Recommend a New York City gay bar for me.

March 27, 2009 11:45 PM

I'll be visiting NYC by myself next week. I would like to meet / hang out with other gay guys around my age. I'm looking for a gay bar with a younger (late 20s - early 30s) crowd. I'm slightly shy / self-conscious and prefer a place with a relatively friendly vibe and lack of "attitude". Any suggestions?
posted by mahamandarava to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

I'd suggest XES. It's on 24th Street between 7th and 8th. It's a very laid back bar with a friendly crowd and not a lot of drama.

Crowd is mostly late 20s and early 30s young professionals. There's an patio in the back if you smoke, or if it happens to be a nice evening and you want to enjoy your drink outside. Some nights they have events, like butt contests, drag queen bingo, or karaoke. The drink boys and bartenders are total sweethearts (and one of them, Frank, is out of this world hot). Drinks are pretty cheap by Manhattan standards, and every weeknight it's 2 for 1 drinks until 9 pm.
posted by reticulatedspline at 6:09 AM on March 28, 2009

I suggest Metropolitan in Williamsburg.

posted by josher71 at 7:35 AM on March 28, 2009

In Astoria, you're talking about Albatross.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:29 AM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

I suggest Therapy, on 52nd Street between 8th and 9th. It's a mixed crowd, but mostly late 20s - early 30s, good drinks, food, and sometimes events (like comedy night on Sundays). The staff are really friendly, too, and happy hour prices are pretty decent.
posted by bedhead at 8:54 AM on March 28, 2009

I stopped in at Pieces in Manhattan (8 Christopher St, between Greenwich Ave and Waverly Pl) the other night and the vibe there was very fun and friendly. They were hosting some Pictionary-type game and people were cracking up. Definitely seemed liked it would be easy to go alone and join in. I asked the bartender if this was a regular gig and he said they have similar events all the time.
posted by funkiwan at 9:59 AM on March 28, 2009

Homo and bar reviewer here. My favorite gay bar in NYC is Eastern Bloc, on 6th street and Avenue A. Whether packed or mostly empty, there always seem to be interesting, friendly people there and the atmosphere is intriguing. There are good parties there on Wednesday and Thursday nights, in addition to the obvious big weekend nights.

Metropolitan in Brooklyn is an excellent suggestion, a very relaxed hangout that accommodates large and small crowds equally well. Sugarland is nearby, and that's a cruisier, dancier kind of place -- a good bar to travel to after you've already unwound at Metropolitan.

The real secret to gay bars in NYC is timing. Most places really don't get cooking until 11 or 12, so if you want a relaxed drink with whoever is just out and about, arriving at 9 or 10 is fine. If you want to see a place in all its glory and maybe do some dancing, wait a few hours. Of course, any bar can have an off night, so it's pretty important to have a multi-destination itinerary just in case one place isn't everything you'd hoped.

I personally think the downtown and brooklyn bars are way friendlier, but it sort of depends on who you are and who you might want to meet.
posted by hermitosis at 10:35 AM on March 28, 2009

Also, you could always try and call a gay MeFi meetup if you want to -- there are more than a handful of us here who aren't that hard to lure out for a drink.
posted by hermitosis at 10:39 AM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm not a gay bar, but I am gay, a guy, in my 20s, and have a relatively friendly vibe and lack of "attitude." I'm also visiting New York next week (traveling alone but visiting friends)! Shoot me a message if you feel like it.

Also, thanks for asking this question, I didn't even think to ask it.
posted by hapticactionnetwork at 10:49 AM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

The Metropolitan is fun and it's sister bar, The Phoenix in Manhattan is also pretty laid back.

Also, 3rding "hey I'm a pretty laid back gay guy in my 20s who doesn't need an excuse to meet new people." Get enough of us and we can turn any bar into a gay bar!
posted by The Whelk at 11:26 AM on March 29, 2009