What should you know before going to a Las Vegas strip club for the first time?

The two things nobody tells first timers

The big clubs are not on the Strip. The flagship Las Vegas gentlemen's clubs sit in the industrial blocks just west of the Strip and near the airport, a short drive rather than a walk. Factor a ride each way into the night and the budget.

Topless and fully nude are different products, and the difference is alcohol. In Clark County a fully nude club cannot hold a liquor licence. So topless clubs serve drinks and fully nude clubs do not. Almost everybody who says "a Vegas strip club" means a topless club with a full bar, which is what the well known names are. If having a drink matters to your night, that decides it for you.

Arriving

• Age is 21 and over at the topless clubs, because they serve alcohol. Physical, unexpired photo ID for everyone, no photos of it and no phone wallets. Same rules as everywhere else in the city.
• Dress code is business casual and it is enforced. No jerseys, tank tops, shorts, hats or sandals at the upscale rooms. Full detail in the dress code answer.
• Go earlier rather than later. Before midnight is calmer, cheaper and a much better first experience than 2am.
• Take cash in small bills. Card fees and in club ATM fees are steep, and cash sets a hard limit on the night.

Getting seated

A host will meet you and seat you. Tip them 5 to 10 dollars and you will get a better table, which genuinely matters in a busy room. You then have a choice: sit at the stage or take a table. Stage seats come with an expectation that you tip the performers in front of you, at least a dollar each time. If you would rather just have a drink and watch, take a table. Both are completely normal.

Expect a two drink minimum per person. A server will find you quickly.

The rules

Every club posts its own, and they are enforced by staff who are paying attention, but the constants are:

• No phones or cameras on the floor. This is near universal and it is taken seriously. Put it away rather than testing it. It is there to protect the performers, and being asked twice does not go well.
• Touching is limited and the dancer sets it. Rules vary by club and by situation. Follow her lead, and if you are unsure, ask her rather than guessing. That is the whole etiquette.
• Do not negotiate mid dance. Agree the price first. See what things cost.
• Be decent to the staff. The fastest way to be removed from a Las Vegas club is being rude to a server or a host, not anything to do with the performers.

Saying no, and leaving

This is the part first timers worry about most and it is the easiest part. If someone offers you a dance and you do not want one, "no thank you" is a complete answer and it is used a hundred times a night in every club in the city. Nobody is offended, and you will not be hassled for it. If you are being pressured beyond a polite ask, tell a floor host, because the club does not want that either.

Leaving is the same. Settle your tab, tip, and go. There is no closing ceremony and nobody is going to stop you.

If you are going as a group

• Agree the money in advance. Who is covering entry, whether drinks are a round or individual, and what happens with dances. Sort it in the group chat rather than at the table.
• Set a leave time. Groups without one stay two hours longer than anyone wanted.
• Bachelor parties: tell the club. Say it when you book. Groups get looked after better when the room knows what the occasion is.
• Keep one person on the plan. Somebody needs to know how everyone is getting back.

Women, couples and mixed groups

All welcome, and far more common than people expect. Couples and mixed groups are a normal part of the crowd at every major Las Vegas club, and bachelorette parties go regularly. The dress code and the rules are identical.

Worth knowing: the male revue shows are a different thing entirely, ticketed theatre productions rather than clubs, and they run 18 and over rather than 21. If part of your group is under 21, that is the option that includes everyone.

If you want entry sorted and a straight answer about which room suits your group, message a host. Guest list entry is free, there is no booking fee, and we will tell you honestly if the club you picked is the wrong fit.