Gay bars in cambridge ma

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Club and bar nights exist, but there are no gay bars to be heard of since the closing of Paradise in 2018. The only guideline at Campus is to “dress to impress.” Patrons can be seen in everything from button-up shirts and ties to crop tops or sports jerseys while dancing to music by a rotation of DJs.

For a city in a metro area with the eighth-largest population of LGBTQ-identifying people in the United States, it is a surprise to learn that what happens at ManRay on Thursdays is one of only a few opportunities for the community to gather.

patty | bacon | white cheddar | american cheese | lettuce | tomato | onion | fry sauce | brioche bun | pickle spear

$19
crispy fried chicken | creamy pineapple slaw | lettuce | tomato | dijonnaise | toasted brioche bun
$17
bacon | lettuce | tomato | avocado spread | 9 grain bread | mayo
$14
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich
chicken | ham | bacon | brioche bun | mayo | cheese
$17
fresh tomato sauce | mozzarella | fresh herbs
$19
vine ripened tomatoes | fresh mozzarella | fresh basil
$19
vermont pepperoni | vine ripened tomatoes | mozzarella
$19
chicken | bbq sauce | onions | cheese
$12
vanilla ice cream | raspberry sauce
$12

*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Pop-up events happen too; “Kiss Me I’m Queer” was held March 17 as a St. Patrick’s Day alternative at Central Square’s Lower Level, the basement of an Elk’s Lodge.

Other social spaces

A pride sticker on the front door of Diesel in Somerville’s Davis Square. In addition to being founded by two members of the queer community in 1999, Park said that Diesel is a “safe haven” for LGBTQ+ people.

It’s important that there are spaces for the LGBTQ+ community that don’t center around nightlife, Lewis said.

“We should make sure that anyone who walks in off the street knows that we’re an inclusive and safe space,” she said, and stickers with pride colors were affixed to the businesses’ doors this year to make them more visibly LGBTQ-friendly.

Like Joselow, Lewis believes Somerville and Cambridge should encourage more diversity among business owners.

“I think that the cities are definitely moving in the right direction.

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In a good place to be LGBTQ+, dedicated spaces for those communities can be difficult to find

Campus, seen June 15, is the Thursday LGBTQ+ night at ManRay in Cambridge’s Central Square.

(While the state has centers for LGBTQ+ youth, there are none for everybody in the community.) A working group was formed for community input.

Joselow said she would like to see more bars and other activities for the community, as well as more queer-owned businesses.

Cambridge lists LGBTQ-owned businesses in its Business Diversity Directory.

(Photo: Annie Schugart)

In Cambridge and Somerville, you would be hard pressed to find a place where members of the LGBTQ+ community are not welcome.

gay bars in cambridge ma

of fresh maine lobster, shell macaroni mascarpone cheese & fresh peas, baked with toasted bread crumbs on top

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

$19.00
maple glazed sweet potatoes, creamed corn
sunday through thursday, order any entree and receive a 2-4-1 entree free
steamed rice, broccoli, with a chipotle cream sauce

Pumpkin Ravioli With Cream Sage Sauce

$15.00

Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast

$16.00
mashed potatoes, green beans, with a brandy cream sauce
panko breaded chicken breast, lemon, white wine, capers

Macaroni & Meatballs

$15.00
penne pasta, marinara, meatballs, fresh parmesan
ground sirloin, shallots, mushroom merlot, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables
asparagus, zucchini, snow peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, parmesan

Flatiron Steak Frites Or Steak Salad

$16.00

Stir Fry Vegetables

$6.00

– Signature Cocktails & Drinks –

[ Featuring our Seasonal favorites ]

$15
brown sugar bourbon | pineapple juice | lemonade | luxardo cherry
$15
vodka | espresso | kahlua
$15
tito's vodka | blue curaco | grenadine | sweet + sour mix | soda
$15
crop organic cucumber vodka | lime | simple syrup
$15
vodka | elderflower liqueur | passion fruit juice
$12
$14
vodka | house bloody mix | tajin
$14
tequila | watermelon | lime
$13
choice of red or white wine
$12 / $46
$10 / $38
Pinot Gris, Chateau Ste.

Michelle

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$10 / $38
western cape, south africa
$10 / $38
Sauvignon Blanc, Villa Maria
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Santa Barbara, California
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Riesling, Chateau Ste. Michelle
columbia valley, washington
$12 / $46
Merlot, Chateau Ste.

Michelle

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Cabernet Sauvignon, Ghost Pines
$8-$10
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Dublin, Ireland | abv 4.2%
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The Netherlands | abv 4.2%
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High Noon, Watermelon, Hard Seltzer
$9
High Noon, Pineapple, Hard Seltzer
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Athletic Brewing, Non-alcoholic, Hazy IPA
milford, ct | Non-alcoholic

Saturday and Sunday
8am - Noon

$14
scrambled eggs | bacon | cheddar | potato | pico | crispy potatoes
$12
scrambled eggs | bacon | cheddar | brioche bun
$15
texas toast | berry sauce | whipped cream
$16
fried eggs | black beans | corn tortillas | ranchero sauce
$15
scrambled eggs | bacon | wheat toast | crispy potatoes
$16
eggs | housemade carnitas | pico | crema | salsa verde | tortillas
$14
romaine lettuce | parmesan | croutons
$22
8 oz.

“Now there’s a lot of bars that are deemed safe by the queer community and they’re not really officially queer bars.”

Nationwide issue

The spaces have been closing all over the country. It’s just some of these things just take a very long time to change,” she said.<

What's wrong with this menu?

Boston Spirit Signature App

$9.00
cup of clam chowder, & 2 large gulf shrimp

Pan Roasted Prince Edward Island Mussels

$11.00
shallots, pinot grigio, fresh herbs & cream
five large gulf shrimp, house-made cocktail sauce
hummus, cucumbers, olives, onions, tomatoes, pita

Buffalo Chicken Wings

$8.00
blue cheese, celery sticks

South End Onion Rings

$7.00
fresh cod, tartar sauce, fries, house-made coleslaw

Fried Calamari & Banana Peppers

with club café marinara sauce
  • Make A Basket With Fries & Coleslaw, Add$3.00
  • Make A Basket With Fries & Coleslaw, Add$3.00
  • Make A Basket With Fries & Coleslaw, Add$3.00
brie, swiss, bacon, herbs
cheese, salsa fresca, sour cream
sour cream, jack cheese, guacamole, salsa fresca
  • With Extra Guacamole, Add$3.00
  • With Extra Guacamole, Add$3.00
add chicken breast, chicken salad or shrimp to any salad $5, add 4 oz of fresh lobster meat or salmon filet to any salad $8

Club Café’s Signature Clam Chowder Or Today’s Soup

cucumber, onion, olives, tomato, feta
arugula, fennel, prosciutto with pear vinaigrette
cucumber, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette
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onions, peppers, mushroom, marinara, mozzarella
smoked gouda, caramelized onions, chives
sandwich sides: fries, sweet potato fries, potato, pasta salad or mixed greens.

In big-city gay neighborhoods, it might mean a couple fewer choices out of many similar bars for a night out,” Mattson writes. (Photo: Luciano Cesta)

As for the crowd at Campus, he said that somebody described it as “very Cambridge.” He said that was a compliment – that people of all ages go.

“I think we’re trying to reflect that with the music,” he said.

“The home reopened, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

Shawn Driscoll, who wrote “We Are But Your Children” about the old ManRay, has been back to several nights since the reopening.

“Its new incarnation still has that feeling of a family and a home,” Driscoll said. Greggor Mattson’s “Who Needs Gay Bars?,” published last month by the Stanford University Press, estimates that half of all gay bars in the United States closed between 2007 and 2021, with 16 percent of that decline due to the Covid pandemic.

“How that 50 percent hits depends on where you stand.

“But it might mean the loss of all the bars for people of color, as happened in San Francisco, or the only club for 18-year-olds, as happened in Cleveland. Trophy Room also proudly supports local farmers and the purchasing of organic and sustainable products. 

GF = Gluten Free

V = Vegetarian

“The misfits and the broken toys, we need a home,” said Keith Bennett, the club’s head of security.

available breads: ciabatta, multigrain, bulkie roll or wrap

Maine Lobster Roll

$16.00
fresh maine lobster meat, toasted bun & french fries
bacon, scrambled eggs & cheese on choice of bread
oven baked with provolone cheese

Smoked Bbq Pulled Pork

$10.00

Chicken Cutlet Parmesan

$11.00
marinara, fresh mozzarella, basil
boursin cheese, sliced tomato , & red onion

Roasted Turkey Club

$10.00
bacon, lettuce, tomato, spicy mayo on ciabatta

Buffalo Chicken Breast

$10.00
buffalo sauce, blue cheese, onions, celery sticks
lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle
lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle
chicken breast, bacon, tomato, avocado, egg

Tenderloin Of Beef

$24.00
mushrooms, carrots, potato gratin in a red wine sauce

Pan Roasted Halibut

$21.00
asparagus, risotto, tomato confit
miso glazed salmon with stir fry vegetables & wild rice
lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels, mushrooms, summer peas, mascarpone
lemon white wine sauce, gulf shrimp

New York Sirloin Steak

$22.00
grilled asparagus, mashed or baked potato

Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese

$17.00
6 oz.

“The nights that I’ve gone to are jam-packed with people, which is what you would find at ManRay back in the day.”

Driscoll said that during ManRay’s original incarnation, Campus was one of its most popular nights – and was its own bar for two years before ManRay replaced it on Brookline Street in 1985.

Looking for causes

The lack of dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces could be attributed to two factors, Driscoll said.

Plus, the Internet changed how people meet.

“They’re not thought of as the only safe places to be,” Krone said of LGBTQ+ bars.