6 lgbtq+ in London, editor-picked by TableJourney. All London nightlife.
Heaven ★ 4.5
Charing Cross · Under The Arches, Villiers Street, Charing Cross, London WC2N 6NG
The 1979 club under the railway arches by Charing Cross remains the central gay nightclub in London, hosting both club nights and a live programme that runs from MUNA through G-A-Y Saturdays.
Tip: G-A-Y Saturday is the long-running pop room, Porn Idol on Thursdays is the institution night for first-timers.
Royal Vauxhall Tavern ★ 4.7
Vauxhall · 372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London SE11 5HY
The Grade II listed Victorian pub on Kennington Lane is the oldest surviving LGBTQ+ venue in the country, with the Friday Duckie cabaret since 1995 and a programme that protects what Vauxhall used to be.
Tip: Duckie on Saturdays is the institution. The Sunday Bingo Lingo and panto seasons sell out months ahead.
Dalston Superstore ★ 4.6
Dalston · 117 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, London E8 2PB
The Kingsland High Street two-floor bar and basement club is the east London queer institution, with a calendar that runs from Horse Meat Disco-school disco nights through underground techno parties.
Tip: The upstairs bar is the warm-up, the basement does not really get going until midnight. Sundays are the lock-in.
Eagle London ★ 4.6
Vauxhall · 349 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London SE11 5QY
The Kennington Lane gay bar established in 2004 is home to Horse Meat Disco on Sundays, the long-running global disco residency that defines what Vauxhall sounds like at 3am.
Tip: Sunday Horse Meat Disco is the night, not Saturdays. Get there by 22:00 or queue down the road.
Two Brewers ★ 4.4
Clapham · 114 Clapham High Street, Clapham, London SW4 7UJ
The Clapham High Street double-room bar and cabaret club is the south London institution, with nightly drag shows in the front room and a club floor in the back that runs until 4am at weekends.
Tip: The Friday and Saturday late shows are the draw, get a wristband for the back room before midnight.
She Soho ★ 4.4
Soho · 23a Old Compton Street, Soho, London W1D 5JL
The Old Compton Street basement is the only dedicated lesbian bar on the Soho strip, run by Ku Bar with a vaulted basement sound system and a calendar of community nights for women and non-binary people.
Tip: Wednesday Butch Please and the weekend basement parties are the regular highlights, the upstairs bar is the chat room.