Treated like an old friend

LADY T is making the rounds. Like Richard Dawson on “Family Feud,” she’s getting plenty of play. The manager of the Dynasty Lounge in Inglewood is kissing all the regulars and hugging the newcomers, greeting all like they’re part of the family.

They come for the love, and they just keep on coming.

“No one greets you with open arms like Lady T,” says Vincent Younger, a 51-year-old Dynasty regular who discovered the restaurant and nightclub a month ago. “I’ve been to a lot of clubs but I’ve never been to anything like this place. Here I’m a celebrity.”

The Dynasty caters to an older, upscale African American crowd. And actually it does get its fair share of celebrities.

On a recent Thursday, actor-comedian Renaldo Rey and 1984 Olympic boxing heavyweight gold medalist Henry Tillman were making their way through the packed venue.

“To me this club is like a family,” says Tillman, who started hanging at the Dynasty when new owner Miss Brown came in four years ago and revamped the club. “The music is beautiful, the regulars get to sign a tab, the food is good and I don’t have to go to Hollywood. If [Hollywood] is what you’re into, that’s great. But I’m not into it. I don’t want to ride a dirt bike, I want to ride a Harley.”

He’s not far off. The Dynasty is revved up nightly with ladies and gents in their 40s, 50s and 60s, looking for a little night music and a potential love connection.

And the music is what really sets the mood.

Every night there’s something different, from periodic performances by Guadalupe L (a.k.a. the Samba Mama) to a Motown Happy Hour on Sunday. On Mondays, promoter Steven D hosts a double-header of football and karaoke. On Tuesdays, people line up for Joe Kincaid and the Soul Brothers Band, featuring Sonny Green on vocals. On Wednesday, they pull out the dominos and play games until T.C. Moses and the Full Circle Band perform ‘70s hits. In between, the club’s in-house and weekend DJs Kenny D and Groovy Lou rock the dance floors.

The weekends are so packed, it’s standing-room-only, which is why Thursday is the locals’ favorite night. Vocalist Madame Dee does rousing covers of such classics as “Going in Circles” and “Somebody Else’s Guy,” before channeling Etta James with a soul-stirring rendition of “At Last.”

“Lady T always tells me, ‘You get gooder and gooder!’ ” says Dee, whose real name is Elaine Gibbs. “When I finish my set, I don’t go anywhere. I certainly don’t leave until I get my hug and kiss from her. But the best part is, I was delighted to find a mature, friendly crowd of people who really know how to have a good time.”

And that’s really the key to the Dynasty Lounge. Once you get past the dress code police at the door, you’re treated to a club that’s more fun than any Snoop Dogg video.

In the rear of the club is a spacious outdoor tented dance area, where hundreds of guests dance to hits such as Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” With its plethora of fedoras and other finery, the scene could be right out of a movie.

Inside the club, business cards are being exchanged, men in three-piece suits are buying drinks for the ladies. Tables are available for those who arrive early, but you can forget about the stress of bottle service. To get a table here, just order a cocktail or two, and don’t skip the hot wings. The menu is affordable and the late-night food is tasty.

“I like dancing,” says Samuel “PJ” Morgan, a 57-year-old Dynasty fixture who comes to the club with his pal Don King on occasion. “I like hitting the dance floor, plain and simple. The fact that the club is tailored for an older crowd, and I don’t have to trek to Hollywood, man, this is just what I was looking for.”

weekend@latimes.com

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Dynasty Lounge

Where: 206 S. Locust St., Inglewood

When: Open daily, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Entertainment nightly, 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Price: Cover varies; 21 and older.

Info: (310) 673-5441; www.dynastylounge.com