Arena

Great place for privet parties, party looks bling and shiny with upscale sofas and good food area and 2 bars.

Great event space always a fun time and they have my annual alumni event at this place

I came here this past Wednesday for Bacardi’s Cuban Independence day party with no major expectations but have to say they really put on a great event and Arena really worked bout nicely for what it was. They had a red carpet setup outside for check in, with a car and interesting Bacardi backdrop to take pictures in front of. There were even people flying drones outside to capture better footage angles and a professional photographer capturing snaps of us walking in. The drinks were super strong and there was a constant flow of great Cuban foods coming around to the tables, so my friends and I had a blast!
There were also a bunch of great Cuban band performances and an unexpected speech and shout out on stage by Maria Bacardi herself, so you know it was super legit. Awesome time here :)

Came here for a hair event sponsored by Au Naturale by Dark n Lovely and hosted by hair guru Curly Nikki and r&b singer Marsha Ambrosius. The waiters and waitresses were very friendly when passing out the hors d’oeuvres. The bartender was super friendly whipping up those complimentary specialty cocktails. I think we all forgot that it was a hair event to introduce a new product line because the dj had everyone moving playing a lot of old school r&b records.
The Arena space is huge so I could see how this place can quickly turn into a nightmare when crowded with party goers. also their coat check system is a bit flawed. It was about 20 degrees outside and they had us by the door taking our coats off with the door constantly opening and he line started to build up inside the venue so it space it was a bit confusing.

Arena is HUGE! I was there last night (Wed.) for a Dark & Lovely Natural Hair Care event, and I had an AMAZING time. The venue has a great layout: There is a large dance floor on the first floor — D&L set up celebrity hair consultants there, but there was still plenty of room to dance. And dance we did. Amanda «Diva» Seales was the DJ for the event and she killed it! There was no standing still with all the jams she was playing!
There was also a «mini» lounge on the 2^nd level equipped with couches and coffee tables. My high-​heeled wearing feet were very THANKFUL for this area by the end of the night! On one side of the third level, there was a VIP section and the main bar was set up on the other side. Bartending staff and servers were definitely on point, and kudos to D&L for the open bar and passed hors devoirs (definitely a GOOD look).
Additionally, there were two photo areas set-​up so that all the Naturalistas could show off their natural hairstyles and promote D&L’s new product line, Au Naturale: good stuff btw (I’m a fan)!
So overall, I think Arena is a FABULOUS venue and even though I’m no longer really into the «club scene,» I would consider partying at this spot in the future.

So, Arena, aka Circle, eh?
I came here for a company party (nothing to big or serious). It was karaōke, drinks, and appetizers. The karaōke was alright except that the thing was like 80 years old.
But let me tell you about the food. It sucks. The spring rolls were still frozen, chicken fingers are probably the kind I can make myself, the meatballs tasted like essence of bum. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
Service was nice though, I’ll give them that.

I’m pretty sure the last time I went to a club was in 2010. Well, last night I went to Arena but not to go clubbing. My friend was promoting the Sarar and Lisby Loriis fashion show/​Latino Show Magazine event last night, and I wanted to show my support. While I don’t know that I would ever come to Arena to pump my fist, it’s a great space for an event, accommodating a large crowd with plenty of seating and standing room. The chandeliers were very pretty and I loved the way they made the room glow. The drinks weren’t nearly as expensive as I would have expected but maybe they would have been pricier on an average night? Overall, lovely venue and I would attend another event here next time I’m given the opportunity.

I can only review this place based on the events I have been here for but not the nightclub itself. Great lighting, drinks, appetizers and ambiance. I haven’t been to the nightclub to review the scene.

I’ve been to Arena twice for different events, and it’s really much a Times Square type of venue. It’s just a place to hold an event, and there is really nothing spectacular about it. There are always two bars situated on opposite sides, and the room has a circular structure. Hence, it’s aka «Circle Nightclub» long past when the sun has set, when the night is just beginning in NYC. Hearsay tells me it is a huge Asian meet market… I don’t know if it has been the type of event or whether it’s due to the venue and location, there is not much allure to attend an event in midtown, especially in tourist-​ville. Not quite the 3 stars, so 2.5 is my mark for this place.

The Manhattan bottle service club, Arena, was sued in 2007 for their version of the clip joint scam. In December 2007, a patron knowingly purchased a $ 350 bottle of vodka, but was not told of a 3 bottle minimum. At the end of the night, he was presented with a $ 1050 tab that included two unordered bottles. When he refused to pay, the Arena bouncers beat him up. The patron agreed to get money from an ATM. The bouncers escorted him two blocks to the ATM, where his debit card was declined. The bouncers then dragged him back to the bar, where he was held until police arrived. He was arrested for theft of services but the charges were dismissed.

Is it Arena or Circle?
Really isn’t anything bad about this club aside from the fact that it is pricey as hell. They didn’t have a drinks menu so I got what would be considered the cheapest drink on their list which was a bud light. 8 Bucks. But it also stands out as a paradox for a place so classy and chic that they would carry Bud Light to begin with.
Also if you have an Asian fetish, this is the place to be. 98% of the people that were there tonight were good-​looking Asians trying to dance or sulking in the corner. The DJ was good. As usual (hip-​hop remixes, dance, etc.). Lighting was pretty optimal as well, but it’s meant more for a techno scene.
But let’s get down to brass taxes:
Cover: $ 20
Coat check (required): $ 4
Cheapest drink (‘m guessing it’s Bud Light): $ 8

I attended a charity event there last night and it was packed. That being said, there was a decent amount of open space with very high ceilings, which is nice for NYC, but I found the floor to be pretty sticky and there were very few places to sit. I did like the fact that the seating area was raised a few steps from the main dance floor so it was easy to scan the crowd. The music was forgettable (mostly background) and the drinks were very expensive ($ 10 for a rum & coke and $ 11 for a gin & tonic).

I was there for a fashion show event last week. the show was ok, crowds were normal but the drink was STRONG! Music was good, though — three DJs?. I don’t know how this place would look like without such events. Though we had fun mostly one of our friends danced like a star and everybody including the models came and flipped them selves. Most bizzare thing was when we went downstairs for bathroom, there was a karaōke going on. Wasn’t sure it was a private party or public but all korean and all. Huh?

Wanna see freshly orange tanned people under 25 years old who come to Manhattan from unknown parts of New Jersey, Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Sheapshead Bay?
Wanna get your purse searched more thoroughly than they do at TSA and padded down like you’re about to enter the visiting area of Riker’s Island?
Feel like seeing a bunch of guys who look like they are auditioning for the part of Danny Zucko in «Grease»?
Wanna hear «House Music All Night Long»?
Well, you’re in luck. there’s a place for you called Asserteria on Sunday nights held right here at Arena.
I gave it 3 stars because:
I actually do like house music and the DJ was quite good.
I got in free (go before midnight)
Did not go for the «atmosphere»
Did not buy drinks
Left early enough to avoid doing «the eyeroll» more times than I can count

I came here yesterday strictly for business (as I otherwise, would not have gone on my own will here), but anyhow, I’m not sure if it was because it was a Sunday night, that this place was not packed at all. The go-​go dancers (all gorgeous, might I add), told me it does get really busy Thur-​Sat though. At first, when I got to this place, I was like, dude, I feel 18 again, the crowd seemed relatively old. The music they played was house, which made for some great dancing. It seemed though, that a number of people were on special K or something, which, I much rather avoid…
Anyhow, overall, I was at first absolutely turned off by the scene and didn’t want to stay here, but I had to wait for the person I was meeting. I’m glad I ended up staying, because it turned out that the crowd was pretty laid back and all about dancing and just having a good time (pretty much, everyone was friendly, although some were overly friendly and didn’t get the HINT)! Seeing other people dance really well, just challenges you to go out on the dance floor and go harder. I’m not saying this is a place for dancers, but at least, last night, was one of my better experiences in seeing people really dance, it was crazy, and it just made me want to come up with something even more sick. Again, for me, I like to go anywhere, to just dance!

I’ve only been to Arena for fashion shows, so I am not reviewing this venue in terms of how it stands as a night club. I came here last fall for Seventeen Magazine’s runway show. It was a great time. Natasha Bedingfield (love her) was there, along with Neyo. I came here last week, as well, for the Jordie Scott collection. The shows held at Arena are a lot more entertaining than the pretentious ones at Bryant Park.
I imagine it serves as a fun place to party. I’m not sure if I would ever come here solely to hang out. Not my type of space.

Unique venue, and a HUGE space. If you’re not entirely fucked up before you get here, I’m not sure how much you’ll enjoy it — there’s just so much going on, between the mass amounts of drunken bodies grinding up on one another, the live music and the weird layout — its really enough to make you kinda antsy unless you’re somewhat buzzed. But worth checking out if you get the chance, and can afford the steep drink prices…

Everytime i come here, it gets CRAZZZZY. Literally. I don’t know. something about this place makes me drink faster and more. Then we wind up dancing on tables having the time of our lives! This place is always packed and alive whenever i come here. Although, i haven’t been since Nov so it might’ve changed. It loses one star for our nasty Russian hostess. Hater.
Music: 5 Crowd: 4 Atmosphere: 5++

I’ve been here as a bad girl on a bad man’s arm and once as a good girl at a great man’s side, and had the same reaction; meh, it’ll do.
Arena used to be called Show back in the days, and though the owners were sure to keep a hot bodied dancer on the bar’s stripper pole, and a hot man writhing on the podium, it never quite lived up to that moniker in my opinion. Maybe I was too bad a girl in those days (Sigh, goodtimes).
As a people watching/​scheming to get laid club it always works. Typical club scene; everyone thinks they are so hot and fantastic, some work in media (usually mags), some are nightlife (promoters), and many more are just bridge and tunnel in disguise. The line is always long, and the door plays favorites sometimes (I have never paid cover, nor waited. Can u say «hook-​up»?) but aren’t assholes about it.
Arena is a huge space that is laid out like… well, an arena. Because of that, going there is all about reigning from on high. If you aren’t able to get into the high reaches of the VIP areas and off the human killing ground that is the dance floor, then I feel for you. You see, most of the people can’t dance, aren’t there to dance, don’t say excuse me, and the bartenders down there are deaf. You ask them for a vodka cranberry and they think you just want the juice. But these lovelies are deaf for a reason; the sound system at Arena is fantastic.
Am I going to spend every weekend at Arena though? Nope. People watching can get boring. I’ll let someone else take my place on the couches. Wanna come up? The drinks are better up here.

i went on a saturday, which was supposed to be their best night.
i waited on line for a good 20 minutes. paid $ 20 cover! couldn’t even dance because the dance floor was so packed. went to the bar, paid $ 37 for two drinks which were made VERY wrong. drank them anyway. headed to the bathroom where the stalls were extremely small and uncomfortable. my friend got her bag stolen from her wrist later on in the night. they did absolutely nothing to help. turns out they don’t have cameras in that section of the club. soo if you want to do some dirty business, go on the stage and DO YOU.
the music was the usual… top 40’s… JT, Fergie, Jay Z, etc.
i will NEVER go back to this club again. well it IS right by times square. i should’ve known better.