I would give a 0 star if it was possible. I went evening yesterday and the bartender was denying service and shaming this group of people, for another group's lack of tipping. Despite the place being very nice, the hostility of the employee ruined the vibe, and left the whole atmosphere undoubtedly awkward, even for those not involved. That employee needs to be reprimanded for their unprofessionalism. read more

The Boiler Room relocated to Second Avenue, transforming into a modern, clean, and artsy space that far surpasses its previous location. We absolutely adored it! read more

Watered-down drinks! I had two martinis last night that were obviously watered down. I should've been at least a little buzzed after TWO martinis. They were $16 each and I tipped $3 to $4 for each. A flagrant rip-off. What could they possibly be thinking? read more

Now you'd think with a name like The Boiler Room that this might be a place for Wall Street hotshots, but hey, this ain't the Eighties. It's a rather low-key gay bar near Astor Place in the East Village. The bar made a great first impression on me and Jamie W. after a marathon omakase dinner at Rabbit House a few blocks away. We just wanted to chill before heading back to the hotel. On a Wednesday night, it felt spacious since just a few locals were hanging out. There was a pool table nobody was using and a photo booth that begged for our attention (or maybe vice-versa) (photo: https://bit.ly/458z45D). The bartender Dave was a nice balance between mellow and proactive and provided us a couple of $12 pints of Tequila Sunrises on ice (photo: https://bit.ly/3tg56jb). This was our kind of bar. We came back on Saturday night looking for a replay of the same vibe, but the weekend brought in a more boisterous crowd and also younger. We could tell from the banshee-like laughter coming out of the heavily intoxicated girls. There was no Dave, just a business-as-usual bartender trying to make it through the night. Oh well, we'd still come back on a weeknight. DRINKS - 4 stars...nice-size libations for chillin' in the Village AMBIANCE - 4 stars...great when it's empty, less so when it's not SERVICE - 4 stars...they can't all be Dave TOTAL - 4 stars...less a boil, more a simmer RELATED - Looking for gay bars around the world? Here's a collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/48w6f68 read more

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Low key bar, cash only. Pretty good amount of space for a Saturday night. Service was attentive and friendly enough. Good option if you're looking for something low-key and are already in the area. read more

Dear reader, although it pains me to say it, I have to give this rather dilapidated bar five stars. Why? You ask, with a look of horror on your face. Well... because at this place people actually TALK to each other. I stumbled into here after a fancy evening on the Lower East Side and quickly met a number of gentlemen from all walks of life. Really fantastic stuff, it's these sorts of meets that hold society together. So, although this place had a crumbling ceiling, a toilet in desperate need of renovation and a forest of mold erupting on its shutters, I am afraid I have to give it a five. Well done the Boiler Room! Although it would be nice if, next time, you accepted a $100 bill NB: Drinks are very cheap here! Being only $18 for three rum and cokes - a bargain! read more

The Boiler Room - The outside of the Boiler Room bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I had high hopes for a good dive bar with TouchTunes (where you pay for Music).Conveniently it was a clear playlist and as I put money in my selections got overrided. What's the point if the house is gonna skip your songs to play Salt n Pepa (much respect). Don't waste your money at this cash only bar. They're all jerks here. read more

The Boiler Room - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Bartenders here are completely unhelpful. They act bothered you're here. We were the only people here (4 of us) and he looked us dead in the eyes and cleaned the bar for 10 minutes before he gave us another round. So trashy! read more

Out of 8 days in NYC bar-hopping, this was my least favorite. From the moment we walked in (3 guys and me), we got stares from the 4 patrons there. We noticed it was empty, zero atmosphere, dirty feeling, but we walked up to the bar to order anyways to give it a try. The bartender was less than friendly when we approached so we turned around and left before ordering. I'd never give this place another chance...and it seemed like they were happy about it. read more

I did not plan to leave a review but this bar and every one involved is clearly trash. I am the friend mentioned that does not consume alcohol in a previous post and when I saw the owner's response, it is evident that a lack of accountability and respect for patrons is common place at every level in this establishment. The bar was sparsely populated, we came in without being ID'd (bars responsibility) and were simply enjoying the social environment. After standing and chatting for 20 mins into being there a group of folks got up and we noticed after 5 minutes of the tables remaining empty and that we should just take a seat at one of two empty tables. Within 5 minutes the bartender came over and asked if we are going to order a drink, I responded first saying no (because I no longer drink due to my sobriety). The bartender with a disgusting condescending attitude expeditiously stated "then y'all need to get out." The owner's response takes no responsibility for the lack of respect for the customer. If it were an age thing, check our IDs, we are both over 30. If it were us bringing in anything from another establishment, you would've seen us drinking or whatever else you want to scapegoat. Wish y'all nothing but the worst. Cheers. 0/10. I would never recommend this place to any one. Do not go. read more

The Boiler Room - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Pretty standard gay bar BUT I have officially encountered the worst bartender in all my time in nyc. I ordered a couple drinks and paid cash. waiting on the my change I was surprised to hear the bartender insist my $19 return ( on a $21 bill) was his to keep. I asked for my change but I was subsequently ignored. Biting the bullet, I (foolishly) returned to the bar with another $20 to buy more drinks. I order two drinks ($21) and asked the bartender to use my remaining balance. Disappointingly, the bartender proceeded to take a sip of my drink (in mocking) and actually put my money into the register before then ignoring me (and the situation) to dance mockingly. Leaving me with no drink, no refund and egg on my face as the bartender proceeded to goad me. Honestly it's not my top three bar but I was enjoying the atmosphere with friends. It's disappointing to see a bartender so entitled to a tip without providing even basic services. Both bartenders the night of December 17 2022 clearly revealed a disdain for a paying customer and worse of all their antagonism only served to make the situation more frustrating , to me that's the exact opposite of hospitality and bar service. In the end the cash amount is trivial. I didn't get my drink, I didn't get a refund and I didn't enjoy the rest of my night. So pretty much lose - lose on all sides for me. I will definitely not be visiting this bar ever again. read more

For the love of God, don't drink the beer. Just order something with gin. Trust me....you'll thank me later. Just don't drink the draft beer. read more

Very nice drinks, clientele and... amazingly sweet bartender Alec! Great for happy hour with friends or colleagues.

Great dive bar. Pool table and Photo Booth. The bartender Alec is the best. Such a sweetheart.

Love boiler room but there's a bartender there who slips all Spanish song requests on their jukebox

Hi there, YOU! Here is how to have a good time at the boiler room: 1. Come with friends. 2. Buy drinks with your ca$h monies. CA$H ONLY! 3. Pick a song, usually from the 90's, on the jukebox. 4. Chill/dance/sing with friends you brought in step #1! It's a dive bar. Fun times to be had, as long as your expectations stay lower than your bar tab... that again, must be paid in ca$h. :) read more

Never have I ever been asked to leave from a bar -- one that isn't crowded or otherwise -- for not ordering drinks. The excuse given was that the manager/boss was giving directions as he was watching my friend and I from the cameras. I guess he didn't see us buy several rounds earlier in the evening before we returned for one more round before going home since it was my birthday. My friend and I were sitting off to a corner in no one's way catching up and enjoying the scene. Last time I willingly go to this bar. read more

I honestly don't know how this place is still in business. Worst bar I've ever been to. Usually when I get a drink at a bar, I walk out feeling better than I did when I came in. The bartender's attitude was truly sobering. I walked out angry, with no buzz, and $20 poorer. Should have just bought a beer at a deli and drank it in a paper bag lol. What a mess read more

Go here if you are fond of very dim lit rooms with cheap drinks and a pool table that is available to play on more often than not. They do require a "deposit fee" of $10 to play pool- make sure you return the white ball in order to get your deposit back. Then the cost to play is #2. I've heard that the drinks here were at one time, one of the cheapest in the neighborhood but they have had to discontinue some of the deals due to rent increases. Sad day. Most times that I have visited have been late on a weekday or on a Sunday, but each time there is just enough of a crowd. The bartender has always been good in my experience. Providing laughs as well as drinks and leaving us well attended. Be aware that it is cash only. That's the main downside to this spot. It really grinds my gears when I can't use a card. I never carry cash. Overall, this spot is nice on occasion, but for me it's not a go-to. 3.4/5 read more

I used to come here a lot but this was my first time back in awhile. It's Saturday at 930, not busy yet. Ask for a Stella. Bartender looks annoyed. "We don't have that." Ok, then a vodka and tonic". He pours it in a paper cup and pushes it at me. "Ten dollars" I pay him reluctantly. "Why is it in a paper cup?" I ask, looking around the bar and seeing everyone else's drinks in a glass." "Uh..because people use all the glasses and that means i have to wash them." Moving on, and sorry my memories of how friendly and cool this place always was just got slammed. read more

Cheap azz draanks. Pretty decent shady/sketchy dive bar that can be the place to start or finish a night of sloring. This place used to be the centerpiece for many of my late night adventures . . . I remember when the reverse happy hour drinks were only three bucks (man, I am old).You can come here alone or with a gang of folks and always meet new people. Although the drinks are really cheap, you definitely will get what you pay for because I believe the liquor is five shelves below bottom shelf, in terms of quality. Speaking of paying, this bar is cash only and there is a Bank of America right across the street. If you a going to drink beer try to stick to the basic bottled beers (e.g. budwiser) because you may be a little disappointed. The bar environment is pretty relaxed - not too much of a scene, especially during the week. This place is a perfect place to meet up with friends (or your Tinder/Grindr date) for a few drinks an see where the night (or morning) takes you. Most of the bartenders are pretty cool and laid back. The older gentleman (I think he is English), who works the earlier shifts, is quite funny and very nice. read more

A classic no frills gay dive bar in the East Village. Worth a stop for sure. Cash only.

One of the absolute best old-school-feeling East Village gay bars! The name does not lie though: in the summer it feels like you're in a gay sauna from the good old days another throwback to pre-AC days: it's cash only, be aware. read more

This bar was the last stop on my bar hopping night...and it is not because I wanted it to be. Me and two other friends were looking for a chill spot to find some drinks and be social. In the east village we stumbled upon this small dive bar which had cheap mixed drinks. The drinks were ok and tasted like a college bar. The service was pretty baseline and mid. I do however not recommend going here and ever leaving your drink out of your sight. Me and my friends were drugged and could not stand outside this bar. No one asked if we were ok or did anything the only thing that happened was the bartender asked us to leave from the front. Being roofied at 2:00am on a Tuesday when you live an hour plus out of nyc is not exactly the July 4th experience we were looking for. Thank god everyone was ok but I would recommend you steer clear of this place because I have heard it's not the first time something like this has happened here. read more

I've been coming here the past few weeks on Thursdays during the happy hour. The bartender is friendly, professional and funny. He is usually quick to give refills on drinks. There is a pool table, a pinball machine, an ATM (cash only) and tv's in the bar. Since I'm usually here for happy hour (the early part) it is usually not that crowded. read more

The Boiler Room is aight. It's super crowded on the weekend nights. It's fun when you go with your group of friends and stand around drinking. Because that's all you can do- stand around and drink, all night. Granted, it is a laidback atmosphere. What I enjoy is the 90s pop and r&b songs. Bartenders are very friendly though. BR is adjacent to Queen Vic so it's nice to go from one to the other. read more

Boiler Room officially earned my dollars. Was able to be serviced by a few of great vetren tenders. They where consistent, professional and kind during a busy night. read more

Need a not dusty old bartender who wont be nasty to customers like what i experienced with the old bartender who does not know how to treat people. Rude nasty and very disrepectul read more

Great little place to pre-game for the rest of your night. DO NOT make the mistake of getting a drink before 10 PM - all drinks are $4 after 10. YEP, $4! Crazy deal. The music isn't that good, but hey, it's for your pregame, not your actual whole night. Cliente is pretty good, and the bartenders, especially the bearded tatted bald one...MMM. read more

Four stars for the honest bar staff who realised we didn't know we paid with a $50 and tried to refuse the extra change from what we thought was a $20. Loud, dirty dive bar with a fun crowd. read more

I've been to The Boiler Room twice now on different trips to NYC and I enjoy it. Mostly young NYU students and super cheap drinks. Classic mixed drinks like vodka cranberries are only $5 which is amazing for the area. I tried a few other bars before coming here and there wasn't a drink under $14, so that was nice. It's an LGBTQ+ spot too, so a great choice for good music. My one critique is that they didn't accept credit cards? I'm not sure if this is a usual thing, but I believe it is. We had to get money out of a generic ATM which just seemed odd to me that they didn't take card in the first place. Yet, I will likely stop back in the next time I am in the city. read more

Unprofessional. Very bad experience. From the moment I entered the bartender (casey) was very rude and very condescending. I would find any other gay bar in town, even if it forced me an hour away before ever returning! Simply wanted to enjoy our night, and the deliberate disrespect was uncalled for. Bartender was drunk and unprofessional. And don't even bother going if you identify as straight they will literally treat you like the plaque. I was super sad by my experience I had heard good things :/ but don't go. Instead get drinks at the comedy club, they are 2$ cheaper on everything. read more

Found this spot a few weeks ago & had so much fun that I went back on Monday. This time they had live music w an amazing singer, which was awesome! Had the same bartender both times... James? Jason?... tall, skinny, super funny. He played the best music, my friends & I ended up staying there all night. I did not expect that, it's a total dive bar, no frills, needs a good deep cleaning! Not for the upscale lounger seeker. They could definitely start with a better alcohol selection! Please, guys? Still a great Mon / Wed spot! read more

This place is disgusting. The Boiler Room is in desperate need of proper ventilation and perhaps a glade plug in or two would also help. It smells like a dirty diaper on a hot summer day. My friends and I spent no more than 5 minutes here tonight because the smell was so nauseating. read more

A drunk Irishman threw an empty plastic cup directly at my head in order to hit on me. "Hey. You. You're hot." It's also one of the few bars left with Erotic Photohunt and $3.75 well drinks. Just go. read more

"JOSH HOW DID YOU MISS OUT ON HER SECOND NIPPLE?!" As the night progresses my friends and I find playing our favorite Boiler Room pastime Erotic Photo Hunt increasingly difficult. Perhaps it's the overconsumption of Boiler Room's $3 well drinks? Or maybe it was that TLC song that just came on the jukebox that I started singing to? Did I pay for that? Well it's true, I ain't too proud to beg! Boiler Room is a shithole and it represents everything great about New York. $3 well drinks from 10p-close, dirty bathrooms, weird smells and even weirder patrons. The bartenders are fast and really friendly. Even more importantly they have Erotic Photo Hunt to keep me and my friends entertained for at least an hour. One time an elderly gentleman slid a $10 bill across the table to my friend. No explanation. Sweet. read more

I'm gonna be unapologetic about this statement: the worst customer service I ever received from a gay bar. Period. It's sad that when you leave a bar so irritated with the two drunk bitchy bartenders (they seemed to drink more of the drinks for themselves than the customers buying them) that the only redeeming quality is a wry smile from the stoic bouncer on the way out. I don't require a lot when I want to grab a beer after a long day at work. Just some jovial conversation. Share a laugh, you know, commonplace. However, after watching the bartenders ignore customers and mock them for their drink choices, I found it unbearable to even finish half my beer. Your job is not that bad and hard that it's difficult to turn your body around and actually look your customers in the eye- even if they are glazed over with disdained drunkenness. I'll take my after work beer elsewhere, please. And so should you. read more

I'm okay with it. Andrew C. and I were hanging out and after a long shopping excursion to Bloomindale's I needed a drink and (more importantly) a way to charge my phone. He had the solution to both: The Boiler Room. Yeah, I'd call it a dive, but not in a sawdust on the floor and hazy lighting kinda way. Just enough low light and pool tables make it happen here. Oh, and it's cash only. That's definitely something only dive bars can offer. After knocking back a few Ketel One & tonics I made my way over the juke box and played a litany of my favorite feel good gay anthems. They better be glad it was Monday night because had it been Tina Turner Tuesday, it would have been on. Better be good to me! read more

Boiler Room? 10PM-4AM Happy Hour drink prices? Seriously? YES. Boiler obviously makes for a quintessential pre-game spot thanks to $3.50 drinks, and yes this includes my mainstay: vodka on the rocks + splash of cran. It's a typical dive (+gay), so you know what to expect, decor-wise. Bartenders here are generally awesome and very quick/responsive. Eye candy-wise, I can't even give an opinion; I'm usually way more preoccupied with table conversation with friends -and- my vodka. The one negative: I've sadly never been able to show off my shit-for-billiards skills at the free pool table because it's usually hipster-occupied. The second negative: the bathrooms seem to be a major hookup spot. And yes, I will be obnoxiously verbal to you if I notice it as you walk out. It has less to do with me being conservative, and more to do with me being pissed off that I can't relieve myself because you're busy blowing someone. (Lame pun intended). And maybe a slight to do with me being an asshole? W/e. Oh and be forewarned, the jukebox is at the bartender's discretion. If they don't like your selection, they'll simply skip it over. Your money = wasted. I found this out the hard way when I drunkenly made an 8-song playlist and ended up hearing approximately 2. 5 stars overall despite the minor complaints. read more

Great place with cheap drinks. Easy to make new friends. You can choose the music from the jukebox. I know everybody thinks the bartenders are hot, everybody does. Just don't be thirsty about it lol. It closes at 4 a.m., really, be nice about it, finish your drink and let the workers go home! read more