G Lounge, West 19th Street

The dapper, slick, and unabashedly upscale G Lounge (223 W. 19th St., 212-929-1085) was the first NYC gay bar - and one of the first in the country - to go all out in style and design. It opened in 1997, offering Chelsea boys an alternative to the usual dark-walled, black-plywood, dimly lighted, windowless cells that had been the norm for years. G paved the way for the many swanky gay bars that have opened since, and it remains true to its origins, packed nightly with well-dressed men of all ages. Compared with other popular Chelsea hangouts like Barracuda, Splash (well, to an extent - Splash can be rather uppity, too), and Gym sports bar, G can feel a bit stuffy at times, but the staff is generally genial and the crowd surprisingly friendly if you just give it a chance. The same owners run the trendy Here Lounge in West Hollywood, California. G is next to Dance Theater Workshop.