Hiro Ballroom
Category: Dance Clubs [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Manhattan/Meatpacking District, Manhattan/Chelsea371 W 16th St
The Maritime Hotel
(between 8th Ave & 9th Ave)
New York, NY 10011 (212) 727-0212
- Nearest Transit:
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
18th St-7th Ave (1)
14th St-7th Aves (1, 2, 3, F, V, L)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: DJ, Live
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sun
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: Yes
95 Reviews for Hiro Ballroom
Saw Liz Phair perform at Hiro Ballroom recently. A small inmate setting with a good sound system. Good line-of-sight from most parts of the club. I'm not sure how the place would sound for music that is bass-heavy, but it worked well for the show I saw. The decor is a little contrived, in a restaurant-chain sort of way. Reminds me of Ruby Foo's-meets-S.O.B.
Overall, a nice new addition to NYC venues showcasing indie acts.
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Diagnosis: Yellow Fever
*Crowded
*Ok dancefloor
*Interesting Asian Decor
I went here on a club night and it was the typical MPD bullshit. There was a long line of bawdy looking people waiting to be granted entry from man in a black suit. Luckily we had some connections so we were able to bypass this crap. Otherwise, I would have turned around immediately.
The inside was overcrowded and loud. The dance floor was decent, but the vibe sort of made me feel like I was in high school. They had these chicks doing suspension dancing, but it didn't really seem to go with the rest of the club.
This place loves Asians. Everything is Asian themed, they have lots of Asian people in the club, and it's called Hiro.
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Anti Pop Consortium and Prefuse 73, mainstays of trip-hop, performing at a swanky nightclub in the district of dudes wearing Ralph Lauren striped shirt, the obligatory sporty suit coat, and probably Italian moccasins - aka Metpacking - ? What in the name of Dom Perignon is going on around here? Did Hiro's owner think he was gonna pack 'em in with these guys performing? Did he book them while he was on an acid trip at his apartment while watching Tricky? On impulse?
Upon entering Hiro, you're confronted with what the name suggests - a ballroom. Architecturally, it's sort of exciting, if only because the tables and the "couches" where Mr. Perignon introduces himself to the wealthy suitors are planted on the side, not smack dab in the middle of what will quickly become a dance floor. Countless clubs make this mistake - perhaps it's not a financial mistake because there's more chances for Mr. Perignon to acquaint himself with the crowd; but if you wanna get your bootie shakin' and don't care about Mr. Perignon, then these tables are akin to a running back getting stuffed by a linebacker. You don't want obstacles, you want freedom.
So the space works. The crowd, meanwhile, a refreshing conglomeration of backpackers who bought the group's t-shirts, chilled out dudes, and the occasional striped shirt, coexisted peacefully as they let the DJ's do their thing. Booze will be priced much the same way as other Meatpacking spot, give or take a buck, but at least the beer lexicon at Hiro extends beyond lame-o Bud Light and Corona, and you can actually get sake and Sapporo and Asahi.
I don't know how it works when there's no act, but it was actually fun.
Fun happens in a Meatpacking nightclub. Yes, it's true.
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After much fanfare, I finally went to the 'Asian Night' on Fridays.
I got there early to stand in line but to my amazement, when I got close to the front of the line, the promoter told me that I have to be with a female to even get in the club. That is just a fucking ridiculous concept. First of all, this is called sexism and I'm pretty sure that its generally frowned upon in modern society. Who do they think spend the big bucks at clubs?! All the pretty little girls? I cannot name one girl that is not ugly that pay her own way at clubs. Its all the guys that pay. Guys are the source of revenue, not the girls but I digress.
Anyways, once inside, I actually like the club quite a bit. Lots of space both upstairs and downstairs. Japanese themed decor with lanterns and same-styled seating areas which was actually pretty nice. Good selection of alchohol and a good coat check service. There was somewhat of a show in the middle of the night with girls hanging from the ceiling which is lame in my humble opinion. I think it is supposed to be erotic and artsy but really, its been done before and I'm sure Its been done better.
O yes and if you check this night's promotions website, the gallery shows a ton of girls. This is because they only take pictures of the girls! Pretty much everything about this promotions group is centered around illusion that there are just a massive amount of girls that go to their events.
At the end, my friends came and we had a pretty good time. The alchohol really helped. Left early, but as we were leaving I think about 3 fights were going on at the same time by some little Asian gangsters.
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Oh clubs.
I never really go to them if I have a say in it, but since I was rollin deep with some co-workers and it was a Thrillist party, I silenced my exnay on the clubsay vote and tagged along. When we walked in it was a sardine-packed dance floor and the crazy strobe lights were everywhere. Since it was Internet week there were tech geeks everywhere with loosened ties and glasses and definitely quite a few rolled up sleeves to be counted. I then looked on stage and saw what looked like, Daft Punk? Really? At a Thrillist party? Hmmm.
The gals I was with swore up and down that it was really them, but having served a bit of time in the music industry and knowing how hard they are to work with, I highly doubted it, but wasn't going to rain on their parade :) And so after roaming the room, the many levels, having some strong drinks and talking to some tech geeks, we went down to the dance floor and I did what scientists like to refer to as, shook a tail feather to the funky beats. I was actually kinda having fun with it all until, "that guy" showed up.
We all know, "that guy." You know the kinda pervy, no talking Euro-trash dude who looks like he is either on something or trying to lure you in with his passionate Fabio-esque stare as he stands in front of you like a serial killer. Very sexy....if you have no standards or taste. Well, "that guy" was making his move and going in for what I can only assume was a move he saw Eric Neise do on MTV's 'The Grind' back in the 90's, but being a ninja-like escape artist, I smirked and walked away.
About 15 minutes later, hunger hit and we decided to bounce, but not before glancing back at Daft Prank and spotting "that guy" dancing on stage with some girl in a floral print mom dress who was falling for it. Ahhh, new love.
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So I came here for the Thrillist Party as a part of Internet Week. I wouldn't review, since it's more for a specific function, but I understand this place is rented out a lot for organized functions... and so I am here.
I thought this was a fantastic space. I loved the open dance floor and the way the tables were set up surrounding and the space above was great as well. Can't speak to drink prices since it was an event, but I liked the space a lot and the service was excellent.
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Had a great time dancing the night away on a Saturday night! Music was okay but the atmosphere was so pretty. I didn't have to wait in line -just talked with the doorgirl and got in with 10 dollar tickets. Loved the look of the club. It felt like I was transported back into ancient Japan or something. Some douche was smoking on the dancefloor but the bouncer made him stop pretty quickly.
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I came here a few Fridays ago because my friend just broke up with his girlfriend and wanted to go out. So we got a table and bottle service. This was only my second time at Hiro and this particular night happened to be "Asian Night".
Don't get me wrong, I love my people, but maybe I'm just a little older or not into the Asian Scene anymore, but woof...Never seen so many Cross-Eyed Sea Donkeys in my life.
I was kinda embarressed when a few Asian dudes wore sunglasses on the dance floor like if they were Asian popstars. You ain't Kanye West with your shutter shades. From New Jersey, I take it?
You know you're too old for these parties when girls have bleached Mustafa Lion King hair with fake tans. Girl, I don't think you're from LA, you look 7 Train-Frushing Main Street.
But who am I to judge? I probably used to be just like them when I was 21, but I never wore sunglasses inside a club. It just wasn't my scene. I felt so out of place. I left around midnight and walked back home and got me a slice.
Thanks Hiro for the lesson I learned. Not to come back.
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I'm not much for these humongous clubs but this one I have to say it the one to go to. When you think of a club this is what comes to mind. Definitely good music to dance to and the space to do it. Perhaps a lil too much of the B&T crowd but....hey what can you do. Go with your own friends and enjoy the feeling.
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Very unique look inside with a cool asian theme. Lots of red lighting and has girls hanging from the ceiling in sheets doing acrobatics.
Not a very big dance floor. the floor is interrupted by the little tables and couches where very few people actually sit.
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Went here on NYE only because my best friends were DJing. The ONLY reason I ever would. This place was trash. Douchebags dressed in shitty clothes, drinking shitty drinks like Red Bull and vodka and getting into drunken arguments with their shitty girlfriends. I was watching a table of particularly douchey/shitty peeps: 4 dudes and 4 girls. Here's a quick checklist of their night:
1. One couple is already fighting when they walk in...and must have been all the way from Jersey.
2. One dude is already wasted at like 11pm.
3. About a hour into the night one of the girls throws up at the table. Her boyfriend is nowhere to be found. This prompts another one of the girls to yell at HER boyfriend to go find him.
4. The dude that's already wasted passes out at the table. The bouncers scoop him up and kick him out.
5. This causes one of the dudes to try to "defend" his buddy. HE gets thrown out.
6. One girl starts crying. And that prompts a fight with her boyfriend.
7. I leave 'cause I feel like I'm watching MTV's True Life: I'm from Staten Island.
Stellar human beings in a shitty, shitty "club".
Fuck this place.
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Clubs are not really my thing - but when I heard that DJ Premiere (he works with Gang Starr, JayZ, DJ Guru - tons of others) was playing and I could get in halfprice since one of my friends knows someone who knows someone - AND when I ended up dancing right next to SPIKE LEE for half of the evening - I gotta say I had a blast. DJ Premier knows the best music to dance to - seriously. Every song that came on - I was like - WOW I love this song (and again - I'm not a clubber). Good mix of classic hip hop, stuff from the 90s, Motown throw-backs, and more recent hits.
As for the other people there - it was a mixed bag. I'm more of the dive-bar, coffee-shop kind of woman and apparently didn't know that wearing boots and long sleeves is a no-no in clubs (so hot!). And when I heard the sparkley-topped women in the bathroom talking in high-pitched "ohmygodliketotally!" tones, I was a bit afraid. But I came with a group of friends and my boyfriend and had fun dancing with all of them - and they had fun dancing with some of the other people there too - so it wasn't as bad as I originally feared. Apparently, I need to buy a minidress for the next time I go to a place like this.
Also - there were acrobatic women in sequined leotards swinging and doing twists and flips in sheets from the ceiling the whole time. Novel and interesting to say the least.
4 stars!
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I saw a chick get checked by a security guard and plummet to the concrete at the door here because she insisted on getting inside after being told that she was not allowed in. Then shortly afterwards, I witness a fight erupt inside the hallway between some random dudes. I pay my cover, walk in...and wow...overly pretentious with the Japanese interior deco, red lanterns, and script - I couldn't help but anticipate a sumo match showdown any minute. Who am I kidding though, it was a hotel venue - I could smell the crowd suckage the minute I approached the door.
I came here for DJ Premier (Gangstarr) and it was cool meeting him afterwards. His set was full of classics, and of course, I can always count on this DJ to bring 'em.
Drinks were ridiculously expensive at $11 a pop. They even enforced a $50 minimum on using your card at the bar, and not to mention a "mandatory" coat check (which of course we ignored and piled our coats on a nearby seat). We didn't mind the $20 cover since it was our last night in the Big Apple, but overall, I think this venue was trying too hard. Oh yea, they even had two broads swingin off some tied up sheets suspending from the ceiling. WTF!! This is Primo we're talking about - Hip Hop, son! - not Paris Hilton featuring Tila Tequila. This experience really added variety to our string of nightly events that week.
What is wrong with people these days? On our way out, I saw a belligerently drunk woman freak a handrail all by her lonesome. Daaaaaamn! And lastly, I felt violent towards the two ignant m****f***az smoking cigarettes on the dancefloor. Who the hell does that? This ain't Europe! Better thank The Notorious B.I.G. because of him, I cut a rug that night instead of throats. It's all good baybeh baybeh!!!
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Went to Hiro for the first time this past Sunday. I probably would have had a better time had I had a few more drinks, but I had a good time. Very big dance floor with minimal standing space elsewhere. The DJ was very good, playing an eclectic mix of dance tracks. Some of the go-go boys needed a lesson or two. $12 vodka tonics, in a tiny plastic cup...never again. Get your fill before you head to Hiro. Ran into Carson from Queer Eye. He was actin a hot mess, makin out with some guy next to us. Not my fav gay bar, Hiro does a good job with their decor, music, and ample dance space.
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Open space and a good dance vibe of friendly faces and rhythm. A $40 minimum on the credit card juked a solo like me. But all in all DJs for the Fool's Gold event were down right off the hizzle. Went for Steve Aoki, stayed for A Trak.
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I love this place I go there every Thursday, the whole staff is great:).
I am obviously a little bit biased here, but I honestly feel that Hiro is one of the best spaces in the city. Seriously, how many places can you really be in awe of an interior space in Manhattan where space is always at a minimum.
Depending on the night will dictate the level of enjoyment you might get from this ballroom, but there's always weekly DJs and big name performers that frequent Hiro. Table service isn't a must, but on any busy night it's strongly suggested, but if you want to just hit the bar, there's 3 full bars on two floors (if it's busy). Make sure to hit the side bar where Eric is the man behind the bar.
If you're more into the Asian scene then check out www.basenyc.com for the next bi-monthly event that normally has lines waiting to get in past 2AM.
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I think it really depends on what exactly you come here for.
My reason was for Ghostly's Matthew Dear on a Thursday night.
He was fantastic, so was the space...to which I later found out that this was the same space they filmed Kill Bill Vol.1.
I'd def. come back for a good show.
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We came here for my cousin's 30th birthday party and I had a lot of fun! I just came from the club and it was quite easy to get into.Whether or not that's a good thing is a matter of opinion.
Music: DJ Cassidy played Kanye West, Arrested Development, Madonna, Daft Punk, Notorious B.I.G., Zhane (Hey Mr. DJ!), Journey, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson and a plethora of other memorable tunes that spanned from the 90s to the present. My only gripe is that he didn't play songs the whole way through and would cut to the next song after a couple minutes of play time. Bah! Just when I was feeling Daft Punk's "One More Time"! We gon celebrate! Alright.
There was enough elbow room and an even number of ladies to guys. I found a total of 4-5 hot (read: drop dead gorgeous) ladies there thinking that there wouldn't be any since it was easy to get into. Being a Saturday night, there were maybe no more than 15 people in line. But the dance floor had enough people busting a move that it seemed like a best kept secret.
Decor: Vertical wooden planks flank the four walls. Several soft cushioned seats and tables formed a square in the middle of the room, but gave way enough for people to dance in between. The coat check area was at the far opposite end of the entrance. On a scale of 1 - 5 with 5 being the darkest, it was about a 3.5 where you could "clearly" see who's dancing in front of you, but dark enough to where they seemed mysterious and alluring. The entire room seemed like an extension of Matsuri, the trendy Japanese restaurant next door at the Maritime Hotel. There were also ladies who used long drapes and performed a la cirque du soleil near the ceiling for added entertainment.
Atmosphere: People weren't too pretentious nor were they ghetto.Most everyone seemed real and out to have a good time, especially the girls who wanted to go out and dance with their friends.
Drinks: For example, a 7 & 7 costs $10. Tap water on the other hand, is free. But I tippsed them anyway. Decently priced. Bartenders were attentive cause despite the people who crowded the bar, she was able to flag me down instead of the other way around.
Romantic: It could be.
Admission: $20 for guys and $20 girls, but if you eat at Matsuri next door, you may be able to try and get your way in for free. Just talk to the bartender at the restaurant (Cough, cough, Mata the goatee-under-the-lip and nose ring guy from Japan who thinks LA depresses him, but loves Orange County and hit on my beautiful female cousin) and have a few drinks. Or have your girlfriends show some skin. Holla!
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I've been to Hiro only on Sundays, and I loathe the crowd. Too much. Too crowded. Music is questionable. The last time I was there, which is the last time I will ever go there, I had a table in the mezzanine, with a bottle of Grey Goose. While I was away from the table, some randoms sat down and helped themselves to my bottle, and one of them spit a cosmo on my friend Bradley's white shirt when he asked them who they were there with. i asked the guy who he was with, he claimed it was his table and bottle, which I found funny because I distinctly recall shelling out the sheckles for it earlier. The guy got nasty, the staff wouldn't even ask him to leave my table, though he was clearly not invited. He got lippy, and found himself falling down a flight of stairs. Oh well, when you crash a party, you get burned.
I digress, to my friends that work there, it isn't a reflection on you, but I find the attitude to be aggressive here, and completely unwarranted.
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I visited Hiro for their gay night last Sunday. I was not impressed. The space is really interesting and has the potential for something great. Potential that goes unfulfilled.
First, the drinks are outrageously expensive, small, and poorly mixed. It was $12 for a rum and coke in a 6 or 8 ounce cup, most of which was filled with ice. Perhaps to compensate the bartender poured way too much rum and only splashed the coke.
The DJ was also pretty bad. He lacked the ability to transition from one song to the next gracefully. He also had an annoying habit of frequently inserting pauses in the music. There were a couple times I actually wondered if the sound system failed.
Getting anything in or out of coat check after about 11pm is near impossible. We waited in line for nearly an hour to get out of there. For how much they charge for coat check and drinks, and how many people they pack in there, they can probably afford a couple more people at coat check to move the line along a bit. It was ridiculous.
My last complaint is the dancers. There were go-go boys in three locations. One of them, a particularly endowed man, was beyond obnoxious. He didn't dance so much as he pleasured himself through his see-through thong.
Just skip it. There are some great bars within close walking distance. Spend your time there instead.
Hiro, Hiro, Hiro... God where to start.
This is a great place to bring your out of town friends who are eager for the "New York" night life experience. I went there a few weeks ago and though I had no problem getting in I was very disappointed with what I saw when I made it through the velvet ropes. The doormen and people outside made Hiro out to be the place to see and be seen. Not so much. The music was fun and got people dancing, but it was just so lame.
At one point during the night a couple of "dancers" climbed a robe and started doing wombing-like movements in a see through white sheet. Lame. Lame. Lame Lame.
No fishable men, and the only charming guy in the whole club was the coat check guy.
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I'm sort of torn because I thought it was a very pretty and interesting space and I met some cuties, but ultimately, I got bored and left "early" at 1:00am. I sort of felt that Hiro's Sunday party should have either committed to being a circuit party or being something more interesting and loungey. Maybe it evolved into something better after I left, but I obviously didn't have the patience to stay after the 2+ hours I spent there.
If I had the choice to go out one night a week, it would be here on a sunday night (the gay night). Music usually makes my night, and the DJ here always makes a great selection (The DJ used to trainwreck EVERY track, but last time I went the transitions were very good). If you know anything about current quality dance music and old classics (think Pete Tong's Radio1 show; i.e. not american over-played sh*t), you will enjoy yourself too. No cover! standard drink I think around $10, although no long islands :( Just have a drink or two with your friends before you head out and it will be a worthwhile and cheap night (most important for poor grad student's ass). Unfortunately I have lab meeting every monday morning at 8:30 am, so can't make it out frequently.
I actually had an excellent time at Hiro, despite some of the reviews of it being lame. We got in with no problem and the music was pretty good (not amazing, but not as bad as the music at APT which we escaped only minutes before). At least we could DANCE which was the key.
Coat check is $3 btw.
Anyway, I didn't end up drinking anything, but I still had a good time dancing. I was a little mesmerized by the girls in the white sheets suspended from the ceiling, I'll admit that.
Overall, fun time, good music, great friends and a nice time dancing. Could've had a much better time, but whatever, it was a fun night overall.
Hip and popular club in the basement of the maritime hotel. Huge space with vaguely Asian/Japanese decor fits with more or less what you'd expect for a trendy, upscale venue. Also used as a live event or concert space at times. Expect a line and long waits from Thurs through Sat night.
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Dragged poor Rebecca with me to an afterparty during Fashion Week; the crowd was an interesting mix of people- does anyone look in the mirror before they leave the house- too many bad sweet 16 and MOB outfits.
We met Christian from PR, gawd he's smaller than I am, and I am 5/ 2 1/2".
Love the space; beautiful arched ceilings; snug little privacy booths on the second floor. Rather large dance floor and hanging paper lanterns.
I thought the place would be fun on a date, as it's rather dark and...well use your imagination on what could happen in the shadows darling (um, could you tell I've been watching BBC America today??)
Erm, yes, back to the subject at hand....there was fun music, lots of 80's stuff, which made us sing out loud and reminisce about really bad clothing, but the sound system sucked. Half the time it sounded as if the DJ had made a mix tape on a cassette and stuck it in and hit play. Sound wobbled in and out with a lot of hiss and some garbling. As an ex-DJ my ears were really offended.
However, I think it might to go there again. Either with a group of people, or on a date and suck face in a dark corner. Oh, I am sooo not mature.
I only come here when Cheeky Bastards are having a party. Loads o fun. Plus they usually have a Tiger Beer/shot of cheap whiskey combo that is $4 or so.
Yess.
My favorite show here was the Teddybears in September. Ridiculously fantastic.
Be prepared for hipster nation, so if you don't like them, don't go. And don't bitch either. Hipsters are people too and they are just getting shit on because it is cool to shit on them. Plus no one will admit they are a hipster.
I'm not.
I am a yipster. It is like a yuppie/hipster mullet. Work in the front, party in the back.
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You wanna know the REAL scoop on HIRO? It's a great place. There aren't too many places in NYC these days where you can just go - get wasted and take your troubles to the dance floor and not worry about who's checking you out, what you look like, or if someone is going to make fun of you for dancing like that. Granted, I did have this guy try to dance with me once and later attempt to grab my crotch, but he was drunk and needed to be put in his place. It happens!! It's called nightlife...
Listen, it is dirty, it's a dive, if you want a classy lounge, there are several spots like that in Manhattan! Some people, like myself, enjoy the George Michael-esque feeling of places like HIRO. LIMELIGHT, SoundFactory, CroBar, Mr. Blacks.. these were places that fused NYC underground with mainstream and gave it a pulse...now they are gone and HIRO is trying!
FINAL Thought: Check it out! if you don't like it, exit the way you came! PEACE!
Thursday nights at Hiro play host to the Cheeky Bastard parties, which are always a great time. I've seen DJ sets from members of Ladytron, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bloc Party to Courtney Love perform LIVE here over the summer in 2007.
Great decor, fashionable, okay crowd, celeb spottings, outrageous drink prices, but the music is GREAT.
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Decent size place with a stage, cool crowd, only have Japanese beer
My friends brought me to this place last week. We got there around like 11:40 PM on a Thursday. For some reason, there's a line of about 40 ppl in front of us, but when you get in, the place is relatively empty. It definitely helps if you know ppl cuz being on the guest list (which my friend some how trick the security by giving the same name as the people in front of us) doesn't mean much, we still waited 30 minutes outside. The good thing was it wasn't that cold that day.
Once inside, you get to chill out in the cool lounge. There are seats on the left side and bunch of seats in the middle in front of the stage. The bar is to the right of the stage. The night I went, it started out quiet but the place kept on getting filled until there was a decent crowd. The girl to guy ratio is awesome. The music is very electronic 80ish, not what I'm used to.
This is one of the few places where I give it a 4 star even though some people would give it a 3 due to the beer selection. They only have Japanese beers, that means, no Heineken, no Corona, etc. Good thing I know my Japanese beers (Asahi, Sapporo).
Went here a little while ago to see the John Butler Trio (awesome as always). The tickets were limited to 400, and was done as an intimate seated event. Great night!!!
Really, really nice intimate venue.
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OK - this place was empty last night.
and I have no idea why. I was told it was pretty happening! But seriously, what the heck happened?
I love the interiors - very circa Kill Bill fight scene. Altho I'm not sure why there is a Chinese lion head in a Japanese place - that was the only thing that seemed off. Well that, and along with like less than 10 people on the dance floor.
Also, the DJ was dj-ing from a Mac laptop - what is up with that? This is the 2nd place I've gone to - where this has happened. Odd. Perhaps I'm spoilt or something... DJ equipment can be expensive.
Also, we got kicked out @ 2:30am. WTF. And as we were leaving, I was exclaiming how early this placed closed - the bouncer mentioned that it's only today and its usually NEVER like this. He promised to hook us up if we came back on Saturday...
That smelt like desperation to me.
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For gay guys, there is no other place to be on Sunday night. Great crowd, amazing energy. Really great space, with lots of places to wander around to. It can be "circuit-y" but the flirting is fun, and the music is great. Plus, no cover (though watch out, they make it up in drink prices where two basic vodka & sodas will set you back $25 with tip)! The lines are long, so get there early if you don't like waiting (e.g., before 11 pm)
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Great event space...
A party is made into an experience within this venue.
A true NYC hidden jewel...
This is the place to stop in if you went to a fabulous party beforehand, and you're dressed to the hilt. I was coming from The Park in Chelsea, from a benefit gala for a ballet company performing at the Joyce. We passed by to see what was going on that night and it was 11:45p on a Thursday.
My buddy had on a Tux, I wore Stella, I was already almost as smashed as Sadie Frost, during her dark bingeing days in London. We easily passed the Euros on line and were let in by these big hiphop looking bouncers...all without an ID! Turned out Moby was DJing that nite.
What does that tell you? The door is pick and choosey, especially if everyone looks like everyone else's hipster neighbor or if u look like you just got here to America. They want your drink moolah, baby!!! Look like you can buy tons of 'em.
Went here on a Friday night when it was a nightclub. Deejay was surprisingly good, tasteful mixing of hip-hop. Everyone is ridiculously Asian. General age was about 21-26 with a few outliers. Good male-to-female ratio, but not exactly the place for the most intelligent of conversations nor company. Many of the girls I found were relatively new to America or just visiting. Drinks were rather over-priced; expect about $1,000+ for a booth with cheap champagne/rum/juice etc. Much easier to get in if you "know someone."
Went here on a Thursday night to hear a friend DJ. From the moment we stepped to the door we were treated like VIPs. Hehe, it pays to know the DJ! Inside, it's all dark lacquered wood, Asian brocade walls, and rosy Japanese lanterns. Plus a gigantic mirror ball for that kick of disco fever. The high ceilings give it an airy, spacious feel, even when the floor is packed. I liked the fact that there's a bar, stage, and dancefloor like a traditional night club, as well as restaurant touches like comfy booth seating and small ottomans and coffee tables. The crowd was a youngish mix of gay and straight. I felt like a lot of the kids were college freshmen going clubbing in NYC for the first time. That could be a con or a pro, depending on your preferences, I suppose...
I went during an all Depeche Mode tribute night, and one of the DJs (not my friend) was pretty um, bad. But I had fun drinking sake and watching people lose it to the music. Will go back for sure, on a night that they're playing more than one artist ;)
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i was dragged here on a sunday night. it was just so sweaty and crazy and big and crowded. i almost cried, but instead i got really sick and had to be carried home. no good. it looked like what would happen if q-zar and costco had a baby. chaos.
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Kill Bill comes to mind when I think of Hiro. The scene where Uma Thurman is fighting off the Japanese school kids with large staircases all around is what it feels like. I went here on a Friday night and there was an open bar (vodka drinks) for ladies until 1130pm! (Only on certain nights do they do that.) Drinks are expensive, so fellas get ready to spend. The DJ that was spinning that night sucked! Maybe it was just that night? There were acrobatic girls swinging from the ceiling and girls getting body painted on stage. (I've never seen that done at a club before.) I was with a group of friends and had a blast. We didn't have a table, but would recommend others to get one. If you like the Asian scene, then go to Hiro on Friday nights. 95% Asian, 5% other. Or if you just have yellow fever, then go there too. =D