9th Avenue Saloon

As the oldest gay bar in HK and my love of queer history, 9th Ave Saloon is a must! Plus it’s less than a block away! During happy hour and weekend days, I can even sneak my pug Gumbo in. I love the Tom of Finland wallpaper, the hole in the wall vibes and the local community feel.

Friendly neighborhood gay dive with a jukebox, a community bookshelf, and very important wallpaper in the bathrooms.

Again, it’s the lower prices. We’re all pinching our pennies, so places that don’t gouge their customers of every last cent makes things a little easier. I’m not interested in being in the chicest place (no offense to the Saloon), I want a good product for a reasonable price.

I’d like to tell you about all the fun times I have had at the saloon…but for some reason my memory is foggy with this place. One of the greatest comeback stories in NYC. Shortly before the pandemic, the saloon went out of business, shattering many hearts. A gay dive bar with a photo booth, a jukebox, and a popcorn machine- only good can come out of this equation. With regulars that have been coming for years, there’s always a familiar face or somebody just dying to strike up a conversation with you. When bars started opening back up again during the pandemic, rumors began to float around that the 9th Ave Saloon would be opening back up…and thankfully those rumors manifested into prayers being answered. Sure, it’s not as run down looking as it used to look but give it time. Most importantly it hasn’t lost its charm or strong pours. A night out in Hell’s Kitchen isn’t a night out if you don’t end up here. So many laughs, gazing at strangers across the bar, Halloweens, Prides, happy hour, after work heart to hearts, deep conversations with someone you will never see again, and other random adventures fill the walls of this bar. A modern-day gay landmark.

Old school, unassuming and just perfect.