The Woods — Restaurant in New York

I hate to have to leave a review like this for one of the only lesbian-catered nightlife spaces in NYC, but the treatment that my friends and I received last night at the Woods by the bouncers was so upsetting and violent that I have no choice but to do so.

The bouncers refused to take one member of our party’s New York City ID, claiming that she needed to have a New York State ID. Our friend is not a US citizen and had the only ID she typically needs to get into bars and clubs, as her passport is not in English and wouldn’t have been able to verify her date of birth. The two male bouncers said our friend’s ID was rejected and that she wouldn’t be able to get in with the rest of us, which is a completely unsafe practice—splitting up a group of visibly queer people on a night out when alcohol is being consumed is never, never ok.

As different members of our group began to ask the bouncers to either talk the issue out or to give us a moment to make a game plan after we waited nearly an hour to get into the bar in the first place and didn’t want our group to get split up, the bouncers began raising their voices at us, telling us to get out of line and escalating the situation. They then accused me of calling them names and began insulting and humiliating our group. The bouncers completely denied us entry based on these claims of name calling and started letting people behind us into the bar, barely checking IDs and accepting photographs of people’s IDs on their phone because they were too busy yelling at and being belligerent with my group, who refused to leave the line due to the unfair treatment we had received from the moment they decided to deny our non-American friend. Even after apologizing to these men, they continued to berate us and deny us entry.

All in all, this was a completely upsetting and humiliating experience to say the least. Organizers at The Woods: I am BEGGING you to hire queer bouncers for Woods Wednesdays, ESPECIALLY during pride month, because the bouncers that were working last night were violently misogynistic. The whole experience felt like dealing two men who were on a power trip and got their feelings hurt when they received pushback on their unacceptable behavior, which I’m sure many non-cis men have been on the receiving end of before.

This entire insulting experience should NOT have happened, and I am honestly not itching to go back to The Woods anytime soon until there are queer bouncers hired for...

This bar has a lesbian themed event every Wednesday. There are quite a few number of gay men at this bar on those nights , but if you are a gay white male over 45 the doormen will not let you enter, citing it is a "private function ," That's a flat out lie. I've asked over 50 people at this event, either lesbian or gay male, if it is a ",private party," and they all say "No," Some friends have offered to bring me in with them as a guest, but the doorman still refuses to let me in and my friend leaves also. I've now tried 4 times in 4 months to get in. I've asked my gay male friends over 45 in the area, not just white, to see if they were allowed. All were allowed except the white men, who were also told it was a private event, It's just flat out discrimination and BS. Many of my lesbian friends were not aware of this until they witnessed it. There are more people that see this now and don't go back. And, yes while it is a lesbian themed event, the gay men that do go and allowed in, say it is/was a great time(music) and that no female cares if gay men are present, but they all say the bouncers/doorman are homophobic to gay men in general every night. No one cares if hetero male and female are present or allowed in - but da.n this place is so blatantl about who they hate, BS and lie.. Until there is a SUGN that says "only females allowed, no one over 45 allowed and that they have a right to reject male customers based on their skin color," then and others will keep proving this hate. This place is listed in many gay male publications for places to visit.M8st publications and advertising for gay nightlife doesnt even say "a lesbian themed event or a private event. Their IG and other similar outlets never oost anything about their Wed nights but they post about every other nights events. The last thing this place would ever host is a gay male themed evening. They only want a...

I strongly advise against The Woods. Their bouncers are disgusting. I've never felt so humiliated for being a woman and an immigrant. The two huge bouncers FORCIBLY PUSHED me out of the bar for wanting to talk to the manager. I got there and showed my NYC ID (which is a legal document that I needed to get in a waiting list, show proof of residence, passport and visa to get) and they said they didn't take it. I explained that and that I never had trouble ANYWHERE else in the city, drinking or getting in. Nonetheless they were super rude while they said I needed a state ID. I said that I'm an international student and I don't/can't have one. They proceed to say I could only get in with my passport. So I explained that as any resident alien I don't walk around with my passport as it's so valuable and I need it to stay in the country. I asked if my brazillian ID and a copy of my passport on my phone could do. They rudely said no, only my passport. Is it really that a club in the most international city in the world does not take any international people?? (Because none in them in their right mind would carry their passport on a night out!) I politely asked to speak with the manager and they REFUSED to call him. It was absurd! Without raising my voice I said I wouldn't leave until the manager was called as I had the right to talk to him. One of them proceeded to PUSH ME FORCIBLY until I was outside. It was the worst experience I had in a bar/club...