Gay Bars and Clubs in Phoenix

5749 N. 7th St. Central Phoenix

602-277-9373

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Music Venues, Slideshow

A longtime favorite of the Phoenix gay scene, Apollo's is the kind of bar where you can have a few beers and hang with a diverse selection of drinkers. From jockish preps and fabulous drag queens to big cuddly bears and roughneck biker types, they all gather here for the camaraderie and cute bartenders. If your peepers get tired from all the people watching, there's karaoke from Thursday through Saturday, and the infamous "Greek God Revue" strip show on Sundays.

36 articles

Bar 1

3702 N. 16th St. East Phoenix

602-266-9001

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, DrinkHere

Far from the leather bars, rainbow-flagged saunas and diva-filled discotheques found elsewhere, Bar 1 is casual gay nightlife that still knows how to have fun. Established in 2008, its easygoing, candlelit atmosphere allows patrons to talk in their (gasp!) indoor voices whether relaxing in the lounge seating, playing pinball or unwinding on the outdoor patio. Daily specials rotate throughout the week, including beer busts on Monday, Long Island Wednesdays, 2-4-1 Thursdays and multiple happy hours. Menu options include a long list of craft cocktails to pair with bar snacks and specialty shots.

3 articles

Boycott Bar

4301 N. Seventh Ave. Central Phoenix

602-825-6240

Gay Bars and Clubs, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Readers' Choice, DrinkHere

This lesbian-leaning Melrose District spot has cold beers, well-mixed cocktails, dancing, drag shows and good people. Boycott also maintains a varied and thoughtful event calendar: Patrons can expect everything from Pride-related events to Latin and country dance nights. It’s a solid stop while bar-hopping along the Melrose curve — and a sturdy local watering hole as well. Look for the pink light.

8 articles

BS West

7125 E. Fifth Ave. Central Scottsdale

480-945-9028

Gay Bars and Clubs, Bars and Clubs, American, Barbecue, Best Of

BS West is a rarity among Scottsdale bars. It’s the only LGBT spot in the city, a distinction it's enjoyed for over 30 years. In that time, the two-story bar, dance joint, and drag club just off Craftsman Court has established a loyal following that’s spanned generations. (Historically, its been more of a gay male crowd, but everyone’s invited, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.) BS West’s appeal lies in its electric atmosphere and a combo of live entertainment (drag shows, go-go boys, rowdy karaoke sessions), music selection (ranging from club hits to Latin), sex appeal (the male bartenders go shirtless), and nightly drink deals. Plus, you gotta love a place where the staff occasionally answers the phone with “This is BS.”

23 articles

Charlie's Phoenix

727 W. Camelback Rd. Central Phoenix

602-265-0224

Bars and Clubs, Dance Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice, DrinkHere

Charlie’s is a slice of Phoenix gay bar history that has huddled along Camelback Road just west of Seventh Avenue since its debut in 1984. In those days, the “lil bitty ol’ pissant country place” and dance hall opened by John King (co-founder of the International Gay Rodeo Association) was aimed at gay urban cowboys and country music fans. As times and interests changed (and competition increased), so did Charlie’s. Today, the place boasts a larger dance floor, an even bigger parking lot, a taco truck out front, an outdoor patio with two bars and bleacher seating in the back, and a wide cross-section of the entire LGBT community. Charlie’s events calendar is just as diverse. Drag performances, bingo games, Latin and country dance nights, and karaoke are some of its most popular activities. It's also famous for its after-hours weekend dance parties.

46 articles

Club Forbidden

6820 E. 5th Ave. Central Scottsdale

480-994-4168

Gay Bars and Clubs, Bars and Clubs, Slideshow

1 article

Club VOLT

3108 E McDowell Rd Central Phoenix

602-244-1465

Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

7 articles

Club Zarape

1730 E. McDowell Rd. Central Phoenix

480-946-0416

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of

To say that this CenPho showclub and gay vaquero bar is colorful would be an understatement. A lively variety of neon lights and multicolored decorations mix with a vibrant vibe and diverse clientele that visit Zarape on a nightly basis. Its female illusionist revues blend sass, style, music, and comedy into playful drag spectaculars featuring hits from such popular Latina divas as Shakira and Gloria Trevi being lip-synched by local drag artists, who also add plenty of wit, charm, and well-timed raunch into their trills. But when the revues end and the spotlight dims, these colorful characters don't vacate the premises. They're just as apt to hang out and interact with the cowboy-booted caballeros that stop by Zarape to spend the evening dancing to salsa, cumbia, banda and norteño music.

2 articles

Cruisin' 7th

3702 N. 7th St. Central Phoenix

602-212-9888

Gay Bars and Clubs, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Cruisin’ 7th Show Bar & Lounge dates back to 1977. Back then, it was located just north of Roosevelt Street and Central Avenue and was (appropriately) called Cruisin’ Central. The bar changed its name upon its 2003 move to its current location, where its calling card is splashed across the standalone building: “The Best Drag Shows in Town.” Owners Lynn and Mike McGarry have built at Cruisin 7th a second home to many, but especially members of Phoenix’s gay and trans communities. They offer tantalizing daily drink specials ($3 bloody marys till noon, $5 cocktails all day), open up at 6 a.m., and host weekly club events and game nights. They also took advantage of the pandemic to do some renovations and redesigns. Stop by and soak in one of Phoenix’s most irreplaceable clubs.

11 articles

Empire Nightclub

5030 W. McDowell Rd. Central Phoenix

Gay Bars and Clubs

1 article

Onyx Art & Events

1346 W Roosevelt St Suite A Central Phoenix

602-595-8484

Art Galleries, Attractions and Amusement Parks, Community Venues, Gay Bars and Clubs, Slideshow

2 articles

Pat O's Bunkhouse Saloon

4428 N. 7th Ave. Central Phoenix

602-200-9154

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, DrinkHere

Pat O’s puts the “G” in the Melrose District’s LGBTQ scene. Its clientele is largely gay men, many of whom are unabashedly members or fans of the bear or leathermen subcultures. Former owner and namesake Pat Olivo — a fixture in the local gay scene for decades — died in March 2022, but his bar continues his legacy. Here, you may stumble into discussions of Phoenix’s LGBTQ history or trans rights, games of bingo or poker, or parties out on the ample fenced-in outdoor patio. And then there are the Sunday darts tournaments and daily drinks specials. Within its roomy interior — it’s a former home converted decades ago — a large bar, various tables and countertops, relics from now-defunct local gay bars and plenty of playful banter and flickering laughter are waiting. Pat O’s is a local institution.

7 articles

Plazma

1560 E. Osborn Rd. Central Phoenix

602-266-0477

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of

A video bar, drinkery, and nightspot all rolled into one, Plazma is a quaint hangout for the LGBT community, tucked away just off 16th Street, providing a cool haven to shoot pool, chat over drinks, and even suck down colorful Jello shots from plastic syringes. When the jukebox isn't bumping out techno or pop diva hits (which is often) the multiple plasma TVs are showing videos and campy movies. The weekly Plazma Playhouse also features performances by such gender-bending female illusionists and drag queens such as Afeelya Bunz, with numerous drink specials on tap nightly.

5 articles

R Lounge

4301 N. 7th Ave Central Phoenix

602-265-3233

Adult, Bars and Clubs, Dance Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Performing Arts Venues

The Rock

4129 N. 7th Ave. Central Phoenix

602-248-8559

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of

The showroom of this extremely LGBTQ-friendly Melrose District watering hole is a destination for drag, comedy, and cabaret performances — or often a mix of all three. Popular local queens — Barbra Seville, Lady Christian, Espressa Grande — are regulars on the calendar, performing shows with names like the “Lady Christian Trailer Trash Review.” Definitely stop by this staple of the Phoenix gay bar and drag scene if you’re barhopping around the Melrose Curve. But it works as a solid neighborhood bar, too: The Rock has daily happy hour specials, weekly karaoke nights, a jukebox, and, in non-pandemic times, raucous dance parties.

33 articles

Roscoes On 7th

4531 N. 7th St. Central Phoenix

602-285-0833

American, Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Menu

This athletic-themed CenPho gay bar is typically packed with both sports spectators and participants alike, as Roscoes sponsors several local rec league teams and hosts weekly pool tournaments. Trophies upon trophies adorn one corner of the establishment and celebrate the achievements of these weekend warriors, while the pennants for local pro teams dotting the walls show off Roscoes' support for hometown heroes. During football season, the joint opens at 10 a.m. on weekends for the early games, and various happy hour specials are offered throughout the week, such as two-for-one cocktails and domestic beers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The bartenders usually wear referee jerseys, and aren't afraid to cite patrons who perpetrate party fouls.

1 article

Stacy's @ Melrose

4343 N. Seventh Ave. Central Phoenix

602-264-1700

Gay Bars and Clubs, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Readers' Choice

15 articles

Twisted Peacock

3108 E. Mc Dowell Rd. East Phoenix

602-267-8707

Bars and Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Slideshow

According to both the bartenders and regulars at this Phoenix gay hangout, Twisted Peacock is where people can be themselves -- be they rich or poor, old or young -- and enjoy a night out without worrying about what they're wearing or what tax bracket they fall into. Entertainment abounds via the multiple television screens playing music videos or from the stage area in the back where female illusionist revues and strip shows are presented throughout the week. While there's no kitchen to speak of, the Red Devil restaurant next door can deliver food to customers who want to soak up the two-for-one drinks that are available until 8 p.m. each night. Still concerned that you might be a bit over the legal limit? Fear not. The bar provides free rides home from local cab companies, so you can be sure that you'll arrive home safe and sound.

7 articles

Zoan

4301 N. 7th Ave. Central Phoenix

602-265-3233

Dance Clubs, Gay Bars and Clubs, Best Of

Previously known as zGirl Club -- as well as Misty’s, Desert Rose, and Talk of the Town before that -- this after-dark destination in the heart of the Melrose District gay epicenter as one of the longest-running lesbian bar establishments in the Valley. Under its current existence as Zoan, it always seems to be crammed to the gills with Sapphic sirens of every stripe. From “bois” with spiky hairdos to jockish gals in shorts and tee shirts, ladies from around the Valley gather here to flirt and frolic while shooting pool or relaxing in its gorgeous side lounge. Dancing fun is offered within the video bar vibe of the main room, where high-energy club tracks and eye-catching visuals are played on numerous HD screens and Zoan’s bartenders pour such adult beverages as the “Pop My Cherry.” Hit the place during its electronica night, and you’ll likely find girls grinding on each other to Lady GaGa pop or EDM tracks, as well as the occasional femme fatale in skin-tight black pleather.

5 articles

Gay Bars and Clubs in Phoenix

Newsletter Sign Up

Enter your name, zip code, and email