The Eagle

Pretty cool place. Husbear and I like the DC Eargle, and I’ve been going there since 1981. I’d never been to the New York version. So, on the coldest night in like 100 years, we decide to go. Husbear, being husbear challenges me to check my coat, my sweater, my shirt … He does the same.
We wander around and figure out the first floor is pretty quiet because it’s arctic cold. So we go upstairs and find a pretty chill bunch of actual men, not children. That’s a relief.
Anyway, the bartenders were great, getting drinks was easy and the crowd was friendly. I mean «small southern town» friendly. The only odd bit to the evening was some guy who decided he liked Husbear a little too much and thought he’d push me aside. He got a faceful of ex military, found out the hard way this wasn’t role-​playing and learned (1) don’t touch another man’s husband without either’s permission and (2) don’t start trouble you can’t finish. Closest I’ve been to a bar fight since 1982. I think I love this place.
Nice shop on the 2^nd floor that sells jock straps, caps, and other male accessories that are appropriate for the scene here.
There were no women there that evening, That would have been odd as there were quite a few men in nothing but jocks. Even under New York City’s new laws, I don’t believe women have a right to be in places where men are not dressed. I haven’t heard these zealous women offering to eliminate their discriminatory women-​only gyms, spas, and places they go where they might be naked. I hear some guys might like to go and ogle them naked too.
We had another drink, decided to head back to our hotel when Husbear realized he’d lost our coat check tickets. Now we’re leaving at the time that everyone else is streaming in and I was less concerned about the amount of time we’d wait than the possibility somebody would have found the ticket and used it to boost our coats. That nearly happened at another bar on a different trip. But a manager came down to help us out and we went out into the night clothed, without a bar fight and with some pretty cool memories.

So, I’ve made my way here a few times. Like the other reviews have already said, it’s breaks the mold on the typical pre-​manufactured NY Gay. Little chance of spotting the obnoxious pest commonly known as the Chelsea Boy here; thank god. It’s cruisy for sure. But the beer is cold, and priced well. DJ is good, and people are friendly and unassuming. Come here with an open mind. Remember; to each his own. As long as you stick to that you’ll Have a good time.

Two weeks ago I was told as I entered that the manager, Oscar, wished to speak to me.
When he appeared, he talked about certain noises, and asked me not to do such. I agreed and wished him «Happy New Year.»
Last Wednesday, after entering the bar, checking my coat n shirt, I proceeded to the 2^nd floor bar. I was approached by a security guard who informed me that Oscar needed to speak to me. When he showed up Oscar told me «I must leave and was not welcome there, and that I knew why…»
I left… Not getting an explanation that I would expect from a normal human being.
Oscar has been discriminating against effeminate male behavior, which I believe is borderline illegal.
I am not an effeminate male, and that really does not matter to me, I have made a practice of bringing friends to The Eagle when they visit from anywhere in the world, and a lot of money is spent. But no longer as long as Oscar is managing the place.

I frequent a lot of gay bars, and a number of leather bars (when possible), but never have I been so harassed by a clientele. We do not occupy bar space, and we do not prevent anyone from getting drinks or intermingling with other customers (referring to gay men as so many consider this «their» space). And yet the doorman seemed bothered by our entry, and the present customers even more so. I don’t discourage their sexuality, they should not discourage or attempt to analyze my sexuality or why I feel the need to be there. Get over yourself! The concept behind Mr. Eagle is awesome and applicable to so many in ways that are subjective. An inability to understand this is anything but progressive. This is truly a shame to the gay and progressive community. One positive, the bartender was prompt and polite once one male couple decided to let us order! Thank you to him! If I ever see a man, gay or straight treated so poorly in a lez bar, I will be sure not to follow the example of Mr. Eagle

I would have never found the entrance if I came alone, but I was here with some friends. It’s a more mixed scene, and super chill. The drinks are moderately priced, but everyone was nice. It’s fun to just hand out at the bar. There is some seating around the periphery in the main room, along with a screen playing hardcore porn…(pro/con depending on your preferences). The other room has a pool table. Bathroom has a mesh fence so you end up looking across at someone else’s face while you’re peeing. A bit strange, but I guess you can always just look down.
Upstairs is an open air patio — quite a large space. The night I went, it was closed, but I can imagine that it would be a really fun place.

It’s been enough time and I should update my review. I’ve been back and people have been nice and a great starting point from which you can explore more places. Go on a theme night if you want a less diluted crowd or have a curiosity you want to learn /​ask about. You can meet some great people. It feels like a safer space then, so definitely don’t hold back on being bold and taking the jump then.
Looking back now, my really upsetting racist fluke experience 5 years ago was due to the Friday /​Saturday night crowds which can lean more snappy, random, and «basic» (ie. aren’t interested in the scene but show up to gawk or worse, judge.). So if you’re new, there are better nights to pick than those to jump in. Good luck!

Went to the Mr. Eagle contest on October 3^rd. What a great time! The crowd was really diverse, not only the leather, but all sorts of beautiful men. Very diverse crowd, all different age groups. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The music was pumping! Definitely will be back. Can’t wait!

I saw some people wrote reviews complaining about women going there. As one of the female patrons, I really love hanging out with my gay besties there and I am generally the only woman.

I am a female, I took my best friend and his fiancé here as part of their bachelor party. I thought it’d be fun for them. They wouldn’t serve me water. They wouldn’t serve me soda. So much for acceptance. Sorry I happened to be a woman.

I’ve been going here for over 2 decades AND THERE ARE TOO MANY DAMN WOMEN IN THE PLACE NOW.
This is what comes from societal acceptance!
Well, thanks for your well meaning «acceptance,» ladies, and I mean that sincerely, but please direct it to the political arena, especially if you are standing there on your cellphone lighting yourself up in the sweaty stink of the dark texting and congratulating yourself on how cool you are to be there amidst the funk of testosterone and sleaze videos while you are meanwhile rooting yourself to the bar for god knows how long when a bunch of randy guys in jockstraps are trying to get past you to buy a drink so the bartenders can make their living and maybe dios mio maybe they might even hit on that guy on the other side of you whom you are blocking and who has zero interest in you anyway because the boys just want a fun night out and maybe get lucky in their own guy space. «like, duhhhh, a clue?»

Awesome spot. I’m in Manhattan several times a year and always pop in here once (or twice!) on my stays. Very diverse crowd — age-​wise, racially, and body-​wise. Super hot music playing, which makes the cruising scene feel all the more authentic. Despite its raunchy aesthetic (which is great to take advantage of) more often than not I enjoy simply meeting and talking to folks. It’s easier to do that here than in many other places in Manhattan, which are often characterized by a certain image-​crafted anonymous clientele. Go!

Excellent evening on the rooftop. The staff was very friendly. I can see why it was voted best of the leather bars. Note to patrons: this is NOT a men’s bar. Don’t expect to have an evening of men only. You will have women patrons on each floor and each space.

What can I say about the Eagle NYC! Always a blast here! Love this place! Roof deck in the summer is the best.

One of my favorites in nyc. I feel so dirty every time I step into the eagle and I LOVE IT!

You know? The staff is eh and you’re essentially invisible to most patrons if you don’t (for reasons of genetic or stylistic provenance) look the part, but this place is alright. Drinks are priced decently for Manhattan, and even in the relative darkness you are like to see plenty that you’ll never be able to unsee. At the very least, the amount you’ll learn about that random Felicia who flashed you on that app last week is well worth the visit. Caveat growlor?
At any rate, there’s much fun to be had just sipping a cheap domestic brew and posting up by the entrance of a third floor bathroom. The armchair anthropologist in you will delight at the sheer variety of mating rituals on display.
Head to the bottom floor if you want to like, actually take a whizz or something.

Environment: ³⁄₅
Employees: ⁵⁄₅
Drinks: ⁴⁄₅
Cost: ⁵⁄₅
Accessibility: ⁴⁄₅
Total: ²¹⁄₃₀
Synopsis: ONE WORD, BROTHEL! YES, I SAID BROTHEL! My best friend visited for the evening, whom I have not seen in two years, but we have been friends for 6 – 7 years. He said, «I am going to take you to Eagle.» I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER knew what that meant. After failed attempts to get into other clubs… we landed here. What? Jock strap night? Um… okay! At first we disregarded all the BS and decided to walk around in our clothes. After 2 – 3 drinks later and using my birthday card, I made Andrew and Edson drop to their underwear so we don’t become, «THAT GUY.» Edson already had his jock strap on and I put him on blast, «WTH! You were ready for this?» He smiled with guilt. ehh. whatever, let’s just have fun!
The drinks were cheap. but um… there were EXTRA stuff happening. People were tossing salad, giving BJs, and then having sex… I was like WTH! Andrew just looked at me and said, «Yea girl.» All I can think of was, ‘I don’t want to have a house in Virginia (HIV).’ Quite honestly… this is the last time I will be here.um.NOT MY SCENE!
Environment: Um… this place. is like a hole-​in-​the-​wall dungeon/​divey bar… I was sad that the rooftop wasn’t open? WHAT! The bathrooms have black and white tiles, which I liked and a pool table for DEMONSTRATIONS! The first floor is also nice as well… but was closed off. Renovating?
Employees: After a certain amount of time had passed, security guards were breaking up the crazy orgies that were happening all around us. O_​O
Drinks: Not a various amount of draft beers, but whatever. Ugh!
Cost: Omg, cheap! Shots were like $ 5. Yea! And getting ONE shot, means you get a double! Double patron!!! And checking in your clothes was only $ 2. LOL
Accessibility: My friend drove here, so parking was easy on a Wednesday night.

Been going on and off for years. Used to be fun but has been slipping lately. The staff is not exactly friendly or nice but I kind of just went with it. Until last week when I had barely walked into the bar when the manager accosted me on the second floor and made me follow him downstairs. I thought I had broken some law or rule. He then proceeded to tell me that they (He said «we») have been watching me and get this: «I don’t buy enough drinks» I was appalled and offended at not only the silly accusation but also at the rude manner in which he chose to address it with me. I tried to explain to him that I don’t drink and typically just buy a water that I consume in the hour and half or so that I am usually there and though it maybe true that I don’t exactly buy ten waters, I also hadn’t realized that the Eagle had a drink minimum! He insisted that he doesn’t see me drinking and repeated that they have been watching me. First of all, what kind of bar watches and picks on one single patron simply because he’s not buying ten beers? Is this the NSA bar now? Second, the manner in which he chose to address it was very hostile and not at all professional. The manager of a bar is like the host and he should do the most he can to approach patrons in a friendly and professional manner. He could have simply leaned over and asked me in a friendly way as to why he doesn’t see me drinking or maybe jovially suggesting that I should buy a drink when he saw me standing somewhere in the bar. But to attack me as soon as I arrived (I didn’t have a chance to stop walking let alone buy a drink) and make me follow him downstairs where it was quieter, allowing more patrons to watch and hear him attempt to reprimand me like I’m a six year old was simply unacceptable. You want a drink minimum Eagle management, institute one or a cover charge. I show up, I buy a water and always use coat check in winter (Many customers wear all their layers all night long.) Clearly I am not a mooch. It is beyond humiliating to be picked on like that and bullied by a bar’s staff and I was alone that night. It’s not as if I routinely travel with large groups of non-​drinkers where we just stand around not buying drinks.
I understand that given the recent spur of residential development around the bar, that they are afraid that their days maybe numbered but that’s no excuse to bully customers especially when you are rudely picking on one person who doesn’t drink and once more with feeling: I BUY WATER.
So at that point when he seemed relentless in his need to humiliate me, I left and I for one will never ever ever ever ever ever set foot in that POS bar ever again. Hairy men with facial hair exist in the East Village and Brooklyn too and frequent places that don’t make me feel like a pariah for not having a drinking habit.
The only nice thing about that evening was watching him slip down the stairs and nearly fall flat on his ass as he was motioning to me to follow him downstairs… but that was before the humiliation. I guess karma paid him a little in advance that night.

I have been going to The Eagle now for several years and I am a definite fan. I believe it’s the only designated leather bar in Manhattan, but if you aren’t into the leather scene, don’t let that discourage you from checking it out. The crowd is very mixed and not pretentious.
Drinks are reasonably priced and the bartenders are nice. There are different parties or themes depending on the night, with the weekends most crowded (obviously). It can get pretty cruisy on the weekends so keep that in mind if you are shy about having advances made toward you. In the summer, the roof is open and provides an open-​air atmosphere that is great.
If you’re looking for a place to hang out and grab a few drinks in a relaxed atmosphere definitely consider this bar.

HALLOWEEN: I’ve been going to The Eagle for the last 3 years. I sometimes would go 2 or 3 times a week. It’s always been a smelly, sketchy, shady place, but you tolerate somethings if you feel accepted there. I went in last night for the costume contest. Arrived around 11:30p. Was met at the door by the Emcee, Witty Repartee, who I over heard her say to the guy collecting the door cover, «have you checked in anymore title holders?» «there’s some title holders who want to compete in the contest.» (I knew then that this wasn’t going to go well — it sounded biased already). Then I stepped up to pay and she looked at my costume, up and down, and walked away. I get inside and my friend tells me that I have to sign up with Witty to enter the contest… but now she’s no where to be found. We go stand near the stage because surely she’ll sign up people there. He looked upstairs, we sent another friend frantically looking for her, no where. Twenty mins later, she magically reappears off to the farrrr end of the stage announcing it was ready to start. My friends go bring her to me (since I can’t move because my costume is that big). She says they’ve already got 20 contestants and aren’t accepting anymore «we’ve been going around for the last two hours begging people to enter. We’re only taking 20 people and there’s another 20 wanting to enter…» I remarked that the Facebook flyer didn’t say anything about a 20 person limit and if 20 more people want to enter, they should be allowed to. The owners decided to keep it at 20. Lots of people were upset. That’s shady business practices there. From Emcee to owners, you can’t change the rules on the spot to accommodate who you want to win. This is another reason for The Eagle to not have drag queens.
I won’t be going back.

Soooooooo, I went to my first leather party. And I was the only girl, as expected, but I was treated so hospitably, which was NOT expected. The crowd here is eclectic and fun, although do not expect dancing. Expect 3 floors and a roofdeck, debauchery, play, darkness, and expect the unexpected.
Also, do not get upset about the bathroom — if that is not your scene, then try to either hold it or you should relieve yourself before you go, but the bathroom is its’ own entity. Fetishes run the gamut, and watersports/​scat play are a part of some of that.
Thsis is a judgemnet-​free space; I’m glad that places like this exist.

I love the Eagle. It’s not for everyone, and its not my scene, but I love it. Dark lighting, some seedy customers, drinks cheap and strong. I’m a lanky nerd not into leather, and I love how unpretentious this place is. But my last visit, something happened that I found unacceptable.
Someone peed on me.
Let me explain. I was urinating in the bathroom, and midstream felt something splatter on the bag of my legs. My mind snapped from confused, to unsure, to disbelief, to disgust. I turned to see who did this, only for him to have run out of the room. It was too crowded to really chase (plus, I was midstream) so I couldn’t do anything.
I can’t blame the bar itself, because they did nothing wrong. I can’t blame the clients, because overall most have been quite friendly to me. But I also know that in my local bars, this wouldn’t fly. I’d probably return next time I’m in NYC, but only if I keep brass knuckles in my pocket just in case.
Looking back, I can laugh at this, but that doesn’t negate how unacceptable it really was.