Brooklyn gay clubs
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 Fresh 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 society 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 commended 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 clear cultures, however, Brooklyn has blossomed as i
Heights Supper Club
History
In December , Martha and William Leaver took over the failing restaurant and liquor license of the Heights Supper Club, which had been operating at 80 Montague Road since While the aged restaurant had relied on a straight clientele, the new owners decided to appeal to the growing number of gay men who lived in Brooklyn Heights or visited to participate in its active gay scene, which included a number of well-known cruising places (notably the Promenade) and several well-liked mixed bars that permitted a certain amount of same sex cruising. The Heights Supper Club appears to have been one of the first bars in Brooklyn to contain catered to a homosexual male clientele. Opening at a time when members of the LGBT people were subject to arrest on a morals attack for “solicitation” or “disorderly conduct” and a lock could lose its license for serving drinks to known or suspected lgbtq+ men or lesbians, the new owners installed a system of lights that would flash when a someone suspected of existence a police officer entered the premises.
The club so
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 fresh 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 standard gay bars attracting the alike type of gay guy. These are all actual diverse, fascinating places with their own distinct 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
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 homosexual African-American entrepreneur Harold “Mackie” Harris as an LGBT-inclusive bar in
Starlite was possibly the first Black-owned gay block 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 famous safe-haven in central Brooklyn that catered to a diverse clientele, LGBT and straight, depending on the hour of the diurnal and day of the week.
Kate Kunath, director of We Came To Sweat,
Between and , the bar was owned by William “Butch” King, who was the resident DJ and helped establish Starlite as a destination for dwelling music and dancing.
By the end of its plus-year run, the self-described “oldest black-owned non-discriminating bar in New York” catered to LGBT people of dye and a broader clientele throughout the week and espe