Area 51

Area 51 holds such a special place in my heart. The staff are like family and will treat you as such. THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL CLUB! it doesn’t matter who you are (as long as you’re not a disrespectful trouble starting asshole) you are welcome and accepted at Area 51 no matter what your social stereotype is. This is where people of all genres can come together and party. The security is basically not even security (unless they need to be, which is rare) they are so friendly and always dancing around, messing with customers and having a good time. The Bartenders are Hot as Hell and the drinks are always good.

I have been going to this club since I was 18, so it definitely holds a nostalgic place in my heart. It’s nice because it is one of the only dance clubs I know of where you only have to be 18+ to get into the dance floors, but there’s still the 21+ areas for those who wish to partake of spirits. The nights start off slow, but by 10pm or so it starts to pick up and the dance floor begins to fill. The drinks are delicious, and they aren’t expensive, but they are not what I would call a cheap drink either. The bar line situation could be better also. Aside from those few gripes I would say this club is fun, and well rounded. There’s industrial/​goth/​rock music downstairs and dance/80’s/Top 20 Pop Music Upstairs. My favorite part about this club are the multiple events they out on monthly with themed parties, live music, and performance art. A place where you’re only bored if you want to be.

I love this place because it’s the only club that plays (what I consider) good music. Metal and industrial and goth downstairs, and I do enjoy that part of this club for sure. I’ve been going since I was 18, so it’s nostalgic for sure.
BUT the doorman is a giant jerk, enough that I’ve had to complain to his manager, which didn’t really do anything. He’s plays favorites, and if you’re not a regular he’ll take his time and even when it’s free for chicks before 10, he tried to charge me on more than a few occasions, and then let the regulars in for free right behind me.
Also, the drink prices change from bartender to bartender, that gets annoying. One tried to get in my face and called me a liar when I told him he was charging me 3 $ more than the girl next to him.
All in all, if you like 11 $ pitchers, dancing to non pop and rap music, this place is OK aside from doordude.

My friends and I were the only ones. The absolute only people. And it was midnight or so. It was a joke.

Soooo… If you’re expecting anything resembling a normal dance party at all… Or anything close to it, do not go anywhere near this place.
I felt like they were either trying to worship Satan there or just trying to encourage one big orgy…
Also «industrial music» basically just terrible dubstep

We loved it !!! Real old depeche mode, lazzurus, cult, mission, rob zombie and they do request… this was in the downstairs dancefloor where shan the bar girl does the fantastic job of serving everyone almost simultaneously! !! There are three dancefloors plus places to sit out if these… we went on thurs anf upstairs played good music too… saturday night it does tend to be the younger ones on the other floor downstairs and upstairs however no drinks are allowed in those rooms but they still enjoying their dancing and music which I liked too so go Area 51 for meeting the needs of npmusic lovers of all ages etc well done… Arbie the manager is great guy… the only thing is stop serving beer at one but dontvshut till 2

My husband and I went for New Year’s Eve. It was definitely the scariest place to be. It is next to a homeless shelter. It is full of younger people and they do Ecstasy and other drugs in the club. We seen a few girls doing it in the bathroom. The worst was, my husband went out to smoke and two Mexican Gang members pulled a knife to his throat and threatened him. Security was good and kicked them out. However they were let back in and we noticed them and security had to send them back out. I wouldn’t give them one star but it won’t let me write this without it.

Completely dissatisfied, not worth paying a cover charge to get in. I’ve given it multiple chances and never have came away satisfied.
On their website they pride themselves in the variety of music that they have, which I feel is a drawback, because of the variety there’s not the dance enjoyment. Frequently they switch in the same night between multiple genres. when I go, I want to know what type of music will be playing, that way I know if I want to go to the club or not.

There are three things my husband and I like. Well, there are actually thousands of things that we like (Saag Aloo, blues guitar, two-​headed kittens…) but three things that are relevant to this review.
The three things we like:
1) Wide open dance floors
2) Heavy hitting industrial music
3) Dressing like vampires
Area 51 makes this possible. The oft poorly attended Industrial area downstairs is perfect for the borderline violent, goth-​esque moves we pull out. On a Thursday evening we had the run of the entire floor, make way for sweeping lifts and flinging back bends! On a Saturday evening there were more people participating, some even dancing, but we still had ample space to get our fetish-​y festivities on.
As for the upstairs, it always seemed like a bunch of kids, some dancing, some confused in their quest to look super cool, but that may just be because we’re old and college kids look like eighth graders these days…
Not that we’re especially aged.
Right.

After checking out their website, I thought Area 51 looked like a really cool upbeat club. My husband and I gathered our friends for a fun night out to celebrate our move to utah. Instead, we ended up in a super sketchy place that felt like the underworld. Like literally the dj played satanic songs and I almost felt like I was being possessed. Totally not my kind of scene. You gotta be high off of something in order to have a good time and forget about the fact that people were pretty much ready to «do it» on every corner of the dance floor/​stage.

Area 51. Side effects include mental breakdowns, life crises and simultaneous feelings of being hungover and being on ecstasy. Maybe it depends on whether or not you’re into that kind of scene, but for me personally, that was not my jam.
DJ was trippin’, man. To be fair, almost everyone there was probably trippin’…on acid. But the music… DJ switched from random Top 40 hits to the most satanic and uncomfortable music I’ve ever had to sit through. I sat on the stage at one point and watched people «dancing» and I began re-​evaluating my life.
«Why am I here?»
«What am I doing with my life?»
«Why is that person not wearing pants?»
By far the creepiest dance club… sketchy looking people lurking in the shadows. I was uncomfortable. My friends were uncomfortable. We were all stared down by shady lookin’ dudes twice our age.
The place itself is run down and creaky. It just gives off a dirty vibe. Didn’t want to sit down lest I catch herpes, which would be a fair assumption because there were a good number of people in the corners who were getting to all sorts of bases…
NEVER AGAIN.

Oh, Area 51. This night club has it’s good and it’s bad nights. Sadly, few are good hence the low star rating. When you go on any day that isn’t Thursday {80’s night} or Fetish nights there is no one there. It’s pretty dead. And when you go to dance you want to go to dance.
The crowd could also be considered questionable given what you’re there for. It’s a younger crowd since it’s an 18+ place. Still, the 80’s night is awesome {again for the younger crowd} and fetish night is great for people that have strong fetishes. Remember to figure out what the fetish is before you go though. Some are very cool and some aren’t.

Area? MORE LIKE SCAREA! I’m sorry but its super creepy when I see a girl up on stage on something with her pregnant belly out. Not my kind of crowd.

Thursday Night 80’s night.
21+ 5 buck cover; 18+ 7 buck cover
There are several rooms here but the one worth going to is the one upstairs… where all the crazy cats and dogs to to show off their 80s attire and dance the night away to Top 40 hits from the 80s.
I felt awkward because I traveled to SLC and didn’t bring my 80s gear… everyone in the club seemed like they were having a fantastic time. I snapped a few pictures. Girls were hot, music was pumping and things were inexpensive. I’m a fan!

Even though it’s inexpensive to enter, and the drinks are cheap, and it’s open late (which is surprising for Salt Lake City), this is possibly the dingiest place I have ever had the pleasure to drink or «club» at. The divide between under 21s and over 21s is apparent, and there for law, but the inability to bring your drink to the dance floor is somewhat irritating. I’ve never drank at a place which looks that run down before. The outdoor area to smoke is sufficient for a drunken night, though.
They do hold different themed nights, if you’re in to that thing!
Could definitely be worse, if you’re looking for a cheap drink, a relatively okay night, then feel free to go.

Not my scene at all, though I totally thought it would be. I was really, rally disappointed.
We were at another club listening to some DJ sets and got bored and went off in search of a new place and decided to finally give Area 51 a shot. We’d heard lots of good things, so off we went.
It was supposed to be 80s night, but I saw no evidence of the 80s in décor, dress, or choice of music. In fact, some karaōke was going on and we got excited. We love karaōke. We put in our slips with some songs and sat on a comfy couch to wait for our turns. There were maybe 8 other people in the entire place. Over and hour went by and the same guy sang at least 3 times by then and we were never called up so we took the cue that we were unwanted and called it a night.
Probably won’t go back.

(I’ve only been here on Thursday nights – 80’s night!)
I’ve been coming to this place for the past four years… yeah, it’s awesome.
A vast variety of (80’s) music, great dancers and awesome people. I mean, if they’re there then that means they like 80’s music which makes anyone a WINNER! by default.
If you’re looking to step back in time and avoid the typical «club» guys for a night, this is your place.
Please — DRESS UP, DAMMIT! If you don’t, you’ll look like a douche-​tool-​bag. Which is way worse than a regular douchebag.
Oh and the DJ is super cute too. Hehe.

Definatly a different interesting scene… ladies if you use the restroom up stairs in the bar you need to know the toilet does flush, just not the way you’d expect. The toilet doesn’t have a lid on the back. In the tank there is a white plastic gizmo which you pull up to flush but if I go here again I think I’ll just wear a diaper!

Like Apryl G. I am extremely biased towards this club.
I originally hated Area when I began going there in 1998, just couldn’t deal with the kids.
Then slowly, as with anybody else that goes there, or rather sort of like how Salt Lake City and Utah creeps up on you, I began to enjoy going there.
The music, the variety of people, the staff all combined made the place an enjoyable experience. I went there EVERY NIGHT IT WAS OPEN.
I went there so much I actually got hired there. Even as an employee, I couldn’t get enough of the place.
Over time, the club has gotten run down, and it’s not as packed as it used to be (wall to wall people) but the club and the owner has done a lot to keep up the décor and fix some of the glaring problems the club had (parking lot, the patios, roof leaking and swamp coolers) and even added some nice new features (ability to turn some nights downstairs into 21 and over only, and a new smoking patio downstairs), and with the end of Sanctuary (a sister club to Area 51) adopted Fetish Night (THE premier night to see a sub-​culture of Salt Lake you probably didn’t even know existed).
For me the reason I keep going is the staff who are both professional and friendly, the variety of drink you can have made for you, and the dancing.
My night on Saturday usually begins with a jaunt upstairs to listen to DJ Jeremiah play some early night mood music to stretch my muscles too, then after an hour and a half of that, I go downstairs to hang out with friends and dance to one of few fully dedicated Gothic/​Industrial clubs in Salt Lake City. That’s right, other clubs my have similar nights, but only Area 51 has a downstairs dedicated to it (and if you don’t know what I mean don’t worry, just come check it out and don’t be afraid).
Three to four DJ’s are at your disposal downstairs, with DJ Evil K and DJ Viking being my favorites, with not one but two dance floors on Saturday nights, one in the bar and the regular dance floor.
I’m there usually every Saturday downstairs dancing to the church of music and physical movement.
Honestly though, don’t be put off by it’s gruff exterior and it’s gruff interior, don’t be afraid of the downstairs crowd, instead come and check out a place where you can be you without judgment, listen to some alternative, 80’s, 90’s, techno, dance and pop all under one roof.
The drink are great, the staff is awesome and the music is loud and you’ll have a good time, just leave preconceived notions at the door.

Being a young 14 year old spooky kid in Salt Lake certainly wasn’t easy, Sanctuary (now downstairs of Area 51 Thursdays and Saturdays) certainly was a delightful resource for a sense of community beyond just superficial night club life…
Now 23 (its no easier ;)) in Salt Lake City, Area 51 is the regular hang out when I don’t really have any plans, but still want to go out, and be with friends in a mutual location. Their staff is extremely friendly (so long as your not an; asshole, douche bag, arrogant, slut, bitch…), and I have yet to have any real issues/​drama (other than of course the usual club drama bullshit my friends and I AVOID for sure!). Their staff is friendly, and respectful, the DJ’s really do want everyone to have a wonderful time, and take requests, and actually spin them if they got the track requested. The drinks are fair in price and comparable to other dive/​mid-​class club. I really like hanging here because; I can just be who I is with no real façade to have to put on, its usually not too crowded, they are the venue for Salt Lake’s own ‘Dark Arts Festival’, and the downstair crowd is mostly just no bullshit.
The downsides (according to this writer) Fetish Night (too crowded with ICP Juggalos/​ettes, posers, weird voyeurs, kids playing dress up, lousy make-​up application, terrible dressers i.e. ugly costumes, a shitty attempt towards fetish themes…), parking can be difficult, be weary of ‘No Parking’ signs, they ticket heavy in this area.
80’s night used to be much fun, I didn’t ‘dress up’ all eighties, just enjoyed the music with friends, now its WAAAYYYY too scenster 18 – 20 year old douche bags who approach it all wrong! Its seems that the same eighties song are spun each week (of course to please clientele.).
I’m a regular there, who sees upsides and downsides. The fact that the DJ’s actually spin music I like and enjoy is the main reason I keep coming back.