Long before leather bars became a worldwide phenomenon, New York City’s Eagle’s Nest set the standard. Opening in 1970 in the Meatpacking District, it quickly became a cornerstone of the city’s gay leather scene—a place where rules bent, boundaries blurred, and freedom was found under dim lights and pounding music. For three decades, the Eagle’s Nest was a sanctuary for men in leather and denim until it closed its doors in 2000, leaving behind an untouchable legacy.