Ginger's (lesbian bar)

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Ginger's
Ginger's HDR 2021 jeh (cropped).jpg
Ginger's (lesbian bar)
Address363 5th Ave, Brooklyn, 11215
New York City
U.S.
Public transit New York City Subway :
NYCS-bull-trans-D-Std.svg ​ NYCS-bull-trans-N-Std.svg ​ NYCS-bull-trans-R-Std.svg ​ NYCS-bull-trans-W-Std.svg ​ NYCS-bull-trans-F-Std.svg ​ NYCS-bull-trans-G-Std.svg at Fourth Avenue/Ninth Street station
Aiga bus trans.svg NYCT Bus : B63, B61, B103
OwnerSheila Frayne, Brendan Donohoe
TypeBar
OpenedMarch 17, 2000 (2000-03-17)

Ginger's is an Irish dive and lesbian bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City, and was the only lesbian bar in Brooklyn as of 2022. [1] [2] As of 2021, it was also one of two queer bars in Park Slope following the closure of Excelsior. [3] [4] The bar was opened by Sheila Frayne on Saint Patrick's Day in 2000 and is seen as both a lesbian bar and a woman-friendly neighborhood bar. [5] [6] [2] [7]

Contents

History

Ginger’s was opened by Sheila Frayne on March 17, 2000. [8] The bar shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on October 28, 2021, after a 19-month closure. [8] In late 2021 Frayne brought on hospitality professional Brendan Donohoe as co-owner to help with the bar’s relaunch; fundraising efforts, landlord forbearance, and pandemic relief also supported the reopening. [8]

Donohue opened Mary's Bar in 2023, a sister bar to Ginger's located in Greenpoint; the bar closed temporarily in November 2024, according to an Instagram post. [9] [10]

In February 2025, Ginger’s marked its 25th anniversary with a three-day festival over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, highlighting the role of lesbian and queer bars amid ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ pressures. [11]

Pool table at Ginger's. Pool at Gingers Bar.jpg
Pool table at Ginger's.

Description and programming

Sources describe Ginger’s as an unpretentious, dive-style neighborhood bar with a front room and a pool table in back; the space also features an enclosed garden/patio. [12] [13] Regular programming has included karaoke, DJ nights, drag king shows, and other events aimed at lesbian and broader queer communities. [8] [13] [1]

Reception

Ginger’s has been included in New York magazine’s "Thousand Best" list and in multiple roundups of notable LGBTQ+ bars in New York City. [12] [13] [14] The bar is frequently cited as a longstanding lesbian-focused space in Brooklyn nightlife coverage. [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Silver-Willner, Arielle (March 15, 2022). "Inside Brooklyn's last lesbian bar". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Carmel, Julia (April 15, 2021). "How Are There Only Three Lesbian Bars in New York City?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ Mixson, Colin (June 4, 2019). "Proud history: Longtime Park Slope gay bar Excelsior announces closure • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ Manzella, Sam (July 21, 2020). "Is Your Favorite NYC Gay Bar Closing For Good?". LOGO News. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  5. ↑ Gieseking, Jen Jack (September 15, 2020). A Queer New York: Geographies of Lesbians, Dykes, and Queers. NYU Press. ISBN   978-1-4798-0300-2 . Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Addresses Project | Gwen Shockey". map.addressesproject.com. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Hugh (March 5, 2019). When Brooklyn Was Queer: A History. St. Martin's Press. p. 273. ISBN   978-1-250-16991-4.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Cassell, Heather (March 23, 2022). "Drinks Flow Again at Ginger's Bar, a Lesbian Mainstay". Gay City News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  9. ↑ Conlon, Erin (April 4, 2023). "Ginger's Bar is Opening a Queer Irish Pub in Greenpoint". Greenpointers. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  11. ↑ Kumamoto, Ian (February 28, 2025). "Ginger's Bar is throwing a 25th anniversary festival on St. Patrick's Day weekend". Time Out New York. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Ginger's". New York Magazine – The Thousand Best. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 "The Best NYC Queer Bars and Restaurants". Eater NY. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Ginger's Bar — Review". The Infatuation. May 29, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

40°40′16.8″N73°59′3.3″W / 40.671333°N 73.984250°W / 40.671333; -73.984250

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