Hells kitchen nyc gay bars

Hell’s Kitchen is Manhattan’s most vibrant gay-borhood and its society makes sure that PRIDE is way more than just a passing holiday. Now is the perfect time to support queer-owned and LGBTQIA+-focused bars and restaurants in the neighborhood. So, here are some West Side spots to visit this June (and July, August, September, October…)  

Bars

9th Avenue Saloon — 656 9th Ave (corner of W46th St)
Shuttered by the pandemic, the venerable 9th Avenue Saloon reopened under fresh management reopened just in time for 2022’s PRIDE — iconic popcorn machine included! It has the deepest heritage of any same-sex attracted bar in the neighborhood — having started off as Town & Country, and then Cleo’s, before it’s current iteration.

Reader Alex chooses “9th Avenue Saloon for a low-key, dive bar vibe.” Another fan of the popcorn machine, reader Doug, added: “The mix of people who assemble there has always been a microcosm of gays and allies. It’s the least judgmental see in HK, and of course, the popcorn!”

Atlas Social Club — 753 9th Ave (corner of W51st St)
Designed to look fancy a glammed-up salon-meets-athlet

The Best Gay Bars in Hell's Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen is the heart of Novel York’s gay scene. It’s right by Broadway and Times Square. Hell’s Kitchen stretches from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River. It was once a rough and ready neighborhood, but the march of gentrification has changed that. Hell’s Kitchen is now one of the most happening districts in Novel York, and that’s reflected in the house prices.

There’s a great energy in Hell’s Kitchen. It has the classic, face-paced New York feel. The label itself is quite curious. Why is it called Hell’s Kitchen, you may ask? In the late 19th-century, this was a adorable rough area, and a police officer apparently referred to it as “Hell’s Kitchen.” That rather unforgettable name has stuck!

Hell’s Kitchen is a great place to stay, as it’s right in the heart of the action but away from the touristy madness of Times Square.

Here's our guide to the best gay bars in Hell's Kitchen.

Industry

Therapy is great for pre-drinks. Just across the road you’ll find Industry, a huge gay prevent and club. This is where you go to party when it gets late. The gyrate floor gets occupied as the evening progresses. You may also find a considerable lin

A Hell’s Kitchen gay exclude that opened at the height of the COVID pandemic is closing down next month due to rising costs, the owner announced on Monday. 

“Serving you and our astounding community and working alongside some of the most talented individuals in the industry has been an immense privilege, and all of us at The Spot Bar are deeply grateful for your constant support,” owner Ted Arenas wrote on Instagram. 

Ted made the difficult ruling to close The Notice Bar at 599 10th Avenue (bw W43/44th St) due to a slowdown in patrons, rising insurance costs, inflation and the growing number of other LGBTQ venues in Hell’s Kitchen putting a strain on the bar, he told W42ST. It also didn’t help that Identify was located on 10th Avenue, away from the concentration of bars on 9th Avenue. 

“I optimism that this closure will allow other venues that are facing similar struggles the opportunity to flourish,” Ted wrote. His other two LGBTQ nightlife venues, Rise Bar (9th Ave bw W55/56th St) and The Red Stache (9th Ave bw W52/53rd St) remain open.   

The Detect Bar initially faced steep opposition from local residents and controversy when it opened in 2020. 

Ted

Bar-Hopping In Hell’s Kitchen

The Gay Capital of the World has a way of re-energizing the mind like nowhere else on planet – and I had clearly forgotten what I [heart] about New York…

By Doug Wallace

What do you ring a pub crawl of just one person? I know what some might call it: mournful. Me, I’m calling my bar-hopping memory of Hell’s Kitchen alive by labelling it “research.”

Honestly, my first evening in New York does start off with a friend, for a tête-à-tête in the rarified, quiet confines of the Baccarat Hotel across from the MoMA. The Champagne-hued Grand Salon is an ocean of glass and red roses, waiters hoisting trays of cut-crystal cocktails to the beautiful people. I consider it a sign – a gift from the lgbtq+ gods – that my first celebrity sighting of the trip is Wanda Sykes. Turns out she’s doing a week-long stint as guest host of the nearby Daily Show. My friend and I just smile at how cool-by-association we are, and complete the Toronto thing and overlook her completely. 

The night is still early when I escort my friend into an Uber, so I carry on with my plan to wander the Ninth Avenue gay bars – they are too numerous to complete all in one night