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

The mostly Latino clientele appreciates the 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.

Perhaps the most iconic bar in the city — not to mention the definitive WeHo bar — the Abbey is like gay Disneyland. It’s a hybrid restaurant and bar that serves all, with a bakery that serves apple tarts, berry crisps, and unicorn bars with Fruity Pebbles well into the late hours.

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 transgenders called Transfix.

LA’s oldest queer club is Catch One. Jewel Thais-Williams opened this legendary club in 1973 before retiring, and remains a longstanding space for African Americans and Latinos, including the decades-old a Club Called Rhonda. Check the rotating schedule to make sure the music fits your mood.

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.

For those wanting exciting, mature eye candy, The Eagle is here for you. It’s a leather bar that attracts both the sexually countercultural and Silver Lake’s hipster audience to hang in the indoor/outdoor space among clothed/unclothed patrons. Be warned: you might get spanked.

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 dancefloor, and a documentary endorsement by local artist Wu Tsang.

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 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.

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 it’s quaint, homey feel. Where else in the city can you watch a go-go boy dance on a coffee table stage?

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, while karaoke is an option, as is hanging out on the cozy outdoor patio.

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.