The 50 Most Popular Gay Bars In The United States
Although there is some debate over which is the oldest, continuously operating gay bar in the country (both Cafe Lafitte in Exile in New Orleans and The White Horse in Oakland, Calif., claims that mantle having opened officially in 1933 when Prohibition ended—but they may have been running unofficially before that time), there is no question that The Stonewall Inn is where the modern LGBT equal rights movement began on a summer night in 1969.
Although gay bars have suffered some setbacks the past few years with longstanding venues shuttering nationwide due to mainstreaming, the rise of hookup apps, and an invasion of bachelorette parties, LGBT establishments still play a vital role in preserving gay culture and offering a safe space to patrons. And, many are still thriving.
This list of the most popular gay bars comes from data collected by Gravy Analytics, a location-based marketing platform, that tracks mobile data to verify attendance at places and events throughout the United States. This list tracks gay bar attendance from September 1, 2017, through the last day of 2017.
Did they get it right? Is your favorite bar on the list?
50. Xbar
A daily happy hour, EDM dance parties, weekly Latin nights, and "Go Go Carnival" Sundays have made this Colfax establishment a must-visit in the Mile High City. 629 East Colfax Ave., Denver
A great Sin City club to dance the night away, meet locals and out-of-towners, or relax with a cocktail near the fireplace on the outdoor patio. 4633 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas.
48. The Gold Coast
A watering hole frequented by Weho locals for its friendly bartenders, inexpensive drinks, and a pool table. 8228 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.
A retro-athletic club meets speakeasy in Hell's Kitchen with happy hour specials and dancing. 753 9th Ave., New York.
A leather-leaning cruise bar where patrons can expect to find half the clientele to be shirtless and a Pig dance party the first Saturday of each month. 1508 NE 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale.
45. RAGE
It is not uncommon to find young club-goers lined up outside this Weho staple for weekly events like Latin Saturdays and Friday night's GAMeBoi. 8911 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.
44. Club Cobra
This San Fernando Valley nightclub is routinely packed with hot Latinos and the people who love them. 10937 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, Calif.
43. Club Purgatory
Located at the Gifford House Inn, Club Purgatory offers weekly themed nights like Thursday's "Underwear Party" and Friday's "Retro Dance." 11 Carver St., Provincetown, Mass.
42. Beaux
This club has won SF Niteys awards for Best Gay Dance Club and Best Venue; also Monday night hip-hop twerk vogue party, a Pussy Party for the ladies, and Cock Shot Tuesdays. 2344 Market St., San Francisco.
41. Greg's
Open since 1980, this Indianapolis favorite offers half-priced martinis on Mondays, Big Bad Butch Boy Bingo on Tuesdays, and free billiards on Wednesdays. 231 E. 16 St., Indianapolis.
40. JR's Bar & Grill
Open 7 days a week and featuring nightly drink specials, hot go-go boys, a friendly bar staff, and the longest running drag show in Houston. 808 Pacific St., Houston.
39. Larry's Lounge
The first of four D.C. bars on the list, Larry's Lounge is a Dupont Circle neighborhood staple known for its relaxed atmosphere and dog-friendly patio. 1840 18th St NW, Washington, D.C.
38. Madison Pub
Game on! This bar offer trivia games, darts, pool, video games, and pinball. 1315 Madison St., Seattle.
37. The Rose Room
Located upstairs at Station 4, The Rose Room is one of the country's largest venues for drag shows. Nightly shows on Thursdays and Fridays, and twice on Saturdays and Sundays. 3911 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas.
36. Blur Bar
Houstonians come out for the nightly dance parties, Wednesdays through Sundays. 710 Pacific Street, Houston.
35. The Hidden Door
Apparently not so hidden to make the list, this Lone Star State bar offers daily drink and beer fest specials. 5025 Bowser Ave., Dallas.
34. Roscoe's Tavern
One of the oldest and most popular gay bars in Chicago, Roscoe's is often packed with young, professional gays at the front bar with an equally crowded dance floor in the back. 3356 N. Halsted St., Chicago.
33. R Place
R Place offers three levels of fun in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere: A first floor bar, second floor with pool and darts, and third floor dance area where patrons can get down to a Top 40 playlist. 619 E. Pine St., Seattle.
32. Sidetrack
This video bar which shows everything from musicals to comedy and retro '80s videos, but the people watching is good too. 3349 Halstead St., Chicago.
31. The Cuff Complex
Known for its many theme parties, The Cuff also acts as the home club for many of Seattle’s leather, bear, bike, and fetish groups. 1533 13th Ave., Seattle.
The hot bartenders and waitstaff wearing—you guessed it—boxers, leaves little wonder why this is New York City's favorite gay sports bar. (There's also a sister location in Chelsea.) 742 9th Ave., New York.
29. The Mother Lode
Weho's oldest gay bar packs the boys in every weekend thanks to heavy pours, an attitude-free atmosphere, and friendly bar staff. 8499 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.
28. Rain on 4th
An upscale gay nightclub with a hip decor, trendy clientele, reasonably priced drinks, and hopping dance floor. 217 W. 4th St., Austin.
27. Tribe
This modern LGBT nightclub (and Tennessee's sole entry on the list) throws themed evenings and special events like "Red Cup" weekends and the "Lumberjack and Long Johns Party." 1517 Church St., Nashville.
26. Diesel Seattle
In the Emerald City, this bar is the answer to the question, "Where the bears at?" 1413 14th Ave. Seattle.
25. Barcodes
A low-key, down-to-earth bar with regular underwear and leather nights. 4453 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, Fla.
24. Mix
A Castro neighborhood bar known for its friendly bartenders and laid-back vibe and perfect for throwing back a pitcher with pals. 4086 18th Street, San Francisco.
23. Oz
This popular French Quarter dance club is open round-the-clock, which means the party is ready whenever you are. 800 Bourbon St., New Orleans.
22. Rawhide 2010
Expect lots of leather, bears, and a dark room at this Crescent City establishment that also hosts a "Black Out Party" the second Thursday every month and "Bring Your Own Meat" night every Wednesday. 740 Burgundy St., New Orleans
21. Mixx Atlanta
This crowd-pleasing club's dance floor plays hip hop and R&B on Fridays, and old school house music on Sundays. 1492 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta.
20. Eagle LA
This Silver Lake leather bar hosts regular nights like Cub Scout, Grunt, and Meat Rack, but check the calendar for fetish nights. 4219 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
19. Gym Sportsbar
Even the jocks have a friendly place to grab a drink and watch the game in Weho. 8737 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.
18. 700 Club
This French Quarter entry is just as famous for its eats as it is its drinks. Piggyback fries or pizza mac skillet anyone? 700 Burgundy St., New Orleans.
17. Fun Hog Ranch
This relaxed bar's unique Central Las Vegas location makes it accessible to locals and visitors alike. Fetish wear/leather is strongly encouraged. 495 E. Twain Ave., Las Vegas.
16. 'Bout Time II
This watering hole on the northern side of Austin has become a local favorite because of its regular drag shows, pool tournaments and karaoke nights. 6607 North Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Austin.
15. Ripcord
A popular Houston leather bar, located in the LGBT-friendly Montrose neighborhood. 715 Fairview St., Houston.
14. Pecs
A true neighborhood dive bar that welcomes everyone to enjoy the relaxed vibe and the diverse scene of the North Park area. 2046 University Ave., San Diego.
13. The PUB
The recently revamped Ft. Lauderdale PUB has two-for-one happy hour every day but Sunday, nightly drink specials, and a new pub grub menu. 2283 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors, Fla.
The first gay bar in Hell's Kitchen, Posh holds special theme nights like Bingo Mondays, Tranimal Tuesdays, Frisky Fridays, and Retro Sundays. 405 W 51st St., New York.
11. Twist
There's never a cover at this beloved South Beach venue that features seven bars, three dance floors and tons of eye candy. 1057 Washington Ave. Miami Beach.
10. SF Eagle
Jock straps, harnesses, beer busts and underwear nights! 398 12th St., San Francisco.
Houston's most popular leather bar features nightly drink specials, "Dangerous Disco" Sundays, and plays host to the annual Mr. Texas Eagle competition. Head upstairs to The Gene Landry Memorial Phoenix Room, a special area dedicated to the city's LGBT history through displays and other works. 611 Hyde Park, Houston.
Open every day since 1994, Pegasus is one of the friendliest venues in the city with drag performances, karaoke, and dancing. 1402 N. Main Ave., San Antonio, Texas.
Georgie's Alibi Monkey Bar is the most popular LGBT hang out in the Fort Lauderdale area, and is the original anchor for the Wilton Manors queer scene. 2266 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Fla.
Town Danceboutique (above), the largest gay dance club in D.C., offers a two floors of cabaret performance space, a plush lounge, and a hopping dance club. 8th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
5. Bulldogs Bar
Everything is quite peachy at this Atlanta entry which has been open since the late 1970s. Expect an eclectic, though mostly African-American, crowd of friendly locals and tourists alike enjoying strong drinks and energized dance floor. 893 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta
Operating since 1974, this French Quarter LGBT mainstay (above) is ground zero for some of the city's convivial events: Mardi Gras, the Red Dress Run (above), and Southern Decadence. 801 Bourbon St., New Orleans.
3. TRADE
Expect to encounter an excessive amount of glitter, harnesses, great music, tall wigs, lewks, hair, jockstraps, tater tots, and extra large happy hour drinks. 1410 14th St. NW Ground Floor, Washington, D.C.
2. The Abbey
It is not uncommon to see celebrities like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, or Diana Ross (above) hanging out, dancing, and getting down with the hot go-go boys at this legendary Weho staple. 692 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood.
America's most popular LGBT bar, located in the historic U Street Corridor, offers a drag brunch on weekends, trivia nights, dance parties, and—no surprise here—lots of sports. 900 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.