The Toolbox
Neighborhood gay bar located on the Upper East SideAverage Reviews
About
TheToolBox is a neighborhood gay bar friendly to all. Located on the Upper East Side (UES) of Manhattan. Under new management since January of 2010. Gay owned and operated with friendly bartenders and clientele.
Top 10 reasons to “Like” us -
1. No cover charge ever.
2. Gay owned and operated.
3. Unbeatable DAILY HAPPY HOUR’s pours and prices.
4. Friendly staff and customers that are celebrities in their own right.
5. Sponsors good causes that community softball teams, marathon runners, and walkers support.
6. We support not only our GLBTQ community, but the community surrounding us.
7. Our Monday Night Bingo has benefited charities - GMHC, Ali Forney, ASPCA, The Trevor Project, Gods Love We Deliver, Pancreatic Cancer, Autism, and many others.
8.
9. Only gay bar on the Upper East Side of New York.
10. Welcoming to ALL.
If you want to add to this list, let us know.
We may be a small bar, like a toolbox, but we certainly think out of the box
Top 10 reasons to “Like” us -
1. No cover charge ever.
2. Gay owned and operated.
3. Unbeatable DAILY HAPPY HOUR’s pours and prices.
4. Friendly staff and customers that are celebrities in their own right.
5. Sponsors good causes that community softball teams, marathon runners, and walkers support.
6. We support not only our GLBTQ community, but the community surrounding us.
7. Our Monday Night Bingo has benefited charities - GMHC, Ali Forney, ASPCA, The Trevor Project, Gods Love We Deliver, Pancreatic Cancer, Autism, and many others.
8.
9. Only gay bar on the Upper East Side of New York.
10. Welcoming to ALL.
If you want to add to this list, let us know.
We may be a small bar, like a toolbox, but we certainly think out of the box
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Reviews
Based on 164 reviews
Ashley Stanton
20:42 07 May 25
Great neighborhood bar! Everyone is so friendly (Mason is the best!) so it’s a great experience every time. I have also met a lot of wonderful people from the neighborhood. You can’t beat their Happy Hour and lovely air conditioning in the summer. UES staple for sure.Michael Oo
21:52 01 May 25
It’s an interesting sensation to feel neglected and ignored as a customer in a near-empty bar with two working bartenders, but somehow Toolbox accomplished it.It’s possible the bartenders drank themselves beyond the point of realizing that all customers matter ? Sorry I wasn’t welcome to the party.Small neighborhood bar with distinctly unfriendly atmosphere. Easy to avoid, and avoiding is your best bet.Sheldon Gayle
02:22 01 May 25
I just moved to NYC & David (Bartender) was freaking AMAZING. His vibe and level professionalism was superb. I will definitely come here again and bring all my friends. The staff and entertainment was great. I LOVE ❤️ IT HERE!!!!!Maya Arroyo Burton
02:16 01 May 25
David is absolutely wonderful! He makes sure everyone feels welcomed! He also makes a strong drink which I love. I will absolutely be back on Weds.Darian Thomson
04:21 21 Mar 25
Came here for Bingo on Monday 17th and Thursday 20th and the barmen was really friendly and helpful. Made me feel at home. I enjoyed the bingo and out of all the bars in New York, I enjoyed this bar the most. I hope to visit from London again!Christopher Lopez
05:29 13 Feb 25
My go to bar that I go to 2-5 times a week. I feel so at home here and love the owners, bartenders, and customers. Great drinks and fun vibes. Come to the toolbox for a good time!jose martinez
06:59 09 Feb 25
Super friendly people, I’ve been there countless times and every time is always the greatest experience. I love the gays, I mean it!Marc Isenhart
22:32 30 Dec 24
My partner and I went here last night for a drink. We've been living on the UES for 6 years, and we always hated that there weren't any gay bars on the UES. We never really gave this place a shot but decided to try it out (it has pretty good reviews after all). Honestly, I'm sorry to have to write this, considering what some people have said about the place.We did not have a great experience like the other reviews, sorry to say. It was not a welcoming place by any means. It just seemed like a bunch of regulars that looked at us like we were from outer space when we walked in. No one seemed friendly or welcoming at all. The complacent bartender couldn't even be bothered to crack a smile when I smiled and said hi to him and then spent$26 of my money. Thanks for that. lolThe crowd was all pushed up to the front of the place for some reason and no one was utilizing the lounge area in the back, so I felt like I had nowhere to go when people were walking by. The walkway is like one body wide when people are sitting at the bar...it was claustrophobic and made me anxious. We had no choice but to weave our way to this sad table by the front window of the place and then thought...."we could just be at home drinking for less money". lolThe place served absolutely no benefit to our night. We couldn't finish our drinks fast enough....and we then split. Sorry guys. Try again.PS Id just like to add that I often get attitude and a lack of enthusiasm from many bartenders at gay bars, especially in HK. So I was hopeful that this place would be different seeing that it was in a different neighborhood, one of the few of it's kind on the UES, etc.....it turns out it's the same all over!! Who knew?!! LOLIt's unfortunately just pretty common nowadays at these places I guess.Randy Santos
23:40 08 Dec 24
Not very POC welcoming. Music is okay you have to pay a lot to have your song play and even then it’ll be a remix or sample of the song of a POC artist … unless it’s Beyoncé go figureChristopher Lopez
03:10 18 Nov 24
My go to bar that I go to 2-5 times a week. I feel so at home here and love the owners, bartenders, and customers. Great drinks and fun vibes. Come to the toolbox for a good time!Fabrizio Pivi
21:05 11 Sep 24
I went there a few times during my stay in Manhattan and I had a good timeBenjamin Bailey
15:38 24 Jul 24
I have loved the toolbox for the last 6 years, but Jack made me feel uncomfortable.Luis made my first drink. A normal pour. Luis is great.I asked Jack for my second drink. He under poured by 30-50% - I am unsure as to why. I made a joke to Luis about his pour. I then asked Luis if I could add redbull to my drink, as a silly solution to the 0.5 ounces of Espolon that Jack put in my drink - he agreed.The third drink I asked for came from Jack once again. Jack poured a drop (Luis was off for the night), or two, or three, of Espolon into my drink, and I said something to effect of “Well make it 4, then.” Jack responded, “Are you going to pay for 4?” I took a beat and walked out as I prefer to discuss things “professionally.” I returned and asked for my check, which had been closed out on my behalf. I asked why the check had been closed out. Jack said I had, “Stormed off.” I was under the impression I had walked away from a situation which Jack had been creating. I felt walking away from the situation had been the mature response.The point of this review is simply to say that, while I don’t know what Jack is going through to treat me like this, he also remains clueless as to my recent experiences, which have been traumatic. And I went to a place, The Toolbox, that I have felt safe the last 6 years, and suddenly, I didn’t feel safe. I want to return to toolbox. I want to repair the silly damage that has been done. But when I needed a silly little bar the most, it failed. I will no longer be returning to The Toolbox due to Jack.William Perez
00:15 29 Feb 24
mmm. nice and friendly quiet bar. music was terrible, mostly pop, but not the good kind of pop. beyonce, ace of base, britney, etc. definitely not for an older crowd. more appropriate for a younger clientele. at least, on a wednesday early evening. it might be more fun at other times. bar service left much to be desired, young bartender, not seasoned, not rude but not the most attentive or engaged. i’d definitely give it another chance but was disappointed for my first visit.Jerry B
16:01 04 Feb 24
This is the worst gay bar ever…. Less and less people are going there.Don’t waste your time at this place.Carl Grossi
02:21 29 Dec 23
Tonight was my second time going in there the first time thay put cooking oil in my buffalo sauce. Tonight the old lady bar tender said she was not going to get my beer I ordered till I changed chairs at the bar . So we leftRandy Santos
05:46 12 Nov 23
Not very POC welcoming. Music is okay you have to pay a lot to have you song play and even then it’ll be a remix or sample of the song of a POC artist … unless it’s Beyoncé go figureA You
13:16 12 Oct 23
A great place to hang out with your friend, the drink is good, staff is cute and they have drag performance. I went on the night of the repair the queen final so the place was pack with people to see the drag queen performing and find out who will be the winner. I must say that all the drag queen performances was lit as hell especially queen Jolli B was outstanding. Will definitely be going back to toolbox bar to get some drinks if Jolli B is performing there.BariczzsoltOfficial
04:51 30 Jul 23
It was such a great place ! Highly recommended and really hot and great service from the bar tenderCrystal
13:06 23 Apr 23
I love this local neighborhood bar. Atmosphere is fun, friendly and inviting. It’s typically regulars here and it’s a great place to have a beer and meet new people. The entertainment is great too!nicholas sinatra
17:35 10 Feb 22
Decent drinks, cute bartenders, and nice ambiance. The only complaints I have are about the space itself (super tiny venue; it's very easy to feel a bit cramped with more than 10 people in the bar). All in all, a pretty fun time, even late on a Wednesday night because the music is bumping and the staff is great.Hernan Bourlot
14:05 24 Nov 21
Absolutely funny place! Super friendly bartenders. Clean restrooms. Karaoke night was great! We had lots of fun.Analie Fernandez
00:34 27 Sep 21
I love this place! I am straight as a straight line, but, I want to come to this place again! The first time I came here was also my last---which is last year, just before the lockdown. The host, Nico, is our brother in musical(at Craig Derry"s Vocal Fitness), invited us. I enjoyed it so much___after the brief disappoinment: most man I've seen there at that time were the kind of man I dreamt of when it comes to athletic bod or muscular one___but, I know, like me, they also want a man🤷 I was this close to tell one of them: can you at least populate this world with cute babies like you! Sigh.I just drowned myself with Margarita, dance all night, sang, and watched one of the patron entertained us, the crowds, with his epic dance till closing time!❤️I would definitely come back to this place again whenever I get the time😘 They have friendly ambience. Clean place with clean restroom👍Paul Trapp
21:29 10 May 21
Bingo time! This is not your grandma’s bingo! No “bingo arms” necessary. The Tool Box Bingo reboot is so much fun! Two sessions every Monday night! Friendly staff and great service. My favorite new cocktail is the passion fruit lemonade! Come one come all. You won’t be disappointed.
The Toolbox NYC reviews from Google Maps, Yelp and WhereIsGay
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02:00 PM - 02:00 AM
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Monday
02:00 PM - 02:00 AM
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Tuesday
02:00 PM - 02:00 AM
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Wednesday
02:00 PM - 02:00 AM
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Thursday
02:00 PM - 04:00 AM
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Friday
02:00 PM - 04:00 AM
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Saturday
02:00 PM - 04:00 AM
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Sunday
02:00 PM - 02:00 AM
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