Hell’s Kitchen’s Longest Running Gay Bar, Is Celebrating Its One-Year Anniversary All This Month!
PRIDE 2023. New York City is the best place in the world to celebrate Pride. After the parade and the parties, the best place to be in New York this weekend was at 9th Avenue Saloon, Hell’s Kitchen’s original LGBTQ+ bar. And that’s where we hung out with our buddies all weekend, running into old friends and making some hot new ones.
We were thrilled when our all-time favorite watering hole reopened last year after the COVID shutdown. Saloon has always been the anchor of Hell’s Kitchen: a warm friendly neighborhood place, with a welcoming staff, free of trendy pretense or gimmicks.
And we couldn’t believe the million dollar makeover Saloon got for its reopening last year! Hell’s Kitchen’s beloved dive bar–40 years as a HK original gay bar–was completely renovated, with the handsome new woodwork of the bar, new TVs and sound system, the Tom of Finland inspired bathrooms (the best place in town for your latest selfie) and of course the fresh popped hot buttered popcorn we love. The staff is led by our new best friend, Ricardo, the manager, who made everyone in the place feel like old pals.
Now gay owned and operated, the place has a hot new staff of bartenders like hunky Josh, who told us he had just danced in Broadway Bares!, the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraiser that began at Splash in 1992. Harking back to its bar roots, Saloon participated in the fundraising too, Josh said, collecting funds as well in the week leading up to the big event. Just like the crowds at Splash did way back when!
Saloon was all decked out for Pride, starting with the rainbow balloons outside setting the tone for the neighborhood. Because of its primo location just steps away from all Broadway shows, we spotted several of our favorite stars winding down with a post-performance cocktail–or two! Like everyone at 9th Avenue Saloon, they were warm and friendly too, posing with us for selfies! (But we’re not gonna share them here!!)
9th Avenue Saloon is Hell’s Kitchen’s longest running and friendliest neighborhood bar for meeting up with old friends or making new ones. It’s our favorite place for hanging out after work with the neighborhood regulars, grabbing a cocktail before or after that Broadway show, celebrating a special occasion, or just when we’re looking for a great place to find booze and boys. And Saloon has the best Happy Hour in town, every day from 3PM to 8PM. And at 9thh Avenue Saloon, Pride is celebrated every day. So, head on down there and check it out. We guarantee you’ll become a loyal fan too.
The 9th Avenue Saloon is located at 656-9th Avenue, between 45th & 46th Streets in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen and the Theater District. Follow Saloon online on Twitter @9thAvenueSaloon, on Facebook @9thAveSaloon, or on Instagram at @9thavesaloon.
