Barracuda

• Address:
  275 W 22nd Street
  New York, NY 10011
• Official website

Barracuda is a little bit like to the drag world what the Apollo theatre is to American variety. This unpretentious Chelsea watering hole is one of New York’s most glamorous bastions of drag culture, west of Broadway. The most popular girls on the scene grace the stage of this cozy establishment to give shows and throw shades for the greatest enjoyment of the mixed and arty crowd that patronizes the place.

Several times voted best Gay bar since it opened over a decade ago, Barracuda draws a more alternative crowd than other famous Chelsea establishments such as G Lounge or Gym, and is closer in spirit to its close neighbor XES bar. Its murky and resolutely retro aesthetic is a departure from the typical sleek and ultra contemporary look of some other Chelsea nightspots, and gives Barracuda a fun and mischievous ambiance. The front of the bar is a long, narrow and dimly lit room, whereas the back room is a sort of cabaret lounge ornamented with a vivid roman inspired painting, in which all sorts of gender-bending performers frolic and cavort to keep the crowd entertained.

The very reasonably priced drinks served by an affable cast of hunky bartenders make for an effective social lubricant, and Barracuda is definitely a good spot to mingle with some attractive and welcoming locals.