Transforming a traditional Mexican bar into a Downtown dance club might seem next to impossible, but the new owner of this decades-old watering hole is famous for his miraculous makeovers, having turned Short Stop, an Echo Park cop bar, into a haven for hipsters on the Eastside.

Envision an opium-den disco: Mexican lanterns soak the club in warm, sensuous red light; hypnotic, seizure-inducing Christmas lights hang from the walls; pillars covered in tiny mirrors flank the dance floor; low ceilings encourage intimate conversation. Monday through Friday, DJs like KCRW's dance jock Liza Richardson and DJ Diabetic (Obey's Shepard Fairey) spin rock, punk, '80s, mod, soul and late-'90s pop, luring in blue-collar boys and Latin lovelies onto the dance floor and patio, where they mingle with indie girls in glasses and hipster boys nerd-dancing. Thursday nights are packed for DanceRight, when singles from Echo Park put on their finest vintage and look for love. For a more authentic flavor, traditional ranchero bands spice things up with south-of-the-border sounds on Saturdays and Sundays. The bar's stocked with top-notch tequilas for gamblers and cocktail connoisseurs; everyone else should stick to the basic but reasonably priced beer selection. —Jon Sattler