Gay Restaurants

[tommy]

If that doesn't work, like Tommy suggests, you can stage a fight every few minutes, and attract all the hockey fans in the area for the price of a beer. Gay or straight, it doesn't matter, it's the fight that counts...

no, silly. i meant that the fact that the place looks like a dive is what attracted us. i don't like fights. that's why i stay on egullet.

[Fresser]

Chicago has Boys Town-- I think a couple of the restaurants, but not all,  might be understood as gay bars, though not as blatanly as Roscoes.

There are several restaurants along Halsted Street in Boys Town, though I'm not sure they are "gay restaurants." Having said that, I do remember the advertisement of one Boys Town eatery: "Where the crowd is queer but the food isn't."

Nerissa: do you remember seeing this ad in the Reader?

Anyway, the restaurants are open to pretty much anybody. The bars, however, strike me as being a different story. With names such as "Manhole," "The Ram" and others, even the oblivious straight guy (that's me) knows not to set foot inside these places.

[maggiethecat]

With names such as "Manhole," "The Ram" and others, even the oblivious straight guy (that's me) knows not to set foot inside these places.

Er...remember "The Glory Hole", Wells and North Avenue? As a very naive newlywed, I suggested grabbibg a drink there...just for a change from the Old Town Ale House.

A gay friend of my husband's pulled him aside and said "Do. Not. Take Her. In there."

Ah, the Alehouse....

[guajolote]

The "gayest" restaurant in Chicago I can think of is Tomboy in Andersonville, run by a pair of lesbian partners. When I ate there a couple of years ago the food was really good, but our waiter "popped" the champagne cork (it's BYOB). It landed on a table on the other side of the restaurant:laugh:.

They also run the Room, on North Broadway (never been there).

[KatieLoeb]

Philadelphia has it's share of "gay" restaurants, however, many of them attract quite a mixed clientele because they are some of the better establishments in town. Judy's, The Inn Philadelphia, Astral Plane, L2, Key West, Bump, and the Venture Inn all come to mind.

I used to be the token straight chick on the staff at the local leather bar when they owned and ran the Cafe next door several years ago. Probably explains why not a whole lot phases me anymore . Those leather queens absolutely loved me because I gave the sass back as good as I got it. My favorite story involves a customer that, after examining the menu, asked me (in all seriousness), "Miss - I have a question about size", meaning the PORTION size. I, of course, looked at him completely deadpan and said, "No matter what they tell you, it DOES matter!" His dining companions really lost it.

[SobaAddict70]

"No matter what they tell you, it DOES matter!"

Say hello to my new signature.

Cheers,

Soba

[Basildog]

On serving 2 gentlemen who were dining with us dessert, i had forgotten who was having the Caramelised Lemon Tart.So i asked, in all innocence, "whos the tart?", to which one replied "i am, but hes having dessert, I'm having cheese".

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

On serving 2 gentlemen who were dining with us dessert, i had forgotten who was having the Caramelised Lemon Tart.So i asked, in all innocence, "whos the tart?", to which one replied "i am, but hes having dessert, I'm having cheese".

my aren't we getting all Village Voice....

[Lyle]

O.K., but back to gay restaurants. What are the expectations of the "gay" restaurant? To be direct, I had never met an aggressively openly gay man or woman until soon after I met my wife. In those halls, I envisioned a "gay" restaurant to be neat and clean; these things that I am not. What to expect now? A fluid, aggressive atmosphere. Friendly service. As a restaurant, clean; as a bar, a dirty normal bar.

Do expectations differ between "gay" and "all-serving" restaurants? ( I am excluding the occasional restaurant where the gay customer would be actively excluded). I would suspect expectations would differ. I expect something different from the hip new local restaurant than the standard supper club, or from the diner and bistro. Is it simply the location and clintel? Not what defines a "gay restaurant", but what do you expect from it?

Edited April 28, 2003 by Lyle (log)

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

As we contemplate our navels yet again the real subjects are being pounced on by eGulleteers at a good clip. Shall we join them in the pursuit?

[SWoodyWhite]

Columbus used to have a restaurant called Out On Main that was staffed by and, I think, primarily targeted at the gay community.  It closed last year, though.  I'm not sure that there are any other such restaurants in town.

As it happens, Bruce and I know the fellow that owned Out On Main! And I have the t-shirt to prove it! Tim, whose family is in the restaurant business, decided to go for something more upscale than what the family had run before. He also chose to use gay memorabilia as the theme for the restaurant. While I've never been to Columbus (the closest I've been is Cincinatti), I remember pictures he showed us, and the place looked very nice: airy, bright, and colorful. I also remember looking over the menu, which was nicely upscale and trendy without being obnoxious or overpriced.

It was in our first meeting with Tim that the subject of gay restaurants came up, shortly after he had opened Out On Main. He was fascinated by the notion that Bruce and I could enter any restaurant in Long Beach, easily recognized as a couple, and be welcomed warmly. The chill that he and his partner had encountered elsewhere was one of the reasons he decided to open Out On Main. Clearly, change occurs at a different rate in different parts of the country.

[SobaAddict70]

I've been told that Cincinnatti is not exactly a place where one would frequent, much less live, if one were gay. (By a native, gay Ohioan (sp?) no less.)

Columbus, on the other hand, is a different story. (Apparently.)

Cheers,

Soba

[tan319]

Steve,

In NYC, there are a few places that while aren't marketed or categorized as "gay restaurants" per se, might as well be for all intents and purposes.  (Btw, the Townhouse also has a bar adjacent to it, of the same name.)

Universal Grill springs to mind -- it closed a few years back -- noted for sending out birthday cakes with the entire staff singing Happy Birthday to the lucky recipients.  Quite campy and fun.

Eighteenth and Eighth is another.  La Maison de Sade is a third.  There's a place on West 23rd between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Chelsea that I can't remember the name of.  Florent, in the meatpacking district.  Lucky Cheng's, in the East Village.  The Dish, on Eighth Avenue, in Chelsea.

Cheers,

Soba

I was in NYC for about 2 and 1/2 months last fall, working on a project, staying in an corporate apt. on 17th st, between 7th and 8th ave..

I got the impression that most of the restaurants on 8th ave., from 17th to 23rd st. were primarily "gay" oriented, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I just never felt comfortable eating in any place by myself.

I would either go with a male or female friend. That way I wouldn't get too cruised.

Some excellent Thai, Mexican ( in a nuevo sense), and French places.

I enjoyed 18th and 8th a lot, although service was kind of snotty and rushed.

[SobaAddict70]

I got the impression that most of the restaurants on 8th ave., from 17th to 23rd st. were primarily "gay" oriented

I enjoyed 18th and 8th a lot, although service was kind of snotty and rushed.

Well, of course they are, dahling. Chelsea, IS after all, a neighborhood with a highly visible gay presence, so it makes sense that the restaurants along one of the neighborhood's main drags would cater to that segment of the neighborhood's population.

Some of the places I'm thinking of are more scene-y, than noteworthy, at least with respect to the food. (Bright Food Shop is actually pretty good, but that said, I'd probably go there once a year cuz I'm not a fan of Mexican fusion, or fusion cuisine in general.)

Cheers,

Soba

[tan319]

I got the impression that most of the restaurants on 8th ave., from 17th to 23rd st. were primarily "gay" oriented

I enjoyed 18th and 8th a lot, although service was kind of snotty and rushed.

Well, of course they are, dahling. Chelsea, IS after all, a neighborhood with a highly visible gay presence, so it makes sense that the restaurants along one of the neighborhood's main drags would cater to that segment of the neighborhood's population.

Some of the places I'm thinking of are more scene-y, than noteworthy, at least with respect to the food. (Bright Food Shop is actually pretty good, but that said, I'd probably go there once a year cuz I'm not a fan of Mexican fusion, or fusion cuisine in general.)

Cheers,

Soba

Hi Soba.

I made the comment about restaurants having a primarily gay clientele there because I was surprised that Dish was singled out as the main one on that strip.( that was in someones post,maybe it was your's, I'm not sure.)

I've heard that Dish is a pretty awesomely designed place, maybe that's why it was singled out.I lived in NYC for around 9 years, but never hung out that much in Chelsea . I used to go to Ciel Rouge to have a drink frequently for a couple of years on 7th, but not much else.

I DID used to shop for foodstuffs at the Kitchen Market in Chelsea, great for hard to find ingredients. I looked at Bright Food's menu a bunch, but never dined there.

The Mexican place I dined at is called Rocking ??? something. I've been there acouple of times. Good drinks, good apps, didn't like the entree's too much.

[Pan]

Eighteenth and Eighth is another.  La Maison de Sade is a third.  There's a place on West 23rd between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Chelsea that I can't remember the name of.

Could that be East of Eighth?

I've never been there, but it's close to my bank, and I often pass it on my way to or/and from Grand Sichuan's Chelsea branch.

This thread has been so informative and fun to read!

[dallardice]

I can't add much more in general terms than to agree with SWoodyWhite's excellent post, but to add some London perspective:

The last formally 'gay restaurant' in London closed about 8 years ago, called "Roy's West End", after it moved to London's West End from Chelsea where it had just been called "Roy's Restaurant".

Roy's was noted for good but not stellar food, friendly service and a small, convivial space surrounded by mirrors (useful for checking out everyone else in the restaurant). Alex and I used to go there for the occasional Valentine's night (when we still thought it important to eat out together on the busiest, least pleasant dining night of the year) and when we were meeting groups of friends that we thought might get a bit loud and campy (Us? No, not ever.) A straight couple in Roy's would definitely feel out of place, and may even be made to feel unwelcome.

The need for Roy's vanished, like many other places referenced in these posts, when it became apparent that no decent restaurant in London was going to throw out a gay couple, even on Feb 14th, if they were spending money and not insulting the staff (or, at least, insulting them in an amusing way). Older friends of mine recall eating at the old Roy's when they wanted a more friendly meal, because they recall in other restaurants having to change the discussion topic to work-related matters whenever staff came close lest the staff take offence (this was in 70s London).

Now there in London most restaurants are gay-friendly, at least, and the gayest places tend to be see-and-be-seen diners like Balans in Old Compton St, with huge windows, where the food plays definite second fiddle to the cute staff and flirty atmosphere. A straight couple would be fine there, as long as they didn't have that look on their face as if they were visiting a zoo. Which is pretty much how things are in London in all but the hardest-core gay bars (many of which are not bars in the sense that serving alcohol is their main attraction): treat other customers, and staff with respect and no-one is going to care who you sleep with.

[J Acord]

I have to agree with dallardice, the need for 'gay' restaurants in london is all but gone. Sure, there may be some restaurants where david and I feel more comfortable with PDA's (public displays of affection), but I don't think there are any restaurants where I would not feel comfortable going and being viewed as a gay couple. Christ, you can even dine as a couple in the badlands of southeast london nowadays without anyone batting an eyelid!

Truth-be-told I think we even avoid the more scene-and-be-seen restaurants simply because I do not find the service to be nearly as good and the prices a little more expensive than at an equivalent 'not-so-gay' restaurant (yes the waiter may be cute, but if he can't get your order right or spends more time chatting with his friends than doing his job, I won't be going back).

[Adam Balic]

Melbourne has a large number of gay restaurants, especially Commercial Rd, Prahran.Commercial Rd is a 'Gay Street', in general, so the resturants are part of a collection of Gay bars, clubs etc. There are a few other areas in Melbourne like this, and certain places are also known as 'Lesbian' places. Commercial Rd has a very large food market on it and its success is due, in part at least, to the power of the 'Pink Pound' (well 'dollar' in Australia).

While there is no specifc need for gay resturants in Melbourne any longer, like London, Commercial Rd represents offer another 'sub-culture', this area has a 'Gay' flavour, rather then Vietnamese, Greek, Lebonese etc that are found in other areas of Melbourne.

Edited April 29, 2003 by Adam Balic (log)

[J Acord]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

[Adam Balic]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

You tell me. Wait, no, don't do that.

..................

[Fresser]

I gotta ask:

Are the clientele at "gay restaurants" primarily single, thin & neat?

[J Acord]

I gotta ask:

Are the clientele at "gay restaurants" primarily single, thin & neat?

Single - mainly

thin - disturbingly (don't these people eat at the bloody restaurant!)

neat - questionably (uber-fashionable might be more appropriate)

[SobaAddict70]

Yeah, East of Eighth. I can never remember the name.

Dish is VERY scene-y. In my experience, you go there to be seen, not for the food (which btw, is um, mediocre imo).

And then...there's always Big Cup.

Soba

[Fresser]

I gotta ask:

Are the clientele at "gay restaurants" primarily single, thin & neat?

Single - mainly

thin - disturbingly (don't these people eat at the bloody restaurant!)

neat - questionably (uber-fashionable might be more appropriate)

So Jerry Seinfeld was right!