Gay Nightlife
For The Country
The best gay clubs in London
Party in the capital with our guide to London's best gay and lesbian clubs and LGBTQ+ nightlife
It's true: London's LGBTQ+ nightlife is still some of the the best that the capital has to offer. From searching for gay bars or hunting around Soho, you're bound to find somewhere that ticks all your boxes. And then there's those late-night antics that might make you miss the last train.
Dalston Superstore
By day, this East End favourite plates up brunch and burgers; by night, it's London's best pansexual party spot. The upstairs bar is fun for a warm-up drink, but the basement is where the club action happens. Regular nights include Uncontrollable Urge (eccentric electro on Wednesdays) and SorryNotSorry Sundays (a monthly helping of 'unapologetic pop'). It's all very trendy but everyone is welcome: don't be surprised to see drag queens rubbing shoulders with off-duty dads from nearby Stoke Newington.
Whether you want to throw some shapes to Britney and Beyoncé, lip-sync with drag queens in what used to be a strip club or fist-pump the night away in a leather harness under the railway arches, you really can go out and stay out when it comes to London's LGBTQ+ clubs. Here are our picks of the top ten gay and lesbian clubs in London – and be sure to check out our guide to LGBTQ+ London, too.
This Kingsland High Street hang out is a bit of a face on the east London party scene. In true Dalston style it's home to all sorts: popular with a large and diverse LGBT crowd, but welcoming to all and everyone. DJs – mostly local, many well-known – keep feet dancing with sets throughout the week. Music-wise, you can groove and grind to anything from Uncontrollable Urge's weekly Wednesday installment of electro and mutant-pop, to Disco Brunch
There's also a food menu and variety on the drinks list. Seven draught beers and ciders include Brooklyn Lager, Frontier, Kirin Ichiban, Guinness and Estrella, complemented by 18 bottles (Punk IPA, Sierra Nevada, Sol, Peroni, Anchor Steam to name a few), as well as a few guest beers on rotation. Classic cocktails feature alongside house concoctions, shooters and jugs of Pimms and Sangria.
Formerly (and still commonly) known as Vogue Fabrics, this bijou Dalston basement hosts drag and spoken word events as well as genre-spanning club nights and parties. As its name suggests, it attracts a creative and fashion-conscious LGBTQ+ crowd who love to dress up (though no one will really care if you rock up in sneakers and a polo top). VFD has the chutzpah to host club nights with names like Cuntmafia and Sassitude, but never takes itself too seriously. After all, the venue's most famous feature is the massive penis mural in the loos.
Formerly (and still commonly) known as Vogue Fabrics, this bijou Dalston basement hosts drag and spoken word events, as well as genre-spanning club nights and parties. Attracting a creative and fashion-conscious LGBTQ+ crowd who love to dress up (though no one will really care if you rock up in sneakers and a polo top), VFD has the chutzpah to host club nights with names like Cuntmafia and Sassitude, but never takes itself too seriously. After all, the venue's most famous feature is the massive penis mural in the loos.
Eagle London
This Vauxhall institution has recently had a facelift to rival Sharon Osbourne's. Out went the licence permitting sexual activity on the premises and in came the trendy decor inspired by New York's Meatpacking District. Eagle's large horseshoe bar still attracts many an older, burlier gay gent, but the overall ambience now feels slick and sexy rather than, well, slightly sleazy. On Sunday nights, the dancefloor welcomes a younger and more fashion-conscious crowd for Horse Meat Disco, one of London's very best club nights. Debbie, a monthly Saturday night party which only plays songs by female artists, is also worth seeking out.
In recent years this Vauxhall institution has had a facelift to rival Sharon Osbourne's. Out went the licence permitting sexual activity on the premises; in came trendy decor inspired by New York's Meatpacking District. Eagle's large horseshoe bar still attracts many an older, burlier gay gent, but the overall ambience now feels slick and sexy rather than, well, slightly sleazy. On Sunday nights, the dancefloor welcomes a younger and more fashion-conscious crowd for the glorious Horse Meat Disco, one of London's very best club nights. It also has a lovely private beer garden with barbecues in the summer.
Two Brewers
Clapham's Two Brewers isn't London's hippest LGBTQ+ venue, but it's defnitely one of the most popular. It's open seven days a week and has a strong cabaret offering on weekdays, but Friday and Saturday are full-on club nights with drag shows and more pop bangers than Max Martin's hard drive. You'll probably have to queue to get in, and you'll probably have a lot of fun.
Clapham's high street is yet another gay village, and visitors should make this their first stop if they make it to this part of town. It's busy at weekends (Friday and Saturday are club nights) with locals who are happy to keep the fun south of the river (even south of Vauxhall). And catch the cabaret acts throughout the week.
There's a reason why Duckie has been running on Saturdays at the RVT for nearly 25 years: it's an absolute blast. Host Amy Lamé – who's now London's Night Czar, too – introduces performers who run the gamut from legendary to terrible: you could see tap-dancers or a drag queen, or you could end up watching a heterosexual couple from Essex having a bust-up on stage. In between and after the turns, DJ duo the Readers Wifes drop a hard-to-describe mix of Britpop, disco and leftfield chart hits from Bowie to Britney. Whatever your gender and sexuality, Duckie is a must-try; the only real rule is no whipping off your top like you're at XXL.
To paraphrase a famous saying: after a nuclear holocaust, all that will be left are cockroaches, Cher and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Dating back to 1863, this pub-cum-legendary queer performance venue has been threatened for years by greedy property developers. But with public support (including from the RVT Future campaign) the venue has won the twin legal protections of 'Asset of Community Value' status and a Grade II listing. Business owner James Lindsay signed a new 20-year lease with the RVT building's landlords in 2018.
People care about this place because it mixes a rich history – Princess Diana is rumoured to have visited with Freddie Mercury, and Lily Savage got her start behind the bar – with cutting-edge queer club nights Duckie (run by London's 'Night Czar', Amy Lamé) and Bar Wotever. It's a stalwart of London's LGBTQ+ scene and an essential stop for anyone seeking the capital's finest cabaret and performance – or just a bloody good time.
BJ's White Swan
Something of a local legend, the White Swan is the East End's most famous gay boozer. The comedian Michael Barrymore famously came out on stage here. Sir Ian McKellen used to drop in after he came out. More recently, it's suffered from a bit of a rough-and-ready reputation, but its 4am licence on Fridays and Saturdays isn't to be sniffed at. And monthly club night Cybil's House, which bills itself as 'a queer oasis of happiness, acceptance and celebration', is becoming a real cult fave.
Something of a local legend, the White Swan is the East End's most famous gay boozer. The comedian Michael Barrymore famously came out on stage here. Sir Ian McKellen used to drop in after he came out. And the Sunday Tea Dances are an institution with an older crowd, who waltz and tango the night away.
But despite its illustrious history, the pub's decor is not quaint or cosy: on the contrary, it's a rough and soulless space, with a dark warehouse-style aesthetic, enlivened only by the soft-porn videos broadcast from TV screens above the bar (usually naked French rugby players). The crowd, by contrast, is cheerful and rowdy; many Essex lads make the trek here in on the weekend.
It is notorious for its amateur strip contests – held on Wednesdays around midnight – in which the young and shameless bare all for cash. On Friday and Saturday nights, there are often strippers or drag queens, who warm up the crowd for a night of dancing to chart tunes and commercial house.
When it opened in 1979, Heaven was revolutionary. London's first gay superclub, it was the birthplace of Hi-NRG and acid house, and a magnet for queer celebrities. Nearly four decades later, Heaven is no longer cutting-edge, but still offers the UK's most famous gay night out. On Thursdays it hosts the G-A-Y Porn Idol amateur strip contest, Fridays is filled with '80s and '90s cheese at G-A-Y Camp Attack, and Saturdays are reserved for the main G-A-Y club night, often featuring pop star PAs. Tourists and the younger crowd love it, and just about every LGBTQ+ Londoner has danced the night away here at least once.
When it opened its doors in 1979, Heaven was revolutionary. London's first gay superclub, it was the birthplace of Hi-NRG and acid house, a magnet for gay celebrities and mounted the most spectacular stage shows seen in clubland. But it hasn't been on top of its game for some time, rarely matching the standard set by Vauxhall rivals such as Fire. Still, with the closure of the Astoria and the subsequent move of G-A-Y to Heaven, the club has experienced something of a renaissance. Thursday now hosts G-A-Y Porn Idol, Fridays G-A-Y Camp Attack and Saturdays are reserved for the G-A-Y club night proper. It's not all a gay fiesta, however, the roomy Heaven also lays on live indie nights.
Ku Bar & Club
Occupying a prominent spot on Soho's fringes, this large LGBT venue is regularly voted London's best. Ku is a little classier than local rival G-A-Y, but it attracts a broadly similar crowd and the young, up-for-it vibe is just as much fun. The ground floor offers a bright and modern bar space with video screens playing chart hits; downstairs is a clubbier room where fresh-faced types of all genders cut a rug to pop and dance remixes.
Occupying a prominent spot on Soho's Chinatown fringes, this large LGBTQ+ venue is regularly voted London's best. The ground floor offers a bright and modern bar space with video screens playing chart hits; downstairs is a clubbier room where fresh-faced types of all genders dance to pop and EDM. Now called Ku Klub, it has its own side entrance and opens its doors from 10pm until 3am every day. Be prepared to queue for entry on Friday and Saturday nights, safe in the knowledge you'll be greeted inside by some of London's best-looking bar staff.
G-A-Y Bar
Soho's world-famous G-A-Y has everything you'd expect: cheap drink offers on weekdays, a young crowd and plenty of Britney. It's spread over three floors, with a dedicated girls' room downstairs, and never seems to empty out. Most Londoners over the age of 25 profess to hate it, but they'll still end up here a few times a year, drinking a WKD-based 'cocktail' and dancing to Little Mix. And fear not, because when this door closes, another opens at G-A-Y Late. Located around the corner at 5 Goslett Yard, it offers a similar experience, but with a later licence and even louder pop songs.
Soho's world-famous G-A-Y Bar has everything you'd expect: cheap drink offers, a young crowd and plenty of Britney. The G-A-Y night at Heaven gets the celebrity cameos, but this popular bar is still a shrine to queer pop idols, with nightly drinks promos every time they play a video from the current diva du jour. There's also a women's bar in the basement, called (delightfully) Girls Go Down – popular with flirty, studenty lesbians, loathed by most older women. G-A-Y bar's plush late-night sibling, G-A-Y Late, is round the corner at 5 Goslett Yard.
A courtyard bar and café on Rupert Street, popular with Soho's gay crowd. The downstairs al fresco area boasts sedate lighting, wooden banquettes a fair bit of flora, giving things an almost bucolic feel. The upstairs loft bar offers views down to all this, with leather sofas offering spots in which to recline.
The Yard does sometimes play host to a variety of visitors, but mostly it's a mature gay crowd. Drinks are pretty standard, with beers and wines doing perhaps the most brisk business. Tables and areas can be reserved for groups and larger parties.
She Soho
Shockingly, this cave-like Soho basement bar is now London's only exclusively lesbian venue, and it takes this responsibility seriously. Unless you identify as a queer female or arrive with plenty of queer female mates, you're probably not going to get in. Run by the team behind Ku Bar, SHE has a similar flair for laying on entertainment: as well as club nights, it regularly offers comedy, cabaret, karaoke and quiz evenings. BOi BOX, a monthly drag king talent contest hosted by scene heroes Adam All and Apple, is definitely worth popping in your calendar.
Shockingly, this Soho basement bar is London's only exclusively lesbian venue, and it takes this responsibility seriously. Run by the team behind Ku Bar, SHE has a comparable flair for laying on entertainment: as well as club nights, it regularly offers comedy, cabaret, karaoke and quiz evenings. Open Box, a monthly drag king talent contest hosted by scene heroes Adam All and Apple Derrières, is definitely worth popping in your Google Calendar.
Friendly Society
Friendly Society benefits from the power of surprise: after entering through a bland back-alley doorway, you're greeted at the bottom of the stairs by Soho's most idiosyncratic drinking den. Barbie dolls hang from the ceiling, there's a big fishbowl in the middle and old movies are projected on to a back wall. Although the short cocktail menu has been the same for ever, the staff always seem perplexed when you order one, though that's definitely part of the charm. The crowd here is LGBT in the broadest sense - anyone with a sense of fun will feel at home, whatever their gender and sexuality. If you fancy dancing to Donna Summer while sipping (relatively) inexpensive prosecco, this place is an essential pitstop.
Friendly Society benefits from the power of surprise: after entering through a bland back-alley doorway, you're greeted at the bottom of the stairs by Soho's most idiosyncratic drinking den. Barbie dolls hang from the ceiling, there's a big fishbowl in the middle and old movies are projected on to a back wall. Although the short cocktail menu has been the same forever, the staff always seem perplexed when you order one, though that's definitely part of the charm. The crowd here is gay in the broadest sense – anyone with a sense of fun will feel at home, whatever their gender and sexuality. Come here when you fancy dancing to Donna Summer while sipping (relatively) inexpensive prosecco.
The Retro Bar
Tucked away down an alley off the Strand, The Retro Bar is one of LGBT London's secret gems. It's a small, gloriously old-fashioned indie bar where anyone on the LGBT spectrum will feel welcome as they drink and listen to Blondie and Bowie blaring out of the jukebox. If the nostalgic tunes don't give you a warm glow, the cosy decor surely will: the walls are filled with iconic photos of everyone from Grace Jones to Beth Ditto. The quieter upstairs bar is a good date spot, though it's not open every night.
Tucked away down an alley off the Strand, the Retro Bar is one of LGBTQ+ London's secret pearls. It's a small, gloriously old-fashioned indie bar where anyone on the LGBTQ+ spectrum will feel welcome as they drink and listen to Blondie and Bowie blaring out of the jukebox. If the nostalgic tunes don't give you a warm glow, the cosy decor surely will: the walls are filled with iconic photos of everyone from Boy George to Beth Ditto. The quieter upstairs bar is a good date spot, although it's not open every night.
Occupying a prominent spot on Soho's Chinatown fringes, this large LGBT venue is regularly voted London's best. Ku is a little classier than local rival G-A-Y, but it attracts a broadly similar crowd and the young, up-for-it vibe is just as much fun. The ground floor offers a bright and modern bar space with video screens playing chart hits; downstairs is a clubbier room where fresh-faced types of all genders cut a rug to pop and dance remixes. A second Ku Bar on nearby Frith Street offers a more sedate spin on the same experience.
New Bloomsbury Set
Because it's a brisk 15-minute walk from Soho's gay village, this small but charming basement bar often gets forgotten about. That's a shame because New Bloomsbury Set has smart decor that nods to the literary clique it's named after and a fabulous happy hour where you can get two cocktails or a bottle of wine for a tenner.
As befits its Bloomsbury surroundings, NBS is a little more distinguished than most London LGBT bars and operates an over-21s-only door policy. It's open from 4pm daily, so it makes sense to pair it with a visit to Gay's the Word, London's legendary LGBT bookshop, which is located right around the corner. If you're after a quieter, secluded experience, grab a drink and make yourself comfy in the venue's cave-like alcoves.
Because it's a brisk 15-minute walk from Soho's gay village, this small but charming basement bar often gets forgotten about. That's a shame, because New Bloomsbury Set has smart decor that nods to the artistic and literary clique it's named after and a fabulous happy hour offering two-for-one cocktails until 7pm daily.
As befits its Bloomsbury surroundings, NBS is a little more distinguished than most London LGBT bars and operates an over-21s door policy. It's open from 5pm daily, so it makes sense to pair it with a visit to Gay's the Word, London's legendary LGBT bookshop, which is right around the corner.
A visit to this King's Cross gay-friendly pub does feel a little like you've stepped into a time warp, but that's part of its iridescent charm. There are regular drag shows and a surprisingly popular karaoke night on a Friday, which brings together a surprising (but often quite talented) group of punters. There's also a food available, and upstairs you'll find a B&B offering more-than-affordable rates for cosy, warmly decorated rooms.
King's Cross's gay-friendly hub Central Station hosts regular club nights and some of London's best drag entertainment on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There's also a roof terrace restaurant serving burgers, steaks and most imaginable varieties of fish and chips. Upstairs, visitors will find a B&B offering more-than-affordable rates for cosy, warmly decorated rooms (ranging from £65 to £110 per night).
Her Upstairs
Camden's most famous LGBT venue, drag mecca The Black Cap, was wiped out by property developers in 2015. But its flamboyant spirit lives on at this cute 'queer cabaret and cocktail venue' located just up the road. Her Upstairs is co-owned by Meth, one of London's best alternative drag queens, so the performances are fierce and forward-thinking: they aim to give a platform to female drag queens, drag kings and queer performers of colour. On Fridays and Saturdays, the space downstairs opens as a gay club called The Bloc, so you can make a real night of it.
The Queen Adelaide
After beloved east London gay pub The George and Dragon was forced to close down in 2015, The Queen Adelaide rose from its ashes a couple of weeks later. Opened by the same owner around a mile up the same road, it has similarly kitsch decor – look out for the famous horse's head – and the capital's queer hipsters have flocked back. Yet in a way, The Queen Adelaide is also a bit of an upgrade: this time, the merriment spreads out over two floors and there's a 3am licence at the weekends. Let the polysexual party rage on!
Since opening a little over two years ago, this east London pub, club and performance space has rapidly established itself as a jewel in London's LGBT crown. On the one hand, it's a place you can nip into for a quick after-work drink: the bar staff offer proper cocktails as well as the usual beers, wines and spirits. But on the other,
it's a platform for forward-thinking queer entertainment: previous offerings have included Butt Mitzvah, the UK's first ever gay Jewish night, and Björk Scratchings, a tribute to the eccentric Icelandic chanteuse. It's also a genuinely mixed space where the vibe is less 'anything goes', more 'everything encouraged'.
Just 'a clutch bag's throw away from Haggerston station… and one-and-a-half-songs-on-an-iPod's stroll from Shoreditch High Street', this bar and venue was co-opened by drag legend Jonny Woo. On the one hand, it's a place you can nip into for a quick after-work drink: the bar staff offer proper cocktails as well as the usual beers, wines and spirits.
But on the other, it's a platform for forward-thinking queer entertainment, hosting everything from cabaret to performance to DJ nights. It's a genuinely mixed space where the vibe is less 'anything goes', more 'everything encouraged' and it is perfect for what Woo clearly regards as something of a crusade: to keep gender-ambiguous and adventurous alternative cabaret thriving. .
Located in once-grimy Limehouse, the White Swan is surely the East End's most famous gay boozer. The comedian Michael Barrymore famously came out on stage here, and Sir Ian McKellen used to swing by regularly. After some ill-advised refurbs, it now has a disappointing modern-yet-dated interior, but some great cabaret shows and cheap drink offers help to make amends. On Friday and Saturday nights, gay boys from the local area and nearby Essex dance to house classics and chart bangers in the basement club until 5am. If you like your nights out fun and unpretentious, give it a go.
The Karaoke Hole
The little sister of nearby Dalston Superstore, The Karaoke Hole is the UK's first drag queen karaoke bar, and a place where you can let your inner diva out. Between 7-10pm, things are pretty formal: you can pre-book tables, sip on cocktails and sing to your heart's content. From 11pm, however, it all gets a little raucous: the karaoke becomes a free-for-all, as drag queens and 'X Factor' wannabes all sing like mad while backed by disco balls and wind machines.
An outrageously entertaining karaoke joint run by the folk behind Dalston Superstore and hosted by the city's finest drag stars.
The Old Ship
A more traditional pub, The Old Ship attracts an older clientele than other East End spots, but it can still get pretty busy. Boasting a pool table, cabaret every weekend and a regular quiz, this is one friendly spot.
The Cock Tavern
Reclaiming the spot that for 15 years was Kennington's South London Pacific, The Cock Tavern is the creation of former Nelson's Head landlady Farika Holden. And like that former bastion of kitsch, The Cock is as camp as they come. Rather than rip out the tiki aesthetic of South London Pacific, The Cock has merged it with the Georgian sensibilities of the building, albeit with a modern twist. Drinks are cheap-ish, and during the week things can be fairly low key, making it the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the free jukebox. On weekends, however, things heat up, as a (mainly gay) crowd seek out alternatives to Soho, Clapham and Vauxhall.
Run by Farika Holden, former landlady of beloved but now defunct east London pub the Nelson's Head, the Cock Tavern is an incredibly welcome addition to London's queer scene. The unique decor reflects the building's Georgian heritage but merges it with its past life as a tiki bar, creating a space both classy and camp. Come on Wednesday night to take advantage of the free jukebox, a treasure trove of gay anthems from Grace Jones to Girls Aloud, or on Sunday night for a raucous pub quiz. On Friday and Saturday nights things heat up as a (mainly gay) crowd seek hit the dancefloor till 2am.
The Bridge Bar
Describing itself as a gay wine bar, The Bridge Bar is probably more akin to a sleek cocktail lounge, but don't let that put you off. This neighbourhood joint has a great outside space and is the perfect place to catch up with friends and grab a drink, especially now that Kazbar has closed its doors. Gay Claphamites can be found here all week long, but during the weekend the long low venue can get busy, despite being tucked away from Clapham High Street.
West 5 Bar
Now sadly one of west London's last remaining LGBT venues, West 5 celebrates its twentieth birthday in 2018. And deservedly so: it's a proper, old-fashioned gay pub with a pool table, a grand piano and loads of loyal punters. Though it's located in South Ealing, a relatively sleepy suburb, it regularly attracts PAs from top 'RuPaul's Drag Race' stars like Courtney Act and Morgan McMichaels. If West 5 is your local, think yourself very lucky indeed. If you've never been before, it's well worth seeking out next time you don't fancy a night out in Soho or Vauxhall.
Comptons
One of oldest gay bars in London, Comptons is affectionately nicknamed "The Old Dame" of Old Compton Street. The relaxed, pubby drinking spot attracts beer-drinking bears and live sports fans, and the atmosphere ramps up with DJ sets on selected Fridays and Saturdays. The friendly ambience at Comptons of Soho means anyone is welcome.
Admiral Duncan
Situated in Soho, the lively Admiral Duncan is an iconic place to enjoy a drink and larger-than-life entertainment. One of the oldest and most famous gay pubs in London, named after an admiral who defeated the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797, the pub hosts popular music nights every Saturday, and on selected weeknights.
Dark and seductive, this eclectic townhouse-style bar and dancing venue features everything from sofas made from bathtubs to a bar adorned with old books within it's two floors - it's certainly one of the quirkiest gay bars in Soho. You'll find a host of classic and unusual cocktails at Bar Soho, expertly crafted by skilled mixologists, alongside wines, beers and drinks offers to keep you going on the dance floor into the early hours.
Set beneath a railway arch in Vauxhall, south London, industrial-style nightclub Fire comes complete with multiple rooms and an outdoor bar, hosting some of the biggest and best gay nights in London. With a sound system that will rattle your bones, a laser light show and some of the capital's top DJs, nights here never fail to disappoint.
Freedom Bar is a sophisticated gay bar and club located in central Soho. The downstairs club has more than 200 mirrorballs and two dance poles on the dance floor, perfect for an atmospheric party and the regular live events. For a more low-key evening, relax upstairs in the trendy bar with a glass of champagne or a cocktail from the extensive drinks menu.
Open until 1am each day, Circa is one of the livelier gay bars in Soho with regular DJ sets pumping out commercial dance tunes. Although primarily frequented by a young crowd, anything goes at Circa, so sit back on one of the comfy sofas and look out for the eyecandy.
Rupert Street Bar
This chic Soho gay bar is a relaxed hangout by day that fills out in the evening as the regular after-work crowd arrives for drinks offers and DJ sets. Complete with subtle lighting and elegant furnishings Rupert Street Bar, located just off bustling Brewer Street, is ideal for unwinding and meeting new people.
The Duke of Wellington
This spacious two-storey Soho gay bar has the feel of a traditional British pub with a friendly atmosphere, offering a busy downstairs bar and a quieter upstairs seating area. Head to "The Welly" for live sport with great atmosphere, a quiz or bingo night, or simply a relaxing drink. Come summer, you'll find the streets around The Duke of Wellington packed with regulars.
The Kings Arms
A well renowned bear bar, Soho's The Kings Arms shows live sport and hosts karaoke nights as well as live DJ sets at weekends. The emphasis at this gay bar in London is very much on beer, with a good choice of real ales on tap.
Soho's first gay bar remains one of its most popular due to its relaxed vibe, flamboyant decor, daily happy hour drinks specials and go-go dancers at weekends. Keep an eye out for regular events and live performances at the Village, which sits conveniently on the corner of Wardour Street and Old Compton Street and is open until 2am most nights.
Lesbian and gay bars and clubs in London