The least expensive money-wise, but most expensive time-wise, is to get there early (before 8-8:30 p.m.) and stand in line. This ploy works best on a Thursday or Sunday (most of the popular nightclubs are open Thurs.-Sun. only). You'll see people bypass the line (for various reasons, which we'll get to), but most club-goers will wind up behind you.
Sometimes you'll get in for free; other times, you have to shell out the cover charge of $20. When you get in, you might still be early; the action gets going around 10 p.m and really heats up midnight and thereafter (continuing till 4 or 5 a.m.).
You can show up later, prepared to pay more. At the clubs with the longest lines, door guys might troll the line, looking for people to pony up a $20 toke to be pulled out of line and ushered to the front. Then you pay the cover charge ($20-$50, depending) to get through the door.
Alternatively, if you're a guy with some young, hot, and skimpily dressed girls, they're often pulled out of line and whisked through the door (you'll find out how they value your friendship by whether they pull you along with them).
One guy with a few girls offers the best odds for the guy to get in quickly and cheaply. A guy alone is better than a couple of girlless guys. Three or more men could possibly stand in line, waiting to get in, all night, and never see the inside of the place. It's great for people watching and not spending $15-$25 on a drink, but ...
If you buy a line pass online before you arrive, you can bypass the longer general-admission line and wait in the shorter line. You're not a VIP; you just have a paid pass to stand near the door.
A "VIP" ticket costs $40-$50 and it gets you in immediately. Once inside, though, you're no longer a VIP. Unless you opt to disappear into the rafters and find a seat in the nosebleed section, you'll be on your feet the whole night.
Finally, you can make a table reservation, which includes mandatory bottle service. We cover this aspect of the scene in a separate FAQ.
Finally, all the nightclubs, even the most marginal, employ big beefy scowling security and door guards who strictly enforce a zero-tolerance policy. Zero tolerance of what? In a word, stupidity. We've noticed that the only time these fellas lighten up is when they've got someone by the collar and are unceremonioulsy tossing him out. After waiting awhile on line and paying all that money to get in and get loaded, it seems the height of ... irresponsibility to get thrown back on the wrong side of the door.