While life in Eastern Europe has undergone sweeping changes in the past 25 years, one thing remains constant: her people know how to party. The Mehanata Bulgarian Bar recreates the region’s wild, kinetic energy in a club filled with authentic foods, drinks, and music. A tropical DJ, a trans-global collective, and Gypsy punk group all take turns blasting music to liven up the dance floor, using traditional tunes that have been revamped for the dance crowd. Renowned artists also hit the stage; Yuri Yunakov and his group, The Grand Masters of Gypsy Music, can often be found bringing the complex rhythms of the ruchenitsa and the lilting phrases of the accordion to dance parties that blend ethnic traditions with electro-age technology. On the floor, dancers throw in moves from the old world and the new, and a lucky few might sight a celebrity blending into a folk line dance to hide from paparazzi. Below the dance floor, the Ice Cage entreats the fearless to step inside a frozen vault and drink six shots of vodka in two minutes while wearing Soviet-era military garb and taking orders from a commanding officer.

All of these revelries are fueled by the liquid ammo housed at the club’s well-stocked bar, where patrons can sample apple cider vodka, imported Eastern European beers, or shots of rakia—an Eastern European brandy that doubles as a conversation starter when thrown into your neighbor’s face. The kitchen also serves a variety of traditional Balkan dishes including a Bulgarian sausage plate and baked cheese pies.