The coolest hot spots

WHEN the weather starts to sizzle, so does L.A.’s club scene. Old bars are getting a new polish, new restaurants and lounges are being readied for their close-ups and contractors are working overtime to get venues open in time to take advantage of the hot, hot heat.

And even superstars -- like Prince, who sources say is planning a seven-week residency at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood -- make special plans.

So many options, so many skimpy outfits to choose from.

Here are a few of our hottest picks for your summertime nighttime to-do list:

Hollywood mogul Adolfo Suaya and partner Michael Sutton celebrate the grand opening of Charcoal (8372 Sunset Blvd.) this week. After toying with a variety of concepts, Suaya teamed up with designer Dodd Mitchell to create a swanky American grill. Suaya, who owns huge chunks of Hollywood real estate as well as the Gaucho Grill franchise, and Xenii promoter Sutton, already nailed Hollywood with the Lodge, their upscale steakhouse. Now the duo are hoping Charcoal will light Hollywood on fire. Located in the ArcLight Cinemas complex, Charcoal is aiming for the dinner-and-a-date crowd, with its ample use of leather and stone, along with DJs on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

And in late August, expect Suaya and Sutton to also debut Goa (1615 Cahuenga Blvd.), an Indian fusion restaurant designed by Kristofer Keith, who traveled to India for inspiration. Decorated in golds and greens, the restaurant will include three bars, a roomy outdoor patio and multiple archways. For a visual, picture an Indian temple in miniature.

Look for the latest from clubland veteran Chris Breed (Cabana Club/Pig ‘N Whistle) to make its debut in mid-June. The name is Ritual (1742 Cahuenga Blvd.), and it’s located at his former White Lotus in the Cahuenga Corridor. Breed says he’s going “green” this time out, with natural materials, cork tables and an ample offering of organic food. Aiming for a “mind, body and soul experience,” he hopes to create a space where guests can decompress amid the pulsating music spun by VJs. Rather than traditional DJs, Ritual plans to offer videos with every song. Another notable change from White Lotus is the removal of the club’s private nooks. They’ve taken down walls to create more of a circular, flowy vibe.

And the lines are already forming for the rebirth of Mondays at Joseph’s Cafe (1775 N. Ivar Ave.), the club that started it all. The Greek restaurant was just another Greek restaurant until promoters Pantera Sarah and Bolthouse Productions swooped in and began attracting young divas before all those babies, DUIs and sex tapes. Sarah is bringing it back on June 4 as “Flashback Mondays” and expect a whole new cast of clowns to make headlines there weekly.

In new bar news, some of the hottest spots are downtown, uptown and the Valley. Nightlife connoisseur Cedd Moses (Golden Gopher/Broadway Bar) just celebrated the opening of his latest adventure, Seven Grand (515 W. 7th St.), a downtown whiskey bar that’s one jigger authentic Irish pub and two parts punked-out hunting lodge. Little of it makes sense, but it’s all good fun. Veteran designer Ricki Kline brings a cheeky chic to it, with dioramas of life-size duck hunters and wall-mounted jackalopes.

In more woodsy news, check out the latest from Craig Trager (Vintage Bar Group) and Michelle Marini (Lava Lounge), who teamed up for the Woods (1533 La Brea Ave.). Located at the former Lava Lounge, the Hollywood bar that brought strip-mall, tiki chic to the masses, the Woods looks and smells like a trip to the forest without having to pack a bottle of DEET. With cocktail tables made from tree trunks, antler chandeliers and yummy cedar walls, the Woods is already packing in a crowd that enjoys being belly up to a birch-filled bar under twinkling faux stars.

As the owners of the Room Hollywood, Ashley Joyce and Jeremy Thomas, prepare to debut the veteran bar’s remodel in late June, Thomas is basking in the glow of his latest opus, Skinny’s (4923 Lankershim Blvd.). The hip North Hollywood bar just made its debut last week and folks are already flocking to the nightspot, which features a spicy jukebox and a retro-cool styling.

Then there is the Roosevelt (7000 Hollywood Blvd.). Official announcement is still forthcoming, but Prince’s plans call for seven consecutive Friday nights of music beginning in mid-June, with the high-end ticket also buying fans access to an after-hours dinner party.

Of course, on other nights there’s also the Roosevelt’s poolside lounge, Tropicana (7000 Hollywood Blvd.), which just reopened for summer with the Alliance packing the heat.

In more hot hotel news, look for Roosevelt hotelier Jason Pomeranc to open the Thompson Beverly Hills Hotel (9360 Wilshire Blvd.) in July. Among the details, a Dodd Mitchell-designed rooftop lounge called ABH (Above Beverly Hills) and the stylish Japanese eatery Bond St.

And cyber scenesters will be making the roving rounds this summer through the Wallop.com lounge. Packing a proper punch, this member’s-only club changes venue from week to week and expect to hole up at such tony hotspots as Teddy’s, Area and Les Deux, where it hits tonight.

weekend@latimes.com