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The interior of the Ruby Fruit, with pastel pink walls, light wood tones, and booty-themed decor.
Inside Silver Lake’s Ruby Fruit, featuring pastel pink walls, light wood tones, and booty-themed decor.
Jireh Deng

21 Iconic LGBTQ Bars in Los Angeles

From West Hollywood to Long Beach, these are some of the best bars to celebrate Pride or frequent all year long

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Inside Silver Lake’s Ruby Fruit, featuring pastel pink walls, light wood tones, and booty-themed decor.
| Jireh Deng

This year, Los Angeles gained not one, but two new queer bars where there were previously no brick-and-mortar venues for the sapphically inclined. In February 2023, Honey’s at Star Love and the Ruby Fruit both opened, helping to bridge a gap for the queer and lesbian community alongside other pillar events and pop-ups that have long been doing that vital work.

From Santa Monica to East LA and down to Long Beach, queer bars are just as expansive as the diversity within the LGBTQ community. Featuring vaquero-themed bars, bars with glittery go-go dancers celebrating their bodies on stage, and open mics that make space for queer storytelling, LGBTQ bars have always been beacons championing the unapologetic self-expression of sexuality and gender in LA.

Each of these bars holds space for different types of connections. For those looking to find a cutie, grab brunch, read a new verse of poetry, or dance on Santa Monica Boulevard until sunrise, here are 21 iconic LGBTQ bars to check out in Los Angeles.

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Roosterfish

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Fans wept when Roosterfish, the Westside’s oldest gay bar, closed in 2016. The neighborhood felt Roosterfish’s absence until owners Mario Vollera and Patrick Brunet brought it back from the dead. The bar is no longer a dive, and owners have had to increase prices to stay competitive, but it still has the same charm.

Plaza Club

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There’s a low cover charge at this longstanding club, but the Plaza cover goes for something special, with a lineup of sequined female impersonators who dance to Mariah Carey, rancheras, Jennifer Lopez, and the queen of them all — Selena.

A yellow and white building with a sign that says the Plaza Club in Los Angeles, Calfornia.
The Plaza Club
Courtesy of the Plaza

Hi Tops Bar

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In 2018, Hi Tops took over Bar 10 and made the 2,700-square-foot space closely resemble the original Bay Area location. And even though it’s a sports bar, Hi Tops has an excellent menu along with a great people-watching view to Santa Monica Boulevard.

A brick wall at Hi Tops in West Hollywood, California.
Hi Tops Bar
Jesse Woodward

Micky's WeHo

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Micky’s WeHo has long been a staple on West Hollywood’s strip of gay nightclubs and bars on Santa Monica Boulevard, known for its open-walled two-story building where passersby can see the party raging from the street. Micky’s attracts more than drunken festivities on the weekends; it is also home to one of West Hollywood’s and LA’s only queer-centered weekly open mics on Tuesdays called the Mic. For those looking to shake some ass or cry at a heartfelt performance on stage, there’s space for it all at Micky’s.

Club Cobra

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Like most LA clubs, Club Cobra was forced to close for most of the pandemic until reopening in North Hollywood one year ago. This 18-year-old North Hollywood club offers drag nights, go-go dancers, and a Thursday night for trans folks called Transfix.

Club Tempo

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Club Tempo provides a safe haven for its queer Latinx patrons who can explore their gender and sexual expression in the context of their cultural heritage. The venue is the only Latinx gay bar in LA that explicitly caters to a gay and Mexican audience every night, not just as a theme once a week. Before heading out for an evening at Club Tempo, make sure to bring out the best cowboy boots and expect to be dancing all night to Latin folk songs.

Honey's at Star Love

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Honey’s is the perfect spot for a late-night catch-up with a friend in East Hollywood, especially for those looking for a variety of drinks that include non-alcoholic options. The art deco wallpaper and teal hues detailing the walls give the space the dual possibility of the intimacy of a boudoir and the dream-like whimsy of a dance party. During their Wednesday karaoke nights, expect tipsy patrons singing their hearts out to their peers.

A bartender pours drinks at Honey’s.
A bartender at Honey’s serves patrons drinks before the closing call on a Wednesday night.
Jireh Deng

Silver Lake’s Akbar was saved by a GoFundMe in late 2020, and that’s a very good thing for this iconic Silver Lake bar. After 25 years, Akbar remains a central part of queer life in Los Angeles with rotating programming from a combination craft-making night with karaoke, live music from legendary acts, to showcasing international DJs.

A sunset looms over Akbar bar in Silver Lake, California.
Akbar
Courtesy of Akbar

Eagle LA

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For those wanting exciting, mature eye candy, the Eagle — and its centering of all things sexual-counterculture — is here for you. It’s a leather bar that attracts both the LA queer community and Silver Lake’s hipster audience to hang in the indoor-outdoor space among clothed or unclothed patrons.

Silver Platter

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This MacArthur Park bar is known for being a safe party space for members of the Latinx trans community. Silver Platter went came under new management a few years back, but still has it all with cheap glasses of champagne, an eager dance floor, and a documentary endorsement by local artist Wu Tsang.

The Ruby Fruit

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Tucked away in the unassuming strip mall on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, the Ruby Fruit has made its mark as a boutique wine bar that offers a varied selection of food options for vegans and carnivores alike. The Ruby Fruit closes at 11 p.m. on weekends, so it isn’t exactly part of the late-night LGBTQ scene in LA. But it’s the perfect space to grab a workday brunch with a colleague or for co-working sessions co-hosted on Tuesdays with Gay Asstrology.

The interior of the Ruby Fruit, with pastel pink walls, light wood tones, and booty-themed decor.
The interior of the Ruby Fruit, with pastel pink walls and booty-themed decor, evokes a shrine-like intimacy around the celebration of queer femininity.
Jireh Deng

Casita del Campo

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A Silver Lake Mexican staple, Casita has been open since the sixties and gradually attracted an Eastside LGBTQ audience. As if Mexican comfort food and stellar margaritas weren’t appealing enough, Casita also houses the Cavern Club Theater, an alternative performance space with frequent LGBTQ programming.

The pink exterior of Mexican restaurant Casita del Campo.
Casita del Campo
Jakob Layman

Precinct

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Precinct is one of DTLA’s staple queer bars. As festive as it is, the wine selections and cocktails are excellent, while the bar bites are also quite good, including hot pretzels plus an Atlantic salmon over tri-color pasta.

Redline - Food & Bar

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Redline opened next to the noteworthy Precinct in 2014 and maintains loyal crowds who come regularly to drink truly great cocktails, dance, and nibble on light eats. A range of LGBTQ organizers also host regular events here.

The New Jalisco Bar

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The original Downtown gay bar, Jalisco is a dive bar that caters to the Latinx and Mexican LGBTQ community. The bar is known for fairly strong drinks and its quaint, homey feel.

New Jalisco Bar on brink of closure - during the Coronavirus pandemic.
New Jalisco Bar

Sweetwater Saloon

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Though Sweetwater isn’t officially known as a lesbian bar, the humble establishment has long been the go-to spot for queer women in the local gayborhood, which features nearly half a dozen gay bars that line Broadway in Long Beach. With two pool tables and maybe two dozen seats, the tiny dive bar swells to capacity during Long Beach Pride weekend, when festivities pour in from the streets. It’s good to always keep hard cash when visiting because they don’t accept cards.

The Crest

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With an cozy patio, jukebox, and pool tables, the Crest is a neighborhood bar. Nestled in north Long Beach, the Crest prides itself on being an inclusive bar with drag shows, trivia, or watching RuPaul’s Drag Race when in season.

The Silver Fox

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It’s hard not to love Long Beach’s Silver Fox with its spacious, art deco style. Go-go dancers adorn tables on weekend nights, and karaoke is an option, as is hanging out on the cozy outdoor patio.

Executive Suite

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One of Long Beach’s few, if not only, three-level gay bars, Executive Suite boasts a karaoke bar, video games, pool tables for rent, and regular drag shows. Sugar Saturdays on its upper deck is a weekly ladies’ night, where femme-presenting go-go dancers flaunt their dancing skills on poles for their captive sapphic audiences. It’s also easy to just step outside for a minute and grab a quick bite to eat from a taco vendor Executive Suite hosts on its patio.

Dubbed by KCET as Montebello’s best Latino gay bar, Chico is the sister to Club Cobra, serving as a grounding site for the queer Latinx community in the suburbs of East LA. Chico is deceptively small on the outside. While its production doesn’t boast the grandeur of West Hollywood’s establishments, Chico offers something much more accessible and welcoming with its lounge seating, open areas for dancing, a modest performance stage, and strobe lights with at least half a dozen televisions with spinning graphics. It’s the perfect place for gay men to meet on the Eastside.

A blue screen with the word “Chico” in white letters.
Chico’s feels more like a club than a bar with its numerous television screens, strobe lights, and go-go strippers encouraging one to start dancing to the infectious music that plays on loud speakers.
Jireh Deng

The Boulevard Bar

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One of the tiniest bars on this map, the Boulevard Bar is stationed in the eastern side of Pasadena. Complete with a pool table and stage, this LGBTQ-friendly bar turns the karaoke up to eleven with LCD projectors and video monitors for every karaoke hog.

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Roosterfish

Fans wept when Roosterfish, the Westside’s oldest gay bar, closed in 2016. The neighborhood felt Roosterfish’s absence until owners Mario Vollera and Patrick Brunet brought it back from the dead. The bar is no longer a dive, and owners have had to increase prices to stay competitive, but it still has the same charm.

Plaza Club

There’s a low cover charge at this longstanding club, but the Plaza cover goes for something special, with a lineup of sequined female impersonators who dance to Mariah Carey, rancheras, Jennifer Lopez, and the queen of them all — Selena.

A yellow and white building with a sign that says the Plaza Club in Los Angeles, Calfornia.
The Plaza Club
Courtesy of the Plaza

Hi Tops Bar

In 2018, Hi Tops took over Bar 10 and made the 2,700-square-foot space closely resemble the original Bay Area location. And even though it’s a sports bar, Hi Tops has an excellent menu along with a great people-watching view to Santa Monica Boulevard.

A brick wall at Hi Tops in West Hollywood, California.
Hi Tops Bar
Jesse Woodward

Micky's WeHo

Micky’s WeHo has long been a staple on West Hollywood’s strip of gay nightclubs and bars on Santa Monica Boulevard, known for its open-walled two-story building where passersby can see the party raging from the street. Micky’s attracts more than drunken festivities on the weekends; it is also home to one of West Hollywood’s and LA’s only queer-centered weekly open mics on Tuesdays called the Mic. For those looking to shake some ass or cry at a heartfelt performance on stage, there’s space for it all at Micky’s.

Club Cobra

Like most LA clubs, Club Cobra was forced to close for most of the pandemic until reopening in North Hollywood one year ago. This 18-year-old North Hollywood club offers drag nights, go-go dancers, and a Thursday night for trans folks called Transfix.

Club Tempo

Club Tempo provides a safe haven for its queer Latinx patrons who can explore their gender and sexual expression in the context of their cultural heritage. The venue is the only Latinx gay bar in LA that explicitly caters to a gay and Mexican audience every night, not just as a theme once a week. Before heading out for an evening at Club Tempo, make sure to bring out the best cowboy boots and expect to be dancing all night to Latin folk songs.

Honey's at Star Love

Honey’s is the perfect spot for a late-night catch-up with a friend in East Hollywood, especially for those looking for a variety of drinks that include non-alcoholic options. The art deco wallpaper and teal hues detailing the walls give the space the dual possibility of the intimacy of a boudoir and the dream-like whimsy of a dance party. During their Wednesday karaoke nights, expect tipsy patrons singing their hearts out to their peers.

A bartender pours drinks at Honey’s.
A bartender at Honey’s serves patrons drinks before the closing call on a Wednesday night.
Jireh Deng

Akbar

Silver Lake’s Akbar was saved by a GoFundMe in late 2020, and that’s a very good thing for this iconic Silver Lake bar. After 25 years, Akbar remains a central part of queer life in Los Angeles with rotating programming from a combination craft-making night with karaoke, live music from legendary acts, to showcasing international DJs.

A sunset looms over Akbar bar in Silver Lake, California.
Akbar
Courtesy of Akbar

Eagle LA

For those wanting exciting, mature eye candy, the Eagle — and its centering of all things sexual-counterculture — is here for you. It’s a leather bar that attracts both the LA queer community and Silver Lake’s hipster audience to hang in the indoor-outdoor space among clothed or unclothed patrons.

Silver Platter

This MacArthur Park bar is known for being a safe party space for members of the Latinx trans community. Silver Platter went came under new management a few years back, but still has it all with cheap glasses of champagne, an eager dance floor, and a documentary endorsement by local artist Wu Tsang.

The Ruby Fruit

Tucked away in the unassuming strip mall on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, the Ruby Fruit has made its mark as a boutique wine bar that offers a varied selection of food options for vegans and carnivores alike. The Ruby Fruit closes at 11 p.m. on weekends, so it isn’t exactly part of the late-night LGBTQ scene in LA. But it’s the perfect space to grab a workday brunch with a colleague or for co-working sessions co-hosted on Tuesdays with Gay Asstrology.

The interior of the Ruby Fruit, with pastel pink walls, light wood tones, and booty-themed decor.
The interior of the Ruby Fruit, with pastel pink walls and booty-themed decor, evokes a shrine-like intimacy around the celebration of queer femininity.
Jireh Deng

Casita del Campo

A Silver Lake Mexican staple, Casita has been open since the sixties and gradually attracted an Eastside LGBTQ audience. As if Mexican comfort food and stellar margaritas weren’t appealing enough, Casita also houses the Cavern Club Theater, an alternative performance space with frequent LGBTQ programming.

The pink exterior of Mexican restaurant Casita del Campo.
Casita del Campo
Jakob Layman

Precinct

Precinct is one of DTLA’s staple queer bars. As festive as it is, the wine selections and cocktails are excellent, while the bar bites are also quite good, including hot pretzels plus an Atlantic salmon over tri-color pasta.

Redline - Food & Bar

Redline opened next to the noteworthy Precinct in 2014 and maintains loyal crowds who come regularly to drink truly great cocktails, dance, and nibble on light eats. A range of LGBTQ organizers also host regular events here.

The New Jalisco Bar

The original Downtown gay bar, Jalisco is a dive bar that caters to the Latinx and Mexican LGBTQ community. The bar is known for fairly strong drinks and its quaint, homey feel.

New Jalisco Bar on brink of closure - during the Coronavirus pandemic.
New Jalisco Bar

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Sweetwater Saloon

Though Sweetwater isn’t officially known as a lesbian bar, the humble establishment has long been the go-to spot for queer women in the local gayborhood, which features nearly half a dozen gay bars that line Broadway in Long Beach. With two pool tables and maybe two dozen seats, the tiny dive bar swells to capacity during Long Beach Pride weekend, when festivities pour in from the streets. It’s good to always keep hard cash when visiting because they don’t accept cards.

The Crest

With an cozy patio, jukebox, and pool tables, the Crest is a neighborhood bar. Nestled in north Long Beach, the Crest prides itself on being an inclusive bar with drag shows, trivia, or watching RuPaul’s Drag Race when in season.

The Silver Fox

It’s hard not to love Long Beach’s Silver Fox with its spacious, art deco style. Go-go dancers adorn tables on weekend nights, and karaoke is an option, as is hanging out on the cozy outdoor patio.

Executive Suite

One of Long Beach’s few, if not only, three-level gay bars, Executive Suite boasts a karaoke bar, video games, pool tables for rent, and regular drag shows. Sugar Saturdays on its upper deck is a weekly ladies’ night, where femme-presenting go-go dancers flaunt their dancing skills on poles for their captive sapphic audiences. It’s also easy to just step outside for a minute and grab a quick bite to eat from a taco vendor Executive Suite hosts on its patio.

Chico

Dubbed by KCET as Montebello’s best Latino gay bar, Chico is the sister to Club Cobra, serving as a grounding site for the queer Latinx community in the suburbs of East LA. Chico is deceptively small on the outside. While its production doesn’t boast the grandeur of West Hollywood’s establishments, Chico offers something much more accessible and welcoming with its lounge seating, open areas for dancing, a modest performance stage, and strobe lights with at least half a dozen televisions with spinning graphics. It’s the perfect place for gay men to meet on the Eastside.

A blue screen with the word “Chico” in white letters.
Chico’s feels more like a club than a bar with its numerous television screens, strobe lights, and go-go strippers encouraging one to start dancing to the infectious music that plays on loud speakers.
Jireh Deng

The Boulevard Bar

One of the tiniest bars on this map, the Boulevard Bar is stationed in the eastern side of Pasadena. Complete with a pool table and stage, this LGBTQ-friendly bar turns the karaoke up to eleven with LCD projectors and video monitors for every karaoke hog.

Related Maps