I love love love Mehanata. I've been here around 4 times and have had a blast each time. It gets really crowded, but worth the hassle. The inside of this place is just so cool and wild. Its a big space - THREE levels. Do not lose your friends like I did once or you'll be texting them all night trying to find each other! The bartenders are too busy to be super friendly, but they're fast. There's a quieter bar, but it turns into a dance area at 11pm or midnight. I forget which. A word of warning, don't leave to go outside. You'll have trouble getting back inside. read more

Rude door staff that tries to charge men cover while women get in free. They had this off putting attitude too. Good thing when I saw that disrespect, I kept my $10 that I was gonna pay them and got the hell outta there. Do everyone a favor and close up shop. read more

If you want a glimpse into what it was like to go out as a 20 something in the 2010s, you can take a look at the old Yelp photos on Mehanata's page. This is peak millennial, everyone in their business casual going out clothes dancing to whatever the top 40 songs of the time were. You can hear the music down the block before you even enter the space, and the dance floor is always packed with people jumping and dancing around. Going back in my 30s is a decidedly different experience. My tolerance for sticky floors and music so loud you can't hear yourself think is a lot lower. Still, there's a time and place to throw back a few vodka sodas and dance to top 40 (is citing top 40 a dated reference now?), and that time was last night. I might be nursing a hangover, but it was totally worth it for the nostalgia trip. read more

Not sure where to even start, this is hands down one of my favorite bars / dance clubs in New York. The securitys and bar tenders make you feel so welcomed and make sure you're safe! See you guys Friday and the Friday after that. read more

Hearing it had reopened gave us a chance to satisfy our curiosity to see what the appeal about Mehanata was. Upon arrival, good music welcomed us to a very empty dance floor (4 people). As we settled in and tried to decide what to drink, a request for water was denied because, "we don't make money on water". If there are five people in a group and one asks for water, don't you think the rest of us are going to buy drinks? Well.. apparently our lovely server wouldn't even give us a chance. We were told to leave because we didn't look like we should be there. In a bar with less than 20 patrons, you turn a group of 5 away because we didn't fit the vibe? Seems like the math is off. read more

What a trip. Went on a Thursday night, no cover, not sure what to expect. Granted, it was dead and not what it's known to be. Walked through the dirty sketchy alley to enter the main area. There's a bunch of bras hanging to one side (quirky!), a small bar with some swings hanging in front of it (romantic!), wooden booths downstairs (cozy!), fancy old-school sofas and nightstands upstairs (museumy!), and an ice cage, stripper poles, and dance floor downstairs (too old for this shit, but you guys have fun!). Eugene Hütz from Gogol Bordello was randomly playing accordion with a few people watching him. There was a Couchsurfing meetup happening downstairs, too. Chilled on the swings watching Eugene play and taking in the weird decor. They have some cool cocktails as well. A quirky, grimy place that I'd definitely recommend you go out of your way to visit. read more

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Well, it seems that this place has since closed, which is a shame because I loved it! I went to a fashion show and mostly stayed by the bar. The staff was super friendly and engaging. Very willing to share a story and have a conversation even though they were busy. Drinks were great and the night was amazing once the crowd arrived. read more

First time at Mehanata I almost got lost, if it were not for the two body guards to point me into the right direction. As soon as you step in there looks like there is an entrance to the right, left, and straight ahead. We were told to steer left and next thing we knew we were walking down a hallway and pushing open a door coated in stickers. There are 3 floors all decorated very nicely and better yet, let's describe it as fun - swings instead of stools by the bar, (come on why isn't this a thing everywhere?). I would recommend trying Barney's Tit one of their specialty cocktails - it tastes delicious and comes with an ice cube that lights up (it's been four days and still going strong). The only thing I wish there was more of is the gypsy music their site claims to play. read more

Mehanata - Pretty interesting bathroom decor - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

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We came, We drank, We pole danced, We laughed....will I go back? NOPE! Mehanata may want to consider hiring an interior designer and maybe change their security staff. First the security stood in the front of the establishment drinking and smoking cig's. That was a big turnoff for me. The entrance was ratchet and the inside decor was nothing to be desired. We made our way to the lower level to the freezer box and almost went sliding past the bar. There is water and ice all over the floor and if there are a great deal of ppl there you will not realize it and you will fall. Brace yourself on the lower level. There are about 3 dancing poles so that gave us something to do, until the DJ figured out what the heck he was playing. He needed to go back to DJ school because the mixing was absolutely horrible. The drinks were 2 thumbs down and the group on 11 ppl who joined us at Mehanata agreed. All and all - sorry I am not a fan! read more

Mehanata - Birthday girl in the middle - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

1) Gave a one star bc the bouncer stole money from most of our friends (we found out only when another friend of ours was perplexed we had to pay $10 each to get in). Don't know the whole story but it was surely a big red flag for us 2) Coat and bag check in is $3 3) Main floor is cultural music and a bar with homemade san gria/cider, drinks ($10 card minimum), tables 4) Downstairs has the ice cage and bar for shots (cash only) and a more hip dance floor with stripper poles read more

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Found this spot on Yelp. Definitely very interesting. It's almost like a hidden speakeasy, except it's not? Anywho they have a cool lounge area and the "quiet" bar turns into a Eurovision dance party after 11. I didn't have a chance to venture down to the super cold room, but now I have a reason to back. read more

Mehanata - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

I bought the groupon for my friends and I do check out this 'ice cage' ishh but after reading some terrible reviews i was starting to get nervous and think oh lord, wtf did I just purchase... Went this past weekend and besides from having to pay the 10$ per person cover and mandatory 3$ coatcheck, I fully enjoyed myself. Two floors of dancing and the ice cage is on the bottom floor. Its not as much of a cage as its a glass room lined w vodka bottles and a small window so that a friend on the outside can take pictures. The shot glass they hand u is made of ice and I melted a hole into it w my thumb after about 15 seconds. BUT i was a smarty and bought a soda for a chaser to bring in w me (bartender let us bring in sodas/mixed drinks we bought), and ended up just pouring the vodka into the cup...BAM, 8 shots of vodka collected and three directly in my liver. I got my money's worth for sure. Ppl commented that the place smells but I didnt smell anything at all. The music was AWESOME but then again I just love house music and balkan selections. The poles in the back were our favorites and my friend became the un-official bellydancer of the night. I definitely want to come back again and get my dance on. The ice cage may be a little chotsky, but i would prob spend 20$ without the groupon to do it again. Lets face it, two minutes to down all the vodka you can is worth it in the city when a shot is usually nearing 10$ a pop anyway. OH!!! AND! I did NOT think the vodka was watered down in the least. I picked up about 5 different bottles and they all were of quality strength. Maybe the grey goose could have been watered down or most likely not goose but i didnt even bother w that; i picked up some russian imports instead. We also managed to toke on some hookah w these dudes that we met so yeah, they kick it w the shisha here too. I'm coming back for a second round! read more

Mehanata - KGB - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

I bought a Groupon for the Ice cage, so I decided to come here on a Saturday night around 9pm. When I arrived I only saw one person at the bar. I thought to myself so not a good sign. But my two friends and I decided to get drinks before we headed to the ice cage. I got their house special Apple Cider Vodka, and it was pretty good. The bar had swings as seating rather than chairs ( neat). The bartender seemed extremely bored out of her mind though. We then proceeded to the basement for the Ice Cage. It was a tiny freezer room with like maybe 20 different bottles of flavored vodka. The Bartender gave us Soviet Union uniforms and explained the rules to us. Near the Ice Cage it kind of smelled like vomit which was gross. Once we entered the Ice cage the smell went away. The Ice cage wasn't cold at all. In fact, I was extremely hot in my uniform. My glass shot melted in like six seconds, but we were given plastic shot glasses. In the Ice Cage you get two minutes to try as many vodka shots as you can. I briefly remember trying the Blueberry, Raspberry , Fruit punch, green apple ,and who knows what else. But, all were very delicious flavors. You can ask for a chaser for a $3 extra charge. The awesome Bartender ( young girl) took so many great pictures from my phone as requested. The experience itself was fun, I mean you can't really go wrong with a fridge size space full of shots. You pay for the experience really. Would I pay original prices... hmm probably not. But, with a groupon why not? Don't expect it to be a huge room of shots because it is not. Just come here with an open mind and have fun. I think it is definitely a good way to start the night. It was definitely two minutes that I will never forget. When we went back upstairs, we saw like three more couples at the bar. Your best bet is to arrive late at night. I'm sure this place get's packed later on. But, we left to head elsewhere. I'm will definitely need to go back for the club scene. read more

So many good times here with crazy Serbs, Bosnians, Albanians, Greeks and Russians. Who cares, we are all friends. Bad Buka, DJ Joro Boro, Yuri Yunokov! Hip rolling, circle dancing, shoulder shaking music, joy of life! Covid lockdown challenge: try to see if you can resist dancing to this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cvDgIFUQ1w8 read more

Found the Mahanata's Ice Room on Groupon, so decided to give it a try with a group of friends. The bar is really cool and takes you back in time with its out-there decor. Each level of the bar (3) has a different theme and setting for everyone. Now to the best part, the Ice Room! Everyone going in the room dresses up like a Soviet Solider and enters with an ice shot glass. The time limit in the room is normally 2 minutes, but it felt like 5. The shelves are lined with different types of vodka and you can take as many shots as you can, of whatever you want, in your designated time. I noticed that a lot of people have commented that the vodka is watered down. I highly disagree and even watched the bartender replace some bottles before we entered. Well worth the money, was a fun experience. Overall, the bartenders were pretty attentive once the place got busy, drinks were great and reasonably priced- loved the smoke effect on top (see picture). We had a great time here and plan on coming back. read more

Mehanata - Ice Room Solider Outfits - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

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Disappointment, thy name is ice cage. It really is one of the most pathetic things I've ever witnessed. I've been to actual ice bars before which are basically igloos. What they have at Mehanata is more like an ATM vestibule blowing slightly colder air conditioning. Definitely not hat and parka weather. The deal is 2 minutes to have as many shots as you can. If you try to order a beer to bring in with you, they won't let you and give you a thimble of cranberry juice as chaser. Don't drink the "Grey Goose" cuz it ain't. There's some okay vodkas but a ton of flavored crap. Still, if you do the Groupon (the one I got was $23 for 2 people), it's a much better deal. The bartender in the basement was kind of a dick. He tricked my friend into drinking a cup of vodka, saying it was water. I could've stopped him but didn't. So I guess I'm also a dick. Anyway, the place was pretty dead on a Saturday night. The bouncer told us it wasn't that busy yet, and he wasn't kidding. We were literally the only people in the place when we stepped in. There were three bartenders installing a thermostat. The bartender downstairs was busy Windexing the ice cage. The basement DJ was playing crappy music for nobody next to a sad dancing pole. There was also a creeper dude trying to grind up on all the women in our group. So... fun times. The first floor is decent. The bar seats are swings. Drinks are made strong. They have some punch bowl type cocktail specials (cheaper before midnight), as well as sangria and cider. They pour vodka into a cup and then top it with the cider, which has tons of fruit floating in it, similar to a Pimms cup. They also had some super sugary drink called Capricorn Blood. I don't recommend drinking that unless you wanna vom or have a crazy hangover. It does look cool though with vapor billowing out of it. There's also a second floor lounge with a ton of couches, but no bar. Would be cool for a small party. read more

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This place is FUN. It's perfect for birthdays or just nights when you want to get buck wild. I came here for my 31st birthday with a small group of friends and we had a great time. Why is Mehanata fun? -Vodka ice cage. You pay $20 and drink as much vodka as you can in a few minutes. This sounded awful so I was hesitant but it was FREE since it was my birthday so I did it. I had a blast and they had a ton of flavored vodkas which were easy to drink. The bartender has access to the room via a small window so you can ask him/her to take photos of you in there. Did I mention that you get to don Soviet military uniforms? **Check Groupon for discounted rates for the vodka cage - there was one available when we went** -Stripper poles in the downstairs area. I recall at least two poles which is awesome for a good old-fashioned strip duel. I have a friend that loves stripper poles (I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU, ANTONIO) and he went to town. -They have some interesting drinking discounts...apparently flashing your breasts/genitals gets you a free shot (this is actually mentioned on their website). Downstairs, there is a big sign that promises a free bottle of vodka if you have intercourse on the bar... Unfortunately, no one got a free bottle of vodka that night. -They have these giant fishbowl drinks that are discounted before midnight. -They have swings to sit on at the main bar area. -Awesome live bands that remind you of Gogol Bordello and I've read that Eugene drops by on occasion to DJ (What up Eugene? Remember me? I somehow managed to get backstage at your Terminal 5 show on NYE 2013...Oh, you don't, that's OK, it was a wild night for all of us...) -Photo booth downstairs although we couldn't get it working. Some things to note: -It gets really loud so don't expect to have an intimate conversation here. Come to get wasted and party and dance. The area where the bands play is very small so it gets super loud. You can have a conversation downstairs but when we went, that's where they had a DJ so we just danced a ton. They played club music in this area. -This place is kind of a shit show. There are two bathrooms and the downstairs one flooded on the night we came. So, not only was it out of commission but the downstairs floor was all wet. Gross. Hence, long lines at the upstairs bathroom, no toilet paper and a vomit covered toilet seat. -There is a cover on Saturdays (not sure about other nights) but if you have a group coming, you can schedule an event on their website (do it a few days in advance as it takes a few days to have it approved) and bypass the cover charge. Then you e-mail them a guest list in alphabetical order (or give it to the bouncer on the night of the event). It's just limited to 30 people and your guests have to arrive by 10:30pm. -Parking is a huge pain. But you knew that. read more

Mehanata - Oh myyy. - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

WTF: Bright club lights circa '98 in mah face. A stripper pole. A live middle aged Eastern European DJ playing World Music + Reggaeton. FUQ YES: Dab, the Macedonian beer. Cute Russian bartenders. A really fun-loving crowd that's not "too cool." Cracker shuffle like you only got an hour to live!!!! FUQ NO/LOL/COOL: Paying 30 bucks to go into the ice chamber with Comrade gear on, then pound all you can drink vodka shots for 2 minutes. ALL IN ALL: A great time to be had for all--- BYOF (Bring your own friends). But seriously, don't chill with the ice box--- it's going to make your liver quit this bitch. read more

Mehanata - Mehanata lights! (Downstairs) - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

Everything about this place screams EURO- trash dive bar meets I hope you speak English kind of place. There are 3 parts of the entire space. The main floor the bar is located towards the back where you can also find the kitchen. Yes, they serve food. I will try them next time but it smelt good. The other side of the main floor is filled with a few tables and that about it. Upstairs are where additional seating and perverts staring down women's cleavages shaking on the dance floor can be found. I don't blame them though. The walls leading to this place is fill with classy erotic art. Me LIKEY. Above the dance floors there are bras and panties hanging. Me LIKEY. I do wonder which girl they belong to though. Call me. ; ) The basement is where the PARTY really is. The infamous ICE CAGE is located downstairs as well as the bathrooms. There is also a second bar that opens later into the night around 11pm-12am Yes, there are also tables for seating or lapdances or whatever. The fee for the ICE CAGE is free for the birthday boy/ birthday girl if you visit the day of your birthday. However, your friends needs to pay $30 for that fun time boozing. $20 to enter, $10 to open the door so you can enter. I did not know opening a door was so expensive... Seriously. The ICE CAGE is a small refrigerated room that has 2 glass shelf on either side of the room with oodles of different kinds vodkas in bottle form with pourers attached to it. Before you enter the ICE CAGE they make you wear these Russian attire with matching military cap. It smells a bit funky as I'm pretty sure that they rarely clean this attire and that someone has definitely threw up on. In the ICE CAGE you get 2 minutes to drink a max of 6 vodka shots in a shot glass made of ice that they provide you once you are inside the cage. They are lenient with the amount of shots you can down provided that... A) You don't throw up. There is a designated throw up bucket area if you do need to throw up for just in case measures. B) You don't break the bottles that you are trying to speed pour into the iced shot glasses. I haven't seen it happen but I'm sure that there are stories. C) You don't break ALL the bottles trying to turn wearing those Russian Uniforms. It is heavy, it is quite hard to move in them and their bulk size definitely makes me nervous moving around in the ice cage with. I did ask what the most shots ever drank was in that time frame in the ICE CAGE. The answer to that is 24 shots and a trip to the hospital to pump his stomach. Don't let that be you...show-off... I came back later that night because when I came when they first open was quite...well how do I put this lightly... BORING. The seats at the bar is actually porch swings in all it's glamour. They have a special house apple cider vodka with small pieces of apple for $9 a pop. It was good but way too expensive for that drink. When I came back later that night... The drinks were still expensive so no variations there. However, the dance floor were filled with drunk folks dancing to the kind of music you might expect in a cab in Yugoslavia. People was dancing so maybe I really need to learn the words? Downstairs in the basement was the same. TONS of people having a good time. I am a fan but I would just pre-game before coming here. I might try the hookah next time. read more

Mehanata - House Special - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

Super divey grunge bar but it's a hidden gem. $10 cover usually. There's several floors with the ice cage on the bottom basement floor. You basically pay around ~25 bucks to drink as many vodka shots are you can in 2 minutes. They give you Russian looking clothes to wear so that's pretty cool You get to pour your own shots- pretty good vodka brands- not crappy ones. Def try it at least once!!! It's a fun experience!! The 1st floor is like Spanish music but then it turns into other stuff. It was completely packed for a Saturday night. There's not really a line outside so you can't tell that it's packed inside. There's coat check for like $1. Drinks are NYC prices so pregame before. There's tons of other bars on this street so if you want to hop around it's super easy! read more

Came here a bit early and so the place felt like it was all to ourselves. We made the rounds to see what the space had to offer. Wow, even empty, this place definitely the place to party hard. The downstairs bar includes a ice cage (more like a see through freezer space, where for basically $20 bucks, you can take up to 6 shots within two minutes of any Vodka that is found inside the cage. I haven't seen one of those since Vegas and I would never be in one of those as I know what would become of me after drinking so many shots in such a short amount of time. The upstairs bar has swings in front of the bar to sit down on and enjoy a cocktail, and stickers and posters all over the place that had snarky, smart-assed comments that were all too funny! They are also known for giving a free drink if you go topless and even free drinks to gents if they go bottomless (primarily downstairs bar)... The downstairs area also includes 3 dancing poles for entertainment or for you to let loose with friends. The décor is crazy and just really makes you feel underground, dark and fun are the best way to describe this place. Kind of like if New Orleans vomited all over the place! Purely Fun! In my time here, I had their fruity apple cider drink. Not bad, a bit too sweet. But I am sure that alcohol is not the reason people frequent this place. It can get very packed for a good reason, you will just have a blast hanging out here with friends, letting loose, and dance to the music in a crowded place.If that does not sound like fun, yup, you guessed it, this is not the place for you. Lastly... not sure I would bring a date here... more like someone I am already dating read more

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It pains me to slam my beloved Mehanata, but you guys might be getting too big for your breeches. At least when it comes to drop-in sets by DJ Zhenya Hutz. This past Friday, I got all excited by the promoted special set (at 9 pm) and brought two other people with me. I paid $20 x 2 and got in at 9:30 like a schmuck, because the FB advert encouraged early arrival due to Gogol's popularity. Fair enough--we got here early to keep the Mehanata drink register ringing. We even stomached the completely unannounced $20 cover (this for a place that either doesn't charge before 10 pm or has a $10 cover after that time). This, too, we abided (though not posting exuberant admission fees is shady--and not in keeping with the endearing spirit that this place usually exudes). 10 pm: Good music, no Hutz. 11 pm: Good music, no Hutz. We had to leave earlier (around 12:30 am) to wake up for a morning race. Maybe that's lame, but if you guys are going to advertise a 9 pm start for Hutz, at least keep the delay to something more standard, like one hour. Definitely not 3.5 hours, assuming he ever showed up after that. Not cool. read more

I first discovered Mehanata here on Yelp about two months ago while I was browsing for a suitable dance club to celebrate my 22nd birthday in. And although I dislike the bar scene, all it took to get me hooked were the plethora of reviewers raving about the gypsy music, live bands, apple cider vodka, swing chairs, and Soviet uniforms. There are three floors: In the basement you'll find a bar, the bathrooms, stripper poles, naked female statues, and the infamous Ice Cage. The main level houses another bar (with swings to sit on!), the dance floor, and a mini-stage for the live band and DJ to station themselves. The second floor is much quieter, and only offers table service. Immediately, we headed upstairs to wait for the rest of our party and ordered some food, drinks, and hookah. I ended up spending the rest of the night drinking their delicious house special drink, apple cider vodka. Not only was it tasty, but it was very strong. Prices for drinks were pretty fair, too, considering you're in New York City. And as far as décor inside the venue goes, it's tastefully kitsch with some contemporary details thrown here and there. Definitely more interesting and different from what I'm used to. The only souls brave enough to go downstairs and take on the Ice Cage with me were my boyfriend and my friend Chris. After paying $20, you put on a Soviet uniform, arm yourself with a shot glass made of ice, step into a refrigerated room with bottles of vodka lining the walls, and attempt to take as many shots as you can in two minutes. Challenge accepted. I got in for free because I was the birthday girl, but it was unfortunate that the liquor melted a hole right through the bottom of my shot glass after the first shot. Thankfully, the bartender gave me another through a little window on the side, which lasted much longer. One of my favorite things about Mehanata, though, was their unique choice of music played throughout the night - an eclectic mix of Eastern European folk music and Bhangra. If you're one of those people who go to a dance club expecting to hear Top 40's radio hits, order bottle service, and mingle with a pretentious, overdressed crowd - this place probably isn't for you. Most of the people here were in their mid to late twenties, dressed comfortably (but not sloppy), and you could tell they were there to just have a good time. The energy on the dance floor was contagious, and despite it getting really crowded later on in the night, I don't think it's possible to have a bad time here. read more

Wow. I am struggling for a way to accurately describe this place. Let me praface this entire review by saying that I was ENTIRELY too sober to be there. From the beginning, I was really put off by the fact that it had a cover charge. And when I walked in, I couldn't say that I really thought it was worth it. The place was dark and dank. It was smoky. It was filled with a sweaty, throbbing mob of people. The disco ball and neon lights were out of place. The intensely cheesy music was being blared too loudly on a somewhat cheap sound system. But I have to say... that somehow... it worked. My friends certainly had a good time. They quickly took to the classic Euro style of dancing -- that is, bouncing up and down with your feet together, waving your arms incessently, and throwing your head around, with eyes closed tightly shut and mouth hanging open to reveal a huge smile. Certainly, alcohol helps one dance in such an utterly carefree manner, and I was lacking the desire to drink on this particular night. But I am not going to promise that I won't return to get my drink and dance on... read more

So I came to this place strictly for the ice cage. How it works: Pay a one time $10 fee to open the door(regardless of whether is 1 or 4 people) and then $20 per person to drink. The sign says you have 2 minutes to take 6 shots, but the lady that was there doesn't really count and we had at least 8 shots each. By the way, it is literally a cage that could probably fit 4 slim people at a time. Ambiance: We got there when they first opened so it was empty. Downstairs looks like a place where the European mafia hangs out at. There are stripper polls as well and I couldn't help to think about trafficked girls. I know this is an odd thing to think of, but that's the vibe the decor gives. Service: The bartender downstairs was still setting up when we got there but she was nice and took pics of us as we took the shots. Drinks: So they give you a shot glass made out of ice and you have about 20 vodkas to choose from. Most of them taste like crap, but the flavored ones were ok. This might be more fun with a larger group and it was a bit cheaper. read more

Mehanata - Suiting up - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

Oh my god, this place is so much fun. The Ice Bar is just Russian coolness--I managed 12 shots of vodka in two minutes. Be warned that the shot glass is made of actual ice, so maybe wear some gloves while you down your pours. The stripper poles just beg for poor life decisions that your friends capture on Snapchat. And the other floors offer plenty of dancing space for you to boogie the night away with your best buds. Fun, fun, fun! read more

If you're looking to be exposed to a different culture in the big city, then this is the place. Prepare yourself and be open minded to different type of genres of music around the globe. From Bulgarian music to anywhere in the world, you must try this place at least twice. It's ok if you don't know how to dance it, simply do it. No one cares who you dance it. If you're looking for live music, they have it too! Belly dancers, different types if gypsy styles, to funk reggae. This place know how to throw a party! Did I mention the ice cage? You must go in! You'll get dressed as a Russian soldier, and will have two minutes to drink any Russian shots you like. You must be prepared to have fun. The dj's do a great job mixing all types of genres so be open, and dance your ass off! read more

Mehanata - Mehanata logo - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

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Sitting in one of our rooms at the Ace Hotel (review/explanation to come) drinking gin and tonics from the hyper-trendy bar downstairs, I have to say I was a bit shocked when a call from our female friends came over the line, announcing that the group was headed to a "Bulgarian discoteque" in the LES for the night. Understandably, I said...what? Honestly, I still have no idea what a Bulgarian theme is...maybe something cabbage-related? In either case, it was not the bar we encountered. After paying the $10 cover and stashing our jackets with the gentleman at the coat-check, we were in, and quite a scene awaited us....People dancing EVERYWHERE, from the balconies, the floor, the bar, and the basement. Onward, to the bar! Swinging pirate chairs and absurdly irrelevant humorous signs surrounded us as we navigated through the pleasantly diverse and not-to-Jersey-esque crowd, tipping back tequila shots as we went. The music...is eclectic? There was definitely some odd-as-hell Bollywood stuff mixed in with a whole shmorgasboard of other world tunes, further muddying the notion of what it means for a bar to be "Bulgarian". This was even FURTHER intensified upon entering the bathrooms, which housed urinals shaped like open women's mouths, a sink bowl perched upon a statue of a woman bent over in the "presentation" position. So there's that. I honestly drank way too much here, and still generally still feel like complete s**t as we speak. The IceBox or whatever they call it is absolutely insane, and I'm certain there are pictures out there one someone's phone of me looking like a Russian teen in his dad's military uniform (one size fits all!). Knock em back! read more

Mehanata - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

Music was awesome and the swings by the bar was pretty cool. Overall had a great time, even the bartender was such a doll. Good vibe of people too. Extremely packed when I arrived around 1am The only reason I am giving this a 3 stars is because downstairs was a different story. Ice Cage isn't nothing to be wowed about but the bartender...WOW, was she rude! I honestly don't think she should be working there, was basically rude to everyone there. I guess because she wanted to drink w her friends. I ask her for three more shots and she gave me 2 instead. So when I asked for the one she forgot she gave me an attitude and told me she can't keep serving me. (Mind you her bar was empty and is not my fault she wasn't listening in the first place) - Decided to forget about the last shot gave her no tips because she def doesn't deserve it. Even the group next to me was complaining to me about her attitude. That is when I decided to go upstairs and had a great time. My advice: stay away from downstairs! Or fire her and hire someone with a better attitude! read more

Mehanata - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a Saturday night for my friends birthday. We had made it just at 10:30pm to qualify for the free entry otherwise its a $10 entry fee. First stepping into this place i did not know what to expect, you have to walk down a long sketchy hallway but when you open the door the bar is surprisingly large. its a 3 floor setup in which you enter on the main floor and can see the upstairs all around the main dance floor and bar. Downstairs there's another bar, the downstairs kind of has a strip club feel with weird lights, small booths to sit at, a dance floor that looks like its out of Vice city and stripper poles everywhere. They also have a small ice room downstairs where you can dress as a Russian and rip vodka shots as fast as you can for 2 minutes. Awesome. Definitely not as cold as the other ice lounges around the city where you need a damn snow suit for 5 minutes but its cool and will get you drunk fast if you can rip straight shots. Music was a mix between ethnic and popular hits. Drinks were a little expensive but its NYC. Quite interesting. I thought the place had some flare for sure with the bizarre decor such as the swings hanging from the ceiling instead of bar stool etc.. I liked it. It was a different experience for sure. read more

I would say Anderson C's description of Mehanata as "EURO-trash dive bar" is pretty accurate. I'm still not sure if I like or dislike this place. Definitely different/unlike any other establishment that I've been to. Ever. The main attraction is the "ice cage" down in the basement which I thought was a great bang for your buck and also the reason my insane friend picked this place to celebrate his birthday. But really, the ice cage is a small box that fits maybe 5-6 people. They advertise that it's $20/person but if you pay with a card it's $21.75. They say you can take up to 6 shots in 2 minutes of any of the varieties of vodka in there (top shelf included and you get to pour it yourself) but really no one is counting. I only managed 4 but others in the group took 7... Also, they give you cool soviet outerwear to put on for aesthetics. Aside from the ice cage, there's a $10 cover and drinks are reasonably priced. Earlier in the night (like 10-11pm) they had live Bulgarian music on the main floor - the crowd was going wild for this. I was unfamiliar but it was obviously entertaining to stand back and watch. Later in the night they switch to a DJ/top 40. The basement (where the ice cage was) is a totally different scene. It's CRAZY down there. A cash only bar, weird lighting, lots of steps, stripper poles, people going even more crazy than upstairs, etc. They did have a third level but I had no reason to venture up there. I'm not sure that I would actually willingly revisit Mehanata because it was a little too obscene for my liking and it was very apparent that 90% of the people in there were on hard drugs. BUT it was definitely a fun/different experience and the place certainly has character. read more

Best Eastern Euro/Gypsy music in NYC. 100% fun, super chilled, you can feel Free to dance, drink, talk--no judgement, no fake people. Good for dancing. read more

Really enjoyed myself at this place. Laid back vibe with live music and a mixed crowd. I had so much fun that I cant quite remember it all. I did have more than a few of their house apple cider which was mostly vodka and other spirits with fruit in it. Got the job done really well. I missed trying the ice box since my company was not game for it. Meh! There will be other times with more adventurous folks! Go for it. read more

Came here for a friend's birthday and had a blast despite the lack of air conditioning and being pushed and shoved by a sweaty crowd. I stayed close by my group of friends because, well, it doesn't feel as gross bumpin' and grindin' with a group of sweaty friends than it is with sweaty strangers. Okay, so there's no way of making that sound PG. Besides the stuffy, hot air, the place is great. The music is very international--from American hip-hop to Bhangra to Middle Eastern to Russian to Albanian. As a fan of international music and an avid globetrotter with broad musical tastes, it was all right up my alley. I knew I was going to love it as soon as I walked in and heard Gogol Bordello. Some advice: Entry is free until 10:30 or whenever the management feels the club is too crowded, at which point they charge $10 cover. read more

I love Mehanata because I love the music they play. Very polka, jumpy, Eastern European bags of fun is what this place is. I haven't been here in years but my friend wanted to have his birthday here this weekend. I was running late and all of the trains were messed up, naturally, and I literally sprinted to make the 10:30pm cover charge cut. I made it by 5 minutes. Woo hoo! Drinks are average about $8. Quite a lot but not a lot for a club. I believe they also have hookah here. I always manage to have had fun here. After awkwardly shuffling around for a bit and bopping with no sense of rhythm to the music we decided we were going to do the ice cage. For those who don't know, the ice cage is a cube sized freezer filled with a number of vodka bottles in the basement of the place. It's free to go in on your birthday. $20 on any regular occasion for 2 minutes of however many shots you can down in a shot glass made of ice. Don't let the idea fool you though. You put on a really heavy Russian Cossack uniform and are quite uncomfortably warm. Mehanata is sweltering hot to begin with. So going in your ice shot glass is melting all over the place and the vodka honestly is pretty much a refreshing saving of Grace. Looking in from the outside before I went in I realized that there were a large amount of under-proofed vodkas. Perfect. A few interesting ones that were made of black raspberry and strawberry made it into my mouth to kill off the others of Grey Goose and 3 olives. By the ending you are nearly taking fourths of a shot because your glass is nearly a puddle and almost useless. Needless to say I did not walk out throwing up or even ridiculously drunk. I just felt very buzzed and quite victorious after. I'd do it again. Especially since drinks here are $8 to begin with. The only complaint aside from the hot temperature inside, I had a weird moment outside. I was waiting in the smoking section for the rest of my friends to rally together and get ready to move on somewhere else and some stranger made a pretty weird and rude comment, asking if I knew Hewbrew. Which fine, I just glanced at him and said "um, actually I don't." And this continued into a spiral of hate and that I shouldn't be there because I'm not jewish. It was a very what the hell just happened kind of moment and truly blame it on the individual. But it also made me angry at the end of the night. read more

Mehanata - Ice cube - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here this past Friday night for a birthday party (there were about 48 of us on the guest list). Mehanata was very interesting, to say the least! There was a mix of people here -- one extremely old guy, some other older men, but mostly people 24-28 (I would guess). When we got here around 10:40pm, it was fairly empty -- but it got super crowded, super fast. We stayed until 3am and by 3am it was still super crowded. In the bar on the first floor, they have really funny signs that are fun to look at, and even swings to sit on. There's also a live band that comes and goes. Downstairs, there are cool blue lights on the ceiling which gives the downstairs an "icy" vibe. They have this "Ice Cage" thing downstairs -- you basically pay in advance to wear a hat and a cool coat (that probably many other people also wore before you), and you go in with a group of about 4 people. You get a shot glass made of ice, and there's tons of bottles of vodka lined up around you. Then you get two minutes to take as many shots as you possibly can. Seemed like a lot of people enjoyed doing this. I wasn't a fan of the music. It was cool when the live band was playing -- but the DJ often replayed songs to the point where it almost seemed like he only had like 15 songs on a playlist. There was also a strange amount of Indian music being played -- which I did not expect at a Bulgarian bar. Being indian, it was a bit off-putting -- especially seeing a ton of people's interpretations of what indian dancing entails. Apparently Saturday nights are bhangra nights? Glad I didn't come for that. Definitely had fun, but probably because of the crowd I was with. It was an experience, for sure. I just didn't feel very clean there. The sangria they had also wasn't covered up and I was just thinking about all the germs that were going inside -- which I admit may just be my paranoia, but still. read more

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Mehanata is a Bulgarian gypsy party. On the first floor is a bar with swings and dance floor. Get started with a shot of rakia, the popular beverage of the Balkans. They have live ethnic Bulgarian folk music. Form a dance circle and start spinning. Later in the night a DJ played. Downstairs is another dance floor with stripper poles, another bar, and the "Ice Cage". The ice cage is $20 to dress as a commie and drink as much vodka as you want (technically 6 shot limit) in 2 minutes. You can get a hookah for $18 and show off your smoke rings. I came with a birthday party so there was no cover charge for people on our list. I don't think I would come if I had to pay a cover or if I wasn't with a large group. read more

Mehanata - The sink that makes you feel dirtier. - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York

If you are looking for an experience, this is the place. I had my birthday party here and all of my friends thought it was one the best nights they've ever had in the city. They even got their other friends to come join because it was so cool. One even had their birthday there because they were so inspired by mine. The drinks are expensive, but the experience makes it worth it. So cool. read more

The pros: The staff was extremely nice. We got to the bar when it first opened and they were more than accommodating. The best part at the bar was the awesome swings you can sit on while enjoying a drink. Drink prices were a tad steep, but I guess the norm for Manhattan. Try the home made vodka cider. The food was very tasty. We ordered a mixed grill plate and it was pretty authentic food and the fries with feta cheese were awesome! Cons: After the place filled up a bit more we decided to go downstairs to do the Ice Cage "aka: ice closet". It was NOT what we expected at all. We thought it was a full ice bar where the seats were ice, countertops, etc. It was a not really cold room that we had to squeeze like 7 people into. For the $20 a person price tag to suck down 5 shots of random vodkas in soviet outfits was not worth it for the price. Luckily we had a 2 for 1 groupon to use so that at least saved us some money. When we went to use the bathroom the space could fit a person probably weighing less than 120 pounds. It was too small. There was also only 1 bathroom since the stall door on the other toilet was completely broken off and hanging by the hinge. (not safe) All in all I will probably not return. Was a fun night with a group of people, but the place was not up to par with what people sat about it. read more

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This place is very odd in a good way. A friend had his birthday here over the weekend, and I don't even know how to explain it. Two floors of weird fun? I like how you have to walk through some random hidden hallway to get inside. Dance floor was packed on the first floor, small place! Don't expect top 40 music. This place has a unique list of tunes. I heard a couple of throwback Spanish songs, Gypsy music, Circus music and all sorts of music! Will definitely keep you on your feet all night. Three swings at the bar on first level. Yes, swings... The lower level has an "Ice cage". For $20 you can go into this vodka glass room that holds two people. You have 2 minutes to go wild and drink all and any vodka you want and as much as you can consume during this time. You have to wear a soviet costume as you do it too. Further towards the back you have a DJ and stripper poles to have fun with. This place is just all around randomness. Nice mix of unpretentious people. I didn't like that the waitresses are rude. They walk around like they want to kill themselves or someone else. Especially the blonde one with a pixie haircut. However, the bartenders were nice. This place is one of a kind. You'll either love it or hate it. read more

Mehanata - Dance Clubs Near Me - New York, New York