Mary's, Bush & The Revival Of Queer Womxn's Spaces
Around the beginning of 2020, a reckoning seemed to occur when all at once everyone seemed to be talking about the steep decline of lesbian bars in America. Over the course of the next two years, as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, the dialogue around the matter sparked countless articles & analyses: Lena Wilson’s Where Did All the Lesbian Bars Go? , Stef Rubino’s Why Do Lesbian Bars Keep Disappearing? & Julia Carmel’s How Are There Only Three Lesbian Bars in New York City? just to link to a few.
The discourse around the lesbian bar’s downfall coincided with & came about in part due to the rise of several notable projects working to highlight—& hopefully combat—this decline. Most predominantly was Erica Rose & Elina Street’s Lesbian Bar Project, but also Gwen Shockey’s Addresses Project & Krista Burton’s Moby Dyke, among others.
At the time of the Lesbian Bar Project’s inception in 2020, there were around 20 lesbian bars left in the entire U.S. Even NYC—one of the queer capitals of the world—had been reduced to only 3 permanent spaces for queer women to call their own: Cubbyhole & Henrietta Hudson in the West Village & Ginger’s in Park Slope.
Hopefully, the tides are finally turning. In the past year alone, NYC’s headcount for queer womxn’s spaces has more than doubled. It’s nowhere near to the number of spaces that should exist but it’s a step in the right direction. Below I highlight some of the newest gals on the block:
The Bush - 333 Troutman St Store 4, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Billing itself as a "Dyke Bar For The Queers", The Bush is an exciting, newly opened queer women-led bar in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The idea for the Bush started about six years ago when friends Nikke Alleyne & Justine LaViolette began dreaming up a space where queer women in their 30s could be surrounded by other queer women. “Connecting the community, & bringing our friends together has been a passion of ours for so long,” said Alleyne.
The two decided that instead of saving for a theoretical wedding or home down payment, they’d cobble together funds to open their own bar. Without a hospitality background, the pair turned to friends & their network to learn about bar ownership. Once they signed a lease, DIY projects began every weekend & many weeknights to help make The Bush happen. Friends helped design & decorate the space, install audio & curate a DJ lineup, paint the walls, build bench seating, hang disco balls from high beams, & pour a swirly pearly epoxy bartop.
As a Black lesbian bar owner in NYC, still a rare title, Alleyne is proud to be visible in the space. “Other Black dykes, Black queer people can see themselves in a space owned by someone who looks like them. It’s designed for them, for us,” she said.
Mary’s - 134 Kingsland Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Mary's is a brand new queer Irish pub that opened in April 2023 as the sister to Ginger's in Park Slope. Mary's is not quite a brand new venue, but rather is a rebranding of One Stop Beer Shop, which recently closed after being at the Kingsland location for 12 years.
In 2021, Brendan Donohoe, who is gay, became involved with Ginger’s, partnering with its founder, Sheila Frayne, after the Park Slope institution had shuttered during the pandemic. “You’re preserving something that’s already done well,” Donohoe says. “In a very good way, I feel like a steward.” Donohoe now works full-time on Ginger’s & recently opened his newest venture, Mary’s Bar, in collaboration with One Stop’s previous operator. “With Mary’s, we hope to create a safe space for queer people to gather & have fun. Our aim is to share & spread the spirit of Ginger’s Bar,” said Donohoe.
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Donohoe has longed for a queer pub to exist in NYC so he set out to create one himself. “It’s Irish hospitality, all about conversation, human connection, lasting or fleeting, but all really enjoyable.” Mary's is named after Donohoe's mom & as Greenpoint’s only LGBTQ+ bar, the venue has already attracted a steady crowd. The corner bar offers ample covered outdoor seating, plus indoor tables & bar seating. The menu is your standard pub beverage list, with Dyke Beer Saison on tap, plus non-alcoholic options. Most drinks are under $10 in an effort to be affordable to anyone who wants to come have a beverage & enjoy the space.
Oddly Enough - 397 Tompkins Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Marketed as a "queer space for all,” Oddly Enough is a cocktail bar that opened in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn on April 1st, 2022. It is owned by Laura Poladsky and Caitlin Frame and offers elegant cocktails and small plates. Earlier in 2022, Frame announced the bar’s April opening. “One dream completed, come enjoy the menu, my cocktails, and the resin naked ladies on the wall.” Oddly Enough's opening was a breath of fresh air in the news, joining a much-needed wave of new queer-centered spaces opening at a time when lesbian and queer women’s bars had, in general, been dwindling.
Around the time of its opening, Oddly Enough was named one of NYC's most anticipated restaurant openings of the spring by Eater. At Oddly, patrons can order seasonal cocktails like the New Moon in Leo, starring a house-made grapefruit cordial and mint; the tequila-forward Earthy Baby, which combines turmeric, pineapple and lime; or a Stone Fruit Fizz, made with fresh peach juice and basil. The cocktails complement the natural wine and queer-brewed beer menu, as well as low- and no-ABV drinks alongside a collection of small plates, like fava bean hummus and a tinned fish spread.
Oddly Enough has already become an active queer social space, hosting events such as Lex's Queer Cocktail Hour, Cutie Karaoke For All Y'all, the dance party Ladylike, as well as comedy shows and poetry readings. Oddly Enough will hopefully continue to amass a fanbase and inspire more queer spaces to open. As the Oddly Enough co-owner Laura Poladsky put it, “The queers are thirsty.”
Maite - 159 Central Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Maite (pronounced MY-tay) is a queer women-owned restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn serving farm-to-table food with European, Colombian & Mediterranean influences. The restaurant also hosts women's & queer vinyl nights weekly as well as a variety of recurring & one-off LGBTQ events like "Super Gay Super Bowl Party", "Dyke Dance", & "Queer Brunch Tea Party."
Maite 1st opened in Winter 2015, occupying the corner space that was once home to the Polanco deli. Inside, the lofty dining room with its farmhouse tables & chunky stools benefits from breezy cross-ventilation courtesy of broad windows that open onto the street. The walls are clad with rough, unfinished wood, while the painted-tin ceiling soars high. The space is also furnished with caged lightbulbs & rusty implements repurposed as beer taps & an imposing chandelier. The tall chalkboard menu lists the day’s offerings in 1 unbroken stream. Maite's menu is constantly in flux but is spearheaded by the restaurant's head chef & co-partner, Ella Schmidt.
A sample dinner menu on Maite's website includes dishes like bunuelos (Colombian fried cheese bread), whipped ricotta with artichoke & local honey, & freshly made empanaditas, whose fillings change daily. The drinks include Colombian beer & cocktails showcasing Latin American spirits like aguardiente, mezcal, & Mexican-chile liqueur. Since opening, Maite has visibly promoted its queerness, raising a giant rainbow flag out front & hosting a variety of LGBTQ events like the recurring Sunday "Dyke Dance", with Dyke Beer served on tap, DJ Gata & DJ Andro spinning, & go-go dancers Taffeta Punk & Texas Stevie.
Other spaces to highlight that will hopefully become more permanent:
Misster at The Woods - Every Wednesday night, The Woods is turned over to the queer community for Misster, an all-night-long lesbian dance party with sounds by DJ Amber Valentine.
Dave’s Lesbian Bar - a pop-up bar in Queens that takes on different iterations of itself each month with live music & mutual aid at its core.
Pink Metal - While not technically a queer bar, Pink Metal identifies as a safe space for the community with “a high femme aesthetic.”
Mood Ring - The owners of the astrologically-themed cocktail spot have joked that it’s a “bisexual bar,” & adamantly emphasize its queer fluidity.
Hot Honey/Hot Rabbit - A roving dance party that draws in a wide range of queer NYers. Hot Rabbit typically puts on 2-3 LGBTQIA+ events a month—one being their dedicated womxn’s party “Hot Honey”.
Love these stories!!!