Dance with burger in hand at Industry

The concept for Industry nightclub sounded all wrong. Not because of the alleged über-exclusive guest list or the overdone high-end concept, but because it was opened as a dual venture -- a night club and burger bar. Who would want to wiggle around on the dance floor in a mini-dress immediately after pounding a pastrami burger? That might work for Padma Lakshmi, but not many women feel sexy while slopping burger sauce all over their frocks.

It turns out the concept isn’t as half-baked as it seems. The burgers are good, and the idea is to keep hungry clubbers in the building while not killing the high energy of the club.

“Industry’s burger bar makes it one of the most unique night life venues in L.A.,” says impresario Sam Nazarian, talking about the latest addition to his SBE empire. “Guests can grab a bite at any point during the night without ever having to leave the club.”

A sedate, restaurant-style experience wouldn’t be right for Industry. After all, it has some swanky stilettos to fill: The club is housed in the West Hollywood space formerly occupied by Area, a booming dance club that, in its prime, attracted celebrity clientele and entertainment bigwigs. In that spirit, Industry is pulsing equally ostentatious. Just past the velvet rope, the club’s doors swing open to an intimate dance floor bathed in cool blue light and studded with stripper poles. Twiggy girls -- some of whom could use a burger -- slink around in barely there dresses, though there’s scarcely a male in sight.

The burger bar’s ordering window is open from the moment the techno starts thumping, but most people seem to be waiting until after the serious drinking starts. Nor does the club emphasize the food -- there are sleek tables lining the perimeter of the club, but you won’t find ketchup, mustard or wet wipes on them. To find all this, you need to duck into a corridor separating the rest of the space from the VIP area. As the night creeps on, a few highballs are replaced with burgers; but for the most part, people seem so focused on socializing that the food is a side note.

That’s unfortunate, because the burgers are quite tasty -- and satisfying -- especially after a night of shaking it on the floor. The menu was developed by SBE’s executive chef Daniel Elmaleh, and has plenty of savory options to re-up your calories after a night sweating it out.

Admittedly, it’s awkward stuffing your face with a smoky pastrami burger while the rest of the crowd is fist-pumping “Backstreet’s Back,” but that’s the price one pays for a hangover-free Saturday morning.

On the hit list is the classic Industry burger, a juicy take on the diner burger, made with a quarter pound of Angus beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, special sauce and caramelized mustard onions. The chili cheeseburger is another win, although it was necessary to take an hourlong hiatus from the dance floor after scarfing that one down.

Industry also offers a beef Industry dog served up street-style, wrapped in bacon, topped with onions, pickled jalapeño aioli, mustard and ketchup.

The menu also features a sweet chicken teriyaki sandwich, veggie burgers and other vegetarian options such as the falafel patty spiked with Mediterranean spices and topped with tahini, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo. And, of course, there are regular and sweet potato fries as well as garlic Parmesan chips.

If you haven’t shelled out the cash for bottle service -- which comes to the table adorned with lighted sparklers -- you’ll probably want to wash all that down with a cocktail. The menu consists of favorites from other SBE venues, such as the burning mango, a mix of mango vodka shaken over muddled jalapeño and citrus juices that was a hit at Hyde Lounge in Mammoth. There’s also Industry’s signature cocktail, Champagne with vodka and fresh strawberries, and the cucumber watermelon margarita, just in time for L.A.’s summer swelter.

The real selling point at Industry, however, is that it doesn’t kick out clubbers at 2 a.m.; the bouncers simply roam around, remove glasses from hands, and hope you meander over to the burger bar to keep partying.

krista.simmons@latimes.com