• Cubby Hole

  281 W. 12th St.; 212-243-9041

  The first thing you’ll notice is the inordinate amount of stuff hanging like stalactites from the ceiling. A huge collection of Chinese lanterns, model airplanes, and polka-dotted fish has been amassed over the past thirteen years, and though it’s completely over-the-top, it somehow works. Inside, you’ll see a mix of (mostly) women and men—gay and straight—sipping beers and vodka cocktails and singing along to “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” on the jukebox. But that’s the thing about Cubby Hole: Since it opened in 1994, it’s garnered a reputation as not just a great lesbian bar but also a cool neighborhood bar. So, lesbian or not, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself freaking out with excitement when your song finally rolls into rotation on the jukebox.

From the 2007 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine