Boîte: Playhouse Bar
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village may no longer be a predominantly L.G.B.T. neighborhood, but it remains a vibrant center of gay night life. In December, the owners of Pieces on Christopher Street and Hardware in Hell’s Kitchen took over the former Boots & Saddle space — a block south of the Stonewall National Monument — and reopened it as Playhouse Bar, a drag-filled and dance-happy nightclub that appeals to New Yorkers and tourists alike.
“The historical significance of this neighborhood is something that you can’t match anywhere else,” said Justin Buchanan, 35, who owns the bar with Eric Einstein, 46. “That’s really why we wanted another venue in the Village, because it’s very important to preserve that history. And the Village hasn’t really had anything new in a very long time.”
The Place
The building once housed the Actors Playhouse, where “Naked Boys Singing” and “Torch Song Trilogy” were staged. Double doors lead down to a rectangular room with loft-style windows and an arched proscenium with a velvety red curtain. A long bar runs along an exposed brick wall where the word “Playhouse” has been spray-painted with a rainbow of colors.
The Crowd
Weeknights bring a variety of drag acts with cabaret-style seating, while on the weekends, the club clears the room for D.J.s and dancing. Around 11 p.m. on a recent Saturday, Playhouse was in full dance mode, packed with mostly fit white men in their 20s and 30s, clad in tight T-shirts and a surprising number of Yankees baseball caps.
After midnight, the scene grew more diverse, not just racially, but also in terms of gender and body types. There were party-hearty gal pals, some stray bears and a few longhaired bespectacled refugees from Brooklyn.
The Playlist
All divas, most of the time: Britney, Rihanna, Kylie, Lizzo, Madonna, Rihanna again. Not that anyone was complaining. The vibe D.J. Jon Ali seemed to be going for was that of a gay wedding reception, with lots of hollering and hands in the air.
Getting In
There’s no cover charge, except for a Sunday night drag contest called Look Queen ($10, includes a drink ticket).
Drinks
Beers, vodka sodas and shots start at $8. The bar serves two types of wine: red and white (also $8). But, as one of the Playhouse’s sassy drag queens might say, if you’re here for the vino, honey, you’re in the wrong place.
Playhouse Bar, 100A Seventh Avenue South, 212-427-2567; playhousebar.com. Open Sunday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 3 a.m., and Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. to 4 a.m.
