Review: Newly Reopened West and Down Is West-er and Down-er Than Ever

After a tumultuous past few months, Penn’s newest mob-run nightclub is back and more west and more down than ever.

My night at West and Down this past Friday started off familiar — my very real ID was irreparably bent and my wallet was immediately drained of $30 because “it’s lit inside.” I was understandably concerned that West and Down 2.0 was going to disappoint me yet again.

When I walked in, however, my entire mindset changed. The club was completely empty, barren of life. It made me think.

The name West and Down, from a geographical standpoint, evokes images of Tribeca on the Lower West Side or L.A., in the southwest of the United States. But now I realize, I was not thinking west or down enough. Far beyond the coast of Los Angeles lie international waters — where lawlessness and piracy prevail. That is where West and Down’s name refers to. With that in mind, my opinion changed.

The old West and Down felt like a club run by a disorganized frat. The new West and Down feels like a club run by a disorganized branch of Triads. When I ordered drinks I felt like I was annoying the bartenders, when I danced I felt like I was annoying the DJ, and when I finally walked out the door, I heard an audible sigh of relief inside.

The new West and Down is west-er and down-er than ever. They have cut the fat and concentrated on what makes them great — namely making you feel like you’re bothering them by spending money at their establishment.

Final Rating: 27/30