Ruby Cascade

Think you’ve hit all the clubs in Orange County? Think again.

There’s a new club in Huntington Beach that will whet the party appetite of almost anyone ready for some real action. The Ruby Room, every Saturday at the Tap House, has a music mix that runs wide, from Top 40 to techno.

The club’s variety attracts a monster-sized crowd--the place is packed by 10 p.m. Styles come from every angle of the spectrum, from grunge to preppy to gangsta, even quite a few guys wearing loud Hawaiian shirts (maybe they were going for the Gilligan look).

Be prepared to spend the evening on your feet. Seating is constantly occupied; in fact, virtually every inch of the club is cluttered with partyers by the end of the night. Even the parking lot is overflowing, forcing many to park across the street or around the block. The line to get in remains steady throughout the night.

Deanna McKellips drove all the way from Anaheim Hills; she and her friends had heard the buzz and had to see for themselves. The rumors they heard were true: Ruby Room is an excellent place to spend a Saturday night.

Smokers need not worry about where to light up. There’s a huge patio with plenty of heater lamps--so the women who insist on wearing their tiny spaghetti-strapped dresses despite the winter weather won’t catch their deaths.

The Tap House also has a smoking room with couches and a television. (Note: You may feel as if you’re on display, given that the room is near the hall that leads to both dance floors, the restrooms, the kitchen and the bar. Most people can’t help but stop and peer in.)

DJs Beej and Danny Love control the atmosphere on the dance floors. With both going, dancers can pick sounds that fit their moods. An eclectic carte du jour including Top 40, oldies and alternative beats pours out onto the main dance floor near the entrance. On occasion a live band performs. In the back of the club, the deeper sounds of funk and hip-hop bump onto the smaller dance floor.

Promoters Scott Murphy and Paul Moen, also credited with Club Lunch at Majestic in Huntington Beach and Club Cream at the Shark Club in Costa Mesa, enjoy what they’ve created with the Ruby Room, which opened in November. Asked how they started in the club business, Murphy said: “I had a lot of parties at my house.”

If you keep your ears open, you might catch one of the random five-minute drink specials, from $1 kamikaze shooters to tequila shots and more.

BE THERE

The Ruby Room at the Tap House, 8082 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, Saturday, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (714) 374-0811. Cover charge is $5-$7, or get there early, have dinner and stay for the club for free.