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    Friend's Tavern

    3.8 (51 reviews)
    ModerateGay Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)

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    Business Info

    FRIEND'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    DJ
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Friend's Tavern

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    Happy Easter.
    Kwame S.

    "salsa and hookahs" It seems that the trend for these bars on the Roosevelt ave strip is to blast the music so loudly that you can notice that the speakers have been blown out. And, I do not mean a Brazilian blow out. I will say that the place does play a nice mix of popular and traditional latin music. It's kind of funny when I am there and some of the clientele are surprised that I know the words to many of the songs. The bartenders are beefy and sometimes a little inattentive. But, if you go there a few times they will remember you and the service will be better. The bar is a little small with a small dance floor. I will say that the place was recently renovated (2/3 years ago) and it looks a million times better than before. Like, the outside of the bar (old and dingy) does not match the interior. This place seems always be crowed probably because it does not charge a cover unlike club evolution. After clubbing, you can always grab a taco.

    Bill T.

    Patio is kind of nice and the place is clean, but don't count on getting a drink from the bartender if you're a white guy unless you want to wait 20 minutes while he waits on everyone else in the bar, washes some glasses, moves some boxes, plays with his computer and then finally decides he might want to take some of your money in exchange for a cocktail.

    flyer for tonight's (7/25/2010) party
    Suresh D.

    I was in the area today and wanted to go to a gay bar in the area. I had passed Club Atlantis but it was closed. So I looked it up and found out where Friend's Tavern was. I haven't been here in years and I don't remember much about that experience. Today I came in here around 4:30 after a street fair in the area at which I was helping man one of the tables. There was maybe 4 people in here, all guys (or so they appeared).. I ordered a rum and coke not wanting to bother to see if they had any specials. The bartender poured it and I asked how much. I was told $3. Very nice. I gave the bartender his money. The drink was nice and strong. I looked around and saw it looked like alot of gay bars that were a bit low key. Except for the lighting. Very flashy kind of lighting. They have 3 tv's but they are not that big. They seemed to have a few weekly theme nights/signature parties. Very low key at least at that time of day on a Sunday.

    Arturo and Alejandro Tend Bar

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Servers treat people like shit. I am not Latino and some servers refused to talk to me or help me.

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    13 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Friendly staff,love juan pablo and santiago at karaoke nights,I truly recommend this place!

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    16 years ago

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    6 years ago

    The best place to hang out with friends, just need to have a open mind.. my husband and I come here every Sunday, just love it.

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Great music but CASH ONLY NOW. They have an atm built in the bar but cash only come on!!!

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    17 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    8 years ago

    It is a great place I travel from NJ to visit and I have fun There always , Great people nice ambiances cool place

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    20 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Eduardo V.

    Eduardo V.

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    14 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    17 years ago

    Recent renovation. Bar looks great. Same 'ol locals!

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    10 years ago

    Went in with my husband for an impromptu drink and had such a nice time! The staff was super friendly and attentive and the music was great.

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    Ask the Community - Friend's Tavern

    Is this place 18+ or 21+?

    Hello, thank you for your inquiry. Its a 21 and over establishment.

    Do lesbians also go there or is it just for men?

    Friends is mostly men, although everyone is welcome. On the weekends, our sister bar Club Evolution has a lounge for woman every friday and saturday. The party is called GIA the bartenders and waiter are female and we have a female stripper too.

    Is there cover charge?

    Sorry for delay no cover charge !

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    Review Highlights - Friend's Tavern

    DJ JOSS is incredible, always spinning the hottest beats.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Icon Bar

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    4.5(92 reviews)
    2.2 miAstoria
    $$

    Loud, active, great music and great acts…read more This is a place you will miss if you are walking by too fast in the area. The one thing that you will notice is the sign from the outside and an occasional group of people outside. The service is good and the drinks are well made. Deff come here if you want to enjoy loud music and just get a pump for the night.

    I came and excited to have a really nice experience. As someone who's queer myself I was really…read moreexcited to finally check out this bar. I go in and the bar is packed, which is a great sign. However, ordering a drink, of course in a packed bar is really hard. I had my jacket over a chair and someone was sitting on it and I didn't make a big deal out of it. So I sat on the chair next to mine. Again, just trying to order a drink. The person who had their stuff on the chair comes back and instead of it being between me and this person it turns into two more people jumping in on me upset that I'm sitting on someone else's chair. The bartender then gets in on it, and he starts being rude and yelling at everybody, but more so me because he was friends with the other people. Then me and the guy are laughing and making up and talking. And he comes back and yells at us again. This time for no reason. Screaming out of the top of his lungs. Needless to say I never got to replace my drinks. And I never got to see if it was a good bar because I was being yelled at by the bartender and other people. Was in there for maybe 15-20 mins. Really awful experience and it was the bartender with short black hair. Hopefully he learns to actually be kinder. Definitely didn't feel like a safe space

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    Logo and bar

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    Viva La Heights

    Viva La Heights

    3.7(7 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    So I came here today after the Queens Pride March. The line wasn't too long…read more This is apparently a new place. Fairly modern design. Due to the crowd around 3:30 pm it did take a bit to get a drink but that is normal during June LGBT Pride month The drinks were decently strong and reasonably priced. Tbe bartenders, despite the crowd, bad a system of whose drink order to take next. They have an outdoor space with an additional bar and bartender outside. There outdoor space includes a dance area. My last drink I ordered from the inside and remained in the indoor space. The feeling of Pride was in the air as a group of strangers who were together started "clinking" my drink with theirs. They have a single all gender restroom and another restroom with e urinals and 1 stall. The multi-person restroom was clean and well maintained. I had a good time

    I never like to leave bad reviews. If I had a bad experience, I just simply brush it off and do not…read morereturn. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from this place on NYE. I was appalled at the lack of professionalism, the scamming on tabs, the poor service and watching bartering smoke hookah behind the bar. I get that it's a holiday but my bill and my friend's bills were heavily padded. And paying $14 for a tiny shot that wasn't even half an ounce is robbery. They came in tiny little plastic thimbles. Before we had been taking full sized shots. We had been there since happy hour and at least the man working early in the night was kind and amazing. They refused to show one of my friends his receipt, $300 worth of product we likely didn't order or got scammed on. We had to ask our server if gratuity was included, it was, because the handheld machine tried to ask for an additional tip. Sad to experience this. I will be calling my ferir card company and likely 311 to report.

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    Viva La Heights

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    Friend's Tavern - gaybars - Updated May 2026

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