Ginger's

Ginger's
	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

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]

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]

References

1 2 Silver-Willner, Arielle (March 15, 2022). "Inside Brooklyn's last lesbian bar". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
1 2 Carmel, Julia (April 15, 2021). "How Are There Only Three Lesbian Bars in New York City?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
↑ Hudson, David (November 22, 2021). "#SaveOurSpaces: The history behind the name of NYC's newest bar: Good Judy". Gay Times. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
↑ Gieseking, Jen Jack (September 15, 2020). A Queer New York: Geographies of Lesbians, Dykes, and Queers. NYU Press. ISBN 978-1-4798-0300-2. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
↑ "Addresses Project | Gwen Shockey". map.addressesproject.com. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
↑ Ryan, Hugh (March 5, 2019). When Brooklyn Was Queer: A History. St. Martin's Press. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-250-16991-4.
1 2 3 4 5 Cassell, Heather (March 23, 2022). "Drinks Flow Again at Ginger's Bar, a Lesbian Mainstay". Gay City News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
↑ Conlon, Erin (April 4, 2023). "Ginger's Bar is Opening a Queer Irish Pub in Greenpoint". Greenpointers. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
↑ Kumamoto, Ian (February 28, 2025). "Ginger's Bar is throwing a 25th anniversary festival on St. Patrick's Day weekend". Time Out New York. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
1 2 "Ginger's". New York Magazine – The Thousand Best. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
1 2 3 "The Best NYC Queer Bars and Restaurants". Eater NY. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
↑ "Ginger's Bar — Review". The Infatuation. May 29, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

40°40′16.8″N 73°59′3.3″W / 40.671333°N 73.984250°W / 40.671333; -73.984250

External links

Official website

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[bkmag-1] 1 2 Silver-Willner, Arielle (March 15, 2022). "Inside Brooklyn's last lesbian bar". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2022.

[carmel-2] 1 2 Carmel, Julia (April 15, 2021). "How Are There Only Three Lesbian Bars in New York City?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2021.

[gaytimes-3] Hudson, David (November 22, 2021). "#SaveOurSpaces: The history behind the name of NYC's newest bar: Good Judy". Gay Times. Retrieved March 16, 2026.

[qny-4] Gieseking, Jen Jack (September 15, 2020). A Queer New York: Geographies of Lesbians, Dykes, and Queers. NYU Press. ISBN 978-1-4798-0300-2. Retrieved June 15, 2021.

[5] "Addresses Project | Gwen Shockey". map.addressesproject.com. Retrieved June 15, 2021.

[ryan-6] Ryan, Hugh (March 5, 2019). When Brooklyn Was Queer: A History. St. Martin's Press. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-250-16991-4.

[:0-7] 1 2 3 4 5 Cassell, Heather (March 23, 2022). "Drinks Flow Again at Ginger's Bar, a Lesbian Mainstay". Gay City News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.

[8] Conlon, Erin (April 4, 2023). "Ginger's Bar is Opening a Queer Irish Pub in Greenpoint". Greenpointers. Retrieved January 31, 2025.

[9] "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

[TimeOut2025-10] Kumamoto, Ian (February 28, 2025). "Ginger's Bar is throwing a 25th anniversary festival on St. Patrick's Day weekend". Time Out New York. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

[NYMag-11] 1 2 "Ginger's". New York Magazine – The Thousand Best. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

[Eater2025-12] 1 2 3 "The Best NYC Queer Bars and Restaurants". Eater NY. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

[Infatuation2025-13] "Ginger's Bar — Review". The Infatuation. May 29, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.

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