There are only two possible turnouts for the grand opening of a much hyped nightclub: Either it meets expectations or it doesn't.

When Level 4 opened a couple of weeks ago, expectations were high. And for good reason. The place, on the fourth floor of Royal Hawaiian Center, was being talked up as a hub of "world-class nightlife," with a Vegas-style ultra lounge that was supposed to be like "nothing you've ever experienced."

The press releases and fliers were bold statements of pre-destined success.

But did the excited people behind the next best nightclub deliver?

LEVEL 4

Where: Royal Hawaiian Center, fourth floor

When: The nightclub is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Parking: There's plenty of parking in Royal Hawaiian Center. Parking is a flat fee of $5 with club validation.

Getting in: There is a $15 cover and a pretty strict dress code, that seems to go something like this: The more skin, the better for women; the less skin, the better for men who need to show up in button-down, collared shirts and shoes.

Shared space: The nightclub is the afterlife of a new theater that was built to showcase the multi-media show Waikiki Nei.

Waikiki Nei is a stage production that takes viewers on a dramatized historical journey of the evolution of Waikiki.

The show plays Tuesdays through Sundays (the theater is dark Mondays), and the nightclub opens after the Wednesday through Saturday performances of Waikiki Nei.

From theater to nightclub: The theater space converts into the Level 4 nightclub. But "converts" is the wrong word. It's simply a matter of body replacement: show patrons leave, clubbers file in. The location still feels more like a theater than a club with a dancefloor. The seats do retract to make room for a dancefloor, but on this night, they were not pulled back, so dancing was a tight fit.

The skyboxes (for VIP patrons) are reportedly very posh and comfortable. I'll have to change my status next time I go.

Speaking of dancers: You know who has plenty of space to do their thing? The go-go dancers. It's no secret that I'm no fan of the in-club go-go dancer, but Level 4 gets points for equal opportunity pelvic grinding. They employ both male and female dancers.

Wait. What if you're a straight woman? I take the equal-opportunity part back. There are hot pants-wearing female dancers for the guys and lesbians (yay for them) and there are male dancers (and they're sometimes shirtless and always a little nasty — in a good way, fellas) for the gay men. But what about the rest of us? Not that it's so difficult being a straight girl, but a light projection show of George Clooney in his best-looking roles wouldn't hurt as background entertainment, would it?

Think about it.

America's best crowd: The Jabbawockeez, voted last year by the MTV-watching public as America's best dance crew, was the guest outfit for the club's grand opening. And it's true what they say: There's no crowd like a Hawai'i crowd. When the masked dancers took the stage, the room erupted in squeals and shrieks the likes of which are normally reserved only for performing royalty like Prince. Or Elvis.

Way to represent, people.

"Ultra" lounge? Honestly, I didn't see it — this "ultralounge." All I saw was a string of narrow spaces with clusters of cocktail tables and stools lining the walls. The horseshoe-shaped space is awkward and uninviting. It seems transitory. Like it's a waiting room for the real lounge. It's kind of like the club equivalent of eating at the bar at a nice restaurant — it's never your first choice and you'll only do it when the real seats are taken. Only here, there are no real seats.

The heat factor: It was very, very warm on opening night. But the club promoters ensure us that it was just a one-time logistical glitch. That's good news because the temperature was enough to keep me from going back. It's one thing to have my own sweat making me uncomfortable, but it's another matter entirely when those droplets on my forearm are from a stranger's sweat-soaked hair. True story.

Bar star: The folks at Level 4 got one thing right, and it's no small thing. There are four highly functional bars placed strategically throughout the nightclub (also known as the theater) and lounge. The bartenders are fast and efficient, even considering the high bar-to-person ratio: four bars for the venue max capacity of 1,000 people. Those are good odds.

The price of a club soda with lime: $3