Black gay nightlife in Harlem

Are you a black queer man who enjoys going to parties and happy hours? Check out this blog post about the black gay nightlife in Harlem

Gay bars also called queer bars are common places where we gay men party. The oldest gay bar in New York City is Julius which is located at 159 West 10th St, NY, NY. A lot of out-of-town people think that the gay scene in New York is in the West Village. But there are so many neighborhoods for the gays to party including Hell’s Kitchen, Bushwick, and Harlem. For this blog post, I’ll discuss the gay party scene in Harlem.

Why the black gay nightlife scene is important to us?

There aren’t many spaces for us black gay men to hang out with each other. There are hundreds of heterosexual spaces across the city. There are even a good number of homosexual spaces including gay dive bars and LGBT-owned lounges. The problem is that many of these LGBT spaces are not inclusive of the black LGBT community. So many times I hear black gay men that we need our own spaces. The reason why is because it gives us the highest sense of comfort. We can be among people that look like us, talk like us, and understand our culture. Yes, white homosexual men deal with homophobia and prejudices just like other gay men. However, queer black men face even more struggles and identity issues. We have to deal with toxic masculinity in the church and in our neighborhoods and the worst racial prejudices for being a black man.

The black gay nightlife scene provides a lot of comfort,. Many LGBTQ persons, especially the older gay crowd who has gotten tired of the gay social scene, would disagree. Their argument is that bars and lounges are just for people who want to party and have no goals in their life. This is not really true. I’ve met some successful persons from all walks of life at gay bars in NYC. The black gay nightlife scene is an escape from reality. It’s not just about drinking. You can dance, drink, and converse with others without fear of physical or verbal harm for your sexuality. Most of all you can truly be yourself.

Black gay nightlife in Harlem

Chocolate Monday

Mondays are a real drag for a lot of people. It marks the beginning of the week and the only thing I can think about is “Please let Friday come soon”. One of the reasons I really don’t like Mondays is because I work the longest hours on that day. On a Monday night, I feel so exhausted and tired that I can barely get up the next day. Furthermore, on Monday nights there is really nothing going on in the city so I don’t get a chance to destress and turn up. Fortunately, a new event named Chocolate Monday has started. Chocolate Monday is a black queer happy hour created by black gay promoter Leon Curry. I absolutely love the concept because it’s an escape from reality. The event takes place at the new black gay bar 4 West Lounge. The event is definitely not a full turn up so if you’re looking for something mellow definitely come out to Chocolate Mondays. Both food and drinks are served at 4 West Lounge so if you’re hungry you can have a catfish sandwich or another small bite.

Trappy Hour

Trappy Hour is now one of the most famous black gay events on the East Coast. Probably even nationwide. I’ve met out-of-towners from New York and the first thing they ask about is Trappy Hour. Trappy Hour is a weekly happy hour for the black queer community. The event takes place on Thursday nights at Harlem Nights which is a bar in West Harlem. I’ve been to Trappy Hour a few times and always had a blast. There are so many beautiful black gay men of all types including bougie, average, and artsy. One thing I like about Trappy Hour is that a lot of the attendees are very down to earth. There have been times when I’ve been to gay black spaces and I’ve felt socially awkward(my own personal issues added to that). But at Trappy Hour I’ve always felt very comfortable initiating conversations with people. Trappy Hour starts around 8 or 9 pm and lasts till in the AM. The drinks are not bad and decent priced. It does get ratchet with people twerking and doing certain “things” in the bathroom stall. Overall, Trappy Hour is a great experience.

Lit on Thursdays

Lit on Thursdays is another black gay happy hour in Harlem. The event takes place at 4 West Lounge which is in West Harlem just like Trappy Hour. So which event is better: Trappy Hour or Lit on Thursdays? I can’t say which one is better. 4 West Lounge is a lounge for the sexy and mature grown. Harlem Nights is a rustic bar with a cozy atmosphere. And it gets really turnt. Things happen in Trappy Hour which I have to keep my mouth shut about. If you’re not looking for too much of a crazy turn up Lit on Thursdays is an event you’ll enjoy.

Wrap up

The black gay nightlife in Harlem is on fire. There are several black gay bars including Alibi and Lambda Lounge.

Harlem is a black gay mecca. You can find so many black queer men in that neighborhood. There are plenty of gay neighborhoods including Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and the West Village with predominately white-owned gay clubs and venues. But these places don’t offer the inclusivity as black gay nightlife in Harlem.

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