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

17 Iconic Los Angeles LGBTQ Bars

From West Hollywood to Long Beach

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Akbar
| Courtesy of Akbar

As the bars and clubs met with considerable challenges over the last few years, queer bars and clubs lost quite a few legendary spaces. In 2020 and 2021, queer institutions like Oil Can Harry’s, Rage, and Club Ripples closed, forever altering the LGBTQ community’s landscape.

But the ones that are still standing, are busier than ever. In fact, visiting one of LA’s queer bars or clubs feels downright celebratory. Whether glitzy to a bar in a strip mall, or casual to downright divey, LA has something for just about everyone. It’s more than unfortunate that Southern California has a shortage of lesbian bars, but some spots have specific nights that cater to every sexuality, gender preference, or identity. With that, here are 17 iconic LGBTQ+ bars in Los Angeles.

Added: Club Cobra, the Crest, High Tops, Redline, Precinct

Removed: Club Ripples (closed), Faultline Bar (closed), Oil Can Harry’s (closed), Rage (closed), Revolver

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Roosterfish

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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.

Plaza Club

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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.

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

The Abbey Food & Bar

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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.

A neon lit bar in West Hollywood, California
The Abbey
The Abbey

Hi Tops Bar

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

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

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 transgenders called Transfix.

Catch One

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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.

A black and white two-story nightclub in Los Angeles, California.
Catch One
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Jumbo's Clown Room

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As one of the greatest burlesque, stripper-esque bars in Los Angeles, Jumbo’s Clown Room is an icon. It’s a warm and fuzzy bar that’s been around since 1970. The biggest takeaway about Jumbo’s: everyone is welcome. There’s always a mix of LGBTQ, straight, racial makeup, and a variety of generations present. Plus, the dancers are happy, the drinks are below market price, and strong.

Jumbo’s Clown Room Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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 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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 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.

Plaza Club

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.

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

The Abbey Food & Bar

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.

A neon lit bar in West Hollywood, California
The Abbey
The Abbey

Hi Tops Bar

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

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

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 transgenders called Transfix.

Catch One

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.

A black and white two-story nightclub in Los Angeles, California.
Catch One
Getty

Jumbo's Clown Room

As one of the greatest burlesque, stripper-esque bars in Los Angeles, Jumbo’s Clown Room is an icon. It’s a warm and fuzzy bar that’s been around since 1970. The biggest takeaway about Jumbo’s: everyone is welcome. There’s always a mix of LGBTQ, straight, racial makeup, and a variety of generations present. Plus, the dancers are happy, the drinks are below market price, and strong.

Jumbo’s Clown Room Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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 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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Related Maps

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

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