It's 8pm on a rainy Saturday night. But it's 75 degress in the middle of December so you're not going to let the only warm night of the month vanish. You call up your friends and form a small group. "Lets try that Bulgarian place. There is a cover before 10pm so hurry up." You're the first to arrive, dressed head to toe in black. Tight jeans and boots. The bouncers are surprisingly super sweet. The place is dead empty, but you kind of like it. You grab a drink that has a funny name and comes with light up ice cubes and smoke. It's not what you usually order but hey. Lets have fun. The upper floor is a mismatch of cool seats and mirrors. The royal plush seats are great for photos but not that good for your butt. When your friends finally start to show up, the club is a bit more bumping. They even let one of your male friends sneak by with no cover change though it's pass the allotted time. You head down to grab another drink, and secure a seat at one of the cool swing seats at the bar. The DJ is playing a mix of international hits and it's refreshing compared to Niagara or No Fun. Around midnight it's really starting to get packed. You make friends with some strangers that share their hookah. You're really hitting a buzz when one of your friends comes over and points out a mysterious staircase. "Oh yeah...Wasn't there supposed to be an ice cage?" You gather your entire group and head down the mysterious stairwell. You could swear it wasn't there just 30 minutes ago. But somehow...the basement is full and BUMPING. You secure a booth and grab more drinks. Check out the ice box and definitely make a note to come back. We danced till about 2am and have been itching to return since winter. You can find a groupon for the ice cage. Get there early and there is no cover and it's worth it for sure. It has such a unique DJ and vibe. The drinks are slightly more expensive but the crowd is pretty friendly and we did sneak in 2 mcChickens so I'm sure you could sneak in something else too.... The place is pretty hot though, so def expect to come out with sweat leaking off of you. Take advantage of the stipper poles. Amazing. read more

If you like Top 40s, this place is really NOT for you. My girlfriend danced some but didn't have a blast because of the music. It's like Bollywood meets bohemian meets edm. Only at a Bulgarian bar in LES. I really did like it, on the other hand. However, minus one star for cover (though I stiffed the doorman two bucks since I had no extra cash on hand lol), and minus another for the sparsely inhabited basement dance floor. I guess I'm blaming it on the music, because the decor was snazzy with elevated stages and poles (my weakness) and silver-gilding. Do NOT get the House Special unless you like watered-down apple juice with vodka ($8). DO get other straight shots or tell the bartender you want your mixed drink strong. The liquor in general is decently priced. Some groups take full advantage of the ice cage, although it made me queasy just watching. In all, it's an interesting experience for open-minded folks who want a change from typical hip hop/r&b/edm that plays in all the other bar-clubs in Manhattan. A suggestion would be to squeeze in before the 10:30 cut-off for no cover. read more

Came here Bc of a groupon deal and was looking to try something new and fun. I must say the concept is cool. The groupon deal was 4 ppl for the ice cage for 45 which is pretty good since its 20 pp. the actual ice cage is small space where u can fit 4 -5 ppl max. I was disappointed when we went into a space that was basically a refrigerator (Even smelled liked one) the vodka was hot which made it harder to do. We had Soviet uniforms on which was cool and our bartender was super funny and cool. Only reason I'm giving the three stars is Bc he was entertaining. They don't really have a drink menu, they have apple cider and vodka drink but it was not good at all, not for us anyway. It may work for some. read more

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

I really liked going there! There are two floors and one of them has a pole downstairs. Yes I said it. A POLE downstairs! You can show off your low-key stripper skills. There is also a small room where you can drink as many shots as you can for two to three minutes for $20. Get ready to get wasted in that game! The music is also fantastic (tons of Spanish, Bulgarian, and other ethnic music). The only con about it is that it gets SUPER crowded. You also have to pay $10-$20 to get in, but other than that it's a fun place to be in. read more

I enjoyed this place. Cool swings and decor. The crowd was a bit weird but I had a fun night. Don't bother with the ice room - it's not even cold inside and my shot glass melted in 1 minute (they give you 2 to drink) read more

This review is about a year too late. ..but I brought my wedding party here for my wedding last october. FIRST WEDDING PARTY AT MEHANATA WHOOO!We had booked their gypsy bus and ice cage package as a surprise for our bridal party. I had always liked this place for several years. We did have one MAJOR problem. The day of our wedding they called us and said the gypsy bus was broken. The day of. So we had to spend our cocktail hour booking a last minute party bus. It was extremely stressful and disappointing. anyways whoever does the party, we negotiated a lower price for the ice cage and no entry fee, since the replacement bus had been way more expensive. We also had a problem getting a timely refund. All that aside everyone LOVED it. the mix of music is so perfect and so diverse that one of our indian guests was so impressed and dnacing away. They play Spanish, albanian and other dance music. pretty much anything with an awesome beat. The decor is hilarious and they have hookah. The crowd is always chill and everyone loved seeing a bride in her full wedding dress in a dive bar. Everyone had stories to tell and my dress will be forever stained....with fun! Awesome place except for the disorganized event planners. Otherwise 5 stars! Best decision to hold our after party here. read more

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Hi I like this place and most of my friends did. Dont expect a trendy place. Expect that you were transported to a club in Eastern Europe near a Hostel. I loved it. It has two floors. Downstairs is way less crowded and it was so much fun!!! The DJ played Zorba the Greek song! I cant believe it. There is a stripper pole and a mini stage. We got to do the Ice Cage. It seems like fun! read more

Definitely a unique place. Music needs some getting used to but with enough alcohol, its all good. Try the Uzbeki beer, its light and tasty. They wanted to charge us $10 cover but then changed their minds because it was practially empty inside. Place started to liven up by midnight. Overall, should check it out. read more

Fuck, yes. Now this is something I can get down to. Never been to a Bulgarian disco? Welcome to the Eastern bloc of the lower east side, where we drink 'till dawn and jump up and down sweating up against each other like there's no tomorrow. Mehanta is described as a gypsy cabaret and Gogol Bordello DJs here regularly, so I was worried we were going to walk into a poser party. Turns out the drunk mish mash of euros and locals are too busy downing apple cider vodka, smoking the shisha and dancing like crazies to see and be seen. If you're looking to escape the manufactured chicness of the Meatpacking District and get down before you go down, this is your spot. read more

Despite wanting nothing more in the whole world as a kid, I didn't get to have a bat mitzvah. When I danced my face off at Mehanata, I couldn't help but lose myself in a life-long unfulfilled fantasy in which I play an Eastern-European Jewess coming of age in a sea of blitzed gentiles in skinny jeans on the Lower East Side. Gyrate like a gypsy, toss it like a Cossack. All. Night. Long. read more

3.50 stars. Thank you Mehanata! After spending an interminable four minutes in your infamous ice cage, I will now have to take on vigilante status on Facebook to make sure I untag the inevitable string of inappropriate photos taken in the immediate aftermath of our visit. Also, I am pretty sure the poor girl sitting next to me on the BoltBus would write a one star review of the bus based 100% on my current condition. Imagine that you were stuck for four hours in close quarters with an Indian guy emanating vodka from every pore in his body and loudly typing on his computer. Exactly. I demand that everyone pray for her soul. This isn't fair. Back to the substantive review. This place is eccentric in an entirely awesome way. Loud Eastern European beats and dirty dancing are the standard here. The drink of choice in our group was an oddly flavored sangria (think apples and white wine). Homages to Gogol Bordello lined the walls. The crowd was, in a word, diverse. Everything from Eastern Europeans to bona fide Deep South bikers were in this bar. The highlight of the experience was the aforementioned ice cage. For $20, you and your closest friends are locked in a freezing cold room with a number of vodkas (the vodka selection was not nearly as great as I hoped). For two minutes, you drink as many shots as you can. Oh wait. You do this while wearing absurdly stereotypical Cold War era costumes. I probably should not leave out that detail. All I can say is that after the shots, I was a complete mess. I know I danced for hours and clothes may or may not have removed in the bar. A buddy of mine who knew me since he was a little child remarked that one day he would love to have a life like mine. I managed to break out of my drunken stupor for half a second and whispered in the most serious voice I could muster, "Don't.... be.... absurd...." I then immediately went back to my rendition of bhangra to Eastern Europena beats and making human Asian sandwiches. Sure, it was raunchy behavior, but we all know each other so somehow that makes it all OK? Alright fine, be a judgmental prick. I had fun. read more

I see vodka. Lots of vodka. And long jackets. Furry hats. I hear terrible techno. And I hear lots of Russian. Wait...I'm at at one of my high school house parties? No...I'm at Mehanata. This Bulgarian bar is something else. Really. There is no one way to describe it. The live music upstairs is fantastic, Balkan gypsy punk, Middle Eastern beats and more. I witnessed a diverse crowd getting down while onlookers smoked shisha. The fruity smoke mingles with body odor, making Mehanata an adventure for your schnoz. Downstairs is tacky land. The bar has blue lighting and strands of white christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. On the side of the bar is the incredible "Ice Cage". You pay $10.00 to merely walk in, $20.00 to drink unlimited vodka for 2 minutes. It's serious. To enter the tiny, frigid room, and take shots from the icy shot glasses you must also dress in costume (provided by the staff). I have never, ever been so entertained by watching people drink. The frenzied manner in which they pour the shots (bottles line the shelves) is hilarious, and the faces made post shot are priceless. I witnessed at least 30 people consume blackout inducing amounts of vodka. The record was definitely 12 shots. I was very surprised that the walls and floors weren't graced by buckets of vomit. It was midnight and things were pristine. I wasn't able to stay for as long as I would have liked (obligations..ugh) but I definitely plan on visiting this club. A night without time constraints and this atmosphere could only lead to good things...unless I make my way into the Ice Cage. It might cause a lifetime's worth of regret and agony. read more

1 - RSVP to get in for FREE otherwise pay to get in 2 - Hitler costume while CHUGGING VODKAS in ICE CAGE 3 - mini pole dancing (lower level) 4 - Live Bands and crazy people dancing! 5 - HookahS!!!!!! Enough said.. Too drunk already! read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. I was here recently for an event that I was really looking forward to. The place was completely packed, but ironically, I commented to my SO that people were being genuinely considerate despite the crowd. We enjoyed two and a half sets of music and ran up a sizable bar tab with beverages and food. Halfway through the third set, a photographer pushed her way through the crowd and planted herself directly in front of the band to get her shots. There was no excuse, people had been shooting all day long, even helping one another get better shots. She started yelling about how she was with a certain prominent NYC newspaper. She called me a b*tch, and shoved my friend, who was sweetly standing next to me minding her own business. She called her a b*tch as well and at one point, she violently body checked me. There is video proof of the abuse, as well as numerous witnesses. I began to feel unsafe, so I grabbed a waitress and asked her to call security. When the gentleman came to remove the issue, she started swinging at me. My SO stepped between us and I backed up and said nothing, as not to provoke someone who was obviously very unstable. We finished out the set, and I was chatting with friends when a guard grabbed me and said "management needed me to leave" and that it was "very serious". At no point did "management" inquire as to the welfare of myself or any of the surrounding patrons, who had paid to come to the event. They did not speak to anyone who was abused, to find out what happened- they simply sent one of their security guards to "make the problem go away" and pretend like nothing happened. I have been to hundreds of events in this city, at many different locations, and I have never seen anything handled so poorly. The event promoter was gracious and professional, but I am disgusted by the way the venue handled itself. It is very clear that Mehanata would rather kiss the ass of one newspaper than do the right thing and take care of their patrons. The violent photographer was let back inside to finish out her evening. Where on earth are you permitted to physically and verbally assault other people in an establishment like that? Here, clearly, and that is pathetic. The venue had the opportunity to do the honorable thing, but instead they chose to be cowards. I was planing a few events here in the next few months, but I will certainly be taking my business to a venue that treats its clientele with dignity and respect. Update: Per the newspaper's legal department, the "photographer" is not even an employee, freelance or otherwise. The venue, not surprisingly, did not bother answering any of my phone calls or emails. read more

Mehanata WAS A DAMN GOOD TIME!!!!! HERE'S SOME REASONS WHY!!! THE ICE CAGE 101 { THE FACTS } The ice cage is a small room made of glass right next to the bar down stairs in Mehanata. No bigger then a small bar bathroom it can fit 4 comfortably, 5 tight, 6 tightest. This room has glass walls lined with an assortment of Vodkas that you can choose from at your will. All bottles have the pouring caps and your aloud to pour ur own shots of vodka once in the cage. $ THE PRICE $ (Lets say you have a group of 4) ITS $20 PER PERSON + an additional $10 for the WHOLE GROUP (not individually) to ENTER the ICE CAGE DOOR. (birthday person does get in free though with proof of DOB) =)THE RULES =) (This is not a competition, BUT just a fight btw time and you getting your money's worth of VODKA shots!!- simple as that) You have exactly *2 MINS* to pour and shoot as many shots and different types of vodka as you can. YOUR GOAL IS WASTED!! Everyone is given a shot glass made of ICE (it does begin to melt in ur mouth and in your hand, so work fast =) YOU ARE ALL GIVEN OLD SCHOOL RUSSIAN MILITARY UNIFORMS to keep ya warm, and in the role of a true Russian Vodka Lover!! THE BARTENDER WILL LET YOU KNOW there's #1 NO drinking out of the Bottles, #2 NOT TO SPILL AND WASTE VODKA #3-NO THROWING UP IN ICE CAGE. THE DOOR CLOSES , and your two minutes begin. The bartender gives you a nice summary of time,,, as he yells out " 1 MIN LEFT" " 30 secs"--They are also willing to take pics for you guys while you drink if you hand them your camera, through a little window in the cage (their not inside with you). ALL IN ALL I THINK ITS FUN and worth the Experience with Friends. As for the rest of the place its a fun time. They have a live International DJ who plays literally EVERYTHING, he goes from Indian, Middle Eastern, Bulgarian, Caribbean, Russian, Italian, Reggae, Reggeaton, its all mixed to make for a fun and VERY DIVERSE DANCE FLOOR!!! Def Good times. Getting drinks at the bar wasn't hard, the drinks were cheap, the crowd was cool. ONLY DOWN FALLS-Was it gets extremely HOT Inside, and some BO odors may occur. BUT when ur wasted and dancing all seems to slip the mind. DEF GO AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. CHECK OUT MY PHOTOS. read more

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Mehanata is a very unique experience. Upon entering, it's a very dim-lit setting with seating all around. There's a small space to stand and talk, but not too much room to dance. There's even less space when the live band starts performing. Over at the bar, there are swings instead of bar stools. SWINGS I SAY! I was really sad I didn't get to sit on one though. Everyone was pretty much eyeing it the entire night. The live band that played was very cool. They started by apologizing for being late because they were caught smoking a joint (classic). There were a mix of instruments that I wouldn't expect together: a saxophone, a bass, drums and an accordion. But overall, they sounded pretty good together. The drinks weren't that great. They had this special apple cider for $10, which looked really good. When I tasted it, I wanted to throw up. Way too much vodka, not enough taste. It was nasty. It was in a big pot and I'm sure some of the solution separated and I just got all the alcohol part. Now, we head downstairs to the ice cage. Downstairs is a lot more ratchet. Ice cage is fun, a lot smaller than I expected. It's a bit pricey, but if you can drink a lot, it's totally worth it. There's a $10 fee to open the door and then a $20 per person fee to drink. You have 2 minutes to take 6 shots of whatever vodka was in that room. They gave you Soviet Union gear and a shot glass made from ice. It was a really cool experience. As for the rest of the basement space, it was pretty much filled with people who are trying to dance after doing the ice cage challenge. Everyone was sloppy, walking sideways, falling, etc. It was pretty funny honestly. If you're not into this scene, stay upstairs. It's much more classy. Overall, had a good experience here and would come back! The only thing I don't like is the $20 cover to get into the bar (think they start charging at 10 pm). read more

I feel like this place needs to be a rite of passage. I came a few weeks after my 21st birthday for the infamous ICE CAGE, which is 2 minutes of all-you-can-drink vodka in an extremely cold, well, cage. Did I mention your shot glass is made of ice and you're dressed in Russian military uniforms? The ice cage is $10/group of 6 and $20/person. It's an absolute must (and very cost effective, if done correctly). The club upstairs is super hip and a really fun atmosphere. A live band was playing and everyone was dancing and having a great time. Drinks are typical NYC prices, but if you do the ice cage first, you shouldn't need them. It's a kind of bohemian environment, not like a typical rowdy club. I had a blast and am definitely heading there again. read more

First of all, this place is a scam!!! As we walking in there was people outside the lounge having a discussion with the bouncer about groupon. Apparently, people bought it and were unsatisfied with the deal and sooooon I saw the reason why. Still, we decided to go in. There wasn't any cover to get in so that was 1 good thing about it. The atmosphere was good on the first floor. Loud music, people having a good time, etc. We wanted to do the "Ice Cage" so we had asked a worker about it and he took us there...... We were taking downstairs to the basement level and it was dead down there. I expected people down there having a good time just like the people upstairs. This "Ice Cage" was literally like a small port-a-potty and they NEED two people in there. If its the persons birthday then its free but the friend has to pay $30, $10 to open the door and $20 to go in. I wonder how my face must of looked when I was told this. That price was for 2 mins to take at least 6 shots. The brands weren't high-top quality so I turned to him and say no thank you and we made our exit. read more

I'm still convinced my visit to Mehanata was a bizarre fever dream I had during my last bout of the flu If you're not of eastern european decent, you most likely will: -not know any of the songs -be highly amused by people's dancing -be highly amused by people's singing -be highly amused by the "ice cage" with unlimited vodka chugging -be highly amused by just about everything... ...until you wake up the next day with a massive hangover. read more

Looks nothing like the photos (it's more photogenic than 90% of girls on Instagr.am!) First floor smells horribly. People are very sweaty. Very, very crowded. Random furniture and objects sticking out everywhere makes me surprised that drunk people dont kill themselves here weekly. Music is pretty good, though. I'll give it that. One star for music and one star for decent drink pricing. Other than that, I'll pass. PS: Heard it is much better during the week when there are live bands. read more

I read the reviews and went with friends who purchased a groupon for the ice cage. I was lead to believe it would be a fun spot but was extremely dissappointed. There was a LONG line. $10 to get in and $5 mandatory coat check. The top floor was crowded, sweaty, sticky, and a weird folk band (not American) was blasting terrible music. So we proceeded downstairs to the ice cage. The bar downstairs was very humid and loud. The bar is CASH ONLY too. So we proceeded to use the groupon deal. The ice cage is actually a glass closet in the middle of the bar. The alcohol was nasty...the highest quality was regular Stoli. No chasers were provided either. I asked for a diet coke after to was the taste away...but it was stale. There were no pro's to this place unfortunately. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody that likes to breath fresh air. read more

After a night here you may wake up thinking, wow, how the heck did I end up at that place and did I really see a man dancing with a chair on his chin? What was the name of that place and will I be able to find it again ? Mehanata is my kind of night club. No pretension, no velvet ropes, no Red Bull muscles, no overwhelming stench of men's beatification products. They play a nice variety of international music - greek, russian, indian etc. I've always had a blast here. Drinks are of average price, and they do have that vodka room where you can spend 20 bux for all the vodka you can stomach in 2 minutes. Good times! read more

Last night, we went here for a friend of a friend's birthday party and it was honestly the coolest bar I've ever been to! It is steps from the subway, and even though it looks grimy on the way in, once you get inside, you feel like you were transported somewhere great. Let me say that the ice cage was disappointing. I didn't go in, but even visually, I was hoping it looked like an igloo or something but it is rather just a little room full of vodka bottles. If that's your thing, go for it, but I'm not terribly interested. There was a dj on that floor and people looked to be really into it but I thought the main floor was even more fun. On Friday nights, they have a live band. I grew up doing Israeli folk dancing so I felt very comfortable with the music. If you are hoping to hear top 40s, this isn't it. The band was authentic and so talented, and we all had a great time dancing. The crowd was so much fun too! Unlike other clubs, the vibe is just fun and friendly. But my FAVORITE thing, the detail about Mehanata that might actually be the first reason I return is the swings. Instead of bar stools, they have almost like porch swings. It is so much fun to swing and drink. There are only three of them, unfortunately, but if you see one open, start swinging. read more

This is exactly what all the other reviews claim it is and then some more. I think if we went to Bulgaria and went to a nightclub there, the overall look would not be that much different. The bouncers are these short grumpy guys and in a very non-former-communist manner cannot be bribed with money!! They even gave the birthday girl herself a hard time getting in. We were here for a big birthday party and were expecting about 50 people. They would only let 30 in which defeats the purpose of a birthday party. Drinks are expensive (Beers are $10) and the music is completely random downstairs (from circus music and Bulgarian folk music to Rihanna). Upstairs seems to be more gypsy-esque and had a band playing on that particular Saturday night. The overall look of the main and upper floor is much more of a wood farmhouse while the downstairs has the Euro 80s new wave vibe with white walls/disco balls and grey naked female mannequins hanging off the walls (face level for taller people). There are also "dancers" that claim the poles downstairs. This place is worth a visit simply for the experience and/or when you're trying to accommodate a really large group of people. With the attitude at the door, I'm in no hurry to come back. Lastly, crowd here was very young (read: right out of school), very yuppie but rather aesthetically pleasing. In fact, one of the guys in our group put it this way "patrons are more attractive than the hired dancers". Not that the dancers were very attractive to start with but I completely agreed with his statement. read more

When you're craving Macedonian beer, this unpretentious Bulgarian bar in the Lower East Side is the place to go. On a recent Friday night, I had a few Zlaten Dabs while listening to some crazy flute music from the band playing upstairs. Our party retreated into the downstairs area, which felt 10 degrees cooler and where a DJ was spinning tunes from Africa, Brasil, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Even a dancin' fool like myself felt the inspiration to cut a few moves. The Chill Room - where you pay $20 to dress up like a Cossack and drink as much vodka as you can for 2 minutes - seemed a bit hokey. But you got to admit, it's different. I'll pass on that but I could go for another cold Dab. read more

Came here for my birthday party over the weekend and had an amazing time! We were told by friends it was going to be crowded on a saturday night, but only waited 5 minutes to get in. There is an ice cage on the lower level, where you can take unlimited shots in 2 minutes! I only took four, but all of the vodka is top shelf liquor and does not require a chaser, keep that in mind! There is a groupon for this thats 50% off! And you are required to wear this soviet russia military gear which made for some fantastic bday photo ops! The apple cider vodka they have at the bar is DELICIOUS. get a cup of this for 8$ and you'll thank me later. They also offer hookah and poles for dancing! I don't smoke hookah but my friend who does said it was very well flavored. They played a combination of bulgarian music and top 40s which caters to the crowd well. So worth the $10 cover. One of the most unique bars I have ever visited! read more

Got my wallet stolen here right out of my bag on my birthday - and the staff [with the exception of a nice guy bartender downstairs] did not even seem to care. Complete lack of concern from the owner/ bartender by the swings [that are uncomfortable and just seem to get in the way]. Total creep atmosphere, but hey some people are into that. read more

This place is different from most bars in the area. It's pretty empty around 10pm, but gets busy by 11, at least on fridays and saturdays. There is a $10 cover after 10pm, so suggest you hop in before that, get a stamp, and then grab a bite to eat from one of the places nearby. The vibe is definitely more geared toward eurasian/mediterranean/arabic atmosphere, and the music is consistent with this. As you enter you will be on the main floor, with a small dance space cleared and often a band at the back wall. Be prepared for often annoying loud volume. On your left, toward the back of the building is a bar, (and a bathroom). The drinks are on the small side, and somewhat weak, but prices are in line with what you would find in most places. They also serve a very nice apple vodka drink, although it seems like the price on this goes up every time I'm there. A warning about the apple drink... it's fully of sugar, and a cheap vodka is used as a base. Combined this means if you get drunk on these you will have a killer headache the next day. I suggest not drinking more than 1-2 cups. On the opposite side of the first flood are a few tables, and booths. Since the area is so close to the dance floor, and very dark, it tends to be mostly empty, or where people dump their stuff. There is also a staircase to a third floor that contains a number of tables. If you want to have a drink with friend, smoke a hookah, this is the best area to do it, although it is very loud there, so don't expect to be able to have a deep meaningful discussion up there. Once you're done with the main floor and the balcony, there's also the basement. Down the stairs you will find two more bathrooms, one for the ladies one for the men. The lip theme is amusing, though I wish more care was given to sanitation. In the basement you will find the famous "ice room", and a bar running alongside it. Toward the back of the room is another dance area, with 4 tables to a side, and all the way at the back there are a couple of stripper poles. It's quite cliche and gaudy, but with dim lighting it works. The Ice Room - Don't do it. Basically it's just a refrigerated room that is by no means freezing. Writing this in January - it's much colder outside. You will be given a shot glass made out of ice, and given some time to drink as much vodka as you can. It comes down to a question of how quickly you can pour yourself shots, in the time allotted, chug them without a chaser, and repeat the process. There is also a fair chance the shot glass will melt in your hands. All in all the process is such that most people will be able to drink 5-7 shots at a maximum. It's something you may want to try once, but trust me you will not want to do it again. Very fun to watch from the other side though, and keep in mind, if the bartender is having fun, you're likely to have a bit of extra time too ;) I'm an avid hookah (shisha/narghilea/water pipe) smoker. Unfortunately in Mehanata they don't make them fresh. The pipes are prepared in advance, there is only one flavor, and only the coal tablet will be fired on the spot. This means that's it's really luck of the draw whether you get one that was prepared the same day, and has fresh water in it, or one that has dried out, and been standing around for a week. At best it's mediocre and the reason I take off one star. It really wouldn't take much more effort to make the hookahs fresh considering the price is the same as you'll find in lounges all around the city, but for better fare. The two additional stars that I take off is due to the staff. Having met many people there, and knowing that the positions are something of a revolving door, I don't expect much. I do expect not to be cursed at and told to get the f*ck out one minute after having been asked to move to a different table, and having move from the upstairs balcony to the dingy dark downstairs booth, and three minutes after getting the shisha I ordered half an hour back. If Mehanata can work out it's personnel issues to a bare minimum, and start to serve decent shisha, I would be happy to return. As it stands, while I might still pop in some day, I'm giving it a pass. read more

Always an amazing bizzare time here. If you are an uptight, boring, picky person, this place is not for you. This place isn't your typical midtown boojie spot. I have been here 3xs already! Try the Bulgarian lager. Mmm tasty. FYI They charge $10 at the door. Came here Saturday night and also a few months ago to use my voucher for food & their "Ice cage" which us located downstairs. The main floor has a bar with a small dancing area, tables near the back and on 2nd level. When you walk downstairs you have another bar which is Cash Only. You can enjoy some hookah ehile you drink and dance. They also have a DJ and some poles, as in stripper poles hahaha Awesome! ICE CAGE- highly recommend this & make sure you look for it on Groupon. 25$ for 2 or 42$ for 4 people (incld your admission to the bar and ice cage). Reg price is 20$ per person. Ok, you have 2mins to drink as many shots (they give you a shot glass made of ice) as possible in this tiny little room. You also get some cool Soviet jackets and hats to wear. Makes for Great The music is amazing. Very different from the other bars you find in the area. The DJ does an excellent job at getting the crowd going with his diverse music selection. It can get very packed & you will be sweating. Hope everyone has an amazing time here like my group and I did. :) can't wait to come back. read more

What can I say about Mehanata except that I LOVE this place. Everything about this place is awesome: The music, the crowd, the space, 2 floors of dancing! and let's not forget the bar with swings=D The music is very very eclectic and ranges from Spanish to European, techno, Bollywood, Arabic and everything else you can imagine. The band is always a blast and people come here to dance. There's rarely any standing around at Mehanata. I would recommend pregaming elsewhere though. Yes this place is awesome in everything else but in drinks..not so much. Unless you plan on doing some shots in the ice room. Otherwise the drinks are bit too pricey. Overall, this place has never let me down. Come here before 10 to avoid the cover and stay and dance and meet fun people all night long. You won't regret it! read more

The most unique night club I've been to in Manhattan. So much fun. It was a friend's birthday so we didn't have to pay the $20 cover for the DJ that was playing that night. I don't think it's normally that much, but I would check ahead of time. This place has a great feel to it. The first floor has "gypsy" music (I can't think of any other way to describe it.) And everyone is just dancing like no one's watching. It's a blast. The bar has swings instead of stools, which were fun. Drinks are about $8, which is very fair for a club. They also have hookahs available. The basement is a bit less crowded. It's known for its ice cage where you dress up in a Soviet uniform and have two minutes to drink as much vodka as you can. The rule is up to 6 shots, but you can definitely get away with more than that. All of the guys in our group did it and they had a lot of fun in there! There's also a few stripper poles down there. After the ice cage everyone was giving them a try. There's a lot of umm...interesting characters here. Goth, punk, and ghetto were all represented. Personally I would not want to interact with any of the other people here. But if you come with a group you're sure to have a fun time. read more

Let me just preface this review with one statement: This place can get weird. Everything has a Soviet feel to it - - and hits the wide spectrum of what that former empire represented. This place has a full on gypsy band, militaristic Soviet-dressed women (hot), lots of vodka, and really - just letting loose. In the basement there is this ice room. This room is essentially where you walk into, pick out a bottle of liquor from the iced shelf & then drink as quickly as possible. My colleague/birthday boy - Ilya spent a nice proportion of the 1st 20 minutes in this ice chest. Well played. It's wild. And quite unique. Honestly - loved it but don't know if I'd ever go back. Here's looking at you, Bulgaria. read more

My friends and I are addicted to this place. The first time I came here, it was a Thursday night and surprisingly (after reading all the great reviews it got), it was pretty empty. There were probably about 20 people inside, tops. My friends and I stuck around, and realized how AMAZING this set up was. We got to dance with so much space to ourselves, and the awesome music (anywhere from Romania, Egypt , Punjab, Bulgaria, etc) was a blast. When it's emptier, the DJ's also start dancing and it's a party all around. So...we come back way too often --- mostly on Thursdays, when we know there will be less people around. The second time we came, I made friends with a couple of other girls on the dance floor and we just gushed about how great it was to be able to dance all-out. Fridays are a lot more packed (and there is generally a cover on Friday nights), but just as much fun. Mehanata also has hookah (for about 17$~). Drinks are not the strongest (so it's probably best to pregame or start somewhere else). I would take off a star for some minor things but then I would be lying because I love this crazy place with all of its flaws. read more

The place has amazing dance music - a great variety, from international hits to 80s classics. Can't judge the food since I've never tried it. The bartenders aren't too friendly but it didn't affect our having a good time here. This place is a fun night guaranteed if you like to dance! Also, get here before 10PM for no cover charge. After 10PM it's $10. And if you have check-in items (for example, large coats during winter) bring $3 for the coat check charge. read more

About 10 minutes after we sat down to watch our friend perform, I forgot what country I was in. This place makes you feel like you're transported to another time and place. It's also a little confused. It's tiki with burlesque with an ice room on the lower level. When the live show stops, the DJ plays anything from Gypsy Kings & Los Fabulosos Cadillacs to house music. I don't know how I feel about the place, but I had a great time! read more

I was skeptical. The place looked sketch, plus there was a $10 cover and $3 coat check and "loud gypsy music" blasting through the walls. But it was FUN. Not for everyone, but it's an offbeat Bulgarian bar where you can dance to live music and go downstairs and dance on stripper poles (if that's your thing). The apple cider vodka special was delicioussss. There are three levels, the third apparently for people dining. The main floor is where you can enjoy the live band or sit on swings while sipping on cocktails. Go to the bottom floor to dance to European tunes. There was a very diverse crowd, and as the night went on, the bar/club grew more and more packed. All in all, it was a strangely awesome experience. read more

Sometimes you end up at a place wondering "who came up with this giant mess?" But then it ends up being a good type of mess, so you roll with it. The night we went there was a Japanese Gypsy rock band playing. If only I could put into words what that sounds like... The chica stamping the hands was a nice one. The bartenders, maybe not. My buddy bought us vodka/tonics. Upon taking the first drink he said "hope it tastes good... for $20" "What?!" "Yea, she gave me these and said it's $40 for both." He was a little toasted, so I consider this hearsay and hold Mehanata's drink prices innocent until proven guilty, but that would be pretty ridiculous price for an Eastern Euro dive to charge for drinks. Maybe that's part of the ploy to get people to drink the pre-made battery acid-looking sangria on the counter? I don't think I'd go for it, but I definitely would go here again. Not your typical type of bar and it's worth it. Oh and there's an ice cage for which you put on Soviet military gear prior to going in and drinking as much vodka as possible for two minutes until you are absolutely sloshed with your friends taking embarrassing pictures of you all for a low low price of $20. If only my liver could handle that.... read more

I have been to this place a handful of times, including most recently last Saturday night. Usually there is a $10 cover but my friends and I were pleasantly surprised that there was no cover this time.... That night was the most fun I had had in a long while...It is important to go to this place when the weather is NOT HOT or else you will be sweltering inside due to lack of AC....but even then the body heat makes the experience more intense... The music is an eclectic mix of arab, indian, russian, eastern eurpopean, latin etc....While dancing to Indian music an Indian man danced on the stage with a chair in his mouth!! You will let loose here and will dance more than you have in a long time... read more

Where dreams & the sporadic nightmare comes true! Having crossed into my 30s, I limit myself to an annual, perhaps bi-annual visitation. That said, I fervently recommend you bring everyone you know here--sans expectations. PS, Use to be a bartender there that looked like Rasputin, I've never been happier. read more

Interesting eclectic mix of people you'll find here. Way way different (and better) vibe than dance spots in meatpacking... music is more international, guys aren't grinding up on you. I don't dare to enter the ice box but it looks fun? Came here with a group of friends, there's an upstairs and downstairs so plenty of space to come with your crew! read more