New York is home to one of the biggest and best queer scenes in the world. Although it certainly has competition from cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, it’s arguably one of the LGBTQIA+ capitals of the United States (and the world). It’s been the epicentre of some of the most important moments and movements in LGBTQIA+ history in the United States, including the Stonewall Riots and the formation of the ACT UP political group. Both its history and its thriving modern-day LGBTQIA+ scene make it an easy choice for gay travellers in New York.
New York: is it LGBTQIA+ friendly?
New York is one of the most LGBTQIA+-friendly cities in the country. It’s home to the largest LGBTQIA+ population in the United States, and you’ll be unlikely to encounter any issues if you’re openly LGBTQIA+ while visiting. If you do encounter any situations where you need assistance from LGBTQIA+ legal, health, or advocacy groups, The Gay Centre and the New York Anti-Violence Project are great places to start.
Where are the LGBTQIA+ areas in New York?
New York’s LGBTQIA+ scene today is mostly found around the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York. However, its historical roots in Chelsea and Greenwich Village are still going strong, and you’ll find some of New York’s most iconic gay bars in these areas. However, you’ll find gay bars all over the city, including in East Village, Brooklyn and Queens.
Gay bars in New York
New York has many amazing gay bars and clubs. We’ve curated a list of some of the best, but be open to a change of plans when you arrive and discover what’s on while you’re there.
The Stonewall Inn
In the 1960s, police raids on gay bars were a frequent occurrence. In the early hours of the morning on 28th June 1969, police raided The Stonewall Inn, and the bar’s patrons, along with residents in Greenwich Village fought back.
That night and the following protests came to be known as the Stonewall Riots and are considered by many to mark the beginning of real progress for the gay liberation movement in the United States. Today, this iconic bar is still a fixture for New York’s LGBTQIA+ community. It hosts themed nights, drag shows, karaoke, and much more. Whenever you visit, you’ll always find a fun, welcoming atmosphere. New York is one of the best party destinations in the world, and Stonewall hosts some of the best parties in the city.
Julius’
Although historically, the bar’s owners were not always receptive to the idea, Greenwich Village’s Julius’ is generally considered the oldest gay bar in New York City. Like Stonewall, it played an important role in LGBTQIA+ rights movements in New York. In 1966, the city was ordering bartenders not to serve LGBTQIA+ people and revoking the liquor licences of gay bars.
The Mattachine Society, one of the earliest gay rights organisations in the United States, held a ‘sip-in’ in protest, which ultimately helped overturn the bans. Today, the bar runs a Mattachine Society night on the third Thursday of each month. Overall, the bar has a very relaxed atmosphere and patrons come when they’re looking for something laid-back, inexpensive and comfortable.
Industry
Industry, in Hell’s Kitchen, is one of the most popular gay bars in New York, operating since 1991. It’s one of the best spots in the city for drag performances, with multiple drag shows throughout the week, hosted by some of the scene’s best drag queens.
Outside of live performances, you can expect plenty of current and classic pop spun by world-class DJs. Named ‘New York’s Best Gay Bar’ by magazines like GetOut and The Village Voice, head to Industry on Saturday nights for the biggest crowds and on Thursdays to see Queen, one of the bar’s longest-running and most popular weekly drag shows. Note: this bar is cash only, but there are two ATMs on site.
Townhouse Bar
On 58th Street, in Hell’s Kitchen, you’ll find one of the coolest cocktail bars in New York City. The Townhouse Bar has been a fixture of New York’s gay scene for more than 25 years. It offers a quieter, more relaxed space where you can sit back with a cocktail or a glass of whisky amidst soft music and murmured conversation.
The back room is a little more lively, with live piano performances often leading to a show tune sing-a-long. While the atmosphere is more relaxed, the dress code is a little more formal and the bar requests ‘dress to impress’ attire. But you don’t need to overthink it – any suitably smart-casual look will easily get you in the door.
Lucky Cheng’s
Industry is one of the best drag bars in Hell’s Kitchen, but Lucky Cheng’s is the place to go for Drag Dinner. Enjoy a delicious three-course meal while being served signature cocktails by drag queen waitresses. The restaurant’s drag cabarets have been running since 1993, and they’ve been a community favourite ever since. It runs on the weekends and usually opens at 1 pm, but if you’re visiting New York in winter, it opens an hour later.
Club Cummings
Alan Cumming’s performance as The Master of Ceremonies in ‘Cabaret’ captivated Broadway audiences in the late 90s. Now, his East Village bar Club Cummings is bringing Weimar cabaret to modern audiences.
The venue used to be a gay dive bar and, although it’s not quite as gay-focused anymore, you’ll still find a sizeable queer crowd here. Along with cabarets, drag shows and stand-up comedy, the club also hosts a knitting night, book club and “raunchy readings.” Every night has at least one event running, so you won’t need to check their calendar to ensure an excellent evening of entertainment.
BOXERS
BOXERS is a gay sports bar, featuring plasma screen TVs, pool tables and plenty of drinks. It’s a popular hangout spot for gay sports leagues/teams and hosts frequent events and themed parties, including ‘80s Night’ and ‘Jock Night’. There are two BOXERS in New York City: one in Hell’s Kitchen and the other in Chelsea. The Chelsea bar opened first and remains its flagship location, spread across two levels and an outdoor patio. It also has a brick oven that serves fresh, delicious pizzas.
LGBTQIA+ eateries in New York
These are some of the best spots to go for a meal or a sweet treat when you’re visiting New York. Whether they’re gay owned, in LGBTQIA+ areas or just popular with LGBTQIA+ clientele, these eateries are the perfect place to refuel as you move from sightseeing to clubs.
Grab a scoop at Big Gay Ice Cream
Big Gay Ice Cream is a gay-owned ice cream truck that has won numerous awards, including Best Gay Ice Cream Parlour and Best Food Truck in the Country. It began as a roving food truck but has since expanded to multiple permanent locations in New York, the first in East Village and the second in West Village.
They still have trucks that they hire out to parties and events. Big Gay Ice Cream serves old-school soft serve, made using traditional methods. They base their business on the classic flavours of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, but they also have a few special flavours that change up weekly.
Indulge at Elmo Restaurant & Lounge
Elmo Restaurant, in Chelsea, is one of New York’s most popular LGBTQIA+ friendly restaurants. Its beautiful, stylish decor alone is worth a trip inside, but it’s the delicious American comfort food that will have you coming back again and again. Downstairs, you’ll find Elmo Lounge, which hosts a range of events and performances throughout the week. A lot of its programming is hosted or performed by LGBTQIA+ artists.
Brunch at Buvette
If you’re staying in Greenwich Village, then you should definitely pay a visit to Buvette. This French-inspired brasserie is a charming, relaxed restaurant and a popular brunch spot with LGBTQIA+ clientele in the area. After a long night partying, you can revive yourself with one of their delicious croque monsieurs or steak tartares. You can also get the next party started with their unique cocktails and extensive wine list.
Other LGBTQIA+ attractions in New York
We’ve covered the best of New York’s nightlife, but these are some of the best spots to visit during the day (though some are open in the evenings too). You probably already have the MET and other popular New York museums on your list, so make sure to check out these queer-focused ones too. You can also find hubs of community activity where you can socialise without loud music and alcohol.
Art and history at Leslie-Lohmann Museum
Leslie-Lohmann Museum celebrates the art and lives of LGBTQIA+ artists. Its permanent collection features artwork and memorabilia of famous names like Andy Warhol and Tom of Finland. You’ll also find a spotlight shone on lesser-known or underappreciated LGBTQIA+ artists.
It gives visitors a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the city’s LGBTQIA+ inhabitants, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century. The museum runs educational workshops and often loans parts of its collection to other institutions, such as the New York Public Library and the Smithsonian Institution.
The extensive collection at Lesbian Herstory Archives
Lesbian Herstory Archives, in Brooklyn, is home to the largest collection of historic materials by lesbians and about lesbians. It was founded in 1974 and its first pieces were donated by the founders themselves. Since then, it has grown into a robust collection with both physical and digital artefacts. You’ll find diaries, photographs, zines, novels and much more.
Socialise at the BGSQD
The Bureau of General Services – Queer Division, or BGSQD, is a community centre, bookstore and venue that’s totally independent and run by volunteers. It’s housed in room 210 at The LGBT Community Center, in West Village. Whenever you visit, you can peruse a range of queer literature and get to know LGBTQIA+ locals and visitors.
Throughout the week, they host a range of events, including live performances, readings, screenings and book clubs. Both the BGSQD and the LGBT Community Center more broadly are great places to visit if you’re looking to socialise outside of bars and clubs.
LGBTQIA+ events in New York
New York hosts a range of LGBTQIA+-focused events throughout the year. From Pride marches to film festivals, these events celebrate queer culture, art and history. If any of these events interest you, you might want to consider them when deciding the best time to visit New York.
NYC Pride
NYC Pride takes place in June every year and is made up of multiple events that happen throughout the city. RALLY is usually the starting event and the spiritual successor to the ‘Gay Power’ demonstration that occurred in Washington Square Park a few weeks after the initial Stonewall Riots. PrideFest is a street fair based in Greenwich Village, with food vendors, craft stalls, and plenty of live performances.
Pride Island is a multi-day music festival hosted on Governor’s Island, which promises live performances from internationally renowned music acts. The central event is NYC Pride March, which winds its way down Fifth Avenue and ranks among the largest Pride events in the world.
Bushwig
If you’re planning a visit for September, see if you can arrive in time for this award-winning drag festival. Held over two days at the Knockdown Center, in Queens, each year promises creative, camp performances by some of the city’s best drag performers. In previous years, audience members have had the chance to watch alumni of ‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race’ alongside up-and-coming stars. Drag is the focus, but Bushwig is also a broader celebration of queer creativity.
Fresh Fruit Festival
The Fresh Fruit Festival is all about queer artists bringing something new, fresh and exciting to their field. It’s presented by All Out Arts and aims to be an extension of their slogan “fighting prejudice and homophobia through the arts.” You’ll find performance art, visual art, poetry, comedy, dance, drag and much more. It usually runs for two weeks in late spring or summer.
LGBTQIA+ hotels in New York
There are no exclusively gay hotels in New York, but you won’t have a problem staying at most hotels, hostels or rentals throughout the city. Many LGBTQIA+ travellers choose to stay in the main LGBTQIA+ areas of Chelsea, Greenwich Village and Hell’s Kitchen.
Hell’s Kitchen accommodation
Ink 48 is a great option in Hell’s Kitchen. It has a rooftop bar that offers stunning views of the city and indulgent spa facilities. If visiting the best parks in New York is a top priority, consider staying at Hudson Hotel. It’s situated very close to both Central Park and Hell’s Kitchen.
Chelsea accommodation
Kimpton Hotel Eventi is a beautiful hotel, offering spacious rooms and a range of eateries on the ground floor. Kimpton was also one of the earliest hotel chains in the United States to implement LGBTQIA+-positive policies. The High Line Hotel is very close to the popular Chelsea Market and has bicycles available to hire.
Greenwich Village accommodation
Washington Square Hotel is a stunning Art-Deco hotel in Greenwich Village, moments from the nightlife of the neighbourhood. It’s also super close to a subway station, so getting around the city and back to your hotel is easy. The Standard, High Line New York is perfect for anyone visiting during Pride. The hotel hosts excellent Pride parties, and it’s also very close to Stonewall. Modernhaus SoHo is a great in-between option that puts you close to both Greenwich Village and Chelsea. Head to the top of the hotel for the rooftop bar or swim a few laps in the pool.
