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Don't be fooled when you first walk up to the Lion's Den party Sunday nights at Tower II nightclub in Atlanta. From the outside, the joint looks nondescript. But inside, the place sprawls across about 11,000 cavernous feet and is packed with partyers, infectious beats and chiseled, shirtless bartenders.

SCENE: Sunday nights teem with mostly urban gay 20- and 30-somethings in Timberlands, ribbed shirts and tank tops — showcasing how the gym does the body good. It's heavily male, with the ladies running the show the rest of the week (Tower II). There isn't much atmosphere. Besides a long, sleek bar near the front and aluminum air ducts spiraling overhead, the club has a minimalist look. In such a spacious place, it's a bit surprising the restrooms aren't much bigger than broom closets.

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TUNES: The emphasis here is the music — raucous, feel-good music. The club has three areas, but the dance floor is the hottest spot. The more casual guys and gals chill out in the small back room or adjacent patio, where the bars offer a cool relief from the dance-floor frenzy. In the main area, the DJ spins the latest in hip-hop and R&B. At times, he mixes up deep house and old-school funk. If you're lucky you might hear Rufus and Chaka Khan's 1979 smash "Do You Love What You Feel" or a looping remix of Beyonce's "Naughty Girl." DJ Sedrick, the renowned turntable master from D.C., recently made a guest appearance and rocked the house with his slamming blends of beats and hooks.

COST: $5 cover. The drinks are potent but are served in thimble-sized cups. And when the Den closes at midnight and you're hungry after all that dancing and drinking, head to Mae's Kitchen next door, where the smell of grease thickens the air. For $5, you can munch on a box of six rightly seasoned chicken wings and fries.

PARKING: Tucked away in an area undergoing construction, the Lion's Den can be difficult to find. Street parking is tight and there's no valet, so if you don't get there early, expect a hike to and from the club. But with such bangin' beats (and bodies) in one tight spot, the walk will be well worth it.

• THE 411: $5. 6 p.m. to midnight Sundays. 735 Ralph McGill Blvd. N.E., Atlanta. 404-523-1535. Tower II caters to a largely lesbian crowd remainder of week.

— David Graves