12/28/08

disgusted by the woman at the front door--exremely rude

by simo5353

My friend and I decided to go check out this place--she told me she had been there a few times before and liked it. However, when we got there, this extremely snooty woman told us that antik is "always private" and that they were only allowing people in for a private event or something--and she gave us the dirtiest most disgusting look, like something out of "Mean Girls" and told us we could go downstairs. We looked in the window and saw that the place was deserted. My friends and I were dressed to the nines-- we looked really cute--no reason to kick us out because we weren't "pretty enough." We told them we didn't want to give them our business and left. I guess they're trying to be all exclusive and elite or something--seems really stupid to me--they're in NYU territory--no point in trying to be all "elite" and snooty. We ended up having a great time elsewhere.

I've never written a review on this site in my life but I was so disgusted by this woman that I felt compelled to do so.

11/23/08

Ugh!

by Nepper

STAY AWAY!!! Over-priced, lousy service by self-absorbed, pretentious staff. The downstairs lounge looks and smells like the East Side basement it's housed in. Entering this joint will bring your night out to a screeching halt. The rent-a-DJ better keep his day gig doing Bar Mitzah's at the Ramada.

10/24/08

Possibly the worst bar in New York City

by jonnyeye

I don't want to waste too much time on this.

Antik is, without a shadow of a doubt, the worst bar in New York City.

Dirty, expensive, awful sound system blaring out the sort of music your little sister loves, incompetent (dirty) staff and super aggressive bouncers. The clientele look like a casting call for Lord Of The RIngs - I never seen so many shabbily dressed uglies in NYC. They let anyone stroll in, so desperate are they to get the cash registers ringing.

The drinks are an absolute joke - they wave the vodka bottle at a small tumbler of tonic water and charge you 9 bucks.

The night I went there, the fucktard of a barman lost my credit card (and subsequently charged over 200 dollars to it), the coat check took half an hour to find my coat (they said i should just go home without it) and the manager - some fat baffoon with clown hair - simply refused to have a reasonable discussion about finding either....just getting his bouncer to manhandle me out...

Outside, a fight was happening while the 'security' just looked on and shouted encouragement.

Thankfully, this place won't last long, but avoid it like the plague until it dies a slow death."

• Pros: There's decent bars nearby
• Cons: It's the worst night out you'll ever have.

10/23/08

Grandma Owns a Club?

by thedudeishung

Went to a PRIVATE PARTY here tonight and my girl and I were having nothing but pure fun, but when she pulled my shirt up 1 or 2 times, some mamsy-pamsy claiming to be the owner scrambled over and reprimanded us like a conservative old grandma. When we quit that and engaged in some totally faux, FUN lap dancing - with ALL OUR CLOTHES ON, he skipped back over in a tizzy and got hysterical again. From there, he proceeded to fire up a cigarette along with the cancer sticks of his various eurotrash cronies which ran everyone out of the place. Later we met the DJ outside who mentioned how he noticed we were having a blast all night and enjoyed our dancing. In spite of that, we would never, EVER set foot in this place again, which had the atmosphere of a conservative church social. F-Minus!

• Pros: Went with a great date
• Cons: Owner who thinks it's a conservative 19th century nunnery

05/29/08

HORRIBLE

by jessica54010

So besides the fact that this place is ultra cheap (it looks like the decor was borrowed), the service is horrible. I understand the "alleged" premise, but it actually doesnt have a bar because they could not fit one in such a tiny space. The service is not only bad becuase the waitresses have to serve EVERYONE but also because they are clueless. A dive bar is a dive bar downstairs in a basement, and this upstairs space is a small room that is supposed to be an event space/lounge. Do yourself a favor and find a real place to do your party, or better yet have one in your apartment as it is about the same size.

• Pros: NONE
• Cons: SMALL, NO BAR, BAD SERVICE, CHEAP DECOR

05/16/08

Downstairs is better.

by NYC2VEGAS

So I was at this new place Antik last night. It was really good but as things slowed down I discovered the bar called Kings Cross underneath it. Faster service with a very chill crowd. It's small, to be sure to get there before 1 so you can get in.

• Pros: Unique speak-easy type design, good mixed crowd.
• Cons: No bar, waitress service only.

05/16/08

FINALLY!!!! A place that totally gets it.

by ssm171

Antik and its downstairs bar Kings Cross are the place to be. They got it right!!! Kings Cross downstairs is a totally chill 'upscale pub'. As crazy as that sounds, thats really what its like. Upstairs Antik is way way cool. Its a sexxy fun lounge thats not too big, not prententious, no B&T, just really cool. Its perfect for parties because of its size... I was there for my friends birthday party (actually it was three birthday parties) and we had a blast. They basically gave us the club and were super accomodating. Waittresses are HOT and surprising attentive. I guess since there is no bar they have to be... The no bar thing is a bit strange but it works. The attitude is really like - go party and enjoy and let us do the work. Music is good it was a good mix. Whats also great is that you can go up and down between places, so you can have drinks downstairs then go upstairs and party and then go downstairs late night for more drinks.

• Pros: Ambience, No B&T, Service, Private Parties, Strong Drinks
• Cons: Bare Walls, Slow Coat Check, Reservations

Red velvet runs amok at the Bowery's friendly but elitist, private but not, bar-less cocktail lounge.

by Laura Norkin

With space for just 74 people, Antik is prime for private parties, and that's primarily what it's used for--or at least that's what they'll tell you at the door. Inside, past the velvet curtains, the lounge's oblong layout forces the fashionista and finance clientele to hug tables as they wait for friendly (if flaky) waitresses. And wait they must, since there's no bar to approach even if they weren't paying bottle premiums for service (which most of them are). Some minglers cluster in the middle, clogging traffic and causing table-flowers to gawk from parallel banquettes, while latecomers idle on the small patch of tile not being used as a dance floor, right next to the hip-hop spinning DJ.

Hits: Open bar, closed door, bottle service, music of any kind ... The staff will accommodate virtually any private party request while remaining friendly to simple cocktail-seekers sans entourage (as long as they have resos).

Misses: Burgundy velvet abounds, and the lighting is predictable, with votives and shabby chandeliers epileptically tossed across the black ceiling. Stray palm trees are a non sequitur, just like Antik's name; nothing here appears aged.

03/26/08

We need more places like this!!

by lethegoodtimesroll

My friends decided to quickly change plans this friday and go to antik and we had an amazing time. the decor was great and the atmosphere was... different. Definately go check it out at least once.