Cattyshack

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This venue is closed.

Former Meow Mix owner Brooke Webster has broken the mold of tacky, platonic lesbian bars. This sprawling two-story oasis appears out of the auto-shop-wasteland of Brooklyn's Fourth Avenue and quenches every long-neglected need of the city's girls looking for girls. Webster bought the space raw and retained the concrete floor and spackled and exposed brick walls in the spirit of industrial chic. On Fridays, corn-rowed studs and go-go dancers grind to hip hop on a dimly-lit downstairs dancefloor, with a nearby pool table and go-go pole adding to the delightful sleaze. A narrow staircase leads to a polished second floor bar that looks out over the roof deck through a wall of ten-foot windows. The rugged tin surface, chain link fence and hoards of faux-hawked andro-dykes puffing on cigarettes make the deck as cool as a loft party fire escape. In the secluded lounge area, singles chill out in the make-out nooks and sleek wooden pews while Tracy and the Plastics plays on the jukebox. There are lots of familiar faces from Meow Mix, but Cattyshack's excellent DJs, multi-floored parties, daily happy hour and diverse staff entice gay boys, trannies, and "respectful" heteros as well. — Elizabeth Cline