more

I am of Hispanic/American descent. Only reason I include this is because I have absolutely no idea why the security stopped me AND ONLY ME (out of a group of 8) for "pre-gaming." I understand that drinking beer cans or alcohol bottles IN LINE is a no go. Perfectly logical. But choosing me out of my entire group to "lay back and relax" is insulting. I had my drinks before coming to the venue and was absolutely respectful to all in line and around me. Showed no sign of belligerence or mischief. Even so, security felt the need to pull me aside and hold me for 15 minutes. When I asked a security how long I might be waiting (it was my gf's bday for Pete's sake) I was told that as long as I don't bother the security, I will be let in. MAN, SECURITY IS ABSOLUTELY TRASH. I was able to get in with ALL of my drugs. Like cmon guys, how are you going to stop me for, I guess, looking intoxicated in line, but not gunna stop me for all the other fun stuff Y'all can smd read more

Came here tonight and they overcharge. Ticket was $150 at the door and 40 online. Told them about it and they said it's sold out so only vip. Don't come here read more

I'm actually sort of surprised I haven't reviewed Exchange considering the fact that I've been coming here since Insomniac started booking artists here to play... so probably since I was 22/23? (I'm 29 now). Anyway, I think we're pretty spoiled and fortunate in SoCal to have such consistently good artists booked for Exchange almost every weekend. If you like house, there's house. If you like trance, there's trance. If you like hardstyle, well, you get the point. There's always someone playing that will fit your tastes. As for the dance floor, it's a bit small and easily gets crowded as hell. During sold out nights, the dance floor spills into the 2nd floor lobby. The balcony above the dance floor is also really small and can barely accommodate a table and a group of people. You'll have just enough space for 2 lanes of foot traffic. The sound system is incredibly LOUD. I love my music blaring, but please, seriously consider earplugs. With hi fidelity earplugs, the music sounds normal. Venue layout blows. It's a long hall way with a small room that has smaller DJs playing (also EXTREMELY LOUD) downstairs. The restroom and smoking patio is towards the back. If you want to go to the restroom from upstairs, you either have to fight your way through the front and go down the stairs, or go back out the back and walk down the stairs, through the hall, and to the restroom. Really inconvenient. In front of the restrooms is the drunk tank (don't ask me how I know). The venue is pretty clean as well. The staff has always been pretty much standard/normal. The bouncers like to go on little mini power trips sometimes from what I've observed, but personally I've never encountered any issues with the bouncers. There's plenty of parking around the venue as well, usually around $15-$20, but I know a spot that's $10 and a very short walk away from the venue. Overall, great talent gets booked here, the venue is small, but sometimes intimate because you can get up close and see the artist(s) and maybe even get into the photos of the crowd, sound system is exceedingly loud, but if you don't give a shit about your hearing, then party on. read more

Went to see Green Velvet, but the sound quality was disappointing, and security overreacted to me bringing aspirin in my purse. #Disappointed #PoorAudio #OverzealousSecurity read more

Pre covid review Lines were relatively short and the time to get in was pretty quick. The stage has a big led wall which is cool, but honestly the main floor is smaller than what I had imagined based on pictures I saw online. It was crowded when I was there, and it was a struggle getting close to the stage. As expected for any club there are points docked off because of the drinks. But holy crap were they overpriced. One small shot of vodka was $15. And their mixed drinks were much more expensive. Talked to one of the stage programmers after the show and he said it wasn't even a peak night. Can't imagine how crowded it gets on other days. Overall, I had a pretty good time but I've had much better experiences elsewhere. Nothing really stood out, and for a club that's run by insomniac I had higher expectations. read more

First, it's a beautiful place, and the large dancing floor is excellent! The staff as all that works there extraordinarily lovely and we're pleased to talk too. This place oversells its venue; the atmosphere is very aggressive, and it should be known if you're planning on dancing that you're going to get a lot of negative energy; although I danced most of the night, I felt that I needed to leave around 130 probably should've left around 12 because it was so packed I could barely move my arms and feet there was no dance chemistry or atmosphere here PLUR vibes zero people. Women had on sandals. And were constantly getting stepped on and why should I feel bad for that? Do You let people in with sandals? i Must I've stepped on ten people's feet? with sandals!‍ Paying for this venue was like paying for a day at a festival was costly; water was seven dollars which would be perfectly fine if the atmosphere was welcoming to all. I felt you were anything other than a body that stood very still; you were a problem to everybody that paid to get in, and everybody wanted to experience the venue last night, but no one had any room to breathe. I'm sure this is a regular occurrence at this place. I want everybody to understand how important it is for safety and that if a fire had started or anything had started where people needed to exit the club in an emergency matter, people would be hurt and trampled on, possibly injured, or too near-death or death that's how important that people need to understand how packed it is in there it is packed to each exit door with no room to walk around. i hope we get club soon that cares for the people that pay and what to have a safe plur night out! If you see me next weekend dancing say hi! Plur and love for all!! read more

Wackiest club I've been to in a long time. Music is trash, there's a $50 cover charge and the crowed is timid. Find something else to do.