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New York Gay Bars
New York is the birthplace of the LGBTQ rights movement, as it is home to the famous Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall riots marked the beginning of a diverse community fighting back against oppression, with trans women of colour throwing the first bricks at police raiding the Inn, which was a safe space for people who were rarely safe anywhere else in the city. Today New York is a safe and welcoming city that is proud of its history, and Greenwich Village is now one of five main neighbourhoods that each has a unique queer scene and culture of acceptance.
3 Dollar Bill
Dancing
3 Dollar Bill is proud to welcome all members of the LGBTQ community into a space that represents commitment to inclusion and the celebration of queer identity. This is a space for joy and the largest queer venue in Brooklyn, a unique venue where everyone can express themselves and have a fabulous night. From fun nights at the bar to incredible events with amazing sound and lights, 3 Dollar Bill is always ready for a good time.
9th Ave Saloon
Pub Vibes
A neighbourhood fixture and an original Hell's Kitchen gay bar, NYC's 9th Avenue Saloon is always fun and unpretentious. Chat with friendly locals, meet out-of-town friends for a catch-up over drinks, or kick off the night with some old-fashioned fun in this lovely little dive bar. It has everything from great service and excellent prices to a (very popular) popcorn machine and a jukebox that you get to control.
Albatross Bar
Cosy
Albatross Bar is the oldest Gay Bar in Queens, with a local pub vibe and a loyal crowd. It was originally a lesbian bar but has changed over the years and is now proud to welcome everyone. Albatross hosts nightly entertainment including themed events and drag shows, plus a popular 2-for-1 happy hour. For a more relaxed but still sociable time, you can visit on a night with karaoke or a TV viewing party.
Atlas Social Club
Cocktails, Sports
Happening saloon and open air cocktail bar in Hell's Kitchen with a retro athletic-club atmosphere that includes boxing and wrestling memorabilia. Atlas Social Club hosts different events each night, and whichever night you choose you can dance way into the early hours with happy hour cocktails and classic sports films playing as a backdrop. This low-key spot has a friendly crowd and a chill atmosphere to start your night.
Barrage
Cocktails
More low-key than other gay bars in Hell's Kitchen, Barrage is the perfect place to relax with friends and enjoy a few drinks. It's a quieter alternative to the louder dance clubs, and the friendly bartenders and clientele add to the relaxed vibe here. Good happy hour deals resurface in the later in the night, so you can enjoy cocktails in a stylish bar decorated with pictures of male models and live your best gay life!
Boxers
Sports, Outdoor Seating
Boxers Hell's KItchen is perfect for parties, drinks and big nights out. Its main level features a lounge area in the front, a full bar, plasma screens and seating for dining. On the lower level is the DogPound, which has a full bar, a digital video wall and is perfect to book for private parties. The upper level, The Terrace, is a roof deck with full bar, plenty of seating and great views.
Branded Saloon
Drag, Cocktails
Branded Saloon is a fantastic neighbourhood LGBTQ bar and grill in Brooklyn with a western theme. The bar is a casual neighbourhood hangout with booth seating in the front and a performance space in the back, which hosts open mic nights and drag shows, plus a basement area that's available for private hire. Branded Saloon also serves good decent bar food, like burgers and quesadillas, to go with their range of whiskeys and seasonal cocktails.
Castro Bar
Cocktails, Dancing
This Washington Heights gay club takes care to cater to the tastes of every type of customer, with music and themes that differ every night. Tuesdays is Kinky Heels, where performers and servers are in drag. Visit on Thursdays for hip-hop, Fridays for the S.O.S. party, and even Adult Shop Saturdays if that's more your thing. If you don't like a late night, then the club offers a Sunday brunch and weekday happy hours as well.
Club Evolution
Drag, Dancing
Club Evolution in Jackson Heights is one of the few LGBTQ dance clubs in NYC, having served the community for almost 20 years and adapted to the times to remain at the top of the charts. This gay Latin mega-club offers a lively array of parties, including karaoke, drag shows, talent contests, themed nights and special guest DJs. The main attraction is the two packed dance floors, one of which has Latin music, the other spins pop.
Cubbyhole
Lesbian, Cash Only
New York's neighbourhood fusion bar is welcoming to everyone of all identities, but it particularly popular with the lesbian community. The small but busy bar is tucked away in a corner of West Village, so it's surrounded by the history of the pride movement and the empowerment of its community. It continues to provide a safe space with a homely atmosphere and a diverse crowd. For new friends, queer conversations, and of course a few drinks, this is the place to go.
Dive Bar Lounge
Outdoor Seating
Dive Bar Lounge (also known as DBL) is the perfect place in Hell's Kitchen to pick up hot guys or just hang out with the ones you already know! It has cheap drinks served by friendly bartenders, a beer pong table, and picnic tables outside where you can chat to your new friends and make even more. Come here for a local bar vibe and enjoy themed events with great guys.
Fairytail Lounge
Cocktails
Fairytale Lounge is located in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood and is known for its gogo boys on stage every weekend. It has a unique interior with kitschy and glittery fairy tale inspired decor, creating the perfect backdrop to a night of camp karaoke and dance parties. The largely local crowd is friendly and fun to party with, and you can even drink you cocktail while sitting on a centaur so what more could you really wish for?
Flaming Saddles Saloon
Cocktails, Cash Only
Flaming Saddles in the Hell's Kitchen area of NYC is the newest gay western saloon on the scene. The interior is designed to feel like you're in the Wild West, although the hot male bartenders dancing on the bar might give it away... When they're not dancing, they're serving delicious cocktails and other drinks at great prices, with regular deals and daily happy hour. You're promised a loud, proud, and very high energy night if you come here.
Friend's Tavern
Cocktails, Drag, Dancing
Friend's Tavern in an old school gay bar in Jackson Heights with a Latin flare, known for its cocktails, happy hour, and drag. Its diverse neighbourhood crowd is friendly and flirty, providing a safe space for many people (particularly queer Latino men) throughout its history. Today it is still owned by gay Latino men and continues to welcome everyone in for a relaxed dance and a cheap drink.
Ginger's Bar
Lesbian
Casual lesbian bar with a homely and intimate feel thanks to pool table, happy hours, and an outdoor patio. Ginger's is the lone lesbian bar left in Park Slope, and although crowds here often include straights and men, the focus remains on the ladies, who return for the dance parties on Fridays, Bingo on Sundays, karaoke on alternating Thursdays and one of the best happy hours in town.
Hardware
Cocktails, Drag, Dancing
This gay owned and operated buzzy bar and lounge in Hell's Kitchen features premier drag queens alongside some of the best DJs in NYC. This vibrant space is brought to you by the owners of Pieces Bar in the West Village, so they must know how to keep people coming back! It's central location, nightly performances from big names in drag, talented bartenders, and uniquely designed look are just some of the things that make Hardware special.
Hombres Lounge
Dancing, Karaoke
Hombres has a more Manhattan vibe than the other gay bars in Jackson Heights. It's the destination of choice for locals and visitors from further afield, who are drawn in by the scantily clad yet down to earth men, although the crowd is still somewhat mixed. If you like karaoke and a good old dance party with some very attractive men then this is the place for you!
Icon Bar
Drag
Icon is a neighbourhood gay bar in Astoria, popular with locals who visit for weekly themed parties and regular drag shows, house DJs, and of course the hot go-go dancers! The atmosphere is always energetic, the crowd is friendly and mixed, and the happy hour every weekday evening is just one more reason why you should visit this unassuming little bar.
Julius'
Older Crowd, Cosy
Julius' is the oldest gay bar in New York. It's a friendly neighbourhood bar that's especially popular with locals who regularly stop by for drinks or delicious fried comfort foods after work, but tourists will always be welcomed. Both the staff and the regular crowd are friendly and accepting of the whole community, and everyone who discovers this hidden gem of a bar praises the cheap drinks and amazing quality of the food.
Macri Park
Drag, Outdoor Seating
Macri Park is an intimate gay video bar in the heart of Williamsburg, offering a happy hour every night of the week, plus outdoor seating in a large backyard garden. The interior is cosy and dimly lit with a chill atmosphere, where drag queens perform regularly and draw people in from across the area. There are also regular karaoke if that's more your thing, or you can just have a simple drink and enjoy your surroundings.
Metropolitan
Cosy, Outdoor Seating
The local LGBTQ community and their allies frequent this "hipster with dive vibes" bar in Brooklyn to enjoy a drink on comfy sofas around one of the fireplaces. If you prefer being outside, Metropolitan Bar boasts one of the best outdoor patio gardens in Brooklyn, and this huge space is open all year round. Drinks are consistently cheap and the perfect addition to karaoke, video games, craft nights, and a legendary Sunday barbecue.
Phoenix Bar
Young Crowd, Dancing
The Phoenix has been a staple for gay nightlife in the East Village for decades, attracting generally younger clientele. It has always catered to a trendy and ever-changing crowd and is now the place to be seen for party lovers across New York and further afield. The Phoenix regularly hosts themed events and parties, as well as live music, DJs, and go-go dancers, but it's best known for its jukebox full of the latest and greatest pop.
Pieces
Drag
One of New York City's oldest gay bars located in Greenwich Village at corner of the iconic Christopher St and Gay St. This local and long-standing bar offers happy hour, karaoke, drag spectaculars, and plenty of dancing, and its versatile space is available for private parties as well. The daily drag shows are especially popular, as the queens are talented and keep the bar filled with energy. All this along with strong but cheap drinks makes for a great night.
Playhouse Bar
Drag, Dancing
Buzzing new gay bar in the heart of Greenwich Village with a speakeasy entrance and stylish vibe inside. This former theatre has been completely transformed into an atmospheric basement bar and club space, complete with original art and a line-up of the most talented drag names in the area. Its stage hosts nightly drag shows and other performances, plus plenty of dancing every weekend.
Posh Bar
Drag, Dancing
Everyone is welcome at Posh, and as each day of the week is a different theme, there really is something for everyone. At the daily happy hour you can get a wide range of beers at low prices, and coupled with DJs playing a range of genres every night you're bound to have a fun time. Live shows, drag competitions, and the chance of free pizza are just some of the reasons people keep coming back.
Rise Bar
Drag, Dancing
Rise is one of Hell's Kitchen's fan favourite gay bars, offering daily happy hour, specials, and nightly entertainment. You can start or end your night here with DJs, Drag shows, Karaoke and more. This bar is the perfect combination of a laid back and understated interior with a camp line up of acts, where no show is complete without the glitter ball! Its small space is always full of a mixed but mostly male crowd who love to dance.
Ritz Bar and Lounge
Drag, Outdoor Seating
Docked on Restaurant Row, the naval-inspired Ritz comprises two bars, bi-level backyard patio, and a second street-facing patio space, while natural wood sets a stylish mood inside the lounge. Nightly shows with renowned DJs and exceptional sound and lighting systems make Ritz one of the most popular dance club experiences in the Hell's Kitchen area, where all identities and backgrounds are welcome.
Rockbar NYC
Bear, Fetish, Older Crowd
This bear focused but super inclusive bar in the iconic Greenwich Village welcomes everyone of every label, form geeks to queens to leathermen. It's a dive bar that draws a mixed male crowd with lots of very gay events such as a monthly "F*ck Clothes Get Naked" party. There's something going on every night of the week here, with great offers on strong drinks to get you in the mood.
Suite
Drag
Suite is a stylish gay bar with a local pub feel, the perfect place to go with some friends or for a party in a casual and welcoming atmosphere. This bar is known for its show tunes, nightly entertainment, and good bar food, providing a "home from home" for the local LGBTQ community. Events like drag karaoke are particularly popular as the queens keep everyone entertained and having a great time.
The Boiler Room
Cash Only
This long running dive bar in East Village has an absolutely no-frills approach to the gay nightlife scene. It's everything you'd expect from a traditional local bar, offering all the essentials from jukebox to pool table, plus a good old-fashioned beer. Happy hour and comfortable private seating spaces make this bar great for groups and catchups, and everyone is welcomed by friendly staff and a good bit of loud music.
The Rosemont
Drag, Outdoor Seating
The Rosemont combines chill lounge with vibrant nightclub, hosting drag shows, live performances, DJ parties, and karaoke so there's always something on if you want to stop by for drink or a dance. The drag nights are particularly popular, with super talented and energetic queens. Despite the high energy party atmosphere, there's also a spacious patio area where you can have a more relaxed and talkative night, which is perfect for dates and group gatherings.
The Stonewall Inn
Pub Vibes
The Stonewall Inn is the site of the 1969 riots that launched the gay rights movement. It's no surprise that queer people from all over the world come to this iconic bar to connect and partake in their history with a drink and maybe even a chat with Tree, the same bartender who was working the night of the riots. This is a truly unique and transformational night out, with the added bonus of great beer.
The Vault
Drag, Dancing
Brooklyn's newest gay bar is a two-floor warehouse-style venue with two bars and a dance floor, whose stage hosts live performances from a variety of local artists. The dance space boasts mirrored walls and staircase, and once you're in you can enjoy a calendar of eclectic events including lively drag shows, cabaret, karaoke, and plenty of dance parties. The Vault is the perfect addition to your night out in a space full of other queer hubs.
Therapy
Drag, Cocktails
Since 2003, Therapy has been one of the top gay bars in Hell's Kitchen. It's open nightly, featuring awesome drag shows, good food and clever cocktails. Come early for happy hour and stay late into the night for fantastic DJs in a funky space that's centred on small sofas and tables where groups of friends can gather for loud music and strong martinis.
True Colors
Dancing
True Colors is one of the hottest gay spots in Jackson Heights, with an ironically decorated monochrome interior lit up with pulsating laser lights that flash to the beat of the music. The genres on offer range from salsa to reggaeton and Top 40, so there's something for all tastes. The crowd is mixed, as happy hour is popular with the older gays but late at night the bar is packed with a younger crowd.
Recommended gay friendly hotels in New York City
New York is such a diverse city with gay life found all around, so it is worth working out where the best hotel location is for your trip. Do you want to be near the nightlife in Hells Kitchen or Greenwich Village, or perhaps out in Brooklyn for an alternative scene? Wherever you choose to stay, perhaps treat yourself to a luxury hotel or stay budget and spend what you save on partying! Check out GayMapper recommendations for highly rates and gay friendly hotel deals in New York City and Brooklyn. You're able to support GayMapper by checking out our hotel deals as this helps us to keep the site updated with all this useful information!
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