We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the best gay bar they’ve ever been to. Here are some of their faves.
BuzzFeed
7.
The Back Door — Bloomington, Indiana
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It’s literally the back half of another bar; you get to it via an alley. I’m an ally of the LGBTQ community, and I have gone to The Back Door many times for drag shows. They are some of the best forms of entertainment I’ve ever seen. Everyone there is so supportive, and they work hard to showcase different artists and their various talents. It’s an absolute fucking BLAST to visit!!
—g42ece6857
13.
The Stonewall Inn — New York City, New York
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Look call me old fashioned but: Stonewall. I live in NYC and it’s my go-to bar. It’s broken up into two floors. The upper floor hosts events (drag shows, bingo nights, etc.), while the ground floor is the iconic bar. It’s normally very low-key and relaxed — a good place to have a drink without the music drowning out your conversations. You can also see the sign saying “Raided Premise” right by the door. It’s honestly THE stop on any LGBTQ+ pilgrimage.
—pappydanger
14.
YBR — Tulsa, Oklahoma
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It’s a hole-in-the-wall lesbian bar (although it’s open to all of the LGBTQ+ community) full of delightfully tacky Wizard of Oz decorations. The drinks are ridiculously cheap, and the clientele is amazing. It’s off the beaten path, but it’s my happy place. I moved away five years ago and always have to make a visit to YBR (short for Yellow Brick Road) when I’m in town. I miss it every day.
—susied4c1aa967f
15.
Crush — Portland, Oregon
16.
Blue Moon — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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They are always hosting events throughout the week, such as open stage nights, drag shows, and karaoke! Every time I’m there I feel like I’m part of a big family where everyone is just super gay. It helps that they also have incredible staff members who work hard to take care of all of their patrons. There’s no better place to be!
—matthewf12
17.
The Dark Lady — Providence, Rhode Island
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The bar has a really inclusive, friendly atmosphere so you feel welcome right away. They host block parties all summer including a really incredible one for Providence Pride. Even though Rhode Island is the smallest state, their Pride celebration is ranked as one of the best in the country, and it’s in large part because of The Dark Lady!
—mjb7
18.
Pony — Seattle, Washington
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It’s a great little dark bar that has a huge outdoor patio with fire pits. When I was there they had go-go boys on the bar dancing away. Great entertainment, cool vibe, heavy pours. Met some awesome folks on my one visit in 2011, and we’re still friends!
—jennifersanchezl
19.
Trade — Washington, DC
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It welcomes AND represents all LGBTQ people, supports local drag artists and famous queens, and supports local LGBTQ groups with special events (like the live recording of the Two Beer Queers podcast)! I’ve never felt more comfortable and welcome, and I’ve made so many friends there. AND they have an inflatable shark named Sharka Khan.
—joegraf93
BuzzFeed
22.
Halfway to Heaven — London, England
zmeinogorsk.ru
I have always adored Halfway to Heaven near Trafalgar Square. There’s a chilled bar upstairs, but as you descend into the basement bar the place is always fucking riotous! Drag shows, cheesy pop tunes, Skittle bomb shots all round, and the loveliest people.
—chrisb4cb70a522
23.
Trúnó — Reykjavik, Iceland
zmeinogorsk.ru
Trúnó Café and Bar is one of my favorites in the world!! Really!! Not only is the staff super friendly, their cocktails are delicious, their glitter coffee tastes fabulous, and you can snuggle up in a corner to read queer literature. Plus their hangover Sunday parties are legendary!
—karlsels
24.
Club NYX — Amsterdam, Netherlands
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I celebrated New Year’s Eve there last year and I loved every second of it. I have never felt so safe in a club as a woman; everyone was so nice. There were many drag queens and extravagant people who could just be themselves freely.
—f437d03cf0
25.
Kremlin — Belfast, Northern Ireland
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It’s spacious, so I found that even when it was crowded there were places to hang out. People were friendly and would actually talk to me when I wasn’t on the dance floor (and could actually hear). Plus the name comes from its Soviet theme, which is pretty interesting.
—margaretm4a89eb972
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.
UPDATE
A bar with an anti-trans accusation has been removed from this list.
Did we miss your favorite gay bar? Tell us in the comments!
"Нужно научиться принимать боль и использовать ее как топливо в нашем странствии. Кэндзи Миядзава"