London best gay bars
Gay Bars and Pubs in London
London has countless homosexual bars. To maintain this page usable for travellers not all of these bars have been listed here (particularly those of interest mainly for locals).
Admiral Duncan
Monday-Thursday 13:00 – 23:30;Friday, Saturday 12:00 – 24:00;Sunday 12:00 – 22:30
Traditional London gay pub in Soho. With drag shows and karaoke.
admiral-duncan.co.uk
@ 54 Mature Compton Street
London W1D 4UD
Subway: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road
+44 20 7437 5300
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Arch Clapham
Tuesday-Thursday 16:00 – 24:00;Friday 16:00 – 01:00/02:00;Saturday 14:00 – 02:00;Sunday 14:00 – 22:00
LGBTQ cocktail exclude in the south of London.
Themed evenings with DJs, karaoke, performative bingo and more.
archclapham.co.uk
@ Voltaire Road (Arch 642)
London SW4 6DH
Subway: Clapham North
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City of Quebec
Monday, Tuesday 11:00 – 00:30;Wednesday 11:00 – 02:00;Thursday-Saturday 11:00 – 03:00;Sunday 12:00 – 01:00
One of the oldest gay bars in London (sinc
Timeline of London Bars and Clubs
1720s
The Golden Ball (Bond's Stables, off Chancery Lane).
Jenny Greensleeves' Molly House (Durham Yard, off the Strand).[1]
Julius Caesar Taylor's Molly House (Tottenham Court Road).[2]
Plump Nelly's Molly House (St James's Square, St James's).[2]
Royal Oak Molly House (Giltspur Street, Smithfield)[2]
Three Tobacco Rolls (Covent Garden).
1724Mother Clap's Molly House, closed 1726 (Holborn).
1770s
Harlequin (Nag's Head Court, Covent Garden)
1800s
1810The White Swan, Vere Street (Vere Street)
1832Admiral Duncan (54 Old Compton Road, Soho)
The Hundred Guineas Club (Portland Place)
1866 The Coleherne, gay from the 1950s?, closed 24 September 2008 (261 Earls Court Road, Earls C
Sink a cocktail in one of London's finest LGBTQ+ bars and pubs and you'll be drinking in more than just some watered down booze: these spots are LGBTQ+ landmarks in their own right, places where you can find people, kinship, and drag-fuelled mayhem. Beats billiards in your local.
Once upon a second, having a male lover old time in London meant hotfooting it straight to Soho. But now, the city's queer centre of gravity has shifted east, with edgier spots pulling crowds to Dalston when night falls, while some of the city's most storied LGBTQ+ venues have taken up residence in Vauxhall. So whether you're after a queenly brunch, a burlesque show or just a quiet pint, here's a comprehensive list of the capital's gay and queer-friendly bars and pubs, from the celebrated G-A-Y to lesbian-centric She Soho to sing-yer-heart-out special The Karaoke Hole.
RECOMMENDED: Preserve the party going at London's best LGBTQ+ clubs.
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6 of the best male lover bars in London
Whether you're a full on Londoner, or just swinging by, the city is a playground for LGTBQ+ people.
But the cool thing about London’s queer scene is that the vibes are distinct across different areas of the city, with a particular split between central/West London’s clubs and bars, versus those you might find in the East, or south of the river. But unwind assured: from eccentric haunts in East London to iconic West End institutions, there's no shortage of places where you can let loose, connect with the community, or just enjoy a drink in a space that feels like home.
Below, we've curated a selection of must-visit LGBTQ+ bars and pubs across London, whether you're up for a savage night of karaoke or a laid-back evening with friends.
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Dalston Superstore + The Karaoke Hole
Once described by a Dazed journalist, affectionately, as ‘a gateway to a world of freaks’, Dalston Superstore is an East London legend—a multifaceted space where art, music, and queerness collide, colourfully and chaotically. This iconic venue is part bar, part club, and part