The Toolbox: 1742 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10128 This place is a bit of a filthy mess, but the crowd can be shockingly diverse and fun! If you’re in the East Village, you should be looking for a classic gay dive like the Boiler Room! The space is an ideal size and the jukebox has an epic selection of tunes.īoiler Room: 86 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003 Phoenix is one of the first gay bars I ever visited and continues to reinvent itself over the years. Phoenix: 447 E 13th St, New York, NY 10009 I enjoy the unpretentious attitudes and use of the old-school record player. It’s underground and kept dark, with a low ceiling. Nowhere: 322 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003 And it never really gets old saying “we met at Therapy”. The upstairs hosts several events with use of a modern stage and technology.
Therapy has a beautifully renovated, open, two-level space, that include an epic staircase in the center of the bar. Therapy: 348 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019 It’s fun to watch it turn into a messy, squished cluster of dancing in the later hours. This is the diviest of the HK bars, and I admit I’ve had several late nights in this small bar. This place has fun performances, dancing space, all within a decor that doesn’t try too hard. Relatively new to the scene, Hardware took over an old hardware store and turned it into a nice venue that does a good job of balancing several gay scenes at once. Hardware: 697 10th Ave, New York, NY 10036 It’s a really fun time at any night of the week. My personal favorite in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, Flaming Saddles put in a lot of effort to create something unique! The bartenders are all trained dancers, who, wearing tight jeans and western boots, dance right on the bar. This Hell’s Kitchen branch of Boxers occupies an entire building! They have a beautiful roof terrace and with a sports-theme, remains a popular spot for gay sports leagues to grab that after-game beverage.įlaming Saddles: 793 9th Avenue between 52nd, W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019 Go here early to start your night with a nice mixed drink before continuing on to a more lively spot after.īoxers HK: 742 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019 This Hell’s Kitchen bar does what several uptown bars have attempted to do, step out of the Village dive bar vibe and become more of a stylish lounge. It has a more friendly, intimate vibe than Boxers, so why not give it a try if you’re in the gayborhood?īarrage: 401 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036 It also is located at a very central location on 8th Avenue in Chelsea with a bitty front terrace. Gym is the original gay sports bar before Boxers entered the scene. Gym Sportsbar: 167 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011
It’s a fun place and gets pretty busy on Sunday afternoons. The bartenders wear bright red boxer shorts. It has multiple pool tables that can be converted to accommodate beer pong, sports on TV, and a back garden. Oh, and I once sat next to Rufus Wainwright here and successfully ignored my impulse to tell him what a huge fan I am!īoxers is large.
Their Sunday evening drag show still stands out as one of the most exciting way to spend a late night in NYC. It’s a quasi-modern space, kept quite dark, with a back room ideal for intimate stage performances. Pieces is a fun bar that has a stage perfect for hosting musical and drag performances, bingo nights, and other such events.īarracuda Bar: 275 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10011īarracuda was a favorite of mine in my younger days. Pieces: 8 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014 You don’t have to sing, but just know a majority here are singing their hearts out and nothing works quite like cheap booze and group singing to bring awkward strangers together.
PHOENIX GAY BAR EAST VILLAGE 13TH STREET FREE
Cheap drinks, free entertainment, and a musical education! Come here to see a quirky mix of locals singing obscure Broadway songs. Marie’s Crisis: 59 Grove St, New York, NY 10014 Luckily, in time, I began to understand how diverse and inclusive the clientele here can be, and since it’s the oldest gay bar in NYC and on the National Register of Historic Places, it should be both preserved and celebrated! I was under the assumption this tavern was just a dive for older gay men. Julius’ is an example of a bar that never appealed to me as a younger guy. Julius’: 159 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014 (alternative to Stonewall) This bar really does have it all, and they are very welcoming of gay men, too, in case you were wondering.
I hope it’s useful to visitors or other NYC newbies, as we all tend to enjoy bar-hopping to at least a couple venues in search of that perfect vibe.Ĭubbyhole: 281 W 12th St, New York, NY 10014Ĭubbyhole is a historic lesbian bar known for tight quarters, eccentric decor dangling from the ceiling, a fantastic jukebox, cheap drinks, and friendly people. I organized the below list by neighborhood.