Stonewall Hotel

The bar everyone loves to hate...

...and yet almost everyone comes through the doors. Stonewall, named in honour of the more famous (and more dilapidated) bar in New York's West Village, is the "young" club. Boys and girls coming out for the first time inevitably come here. As such, it has its detractors, and the criticisms are those you would expect of those who are not fans of "twinks." But it attracts a surprisingly diverse crowd and there are three levels with different vibes to each. In general, the crowd is out to have a good time; the dj's, drag queens, and dancers all do their best to ensure that. There are some negatives: it has notoriously filthy toilets, the crowd can get out-of-hand and they have in the last year started charging a five dollar cover. But overall, if you go in with a positive attitude, you can have a really good time. One last note about another visitor's charge of "racism/homophobia" amongst the bouncers. I know two bouncers there--both straight--who have been there for years. Quite apart of the improbability of management keeping on staff who antagonize its gay customers, I have in fact seen them go out of their way to help gays both inside the club and outside. Indeed, they are some of the best and most professional on the strip.

racist and intimidating

I don't know how this place can in good conscience use the famous New York name of a place that stood for the rights of diversity-they are discriminating against race and women who are not lesbians. They have a force of straight men for their security that are of Lebanese and Middle Eastern origin that are are not their for the security of their homosexual clients but to enforce their own agenda of homophobia. I have personally experienced not being allowed in because I had a black man, straight women, or showed them the slightest bit of nonchalance towards their policy of trying to flirt with the straight women I brought to the establishment. I will never go there again after the overt abuse that they show their patrons. Their are great places like Midnight Shift, The Oxford, Green Park etc that are open to having gay people at a gay bar. Americans-I advise you stay away

Give it a chance

If your a foreign traveler, this should be your base of attack on oxford st. It's your best chance at making friends with an aussie. They're the only place thats has something going on EVERY night,and its not just creepers during the week. I had the best luck meeting cute young guys Mon-Wed since most of them are qantas/v australia flight attendants looking to party on their night off. WED is not to be missed! its called MALEBOX, they slap a # on you when you walk in and througout the night you can send and recieve messages to people just by adressing it to the # they have. 3 floors with the clientel getting younger with each floor you go up.

Popular local bar but not for me

This bar always has people and the music is good, but I was not a fan. The bar was dirty (not sexually) and the crowd by day slightly scary. The evenings TH, FRI and SAT are the best time to check out this bar otherwise, just keep on walking.

Three levels of fun

Stonewall is one of the oldest and popular bars in Sydney. It tends to be popular because it has free entry; unlike Arq. The rooms themsevles are a little small (which can be irritating when it's crowded) though it has three levels that distribute the crowd evenly. Stonewall has a more bar/lounge feel to it, with different music on each level. Not to say the atmosphere is still heaps of fun! Very mixed crowd, young and old, guys and girls with fun drag shows and karaoke, always having the crowd involved and up for a good time!