Entering Styxx shortly after 9 p.m. on a recent Friday was like walking into an underground world.

The nightclub is in the basement of a building at Spring and Cross streets in Portland. A short, dark hallway lined with event posters leads you inside. The door guy sat at the end of the hall “carding” those who came in and charging a $5 cover. When I turned the corner with my friends, the hall opened up into a lounge area, a decent-sized dance floor and a bar.

Disco lights were already flashing and the DJ had music playing loud, but no one was quite ready to dance. The crowd huddled around the bar or played beer pong in the back room. Staff was still working to get the second bar and dance floor in the back open for the night.

A lit-up Miller Lite board listed the five beers on tap and the dozen offered by the bottle. I looked for an indication of drink specials, but didn’t see anything, so I asked the bartender. He said one of the nightclub’s popular drinks is a Spree, an interesting concoction that tastes just like the candy.

One of my two companions ordered the Spree. The other ordered a Grape Crush. I went with pomegranate vodka and soda water. All of our drinks were $6 a piece, typical prices for drinks in Portland.

I tried both my friend’s drinks, and the Spree did indeed taste like the candy, but the Grape Crush tasted more like grape Dimetapp to me than the soda. I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a huge fan of fruity drinks, so that skews my impression.

For a Friday night, the club wasn’t too busy. One regular patron told me that Saturday nights are the busiest. She also wanted to debunk the preconceived notion that Styxx is “only for gay people.”

“It’s not just a gay bar, it’s an everybody bar,” she said.

The nightclub’s event list proves her right.

On Friday, a DJ was setting up in the back room, so that’s two DJs on two dance floors, which is the same deal on Saturdays. It makes sense that they would charge a $5 cover for two DJs, but since the second wasn’t set up yet and the first wasn’t stellar, I was a little disappointed to dish out cash at the door.

I heard that “My Drunk Karaoke,” starting at 9 p.m. Sundays, is a fun time, but if karaoke and DJs aren’t your style, there is more.

Mondays feature an “All-Male Revue” starting at 10 p.m. Tuesdays welcome those slightly underage with an 18-plus dance party. There’s live music every Wednesday with a special bartender every week. Then the obligatory ladies night is reserved for Thursdays with $2 drafts, $6 Long Island Iced Teas and margarita pitchers.

Styxx has something for everyone, every night of the week.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.