ATLANTIC CITY

The 40/40 Club in Atlantic City (owned by rapper Jay-Z):

When the rapper star opened his second 40/40 Club in Atlantic City, he spared no expense jetting in VIP pals like Magic Johnson, Serena Williams and Justin Timberlake. Today, the 15,000-square-foot, multilevel upscale sports bar/lounge dwarfs his original 40/40 Club in Manhattan. Furnished with more than 30 televisions airing sporting events, it also has several VIP rooms and a deluxe cigar lounge.

While the vibe is relaxed, the dress code is strictly formal, which means no gangsta gear makes it past the bouncers. At the grand opening, Beyonce set the tone by wearing enough ''ice'' to sink the Titanic, while Alex Rodriguez, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird were dressed to the nines in designer suits.

Although the 40/40 Club is more of a bar scene than a restaurant, guests can water down the booze with ''Latin- Soul'' snacks like fried deviled eggs and Southern-fried chicken sticks -- two of Jay-Z's favorite foods as a kid growing up in New York City.

Details: The 40/40 Club (Atlantic City branch), 2120 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401; 609-449-4040 or www.the4040club.com.