Monster

One of my fav spots to hang out with friends! I love everyone there specially Rafael the coat checking guy, he’s fabulous!!!

First time here I many years. Last time I came saw an some amazing Drag Queens perform!
Firstly the drinks are way overpriced. $ 37 for three shots?! You have got to be kidding! Then me and a friend wanted shots of patron but instead of the bartender telling us that he didn’t have patron (never been to a bar/​club that didn’t have patron) he substituted it for Don Julio. Which was disgusting, we asked if what he gave us was really patron and he THEN he tells us he doesn’t have any. We gave him back the shots that we couldn’t finish and asked if he would give us something else and seemed annoyed at that, but grudgingly gave us shots of Fireball.
Music was okay and the place didn’t get too crowded. But wasn’t worth the $ 10 cover. Also this place was cash only as some who doesn’t like to carry cash, I found it pretty annoying. There are better places to go in NYC.

On the evening of Thanksgiving, the piano player (probably in his 60s) said to an African-​American transgender woman that he «doesn’t like people like you» and then moments later said similar things to her, absolutely unprompted. I was sober and very disappointed to witness the entire scenario from the moment the piano player sat down until his unprompted nasty comments. This is really disappointing because normally monster is a fun place to go.

Was there on a Thursday night, drag show and had a great time.
Gio, the bartender mixed the best drinks for me and my friends. The DJ was great, played sick tracks.
Recommended!

I am a regular here at Monster and i love love the essence and of course the men/​gentlement! It has a diverse age group. Sundays and Mondays latin and disco night!

The Monster has been around almost forever and was the first gay bar my gay uncle took me to when I was a wee lad and I didn’t even realize I was a gay wee lad. I guess he knew before me LOL.
It certainly hasn’t changed too much over the years, with its piano bar on the main floor and disco nightly (with cover) in the basement. My friends and I used to go downstairs to party the nights away before the Hells Kiichen exodus.
Now we come here mainly for happy hour for a drink or two. They don’t have many HH specials, and they aren’t publicized so ask the bartender. The drinks are poured strong or maybe the small glasses make it seem so.
The crowd seated around the bar is like a neighborhood Cheers where it appears most regulars know each other. Prepare to make a mad dash once they put out a few hot and cold finger appetizers.
The Monster is one of the last remaining gay bars that is cash only, so obviously their target market trends older. Most younger guys rarely carry cash and expect the bars (and everywhere else) to allow cards. Minus a star for covering up their electrical outlets. Unlike other gay bars that have added outlets for their customers to emergency charge their smartphones, the Monster went in the opposite direction.

This place has been on a steady decline since I first discovered it a few years ago. Lesbian night got the worst kind of gentrified — straight predatory men have taken over. On gay centered nights they have porn playing on the TVs (which is not my thing but whatever based on your preference). You can get out of the cover charge if you look up the password on the social media for the parties they host, but their drinks have gone way up in price and I don’t know if I’d call it worth it anymore. I appreciate the layout (bar /​karaōke piano on the top floor, dance party downstairs), it’s a shame price & clientele have taken such a dive.

Came to monster in a big group with my friend Sean (who is a bartender here!) and had so much fun! He was really nice and introduced us to some of the staff, who was also super friendly. This place is welcoming and fun for people of all sexual orientations and the music is GREAT. They played a mix of current pop hits, OG lady gaga, and some great 80’s music that I typically dont hear on a night out. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would recommend if you are looking for a fun night filled with positive energy and good vibes.
Heads up: this place is cash only so hit up the ATM beforehand

amazing vibe, beautiful women, awesome bartenderssssss. The door is strict but once you’re in its like paradise.

Really Monster Bar Tender? When I get a Gin & Tonic that has a cherry stem in it and ask for another drink, don’t patronize me and say ‘It’s Just a Cherry Stem and not f’ing poison!’ No matter what, it’s a dirty cherry stem that doesn’t belong in my drink $ 9 6oz drink! Talk about not working for your expected tip! Keep hiring subpar service personnel and watch your business tank! I’d give you 0 stars if possible!

I mean, clearly I love any bar where the piano man is playing the dulcet tones of Hit Me Baby One More Time, but honestly, the only reason I ever set foot in here at 12:30a on a Saturday is a true testament to my fondness for JBH, whose crew I was meeting — despite the fact that I was a few cocktails deep at this point, I was not nearly tips enough to find Monster hilarious– doorman is a total dick, it’s cash only, which I hatttttte, and the music is mediocre at best — oh, and there will be underwear-​clad men and women lazily gyrating on a stage that will make you profoundly sad in a way that I can only describe as… soul crushing?
Was too dark to see what the crowd looked like, so I’m not really sure what to advise if you’re on the prowl, but from what I vaguely remember, it skewed baby gays of all genders who were a little goth, a little New York hip, and a little dirty. I cannot imagine why I would need to return.

Very nice bar with an older crowd of bears/​otters. I went here on a Friday night with an office friend and they had singing on the first level at the piano bar. Drinks are well made, on the strong side, but my bartender fixed that for me. The downstairs is a bit bland, some 60’s and 70’s music and 3 – 4 guys at max, dancing to strobe lights. I would only go here for a drink or when I do a Christopher St. gay bar crawl.

My friend said «the have an awesome lesbian party»
She apparently heard wrong or lied because we got there and it was full of middle aged gay men, nothing against them but we are two queers in their twenties so we kinda felt out of place, the doorman was as rude as it gets, actually I think rude doesn’t begging to describe how mean this guy was towards us… anyways you won’t see me there again that’s for sure.

The worse gay place I have ever been. They have I sign says «Entrance». I came in and security lesbian girl started to push me saying «you can’t enter here». I replied you cant even touch me. She was so rude and impolite to me. I asked her don’t touch me. She sand me to another entrance door with «F» word. I came in and the guy said I am with attitude and he did not let me in. What actually don’t regret. Definitely don’t recommend. Shitty place. I went to Pieces after that. This the great place. One block from here. And it’s a free cover over there.

Fav bar in NYC gay or straight? Best bartender is Jeremy. Love the music and vibe. Rodrigo is the best bartender evee!

classic cash only /​ATM inside gone piano bar on main floor show bar high energy disco (Plenty of Drugs available downstairs. Attitude from yet another :Lower West Village doorman… borders on a neighborhood bar convenient to subway There is a PASSWORD if youre One of the «IN/​under 40 Crowd) Not sure what happened here, but the Crowds are smaller than they used to be, and Energy seems Artificial… Dont recommend this one anymore… as of 5 2015

Warning: cash only!
Entrance fee of $ 8 & coat check is $ 2 per article.
Upstairs is more of a pub/​bar atmosphere & they have a piano and people were singing Xmas songs.
Downstairs was the club and had a stage on which gogo boys danced and had a drag performer (who danced rather than did a comical performance).
Wasn’t a fan of the music and seemed like an older crowd in general.

Usually, people in bars in the city are very extroverted and looking for new people to meet. Unfortunately, here I found it very hard to find someone to talk to because it’s so cliquey — my friend and I literally had to separate to find someone (I’m guessing everyone assumes that when you are with one other person, you must be dating or talking because of this cliquey ambiance).
The place is cash-​only, too, which is kind of annoying.
I must say, though, I’m glad there is this ONE spot in the city where one can be around girls who like dating girls. Other gay bars & clubs are geared towards gay men and not women, so Monster is a fine haven for lesbians and other or all sorts

One gay bar that I enjoy going to especially for happy hour.
The scene is casual and relaxed and one can easily find someone to talk to if visiting alone.
The piano is a key part of the bar, sing alongs can be lively and fun. They also have a disco in the basement after ten pm daily.
Bartenders are very nice and attentive
Word of advice; they have a cover charge after nine pm.

Wandered in here looking for a gay bar. As two ladies, we were the only two ladies
In there on a Friday night. The bar tender
Was friendly and nice. We got 2
$ 5 liquor drinks which were really strong and rather gross. But way cheaper than the $ 7 bud lights down the blocks at Marie’s Crisis.