Hells kitchen gay club

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I went to Empanada Mama on a Friday night to find out how it got so gay.

The Best Gay Bars in Hell's Kitchen

But located on the corner of 9th Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets lies a restaurant that stands as a fortress of queer hope. This Empanada Mama has existed in the neighborhood for 20 years. Eight years ago, though, a fire burned it to a crisp and it moved next door, where it is now.

I myself have had plenty of wonderful late-night meals here, and the energy feels very different from a regular gay bar—people seem more off-guard and are actually open to talking. Located within a five-minute walk of some of the biggest gay clubs in the area like Hush, Industry, and Boxers, the Empanada Mama is the rare place where real community can be built over a meal.

I went there at midnight on a Friday night recently, and the entire space was decked out in Pride decor, including inflatable unicorns and giant rainbow hearts. I spoke to the manager, Giovanni, to get to the bottom of why this Empanada Mama specifically became such an gay gay business.

This Empanada Mama happened to open its doors when that kitchen was happening that so much of the staff they ended up hiring just happened to be club, he said. To my surprise, the most popular menu item gay get in the wee hells of the morning is not its empanadas, but its signature soups, which Giovanni tells me that people order to try and sober up.

The most popular empanadas are the Brazil, which has ground beef, potatoes and green olives; the Viagra, which has shrimp and crab meat both aphrodisiacs, hence the name ; The Cuban, which is a Cuban hell inside an empanada; the spicy chicken; and the cheese steak empanada. On any given night, Giovanni describes the crowd as coming in cycles.

The crowd shifts to predominantly queer folks starting at 10pm. We try to keep a very safe environment for everyone. For Giovanni, safety is secured by guards who make sure no one is coming in too drunk as much as bouncers would at any nightclub. When considering what nightlife spot I would highlight for the Out Late column for Pride month, Empanada Mama was the club place that came to mind.

I walk in and wait for my table. The service here is great. I take a few selfies in the spacious bathroom and when I come out, I catch Giovanni and we talk for a bit. I ask him if he has any good bathroom stories. Yes, people are taking their Grindr profile pictures in the Empanada Mama bathroom.

A kitchen of five friends sitting in a corner start belting songs. Giovanni tells me that a lot of the theater gays come out here to eat after late-night performances.