Hardware

While I’ve been going to Hardware for almost a decade, I really wish they would get back to proper customer service with their bartenders. They are always consistently rude and unwelcoming. For many, this might be a safe space and the only place they can express themselves freely. Make them feel warm and welcomed. Smile when you take an order, say “how are you?” It’s simple basic etiquette. I’ve noticed it’s not as busy here as it use to be, that may be a contributing factor. I also really wish they would get rid of the two drink minimum rule for cards. Hardware and its sister bars are the only gay bars in HK that do this. It’s cumbersome and annoying. If I just want one drink and nothing else, what are my options? Why do I need to take out cash? Besides that, music is always consistently good. Fun crowd, minor fixes can be made to make the bar even better.

One of the best drag bars in NYC! As both an event planner and patron on many of these establishments, I find Hardware to be the most friendly bartenders and servers.Drag shows every night, but my personal favorites are Broadway Mondays and Thursday KnockOut.

Fun local neighborhood Gay Bar with good drag shows throughout the week. Bartenders are friendly and welcoming. Crowd is pretty relaxed. Good happy hour special during the week.

Still one of my favorite gay bars in Hells Kitchen, just because it is who it is. Not pretentious, just an everyday crowd, gorgeous and funny drag queens, and fun and personable bartenders. They have happy hour specials and plenty of space with the stage and DJ at the back.

I liked this place until I was told there was a two drink minimum per transaction? Never heard of such a rule. As a result, my friend was severely over-served and got sick. Seems unsafe in my opinion.

Ive been to this bar twice. Firstly, Ive seen the bouncer doesnt check your ID if you are white, while just behind them, he checked mine. Very subjective.Then, the bartendars, one with the black glasses was so rude to me, as i asked him for diet coke and then rudely gave me the drink. I had to stand at the bar for 10 mins to get my order.As a person of color you might feel weird coming here, it will feel a very white gay club, but maybe im wrong, but both times ive been here, i have always felt same, weird and not belonged.Finally, the drag shows, they are quite mediocre, and it feels like there is no effort or thought put into it. Rupaul drag race viewing hardly you can hear anything and the broadway mondays, good for seeing the actors you like, but it is so boring, i left the bar in 20 mins.Wouldnt recommend this place!

Went to Hardware for the first time last night to see Laganja Estranja. Thanks so much for booking the doll- I hope to see her again at Hardware soon! Also, I really want to shout out your amazing staff and patrons who treated us so well. My husband and I are elderly (over 40😂) and tragically straight, but were not made to feel unwelcome or out of place. Looking forward to coming back to Hardware next time we are in NY. 💜💜💜

This place has been a haunt of ours for a while. We tend to like the weekend as it’s busy in the right way. The performers here have a long history of making it on DR and tend to bring entertainment.

I love this bar! The staff is warm, welcoming and oh-so-very handsome, and the vibe of the space is always great. Its a Hells Kitchen staple, and consistently my go-to for a night out, with great drag shows and DJs to boot. Highly recommended!

I had a nice time! Drinks are reasonable/average price for midtown (and strong pours) and the drag queens perform intermittently which is fun.

The bartender was polite and attentive. He put on Broadway videos with music that was fantastic... then came a typical Drag Queen show, unoriginal and for me uninteresting, so I left. I would have stayed if there were more Broadway with videos. Hooray to the bartender... And his fantastic choices.

Stunning outdoor space, heated, perfect for NYC spring. Lovely staff, Philip and Stephen took wonderful care of us. My fav NYC gay watering hole

I have been meaning to write a review about this place for a while. This has become my Fave bar in NYC. Between the shows and the happy hour alone I love any day here. The staff is great (especially for a gay bar haha). They remember me. Make me smile. Lucas is so adorable always funny and so much great energy. Tom is so sweet and handsome. Liam is a riot and makes a great drink. Steven is sillys and sexy. Greg is a great bartender but an even better singer when he appears on Monday nights. Im a hard HARDWARE stan!!!

This place is horrible. The drag queens beg for money as if . Everything is about money, some guys left his jacket, and they went to check if there was any money in the pocket.The bartender didnt even smile or say thank u, but demanded a tip. When he was given a tip, NOT a thank you or a smile. Full of attitude. Worth ZERO STAR TBH

We were hoping to enjoy a great drag show on our last night in NYC. This place was recommended by a friend. Maybe it was an off night, but the drag show was talentless. The bartender was also extremely rude! He made my drink and then afterwards rudely told me there was a two drink minimum. Correct thing would have been to tell me prior to making the drink. In addition, the drinks were weak and it was obvious their pour was off. The worst part was that I was trying to pay attention to the drag show to see if anything good came on, and the bartender taps me on the arm and tells me to sign the receipt. He was rushing me to sign the receipt! No one has ever done that as this is poor customer service. At the end, no tip was left because service was abysmal. The bartender was outraged and started arguing with us for not leaving a tip. Horrible customer service.

I left your bar this evening 02.20.23 very insulted and disappointed. Tonight I ordered a gin & tonic from the bartender in a dark red shirt. he told me something. I asked him to repeat what he told me becouse im not native english speaker,but since I still couldnt understand, he told me that its ok- took out my card and gave me a drink. After drinking, I asked him to close the account because I was going to leave, he instantly shouted at me in front of the guests saying, how many f u c k i n g times do I have to tell you that we have a minimum..... i just realise that i have to order more for pay with card.I explained to him that it was understanding problem becouse my english is not good and it was reason why i asked him close account. i apologized for my English and told him that I would take the required amount of drinks to pay, but he threw the card at me and cynically said goodbye. Im a foreigen journalist and vlogger with a pretty big audience and I make videos about really good bars in NYC and recommend them to people, but the bartender at your bar treated me like a dog so I cant say enough good things about you to my followers. Teach your bartender to respect all guests regardless of whether they have difficulty understanding English or not. It was the last day of my visit to you

Ive been here five different times when I was in town. Hardware has a great staff. Anthony is a great bartender. Knowledge, professional and kind. He knows the drinks, the rules and how to treat customers. I went in the middle of the day and felt like a valued customer.Ive also been here during the busy times and shows. I still was treated with respect by all.Hans served us drinks at night during one of the shows. Even remembered me the second time I came (3 months later) and made me feel even more welcomed then the first time I met him.Im a Midwestern female in her forties. So I really appreciate knowing theres a place I can go in New York City that has hospitality that Im used to come home.

First time here and its during the covid-19 pandemic. I felt safe and entertained the enttire time, strong pours for the drinks, queens are hilarious and can move! Cant wait for the next visit. Steven and Philip are some amazing bartenders so make sure you have them behind the bar.

The music is great, and so is the entertainment. The prices are way to high for the quality of the drinks (which are served in a plastic cup, and they dont even measure the shots). The bartenders arent by any means the nicest(they are hot, but thats about it). The busser though is one of the nicest people in the world. I honestly dont think Ill be going back. Is a nice place but not worth the money.

Order two drinks, bar tender says $42. I look down at my cash…look up to him and say $42!? He responds, no $22. Was my second drink. No I’m not drunk, shady.

Unpleasant experience! Bartender was extremely rude to my friends and called them broke b****** and snatched the bill away from while they were talking about the tip.

Cool DJ Booth, a real stage, big dance floor, I like it. Surprisingly sweet staff for a Hells Kitchen bar. There were cheap drinks as advertised, but our bartender and server really made the difference. Made us feel almost like they had a little crush on us. Great fun. Well be back.

This has been one of my go-to bars for years now. Reliable, great bartenders, amazing music (especially Fridays) and overall fun vibes.

The go to place no matter what day or time of the week! Steven and Phillip are amazing and make you feel right at home! If you’re looking for an all inclusive place to have great drinks, good vibes, and a great time check it out.

OMG! The best NYC Saturday I’ve had in awhile! Bartenders Philip and Steven were so friendly and took such great care of us. Stop by to see these guys and the totally fab queens!

A cool gay bar, but the vibe is pretentious. The bartender ridiculed me about the tip I left him. He made no conversation and just made the 3 drinks I asked him too - simple vodka and ginger ale cocktails. Didnt really ask for anything fancy, but now Im over this place. Make sure you you tip the bartender more than a few dollars if you dont want the bartender to call you out. Gross

So I came to NY with some friends for the electric zoo event and we came here Saturday (sept 3) and Sunday (Sep 4). Saturday was really great! The bar tender and the staff were friendly. They told me the price of drinks and recommendations as well made drinks good and he was really friendly. Sunday was another story. Bartender (might be new not sure) but we order two drinks and the AMF was too sour and the Jack & Coke tasted as if was more soda than jack. Then he didnt even told me what the total was and just asks for the card. So then I ordered two blue moons and he said it was $16 for both. I look at the receipt and its $17.50. He might of thought I wasnt going to tip but I still did. After I went to go sit down, he talked to the security and I dont know what they were talking about but it was suspicious that after they were done talking, the security started roaming around us. So we left afterwards because it felt weird with security around us when we were dancing. I wish I could give it 5 stars because we had a great time Saturday, but Sundays experience wasnt good.

Extremely rude bartender, Spanish looking with black hair and a mustache!Horrible customer service and attitude.If your looking for a uneventful show and a overpriced weak drink from a rude bartender with more sass than a queen, then this is your place :)

I stopped by Hardware on Halloween Eve, not really sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The drink prices were well priced and poured well. They had a DJ with a small dance floor and booth seating around the dance floor. Fun spot I would visit again.

Super Expensive drinks! $USD 48 for 2 gin and tonics compared to other venues which were $21 for 2 G&TS nearby and busier gay venues. Shocking!

Went to Hardware to see Shequida perform. The place was pretty full. Was expecting to see a show at 10pm as advertised so my friends and I showed up at 9:45. Waited and waited and waited and waited. Waited Even more and around 12:30am, no Shequida. By that time alot of people got fed up with waiting and had left. Apparently instead of calling her Shequida, she should be called SheNoshow.

Couldnt find anyone to dance with which annoyed the heck out of me, plus all draw queens avoided interacting, as usual...

THE SPECIAL GREEN BAG OUTSIDE HARDWARE BARAround 1:15pm on the Thursday 18th of November 2021, outside the entrance, a certain eco-friendly LGBTQ-friendly HealthyGreen Bag could be found with a note hanging out of it as a gift for a special Drag Queen VANESSA VAN CARTIER whose is entertaining at the venue for 11pm of that same date .Inside that bag is a delicious gluten-free pumpkin pie bites and an energy chocolate almond ball.This green bag and the note and the treat for Vanessa Van Cartier need be made known , I hope it ends up in the right place but if it does not , I still want to rate this lovely bar for putting up with my excitement.Warmly,Eric S

The bartenders are rude. Steer away from this bar.

The bartender is really rude. Very disrespectful it was my first time here it was really awful constante service . I just asked for a beer and the bartender screamed at me because I didn’t hear him the first time …

Be careful at this place. My jacket and scarf were stolen at this place. I put my jacket with my friends’ stuff in one of the corners near the dance floor and when we were going to leave, my jacket was not there anymore. It was a $400 jacket with a $100 scarf in one of the pockets.

Great gay bar in HK. Hans is the best cocktail waiter I have ever had. Extremely professional and polite. He ensured we never had to wait a long time to get a drink. Thanks Hans!!!

I went with my service dog and the doorman security asked for proof of a service dog card when my service dog was wearing a service dog vest and he insisted that I provide him one when I told him it was a illegal of him to ask and he should not even be asking in the first place. And as I left I let him know that it’s illegal of him to ask and to know that for next time so he doesn’t embarrass himself and front of other people with service dogs. I can’t even begin to understand how this establishment employed ignorant people to represent their establishment at the door. So people beware this establishment is not very welcoming to people with disabilities.

If you like overpaying for weak drinks served in plastic cups, by stuck-up (but attractive) bartenders, this is the bar for you. The most expensive (for no reason) drinks of all the HK gay bars. I live in the neighborhood, and recommend literally anywhere else.

Place was empty and show was alrightish. Drinks are of bad quality. After only one (ridiculously expensive) drink, I felt sick and had a terrible headache next day.

Came to hardware for skyscraper Saturday’s! Philip and Steven were so hosptialable and gave great service! Come on Saturdays! The shows are great and the drinks are delicious!

RACISTS... and super rude... single out me and my friend then become completely rude... like I explained to him... Im going to make it my mission that NYC Pride and any LGBT+ organization dont work with this bar.... Bartenders are rude... management...DONT GO... spend your money at rise, the spot or nano bar... you want have to deal with this...

We went here for Skyscraper Saturdays and had a blast. The staff were great, and Lola Ceilings and Lexington Banks were a hilarious drag duo.

This is place is the best ! I recently discovered it through a friend of mine and ive been slowly bringing my friends up from chelsea up to fire in hells kitch . The happy hour here is so good its beats all the other two for one deals bars throw at you. The bartender Brad is also a sweetheart !

Doorman asking for ID for a 52 and 55 year old, said dont accept images of ID on phone then asked where we from and let us in. Bartenders not very observant at all when seeing if someone needs serving . Not impressed, far, far better around the area .

An ANTI-LATINO gay establishment in Hells Kitchen? They wouldnt let my friend in because the doorman didnt consider his ID from Puerto Rico valid. Ive heard of others whove had the same problem here. And I know they fired a really cute Bartender who was Latino.It looks like HARDWARE DOESNT LIKE LATINOS.

The dj was absolutely fabulous. We had the blast of the time !!! Great vibe and ambience, until the very last second!!

Anthony is the best! Great drinks awesome atmosphere Great music! I always enjoy and everytime Im in NYC I make sure I visit!

For the love of god fix the vomit smell. All my friends talk about it too when we get here. Either it’s the plumbing or the porous concrete bar that needs sealed and is holding all the rot in it.

Fantastic! I cried like5 times earlier this night. This bar made my night. So fun, great drinks, great vibes. I highly recommend!!

If you need something, you could get it there?....J.Guadalupe

The service is really great, the a/c was working really well. Totally recommended

Very nice bar with really good drag shows!!! The drinks were very well priced and staff was super friendly would definitely recommend this bar!!

A little further than 9th ave and youll find a few more LGBT gems. Hardware isnt vast but it boasts a crowd and atmosphere before its shows. Thats worth something right?

Update the shows on your website. Don’t advertise a Ru Paul girl is performing if she is not. After my $8 beer and the next show delayed or not happening; I left.

Never go back to this nasty place. Worst experience ever. VERY RUDE worker, flashing the flash light in your eyes and throwing the F words in your face!! If I could rate NO STAR, I WOULD. Too bad You cant. HRADWARD??? You better work/train your employee HARD!!!

Great location , great staff . Good music. But on a Thursday night DJ cant seem to get the dance floor hopping . .

OMG!!! Anthony!!! Is such an amazing part of your business!!! He’s chill when u want.. He’s “Hey let’s DANCE”!!!! Sooo much fuuun!!!!

Was passing by saw the 3 dollar mimosa deal... couldnt turn it down! The server was beyond sweet couldnt complain. When I return to nyc I will return here♡♡♡♡♡♡

Visited here with some friends last week. It was clean, nice atmosphere and there was a $3 beer special. Nice addition to the neighborhood.

Nice place very busy at this time, music was all right while I was here and nice crowd. Had a dance two dance floors so is fun.

Fun place to go. Amazing happy hour deals and fun low key bar if you want to escape the usual HK crowd.

Great drag shows, fun people, great bar staff especially Greg and Liam!!!!

They don’t have any Non-Alcoholic choices for a person that doesn’t drink, and they didn’t care to give me any alternatives.

Its okay. Nothing makes this place different from the next gay bar. Bartender didnt make any conversation, and the $20 minimum I find annoying.

Good music, but drinks are significantly overpriced, with questionable attentiveness from the staff. Additionally, theres no chat check.

Great music and vibes, even on a Sunday night

Ive lost myself in many of the Saturday night dance mosh pits. Both physically and emotionally.

Some of the best Drag shows in the area with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Very New York.

Good vibe, has a nice size dance floor in the back with great DJ’s

Fun, gay bar. Nothing super special but a great stop if bar hopping in Hells Kitchen.

Do not go here if you are a female looking for solace. Bar tenders are VERY RUDE.

Nice bar but I think I like Houstons shows a lot better

Nice pub.

Rude staff behind the bar. (But the drink guy who works the floor is great.)

Nice vibe. Reasonably priced drinks.

Honestly, I really like Hardware and Id give it five stars, except that it ALWAYS smells like vomit, which really gets old after a few visits.

Amazing. Very professional and polite staff, great show, reasonable prices. So far my #1

Nice gay bar. We love Shequida!

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! A STAFF MEMBER STOLE MY SISTERS IPHONE FROM HER PURSE IN THE COAT-CHECK!!! BUNCH OF THIEVES WORKING THERE THATS WHAT THEY ARE!!!

Amazing services i like there work...clean and perfect..gud job 💥🌸🌈

Great drag shows and atmosphere!

Do not come here for your birthday bc they DO NOT CARE

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Just dont come and save your time

The best place for a happy preeee game!!!

Amazing service! Great environment !

Barman racist for Latin man

Victor is an awesome bartender

Great Crowd and bar.

Best dragshows in the area

Your DJ is absent! Where is your DJ?

Love this place and the staff.

Great music

Pretty good

Always busy!

Sooooooo empty