Ginger's
Bar in Brooklyn, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ginger's is an Irish dive and lesbian bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City.[1][2] It is one of the two queer-oriented bars in Park Slope, with the other being Good Judy.[3] The bar was opened by Sheila Frayne on Saint Patrick's Day in 2000 and is seen as both a lesbian bar and a woman-friendly neighborhood bar.[4][5][2][6]
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New York City
U.S.
at Fourth Avenue/Ninth Street station
NYCT Bus: B63, B61, B103 | |
 Interactive map of Ginger's | |
| Address | 363 5th Ave, Brooklyn, 11215 New York City U.S. |
|---|---|
| Owner | Sheila Frayne, Brendan Donohoe |
| Type | Bar |
| Public transit | New York City Subway: at Fourth Avenue/Ninth Street station
NYCT Bus: B63, B61, B103 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | March 17, 2000 |
History
Ginger’s was opened by Sheila Frayne on March 17, 2000.[7] The bar shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on October 28, 2021, after a 19-month closure.[7] In late 2021 Frayne brought on hospitality professional Brendan Donohoe as co-owner to help with the bar’s relaunch; fundraising efforts, landlord forbearance, and pandemic relief also supported the reopening.[7]
Donohue opened Mary's Bar in 2023, a sister bar to Ginger's located in Greenpoint; the bar closed temporarily in November 2024, according to an Instagram post.[8][9]
In February 2025, Ginger’s marked its 25th anniversary with a three-day festival over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, highlighting the role of lesbian and queer bars amid ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ pressures.[10]
Description and programming
Sources describe Ginger’s as an unpretentious, dive-style neighborhood bar with a front room and a pool table in back; the space also features an enclosed garden/patio.[11][12] Regular programming has included karaoke, DJ nights, drag king shows, and other events aimed at lesbian and broader queer communities.[7][12][1]
Reception
Ginger’s has been included in New York magazine’s "Thousand Best" list and in multiple roundups of notable LGBTQ+ bars in New York City.[11][12][13] The bar is frequently cited as a longstanding lesbian-focused space in Brooklyn nightlife coverage.[7]
