Avalon

08/03/09

Go to Avalon and live in the Limelight!

by AntonEgo at Citysearch

The idea of partying in a church freaked me out but the atmosphere was very exciting and the club had a great vibe! I would recommend it to anyone looking to try something new and open their minds to different types of music!

• Pros: Old Church
• Cons: You might go to Hell

11/17/07

Terrific Club Scene

by rachelbff at Citysearch

Do Not try to compare it to what Limelight used to be- because it is a totally different club run by a separate management group.

Although it isn't what "we" are all used to - it is one of the best club scenes in NYC!! The atmosphere is trendy and "clubbish" with dark lights- high ceilings- and deep bass.. the surround sound system in the main room is one of the best i've heard since Sound Factory or The Tunnel... There is a range of music from techno-mixed with jungle to Hip-Hop and R&B in a smaller room.

Yes it is pricey- but it is in NYC and thats what you should expect when you walk into a club that is as well known as Avalon. The drinks are not as expensive as Crobar so that is a plus and if you go during happy-hour they are half price.

The trick to gettin in before mid-night and paying 1/2 price is your attitude. If you give the bouncers a mean look they will charge you full price- walk in with a smile and you'll get what you want.

The dress-code is the best part- come as you please.. i believe you can wear hats as other clubs make you take them off and heels/sneakers/sandals are welcome

Try to get there early because the lines run around the block sometimes especially in the winter time and do not bring large bags or heavy coats- come in a cab and just deal with the weather-- they have a pricey MANDATORY coat-check

All in all this is one of the hottest places to go if you are in the mood for a good night with your friends and love to dance!!! have fun :)

• Pros: Terrific Music
• Cons: Pricey

08/12/07

Don't EVER Go To Avalon: They will ruin your night (and take your money)

by themoagain at Citysearch

I went to Avalon this Friday for my friends 21st birthday. People had warned us about this place, but Sean Kingston was performing that night and we had VIP access, so we figured how bad it could it be. We figured very, very wrong. We arrived a little after 11:00 with a group of 6 people. The pushy bouncers and RUDE, INCONSIDERATE staff forced the Birthday girl down the hallway so that we couldn't wait for the rest of the group. Again, being forced to move along they told her she and everyone else had to pay $30 (knowing it was her birthday and that we had VIP admission), Whether this was blatant stupidity or a set-up, we don't know, but they gave the admission tickets to the LAST person in the group, who we were told we were not allowed to wait for. Even with the tickets being presented no more than 2 minutes later, we were given an attitude and told that there were no refunds no matter what. This place packs a crowd of scumbags and doesn't deserve a dime of your money. Even once inside, a 3oz. cup with vodka and cranberry will cost you $11, and the sketchy atmosphere is enough to drive anyone away. If this is how they treat their VIP guests i can't imagine what it must be like to be a regular customer at avalon.

• Cons: Rude staff, small, expensive drinks, pretty much everything

07/29/07

Not recommended

by bobnewyorker at Citysearch

It was my Birthday and I put us on the guestlist which is a 'free till midnight' entry. We landed there at 9.45 pm thinking tht we will start the party early. But, the bouncer wont let us in till 11. We waited till 11.50 pm (2 hours in the line) to get in inspite of being first in line. Even though we entered before 12, they made us pay $30 for guys & gals. Inside, the atmosphere was not good, the bar was poor..barely stocked up..the drinks were $15 each and were served in the tiniest plastic cups possible. The music, crowd, lights.everything was frankly below par. The dj was stuck on repeating songs and there was no variety. Hiphop seemed to be the only thing playing. I dont see myself even passing this place from outside.

• Pros: Nothing actually
• Cons: Unprofessional behavior, lying about entry fee, poor music and bar, poor crowd.

07/28/07

bump

by party4life at Citysearch

Read what others wrote. I haven't been here that much.

• Pros: They have good events every now and then
• Cons: Regardless of what they say - free before whenever, you will end up paying to get in.

05/18/07

Hold-on to your camera

by lovelybluebird at Citysearch

I'm from Canada, and my sister lives in NYC. She recommended this place, so we headed here on Saturday, May 5. The bouncer gave us a deal on cover, once he saw I was from Canada. When the drinks were on special, they were so damn cheap we practically lived at the bar. Once they went up to regular price, we just went with the buzz we had going on. We had a great time dancing and meeting all the hot gay guys. A little disappointed someone stole my camera, but that just reinforces the negative American image-sorry. Loved the patio, and if I lived here, I would not hesitate to come back!

• Pros: The crowd and the patio
• Cons: Expensive drinks and camera thieves.

04/07/07

Should have taken these reviews seriously. Worst experience in my life!!!!

by jasmin1122 at Citysearch

Ok, seriously, I've been doing the club scene for a long time. I've been to this club a few times in the 90's when it was Limelight. Boy, how this place went into the gutter!! I took my girl last night (Friday) and I couldn't believe how aweful this place has become. First, we stood in line for about 45 minutes (that's not so bad, as most places experience that). When we finally got in the door, I was yelled at by this meat-head bouncer who kept telling me to pay the cashier girl. I said, "give me a second, I'm with her" (pointed out my girl who was getting patted down at the door), I was simply waiting for her to catch up to me. He says "well, you can pay NOW"!! So, I walked up to the cashier and she says "Seventy dollars"!! "Are you serious?" I asked. She said "yup and it gets higher as the night goes on!" $40 for me and $30 for my girl! That's insane, I mean come on, I don't mind paying good money for a fun night out but $70 just to get in?!? Anyway, I reluctantly paid and we were quickly forced up the stairs to the (manditory) coat-check where they wack you for another few bucks. Now, we're in the club, WOW It's such garbage now! The decor is dirty, the bartenders are primarily made up of these out-of-shape, completely arrogant, and scuzzy girls who look like they enjoy telling you that your two (vodka-sprites) in these (had to be 6oz cups) was $30!! That was the first two rounds I bought... the third round happened to all of a sudden total $34??? Some shanty bartender thought she could f** me and charge me whatever she wanted! All in all, the place is just a novelty now because it's an old church. Not worth a penny!! My advice to anyone reading this is please avoid this place like the plague!! Spend your hard-earned money somewhere where people actually do something for it!! Extremely hostile staff with an arrogant attitude of entitlement, scuzzy, often smelly crowd, mediocre music, overall despicable place. And I'm pretty easy to please.

• Pros: You can say you partied in a church?
• Cons: Extremely hostile staff, $70 cover charge for me and my girl for nothing special at all!!

03/25/07

Should have believed the reviews, this place is awful

by windvalley at Citysearch

I went to Avalon this past Friday night with 5 other girls and I assure you, I will never return. First of all, at 12am, they only had one of the smaller bars and dance floors open. At the hallway to the main dance floor, they had a big, mean bouncer asking "where are you going?" when I just wanted to go outside to see my friends who were smoking. When I said "I just want to go outside" he gave me a hard time and rudely said "well, better let me know straight away next time". Next thing, the drinks were really small (and I am talking not even a regular plastic cup size, but a 1/3 the size of that, more like a large shot glass) and a Cranberry and SoCo was $14, you have got to be kidding me!!! And then the girl at the bar was said "where is my tip?" The music was very main stream, mostly rap and R&B, nothing special at all. I ended up leaving early after spending a fortune on drinks for my friend (it was her special night). Such a shame we picked this location. I was at Avalon back in 2003 and it was a good time, I dont know what happened but I will never go to this dump again.

• Pros: The venue is pretty unique, it being an old church....
• Cons: everything else....if you like clubs/lounges, good night life. Go spend your $$ elsewhere

02/25/07

A little too uncivilized for my taste

by leotoni at Citysearch

I went to Avalon on a Friday, attracted by the big-name DJs and the famous site (it used to be Limelight). The venue is indeed amazing, and fans of electronic music will definitely be pleased with the DJs. However, the crowd wasn't the best: too many drunken students who would not let the girls walk around without being harassed, and constantly spill drinks on you--sometimes on purpose from the upper levels. It is probably one of those places you have to go once, but avoid going back. If you are over 25, you're probably better off going somewhere else.

• Pros: Ambiance, big-name DJs
• Cons: Undesirable crowd

02/13/07

Avoid this club at all cost! Hostile staff!

by adjoa75 at Citysearch

A group of us went out on Saturday night. We were on line at about midnight. We stood in line for 30 - 45 minutes, it was 20 degrees. Our ids were checked about three times. We were given tickets by the second bouncer who checked our ids, which stated "Complimentary Admission", so we're thinking this night won't be so bad after all. Once we were pat down (which honestly felt as if the female bouncer was caressing and not patting, more than one girl in the group spoke to this), we get to the register. Here we were told that the "Complimentary Admission" was not valid and that they used the color on the ticket stub to determine how much to charge you. Women were $20 and guys were $30. Women had a mandatory coat check ($4) but not guys; I guess the $30 was enough.

Once inside the club was empty (~200). It did fill up by the end of the night. The dj was terrible. He couldn't read the crowd; he would start a song and then mix in another that was terrible. People started booing at one point. Kid Capri did show up and that made up for prior dj.

The facilities are HORRIBLE!! They decided to make the men's room a unisex bathroom. It was awful it smelled like hot urine, everything was wet and dirty. The locks on the doors didn't work. There was no tissue in the stalls. You had to ask the poor lady who worked at the sink, for toilet tissue and she gave you two squares of one ply paper. There was no hot water to wash your hands with and once again you had to ask the lady by the sink for paper towel to dry you hands.

The drinks were expensive and depending on which bartender determined how well it was made. The whole experience was awful, don?t go!

• Pros: Nothing
• Cons: Ambience, Parking, Service, Facility