I'm not one to believe rumors. And even though I've heard plenty of rumors about The Royal Lounge, I've always sloughed them aside. People say the bocce ball courts have disappeared, the music has changed and the weekend nights are stacked with ditzs and D-bags. But I hold up my hand. I refuse to trust another's words of dissatisfaction.

No club shall be judged until it be judged by me, I say. Keep the rumors away.

When I arrive at the Royal, I'm struck by how empty the place feels. The club, which used to feature ample seating and lighting, has been gutted. Few decorations dot the walls. The old bocce ball court is gone, replaced by a large black stage. On the stage hired dancers - girls who work at the Royal - grind and shake in an effort to stoke up the Saturday evening crowd. Yet the small crowd seems lost in the vast concrete expanse, more intimidated by the dancers than anything. Who wants to show off their moves while a professional stands above you?

I grab a drink and gaze around at the club's sparse motif. The best clubs have some shtick, some defining characteristic that makes them a must see. With nothing more than an empty space for dancing, a long bar and some dancers on stage, the Royal lacks pizzazz. I'm also struck by how a lot of the clientele are, um, how do I put this ... dorky. The guys all seem to wear odd-fitting hats and dingy polo shirts. They stand around awkwardly, devoted to gawking at the dancers on stage. The girls aren't much better. Like the club, they too seem to lack any real flavor (fake tans aside).

Of course, as the evening heads toward midnight, the place fills and most of the club's issues wash away. The Royal gains strength in numbers. The DJ is good, the hired dancers step down and the dance floor finally gets moving.

In the end, I'm reminded how a crowded dance floor can liven up any joint, no matter how many rumors are true.           

The Royal Lounge

Weekends open until 2 a.m., $5 cover
311 Capitol Way N., Olympia
360.705.0760