Monster gay bar new york
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned scene queen, here's our roundup of the top queer bars in New York City to check out now!
Everyone knows that the New York City homosexual bar scene is nothing short of vibrant and the city’s nightlife is unquestionably busy.
New York is also one of the gayest cities in the United States. The problem is that sometimes it can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time visiting the city. We certainly felt that way on our first visit here. It can feel like there's just too much to accomplish and not enough time… where do you even start?
Here is a list of the highest gay bars in NYC, whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned scene queen! And the best part…most of them are on the west side, either in the West Village, Chelsea, or Hell’s Kitchen, so really, depending on how prolonged you are in the city, you can block hop and visit most, if not all of them!
Heads up, the iconic Rebar in Chelsea closed its doors for excellent in
1. The Stonewall Inn
This NYC gay landmark is where the mode
Village Awardee: Monster Lock, 80 Grove Street
Village Preservation is very proud to honor the Monster Prevent at 80 Grove Highway as a Village Awardee in Join us in recognizing them and these five other worthy awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Tuesday, June 13 at 6pm at Cooper Union’s Historic Great Hall. Registration is free and open to all!
These days Dan Tobey runs The Monster Bar, which was opened over forty years ago in at its current location by Charlie Rice and his late partner, Joe Scialo. Rice and Scialo had previously operated restaurants/bars also called The Monster in Key West, FL, and Cherry Grove, Fire Island, NY as early as
Joe Scialo was the son of Italian immigrants and a native Recent Yorker. He was born at Saint Vincents hospital in , baptized at Saint Anthony’s Church on Houston Street, and lived with his family in Little Italy on Bayard Street. He attended local public schools before entering the Navy as a radio operator at the age of He left the service in , and with help from the G.I. Bill, attended be
The Monster
A dance floor, show-tune-playing pianist and cabaret acts combine up to the ultimate gay package at this long-standing haunt. The diverse crowd assembles for happy hour (get a buck off well drinks Mon–Fri 4–9pm and Sat 2–9pm) and sticks around for shows in the spacious basement. Drag queen Jesse Volt hosts High Voltage on Wednesday nights at 11pm, and Barbara Herr fires up another drag production, Sabor Latino, at midnight on Mondays. On weekend nights, the frisky go-go boys and upbeat atmosphere make the low cover attack ($3–$7) a steal.
- Address
- 80 Grove St
- New York
- Cross street:
- at Seventh Ave South
- Transport:
- Subway: 1 to Christopher St–Sheridan Sq
- Price:
- Average drink: $6. Cash only
- Opening hours:
- Mon–Fri 4pm–4am; Sat, Sun 2pm–4am
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The Monster: a place for all of us
There were doubts about whether The Monster, the celebrated West Village gay bar named after a mythological sea serpent, would survive the COVID pandemic. Since opening in at 80 Grove Street by Joe Scialo, the bar has been a popular destination for the LGBTQ community — along with friends and allies — for its drag shows, Sunday tea dances, and its piano bar.
But when the pandemic hit and places closed, the beloved Baldwin piano was carted off and a staff meeting was called. The bar’s current owner, Charlie Rice, announced that maybe it was time to throw in the bar towel.
Daniel Tobey, who, up until then had been working at the Monster two nights a week as a party promoter, felt the venue should persevere.
“The bar deserved more than a quiet disappearance,” he told Gay City News, recounting his rallying cry for patience. This was before the arrival of federal assistance and before local businesses shifted to outdoor operations.
For the regulars who had been frequenting the block for the past 30 to 35 years, the place was more than a weekend ha