Authentic Brooklyn hidden gem! Brooklyn Banya is a real traditional bathhouse experience -- hot saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzi, and a refreshing cold plunge all under one roof. Clean, cozy, and relaxing atmosphere with friendly staff. Perfect place to recharge, detox, and meet great people. Highly recommend for anyone who loves authentic wellness and sauna culture! Great for wellness days, VIP gatherings, or private events with friends. Every visit leaves you refreshed, energized, and inspired. read more

I am very, very irked by Brooklyn Banya. We traveled approximately two hours to get to BK Banya because it's one of the few places that allow those under 18 into the baths. We called ahead and spoke with a gentleman who assured us (1) they were open on Yom Kippur; and (2) they were happy to accommodate my children and friends of mixed genders. When we arrived, the extremely unpleasant older woman at the front desk told us that Thursdays were for men only and turned us away very, very rudely -- despite the fact that the website says that men's only hours begin at 6 p.m.!! We were there around noon.) From the website (https://www.brooklynbanya.com/m): Men only hours: Tuesday 11am-11pm $60pp Thursday 6pm- 1am $60pp From what we could see and smell from the lobby, the place was dark, threadbare, and dingy, with a funky odor of mold mixed with perspiration and other unpleasant, unidentifiable things on top. So perhaps it was a cloud with a silver lining to be turned away. TLDR: - Awful communication. Info posted online is not honored or accurate. Info given verbally is not honored or accurate. - The space -- what we saw of it -- seemed dingy and dirty. - Staff are uninformed and extremely rude. read more

We had a relaxing day at this day spa. I loved that they had cold and warm pools. My fiancé loved the saunas. We would definitely come back here! read more

Brooklyn Banya Russian Bathhouse & Spa - Day Spas Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We called the banya first, the lady who I spoke on the phone with was very rude. They kicked us out earlier than they promised they would. Establishment is very filthy. The hot steam room walls/ ceiling were so dirty (didn't take a pic), I felt very uncomfortable in there because the water from the ceiling wouldn't stop dripping on my head. The kitchen was closed so me and my friend had to order food. The owner had a fight with her employee right in-front of us (they were literally cursing each other and calling each other stupid). The employees were constantly complaining to me about the owner which is super unprofessional. Also they don't have blow dryers. read more

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Nice hot Russian bath. If you like hot sauna - this place is for you. Very relaxing experience. .

great banya and lucy the cat is the best!!! we love lucy! Banya is hot it is supposed to be hot we like it hot! yeeeey banya

Very relaxing and seems to insulate you from your stress. Full-service baby's. Oh, and Alona is a DOLL!

Alona is a sweetheart and cares about this place. It was delightful and well needed relaxation. I would recommend to anyone! Alona will take care of you read more

Contrary to other reviewers, I found the owner to be very friendly. My issue is that this place is not maintained, to the point of safety issues. Next to the cold pool, a tile was cracked in half, fully exposed to the space below. A perfect setup to slice your foot open. And there was a tarp or something covering up something else covering up the floor nearby. The hot jacuzzi was not very hot. read more

I love the owners she is so sweet and funny. She really works hard, I will definitely be coming back

I was harassed at this Banya by a man and I have video evidence of it... I came to this Banya with a friend (31F) because I wanted to relax and it was one of the more affordable Banyas near me. Upon entering, I was met with an older lady who spoke little English and who took 15 minutes validating our Groupon deal. We finally were let in and to our dismay, the Banya was filthy. There was hair in the pool, the Jacuzzi was not hot and the cold pool was not cold at all. There were a bunch of Uzbek guys rough housing in the cold pool, who eventually approached me. After showing my disinterest and discomfort, one of the guys continued to follow us from pool to pool and sauna to sauna. He would not stop. There were many times we had to look the other way and move locations to avoid him and he did not take the hint and persisted to ask for my phone number. We only stayed for an hour and within the end, this man followed us into the locker room. This is when things got terrifying as my friend went to change in a stall and the older woman was downstairs cleaning the pool. He continued to plead for my number and asked for more, leaning in to touch me. This is when I started to record the encounter as I was alone and he was taking advantage of my friend being in the stall. If he had touched me, I was going to get cops involved and upon reading hidden reviews on Yelp, this place is no stranger to cops. I was able to kick him out and close the door but there were 2 entrances to the locker room and he found it funny to enter using the other entrance and ended up getting a peek at my friend changing. I was able to rush downstairs to get the manager who again, spoke little English so did not understand the gravity of the matter. She finally understood and went upstairs and berated the men but honestly that's not enough for the harassment we faced during the short stay. read more

Do: - Bring flip flops to change into! (they don't have any) - Come during off hours or early (went on a Friday when they first opened and very few people were there) - Bring a friend (or risk convo with the old men who frequent the place) - Try everything (there's a wet sauna, dry sauna, steam room, hot tub and cold pool. Wet sauna was my favorite- felt like I was in an ancient cellar due to the wood walls and authentic hot stones) - Come on a cold winter's day! - Pet the Banya cat Don't: - Arrive with high expectations (the reviews below are accurate in that this is not a luxury spa by any means), but I found the place to be clean - Expect that everything on the food menu will be available that day (the day we were there they didn't have the juices but they looked quite good) - Expect music or candles (the day we were there, there was a football game on) read more

Brooklyn Banya Russian Bathhouse & Spa - Cold pool, hot tub and tv - Day Spas Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I was looking for a place to hold my 30th birthday and I looked around at spa/wellness places. I used to live in Europe and I missed the hamam and sauna culture there. In both cases, wellness is communal, affordable and social. Brooklyn Banya was the perfect fit as it had such a warm welcome and incredibly delicious food to boot! Planning was a breeze as Alona, the manager, was easy to chat with over the phone. She had explained that they've been in the business for over 35 years and accommodate birthdays a lot. We worked out a menu for my guests and the chefs at Brooklyn Banya sure knew how to deliver! To say the least, the food was amazing! The lavash is really something special: delicious, homemade bread with light garlic and olive oil. The seafood was fresh and tasty as well as the homemade pierogi, Pelmeni and fresh salads. I would have posted more photos, but we ate them so quickly! It was also very affordable and we were able to get a group rate for the party, which was dope. The facility itself is just right for a cozy party size (we were 10 people) as folks can go wherever they please (steam room, wet sauna, or dry sauna). There is also a beautiful rooftop that is nice for your private party. I imagine some people might want a chi-chi spa experience, perhaps. I thought about that, but I knew I wanted something more personable and friendly for my 30th. I came early on a Saturday to be there when it was quieter (it was just me and a friend and a small family). By late afternoon it did get more packed, but there was still tons of space in the sauna rooms and pool. The staff is super helpful and nice (shoutout to Karina for being so helpful too!). And Alona is just amazing! She showed me a Russian birthday tradition that invoked tasty vodka and intention setting. The facility is also very clean. I didn't try the platzka, but a friend did and she really enjoyed it and ended up having a great chat with the guy who did it for her. If you're looking for a nice staycation in New York, definitely choose Brooklyn Banya. The service, the food and the general relaxing space for you and friends is really ideal. I'm grateful I was able to welcome my 30's in such a warm and inviting atmosphere. I can't wait to return! read more

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Environment: We never went to this Banya before. Upon our arrival the owner of this place told us that 2 things: 1. She is the owner, 2. That everyone who came there, had a quiet New Year, and said: "Muuuuu." We ignored the comment, but thought it was odd. Place: The place itself is super small, with small very cold pool. In terms of space for kids to swim - there is none. The place is dirty. If you go to jacuzzi, and look up, you will see lots of flies and all types of trapped bugs on the ceiling where the ceiling lamp is, which is disgusting. Food: The waiter told us that the food we ordered will arrive in 30 minutes because there was a party, and all we ordered was a salad and a mackerel with potatoes, not a huge order, and honestly potatoes could have been prepped way ahead of time and it does take 3 minutes to cut a salad and put some olive oil on it. The food arrived 2 hours later. We had to ask our waiter every 30 minutes and he seemed as if he did not know what was going on... Massage: I ordered a massage 3 hours earlier, but alas no massage lady was available at the time of the appointment. The owner stated that they are all licensed and experienced, but apparently they were not taught in school to see people on time. There is an overlap, the owner stated, why don't you sit with us, she told me, instead of an apology... And she was very serious about it. Being tired of all the nonsense and the owner's intrusive behavior, I made a decision to just go home. The massage lady later went into a locker room where I was already dressed, and asked me again if I wanted a massage. I told her: " .". She understood that it was too late. In short, I do not recommend this place to anyone. We will not return there. The major turn off for me was that the owner presumes that you have nothing better to do with your life, and just sit there with her, while her massage personnel does not end their sessions on time. My recommendation to the owner is to better manage her masseuse's time, and brush up on customer service skills. No one should be told what to do when a masseuse is late. A sincere apology should have been given instead. Will never come back. read more

I love this place. It is not permanently closed, tho they do not have standard opening hours. I just called and was told they could not accommodate me this eve but I could make a reservation for a future time. Mysterious! I intend to try it tho. Things have always been a little funky/spirited here. :D read more

I've been patronizing this spa for years. Many of the staff know me by face because I've been there so often. Usually, you pay for your visit as you leave, but today's visit was odd. A clerk whom I'm unfamiliar with informed me that I must pay upfront. When asked why, she explained that the other clerks let you pay as you exit, but she simply does things differently. Ok. I happened to be the only African American patron there at the time (It is, after all, a Russian spa :-) ). No worries. However, I found it strange, that all of the other patrons, (who happened to be white) all paid their tabs as they were leaving, as is customary. No problem. I know where I'm not wanted. I won't be back. read more

GROUPON AND COUPON DEAL BUYERS BEWARE!!!! GROUPON REFUNDED ME THIS WEEK!!! I purchased a Groupon based on a close friend's recommendation, and thought I'd try it out with a Valentine's Package that Groupon had offered in February. For MONTHS, I tried calling the place to book an appointment, but every conversation ended up the same way: Me: Hi, I would like to book my Groupon package - Sunday if possible.... Banya: ::silence, then interrupted with broken Russian/English:: Please call back after (insert any hour here) CLICK. This happened multiple times, and even got to the point where they must have seen my number on caller ID, because they stopped picking up the phone. Can't say that they are biased, since plenty of non-Russian bathers have come here, but can't exactly say they are all too welcoming of coupon holders. It was up until 3 days before my Groupon was to expire that I had to make a move or lose out on the $139 I paid for the Groupon. I called Groupon to complain of the Banya's lack of communication with me, and got a full refund. THANK GOODNESS!!! BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE!!! read more

It is not on par with Mermaid, the Fair Lawn spot, or the late Royal Palace. However, it is a decent, thoroughly Russian banya with a friendly touch for outsiders (aka non-Russians). Both times when I visited recently the manager was accommodating, in his own awkward way. The wet sauna gets really hot (they cranked it to 194 F) and during off-peak times it's quite nice (you'll have the room mostly to yourself). The people at the front desk in my experience have not been rude and crass, the way they can be at other dive-banyas. The ice pool is more of a cool water pool, but there's an ice machine if you want to get a little weird. There's also the roof deck, a banya standard these days. The food is pretty good, actually, though the wait times are long and inconsistent, and there is always order confusion (last night they brought other people's plates over twice before finally bringing my lula kebab). There is only one beer on tap (a Krusovice lager), and this is definitely something they need to change if they want to keep attracting Americans (hipsters love this joint). The busboys/kitchen staff inexplicably wear surgical scrubs. read more

Back in Brooklynland to get my car fixed, I meandered over to this Bklyn Banya. I always wanted to go to a banya, and had lots of time. I went through the darkened door and was smack inside a water and sauna extravaganza. $25 gets you a locker, towels and they will even rent you a bathing suit if you need. There is a whirlpool and cold dipping pool(part of the banya experience). There are first rate wet and dry saunas and a steam room. Alot of the materials are imported from Europe and there is what looks like a pizza oven heating the wet sauna along large stone walls. After hot sauna or whirlpool, you dip into the cold pool and it is refreshing and promotes health benefits so they say. The best part of banya today was that I had the whole place to myself(it was thankfully empty)and after one hour and a half, I felt oh so warm and relaxed. read more

My first time at Brooklyn Banya was on Saturday for a kids birthday party and honestly I won't be returning. I've NEVER been to a spa that was as HOT as this place was. It was unbearably hot! I had to stand the whole 2hrs that I was there by the reception desk because that was the ONLY place that had a fan that was actually blowing some cool air. The entire facility even the locker rooms were so unbearable to be in. Forty dollars to get into a spa is reasonably cheap HOWEVER for this place I'm sorry that's a bit expensive. I ordered some food while I was there (Salmon & mashed potatoes) & it was delicious! Cooked to perfection. I didn't get to try any of their energy/smoothie drinks because as I stated it was hot so all I wanted was water with lemon. I tried to like this place but unfortunately that didn't happen. read more

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The bathroom in the men's locker room was outrageously dirty and left a bad first impression. For example, the sink was filthy. However, I kept an open mind and hoped for the best. When we were sat down at a fold out table, a customer came up to us and yelled at us that they reserved that table. After 10 minutes of confusion between management where everyone was yelling at each other, they asked us to move to a different fold out table they took from a closet. When we sat down again, the gentleman that opened it up for us told us to be very careful as it was a broken table and had a tendency to collapse The place was completely filled and they had absolutely no tables and gave us a broken one. My friends and I decided to leave and ask for a refund as they could not provide us with a table and the place itself was quite dirty. The lady at the front desk immediately raised her voice and called the owner who promptly told us that there would be no refunds. The front desk lady refused to speak to us. The owner told the lady to sit us down at the restaurant and the two started arguing about there being absolutely no space for us. When I asked the lady why she didn't warn us about minimal space, she aggressively told me that I should have used my own eyes and looked inside. All in all, the place itself was dirty, reeked of urine, and is sorely mismanaged. They had absolutely no space to accommodate my friends and I but conveniently forgot to tell us this until after taking our money and refusing a refund. Full disclosure: I have never even written a yelp review before, but I was so disgusted with this place and the management that I felt obligated to review this place on yelp too. Do yourself a favor and go to literally any other banya in Brooklyn because this place is an embarrassment to banyas and russians. If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. read more

This is a solid banya spot. The proprietress and staff are very welcoming. Although the place is fairly small it's got cute touches: paper lanterns on the ceiling, soft lighting in the steam room, a mural on the wall, decorative pieces on the walls. The admission price is a low $30 when most places have already raised theirs. The towels can be newer and fresher but they keep washing them and churning out stacks of fresh towels all day. The ladies locker room was small as well but clean with a hair dryer and shower stalls. Where you have to watch yourself is the food tab. People can bring their own but I failed to plan ahead. You can eat and drink quite a bit between shvitzing. The kitchen serves stick-to-your ribs Russian fare. p.s. This is not a spa, it's a Russian bathhouse. People come here to socialize and for supposed health benefits. People bring their children here, the children will splash in the pool, there are inflatable balls just for them. read more

I really don't understand why some people are so salty about this place. It's not a high-end spa, and it doesn't pretend to be. It's a woman owned, FAMILY FRIENDLY banya. I've been to three different bath houses in the area now, and this is the only one I'll continue to visit with my 11 year old daughter. Other banyas can feel a bit like old boys' clubs...but not this one. The place is clean, the saunas are hot, the food is reliably good, and I'm always happy to return. Don't like kids? Don't go. Don't care to experience a culture outside of your own? Stay home. There are plenty of other establishments that cater to fussy clientele. If you aren't familiar with Russian culture or with the concept of banya, do your homework before you go (they've got a page typed up on their website just for you) or at least just go with an open mind. Highly recommend going during non-peak hours (weekdays, daytime) if you're looking for a more quiet experience. They also have very fair pricing for kids under 12. Just be prepared to be questioned about your kid's age if they look as old as mine does :) read more

BRING CASH. I went with two friends and we each paid separately with cards....except my friend was charged for two people, not one. When she called to let them know, the owner said that she would have to come back to get a cash refund in person. When my friend said she wasn't able to do that because of mobility issues, the owner told her to call back the next day to talk to someone else about it. Since then nobody has answered her calls even during business hours (although I was able to call and talk with someone easily--it seems like they're blocking or just not picking up her calls). We also definitely experienced "Russian" customer service (as described on the website)...I joked that we didn't pay for the oak leaf platska but got a tongue lashing instead for free. But honestly that pales in comparison to double charging someone and then not correcting it. I'm giving it two stars because we did have a nice time overall while we were there and enjoyed the pools and sauna, but that feels generous. The banya itself seemed clean enough. I wasn't expecting a spa, and I didn't mind the cat in the dressing room. But the "customer service"...yikes. PS scroll to the bottom and check out the "reviews not currently recommended" for this place--there are currently 78 detailed one and two star reviews that Yelp is not showing or factoring into the overall rating. read more

Don't do it! They don't honor the groupon offer they advertise, so when you get there they will give you a song and dance about it and expect you to pay full price. Adding insult to injury the woman at the front is just extremely rude, it would be almost comical if it wasn't for her ripping us off. Oh and also, the place is a total dump. I'm assuming that at some point it might have been clean but it certainly wasn't when we got there. I can only imagine the last time those pools got a decent cleaning. Maybe the cat running around the place does the cleaning for them? All I know is that I wish I would have looked at yelp before going there. But don't take my word for it, look at all of the most recent reviews and you will see a pattern of complaints about this place. read more

Great experience --- if you go during off-hours. Weekdays and early AM on weekends the place is typically empty and clean... which means you have 3 saunas and 2 pools to yourself. Staff is friendly. Not to forget, this is one of NYC's only *true* banyas that's heated still heated the traditional way.... by stones, not gas. read more

Came here for my birthday party and had an absolute blast. The staff was beyond nice Alona went out of her way to make sure we felt relaxed and welcomed. She even showed us how to use the Venik to do our own Platzka (much cheaper than hiring them to do it!). The facilities were perfect. We steamed it up in the steam room, got our shvitz on in the dry sauna and cooled down with the freezing showers. For the members of our party that weren't down to sweat, there were big tables for genial hanging out. To top it off, the food was delicious. We had pierogies and lavash, both were aces. PS: They have a banya cat... how great is that? read more

Super Amazing place. I had the best time on my birthday at Brooklyn Banya with my closest family and friends. Thank you Alona for beautiful experience/memory!!! Banya was HOT and food was divine. Just what we needed. 4 hours flew by quickly. I am looking forward to coming back. read more

Brooklyn Banya Russian Bathhouse & Spa - Day Spas Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I love this place and haven't gone since pre-pandemic. Tried calling just now to see if they are open again and the owner responded rudely to my very reasonable questions before hanging up on me. What the hell? ‍ read more

Can't say enough good things about the experience. The staff went out of their way to be helpful, the steam rooms were hot as advertised, and the facility was super clean. Felt like we got the Banya experience, without having to deal with all the weirdness/grossness of some of the other Banya facilities around. Also, despite being on "Coney Island Avenue," it wasn't bad to get to at all, and was right near the Q. +1 for the Banya cat as well. read more

Good service but sketchy spa... "hot tub"/jaccuzi had hairs and skin particles floating in it...they had a cold pool too but it looked just as dirty so I didn't go in.. massage was the worst I've gotten in my life, lady didn't speak English so she didn't understand anything... and it was supposed to be couples massage but we were put on seperate floors even! I'm not kidding..the only good thing was the wet sauna, dry sauna, the steam room. read more

Well where do I begin? This was a horrible place from just the entrance. We bought Groupon for this place and I regret it. It's a very busy commercial area with absolutely no parking, all around are just dirty streets and there are a lot of commercial trucks parked all around. When we entered, the host didn't know what to do and when I showed him the Groupon coupons that we brought, he started to call his boss. He was talking to her, but it was loud enough to hear her yelling that she will not accept two coupons. The host gave my wife the phone to talk to her and she kept calling my wife "woman" throughout their conversation even though my wife introduced herself. When I got the phone, she was screaming at me as well as she was screaming at my wife by saying if I understand the language she is speaking. She was yelling and refused to do anything or help with anything. Since we came from a bit far, we decided not to ruin a day with kids, we paid the fee and went upstairs. When my wife came into the female dressing room she had a pleasant surprise waiting for her there. She found a cat living there with everything that comes with it. She is allergic to cats and I am sure that she is not the only one!!! Nothing is working in the ladies dressing room, everything was broken and the showers barely had any water coming out from them. When we came down to the main floor, all the chairs and tables were so broken down that you can barely sit on them. The floor on the main floor was dirty with old piece of lime laying on the floor by the jacuzzi and nonetheless I found an open safety pin laying on the floor in one of the saunas!!!! We alerted the staff but nobody did anything. When we were leaving this "beautiful " place, host charged us extra administration fee. We asked what it was for, host explained that the owner implies if you are sitting at the table and ordering something then you must pay a fee of 8 dollars plus tax. This is absolutely wrong!!!! Unfortunately this is the first and the very last time that we went to this disgusting place! read more

I went today in this Spa, and I didn't know this place is amazing very clean, owner was so nice and friendly. Cat are so cute. I ordered crepe with mushroom and squeezed juice and that is so delicious. I'm very picky about everything but this place make me so happy today. Thanks guys and just go ahead with this business read more

Brooklyn Banya Russian Bathhouse & Spa - Jacuzzi - Day Spas Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We were told in Russian, which I understand, that we ask too many questions (it was the second question after they announced a doubled price) when we tried to book a banya visit this past Monday. We won't be going or calling again. read more

Went with a group of friends as a part of a bachelorette weekend and we all had a great time! The steam room and saunas are intense, they're not playing around, so if you want heat then this is for you.The jacuzzi was great with good temp water and strong jets, and going between that and the cold pool was kind of invigorating. They also have a roof deck which was nice to chill out on. If you go be sure to get food!! We got 2 kinds of pierogis, a Greek salad, chicken kabobs and these amazing fried potatoes, it was all really good. Also as we were leaving we mentioned that it was our friends bachelorette party and they gave her a complimentary (big) vodka shot! It's a good low-key place to go to relax with friends, and everything looked/felt clean. I'll be coming back. read more

This review can also serve as a guide for the banya newbie. I hope it helps. Brooklyn Banya is a really great, SMALL banya. It's not a spa. Those who come here seeking major pamper-age, might be disappointed. Come in with the intention of pampering yourself, and carving out your own experience, and you will probably walk away feeling great. It's just that kind-of place. If you've never been to a banya, here's how it generally seems to go: 1)You check in and pay your admission. You hand over your valuables to someone who locks them in a little safe. This is where people start to get nervous. Do not worry. As a non-Russian ambassador, I am here to tell you that your iPhone and wallet are safe. This is how it's done. Everywhere. At Brooklyn Banya, you are greeted by one of the two hard-working sisters that owns the joint. Her name is Ilona. She's very kind and a little sarcastic. This just adds to the flavor.(Hint: If it's your birthday, let her know.) 2) You're issued a lock and a key, go to the locker room of your gender and change into your bathing suit, locking the rest of your things away. At other banyas, the locker rooms can be tiny or even covered in moldy carpet. Not here. This locker room/restroom is very big, clean, and the lockers can fit everything you've been lugging around with you all day. The showers do not have curtains, so if you don't want to smell like chlorine when you leave, you're going to have to leap over that fear of public nudity. I credit the banya with curing me of all of my body issues in about 7 minutes. 3) You can either bring your own flip flops (recommended for every banya)or slip on some loaners. Head to the main pool area and pick up a provided towel. Brooklyn Banya lets you take two, and then more if you need them. They don't police the towel area, they just want you to conserve energy. From there, it's choose your own adventure: Do you start out with a nice steam, a dunk in a pool, a hot/wet sauna, or sit in the hot tub for a bit? Yes, the tub is supposed to be very hot, and yes the pull-chain shower is supposed to be very cold, but what is unique about this banya, as opposed to others, is there are lots of options for in-between temperatures. There's a tepid pool (traditionally, it's ice cold) and also temperature controlled showers on the main floor. Besides being a really social activity, the point of visiting a banya is to move your body from temperature to temperature based on the age-old Russian/Turkish theories that doing so will increase circulation and raise your body's immunity to sickness. I can't really testify to the physiology, but I do know that after visiting a good banya, if you really do it right, you will feel as if you've spent hours giving yourself a massage. The facilities are very clean--The cleanest I've seen, and the staff works really hard to keep it that way. Here are some things that may make your time at Brooklyn Banya more enjoyable, if you know them up-front: a) The business is exploding. This is a mixed bag. They're trying to cope with lots of new customers and language barriers. Be patient, but not passive. The business is changing, and the staff is getting their footing. b) At some point in the sauna, you will see people beating one another with leafy birch branches. This is normal, enjoyable, and also supposedly increases circulation. It definitely exfoliates. If you want, you can buy a birch branch and beat your friends with it. They sell them at the front desk. c) You will see fragments of birch leaves floating in the pool or hot tub. It's just what happens. d) The Restaurant: The specials on the board are crappy American foods. The really good stuff is on the menu and authentically-Russian. Pickle plates, blintzes, and a large pile of garlic potatoes, please. And a pot of black tea with honey and cherries for the duration of my stay. e) Drink water the whole time. And when not in the pool or the hot tub, keep a towel around your head to help regulate your body's temperature. This protects you from turning into a giant blob of jelly after only an hour into your visit and helps keep you hydrated. f) There are characters here. If we were all on the subway with our clothes on, we all probably wouldn't chat so much. The women ask you where you're from, and the men try to be helpful. They add more water to the coals, tell you to cover your head, and when in the wet sauna, they remind you to douse yourself with cold water. If you're a young, attractive woman, some of the more gregarious men will offer to douse you in cold water themselves. You can turn them down. The vibe totally friendly and not even remotely aggressive. Just like the subway, you can choose to socialize or not socialize at any given moment. I like a little light and pleasant chatting. It's good for the circulation. You will now hopefully benefit greatly from my banya acumen. Go forth in peace. Please let me know how your experience was! read more

Why oh why did I come here. Oh, right - my friend and me bought a day pass/massage combo discount ($52.50 - a good deal I thought)* from Lifebooker and after several months of trying to make it out here, we finally went this past weekend. So...like the other reviewers said, do not expect a spa-experience here, because this is not a spa. It's a building with two small pools and a 3 sauna rooms. 1 wet, 2 dry. One of the pools was supposed to be a jacuzzi, but a) it was broken and b) they didn't even bother to turn on the heat so that at least it could be a hot tub. Not until we asked several times anyways. We also pointed out the large, dead cockroach lying around the edge of the jacuzzi.** Speaking of asking, it almost felt like we were doing the front desk lady a huge disfavor by simply asking questions like, "can we confirm our massage time" or "can you let us know if we can get an earlier appointment" or "don't worry, we have towels we don't need another one." After a hectic check-in, confirmation that we would not be coming back to the front desk to ask for our cellphones (which we left in the valuables locker), we went to the locker room to change and get ready to steam and soak. So...the dry saunas were nothing to write home about. Just your regular sauna. Same for the wet sauna. Try the cold shower after the sauna and it might make the experience a little better. They do not have an icy pool, contrary to what they claim on their website. I think this is it. They have a roof deck, which is appointed a la kitsch and is great if you don't have a roof or a park nearby to to go and sun yourself. Positive note - the entire place was clean, minus the dead roach. The massage, well, let's see. First they didn't check to see if any of us had preferences in the sex of the masseur. I don't have qualms, but my friend did. So when they finally came to get us after 1/2 hour passed from our appointment (after being told that it is normal for the masseur to be late, i.e. it's an industry norm. Err, what?!) - they basically blamed us for not telling them up front that we'd need at least one female masseuse. What? So, you want to stress me out before my massage? After being complained to by the front desk woman for a bit, we finally confirmed that we'd have one female masseuse for my friend and I'd go with the guy. As for my massage - no consultation, just lay down and be pummeled. I actually stopped him once to ask him to reduce the pressure because it hurt and he basically said "wait one minute, it's almost over". WTF? Dude, if I can't handle the pressure, I'm not going to be relaxed. No matter how many times you tell me to relax. If you're having to tell me to relax over and over again, chances are you're not doing a good job. I woke up the next day with an incredibly sore back and bruises on my lower back. What a massage indeed. The thing is, even with all of this, I'd be happy to give this place a 3-star rating. But what killed the entire experience for me was the lady in the front of the desk basically badgering all three of my friends for her suggested tip. Never in my life have I been berated and then told to my face "well you obviously didn't like the service because you only gave a small tip". And she kept repeating it over and over again. If you're not going to offer the amenities promised, you're not going to get a full tip. If I have a bad massage, I'm not going to give a good tip. If I am constantly badgered by you, you're not going to get a good tip. End of story. Never again. *Without the discount, it would have been $30 to get in and $95 for the massage. So not worth it. Go to Spa Castle if you want value for your money. **This is NYC, there is vermin everywhere, I get that. But if I'm coming into a service-oriented space that requires me to be half-naked most of the time - I don't to even want to think about them getting anywhere near my bare skin. read more

This place is disgusting!!!! As I was getting ready to use my groupon, I saw a huge roach walk right past me. The front desk kept speaking Russian to me and had a hard time trying to redeem our groupon. We decided to take a monetary loss rather than risk getting a disease and wasting our time with their bs. UPDATE: the owner keeps trying to harass me and make up lies that I didnt have my groupon, when in reality it's because I never took her offer to come back free the first time. I'm sorry but this place is seriously disgusting and the customer service is deplorable. The only good reviews are probably from her friends. If you bought a groupon like I did, ask for a refund!!!! Proof that the owner is a liar: alona k. Owner Block & Report Owner 4 months ago Hi Jessica, I would like to introduce myself I am Alona the owner of Brooklyn Banya, I have read you review and I dont know what to say except I am so sorry that you had such a bad expirience in my place. I wish I was there but unfortunatly I wasnt and I feel awfull and would like an apportunity to make this up, I hope you will except my apology and a free pass for you and a friend it will be an honor if you gave us another chance. sincerly Alona Then.... She claims I lost my groupon.... Umm yea... Then she sends me a personal message: alona k. Owner Block & Report Owner One hour ago you need anger mangement or a new boyfriend! no one is harrassing you.. was only making a nice jesture.. but hey yelp is free since no one cares what you have to say, cuz your just angry girl. have a nice life Thanks alona, real professional owner and managment style.... Maybe if you spent less time yelping and more time cleaning your spa, business would be better :) please leave me alone, I don't have a personal vendetta against you, just like to save other propel from spending their hard earned dollars and time here. read more

I've been to Russian baths before in New York (Wall Street, East Village, etc.), so I know i'm in for a non-luxury experience, but of all the ones I've been to, this one is the worst. On a Sunday afternoon in April Brooklyn Banya was severely understaffed. Other observations: * The steam room had a health code violation notice up * The dry sauna flooded with suds from an unknown origin * The warm pool was murkier than was comfortable and had pubic hair floaters Getting water refills was a particular challenging; the trick was to stand in the hall and make yourself a nuisance while one gentleman ran back and forth doing other things. If you could get his attention, you would finally get water on the third or fourth request. Upon exiting, the credit card machine was suddenly out of order, so we had to go next door for cash. I would recommend Wall Street Bath and Spa as an alternate option. read more

This place is horrible! I went here a few years back and things have changed horribly. :::The begging::: I stumbled onto a groupon deal for the place which reminded me it existed so I bought it and went. Problem 1) They tried to stop my friend and myself and claim the passes were no good and were only valid Monday through Friday (it was a Sunday). I made sure to check for that before hand and pointed out that nowhere on the paperwork was that limitation listed. The front desk woman/waitress actually scowled at me, made a show of reading the paper, asked me when i bough it, and then relented... BUT not before claiming we had to pay a $2 per person "tax" to get in... Groupon will be hearing about this. Problem 2) Any Russian Bath house (banya) will provide slippers for their guests since nobody wants to walk around barefoot. They were out. Not a big deal you'd think as the front desk woman said they were being cleaned and would be out in five minutes. Well we wait, ten minutes later still no slippers so I ask again about the slippers. The woman rolls her eyes, and puts her head down on the desk like a frustrated child before calling someone over to actually have them check. While asking him to check she says that people keep annoying her about the slippers... right in front of us. Eventually (ten more minutes) a male employee brings out the slippers. I ask him as he is passing us whether we can have a pair (in the same russian I heard him speak to the front desk woman in so I know there wasn't a language barrier) and he completely ignores me, dumps the slippers in the slipper basket, and goes to chat with the front desk girl. At that point we had paid and we were inside changing. We then went to the main area. Problem 3) Towels... Any Russian Bath House (banya) will provide towels for their guests... you sweat, you swim, you need towels. They have them, but in extremely short supply. As is typical they are stored on shelving by the laundry room, but they only put out six or seven at a time. As soon as they're put out they're snapped up and you have to wait for more to appear at time unknown. Other places keep them well stocked (dozens at a time) and don't let them run out. We then went into the saunas. There were the only decent part, but only decent. There were well heated, but rather dirty. There were leaves and towels strewn about and no signs of staff cleaning up. Other Banyas regularly close one sauna at a time for 15 minutes to have someone come in and sweep up. They also have people making rounds and collect towels that were left behind (which admitedly shouldn't be left behind by people, but that is not the point at all). We sat down at a table and tried to order some tea. Problem 4) The waitress (same person as the front desk girl) actively ignored us. I tried to wave her down several times and she made eye contact, sneered, and kept walking past us. I then walked up to her and politely (I continued to be polite despite her shocking rudeness) asked for a pot of black tea with some cherry preserves. She barked at me to stop and wait to order because she hadn't pulled out her pad to write it down yet. She then pulled out her pad and wrote down that I had ordered black tea and asked if we wanted honey or preserves. I repeated that I would like cherry preserves with our tea (which they charge for! per person!). She took the order and returned with the tea and preserves (which were pretty much syrup with three cherries in there per person). At this point we had no intention of staying there any longer and decided to leave and cut our losses. Problem 5) Hey look... no towels again. Sure is hard to rinse off, and dry off without towels... yay! Overall I will NEVER return to this place. The service wasn't just bad, it was actively antagonistic! The facilities are sub par, dirty, and not maintained. read more