Entertainment,
November 03 2023
It’s time to party! We bring you the highlights of London’s fantastic LGBTQ+ nightlife. Wherever you are in the capital, there are welcoming queer bars, cosy pubs and contemporary clubs. At the heart of London’s LGBTQ+ community and nightlife is Soho, a neighbourhood famous for being at the forefront of Britain’s fight for gay rights. It’s the centre of London’s queer culture, and home to the capital’s most famous gay bars. So, here’s our pick of the best London gay bars.
Celebrate LGBTQ culture in this legendary East London hotspot. More than just a bar, it’s a gay club, a London cabaret favourite and a queer community hub in the East End. Dalston Superstore has established itself as an LGBTQ+ institution, and its drag brunches are not to be missed. Over its two floors, there’s always something fun happening, day and night.
Open from 12pm every day.
Check out more drag brunch ideas here.
Paint the town pink at Ku Bar and Klub, one of the top LGBT bars in London. All genders are welcome in this two-floor bar and club, which regularly tops lists of London’s top gay venues. Classy interiors, cocktails and chart toppers attract a young crowd to Ku Bar London as they start their night in style. The main bar is on the ground floor, and if you’re in the mood for dancing, head downstairs to KU Klub. Little Ku is the Ku family’s smaller sibling on Frith Street, and it has a more chilled and chatty vibe.
Open 7 days a week till late.
On Old Compton Street, rainbow flags greet you at this famous Soho party bar, now a part of the famous Heaven club. The long established G-A-Y Bar has three floors pumping out pop hits, with wall-to-wall screens playing music videos. It attracts a young crowd with cheap cocktails and a party atmosphere. It’s also known for hosting the occasional international pop star. Madonna and Lady Gaga have both played here. Sister club G-A-Y Late is a gay dance club on London’s Goslett Yard, just around the corner. This is where the party carries on after G-A-Y Bar closes.
Open 12pm to 12am.
The drag shows here are legendary. Owned by iconic drag queens Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, The Glory is an East End bar and performance space with drag entertainment front and centre. Come for some of London’s best queer talent, cabaret acts and weekend discos. Close to Haggerston Station, it’s a welcoming space for all LGBTQ+ people and one of the best gay clubs in London. Pop in for post-work drinks or book a ticket to one of its many shows.
Open from 5pm till late.
Established in 1981, Two Brewers on Clapham High Street has been at the heart of London’s gay scene for decades. It’s a well-established drag cabaret venue, and it knows how to please a crowd. Despite its age, Two Brewers has had plenty of face-lifts over the years and has long attracted a large gay crowd happy to stay south of the river. Expect lip-sync battles, karaoke mayhem and plenty of memorable drag shows.
Open 365 days a year till 2am weekdays, 4am Fridays and Saturdays.
Stay at one of our Central London Thistle Hotels near the best London gay bars and nightclubs. Thistle Holborn is just a short walk from Soho’s famous bars and clubs, and Thistle City Barbican is close to Shoreditch’s popular gay nightclubs.
