The Ritz

• Address:
  369 W 46th St
  New York, NY 10036
• Visit website

The Ritz is a fancy bar and party space, with a décor of nautical inspiration, drawing an unpretentious crowd of young and sexy Hell’s Kitchen boys and hags.

Akin to neighboring trendy establishment such as HK, Vlada or Theraphy, the Ritz distinguishes itself with a larger dance floor where crowd pleasing DJ’s Jonjon Battle and Xavier spin their magic. On weekends, with plenty of space for dancing, and even more rooms for drinking, flirting and socializing, The Ritz is like a bustling gay Love Boat sailing full steam ahead across oceans of liquors. And between the smoke machine, the throbbing lights, pounding beats, and dizzying laser shows, one can quickly begin to feel like he’s left solid ground. And the always highly conceptual appearances of the gender-defying Mistress of Ceremony, Ericka Toure Aviance do not help to keep one’s mind well grounded either, as she is known for her avant-garde performances and frivolous dances.

The more low-key upstairs lounge offers a welcome haven for those seeking some respite from the dance floor’s high energy antics.