Is NYC’s Trailer Park Lounge Really Inside a Trailer?

If you’ve spent any significant amount of time in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, you’re probably familiar with Trailer Park Lounge, a bar and restaurant that has graced West 23rd Street since 2000. In a city full of elegant and opulent cocktail lounges, Trailer Park Lounge stands out for its lack of anything resembling sophistication. Rather, it’s best described as resembling a dive bar, but with charm (and a real dive bar). And despite its name, it doesn’t take place in an actual trailer, but it feels like you’re in it.

When you look in the front door, past the bowling ball return desk and the Love Tester carnival game machine, you’ll really notice the trailer, at least the side of the one that’s a permanent fixture on the wall. When you try to look in the trailer’s door window, you’ll notice a mannequin staring back at you. She’s wearing too much mascara, bright red lipstick, and she likes to stand there silently judging customers…probably puffing on a Marlboro when no one’s looking.

On warm days, the lounge opens onto a small patio off the entrance, complete with Astroturf, a white picket fence, vinyl folding garden chairs, artificial flowers, garden flamingos and parasols. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to sip a margarita here? With its bright green facade, neon signs above the toilet bowl-flower pot/ashtray and the spare wheel outside, you really can’t miss this Chelsea icon.

What Awaits You Inside, Outside the Trailer?

Trailer Park Lounge scores gold for the kitsch that fills every inch of this surprisingly cozy space. If the hosts of “American Pickers” had to pick one place to put their feet up between discovering treasures in neglected barns and flea markets, this would probably be it. Taking a cue from Gretchen Wilson’s 2004 hit “Redneck Woman,” this venue hangs Christmas lights year-round. Under their constant glow, you’ll see signs, photos, old ads, license plates, more mannequins, and electric bowling pins among the decor. Here, Elvis is king, and he can be seen in person in numerous corners, on shelves, and occasionally in the form of live impersonators.

The food and drinks There’s a mostly mid-century vibe (think burgers, Sloppy Joes, tater tots, and chili), with Tex-Mex favorites thrown in for good measure. At the rather small bar, bartenders impressively churn out specialties like strawberry margaritas and tropical rum punches, along with ice-cold cans Pabst Blue Ribbon And Miller High Lifedraft beer and bottles of Dom Perignon. The Trailer Park Lounge might not be the first place you’d think to hold a business meeting, but if that doesn’t start a conversation, nothing will.

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