Blake's On The Park

Atlanta's number-one lesbian bar for more than 24 years, My Sister's Room is the favourite destination for lesbians and queer women, but the whole LGBTQ+ community is welcome. It's renowned across the South and the world for its fun and friendly atmosphere and all round good vibes, creating a safe space for everyone. There are nightly drag and burlesque shows, comedy, karaoke, and plenty of good times, complete with the best wings in Atlanta!

X Midtown is a popular and trendy bar on Atlanta's gay scene, boasting Midtown's hottest bartenders and a huge outdoor patio. In this quirky outdoor space, you can find a tiki bar and a unique living plant wall to add to the atmosphere. The patio is always popular, but inside there's a lively dance floor fuelled by talented DJs and amazing music, plus cheap drinks to keep you going late into the night.

Lore brings a newer, more deliberately queer feel to Atlanta nightlife. Spread over two levels, it combines full bars, performance space, a substantial dance floor, professional sound and lighting and a patio, with a busy programme ranging from drag cabaret and themed dance parties to karaoke, comedy and queer watch parties. It's on Edgewood Avenue in Old Fourth Ward rather than in the established Midtown gay-bar cluster, so think of Lore as a destination rather than somewhere you'll simply stumble across while bar-hopping around Piedmont Avenue. The crowd is mixed across genders and tends towards Atlanta's younger, creative queer community, particularly on the busier drag and dance nights. GayMapper tip: Check the programme before heading over — the atmosphere can change considerably depending on whether it's a drag show, dance party or more relaxed community night.

Friends Neighbourhood Bar is a great place in Atlanta to party, meet your friends, or make new ones. You can play a game of pool, pinball, or one of several electronic games on offer in the bar, while the Jukebox plays a wide range of songs. The back and front porches offer a view of the Atlanta skyline and a lovely space to relax. There's poker every Monday and Thursday night and plenty of drinks to keep you going.

Oscar's Bar is Atlanta's best martini bar that doubles as an art bar with show tunes and videos on demand. Talented local artists are featured every other month, along with great videos that you can choose and play your favourites. Martini Mondays and Show Tune Tuesdays are the most popular nights here at Oscars, along with Retro Videos on Wednesdays and 80's night on Fridays. Karaoke, friendly staff, and a great crowd mean the atmosphere is always lively.

The Marquette is much more than another late-night club. Its roots stretch back decades, and the venue describes itself as Atlanta's oldest LGBTQ+ entertainment establishment, with an especially important place in the history of the city's Black LGBTQ+ community. Today it mixes music, dancing and live entertainment with food, drinks and a proper after-hours schedule. It's well west of the Midtown gay-bar cluster, so this is somewhere to make a deliberate trip rather than include in a Piedmont Avenue crawl. Fridays and Saturdays can run until 6am, drawing a predominantly Black LGBTQ+ crowd looking for music, performances, food and a night that carries on long after most of Atlanta has wound down. GayMapper tip: Come late rather than early — the Marquette makes most sense as an after-hours destination and offers a very different side of Atlanta's gay scene from Midtown.