Archive · modern edition Every bar New York on Tap knew, as it stood around 2008, with a 2026 check on each one. This page in the 2008 edition
Lucky Cheng's, photographed for New York on Tap
Photo from the 2008 site

A New York on Tap pick

Lucky Cheng's

The queen of all bachelorette venues

24 1st Ave. · Btwn 1st & 2nd St
East Village, Manhattan

In 2026

Closed; now Bungalow

Checked October 15, 2026.

Overview

Absolutely fabulous, cross-dressing-tacular restaurant where the price of admission is a $22 utterly mediocre entree.

Make no mistake. On a scale of Olive Garden to Le Bernadin the food at Lucky Cheng's ranks somewhere around Houlihan's. Zagat's famously awarded Cheng's a resounding 8 out of the 30. Why then the Limo's parked outside every night and the strict reservations policy? Men in dresses. On a scale of Times Square alley to Fabulous Dahling this place ranks somewhere around Madonna.

Why you should go

  • This place is the dream of every small town boy who dreams of being a girl in the big city one day. As crossdressing goes this place is strictly A-List.
  • Suggest it to unsuspecting coworkers for a three cocktail business lunch. Watching your boss getting pulled out of his chair by a 6' 6" drag-queen and spanked - priceless.
  • Just like Sing-Sing Karaoke and Hunkamania Lucky Cheng's is an integral part of every bachelorette party.

What you should know

  • You're not here for the food, so order appropriately. Avoid $22 Mako Shark medallions and Aged Sirloin, and instead opt for one of the low pretense options - shared appetizer trays, BBQ chicken, Chicken and Pineapple.
  • Men are served up as the plate du jour every night here. If you're of the less fair sex, avoid getting eaten alive by the host by choosing a seat somewhere difficult to get up from, lest you be spotted as easy prey.

History

A bathhouse, a drag palace, then Michelin

Before it was Lucky Cheng's, the building at 24 First Avenue housed Club Baths, the first openly gay-owned bathhouse, from 1971 to 19831. Hayne Suthon bought the property in 1986 for $800,0002, and in 1993 opened Lucky Cheng's, known for its cross-dressing waitstaff3, 4. We called it the queen of all bachelorette venues and absolutely fabulous, and saved our harsher words for the entrees.

In October 2012 it left the East Village for Times Square3, 5. In 2013 celebrity pitmaster Myron Mixon came close to opening Pride & Joy BBQ in the old space6.

Suthon died of breast cancer in June 20144, and the Times Square Lucky Cheng's soon closed with a final Pride party4. That August it returned downtown3, but plans for a new home at 154 Ludlow Street fell through in November7.

The First Avenue building sold to Carmar Development in February 20152. It was demolished in 2019 for The 101, a 7-story condominium1. Bungalow opened at 24 First Avenue in March 20248 and made the Michelin Guide that June9.

Sources

  1. evgrieve.com
  2. evgrieve.com
  3. bedfordandbowery.com
  4. dnainfo.com
  5. villagevoice.com
  6. evgrieve.com
  7. evgrieve.com
  8. evgrieve.com
  9. en.wikipedia.org

Researched October 2026.

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