10/26/08

Good for only one thing ...

by Greaves

I went to The Cook, (whose real name will not pass the censors) on a Saturday night. After paying $10 cover, I was surprised to find that it consisted of one small, very dark room where it was too crowded to dance. No one was trying except the go go dancers on the bar, who were not very good, and the music was just OK. The drinks were strong.

I'm a woman, so I know that I'm not qualified to review most aspects of The Cook. From watching what was going on, it seemed like a good place for guys to hook up, with a crowd of mixed age and attractiveness. It would have been hard to have a conversation, though.

Other reviewers are right -- this isn't the kind of gay bar where you should take a female friend. I got the stink-eye from some guys there.

• Pros: Strong drinks
• Cons: No dancing, unfriendly to women

01/06/08

The C**k not what is used to be.

by eastvillager1

Standing in line on a Saturday night several 20 something girls dressed like they were from Greenwich, CT, some with their boyfriends, were allowed to cut line ahead of the 30 or 40 gay men who had been waiting in line in a cold rain ahead of them.

Is this The C**k or the Hammerstein Ballroom?

Stay home and get online on manhunt instead.

• Pros: WAS one of the last refuges for gay men away for the 20 something yuppie bridge and tunnel straight crowd that invades the village on the weekends
• Cons: supposed gay male bar that allows gay men to stand in the rain while girls cut in line ahead of them

10/13/07

Total hook up place

by trip23

You know what everyone is there for when you go to a place like this. It's a a hook up spot plain and simple. If you can't hook up here you must be some sort of mutant.

07/16/07

Flashback to the 70's!

by jday21201

I visited this bar during a trip to NYC with a friend. We went there on a whim, never having heard of it before, just thinking it was a funny name. It was fantastic! The place was really crowded and noisy but that was all part of the fun. I was so thrilled to find a place that wasn't the typical carbon-copy uber-gay mega club! This place is small, rowdy, dark, and dirty. It's like a throwback to the 70's......just get into the middle of the crowd.

TIP: this is not the place to take a girl! She will not be appreciated.

• Pros: atmosphere, great music
• Cons: hot and stuffy, bathrooms

10/19/06

Dirty Fun !

by jjaylong1

No frills...seedy...anything goes...everyone welcome...no attitude....love it. Extra fun on wednesday nights for drag shows. Hot dancers and bartenders. A classic.

• Pros: fun fun fun
• Cons: bathrooms

Look no further for a down and dirty gay bar--this one rules the roost.

by Kara Zuaro

In Short
This beloved gay pick-up joint relocated from its old Avenue A digs, but a neon rooster still marks its entrance and the raunchy vibe remains. A mostly male clientele mingles in the barely lit space, where dark glittery paint glazes the walls, graffiti covers the bathroom doors, and a big, bright cock (a male chicken, that is) adorns the wall. Benches and bar stools provide seating, but the floor is open for dancing.

01/06/06

A winner everytime

by bernienyc

I worried when I heard that the bar was closing from its former Avenue A location, but when I first visited NYC and got to see the new 2nd avenue location I was pleased. The bar I came to love in college has remained true to itself. It is definitely not the gay bar for the prim or more conservative crowd, but if you like your bar like my martini's: strong and dirty, then this is the place for you. The drinks are good. PS--even if not "on the prowl" this is an excellent bar to go to alone b/c you'll meet people who will talk to you. I've done that one many occasion, meeting many nice guys--and not all I went home with either.

• Pros: sociable, reliable, good music

08/02/05

I had too much fun

by lamiak

One of the best gay bars I have been too. The place is dark and may seem misleading, but once it gets crowded it's all about having a great time. You pay a cover (where in NYC don't you pay a cover?), the drinks cost the same as anywhere else in Manhattan, but at least here you can taste the alcohol. I had such a great time on Saturday night I had to go back on Sunday night. The bartenders, dancers and patrons were incredibly fun and friendly (something I didn't find at other bars in Manhattan). If you like to have a good time SF style or A-House style, this bar should be on your list.

• Pros: Crowded, FUN, friendly
• Cons: bathrooms