Cool spot with a nice facility layout. The energy was good, and the staff was kind. The music was a highlight, Latin/Spanish night created a great vibe. Drinks were okay, not too strong - there was no food available (afterwards outside - street food). Be mindful of your surroundings and onlookers in the parking area. My car and a guest's car were broken into, and there appeared to be people lingering in the lot. read more

I mean who doesn't love feeling like (and hoping) the night will never end? Not only has Sanctuary Nightclub been going strong for 32 years but it is also the only location in Atlanta offering salsa on Friday nights. We entered with a $15 cover (cash accepted) just in time for class to start. The teacher made the class fun and taught the basics with ease. I liked how he gave everyone some extra moves to practice out on the floor in both salsa and bachata. The dance space was kind of small compared to what I've seen but people moved on and off the floor so much that it didn't get crowded. I also enjoyed how they had plenty of seating. I'm not sure what's up with ATL and charging crazy prices for bottled water... or maybe Nashville spoils us. Anywho, bottled water is $3. Per necessity, the DJ was a vibe I enjoyed how he played some classics, some new school and old school. My only wish was that he would mix up the genres instead of playing 4 salsa then 4 bachata, the 4 merengue... so on and so forth. Lastly to top it all off, there was a local taco shop selling tacos outside. After 4 hours of dancing they delivered! All in all, I will definitely don on my salsa shoes and visit Sanctuary Nightclub again! read more

Sanctuary Nightclub - Dance Clubs Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

The host was very pleasant and welcoming. The bar had a ton of drinks all night, up to 3am. The place was clean and cool, they had a ton of fans all over the place so I was never hot. It was a great experience and I enjoyed every moment of it. I will definitely be going back. read more

See all

Review for : Friday / Salsa & Bachata Night Lesson: 9:30 to 10:30pm Dance floor opens @ 10:30pm Loved the lesson. Perhaps the main reason for the high rating. Good instruction. Plenty of people. Lesson happens upstairs. Club charges: $15 cover per person (I wish they would offer a Free hour or night, or ladies special at least once a month like all other clubs) Club: Parking available if you come early which is so convenient. Otherwise, find it somewhere else. Upstairs and downstairs dance floor. Bar available. Tables and seats available. Tacos outside for some munching later in the night. Closer to midnight. Have fun! read more

It is an excellent place for a latin night party but as everything, it has it's ups and downs. The main party is on the second floor but the only bathrooms are on the first. And the only place where you can hear the music decently is on the extremely crowded dance floor. There's also people from 20 to 40s. Apart from that, the music selection on fridays is really good and if yu go with your own group you'll have a blast. read more

Sanctuary Nightclub - Entrance - Dance Clubs Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

3 Stars for a big spot with some great salsa music, but it was pretty empty, over-lit, and the drinks were basic. So here's the thing, I had a great time at Sanctuary. But, to be honest, that was almost entirely because of some great company I was with. As soon as we all paid our $10 entrance (men and women...) I noticed that the first floor was completely empty. Having read the reviews prior, I knew that they sometimes teach salsa on that level, so I wasn't concerned. But as I climbed the stairs, I realized things weren't much different there. This place was almost completely dead at midnight on a Friday. They're only open two nights a week, so it was a total bummer. Besides the fact that only a few couples were in the club, the dance floor felt a bit too brightly lit. I'm not sure if that was due to the lack of bodies, but it was intimidating to walk up and dance in the middle of a not-quite-dark-enough, large, empty dance floor. With that being said, there were plenty of darker corners near the back bar where there was plenty of room to get down (I mean in terms of dancing, but the couple near us had other ideas...). I also have to give a shout-out to the older gentleman who had drifted to sleep in an empty corner. Looks like he may have been dragged there by a lady-friend, but dude had to take a nap. And I can't hate on him for that. Buuuut, I am going to say that it didn't add to the atmosphere... In terms of drinks, they were pretty basic. Don't expect anything fancy because chances are if you order off the menu you'll end up with a technicolor syrup-filled "cocktail." But, they were strong and probably helped my brother to the side get his nap started. In reading other reviews, it looks like the nights are hit or miss in terms of pulling a good crowd. Would I go back? Maybe if I could catch one of the salsa lessons earlier in the evening to make the cover worth it. read more

Came across this place while looking for a Latin place to dance while In town. I was expecting more modern moving music . I would have to think about it twice to come back. It's alright read more

This club has been around a long time. You'll take a stairwell up to the main floor. 2 bars available: 1 is for drinking, one is for hookah. Saldy, they still allow smoking (cigarettes) so I wasn't able to stay long. Would be great if they knock off the fking smoking read more

Ended up at this place for a friends bday. First feeling: do I need a secret code to get in? 2nd: interesting staircase. is this the titanic? 3rd: am I in a "campo" somewhere in Latin America? 4th: cool!! After a very serious salsa lesson offered by club at no extra charge until almost 1030pm, the night begins. Warning: Fruity drinks are watered down, so decided to say yes to a drink I can't remember the name of it so decided to rename it to mothrF$&r.... they showed me!! Great music ( shout out to DJ Lexx for fulfilling song request from 2-3 decades ago... for the married Gfrnds that were so happy to be out with us single ones while their husbands took care of the home front for the night) Colorful crowd with great spirits. With a fully open mind, an unassuming night at this place will be lots of fun. Ps: love the empanada stand at the end of the night right outside. Very clever at selling for 5 dollars each... after 1am in the morning they not only seem cheap but they tasted awesome!! read more

See all

"Suavemente, bésame Que yo quiero sentir tus labios Besándome otra vez." Peeps who've gone Latin dancing know this timeless song, and it sounded bittersweet when I heard it for the first time in years last week Friday. Mainly, because of these three thoughts I had: 1) I need to go salsa dancing more often. This music is fire (insert three fire emojis), 2) Gawd damn, I used to kill this dance floor and now I suck so hard. 3) What am I doing with my life? But whatever. I had a blast. And I would bet if you went to one of their Friday salsa nights, you would too. Things to know: ***** I. LOCATION & PARKING Sanctuary resides at the end of a strip mall tucked off of Paces Ferry Place. They have their own unpaid lot, but if that gets overcrowded park on East Andrews Drive NW. Parking is free on the street, too, after 10PM. II. MUSIC & DANCING The DJ eloquently mixed salsa, bachata, cumbia, and merengue throughout the night, which kept the interest of most dancers rocking the floor. The music didn't make everyone's ears bleed, too, but it could've been turned up a bit more. Unfortunately, the sound switched off multiple times throughout the night. It wasn't just a skip. More like a solid ten second delay. So either a fuse was being blown out, the DJ's Serato was acting funky, or something else. Too bad. III. DRANKS At first you look at the prices and you're like, "Damn, these are expensive." Then you see them pour your drink, and then you're like, "Damn, that's all liquor." And liquor I drank. I had their Blue Mother F******** ($9). I asked the bartender what it was, and he said, "A Long Island, but we make it blue." Lol. So I had it, and it tasted awful. Like jet engine fuel running down my throat. And you know what? I loved it. It definitely got me in the mood to dance all night. I returned to the bar and had a regular Long Island ($9), and it was equally awful/ lovely, too. Their dranks will get messed up, fo sho. IV. AMBIENCE & DÉCOR The sanctuary consists of two levels. The first/ entry level is small and where the bathrooms and practice salsa room are both located. Then, when you take the grand stairs to the second floor, there's a sizable (maybe 50-75 people) dance floor on your left and the bar to the right. It doesn't feel overcrowded, and people respectfully give others space to have a great time. What I really love about this club is their fancy rainbow strobe lights that create pulsating triangles, circles, and other shapes. They're great to stare at, when a bit while faded, too. V. PRICES For Friday salsa night, the cover was $10 to get in. Not bad! VI. OVERALL I had a great time gettin' back on the Latin dance grind, and I can't wait to return! read more

See all

I liked this place. I agree with what everyone has said so far. It is small enough to be "special" but big enough that you don't feel like everyone is watching you. The DJ that was there was the same one that does the latin night at Tongue and Groove (which means nothing to me). It is sort of in a weird little shopping center. The good thing is that there are about 25-30 free parking spaces which is a cool thing for buckhead area. The basic class is really basic. Which I needed. You learn the basic step, right turn, left turn, and a pass through. Note to girls, if you wear a dress make sure it has some weight on it because they have fans going which can result in the skirt being further up than you would like for it to be. read more

I went on a Friday and had an absolutely great time. I really really needed it. The energy is so so vibrant. Its not about race, age, or looks; its all about bachata, merengue, and salsa! 4 out of 5 bEERS read more

Was so much fun!!! Mixed crowd. Great music. Such nice staff...especially the gentleman at the door.

Sanctuary is a great latin club for beginning Salsa dancers, but also isn't so over crowded that experienced dancers can't spread out a bit and enjoy themselves. The club is 2 levels, though the bottom level mainly houses a smaller tile floor room that is good for practicing or sitting away from the music to enjoy some quiet time. There is a free salsa class from 9-10pm. Usually there is a beginner class upstairs on the main dancefloor, and an intermediate class downstairs in the smaller room. This isn't some sort of intimate, quiet latin type of place. It gets very hot because the dancefloor is upstairs, the music is loud and there is club style lighting. The floor is in great condition. That said, the overall vibe of the club is relaxed, it is not a very "showy" type of dance place, as there are all levels of dancers here from total beginners to advanced. The pina coladas are the best in town, and go down way too easy. Be aware Friday night is the Salsa night at Sanctuary and Saturday night is gay night, which does play salsa, merengue, etc. but also alot of reggaeton- probably not the best night for you to take your significant other for a romantic night of learning to salsa dance. read more

Went here on two back to back Friday's and to be honest I wasn't all that impressed. I went back the second time to make sure that what I experienced the first time wasn't a fluke. The place itself is pretty nice. The decor is somewhere betweeen casual and upscale. Very nice people in attendance and some great dancers. So, I guess your wondering now why I rated this place so low after saying all of this. Well, here is why: The place really needs to think about getting a new DJ. A salsa DJ understands that you spin salsa, merengue, and cha cha much differently than you would hip hop, top 40 or other genres of music. You play a song from beginning to end, then there should be a two to three second pause between songs. You NEVER mix or blend songs. Every song has an ending and as a dancer you prepare for that ending and await it with an ending move...one designed to put the exclamation point on the dance. After the song has ended their should be a pause which allows you to thank your partner for the dance and move to the next dance partner. This is something that hardcore dancers understand and why they make the best dj's. The music selection was uninspired to say the least. The DJ hammered us with 5 salsa songs, 5 bachata songs, 5 merengue songs then started over again with 5 salsa songs, 5 bachata songs, 5 merenge songs. There was not thought put into it at all. Good DJ's keep it interesting varying the length of each set and mixing it up. I'm sure that someone will disagree but let the fact that at 11pm there were a lot of people standing around looking at their watches. At 12 am the place began to clear out. By 12:30, when I left, there weren't that many people left and a lot of others were leaving with me. read more

If you love to salsa, this is the place to go. I attend on Fridays. Most of the people there are regulars, so it's great to see a familiar face. Drinks are not brought on the dance floor (for those of you with dance shoes). Lessons start at 9 PM. You may choose from beginner's or intermediate/advanced class. I love that there is plenty of FREE parking in their private lot. Entry is free before 10 PM. There is plenty of seating if you want to take a break. Oh and it is SMOKE FREE!! Overall, the vibe is awesome. You don't have to worry about a huge crowd and no roome to dance. See y'all Friday!! read more

Sanctuary is the best Latin night club in Atlanta! People of all ages and backgrounds go to this place. Friday nights are the best nights. They play Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Reggaeton, and more. On occasion, they'll have a room that's exclusively for Bachata. Before the party begins they give Salsa and Bachata dance lessons. The DJ's they bring in are pretty good, but DJ King Tito is the man! When he plays, the place gets lit! Check their Facebook page. I go there frequently and I'm gonna keep going! read more

My friend Egan really wanted to go Salsa dancing on friday after work, so I made Joel research and find a place for us to go to dance it out. What he came up with was Sanctuary, this place off West Paces Ferry, kinda behind East Andrews in the buckhead area. $10 gets you admission into the club from 10-3, as well as a dance lesson from 9-10. Now, I have never been salsa dancing before and Egan's been a couple times, so we decided to bring her boyfriend Q along for the adventure. When you first walk in, you immediately see this staircase and multicolored "strobe" lighting pulsating to the upbeat music. Walk up the stairs and to the left is the dance floor, where couples swish and twirl and somehow manage to keep rhythm without bumping into other couples. The bar is on the opposite end of the floor, serving an extensive array of alcoholic beverages including mexican beer, namely Dos Equis which is my beer of choice. I must admit, it's a little intimidating walking into a club like this, because everyone on the dance floor is GOOD!. Not like Julianne Hough from Dancing with the Stars good, but good enough to know what they're doing. I quickly learned that I have limited coordination in trying to stay in tune with the beat, while dancing in heels but all in all I had a great time. One last thing, the music is NEVER-ENDING---meaning it plays in one long set like if you were at a techno club. It's hard to tell when a song changes, you just notice the people around you start changing up their "style" of dancing and twirl in a different direction. So if you get stuck dancing with someone you're really not that into, don't wait until the end of the song cause you might not know when it is. read more

I had a great time here Friday, Latin night. I got there in time for beginners salsa. The instructor was really good. The crowd was fun. The more experienced dancers enjoyed showing you the ropes. Make sure to get there early because parking is limited. I really like the location, very quaint. The drinks are a bit pricey though. read more

Had a great time. I took the beginners' lesson and the instructor, Myron, was fun, patient, and knowledgable. Someone mentioned that it's free before 10-not true. $10 cover. This is reasonable, considering that dance lessons are much more expensive. The crowd was great and consisted of people of all levels. Just watching the advanced dancers is worth the cover. They are amazing. Caveat: The class opened with one of the instructors telling us how amazing the authentic mojitos were. Not so. I watched the bartender make them. It was premix and tasted average. Strong, but not worth $8. The other drink prices were reasonable. Parking is free and located just outside. read more

The best place for Salsa or Bachata on Friday. The ambiance is perfect for dancing, and there are a lot of regulars and enough parking if you get there early. If you come here for a few weeks, you will know most of the people and that's a plus when you are a beginner. The free classes are worth it, even for intermediate dancers (two levels). The dance floor does not get crowded until 11. Please be advised that you WILL get stepped on if you dance enough, so the ladies should consider closed toed shoes. Ladies, if you stand around the dance floor, you will definitely be asked to dance. As for the guys, almost all the women say yes to a dance here, so this is a good place to start practicing what you have learned. The drinks are good, and reasonably priced (mostly). The bartender is always friendly. It is not too dressy, as most people come to dance and have a good time. read more

I went for the first time last night and had a great experience. It's a great place to show off your salsa, merengue and bachata moves, although salsa and bachata were definitely the favored music. Lots of couples dancing and showing off their talent, so you don't have to feel self-conscious if you aren't the best dancer because you can hide in the crowd ;-) Cover was $10 for both men and women. Parking wasn't difficult to find around 10 at night in a safe neighborhood, the people at the door were professional and friendly, the place itself was clean, cool temperature-wise, clean bathrooms, and great bar service. The people there were dressed in all sorts of salsa gear, from jeans and button downs to dresses and short shorts. It seemed there was a good proportion of men to women dancers, so I will definitely be back. read more

Completely with Ai T. They have a cool beginner's class at 9 on Fridays upstairs in which you get to meet and dance with your fellow beginners. Everyone's friendly and ready to dance, and the experienced ladies were very patient with my modest skills. Don't miss the class! Ricky B. is right about the strings of songs being of one genre, but that was a minor setback for me. read more

A small group of us (1 guy, 3 girls) went for the Salsa lesson and dance last Friday. Parking was easy - big bonus for a location in Buckhead! I parked right in front of the club, so I didn't even have to take my jacket inside :) We all had so much fun throughout the night. Everyone was so friendly and polite. (they don't sneak up on you!) It's nonsmoking, so I went home still smelling pretty good :) They had enough chairs and sofas, so we were able to sit down to rest our feet and chat when not dancing. We will be going back again for sure! read more

owner sucks, se parece un sapo. he should learn how to be more professional to the customers. drinks are not worth it and water dow, customers beware. your better off going to Atlanta. bathrooms should be cleaned at least once a year and don't waist you're time with the so called VIP. read more

I won't lie, I am NOT a great dancer, but the people at Sanctuary made me feel comfortable enough to at least attempt salsa and bachata. We arrived early enough for the lessons and our instructor was great. He was funny and patient and I feel like I learned a few things. Everyone there for the lessons were great participants. After the lessons, the club night begins and the pros arrive. We danced a little, but after I saw the moves of the pros, I decided to sit it out and just watch. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the dancers and chatting with new people. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and have a great time. It wasn't pretentious and didn't have overbearing bouncers. The club never felt over crowded and wasn't smoky or hot like most places. It's diverse, the staff was awesome and the drinks were strong. I seriously had a great time and look forward to coming back to brush up on my new found moves. read more

I must say that this one of the most amazing birthdays ever! My flirty 37th birthday was spent at the sanctuary! The customer service was 5 star! I received the royal treatment tonight and I couldn't be happier!!! read more

If you love salse or just want to learn a few basic steps, this is the club for you. A good place for a girls night out or you and your significant other. The cover is $10 and parking is very limited so don't wait until the last minute or you will miss a real treat. read more

as good as it gets for salsa regulars on Fridays free classes 9-10 (beginner and intermediate) ladies free before 10pm free parking! (yes, in buckhead) Most people go there to dance, so it's not your typical night club, on average it's an older crowd and people behave: no drunks, no puking in the bathrooms (unlike Havana) Batenders are real nice. Drinks are not overpriced. On Fridays it's all salsa, merengue and bachata If you don't know how to dance somebody will teach you (or many somebodies - just keep coming back) the only thing they could do away with is the smoking inside read more

This place really sucks. This was my third time here. The first time was great. It was packed. I had a lot of friends with me and we danced the night away. The second time I came here, it was empty. We got here around 11pm and waited until 1am, and only about 5 people walked in. Nobody danced and the place was pretty much dead. The third time, same thing. We came this past Saturday night and it was dead. We paid $10 to get in (they have cover charge both guys and girls). There were about 10 people, all sitting on the couches upstairs, and no one danced. The music was great, but it was pretty much dead. Also, everyone smokes inside this place, including the security/bouncer guys. read more

If you like to salsa dance, this club is the best I know of in Atlanta.

I haven't been here in a while, and I've only been once, but when I did go I had an awesome time! Me and my boyfriend went early for the salsa lessons and it was super fun. Once the club opened up we were on the floor dancing and so was was everyone else. The ambiance was just great!. read more

Cute club, decent priced drinks, lots of hotties.

Pretty fun place. $10 cover charge and enough areas to dance in. The drinks are small but strong. Everyone is friendly and the regulars dance all night. The music is decent, but seems to be one genre, but hey it works- everyone keeps dancing. The parking was not an issue for us as we arrived around 10:30. read more

Absolutely worth a visit and still the best Salsa dancing spot in Atlanta for all levels. It can be hard to find, but worth the effort. Some Fridays are extremely packed and others not so much, it's difficult to know, but it's a great time either way. The music rotates through salsa, merengue and bachata with an occasional pop song thrown in. Overall, it's a very laid-back, but classy club without the "yuck" factor that so many other clubs have and anyone will feel comfortable after walking up the big center stairs. It tends to fill up later in the evening. There are a number of salsa regulars there, who will dance with just about anyone and do so with class, from what I've seen. Love this place. read more

So this place didn't look like it was going to be that fun when we got there. Maybe it was a slower night! But this ended up being the best dance experience of our girls trip weekend!! The guys that were there kept us on the dance floor! We will always choice the Sanctuary as our Friday night Spanish dance spot when in town!!! read more

$10.00 cover, $9.00 cocktails (served in a plastic cup) and the place was freezing. Not a fan, we won't be going back.

I am one of those individuals who loves to dance and coming here regularly for two years has greatly improved my dancing confidence and style ! Great music and intimate setting !! I'm so happy it's smoke free ;) read more