Phoenix
(212) 477-9979
447 E 13th St
New York,
NY
10009
40.7304
-73.982
Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown
Last updated 4.01.09
What People Are Saying About Phoenix
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
Do not be put off by the dungeon-like exterior; on the inside, Phoenix is, well, equally dungeon-like, with a cavernous, seen-better-days, bordello-esque twist. In short, it's a dive--but calculatedly so. The walls are painted blood-red, and the place looks as if it hasn't been renovated since the late-'80s; still, there's something oddly homey about this joint--maybe it's the Pac-Man video game. Good-looking rocker boys and neighborhood Joes congregate in the back lounge and at the bar, where friendly, past-their-prime leather daddies sling the drinks. Girls that are out with their gay boys should feel comfortable enough here--as should anyone who wants a drink, but can do without the meet-market scene of flashier gay bars.
User Reviews
BBeattie
February 06, 2009
The crazy manager at Phoenix has been let go, but I will not return there. I followed the previous management and staff of the glory days to Section 8 where you can find the relaxed vibe that was once the Phoenix ? HALALUGHYA! Section 8 is located on Avenue A between 13th and 14th streets on the east side of the street.
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Muggleson
October 14, 2008
It's official: The Phoenix has jumped the shark. What is wrong with that blonde, plump, screechy bartender? Is it the candid camera? Can we throw a sheet over his head and call it performance art? F--k this scene, I'm outtie. The bartenders at Eastern Bloc are NICE. And easy on the eyes, for what it's worth.
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Schamhaar
September 18, 2008
Last night, I (a straight woman) walked into the Phoenix to get a drink with my friends (two gay men) who are dedicated clientele of the bar, visiting the Phoenix multiple times a week for the last several years; I am often with them. So it was pretty much a typical night. But when I had to use the restroom, I was verbally attacked and then asked to leave the bar by the manager. I have never in my life been the target of such unsolicited hostility. First, being called a crude expletive (c**t) for walking past him on a staircase. (Really! There was NO prior interaction.) And then, after I responded by calling him an a**le (a kind of natural reaction, I think) being physically threatened - he said that he would remove me from the bar if I didn't leave. I have never experienced such blatant hostility or sexism. His behavior was inexcusable, unprofessional, and completely ignorant. This guy is the MANAGER! Apparently this behavior is par for the course with this guy - when I began to describe the incident to a friend who knows the Phoenix, he jumped in to identify the guy saying that he is known to be openly rude to any woman who walks into the bar. I am quite familiar with several of the bartenders from over the years. The nicest of them which have left the Phoenix and opened their own bar (Section 8); they took their fabulous jukebox with them. So, frankly, unless you have a bad sense of smell and are willing to risk being not only harassed, but physically threatened, the bar does not offer much. The depressing atmosphere always seemed tolerable in the past because there was at least an unpretentious and relaxed quality about the bar. And they made strong drinks. However, with the dwindling cool factor and the management's apparent poor judgment in choosing this manager, I would recommend staying far away from the Phoenix.
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The Extras:
For a more kick-up-your-heels evening in the East Village, join the tourists at Lucky Cheng's.
