Net nightclub entrepreneurs

Jonathan Abrams, founder of Slide, is far from the only web entrepreneur to dabble in nightlife. One cynical take: They're just trying to buy glamourous lives; too bad their clubs are in the SF area. But we're inclined to be more generous. As sidelines go, a nightclub investment is at least less pretentious than developing a taste for fine wine. The roster of Silicon Valley nightlife investors, with the customer ratings for their venues, after the jump.

Jamie Zawinski, a programmer who worked on early versions of Netscape's Navigator browser, owns DNA Lounge.

Jonathan Abrams, as one was reminded in his recent television appearance, is behind Slide Lounge, the downtown club, about as fabulous a venue as San Francisco is capable of supporting. Friendster founder Abrams, who famously turned down an offer from Google, is also an investor in Mamacita.

Trevor Traina, socialite son of the Napa winery owner, co-founded Compare.net, an early comparison shopping site. He's now more often in the society than the business pages. With Gavin Newsom, he's an investor in Matrix. In the nightlife business, he's overshadowed by his brother, Todd, who is a partner of Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama in various L.A. restaurants.

Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, the online payment service, and an investor in other ventures such as Facebook, is one of the backers of Frisson — an upscale restaurant-bar with a co-ed bathroom.

Ken Howery and Luke Nosek, two partners of Thiel in the former PayPal founder's venture capital fund, are said to be investing in a Manhattan nightclub.