An African man who says he was refused entry to a suburban nightclub because of his race plans to complain to the equal opportunity watchdog.

Rodney was knocked back from a Narre Warren nightclub on Saturday night and says he was told to come back on Friday because it was R&B night and it would be more "his crowd".

The 19-year-old said he approached security twice more, including once with two female friends in case he had been refused admission because there were too many men in the club, before security staff conceded he had been denied entry because he was black.

"I was furious, I couldn't believe it was happening," Rodney said.

"After the third time I said, 'it's because I'm black isn't it?' and he agreed and said, 'We don't want any of you causing trouble tonight'."