I first entered the premises in 1966 when I turned 18, then the drinking age in New York State. In those days it was great for lunch--burger, fries and a Heineken dark. Well under $2. Over the years I've gone back from time to time though I favored other types of bars. In the mid 00's, I went often because of the staff and the fact that customers talked to one another. A few years ago, I revisited, finding the cocktails somewhat less robust than in the past. Lots of memories of people in that place, some pictured on the walls. A nice jukebox with songs you won't hear at any other bar. A landmark now. If those walls could talk. read more

Sometimes, nothing makes me happier than a gay dive bar where my friends and I can sit down in the back at a table, hear all the pop music of the day playing (though not too loud so we can't hear each other -- Lord, I am getting old), and spill all the tea! Cheap well drinks, no pretention, an older, male clientele (which I'm a part of in my late 30s), but kids in their 20s are welcome too. And...you can get burgers, fries, grilled cheese and chicken fingers! Best happy hour; great crowd. My favorite bar hands down. read more

Nasty bartenders. Dirty tables, dirty restrooms. Average age of the crowd is deceased. This once must-go-to dive is now only a dive for college girls, tourists, and old queens grabbing one last drink before the cemetery. A really sad place. read more

POSSIBLY HAS BED BUGS!! I found a bed bug here last night. I gave it to our server and they said they'd "clean". We tried to bring it up again, and all the staff and manager were extremely rude to me and my friend, whose birthday it was. They gaslit me, saying "there are no bugs here" when I literally found one and put it on a napkin. I don't know if there are bed bugs there or the bug came from somewhere else, but definitely very concerning for all the staff to have such a knee-jerk defensive reaction to discredit me and act like what I saw wasn't there. I had previously had very positive experiences at this bar. I am a queer woman, not a gay man, but I had seen Julius as a safe space for all queer identities and felt that. Now I feel differently. Emotional manipulation is not okay with me, and I feel that I was treated differently as a queer woman, that the staff saw it as easier to patronize me since I'm not their main clientele and also was relatively quiet and not making a scene over finding the bug. it's extremely upsetting to have had this experience in a place I used to think highly of. Also, they seriously might have bed bugs so watch out. read more

After hearing that I had never even so much as popped my head into the oldest gay bar in New York City, I was literally dragged in here by Shane H the other night, who insisted on popping my Julius cherry. The rest of our far-too-fabulous crowd protested, but as our host was adamant, we stayed for one drink. This obviously isn't my scene - if you haven't noticed, I'm not so much the dive bar type. But I give this place major points for history and cheapness: $6.50 for an ample vodka tonic! Woohoo! The place is adorned with vintage photographs and an appropriately "vintage" smell, to put it diplomatically. And if you're curious, the horse pictures on the wall are for the jockeys who used to hang out here back in the day (you know what they say about small men who ride horses...) and we're talking BACK in the day - this place has been around since the 1800's. The crowd is pleasantly seasoned and friendly enough - sparse on a Saturday night, but this isn't a place to party. And I even ran into someone I went to college with whom I hadn't seen in quite sometime. It's a small gay island we live on. read more

Well said Brian T.: "if phoenix is your idea of a dive, julius would probably be a plunge." ...but I liked it. I felt like I was walking into gay history, only, without the "WTF are you doing here" looks I got when I went to Stonewall Inn. This place attracts all types of people, has a a little open kitchen with all of the fried foods you could ever want at a bar. Can't wait to visit again. read more

A friendly, warm, and unoppressive gay bar - one of Manhattan's oldest, with decor to prove it - that serves great burgers to an interesting mix of NYU students, preppie corporate types, and older neighborhood residents. Most patrons are here to socialize rather than cruise, a refreshing change of pace from most Village watering holes. read more

Julius’ - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I didn't spend much time here, but I always appreciate a bar where you can have a conversation without straining. Laid-back, quiet, and social - that's how I'd describe this place. Drinks were pretty good, not well-liquor but not finely crafted either. For the price, it's exactly what you'd want and like to have. Horray for meeting expectations. There's a lot of places to sit here, too, though it's not too large of a place. It helps with conversations and getting to know someone. read more

I'll get right to it - the burger here is a shocker, through and through, churning out for six bucks for the kind of burgergasm that one would happily shell out for over double the price at PJ Clarke's. But this is no PJ Clarke's; it's an ultra-divey gay bar (for those of you who might have thought these two concepts presented an oxymoron) with a menacing/charming bouncer at the door and a couple regulars like fixtures in the foyer. On weekend nights and the random weeknight when someone throws a party, this place is packed beyond capacity, with a crowd four people deep choking the narrow hallway that passes by the old wooden bar and has a convenient but further space-constricting rack of large, strong coathooks where you can hang your god awful winter coat or purse full of crap that you defy anyone to steal. Drinks here aren't particularly cheap or innovative, but if you get a mixed one, it'll put hair on your chest. Beyond the bar is a slightly elevated spillover seating area the size of a Village studio, leading to two tiny water closets which aren't as traumatizing as they could be considering the traffic. And then here's the best part; facing off with the front half of the bar is a grill, always manned by a cook who is attractive or capable or both. There must be a menu chalked out somewhere, but all I know is cheeseburger that INCLUDES lettuce and tomato for 6 bucks, and a heap of fries with some of their skins still on for a few more bucks. You give your order until you hear your name in the din, then happily pay up for your burger cooked to order. I'm not sure why these burgers are so good, seeing as they're assembled en masse by greasy hands over a non-discriminating industrial griddle. But if you ask for one rare, it will actually be rare (or medium rare for the less adventurous), and it will Knock. You. Out. The first time I had one, I was 2.5 sheets to the wind, so I thought I just had Irish Car Bomb goggles on my tastebuds, but another near-sober visit confirmed that this is one of the best burgers to be found anywhere, especially considering the speed, the ease, and the value, especially in the type of place where you would normally think you couldn't even find some peanuts. Julius is an unsung hero of New York City, singlehandedly solving a ton of West Village problems by providing a non-pretentious, low maintenance haven of familiar drinks with CHEAP & GOOD food where all gays and non-gays and everyone in between can bask in the edgy but oddly secure-feeling (don't forget the bouncers) nook. Julius is a watering hole through and through; quenching the body and soul with humanity's most favorite poisons. read more

Hooray for Julius and its gay dive bar awesomeness! Julius is one of very few gay bars that is at once affordable, laid-back and full of friendly personalities. We're talking $3 wells, $5 beers any day of the week - where else in the West Village can you find prices like that? Their food is perfectly suited to the bar atmosphere: greasy, delicious, and unpretentious. At just $5 for a burger and $3 for fries, you have all the makings of a place that really is a home away from home. What really makes Julius special, though, is the history that permeates its walls. They say this place is older than the original Stonewall, which gives some sense of the breadth of gay history you can encounter here. The crowd here is typically older (like AARP members), but patrons of all ages are made to feel welcome. If I were a gay tourist visiting NYC for the first time, I would make Julius my first stop, whether as a launching pad for a night in the Village or as a relaxing destination in its own right. read more

Julius is the gay version of McSorely's but with more faaaaabulous beverage choices. Well, not really, but they offer more than dark or pale ale. Old as Hell, grimy dive bar catering to what looked to be all gay men, me and my curious friend, Louis R (it was his idea to hit up this spot...hmmmmm). I guess I would come back? read more

Stopped by for the happy hour and was pleasantly surprised. Not only were the drinks great, the prices were very reasonable. It was a laid back atmosphere with quick service. They had an open kitchen with a decent bar menu. It's a bar that I will visit again. It is a gay bar, but I went with my wife and did not feel out of place. Everyone was friendly. The bar had a homey feel. read more

Julius’ - The open grill menu - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Old. This gay bar / super dive-y bar is hella old...like the wood interior, the decor, and the patrons...hella old. Some may call it "classic" or "legendary". Friendly bartenders, $3 vodka sodas for happy hour, serene atmosphere...like "Cocoon" serene..will keep me coming back. Old gay fellas asking me for my digits (assss if, honey)...well, that's new. read more

Came here on my lonesome (new to the city) because I wanted something laid back, cheap, and cozy. Julius delivers on all fronts. The bartenders are all so nice (they called me "young man" and gave me a drink on the house). There is an interesting mix of regulars and random people dropping in. I'd say it's mostly an older crowd, but it was fairly mixed when I was there. Cheap bar eats (burgers, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, etc) if you're hungry. Prices are more than reasonable. $3 well drinks until 9pm is probably one of the best deals you'll find in the West Village! Crowd is very down to earth...don't need to worry about cliquey, pretentious queens staring you down here. People will chat with you or let you do your thing. Basically just feels like a nice gay neighborhood bar. Check it out! read more

Great neighborhood bar and the perfect bacon cheeseburger and bloody Mary the bartender cute as hell , and extremely attentive his name Justin read more

Julius’ - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Always a fun time stopping here with friends. It can get a little rowdy and crowded, but you'll certainly have great conversations and meet some interesting folks. The bar staff is super kind, make great cocktails and there's food to boot! Cash only, so come prepared! read more

7 years in manhattan and STILL this place constantly nails it. I'm bartender myself, and I know what I'm looking for when I visit a dive, and Nick treated me well and the chef on hand I think his name was Josh? Made the best burger. Thanks for brightening me day. JULIUS RAWKS read more

I will never come back on a Monday night. They close the bar early (last call at 2:15- kick you out at 2:30), the bartenders are singing the gross semi-truck stop blowjob radio music as you drink your beer you drank instead of the one you really wanted. Really- the bartenders bitch about their "brotha" they can't stand while not being able to talk to each other with jovial fluency. I'm grossed-out. I go to the John Cameron nights when they happen here. I come for a promising second date here. I won't do Monday's again. I don't think Edward Albee would approve of the lackadaisical practices happening at Julius currently. Or would he? But I love this place. Get it together, guys. For all of us who care about the historical integrity of your place and just want a good ol' beer to boot! read more

This is one of the classiest bars in the village, the staff is great, the drinks are cheap and strong. Very welcoming atmosphere. And the food they serve is the best. GET THE BURGER read more

What a fun little place. Very friendly patrons, not at all pretentious. Good drinks and wonderful staff. A simple and cozy place to have a drink. read more

My favourite gay bar in New York and I am a gay woman! Had read about this in a listings magazine and then by accident i stumbled across it on my way back to the hotel on my last day!! As soon as i walked in i felt comfortable. The barman was lovely, i asked for their free wifi pasword and they gave it to me. So i could check out stuff on my ipad. Sat at the bar and chilled and they served Amstel Light. I even askd a guy next to me to look aftermy bag whilst i went outside for a ciggie and no problem. Everything was in there, ipad, passport, camera, it felt like it was the kind of place where you could. I got the vibe. Who says New York is ridden with crime, one of the friendliest places. I also met a great guy there and we chatted for ages, i only had to run to catch my flight. Great place, great memories, I will definitely go back. Great graffitti in the bathroom - "occupy each other" Go visit! read more

When in the village, nice place to get together with friends for burgers, and drinks...not to mention the friendly staff, iconic history and atmosphere..hope to stop by again and visit when I am in the city! read more

What a great gayborhood bar. Daniel, the bartender is super friendly, ask him about gay history, mattachine & stonewall history. Big plus, they have great burgers and fresh cut french fries. read more

The oldest operating gay bar in NYC. Thank God they recently renovated the place, as the kitchen was so dirty and greasy I thought the cockroaches were going to drag us outside in protest. There is lots of old time memorabilia on the walls. The bartenders make good cheap drinks. Note: no credit cards accepted. They sometimes post a bouncer outside on the busier nights. read more

"I came, I saw, I conquered." I have lived in NYC for 8+years and had no idea this place existed. Albeit I have my own staple list of gay dive bars to frequent. Completely hidden in the West Village on a side street Julius provides a vintage NY bar experience. To be honest, nothing about this place indicates it's gay, except for the patrons. You have some sincere regulars here and an obvious smattering of newbies. Littered with old school photos and memorabilia one would think this was a museum, if it weren't for the interesting location of the kitchen. I am not sure how I feel about enjoying a strong vodka soda at the bar (great bartenders p.s.) and a guy grilling a burger and fries 4 feet behind me. Drinks are cheap and strong which is always worth at least one star in my yelp! opinion. Lots of tables and chairs which are in need of some refurbishing. Vibe is overall extremely chill and attitude free. If I lived closer it would probably be a great place for a 'one last drink' stop. Like Sam P. mentioned...I too ran into someone I knew and hadn't seen in ages. Maybe Julius serves as some gay re-connecting vortex? Eh too much credit. read more

As dive bars go, this is delightfully divey. But before entering you should do some self-reflection and decide whether or not you are in the mood to bathe in the stench of greasy hamburgers. If you're not in that mood, you should come back another day. read more

Definitely a divey gay bar. I was here yesterday after maybe 10 years. They have beer specials on Sundays. The bartender was nice. They sell food like burgers, fries, and hot dogs. If memory serves me correctly they do have good burgers but I didn't have any food yesterday. read more

Now that's an experience. As divey as dive bars go. Probably the longest standing gay bar in the city. Most of the customers are as old as the walls. If you don't mind getting hit on by random old dudes, they have good prices. read more

The only reason why I found that about this place is because my friend didn't want to pay some ridiculous amount of money for cocktails in the area and serve by some wannabe fancy places ... he was getting grumpy. I have been in NY for quite some time and I should have known about this place. my friend is not gay by any means, he just like good atmosphere with decent price. I had beers, gin and tonic and a burger for probably less than 20 bucks. I was like: "this is awesome!" This place is definitely a great place to start the evening. I'm sure I'll go back read more

Good price, hamburgers and music (even jukebox). Unexpensive and very well located. read more

Divey in a casual, unstudied way. Simultaneously a friendly and welcoming spot for locals and the occasional interloper such as myself. Prompt bar service, at least in the post-work hour. Some basic bar grub too, though it seems to take a while from order to serving. Worth a visit! read more

"Julius" ! Said to be the oldest gay bar in New York City. Certainly has enough "seasoned surroundings" to welcome anyone and just about everyone. Growing up, My art teacher had a picture of himself & Janis Joplin standing in the doorway of Julius (circa 1960's)...And it still looks the same! New york flooded then , and evidence of that flood can be found in the warped wooden bar. ~ Set that drink down easy. Memorabilia of Horse Races and toasts in just about every language greet you as you walk through the door. I've always enjoyed going by, So ...Check it out for yourself. Help keep some of the living Gay Historical landmarks alive! Great place to stop in and have a burger and a couple of brews. Local , Real and friendly. ~ Rainer read more

After the NYC PRIDE parade and an early deli dinner, I went here with my favorite couple of guys. Like anywhere in the Village post- PRIDE, it was packed with primo people watching opportunities. We received a considerable amount of jostling by really big dudes in open-front shirts and a few in sequins, but nobody was outright aggressive despite the humid heat. And I didn't at all mind the jostling from one of the few older, well-proportioned queer women who had wandered in there. This is definitely an unpretentious bar. From the music to the natural wood bar and furniture, nothing was snobbish. But the barbecue smelled great. And besides cheap Budweisers and suchlike, they have Guinness on tap. YESSSSS!! Even better, we got to enjoy our beers while reliving the parade experience on the evening news. It would be great to go back during the week and try the food. read more

I have a confession to make: I did not realize Julius' held such a distinguished place in NYC and LGBTQ history. My good friend Andrew invited me to meet him here after work one evening to view a queer art film that was being screened in the back. We ended up sitting at the bar drinking draft beer and had a great time. The atmosphere is a bit dive and you'll likely leave smelling like the open air kitchen in the front (I hear the burgers are excellent and super cheap). The beer, however, is not super cheap. read more

So I ordered food and the price was unusually high which is fine. I went to ask the cook why the price of my food was so high he copped the biggest attitude and was very unfriendly and very un-customer service oriented! So much so I could have yanked him behind the counter I am so frustrated. I smile and was cordial to the low class person/cook. I even tipped him!! So when I ask questions about my food I expect all the questions to be answered in a friendly tone and with a smile. This guy was everything but that and it's a big problem right now!!! If I ever go back there, it'll be 1000° outside in January!!!!! Guess I wasn't the right color! read more

Okay, I went to Julius after leaving G and OMG I was in HAMBURGER HEAVEN. This is the BEST Burger I have had in the last year. HANDS DOWN. Cheap, cook looks like a Uncle I may or may not have on my fathers side of the family, corner bar kind of a dive but hipper, Gay (Love), ample seating and good music. Honestly, there could be a hooker at the door and little people making snow angels in side with sugar and I would still go and eat a burger there! Good beef, cooked to perfection, nice and crispy from the grease on the grill, bacon was perfect thickness followed by being oh so crispy! If you are in the area, stop and smell the burgers on the cook top and stop and eat one or two if you are greedy :) read more

Aye this bar is pretty dope. Ya boi Julius hooked us up with some buds and super friendly. Love this dive bar

Great spot! Cheap drinks and food! $3 cocktails during Happy Hour! Definitely going to go back! read more

Great gay dive bar with a lot of history. As a straight girl who hangs out a lot with gay men, it was a very chill place to grab a drink - and nice contrast to all the hubbub at some of the other area bars. People just want to have a drink and hang with their friends here. The vintage magazine covers on the wall are great eye candy. And as a fan of bar food, I really loved the grill station in the middle of the bar - the cook was super friendly, and how often in NYC do you get to eat wings made by a real Buffalo native? read more

Known as the oldest continuously operating gay bar in NYC, it has a historic, while dive vibe. They have barrel stools and are a cash only bar, with an ATM. They do have grill in the center, with your traditional bar food. It was a nice friendly crowd, not overly crowded. They played a lot of the 80s and 90s music that we like to listen to. The drinks were strong, and not really expensive, especially for NYC. I could see this being a regular hang out, if we lived in New York. It's a pretty spacious bar, with a good sized dance floor and seating area. I feel like it's almost a hidden gem. We walked past it, once, on the way to Stonewall, and I thought it looked good. We came back around, and I am glad that we did! Room to breath, good music, and an area to sit and talk. I did not try the food, but it looked like the usual bar food. Just remember before going in, cash only! read more