Best gay bars nyc
Eight NYC Lgbtq+ Bars and Clubs We Miss This PRIDE
BY MICHAEL MUSTO | Happy Pride! There are plenty of queer establishments in NYC at which you can celebrate, but enable me step in between your cocktails and remind you of some past places that were absolute gay heaven. We can briefly remember their glory, then go right back to putting the mo’ assist in mojito.
THE BAREFOOT BOY (309 E. 39th St. at Second Ave.) | One prominent element of gay nightlife in the 1970s involved raunchy, sex-driven places like the Anvil—but at the opposite end of the spectrum was the Barefoot Lad, a sleek boogie club that was sophisticated and almost chic. But, of course, sex was the object here too. Everyone’s mission was to delay till a fantastic song was played (like Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive), ask someone steamy to dance, and then find yourself doing a line dance together all the way abode. Yes, this was way before Grindr, when you had to actually proceed out of the house and chat up potential tricks face to face! Can you imagine?
THE CANDLE BAR (309 Amsterdam Ave. btw. W. 74th & 75th Sts.) | A long-running establishment, the Candle brought some gay presence to the Upper West Side—al
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Happy Pride! To get things started, I wanted to share my top 5 tips for exploring Manhattan’s gay scene. I look after to stick to the Brooklyn borough because it’s where I work and mostly where I party, but at the starting of the year, I did make a conscious decision to explore more of Manhattan.
I already work in Manhattan and use plenty of weekdays there during the week, and admittedly, it’s quite easy and quick to travel between where I dwell in Brooklyn and the homosexual scene in Manhattan. I’ve gotten stuck in Brooklyn’s gay bars, but I actually do affectionate Manhattan.
My personal favorite gay area in Manhattan is the West Village, home to two of my favorite gay bars: Pieces and Julius. And I’ve spent a lot of time in the East Village because it’s just where all the hippies and young folks tend to congregate.
But I’ve been known to be seen in other more “gay” areas like Chelsea (ahem, The Eagle), and Hells Kitchen, of course. (Of course.)
So, here it is. Welcome to my colorful guide to Manhattan, the beating heart of LGBTQ+ identity in New York City.
An Introduction to the Manhattan Gay Scene
As an avid traveler and
New York has played a major role in Diverse history and it’s no wonder there are a slew of bars that have been beacons for the community (and prime party spots) for decades. The best queer bars in NYC range from dive bars to gyrate clubs, with historic spots like the Stonewall Inn anchoring them all. The West Village is a classic destination for gay nightlife, but you’ll locate something exciting and welcoming in pretty much any part of the city.
You can check out the best drag shows or cabaret performances, but these queer spaces all provide something unique, from cozy vibes and cheap drinks to high-energy dancing and brunch parties - sometimes in the same place on different days! Maybe your interests skew more trendy and urbane, or perhaps you're more of the down-and-dirty hook-up spots, the "what happens on the weekends, stays on the weekends" type — we're not here to judge! There are plenty of LGBTQ+ things to do in New York, but if it’s a bar you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best bars in NYC
May 2025: We removed Ginger's and Barracuda Lounge. We added Loafers Cocktail Bar.