Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 394 November 21, 2018

BY MARK CHESNUT
A Gay Visitors’ Guide
to Jackson Heights
Pop quiz: What’s the gayest neighborhood
in New York City, outside of Manhattan?
By many accounts, it’s Jackson Heights.
With its own LGBTQ community center,
a lively pride parade and festival and five
gay bars (that’s more than Chelsea!), this
bustling Queens neighborhood is a mustdo
neighborhood for anyone looking for
fun, food and excitement with a decidedly
international vibe.
I write about international travel regularly
for my travel blog LatinFlyer.com (and
showcase my photos of cute guys on
Instagram @MarkEdwardStudio), but the
beauty of Jackson Heights is that you
can experience the world after a quick
ride on the 7 train (or the E, F, M or R, if
that’s more convenient). One of the most
internationally diverse neighborhoods in
the United States and the world, Jackson
Heights boasts a beautiful, 36-block
historic district that attracts LGBTQ people
looking for affordable prices and extra
space.
There’s enough gay nightlife to fill a week
in Jackson Heights. Friends Tavern is
the most consistently popular of the gay
bars that line noisy-but-fun Roosevelt
Avenue; at Friends, you can play bingo on
Mondays, sing karaoke on Tuesdays and
admire the go-go boys while dancing on
the tiny floor during the weekend. Just
down the street, True Colors has a larger
dance floor, as does Evolution, where drag
shows and Friday night karaoke—as well as
weekend DJs—keep the crowds coming.
Music Box is the go-to place if you want
to see go-go boys; they host dancers just
about every night of the week. And a bit
further away, on 37th Avenue, Hombres is
yet another popular gay dance club and
bar.
There are other ways to enjoy Jackson
Heights beyond the bars, of course. You
can sample tasty cuisine from around
the globe at places like Jackson Diner
(the neighborhood’s most famous Indian
restaurant), Aroma Brazil (which offers a
delicious Brazilian buffet) and Kitchen 79
(one of several stylish Thai restaurants).
Among the newest choices are Laly’s, a
Mexican-American fusion restaurant with
a diverse menu, and the Arepa Lady, a
Colombian favorite that recently moved
from Roosevelt Avenue to a much larger
and more stylish location on 37th Avenue.
If you’re unsure about which kind of food
to sample in Jackson Heights (and the
mouthwatering international choices
are indeed overwhelming), consider
contacting Out Jackson Heights, which
organizes a monthly LGBTQ dinner at a
different neighborhood restaurant every
month (you pay just for what you eat, and
it’s a great way to meet people).
Also not to be missed: Queens Pride,
which kicks off New York City’s official
LGBTQ pride celebrations every year, with
a lively parade and street festival, followed
by lots of bar hopping. In Jackson Heights,
there’s always something gay going on.
AUTHOR BIO
Mark Chesnut is a NYC-based travel writer and
photographer. He has a travel blog, LatinFlyer.com,
and you can follow his travels and cute guy photos
on Instagram @mundera