Royale Treatment
If the Moulin Rouge Were in Hollywood...

Sometimes you're looking for a night out that takes you to another era—like all the way back to 2001, when Moulin Rouge premiered.

Or, okay, maybe 19th-century Montmartre. Here, a sneak peek inside Madame Royale, a Paris-inspired lounge that's now in soft-open mode for a select Hollywood crowd.

Behind a nondescript door just beyond the Cahuenga Corridor gridlock, the exclusive sliver of space (you once knew it as Play) has undergone a thorough gutting to create a brand-new yesteryear feel—think brick walls, mismatched mirrors and peacocks. Lots of golden peacocks.

The leather banquettes up front are dance-ready, but push past those to make a pit stop at the central bar. Beyond that you'll find a small stage in the rear corner. It probably won't be graced by Nicole Kidman in a top hat anytime soon, but Ian Shepp and Brad Hoss (along with Gianni Capaldi, proprietor since the lounge's Red Buddha days) promise an eclectic mix of sets from jazz greats and intimate acoustic-rock gigs.

Out back, though, is where we predict the most intriguing 21st-century revelry will go down—the walled-in patio, with greenery snaking through overhead beams and old-timey sconces providing the only light, has its own second bar, slinging absinthe cocktails under a New Orleans–style balcony.

You'll have another. Come what may.