Who doesn’t like boys in their boxers?

Now NYC has more Boxers (and boys in them) than ever before. And they’re happy to help you see life from their side of the bar.

It’s doubtless these boxer-clad bartenders have been around the block enough times to serve up some useful and friendly tips for those who cannot resist hitting on the fellas serving up their drinks.

Their easygoing demeanor and Boxers’ stated policy of trying to be a chain that does for gays what Hooters has done for … um, wings … has proven to be a real recipe for success in an era when gay bars have been caught between escalating rents on one hand and the cover-free apps that allow men to mix and mingle from the comfort of home on the other.

While there’s no mistaking that Boxers as a chain (there’s another in Philly) has a distinctly gay feel, the goal, according to Boxers operations and programming manager George Maestre, is to make Boxers a bar where anyone can feel at home. That means friendly folks, handsome men, and no pretension.

Departing from the watering holes where gay liberation was launched, there’s nothing seedy happening anywhere on the premises. And unlike the cavernous warehouses where circuit parties rage ’till dawn, there’s nothing at a Boxers that couldn’t be seen on a weeknight at a Chippendale’s.

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At Boxers the emphasis is on activities and snack foods rather than on getting sloshed, says the manager. “You come to Boxers to hang out primarily. A big part of our clientele is female, and we have music videos and social media screens where people in the club can interact with each other on the screen in real time. There are arcades and games and a lot of things going on, including rooms available for private parties. It’s a domino effect, where people come more to hang out and have a good time than anything else.”

So… take a look at the silly side of being hit on as you’re working an eight-hour shift. Some guys won’t take “no” for an answer, and some think that bartenders find being flirted with better than being properly tipped.

Epic Fail.

Discover what’s going on at Boxers and other local bars in our Events section.

Find more bars in New York City in our guide to NYC gay bars.

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Last modified: January 11, 2019