Top 3 Lesbian Bars in New York City

New York City's lesbian nightlife is very much alive and kicking. With more than a few lesbian bars to choose from women may find it easier than ever to find the kind of scene they are looking for. Here is a guide to the Top 3 Lesbian Bars in New York City.

1. Cattyshack

Fans of the old Meow Mix Bar in the East Village may recognize a little bit of that flavor at Cattyshack. Why? Once Meow Mix closed its doors for good, owner Brooke Webster didn't give up on serving the ladies. After a brief hiatus she got back in the game by opening up Cattyshack in the summer of 2005. While Cattyshack didn't open up in Meow Mix's old neighborhood, it did find itself in the unofficial lesbian neighborhood of Brooklyn; yes Park Slope, I'm talking about you.

What Cattyshack boasts that most other lesbian bars in New York City don't is space. Upon walking through the door you are faced with two decisions, you can walk straight ahead and stay on the first floor or turn left and head upstairs to the second level. If you decide not to climb the stairs you can play pool or head farther back where you'll find a bar and a dance floor.

On the second level of Cattyshack is both another bar and another space to dance, though the two are separated by a wall. The real gem of the upstairs however, is the patio out back. During the summer smokers and non-smokers alike line up to find a spot outside on one of the many benches out there. As it's fenced in, you can take your drink with you. This is a fantastic way to spend a summer evening in New York City. On Sunday nights, come early and you can fill your tummy with barbecued food cooked right on the patio.

While the main action takes place at Cattyshack during the weekend nights, there are many reasons to head there during the work week. Monday nights there's an open-mic night that starts at 8:00p.m. and is followed by Chump Change night which offers specials to people who work in the restaurant/bar industry. If you're a brainiac then you might want to check out the bar on Tuesday nights for trivia. There are two games a night and prizes are awarded. If trivia's not your thing, fret not, there's a DJ spinning upstairs also. Wednesday nights, Cattyshack opens its door to guys with its weekly boys party. Ladies are of course still welcome. Thursday nights, Cattyshack plays it safe with a DJ spinning and not much else.

You can start the weekend off Friday nights with Cirrah Fridays with DJ Mark James and the Cirrah Dancers (yes, pole dancers). Saturdays at Cattyshack are filled with a number of things. Taking full advantage of many lesbian's affections toward sports, starting at noon is "Sports Shack" where you can watch games on either a projection screen or one of three large screen televisions until 10:00p.m. Drink specials and barbecue are offered. If you call ahead you can even request that a game be shown. Later on, women can tear up Saturday nights during "Shack 249" and hear a series of rotating DJ's and watch go-go dancers tear it up. If you aren't tuckered out by Sunday, relax with another installment of "Sports Shack" and an afternoon BBQ starting at 2:00p.m. There's no cover, but you can pay $15.00 for all you can drink Miller Lite and soda plus the BBQ meat and vegetables. Other drink specials are available if cheap beer doesn't strike your fancy.

2. Henrietta Hudson

You don't have to leave Manhattan to find yourself surrounded by women. The West Village's Henrietta Hudson is a popular lesbian bar. Perhaps taking a hit from the opening of Cattyshack last summer, this bar is now a place where you can actually breathe. Before it suffered from being overcrowded, whereas now you can dance almost comfortably. The crowd here is a bit diverse. You are likely to see a 42 year old Latina femme talking to a 30 year old African-American butch, or a 21 year old white boi.

Henrietta Hudson Bar and Girl also boasts nightly events. Mondays are "Slow Jam" with DJ's spinning sexy tunes and $3. draft beer specials, while Tuesdays are "Loaded" on "beer n shot" night where you can add a shot to your bottled beer for just $2.00. Later on during the week there's "Hump" on Wednesday nights where you can dance to Top 40 and 80s music. Thursday nights are when it starts to get wild. Henrietta Hudson claims that at "Karma" its possible you might see topless body shots, but I've been there twice on Thursday nights and have yet to witness that. Weekend nights are a bit more typical. On Friday and Saturday nights you can expect to pay a $10.00 cover, but you can also expect to dance your behind off. Finally on Sunday nights, there's a Latin flavor with salsa and meringue being featured.

3. Ginger's

Ginger's has the most laid-back crowd of any of the top lesbian bars on this list. This Park Slope mainstay is perfect for a getting-to-know-you drink. You can actually have a conversation in here while sitting down and not having to scream. The decor leaves a lot to be desired, but it's a nice alternative to the club-like feeling you may get at Cattyshack or Henrietta Hudson. Ginger's also has a pool table so you can always use the excuse that you don't know how to use the pool cue to get a girl to cozy up to you.

While I've rated Cattyshack, Henrietta Hudson, and Ginger's the Top 3 Lesbian Bars in New York City, they aren't the only lesbian bars in the 5 boroughs. One thing that's great about New York City is that it has a thriving gay and lesbian nightlife scene. If these bars don't top your own personal list of best lesbian bars then you are sure to find others that will.

Cattyshack - 249 4th Ave between President and Carroll in Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-230-5740
Henrietta Hudson - 438 Hudson St @ Morton St in Manhattan, 212-924-3347
Ginger's - 363 5th Ave between 5th and 6th Streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-788-0924