30 lgbtq+ worth the night across United States, editor-ranked. All United States guides.
Sidetrack ★ 4.7 · Chicago
Wrigleyville / Lakeview · 3349 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657
Sidetrack on North Halsted opened 1982 as the Northalsted video bar with six rooms, a rooftop deck and themed video nights from Show Tunes Monday to Musicals Sunday.
Tip: Show Tunes Monday and Musicals Sunday are tradition; no cover any night. The rooftop is the warm-weather spot, the Glass Bar handles overflow.
Wildrose ★ 4.7 · Seattle
Capitol Hill · 1021 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Wildrose on East Pike opened New Year's Eve 1984 and is the oldest lesbian bar in the country, with a DJ booth that runs Friday and Saturday from 21:00 and a Pride takeover each June.
Tip: Closed Monday. DJs every Friday and Saturday from 21:00-02:00. Cash and card; no cover. Outdoor seating for warmer months.
Dani's Queer Bar ★ 4.6 · Boston
back-bay · 909 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115
Dani's Queer Bar on Boylston Street opened 2024 and took Boston Magazine's Best New Nightlife Venue 2025. Drag brunch, no-cover karaoke, weekly Drag Race.
Tip: Thursday karaoke from 22:00 is free entry. Drag brunch Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 books out a week ahead on Resy.
Tracks ★ 4.6 · Denver
rino · 3500 Walnut Street, Denver, CO 80205
Tracks on Walnut Street has been Denver's flagship LGBTQ nightclub since 1984, with 8,000 square feet of dance floor, a 40-foot LED wall and the monthly Drag Nation party.
Tip: First Friday is the Babes Around Denver women's party, second Friday the Deathwish goth night, last Friday Drag Nation. Cover varies; arrive by 22:30.
The Abbey Food and Bar ★ 4.6 · Los Angeles
West Hollywood · 692 North Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
The Abbey on Robertson has been West Hollywood's flagship gay bar since 1991, a sprawling indoor and patio dining, dance and drag destination.
Tip: Weekend drag brunches book through Resy. Stonewall Inn Gives Back certified LGBTQ Safe Space.
Akbar ★ 4.6 · Los Angeles
Silver Lake · 4356 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Akbar at Sunset and Fountain in Silver Lake, founded 1996, is the LA queer neighborhood bar with rotating DJs, comedy and a back dance floor.
Tip: No cover most nights. Tuesday comedy and Saturday Dance Yourself Clean DJ set are the regular standouts.
Twist ★ 4.6 · Miami
South Beach · 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Twist on Washington Avenue has run since 1993, the South Beach gay institution that packs seven distinct bars under one roof from main floor pop to an upstairs lounge to the back-courtyard dance floor.
Tip: Free entry every night. Each room has its own scene; the back patio is the easier breather after midnight when the dance floor fills.
LUSH Lounge and Theater ★ 4.6 · Minneapolis
Northeast Minneapolis · 990 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
LUSH on Central NE is a former garage turned LGBTQ bar with 24-foot ceilings, a green velvet tropical lounge and a back theater running drag.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday drag bingo; weekend drag brunch books out via Resy. Biscuit kitchen runs all hours from Betty and Earl's.
Café Lafitte in Exile ★ 4.6 · New Orleans
French Quarter · 901 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
Café Lafitte in Exile at Bourbon and Dumaine has run continuously since 1933, the bar that opened after Café Lafitte was evicted from 941 Bourbon.
Tip: Open 24 hours. The Sunday Napoleon House drag brunch carries on across the bar; Tea Dance Sunday afternoons are the institutional draw.
Cubbyhole ★ 4.6 · New York City
West Village · 281 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014
Cubbyhole, a tiny lesbian and queer corner bar on West 12th since 1994, packs a fishnet ceiling of stuffed-animal lanterns and a friendly bartender into one.
Tip: No cover, cash-friendly, $2 PBR pours. Get there before 22:00 on weekends or you wait in a line out the door.
The Bearded Lady's Jewel Box ★ 4.6 · Portland
arts-district · 644 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
The Bearded Lady's Jewel Box on Congress Street, since 2014, is the Portland cocktail bar built explicitly to welcome marginalised communities including LGBTQ patrons.
Tip: No sign outside; look for the street number. Evenings only.
El Rio ★ 4.6 · San Francisco
the-mission · 3158 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
El Rio on Mission Street is the queer Brazilian-leaning Mission room that has run Salsa Sunday for over thirty years, with a back patio and a calendar.
Tip: Salsa Sunday afternoons in the back patio is the room's signature party. Friday late nights run free oysters from 17:30-19:00.
Pony ★ 4.6 · Seattle
Capitol Hill · 1221 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Pony on East Madison is the gay dive in a 1930s gas station, with a graffiti washroom, a tiny dance floor and a covered patio. Built as a tribute to the Castro and West Village bars of the 1970s.
Tip: Open Monday to Thursday 17:00-02:00, Friday to Sunday 15:00-02:00. Cash and card both work; no cover. Sunday afternoons fill the patio.
Kremwerk + Timbre Room ★ 4.6 · Seattle
Capitol Hill · 1809 Minor Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
Kremwerk and Timbre Room on Minor Avenue is the explicitly queer dance complex that runs electronic music nights alongside Kings drag, Safeword leather, Studio Saturdays and T4T programming.
Tip: Tickets via Dice, doors typically 21:00. Queer first programming with a posted safer space and consent policy.
Annie's Paramount Steakhouse ★ 4.6 · Washington DC
dupont-circle · 1609 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Annie's on 17th Street has welcomed Dupont's LGBTQ community since 1948, the James Beard America's Classics 2019 awardee that became a queer gathering place before there were gay bars.
Tip: Open 363 days a year for brunch, lunch and dinner. Reserve for parties of six or more; the bar walks in any hour the kitchen serves.
Mary's ★ 4.5 · Atlanta
candler-park · 1287 Glenwood Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Mary's on Glenwood is the East Atlanta Village queer bar with a 15,000-song karaoke catalog, weekend drag, weekly residencies and a regular crowd that has anchored the EAV scene since 2002.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Karaoke runs nightly, drag shows on most Saturdays; cash-friendly bar, no cover.
My Sister's Room ★ 4.5 · Atlanta
midtown · 1104 Crescent Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
My Sister's Room, the country's longest-running lesbian bar at 28 years and counting, anchors Crescent Avenue with drag, burlesque, karaoke and comedy across two floors of the former Publico space.
Tip: Cover varies by event; weekend drag shows ticket via the venue site. Outdoor patio runs late on weekend nights.
Oilcan Harry's ★ 4.5 · Austin
Downtown / Warehouse District · 211 West 4th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Oilcan Harry's on West 4th in Austin is the Warehouse District gay bar that has anchored the strip since 1990, daily 14:00 open with drag, DJs and 18+ nights.
Tip: Open seven days 14:00-02:00. 18+ nights Monday to Saturday from 20:00 carry a $20 cover; weekend drag shows fill the patio.
Roscoe's Tavern ★ 4.5 · Chicago
Wrigleyville / Lakeview · 3356 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657
Roscoe's Tavern in Chicago has anchored Halsted Street since 1987 with a pool table room, fireside chat area, sidewalk patio and a dance floor that runs late on weekends.
Tip: No cover before 22:00 most nights. Saturday closes at 03:00, the latest in Northalsted. Drag bingo and trivia rotate through the weekday calendar.
Hula's Bar and Lei Stand ★ 4.5 · Honolulu
waikiki · 134 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Hula's Bar and Lei Stand on Kapahulu in Waikiki Honolulu is the 50-year-old LGBTQ+ bar inside the Waikiki Grand Hotel, opened 1974 by Jack Law and Bob Magoon.
Tip: Daily 11:30-02:00. Diamond Head view from the 2nd floor lanai; nightly entertainment.
Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar ★ 4.5 · Honolulu
waikiki · 2424 Koa Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar in the Stay Hotel Waikiki Honolulu is the LGBTQ+ karaoke bar behind the Hyatt Regency, with speciality cocktails and $1 song queues.
Tip: Daily 17:00-02:00. Happy hour 17:00-20:00. Drag brunch and lesbian nights monthly.
Pearl Bar ★ 4.5 · Houston
The Heights · 4216 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77008
Pearl Bar on Washington Avenue is the only lesbian bar in Houston, one of two in Texas. Founded 2013 by Julie Mabry, the space holds a long bar.
Tip: Closed Monday. Karaoke Tuesday, drag shows Friday and Saturday, fundraisers most months; text reservations to the listed line for parties.
Piranha Nightclub ★ 4.5 · Las Vegas
Paradise · 4633 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Piranha has been the Fruit Loop's headline LGBTQ club since 2006, with three rooms covering EDM, Latin and pop on separate dance floors and drag through the week on Paradise Road.
Tip: Free entry Monday through Thursday excluding holidays. Latin Caliente Wednesdays draw the deepest crowd.
Big Bar ★ 4.5 · Louisville
Highlands · 1202 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204
Big Bar on Bardstown Road in Louisville is the Highlands' welcoming gay bar, voted Best Bar in the Highlands by LEO Weekly, with karaoke on Wednesday and Sunday nights since 2012.
Tip: Walk-in. Wednesday karaoke is the loudest night; happy hour runs every weekday.
Palace Bar & Restaurant ★ 4.5 · Miami
South Beach · 1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Palace on Ocean Drive is the South Beach drag institution that has run for more than three decades, a sidewalk patio and inside bar where the queens lip-sync at the curb to traffic and tourists.
Tip: Sunday drag brunch is the signature; weekday evening drag shows are easier walk-ins. Ocean Drive parking is murder, so Uber.
R House Wynwood ★ 4.5 · Miami
Wynwood · 2727 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33127
R House on NW 2nd Avenue is the Wynwood Latin-American kitchen that turned a decade of drag brunches into the most-booked queer Saturday and Sunday in Miami, with two seatings per weekend day.
Tip: Drag brunch at 11:30 and 14:30 Saturday and Sunday with bottomless drinks. Reserve weeks ahead for prime weekends.
The Saloon ★ 4.5 · Minneapolis
uptown · 830 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403
The Saloon on Hennepin Avenue opened 1977 and is the oldest gay-owned and operated dance club still standing in Minneapolis, with weekend drag.
Tip: 18+ after 21:00 Sunday to Thursday, 21+ on Friday and Saturday. Saturday Pride Block Party runs through summer.
Play Dance Bar ★ 4.5 · Nashville
Hillsboro Village and Belmont · 1519 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37203
Play Dance Bar on Church Street in midtown Nashville is the flagship gay nightclub with three-show drag nights and a dance floor that runs until 03:00 weekends.
Tip: Closed Mon-Tue. Shows at 21:00 and 23:00 Wed-Sun, plus a 01:00 set Fri-Sat. Cover varies by show; cash and card both work.
The Lipstick Lounge ★ 4.5 · Nashville
East Nashville · 1400 Woodland Street, Nashville, TN 37206
The Lipstick Lounge on Woodland Street in East Nashville is the lesbian-owned karaoke bar opened in 2002, a multi-year Best LGBTQ Bar in Nashville Scene polls.
Tip: Karaoke nightly from 20:00, Sunday from 18:00. Open 18:00 weekdays and 17:00 Saturdays; cash bar plus card.
The Stonewall Inn ★ 4.5 · New York City
West Village · 53 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014
The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street is where the 1969 riots launched the modern Pride movement. Now a national monument and still a working bar.
Tip: Drag bingo Tuesdays, karaoke Thursdays. Tourist-heavy on summer weekends; weeknights are easier and the regulars come out.