I go to Academy LA for one thing: To dance to the best EDM, period. I don't go for food, I don't go for drinks, I don't go to hook up, I go for the music and the environment. The sound system is super clear.
The vast majority of the crowd is cool and there for the vibes. There's always a few that are too drunk for their own good, but that's par for the course.
I only get water for hydration, and after tip it's about $9 per 20oz bottle... Hey -- tip well, people.
Also - I hate looking for parking in LA so much, I wouldn't go if there wasn't a big, gated, brightly-lit parking lot right next door. (It's $20 cash as of this writing, and I don't think it's owned by the club. But super convenient!)
All-in-all for me, it's about $25 for general admin (after fees), $20 to park, I get 3 bottles of water for $27, so it ends up being $72 for 5 hours of amazing music and atmosphere.
Great nightclub, good management, didnt oversell the tickets and a good crowd! Went on a random Saturday night. Joshwa EDM was great!
Public parking right beside the club