This is the kind of place which should have disappeared forever with the last decade. Went here with a group of about 10 on a friday night. We took separate cabs so everyone got there a few minutes apart. The 3 of us who get there last are immediately met with looks on undisguised contempt by the scumbag meatheads working the door. This is around 10pm, no one has had a single drink yet and there is no line, we walk up, ID in hand and said boneheads rudely ask us "what do you want?". Resisting the urge to give them a snarky reply I say we are just going to join the rest of our group already inside. The orcs, who between the 3 of them probably couldn't count to 10, start giving us the usual bs about do you have reservations etc while trying to be aggressively intimidating, blocking the doorway and just being general douchebags. Obviously seeing 3 unaccompanied brown guys trying to enter the establishment is a strict no no in the post civil war south. Only 1 problem, this is manhattan 2020. Long story short we have to call some of our female friends upstairs to "prove" that we are indeed with the group before the numbskulls finally let us in but not before mouthing off some more to the girls. Now this unsavory experience should have been my cue to turn around and just walk out but against my better judgement I decided to go in to join my friends. Once inside went downstairs to a space designed like a cave, hence the name with a bar in the center and tables and chairs for dining which eventually made way for the dance floor. I started off with one of the cocktails - the guava caipirinha. It was frankly awful and tasted like concentrated lemon juice on the rocks. Stuck with bottled beer from there on. The music was decent and we were all dancing, starting to have a fun time despite the nonsense with the entry. At this point, 2 guys start circling around our group uninvited which is not a problem until they start making unwlecome advances on the girls. The women (all married) express their disinterest to the intruders who instead of leaving us alone continue to make creepy advances. The whole situation becomes increasingly uncomfortable until one of the guys in the group confronts the 2 vultures under the nose of one of the bouncers who has seen this whole play unfold. The reaction the establishment to this situation - throw out the guy standing up for his female friends. The is the last straw in this nightmarish experience and the rest of have had enough and decide to get the hell out of this place. Most leave immediately, a few of us have to close tabs on the way out which takes about 10 mins. When we get upstairs we see the 3 door trolls mouthing off to our group again for waiting on the sidewalk for those who were closing tabs. Guess la caverna owns the sidewalk too. TLDR: Be a responsible cosnumer, don't give your business to establishments like this which condone racist, insulting behavior towards customers. There is nothing stand out about this place, its actually piss poor, there are a thousand other places to go to in the city. The sooner blots like these wiped off the face of this city the better it is for everyone. read more

I had a truly disappointing experience at La Caverna recently. Despite waiting in line for an extended period and having women with us in our group, we were denied entrance at the door due to their so-called "ratio policy." This was an outright disrespect for our time and a completely unprofessional way to treat potential customers. When I pointed out that we already had female friends inside and that our group included women, the staff still refused us entry. Their insistence on turning us away was clearly an excuse to pressure us into purchasing a table, which is outrageous considering it was already 2 AM. This kind of behavior felt like nothing more than a blatant attempt to extort more money from us. The staff showed no empathy or understanding for the time we had wasted waiting outside in the line, nor any willingness to accommodate us in a reasonable manner. Their dismissive attitude and lack of professionalism were shocking. It's unacceptable that a venue like this would prioritize arbitrary and discriminatory policies over providing a positive experience for all of their patrons. La Caverna's disregard for their customers and their time is appalling. I would strongly recommend avoiding this place unless you're prepared to be treated with disrespect and subjected to unethical business practices. There are far better venues in NYC that know how to treat their customers fairly and with the respect they deserve. read more

This place was terrible. They took my friend's ID and credit card for a tab and when she went to add another drink, they said they didn't have her cards. After 2 bartenders looked one of them picked up her cards and proceeded to ignore her, even though she saw her cards, they went to serve another customer. When a friend went to talk to them, they said, I don't fucking care, and would not give her the cards even though they clearly had them ( a blonde chick and a douchebag brown haired guy) both who refused to give my friend her cards back. It was ridiculous that they were being so rude to their customers when that's their fucking job. Finally she got them back after asking again and had to add 4 drinks to it even though she already had a full tab. So she didn't tip because they were assholes so then they basically kicked us all out of the bar for no reason because we were "taking up space" drinking the beers she paid for. It was a terrible experience and we willl never ever come back because the bartenders are terribly rude, mean, greedy people. We are also in our late 20's so there's absolutely no reason for us to be treated the way we were by the bartenders. We also told people outside to not go in because of the rude service and that there are better places to go in the area. So don't go here unless you want to have a terrible time. read more

This is probably the tackiest bar I have ever been to in my entire life. Decorated like a cave, this large space is an example of an idea that should never have ever come to life. However, you can tell the bar owner has taken this place very seriously, even having bottle service (SERIOUSLY?!!?). Playing top hits from the early 2000s, this is a sweatbox filled with horny early 20-somethings grinding up against each other. You know those bars that feel like they are full of underagers who they let in just because they wanted more girls in the bar, well this bar surely can claim that title. However, not only do you have the underagers, but you have a bunch of creepy old men inside as well. I have never felt so uncomfortable at a bar in my life. But maybe, the crowd was an anomaly. Even so, this place was so tasteless I don't think I could ever step foot in here again. Drinks are $7 and they make you place a minimum of $30 on your credit card. This is illegal, just so you know! If this happens to you, please report La Caverna to your credit card company (Visa will do something about this unfair play). Bottom Line: I don't think I would ever touch this place with a ten foot pole. Only come here if you were raised in a barn, then you might enjoy it. read more

When you think of dining out, a cave is probably not the first setting that comes to mind. However, La Caverna on Rivington offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience that blends the natural wonder of a cave with unexpected elements like music and creative cocktails. On a recent visit, my table was treated to the sounds of Taylor Swift's latest hits echoing through the cavernous space, adding an unexpectedly upbeat vibe to the otherwise rustic ambiance. We decided to share a pitcher of mango margaritas, which was a refreshing complement to the cozy, dim atmosphere. While the food menu didn't necessarily blow us away, the attentive and friendly service from our waitress made the overall experience quite enjoyable. She was helpful in navigating the unique menu and ensuring our party had everything we needed. La Caverna is a fun and unique dining destination that transports you from the ordinary into an extraordinary setting. Whether you're looking for a memorable date night or a lively group outing, this cave-turned-restaurant is worth a visit for its one-of-a-kind atmosphere alone. Just don't forget to order a round of those mango margaritas! read more

I visited this establishment on Friday afternoon with a group of coworkers to celebrate a colleague's birthday and to show appreciation for her hard work. I'd like to start by saying that the food was excellent truly a 10/10. We ordered two batches of wings (with sauces on the side, both hot and BBQ), steak and shrimp nachos, Mexican corn, and two happy hour pitchers, and everything tasted great. However, the hospitality did not match the quality of the food. Unfortunately, our experience with the staff felt rushed and unwelcoming. Being pressured to leave in order to accommodate other parties was disappointing, especially considering we spent close to $300 during our visit. We came to celebrate a special occasion, and while the food exceeded expectations, the service made the experience less enjoyable than it should have been. I hope this feedback is taken into consideration to improve future customer experiences. Thank you for your time. read more

Few of things to note about this place: 1. It's a restaurant that turns into a club of sorts at night. So there's dancing space but tends to get kind of packed. 2. The crowd is on the younger side, and happy to shove you out of the way to get where they're going. 3. The music was pretty run of the mill and the sound system was not all that great. 4. Stick to mixed drinks even though they're watered down. One of our party had the red wine and it tasted spoilt. 5. There's a mandatory coat check, enforced by dudes walking around the place scooping up unattended coats to take them somewhere. 6. The cave interior looks fancy in pictures but is sort of tacky in real life. 7. Pros - No cover charge when we went. Though they don't quite warrant one. Won't be coming back here. read more

We hosted our 8th Annual Ugly Sweater Party at La Caverna, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish! The ambiance was festive and perfect for the occasion, and the space truly elevated the event. Ben and the entire team were amazing to work with--professional, accommodating, and so attentive to every detail. Our friends and guests couldn't stop raving about the unique vibe and how much fun they had. Some of us even stayed back past 10 PM to enjoy dancing once the DJ showed up--the music was fantastic! If you're looking for a memorable venue with outstanding service and a great atmosphere, I highly recommend La Caverna. Thank you for making our tradition extra special this year! read more

Ambiance and decorations are amazing. That alone would get 5 stars. And in the middle of the "cave" dance floor is like a volcano type thing where they place the hookah. So yeah plus hookah ! Good music, mixed between dance and top 40. Drinks are normal priced like $11 per. Never have had to stand on line, but it's pretty big downstairs so I believe that's why. I put the 3 stars cause this is never like the main place I go. It's more like where I go to begin my night or finish it or added to hopin around. Crowd is iffy read more

This restaurant is absolutely stunning -- it feels like you're dining in a beautiful, atmospheric cave with its unique and cozy design. But the real highlight is the food. Hands down, it's some of the best Mexican food I've had, and surprisingly reasonably priced for NYC. Every dish we tried was incredible: the elotes were perfectly charred, the nachos were loaded with flavor, and both the chicken and carne tacos were out of this world. Simply amazing. I'll definitely be back! read more

Racist venue! My friends and I went out last night (7/26/19) and were club hopping. We came by this place around 12am after stopping by the DL and Hotel Chantelle. The bouncers (2 brown men) were very racist to patrons standing on line. They were using the n-word to describe black people standing on line and allowing any black people in. I got inside with my 2 friends but I think it's very important that your bouncers receive training, especially in this day and age. Not ok! read more

Would give zero stars if an option. HOMOPHOBIC BOUNCERS. Ok if multiple girls go in one stall together, but if two guys go in together they not only kicked them out of the bathroom but out of the bar. Forced them out when they were just trying to pee. Super problematic. They had no excuse to kick them out other than they were two gay guys - literally no other reason, so homophobic. I will never go here again and if you consider yourself an ally, you shouldn't either. read more

I'd like this place A LOT more if it weren't so full of douchebags with their popped collars. It gets way too crowded to dance and being in the basement adds to the creep factor. If the hookah were more separated from the dance area and there was a little more space, I'd come here ALL the time because I like the music. But alas, I'll put this on the list of places I'll never go to EVER AGAIN. read more

I had only been here a couple times on weekdays (quiet, after-work drink spot) but last weekend I got dragged there for a birthday for someone I work with, it was a blast. A bit crowded but everybody was dancing and a good mix of guys and girls. Drinks were good, fried calamari was good, no cover, next thing we know it's 4am! I'd go again for sure. read more

We were at la caverna and my friends clutch was stolen by a fat latina guy in an orange and white striped shirt and jean shorts it is a nice looking place but too crowded and they dont put any AC on for a basement bar it should be much cooler in there kind of a safety hazard do not set anything you own down in there unattended you wont see it again read more

Just. Don't. Go. I promise. From the extortion operation ring in the restrooms by the bouncers. (Our friend had his ID taken and they demanded $200 from him to get it back) to the insanely homophobic Large bouncers demanding a gender test to get into the bathroom to the girl who was clearly About to throw up near my party. This place is awful. read more

So I saw this place on ig and I say let me go try it out solo just to go and be disappointed when the security guard say im not allowed to go I alone I need ah friend ...like huh so you can go eat by yourself at this place? this the first time any restaurant have told me this, I was so disappointed after traveling so far read more

I went there twice (gave it the benefit of the doubt) and I am definitely not going there again! The place is loud packed you can't move and hear everyone and the music wasn;t good enough to dance either. If you are in the heart of LES there will be a place for every kind of moods but this one doesn't really fit into any. read more

Friday nights are the best moments in this bar, full with revelers and you can plainly see how the ambience brings a whole lot of life... A must try if u wanna feel cozy after a long hard week, the attendants here would be glad to assist you with a perfect start to the weekend, it's now my favorite hangout spot... read more