Gay Bar
60 bars that New York on Tap listed under “Gay Bar” around 2008, with what's licensed at each address in 2026.
Manhattan
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275 W. 22nd St. · Chelsea
Closed
Comfy, mellow gay bar without the cruise or die atmosphere. You might even be able to bring your straight friends here.
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401 W. 47th St. · Hells Kitchen
Closed; now Same Same
This gritty garage bar blazed a trail into Hells Kitchen back when there were only a couple of other gay bars in the area. The scene nay wax and wanes (mostly waning recently), but the 11-midnight happy hour always seems to bring in something tasty.
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The Boiler RoomPick
86 E. 4th St. · East Village
Moved to 45 Second Ave.
Just your friendly neighborhood gay dive bar with a pool table, young crowd, great jukebox and believe it or not Bass on tap.
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232 8th Ave. · Chelsea
A different business is licensed at this address: Spicy Moon
Four words: drag queen puppet bingo. Fridays 7:30-10:30pm.
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297 10th Ave. · Chelsea
No license found in 2026
A sleek bar with a mixed crowd, views of the Empire State Building and impressively flattering lighting. Most notable for the surprising amount of press it got following a flame war with 42 Below Vodka in 2005.
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309 Amsterdam Ave. · Upper West Side
Closed; now Xi'an Famous Foods
Friendly neighborhood gay bar named for it's candles only lighting policy. Frequented by a mature but attractive crowd.
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29 2nd Ave. · East Village
Moved to 93 Second Ave.
A gay bar so simultaneously friendly and edgy that it has become an East Village institution.
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359 W. 54th St. · Hells Kitchen
Closed; now Cocktail Test Kitchen
There are smaller bars but they're made out of legos.
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31 2nd Ave. · East Village
Closed
A succession of straight bars (Ice Bar, Patio) have tried and failed to make a home here. Now it's finally gay as the day with the aim of providing an upscale alternative to its next door neighbors The Urge and The Cock.
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185 Christopher St. · West Village
Closed; now Rockbar NYC
New York City's best bar to go bear hunting.
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The DuplexPick
61 Christopher St. · West Village
Still pouring
A sing-along piano bar, a pool table, a juke box, and New York's oldest cabaret theatre. Frequented by the occasional broadway star and all those who love them.
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554 West 28th Street · Chelsea
Still pouring
Chelsea leather bar with a roof deck and Sunday afternoon BBQ at 5pm.
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505 E. 6th St. · East Village
Same bar, now Club Cumming
The only Soviet themed gay bar in New York is a cruisey little place with a neighborhood crowd.
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115 Christopher St. · West Village
Closed; now Dandelion
This dimly lit Christopher Street bar packs with a hugely diverse crowd of tourists and locals of all ages and ethnicities.
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301 W. 39th St. · Chelsea
Closed
It's 18 to party and 21 to drink at Times Square's only Latin Gay bar.
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59 Grove St. · West Village
Still pouring
This West Village basement houses on of New York's best piano and showtune bars. On weekends the crowd can veer toward mostly straight, but weekdays expect a gay old time.
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80 Grove St. · West Village
Still pouring
This Quintessential West Village gay bar has a piano room upstairs and dance floor below attracting people of all ages, races, and walks of life. Whatever your taste you can find it here.
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4168 Broadway · Washington Heights
Closed; now Planet Fitness
An upscale gay bar with a downtown vibe. The two for one happy runs until 10pm every night of the week. The crowd starts off older and whiter and gets hotter, younger and blacker as the night progresses.
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North Square (Washington Sq Hotel)
103 Waverly Pl. · Greenwich Village
Still pouring
The appeal of this basement level hotel bar is its anonymity. You could live in the neighborhood for years and never know it was there.
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322 E. 14th St. · East Village
Still pouring
It's easy to pass the time at this friendly gay and lesbian bar. Twenty somethings easily mingle thanks a variety of cruising conveyances, a pool table, pinball, karaoke machine, and video games
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221 E. 58th St. · Midtown East
No license found in 2026
Named for Oscar Wilde the decor of this midtown gay bar leans more heavily toward the 1980's than 1880's. No matter a friendly vibe and an outdoor patio space make OW an oasis in East 50's.
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119 E. 60th St. · Upper East Side
No license found in 2026
Midtown pretty much sums it up. If you're gay and you really love Karaoke then there's a chance you might actually enjoy yourself here, otherwise you'll probably want to stear clear.
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447 E. 13th St. · East Village
Still pouring
Just a friendly neighborhood gay bar without pretense or cruise-or-die mentality.
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8 Christopher St. · West Village
Still pouring
There's a new theme for every night of the week at this tiny, friendly and unpretentious West Village gay bar.
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405 W. 53rd St. · Hells Kitchen
Closed
Exposed brick, comfy couches, and subdued lighting give this laid back gay bar a warm and sexy vibe.
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101 Ave. A · East Village
Closed; now Night Club 101
One of the few clubs in New York where friends who bat for different teams can go out together without compromise, well depending on the night.
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200 Ave. A · East Village
No license found in 2026
A café, bookstore, gallery space, and full bar make for a lively and sorely needed day time gay hangout in the East Village. At night there's a busy schedule of readings, film screenings, and dance performances.
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212 8th Ave. · Chelsea
Closed; now Heavenly Markets & Deli
Landmark NYC leather bar is surprisingly friendly and low key.
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369 W. 46th St. · Hells Kitchen
Still pouring
This bi-level gay bar is a slightly more low key option than Vlada Lounge. It's equally easy to have a conversation with friends or make new ones depending on your fancy. And if you feel like doing both your friends can take over one of the couches lining the wall near the bar and lure in passing hotties.
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579 6th Ave · Union Square/ Flatiron
Closed; now Oramen
Let the gay youth of New York rejoice. This three floor dance club in the former Heaven space is the new reigning king of twinkdom.
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50 W. 17th St. · Union Square/ Flatiron
Closed; now 50 West 17th Street offices
This ten thousand square foot dance club is on the must see list of every gay tourist in the city and with good reason. Fifteen years since its inception Splash is still the gay nightclub in Chelsea. Nowhere else can really compete with the the sound, the sights, and the spectacle.
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Secret LoungePick
525 W. 29th St. · Chelsea
A different business is licensed at this address: Kahlo
Hidden behind the tiny sign on an otherwise unmarked door this sultry lounge is imbued with a palpable sexuality thanks to victorian chandeliers, red velvet, votive candles, and a very sexy mixed (mostly gay) crowd.
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218 Ave. A · East Village
Closed; now Spike's
The people who brought you Starlight and Wonder Bar - combined the best qualities and names of both to form StarBar a sleek new bar with an ambience so similar to Starlight you could almost think you were there.
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StonewallPick
53 Christopher St. · West Village
Still pouring
A landmark bar famous for it's important role in the gay rights movement. In 1969 it was raided by plainclothes police officers, but the patrons fought back sparking the Stonewall riots, a crucial turning point in the gay right movement. **Reopened and under new management**
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992 Amsterdam Ave. · Morningside Heights
Still pouring
In an area devoid of gay bars this clean and stylish bar fits the bill nicely.
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348 W. 52nd St. · Hells Kitchen
Closed; now Hush
A multilevel lounge/performance space hosts a more sophisticated brand of low brow entertainment than can be found at your average gay bar.
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1742 2nd Ave. · Upper East Side
Still pouring
There's gay porn on the TV, Go-Go boys, and the walls are bedecked in metal fencing. We recommend it as an ideal place to form beautiful, lasting relationships - particularly after 2am in the downstairs lounge.
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Uncle Charlie'sPick
139 E. 45th St. · Midtown East
Still pouring
An after work gay bar in midtown? Although the second floor location and masked windows look seedy from the outside, the bar within is clean and attractive. There's the ubiquitous piano lounge, a separate bar area, and even a plant filled back garden.
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33 2nd Ave. · East Village
Closed
Plush furniture, a cool bi-level bar aimed at enhancing site lines, and a stage full of Go-Go boys 5 nights a week. How wrong can you go?
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232 8th Ave. · Chelsea
Closed; now Spicy Moon Chelsea
Four words: drag queen puppet bingo. Fridays 7:30-10:30pm.
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331 W. 51st St. · Hells Kitchen
A different business is licensed at this address: Carla
Railroad layout gay bar that draws an attractive crowd to drink $12 cocktails.
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40 E. 58th St. · Midtown East
Closed
This 18 and over gay bar draws a young gaysian and latino crowd and the old white men who love to buy them drinks, tokens of affection, cars…
Brooklyn
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45 Waverly Ave. · Clinton Hill
No license found in 2026
A not exceptionally cool, but pretty well hidden Clinton Hill gay bar with DJ and dancing.
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390 5th Ave. · Central Slope
Closed; now 390 Social
A quiet and comfortable gay and lesbian bar, with a tight nit abd incestuously close crowd of regulars.
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273 13th St. · South Slope
A different business is licensed at this address: Paddy's Of Park Slope
The stated aim of Lucky 13 is to provide a haven for everyone who feels outside of the mainstream. Thanks to $1 beers before 9pm and $2 beers there after it does this job with gusto.
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559 Lorimer St. · East Williamsburg
Still pouring
A beautiful backyard garden for the summer and two fireplaces for the winter make Metropolitan Williamsburg's gay bar for all seasons.
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802 64th St. · Sunset Park
No license found in 2026
There's some fierce and firey dancing on this lit from beneath dance floor.
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SugarlandPick
221 N. 9th St. · Williamsburg North Side
Closed; now pinkFROG cafe
The free pizza dive Capone's is now the epicenter of the Williamsburg gay scene. Waiters in dress shirts, ties, and undies serve cheap and stiff cocktails to a crowd that's looking for a bigger party than Metropolitan has on offer.
Queens
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36-19 24th Ave. · Long Island City
Still pouring
This former biker bar is now a friendly gay/lesbian joint.
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34 - 48 Steinway St. · Long Island City
A different business is licensed at this address: Riviera
Those looking for gay in Astoria have this latin den of kitsch as their only option. It has a certain charm.
Already closed by 2009
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Big LugClosed by 2009
85 Ave. A · East Village
A different business is licensed at this address
Conveniently located near Pyramid this is a bar for bears and the men who love them.
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ClubhouseClosed by 2009
700 E. 9th St. · East Village
A different business is licensed at this address: The Wayland
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Danny's Skylight RoomClosed by 2009
346 W. 46th St. · Hells Kitchen
Closed; now Bar Lola
If you love show tunes or you just love men who love show tunes then this is your spot.
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Dick's BarClosed by 2009
192 2nd Ave. · East Village
Closed; now 12th Street Ale House
Closed August 2007. A rarity in these parts, Dick's is a comfortable and friendly gay bar where it's possible to have a low key night out with a few friends.
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Dragon LoungeClosed by 2009
145 Atlantic Ave. · Cobble Hill
No license found in 2026
Abercrombie & Fitch meets Diesel at Chinatown meets Brooklyn Lounge.
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FunClosed by 2009
160 N. 4th St. · Williamsburg North Side
No license found in 2026
Sexy Williamsburg gay bar where everyone is welcome provided gay porn movies and go-go boys don't make you feel uncomfortable.
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G LoungeClosed by 2009
223 W. 19th St. · Chelsea
Still pouring
A round bar makes eye contact easy at this chic Chelsea boy staple.
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HeavenClosed by 2009
579 6th Ave. · Union Square/ Flatiron
A different business is licensed at this address: O Ramen
Three floors with three themes (Heaven, purgatory and hell) and a different party every night of the week (Latin, Gay College, Lesbian) create an unequalled matrix of possiblities.
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Mr. BLACKClosed by 2009
77 Bleecker St. · Greenwich Village
No license found in 2026
To say that this subterranean dance club is a scene is a bit of an understatement. Pretty much one giant dance floor with a few darkened corners for all manner of indiscretions.
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ProbeClosed by 2009
431 W. 16th St. · Chelsea
A different business is licensed at this address
Gay club in W. Chelsea.
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Rehab (Time Café)Closed by 2009
380 Lafayette · NoHo
A different business is licensed at this address: Lafayette
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ReleaseClosed by 2009
161 W. 23rd St. · Chelsea
A different business is licensed at this address: Petite Disco
Former gay porn star, Arron Tanner's new dance club was shut down only months after it opened. Perhaps a new record in the the shelf life of clubs in the space formerly housing Suede, and before that Blu.
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Rose's TurnClosed by 2009
55 Grove St. · West Village
A different business is licensed at this address: Little Owl The Townhouse
The oldest piano and cabaret bar in the neighborhood closed its doors forever on July 22nd, 2007.
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The Slide BarPickClosed by 2009
356 Bowery St. · Coney Island
Closed; now Yawning Cobra
One of the few bars in the city that manages to be simultaneously sleazy and warm.
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Starlight Bar and LoungePickClosed by 2009
167 Ave. A · East Village
No license found in 2026
A fixture of East Village gay nightlife, Starlight has an attractive and classic décor and brings in a crowd to match. On Sundays the Y chromosones give way to the X's and it becomes lipstick lesbian central.
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Xth Avenue LoungeClosed by 2009
642 10th Ave. · Hells Kitchen
No license found in 2026
Super cool candlelit mixed gay/straight bar conveniently located near the theatre district.