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Los Angeles Gay Bars
LGBTQ nightlife in Los Angeles is incredibly diverse and offers something for everyone. Whether you want to check out the multitude of best-known hotspots in West Hollywood, explore the historic Silver Lake area, or feel the energy of Downtown LA, there's something for everyone no matter what type of night out you're looking for. The gay scene in each area of the city has a unique feel, from the variety of venues offered in Downtown to the cool and artsy buzz of Venice. From stylish bars to kinky clubs, you're spoiled for choice.
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Bar and Club Suggestions
Club Tempo
Drag, Dancing
LA's original Latino night club continues to proudly serve the LGBT community of East Hollywood. It's loud, it's proud, and it's cowboy themed! Club Tempo hosts regular drag shows and live music, and while these shows are centre stage, there are always other things happening across all floors of the club. Each offers a different genre of music from salsa to house mixes, while out on the patio you can enjoy a quieter night if that's what you like.
The Abbey Food & Bar
Cocktails, Drag, Dancers, Outdoor Seating, Food
This world-famous gay bar is a favourite hangout in West Hollywood for celebrities, locals, and tourists alike. There's no better place to meet old friends, make new ones, enjoy a cocktail with your quality meal, and just kick back and have fun. The Abbey is one of the premier outdoor cocktail and dining experiences in Los Angeles, and when you've visited the four bars over multiple floors, you can enjoy your night out on the patio or on the labyrinthine dance floor.
Beaches WeHo
Cocktails, Dancing
In the heart of West Hollywood, Beaches is a fashionable venue that mixes restaurant with lounge to create a thoughtfully put together experience that guarantees you a good time. All aspects are visually stunning and perfect for photos, and you can get lost in 80s disco nostalgia, neon lights, and jungle theme. The food is first-class, and speciality cocktails from two bars can be enjoyed either in the main room with the DJ or in the more relaxed VIP space.
Bayou
Cocktails
The Bayou in West Hollywood stands out from the other bars along Santa Monica Boulevard, with its vibrant New-Orleans theme and dive bar vibe, complete with the all-important neon signs and Mardi Gras decor. Beer and cocktails are super cheap, and there are two happy hours every day so you can have as many strong drinks as you like without breaking the bank. Good bar food, better music, and a crowd with no attitude make for a great night.
Slammer
Men Only, Cruising
Gay cruising and socialising club with a playful atmosphere. It offers different playing facilities. The Slammer is a no-nonsense leather bar tucked away from the glossy West Hollywood scene. Dark, gritty, and unapologetically old-school, it draws a loyal crowd that prefers edge over polish. Expect strong drinks, loud energy, and a vibe that feels raw, intimate, and a little rebellious.
Trunks Bar
Drag, Dancing
Trunks is a friendly gay bar in Cathedral City where everyone knows your name and you are always welcome. It draws in an eclectic crowd of people of all identities for daily happy hours, drag shows, and dancing. The pool table is free to use and you can enjoy live sports on multiple TVs as you meet new friends and sample the many drinks specials on offer. Karaoke Fridays are particularly popular with the regulars!
Fiesta Cantina
Gay Friendly, Food, Outdoor Seating
Fiesta Cantina is the perfect place to enjoy amazing food and drinks with upbeat party hits playing all day and night. This original West Hollywood location has sidewalk and rooftop patio seating perfect for people watching. The bar is known for the 2-for- Happy Hour that happens twice a day, and the tasty Mexican favourites served by the kitchen. All this quality food and drinks is kept at great value, so everyone can afford to have a great time here.
Hi Tops WeHo
Sports, Outdoor Seating
Gay sports bar in West Hollywood with an amazing selection of food, cocktails and beer. With a happy hour until 8pm every weekday and trivia every Tuesday, Hi Tops promises a great and lively start to your night complete with delicious food such as burgers, salads, and pretzels. Whether you want to relax in the picturesque outdoor seating area with friends, or dance the night away at the bar, you're bound to have a good night here.
C-frenz
Drag, Dancers, Dancing
C-frenz is an LGBT bar and nightclub in Reseda featuring drag shows, karaoke, DJs, and most importantly some very hot dancers! You can get great prices on drinks, especially during happy hour and 2-for-1 Thursdays. Each bartender has a unique character that is particularly apparent during events, and they're always attentive and happy to serve you your favourite drink. This is an unpretentious and charming little bar that's well-loved by the local queer community.
The Boulevard Bar
Drag
Pasadena's friendly neighbourhood bar with weekly drink specials, karaoke, and fabulous drag shows. This bar is proud its history and the work it has done in the fight for equal rights, so it continues to support the queer community and provide a space where everyone can be assured that they are safe and welcome. Therefore, The Boulevard Bar is the perfect place to relax and have fun, with karaoke throughout the week and happy hour prices all night Monday and Tuesday.
Roosterfish
Cocktails
Roosterfish hosts inclusive parties on L.A.'s Westside in Venice. Opened in the 80s as a safe haven for the queer community, Roosterfish is now a modern and equally inclusive bar that has not forgotten its roots and status as one of the oldest venues on Abbot Kinney Blvd. It's a favourite of the local queer community, who enjoy the kitschy gay bar featuring pool tables, jukebox tunes & local artwork. The bright interior and modernised drinks have kept this iconic bar relevant.
Micky's WeHo
Drag, Food, Dancing
This is the premier gay night club and bar destination in West Hollywood. There's lots of entertainment on offer, and the regular drag shows and comedy nights are particularly popular. Throughout the week there are themed events with different genres of music playing across all floors of the venue, and great drinks prices are guaranteed to keep you going every night of the week. Cheap drinks and hot guys are the perfect combination for a gay night out!
Executive Suite
Lesbian, Drag, Dancers, Karaoke, Dancing
Gay Night Club in Long Beach with dancing, karaoke, and drag shows. There's a different party feel on each floor so you can always find something to your taste. The top floor hosts drag acts and dancers, the main floor has games and a karaoke lounge, and the lower level is an event room available for parties and private functions. Something different happens every night of the week so it never gets boring in the Executive Suite.
Flux
Outdoor Seating
Flux was voted by the LA Hotlist as the number one gay bar in Los Angeles County. It's a vibrant and happening hangout for the queer community, both local and tourist, and offers pool tables, TVs, and a patio for a quieter night. Entry is normally free, and drinks are always cheap and served by a number of attractive bartenders. The bar is always pleasantly busy with a good atmosphere and lots of friendly customers.
The Bullet Bar
Bear, Older Crowd, Fetish, Cruising
The Bullet Bar is a no attitude men's leather bar in North Hollywood. It claims to have the longest and best happy hour in the valley, running every day of the week with super cheap draft beers, but the drinks aren't the only things that attract a crowd. The casual atmosphere, good pub food, and lively events make this the place for a fun night out with friends. This dive bar is a popular local hangout and definitely worth visiting.
Reload
Dancing
Reload is LA's favourite Saturday night into Sunday morning gay club and party space in the heart of Hollywood. This after-hours dance club hosts DJs from across the world to provide first-class music for weekly events and parties. Reload is super popular with tourists as well as the local queer community, so the dance floor is always packed, the music is the best in the area, and the loud and lively atmosphere makes for a great night.
Precinct
Drag, Dancing, Dancers, Outdoor Seating
Precinct is downtown LA's largest LGBTQ bar, known for its rock music, drag shows, and parties. Events held here attract many big names in LA's contemporary nightlife, as well as rock and roll lovers from the local queer community. On the second floor you can find a bar, dance floor, stage, and a terrace with views over the exposed brick decor. It's the perfect spot for a beer, while elsewhere in the club you can dance with an eclectic crowd.
Mother Lode
Pub Vibes, Dancers
Mother Lode is a West Hollywood staple that has withstood the test of time. This laid back bar with pool tables and video games has a low-key dive atmosphere, where there's none of the attitude you might find in some other places. Whilst the bar has kept its original character, it's remained at the top of the list of cool places to visit, with cheap strong drinks, lovely staff, and an energetic crowd drawn in for the party.
Akbar
Cocktails, Dancing
Located in Silver Lake, AKBAR believes in the power of rock and roll. The great music offered in this neighbourhood oasis nightclub and cocktail bar means it's still one of the most popular bars in LA 16 years after opening. The DJs in the dance room, the jukebox in the bar, plus cool staff, and potent cocktails make it a spot of choice. The bar is always packed with people of all types who keep coming back!
Revolver Video Bar
Cocktails
A West Hollywood institution for the gay community since the 80s, Revolver Video Bar is a favourite destination where friends can catch up over cocktails and music videos. This venue is putting a new spin on West Hollywood nightlife while sticking to its roots. This means that it still has the best music videos and iconic movie mash ups, inexpensive drinks, signature nights, and the same great atmosphere that keeps people coming back.
The New Jalisco Bar
Drag, Dancers
A dive in the truest sense of the word, this no frills downtown LA bar boasts the cheapest drinks, a lively dance floor, regular drag shows. The New Jalisco is one of the few gay bars in the area proud of it, with a largely local and Latin clientele. Music ranges from pop to cumbia and reggaeton, and the New Jalisco welcomes everyone no matter your background or identity.
Gay friendly hotels in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is enormous, so hotel location matters here more than in almost any other GayMapper destination. West Hollywood is the obvious choice if gay nightlife is your priority, with many LGBTQ+ bars and clubs concentrated around a walkable part of Santa Monica Boulevard. Stay towards Santa Monica if beaches matter more, or elsewhere in central LA for sightseeing. GayMapper’s recommendations include stylish WeHo hotels, good-value options and serious LA luxury, helping you avoid spending quite so much of your holiday sitting in traffic.
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