The 10 best LGBTQ bars in NYC

When it comes to the best gay bars in Manhattan, The Townhouse Bar is a class-act. If you prefer quiet conversations and talented piano shows to ear-ringing, reverberating dance music, then this is your place. The Townhouse Bar tends to attract 30-somethings and older; while a jacket isn’t required, you’ll find a crowd full of elegant men in smart attire. Nightly performances in The Grand Piano Bar skew towards Broadway classics, while Friday and Saturday evenings in the club room are reserved for hip-swaying Latino beats like Salsa and Merengue.

The brainchild of actor and singer Alan Cumming, Club Cumming is a decidedly Bohemian East Village bar that attracts an alternative queer crowd to its intimate, cosy space. Think ticketed cabaret experiences, stand-up, drag shows, and—most curiously—knitting nights (though attendants prefer the title “fiber artists”). It’s perhaps a bizarre mix, yet somehow it works brilliantly, cementing Club Cumming’s place amongst the best gay clubs in NYC. Come for the diverse, quirky lineup of talented performers, stay for the tangible sense of camaraderie.

While the Stonewall Inn is rightfully famed with starting the gay liberation movement, the accolade for the oldest operating gay bar in NYC goes to Julius. This historical mainstay first opened as a bar in 1864. It would begin attracting gay men in the 1960s, later playing a critical role during the 1966 “Sip-In.” Inspired by civil rights sit-ins and organized by the Mattachine Society, the “Sip-In” was a public challenge to the state’s discriminatory policy of revoking licenses of bars serving gay clientele—a precursor to Stonewall and an essential step towards legitimizing the development of gay bars. Today, Julius is a buzzing gay bar and restaurant serving up juicy, inexpensive burgers in a snug space overflowing with fascinating historical pieces.

Insider tip: Another of New York’s most historical joints is Pete’s Tavern, a gorgeous Gramercy Park pub and an iconic locale included in our guide to the most memorable Sex and the City restaurants. Don’t miss it!

As acceptance and tolerance continue to become the way of the world, once exclusive gay clubs in NYC are now welcoming everyone and anyone—so long as you’re equally open-minded. Such is the case at Cubbyhole, a longtime lesbian and gay locale that’s less concerned about labels and more focused on fostering a welcoming, eclectic ambience. The over-the-top ceiling is dripping with colourful Chinese lanterns, glittering stars, and striped fish, a collection that somehow feels perfectly befitting of this chill neighbourhood bar. Free popcorn and a sought-after jukebox round out the offerings.

In this laid-back, gay-popular venue in Greenwich Village, musical theatre students, fun-loving customers, and even the occasional celebrity stop by to belt their favourite Broadway show tunes to the accompaniment of a live pianist. The basement venue oozes of old-world nostalgia, a testament to its storied past first as a 1850s prostitutes’ den, then as a boy bar that would persevere through Prohibition. Don’t expect any trailblazing mixology here; Marie’s is the place for unbridled fun as you sing along to show tunes without abandon.

One of the most dapper LGBTQ bars in NYC is also one of the newest, opening its doors in Hell’s Kitchen in late 2015. Rise Bar is a gorgeous, ultra-modern gay bar full of exposed brickwork, wood ceiling beams, and dangling Edison bulbs. It’s meant to be a sophisticated, high-class option in a sea of otherwise lacklustre gay bars, and so far, it’s working. Sexy bartenders, drag competitions, and karaoke nights promise a high-energy atmosphere any night of the week.

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