onemo, there was a web site bigdog.net or something similar, with reviews of clubs as well as entertainers. I think it was shut down though (cant check now since nsfw.) I'm not all that familiar but my sense is it got too popular / too big in terms of covering the entire U.S. as well as allowing classified ads, which is where it prolly got into trouble for promoting prostitution or whatnot.
I've been somewhat successful googling the names of clubs and browsing around, even though some of the reviews were old and you never can tell, with places changing their practices, cover charges, drink prices etc, over time. I guess word-of-mouth is probably your best shot.
I think you're right in terms of clubs being generally governed by local/state laws, with each having their own policies where they skate the line and push whatever they can until there is a crackdown.
it's funny there is a club around chicago billed as a bikini bar but they go topless because they keep a small string around their midsection. it must be that the local laws dont specify nipplage coverage/uncoverage and they laughingly consider the string to be a piece of clothing
they apparently have also been avoiding local sales and/or real estate taxation laws for a long time...they were originally established as a small place and have since done a lot of expanding and remodeling. but they purposely leave the place in a constant state of construction, since once they are done I'm sure the place will be re-zoned or whatever.
I'm sure most of what happens when it comes to clubs is truly a reflection of which wheels are being greased and how heavy the grease is being applied