New York City Gay Bars

Industry is one of Hell’s Kitchen’s hottest gay venues. With nightly shows, this bar is cash only though there are 2 ATM’s onsite. Industry has a busy after-work scene as well as a nightly happy hour. Particularly busy at the weekends, this 4,000 ft² gay bar is usually full of handsome gay men.

Gay-owned & managed bar & lounge in Hell’s Kitchen. HARDWARE features some of the best DJ’s in NYC and entertaining drag queens, both local and guests.

Located in midtown Manhattan. Open 7 days a week. Happy hour, 2pm-8pm (Monday-Friday).

This classy gay cocktail bar that has been at the heart of New York’s gay scene for 25+ years.

The Townhouse has 3 bars and features nightly piano shows by New York’s best performers. There is regular live music and events, often centred around Broadway tunes.

The bar attracts maturer mixed crowd and the ‘Men At Work’ type – so don’t show up in leather shorts and a vintage Madonna vest. Dress smart casual, though a jacket is not required.

A much loved gay bar in New York since 1995. Back then, Barracuda was known as a den of Bohemia – the kind of place where you’d see Eartha Kitt or Nathan Lane and where Broadway celebs would jump onstage and sing a cappella.

Today, Barracuda is still going strong, with very friendly and welcoming atmosphere, hosted by some New York’s drag luminaries like Sherry Vine and actress Candis Cayne.

Note: The place is small, but that’s part of its charm.

Lucky Cheng’s is the original home of the drag dinner. It’s been going since 1993 and it’s something of an establishment on New York’s gay scene. Enjoy a three-course meal as top drag queens lip-synch for their lives.

You can also try their famous high heel shoe desert, the world’s campest sweet. There’s nothing quite like a pink chocolate shoe filled with strawberries and cream.

Lucky Cheng’s is only open at weekends in the evenings.

The 9th Avenue Saloon is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ bars in New York City and has been serving the LGBTQ+ community for over 40 years.  A Hell’s Kitchen landmark, it’s the perfect spot to grab a cocktail before heading on to your next venue.

A fun gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. This cowboy-themed bar was designed to look like a Wild West saloon – think “Coyote Ugly” but with male bartenders.

Aside from the hot barmen dancing on the bar top, Flaming Saddles also serves great cocktails with regular drink deals – Happy Hour 3pm-9pm. Only cash is accepted.

If you’re in Los Angeles, check out its sister branch – Flaming Saddles WeHo.

Hell’s Kitchen’s longest-running gay bar. POSH Bar & Lounge is more intimate affair than some of its rowdier counterparts in New York.

The bar hosts weekly themed events, including Frisky Fridays to Sexy Saturdays, with nightly DJ’s and regular drag shows. If you’re hungry, the pizza is pretty good, too. Happy hour 2pm-9pm.

The Toolbox Bar is a long-standing gay dive bar, located in the Upper East Side.

The Toolbox hosts a range of popular events, including drag performances, karaoke, bingo, and other live entertainment. Check out their website for more information.

Rise is a laid back gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen a few blocks away from Flaming Saddles and Industry. The space is fairly small and the decor is understated. A swirling glitterball does, however, add rather a dash of camp.

Rise Bar is proof that you can’t have enough gay bars in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s usually busy and the crowd is mixed though mostly gay men.

There are regular events such as karaoke nights, Drag Race screenings and late night dancing at weekends. If you’re feeling thirsty head to Thirsty Thursdays for an evening of hot men and hot music.

Ritz Bar and Lounge is a swanky gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen with a nautical theme. It has two bars, a backyard patio and a street-facing patio. It’s been one of the best hotspots in Hell’s Kitchen since 2006.

There are nightly DJs and regular drag shows. The lineup changes night by night so check their website for more info.