Henry wrote his famous short story “The Gift of the Magi” at the bar. Henry lived down the street and frequented the bar. In 1899, Tom and John Healy bought the tavern and changed its name to Healy’s. Alcohol may have been served from the premises as early as 1851 or 1852, but it did not officially become a tavern until 1864. The building housing Pete’s was built in 1829 and was initially called the Portman Hotel. Location: Gramercy Park neighborhood of ManhattanĪlthough Pete’s Tavern is the sixth entry on this list, the bar claims that it is the oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant in New York City. Year Established: first built in 1829 and became a tavern in 1864 To celebrate the Mattachines, Julius’ now holds a monthly party named after the group. This cleared the way for legally operating gay bars to open in the city. The Mattachines then challenged the liquor rule in court and the courts ruled that gays had a right to peacefully assemble. On Apfour members of the New York Chapter of the Mattachine Society staged a “Sip-In” at the bar to challenge the law that prohibited bars and restaurants from serving homosexuals. Despite the harassment from the Julius’ management, gay men continued to visit the bar. At the time, homosexuals were considered “disorderly” and bartenders often kicked out known homosexuals. Around the 1950s, the bar began attracting a gay clientele, but the New York State Liquor Authority ordered bars to not serve liquor to the disorderly.
It became a bar in 1864 and eventually became a popular watering hole for the jazz musicians coming from nearby jazz club Nick’s. The building was first built in 1826 and initially housed a grocery. Julius’ is considered the oldest continuously operating gay bar in New York City. Photo source: Wikimedia Commons via Americasroof Location: Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan Year Established: first built in 1826 and first bar was established in 1864