Stopped in for the first time over the weekend and the staff made me and my best friend feel very welcomed and very safe. We enjoyed the frozen margaritas (careful, they can be dangerous in a good way!) and the service was absolutely on point. And at $10 each, the price was right for what we got and it didn't break the bank. Will be back again! read more

Friend's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

I have been going to this bar for years and I love this waterhole. But three weeks ago, this bartender, a stubby muscular bald head latino bartender took advantage of me. I ordered a jack daniel whiskey shot and a bud light beer and he charged me $28 dollars which was BEYOND what this costs. I also looked through some of the comments from the other people and it seems like these bartenders take advantage of the customers. Very disappointed because the prices are already high and the greed from this bartender harms the customers experience. I called them to speak to the manager and they never answer the phone. Please MANAGER fire this bartender and replace him with an honest and friendly guy who wont abuse and take advantage of people. This bartender has tried to over charge customers before! Does he POCKET the difference??? Since then, I have drinks at home BEFORE I come here andsave money and when I go there... maybe order 2 drinks max.....Watch out for this crook and thief bartender people!!! This happened on a Saturday night when its super busy. read more

Friend's Tavern - I go here for years. 3 weeks ago, this bartender, a stubby short bald head latino overcharged me a shot and a beer $28. becareful with him. - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

One of the longest standing LGBT nightlife options in the super diverse and super gay friendly Jackson Heights, Friend's Tavern is a place where alcohol meets inclusivity. I admit I've always had fun here largely due to good company and good timing. If not, the ultra hunky bartenders, drag shows, and relatively fun crowd certainly keep things entertaining even while inebriated. Though decorated with a scintillating rainbow'ish theme, Friend's is really a relatively small spot with all things considered. Given it's longevity in the community, there is a relatively decent crowd here night in and out. Weekends can get super packed and super muggy on the dance floor. Like many bars along Roosevelt Ave, Friend's is also a Spanish friendly venue. Their line up of music changes per DJ, but it can get very house music heavy to a super salsa soundtrack in a matter of minutes. Even if you're not the one dancing, at some point during the scandalous evening the bartenders are likely to get down on the counters (a la Coyote Ugly style). Drinks really depend on who's serving / pouring them, but I've always maintained that their friendly bartenders do a stand up job getting people the right amount of booze for a good time. Always double check your tab (with an itemized drink list) when it's pay time. Sometimes things get a little foggy when there is fun to be had. read more

Avoid this place at all costs. They will charge you and charge you again... There's no way that 2 people rack up 300 for 12 shots and 2 beers... Shady service, and terrible business practices. read more

beautiful place amazing music price is good the waiter John gave me good service and with his fun my night was amazing read more

I love this bar for many years I have been going and the atmosphere is great the prices the customer service from both the bartenders and the waiters 100x100 recommended read more

"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. read more

Friend's Tavern - Happy Easter. - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

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

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. read more

Friend's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

This was my first time in a Queens gay bar and I was not disappointed by the energy of the place and the friendliness of the crowd. This bar is maybe a mile from where I grew up but it is worlds away in terms of the demographics of 1970s Woodside. While there was a Central and South American presence then, it dominates today. And while there were queers in the neighborhood I am sure, the idea of a gay bar was unthinkable. So, good for the gays and the Dominicans who now live in the neighborhood. The music was entirely Latin when me arrived around 8pm and the bar was full, mostly couples and groups, and a range of ages. I'd go back, especially for a theme night or with a group who gusta bailer! read more

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

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. read more

Friend's Tavern - flyer for tonight's (7/25/2010) party - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

See all

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.

Truly a staple of the Queens community, Friends Tavern has become my place to hang out on a Sunday night. However I do find myself going there on other nights as well just to see the variety of the crowd. One such reason is because of Jhon the waiter. He has always got a table ready for me, gives me his undivided attention and makes sure I don't have to look for him. He's considerate, polite and accommodating. I'm thankful to management for such an individual. Other such employees that I have enjoyed are too many to name, but among them is Mauricio the manager, their hookah servers, Sebastian, DJ Joss and even security. This collective group has helped shape my great experience throughout the years and I will continue to patronize this establishment. Way to go Friends Tavern! read more

Great place! I was there only a little time but I had the best time in New York for my short trip there. Great bartenders I think one was called Ruben, I got pictures but I lost his e-mail address so get at me If you reed this. ;) read more

Came here with a friend for a night of fun, and that I did have. Lets start with the amazingly good looking bartenders that are absolutely not interested in me but i am madly in love with them. They were all so nice and well dress in their cute little uniforms and i absolutely loved looking at them. The drinks were good and flowing, well price for the area and the music was diffidently on point to the crowed they had. in the back of the bar you can shake your week of stress and annoying coworkers and boss out of your system. Enough space to look up at the male dancer at the bar and just give the look of .... YES DARLING YOU ARE A 10!! i'm going to come again with my beautiful darling friend Nasha, she missed out on this place. read more

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

Not having been to this bar in years, I recently stopped by again, and fell in love with this local Jackson Heights bar. The staff is friendly, both to the regulars and the ir-regulars. Stop by any night of the week, always entertaining. Say hi to Alejandro, Arturo and the rest of the hot staff read more

See all

I like Latinos...so I like to go places where Latinos hang out. Sadly this place has far more drawbacks than positives. 1) Very cramped. You'll be brushing up against people all night. That's NOT a positive. 2) Noisy..I mean VERY noisy . Even for a bar. 3) Wear duck or galoshes when you need to use the restroom. 4) The young attractive people seemingly do NOT go here. The older attractive people seemingly do NOT go here. You're essentially "stuck" w/ what's left, Which ain't that much. 5) Did I say it was cramped? I drove over from New Jersey so I could check out the scene in Queens. Between this place and Atlantis, not sure if I'd do that again. read more

Effortlessly blends two cultures without missing a beat. There are more than a few bars on Roosevelt that cater to the Latin LGBT community. Friends has a strong following in this community and it's a rare night that it isn't full. It's not hard to tell why. Friends packs all the elements of both a boy bar and a latin bar in a relatively small space. As a gay bar, Friends has the requisite topless bartenders, cross dressing singers and erotica on the walls. As a latin bar, it offers salsa and meringue music, intricate dancing, Shakira concert footage in heavy rotation on the TV screens, and the older ladies who always sit in the corner like somebody's aunt being treated like royalty by the staff. If Cubby Hole and Copacabana had a love child in Queens, it woild probably be Friends. If you need a good latin boy bar in Jackson Heights, go to Friends. If you just need a good bar in Jackson Heights you should still go to Friends, but only if you like salsa music. Have fun. G read more

This is one of my favorite places in NYC. it's a hidden gem. Music, food and people are amazing. You could go here and be yourself without any restrictions. The owner and manager are the best! read more

Most of the reviews for Friends are pretty accurate. I wish I could give 3.5 stars but I gave Music Box 4 stars and I prefer Music Box to Friends so here we are. Yes, it's cramped around the weekends, but during the middle of the week or early in the evening it's mellow- even sometimes deserted. The very first time I went I was coming back from the US Open in Flushing with a friend who recommended it. It was like 6 or 7 in the evening and there were only a handful of people there. They hooked everyone up with free pizza! It's cheap. The drinks are strong. Hate the music and yes, it's loud. It's possible to shag a guy but the crowd in general is a bit less hook up oriented than any of the other gay bars in the area. No night of bar hopping along the Roosevelt Ave. strip would be complete without a trip to Friends. read more

Pretty good ambiance in the room, lots of hot sexy spanish guys and great spanish music. Definitely a place you want to chill in if you want to bring home a hot papi. although... It's wayyy too small! That's pretty much my only complaint. read more

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

I LOVE THIS PLACE FOR SO MANY REASONS! The drinks are always amazing. The beer is always super cold. The music is fabulous. The bartenders are literally the friendliest! The entertainment varies from go-go dancers, to GORGEOUS drag queens, to wonderful train wrecks singing karaoke on select nights lol. The music varies from Latin the house primarily. The beats always soothe! Flawless new renovations they did to this intimate neighborhood bar make this place 6 stars in my book! read more

I would have to say standard local gay dive with excellent Latino flavor. A meat rack at times and a great place to hang with the locals. I should know as I have been a local visiting for 15 plus years now, even before I was a local. Tight space but maneuverable. Excellent place to stop by if you are heading to the trendier Atlantic bar, run by the same owners. The waiters/bartenders are friendly and very attentive to regulars. read more

Although this was one my first bars I ever went back in the 80s it is not the same . They have a 2x1 after 10 pm BUT we have to be on the look oit for the extra ticket as the bartenders do not volunteer in giving it to you .. YOU have to ask for it . Other than that it is still a friendly hood bar .. read more

Friend's Tavern - My second drink tonight - Gay Bars Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

We have been regulars at Friend's for years and after last night we will never return to this establishment. The door man refused to let our friend in claiming she was drunk when on the contrary, she can't even drink because she is battling cancer and therefore her limping is due to side effects of her brain tumor. Both manager and doorman had the audacity to laugh and call us liars. This is an ableist venue and we will never support a venue that practices disability discrimination. read more

This is apparently the oldest gay bar in Queens. Tucked away amongst the dirt and sketchiness of Roosevelt Avenue, it's truly a gem. A lot of the older gay population hangs out here, and it's a really chill environment. Cheap drinks, awesome crowd, a great place to stop by, especially earlier in the evening. read more

for a local bar, you can't ask / expect for more. Friendly bartenders, great music and a great vibe! Why so many cranky people writing bad reviews for a local bar. If y'all want a Gansevort-type bar experience, go to Manhattan - the Meatpacking Disrict and pay 2x the price! SMH! read more

I have to agree again with Robert R. here! I've definitely gotten my groove on here on more than one occasion. Rubbing against hot and not-so-hot boys is pretty standard on the weekends. However, one cold winter day, I checked my coat and recently hand-made scarf! The fuckers lost it and never found it! I was really pissed because it took a long time to make and they didn't bother to offer any compensation! Needless to say, I never set foot in there again. My boyfriend keeps bugging me to go, but I just can't be bothered! Not to mention, I hate going to gay bars when I'm in a relationship! read more

Newly renovated, an ideal place to go with a bunch of friends if you want to have a great time. Awesome service and amazing music. Saturdays are usually packed and the live DJ plays the best sets of House music. DJ JOSS is incredible, always spinning the hottest beats. His sets will keep the crowd on their feet all night long!!!! read more

First time here. Pretty good experience. Nice mix of pop music from past and present with a mix of latin jams. Dance floor could be a little bigger but they work well with the space they have. Drink prices were reasonable compared to places in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea. read more

Went last night 8/29/15. Wasn't happy at all didn't even stay. It was like bumper to bumper. To crowded. Did not want to be rubbing on everyone read more

I always preferred the staff and layout of Friend's over Caja (although they are pretty similar!). The bartenders here are a lot more engaging with its patrons than at the Box and less pretentious. The dance floor is bigger here than Caja (but is easily trumped by Atlant...I mean Club Evolution and True Colors.) If Alejandro's around, ask him for an "Alejandro Slammer." The drink you'll get will be super-sweet but the service you'll get in return is sweeter. read more

Great dance music. Good crowd. Fun go-go dancers. The bar backs and other staff are a little touchy freely -- not complaining about that one bit! read more

Checked this place out around 7pm on a Saturday night. Definitely has a Latin feel, music was pumping with spanish flair. Bartender was super nice, people were friendly. Drinks were made great. Would like to go back when it's more crowded as I can see it can be a fun time to dance and party. read more

OMG!! Went there last week for a friends birthday - Wow we had FUN!! It was packed. Great music and the staff was so hot! Great music - latin vibe / house music! The shows and performance were outstanding, it was busy and staff were sociable!! I'll only invite my Best Friends here!! read more

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

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.