Overview
New York on Tap listed this bar without a review.
History
Open since 1989, and staying put
Friend's Tavern has been in business on Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights since 1989, and it's the oldest gay bar in Queens1. Villa, who started it, wanted a place where the American clientele could be happy hearing music in English, and the Latino clients could be happy hearing music from their culture1. More than ten years later, Villa retired and handed the bar to a successor1.
Then its owner, Eddie, opened a listing and found, to his surprise, that "it happened to be my bar, my building that was being sold"1. He closed on the building in October 20211, and in November Eater reported that the bar would remain in Jackson Heights at 78-11 Roosevelt Avenue2.
In 2026 it's still the oldest gay bar in Queens3, and one of three gay bars a Jackson Heights guide confirmed open that year3. The guide sends readers to 78-11 Roosevelt Avenue for the first drink3.
Sources
Researched October 2026.