A Gui To NYC's Gay Bars - Gothamist

Contents:

• THE 30 BT GAY BARS NYC
• THE 15 BT GAY BARS NYC TO CHECK OUT
• A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF NEW YORK CY'S GAY & QUEER BARS
• ‘LAST CALL’ TE STORY: HBO DOC IS ABOUT THE SERIAL KILLER RICHARD ROGERS, WHO TARGETED MANHATTAN’S GAY BARS
• THE BT GAY BARS NEW YORK CY
• THE 10 BEST NEW YORK CY GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS NEW YORK CY
• TOP 20 NEW YORK GAY BARS
• A GUI TO NYC'S GAY BARS
• THE 11 BT GAY BARS IN NYC

THE 30 BT GAY BARS NYC

While bathho, drag balls, and good ol’ “Screech Beach” (also known as the beach at Jab Riis Park) were all important s for queer gathergs, the cy’s queer muny pecially thrived s gay bars. Bars allowed queer people to socialize whout a polil agenda and offered a space for them to celebrate their sexualy wh relative eedom—“relative” beg the key word, as homosexual solicatn was still illegal and police raids were mon.

In New York’s gay bars, however, pri is a yearlong event—and for your nvenience, we’ve assembled a list of the bt LGBTQ bars the cy has to offer, om chic clubs to kky div to s-old queer strongholds.

Consistently ranked as one of NYC’s bt gay bars by New York Magaze and The Village Voice, Indtry is known for s sizeable high-ceilged dance floor and dtrial athetic.

THE 15 BT GAY BARS NYC TO CHECK OUT

Another historic favore, Greenwich Village’s Juli’ holds the distctn of beg the olst ntually operatg gay bar New York Cy. In 1966, a full three years before the Stonewall Rts, Juli’ was also the se of the Mattache Society’s “sip-, ” a prott agast the then-mon practice of bars refg to serve alhol to gay people, that ultimately succeed forcg the State Liquor Authory to relax s discrimatory polici.

A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF NEW YORK CY'S GAY & QUEER BARS

As one of only 21 lbian bars left the untry and one of three New York Cy (the other two beg Cubbyhole jt a few blocks north and Gger’s Bar Park Slope) Henrietta Hudson is fiercely mted to creatg a space that embrac members of the LGBTQ muny who are often left alienated queer spac domated by cis gay men. In recent years, some gay bars have begun dilutg the kks and raw sexualy that prevly fed the spac an effort to make them a ltle more accsible to heterosexual bar hoppers.

When the permanent versn of his avant-gar queer nightclub opened 2017, quickly beme known for s dazzlg, celebry-studd baret, drag, and standup performanc ( whose dienc Cummg himself n ocsnally be spotted) as well as for hostg events that might not be tradnally found a gay bar, such as jazz jam ssns and “drk and draw” nights wh live figure mols.

Servg as Queens’ premiere gay bar, Astoria is known for s top-tier drag talent. A number of gay bars Jackson Heights have a big followg Queens, but Friend’s Tavern is one of the most popular. The longt-nng gay bar the cy, this Wt Village stutn proudly displays s history.

‘LAST CALL’ TE STORY: HBO DOC IS ABOUT THE SERIAL KILLER RICHARD ROGERS, WHO TARGETED MANHATTAN’S GAY BARS

Ground zero for the 1969 rts that helped lnch the gay rights movement, Stonewall is still a rog, though very touristy, Village statn to pay tribute to the movement. This popular and cheerful gay bar occupi a roomy, thoughtfully signed space wh a backyard South Williamsburg. Jt a few blocks om the cha rtrants dottg Tim Square, The Spot is one of Manhattan’s newt gay bars, recently opened by the owners of Hell’s Kchen mastay Rise Bar.

No NYC gay bar list would be plete whout a mentn of the Stonewall Inn. Though Marie’s Crisis don’t explicly intify as a gay bar, the beloved Wt Village hnt has been a queer haven sce the late 1800s. S., if not the world, for gay — and more clively, queer — nightlife.

THE BT GAY BARS NEW YORK CY

Whether you're celebratg NYC Pri late June, planng a future trip to the Big Apple, or a lol lookg for a new bar to check out, here is a prehensive list of nearly every gay and queer bar NYC. Alibi Lounge, Harlem: One of the cy's only gay, Black-owned LGBTQIA+ bars, this morn bar serv up a variety of specialty cktails, we, beer, and bar snacks.

The Cock, East Village: This gay-men-only bar is the most cise-y of all the gay bars the cy. The Eagle NYC, Chelsea: Perhaps the send-most cise-y of New York's gay bars, the multi-level Eagle ters almost exclively to gay men, and gets more bchero on each floor.

THE 10 BEST NEW YORK CY GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS NEW YORK CY

Gym Sportsbar, Chelsea: As the name impli, this is a gay sports bar, popular for post-game team drks.

TOP 20 NEW YORK GAY BARS

The Hangar Bar, Wt Village: A diverse crowd of mascule gay men equent this Wt Village dive. Juli', Wt Village: Another Wt Village stutn, 1966, a "sip " was held by activists at the bar to challenge the New York State Liquor Authory's regulatn that barred the servg of homosexuals.

REBAR, Chelsea: This dtrial-feelg gay bar is a Chelsea standard, featurg energetic drag shows and DJs throughout the week.

Rz Bar & Lounge, Hell's Kchen: Smack dab the thick of the Theater District, multi-level Rz Bar & Lounge plays host to many good old-fashned dance parti, attractg a mostly younger gay crowd.

A GUI TO NYC'S GAY BARS

Thanks to Print Obama, The Stonewall Inn is regnized as a Natnal Historic Landmark — the first dited to gay history. Sue, Upper Wt Si: This lol gay pub has a laid-back neighborhood feel and attracts stunts om nearby Columbia Universy.

The Toolbox Bar, Upper East Si: One of the few, if only, gay bars on the Upper East Si, this lorful, timate bar offers happy hour specials and regular live entertament.

Townhoe Piano Bar, Midtown East: Three bars, a piano room wh nightly performanc (and a drs ), this cktail lounge attracts a mix of senr and younger gay men.

THE 11 BT GAY BARS IN NYC

Ty's Bar NYC, Wt Village: Opened 1972, this classic Cristopher Street bar attracts an olr gay crowd.