Gay bars brooklyn nyc
The cool, hip Brooklyn borough of NYC is also one of the most queer places in NYC with something for everyone—no matter where you fit on the LGBTQ spectrum. Check out this guide to the best of LGBT Brooklyn bars, clubs, restaurants, and LGBTQ-friendly hotels & cool things to do
With over two million people living in the borough, Brooklyn is Modern York City’s most populated part of the city—but strangely, a lot of visitors and many Manhattanites don’t realize much about it. Brooklyn’s big tradition and attitude is reflected in its diversity of people, cuisine, and even languages. Many of the distinct Brooklyn neighborhoods (and that’s including Ridgewood in Queens) are known as ethnic enclaves, hubs of a particular culture.
Brooklyn is easily accessible from Manhattan, most famously from the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, though there are subways and other bridges connecting Brooklyn to the other NYC boroughs. Because of its unique location in close proximity to Manhattan, and its many different cultures, however, Brooklyn has blossomed as its own formidable destination. And the many cultural changes in the borough have given go up to more
Brooklyn is a vibrant hub of LGBTQ+ culture, offering a diverse array of gay bars that cater to every taste and style. NYC’s most hipster borough, Brooklyn has long been a cultural hotspot in New York City, attracting creatives, foodies, and nightlife enthusiasts from around the world. From the vibrant art scene in Bushwick to the trendy boutiques (and now more bougie spots like Hermes) in Williamsburg, there’s always something novel and exciting to discover in this dynamic and ever-changing borough.
There’s been a bit of a Brooklyn gay bar renaissance with at least four new gender non-conforming spaces opening up since the pandemic, including one just a few weeks ago. And these aren’t all just your characteristic gay bars attracting the similar type of gay guy. These are all actual diverse, engaging places with their own singular vibes.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Brooklynite, there are plenty of options for LGBTQ+ travelers looking to scout the city’s vibrant gay scene. From lively dance floors to cozy hangouts, these gay bars I’ve picked below are my personal favorites—each helps to produce fun and safe spaces where the community
This new queer block in Greenpoint is far from divey
When you picture a gay bar, there’s probably a very specific set of details that reach to mind: economical, strong drinks served in plastic cups, a sticky dance floor and, more likely than not, a bathroom that looks straight out of an apocalypse film.
And, while gay dive bars are entertaining for a feral night out or when you’re a college student, it would also be kind of friendly to get a place where we could enjoy a nice, high-quality cocktail in a classy setting around other queer people.
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Thanks to ANIMAL, a new homosexual bar at 307 Meeker Avenue in Greenpoint, we finally possess that.
Opened by Jim Morrison Hevert, who co-owns The Exley in Williamsburg, and Ashton Correa, who formerly worked as the director of People and Culture at the Ace Hotel, ANIMAL has been a dream proposal nearly 20 years in the making.
“We all grew up going to gay bars, many of which aren’t LGBTQ+ owned, which served the lowest quality drinks and lacked a queer aesthetic,” Correa tells Time Out. "As we’ve gotten olde
Starlite Lounge
History
Formerly located in the building at the corner of Bergen Street and Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights, the Starlite Lounge was established by openly queer African-American entrepreneur Harold “Mackie” Harris as an LGBT-inclusive bar in 1962.
Starlite was possibly the first Black-owned gay exclude in Brooklyn, catering to LGBT people of shade at a time when the Mafia operated most LGBT bars in Novel York. Harris lived in the neighborhood and created what became a mythical safe-haven in central Brooklyn that catered to a diverse clientele, LGBT and straight, depending on the hour of the night and day of the week.
Kate Kunath, director of We Came To Sweat, 2014
Between 1992 and 2004, the bar was owned by William “Butch” King, who was the resident DJ and helped establish Starlite as a destination for house music and dancing.
By the end of its 50-plus-year run, the self-described “oldest black-owned non-discriminating lock in New York” catered to LGBT people of color and a broader clientele throughout the week and especially at Friday ni