Gay nightclubs nyc

Why we love it: Grab a cheap happy hour special and relax into a cozy couch; you're certain to make new friends. Opening hours: Mon—Fri 5pm—4am; Sat, Sun 3pm—4am. Why we love it: Reggae and hip—hop spin most nights, inspiring a good bit of booty—shaking among the young, flirty patrons.

Top Gay Bars in New York City to check out in 2025

While their significance is often underestimated or dismissed by heterosexual society, bars and other establishments played a pivotal role throughout the 20th century — but particularly in the pre-Stonewall era — as centers for LGBT activism and community. These spaces, whether always gay friendly or only during certain times of the day or week, gave LGBT people the freedom to be themselves in a way they usually could not be in their personal or professional lives.

Bars & Nightlife

It also has a wonderful archive of conversations with gay bar staff and community members. I organized the below list by neighborhood. Cubbyhole is a historic lesbian bar known for tight quarters, eccentric decor dangling from the ceiling, a fantastic jukebox, cheap drinks, and friendly people.

The best gay bars in NYC and LGBTQ+ hot spots for a fun night out

The focus here is on entertainment, with drag shows every night along with frequent promotional events for Broadway shows. And for any fans of Sex and the City, the episode where Stanford first goes to a gay bar and has to strip to his underwear to get in was actually filmed at Barracuda.