Gay bar downtown
Bars and Nightlife
Gay Bars and Clubs
Blazing Saddle (416 East 5th Ave), If you’re looking for a friendly LGBTQ+ lock in Des Moines, then you’ve start it! The Saddle is open 365 days a year featuring daily Content Hour, Trivia Evening every Tuesday, and monthly charity events for non-profits. Additionally, Latin “Nites” and various types of Drag Shows every Wednesday through Sunday. See the Blazing Saddle Calendar of Events.
Buddy's Corral (418 East 5th St) is a mixed, relaxed neighborhood lock with jukebox, karaoke, located next to Blazing Saddle.
The Garden Restaurant & Demonstrate Lounge (525 E Grand Ave) is an LGBT+ owned and operated business that is abode to a host of amazing talent with an unmatched legacy. The Garden offers a expansive variety of business and a occupied kitchen menu.
The Locust Tap (434 E Locust) embodies the term "dive bar" nearly perfectly. Between the years of graffiti on the walls, original tile floor (amongst other things) dating endorse 60+ years, inexpensive drinks, and no-frills atmosphere, what you see is what you get. It attracts an incredibly wide variety of clientele. It's tru
Guide to Gay Bars in Houston
Whatever your scene, you're covered in H-Town
Visiting Houston and looking for a place to grab a drink, see a drag illustrate, or dance the night away? We’ve got you covered! Bayou City is home to a number of LGBTQ+ bars with plenty of options for visitors and locals alike. Check out our list below for your personalized guide for a great gay time in H-Town.
DANCING QUEEN
Did you have a blast exploring all that Houston has to offer during the day and now you’re ready to twirl the night away? You definitely want to stop by South BeachHouston, which not only bids a huge dance floor and an expansive rear patio as well, but guests enjoy complimentary admission until 10 p.m. Move the night away beneath the massive chandelier above the move floor well into the wee hours of the morning.
Don’t consciousness dancing shoulder to shoulder in a more intimate setting? Obtain your pop music fix at the Eagle Houston. The upstairs fills up fast, but the vibes are always fun, upbeat, and you can always number on hearing songs by your favorite divas. Downstairs often features more of an EDM/dubstep vibe, making Eagle a one-stop shop for vi
Explore One of Austin's Walkable LGBTQ-Friendly Neighborhoods
We like to say that the whole city of Austin feels like a gayborhood, but if you're looking for a walkable neighborhood with the largest number of LGBTQ+ nightclubs, patio bars and basement lounges then Downtown Austin's Warehouse District is the place to go. There’s something happening all day and all nighttime in this city center.
DuMont's Down Low. Credit Mario Andrade Photography.
Fourth Street
Coconut Club
This tropical-themed bar is also known as one of the dance parties in town. The rooftop nightclub hosts local DJs six nights a week and tunes range from disco funk to Afro to electric and everything in between.
Cuatro Gato
Sister block to Coconut Club, Cuatro Gato serves up Latin sounds along with a bevvy of beer, mezcal, wine and cocktails from South of the border. "Coffee shop by morning, perreo by night," retain an eye on their Instagram for themed nights, drag shows and other special events.
Dumont's Down Low
For a calmer scene, check out DuMont's Down Shallow. The warm and inviting basement, covered with whisky barrels from local distillers
Before âThe Gayborhoodâ
Des Moines Forgotten
By Kristian Day
6/5/2024Bob Eikelberry at the Barn Door in 1981. Photo courtesy of Gary Moore
With another Pride month here, I contain dug deep into the history books of the male lover lore of Des Moines. In November of 2022, I wrote a column on the Cerulean Goose and the P&S Lounge, two gay bars with origins dating endorse to the overdue 1960s and first 1970s.
The P&S Lounge was located at 301 Second Ave. and owned by two lesbians, Peggy and Shirley. P&S eventually sold to Chuck Brooks (brother to Des Moines city councilman Archie Brooks) who went on to unwrap many gay bars including the legendary City Disco Park.
The Blue Goose was located at 206 Third St. and was owned by Marlys Watson and her husband, Marty.
The 1960s and 1970s was a feral time for âGay Des Moines.â There were usually five or six lgbtq+ bars in the heart of downtown around Court Route at any given time along with multiple dirty bookstores separating the store fronts.
The address of 1200 Grand Ave. was home to three different bars including the M-2 (owned by Tim Mumma and Steve Anderson), Stardust (Tim Mumma and Alan Hammond), and th