What was the name of the 1st gay bathhouse you ever visited, and where was it.

[meetme]

Steamworks in Chicago is not ashamed of what it is, it’s a beautiful place and you could spend a whole weekend there easily. There’s food and a fireplace, they have even made convenient personal douching options available.  I’d love to have a chance to visit the other Steamworks but haven’t had a chance yet. If there is any future for these institutions of gayness, Steamworks leads the way.

[Timbo4]

The Pleasure dome London 2014. I was way to nervous, I stripped my cloths off and went into the shower, eye closed, resting my head against the wall building up courage to head into the spa. 

Next thing I know a guy is behind me with his hard cock rubbing up and down my bum crack. I froze in panic, didn't know what to do. He reached round and started playing with my stiff cock. Then it happened, his cock pushed into my hole, I was still frozen in panic but with his cock pushing deeper into me my brain switched off. He then started to fuck me and with no mental control I just moaned. Time stopped other than the rhythm of his cock moving like a piston in and out of my hole. My mind woke up and was screaming he not wearing a condom. I then shocked myself by pushing back. That was it, he pushes my head down and started pounding my hole, he then flooded me deep inside with is anonymous, risky, cum. I was delirious, still facing the wall. He pulled out his cock and patted my arse then left. 

How times have changed, I'm now a BB only, regular spa visiter wherever there is one. No cock refused.

[NWUSHorny]

6 hours ago, meetme said:

Steamworks in Chicago is not ashamed of what it is, it’s a beautiful place and you could spend a whole weekend there easily. There’s food and a fireplace, they have even made convenient personal douching options available.  I’d love to have a chance to visit the other Steamworks but haven’t had a chance yet. If there is any future for these institutions of gayness, Steamworks leads the way.

You may be somewhat disappointed with SteamWorks in Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC. It is a regional problem with attitudes toward casual gay sex rather than a problem with the bathhouses themselves. The now closed Victoria, BC location suffered the same lack of sex.

Edited February 8 by NWUSHorny

[meetme]

41 minutes ago, NWUSHorny said:

You may be somewhat disappointed with SteamWorks in Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC. It is a regional problem with attitudes toward casual gay sex rather than a problem with the bathhouses themselves. The now closed Victoria, BC location suffered the same lack of sex.

In Seattle I’ve heard that Club Z is a lot of fun, maybe not as nice as Steamworks tries to be, but coming from a tiny backwater town like New York City we aren’t able to chose one of two clubs anymore.  Does Steamworks adher to a set standard or have they just taken random venues under their umbrella, much like the Club Bath chain did decades ago

[matmat]

in belgium i was 18 + 3 days haha

[Hungryforbbc]

The Prince theatre on the west side highway in NYC was my first and i went back regularly for years 

[versasslover]

The Thermos in Amsterdam, its not around anymore. 

[versatilebttm]

Bodyline wollongabba is my first then the beat was a night club then Bodyline wollongabba closed and reopened in westend then it closed. As wet spa and sauna is the only place that is still open today. As the others were open when wet spa and sauna were open but stood up to the length of time to be still open for as many decades. Now.

[topblkmale]

13 hours ago, meetme said:

In Seattle I’ve heard that Club Z is a lot of fun, maybe not as nice as Steamworks tries to be, but coming from a tiny backwater town like New York City we aren’t able to chose one of two clubs anymore.  Does Steamworks adher to a set standard or have they just taken random venues under their umbrella, much like the Club Bath chain did decades ago

 

I would say Steamworks has a set standard. They're much cleaner than any New York City bathhouse could have ever been and Steamworks has a much more European feel to them. I've been to the ones in Chicago, Berkeley and Seattle. They're all well-kept. But coming from New York, seeing no rats, no roaches or shit-stained towels - anything is an upgrade.

 

 

There was a Steamworks in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I'm not sure when it closed down.

[NWUSHorny]

16 hours ago, meetme said:

In Seattle I’ve heard that Club Z is a lot of fun, maybe not as nice as Steamworks tries to be, but coming from a tiny backwater town like New York City we aren’t able to chose one of two clubs anymore.  Does Steamworks adher to a set standard or have they just taken random venues under their umbrella, much like the Club Bath chain did decades ago

Club Z may have a little more activity than Steamworks, but they both suffer from the regional attitudes on sex. You won't find true the darkroom type free for all orgies that the Chicago (I've never been) location is famous for anywhere in the PNW. Neither of the Seattle baths had a darkroom the last time I was at them, group/common play spaces aren't really utilized. Steamworks has a huge group play area with multiple slings since they removed the steam room, but it got very little use any of the times I've been.

Steamworks facilities are better kept up, but they no longer have a steam room, ironically. I believe the Seattle Steamworks location was part of the Club Bath chain the 1st time I went to it 20 odd years ago.

[NWUSHorny]

3 hours ago, topblkmale said:

 

I would say Steamworks has a set standard. They're much cleaner than any New York City bathhouse could have ever been and Steamworks has a much more European feel to them. I've been to the ones in Chicago, Berkeley and Seattle. They're all well-kept. But coming from New York, seeing no rats, no roaches or shit-stained towels - anything is an upgrade.

 

 

There was a Steamworks in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I'm not sure when it closed down.

It sounds like bathhouses in New York leave a lot to be desired. For entirely different reasons, I am of the opinion that bathhouses in Seattle, Vancouver and Portland leave a lot to be desired.

I've only been to Steamworks in Seattle WA, Vancouver BC, the closed location in Victoria BC, and Edmonton, AB (which is still open, but does not appear to still be associated with the chain [think before following links] https://steamworksedmonton.com/), of those the only one I would recommend would be Edmonton. I have heard great things about Chicago and Toronto, and mixed messages about Berkeley. I definitely need to experience those 3 myself.

[meetme]

13 hours ago, Hungryforbbc said:

The Prince theatre on the west side highway in NYC was my first and i went back regularly for years 

Closed, maybe 1995, building has been demolished

[meetme]

33 minutes ago, NWUSHorny said:

It sounds like bathhouses in New York leave a lot to be desired. For entirely different reasons, I am of the opinion that bathhouses in Seattle, Vancouver and Portland leave a lot to be desired.

I've only been to Steamworks in Seattle WA, Vancouver BC, the closed location in Victoria BC, and Edmonton, AB (which is still open, but does not appear to still be associated with the chain [think before following links] [think before following links] https://steamworksedmonton.com/), of those the only one I would recommend would be Edmonton. I have heard great things about Chicago and Toronto, and mixed messages about Berkeley. I definitely need to experience those 3 myself.

There is only one bathhouse in NYC. The others were all closed by Rudolph Guilliani ‘s board of health. AIDS and then Covid closed the next to last existing West Side Club. All gay bathhouses were once run by the Mafia to fleece homosexuals. After pride in the late sixties, a few of them had gay owners. Like Man’s Country in Chicago, but gays don’t have children and the clubs standing are often demolished when the owner gets too old or dies.  In England they are advertised openly, in the States they will soon be extinct.  Most usamajor cities are down to only one bathhouse option 

[cman54]

The first Bathhouse I went to was the River Street Club in Troy NY. And at this point it's the only only one I've been to. The first time I went was a few months after it reopened from being closed for Covid. I was just about to go for my first time and it closed for Covid.  After they reopened I happened to be talking with a guy on BBRT who goes there. He invited me to go with him . I met him at a coffee shop close by. Chatted a bit and we went. It was a totally new experience for me. I was much more relaxed then I thought I was going to be. I never knew a place like that existed. I didn't get fucked on that first visit but I sucked 2-3 cocks and swallowed some cum. I bought a membership and have enjoyed going many times since. It's hard to get there as much as I would like to. I am planning on going to a different one this summer that is farther away. Looking forward to that.

[AlwaysOpen]

On 1/22/2026 at 4:53 PM, NJCPig said:

A good friend of mine, who sadly passed away 12 years ago would tell me stories about watching Bette Middler perform at NYC Continental Baths. Barry Manilow was her pianist. 

 

 

I recall posting about this bath somewhere else on this site, so forgive me if this is repetitious . My 1st year away from rural home and going to college in NYC, was a great period of exploring. I think I walked Gay St in the Village for an hour expecting gay men to come falling out of the sky, but got better clued in  walking around Christopher St. I would read the Village Voice weekly, and it always had ads for the gay theaters in Manhatten like the Adonis, Gaiety, etc. And one issue had a full story on the Continental Baths and the performers who put on shows there to gay men in towels. That weekend, I made my way wayyyy uptown  and found the Continental. The window guy was skeptical I knew what I was doing, but I assured him I did, and he took my money and buzzed me in, sliding a towel and a key on an elastic wrist band across the counter to me and directions to my cubicle. I was so self conscious walking through all these guys who were loitering around , a few offering to sell me smoke or other stuff. I was a bit freaked, but got in my room, undressed, put the towel on and walked out to explore. I found the pool/wet area, and a few straight couples were at tables on the far side of the pool. I went back not sure what that was all about, and the vibe in the hall was definitely 1970's Harlem/Spanish Harlem . I went back into the room, got dressed, and headed up to the front desk to leave. The clerk was bemused, and said he didn't think I would last, and handed me my money back ( he had kept it on the side of the register. He then suggested my type of place, and where I would have more fun, was downtown at 1st Ave and Houston, the Club baths. And he was very much correct. 

Now, on NYC memory lane- does anyone recall the name of the "bath" on 42nd St, above a porno bookstore  ( walking up 42nd from the POrt Authority bus terminal it would have been on the right side)