ECCO LOUNGE

Formerly Tokio, Ecco Lounge touts itself as Hollywood's "first eco-friendly" lounge. Owned by longtime promoter Danny Bitar (and former Club Lingerie owner David Stratton, Matthew Portnoff and Rob Roedel), the bar has been completely transformed from the dive-y, vaguely Asian themed bar it has been for years into a "green" haven.

What does that mean for bar-hopping hipsters on Cahuenga? Well, for starters,provides free valet service for hybrid cars, so roll up in a Prius to claim free valet. Ecco Lounge boasts energy-efficient LED lighting, the floors are bamboo, and the concrete fixtures are from eco-friendly cement , a slick all-black design scheme, organic cuisin, and "state-of-the-art environmentally friendly materials." Oh yeah, even the bathrooms here are "green". Vegetarians and locavores will also appreciate Ecco Lounge’s organic menu that Stratten describes as “focusing a lot on organic salads and free-range, organic meats. Most of the food will be bought from markets nearby.”

The whole transformation was captured by Discovery channel cameras (the bar was featured on Discovery network's new Planet Green channel, formerly Discovery Home network, on a show called "The Alter Eco"), but before you go thinking Ecco Lounge will be some sort of lush paradise for green-obsessed yuppies, remember that Danny Bitar loves good dance music; and his crowd may not change all that much. That means deep, dirty and sexy house vibes for a party crowd at Ecco Lounge, which fans of dance music are already flocking to. The space's best attribute? The multi-colored, energy-efficient, state-of-the-art LED lighting system that lights up the dance floor ceiling every night. We also like the spacious back patio here, which is very social (and smoker friendly).

“We’re building something around an eco-friendly concept, in a retro-style futuristic way,” says promoter Danny B. “It’s perfect timing, considering all the damage going on in the world. We’re also saving a lot of money with the energy-saving additions. It’s also just the cool thing to do.”

The partnership between long-time club promoter Danny Bitar and David Stratten has manifested itself in Ecco Lounge’s sleek, stylish outlay that has streamlined style with environmental responsibility.

Both promoters agree that turning Ecco Lounge into an eco-friendly institution has compelled them to reassess their own lifestyle decisions. “I realize, especially living in North America, we use 40 times more energy per capita than somebody in India,” Stratten says. “We really are a wasteful society, and we take so much for granted. Ecco Lounge has made us aware of the significance of trying to do something, no matter how small, because it’s important.”