London Gay Bars

Part of the fabric of gay London and a must-visit for anyone wanting to hit the tourist trail in London. G-A-Y Bar is a place for fun-loving young crowd most nights of the week, located in the heart of Soho.

The venue has 3 floors. Upstairs can be far more popular than the ground floor during the week as it has a small outdoor terrace (usually full of smokers). The basement is slightly more chic.

Packed at the weekend. Everyone is frisked on the way in.

This new inclusive LGBTQ+ venue opened in August 2020 and has quickly become one of London’s most popular gay nightlife hotspots. Zodiac Bar & Club is open seven days a week, hosting regular special events and drag performances by drag royalty and popular queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. If you want to meet the UK’s next drag superstar, this is the place!

Upcoming events include Karaoke and Cabaret, check Zodiac’s website for details and tickets.

Set back from Rupert Street with its own private courtyard with outdoor heaters, The Yard is particularly popular with those who still like to smoke.

Inside the original brickwork, wooden beams and the gorgeous bar staff are exposed. In the case of the bar staff, we mean shirtless.

The Yard is one of the most stylish gay venues in Soho and a firm favorite of ours. They can even host private parties in their upstairs bar. The entrance is directly opposite the Rupert Street bar.

Located just off Wardour Street, in the alley between Ann Summers and The Village in London’s Soho gay district. Friendly Society is a fun and unique basement gay bar with a laid-back vibe.

Great to stop by for a drink and a quick ogle of the gorgeous barmen. Barbie dolls hanging from the ceiling, eclectic lights and black & white movies make the bar a favorite hangout for gay men, lesbians and their straight friends.

Another very popular gay bar located right in the middle of Soho.

Rupert Street serves food (burgers, etc.) and drinks during the day but is packed with the party crowd in the evening, spilling over onto the street during the summer.

Plenty of eye candy both in front and behind the bar. Rupert Street brings in some pretty good DJ’s to play live every Friday and Saturday night.

Located in what used to be a Victorian hotel, Comptons of Soho had become a pub called ‘The Swiss Tavern’ in the 1950s and acquired a reputation as being a meeting place for gay men which was illegal at the time.

In 1986, the name was changed to “Comptons of Soho” and it came out in the open as being a gay bar. Over 25 years later, Comptons is still regarded as one of the most popular gay pubs in London.

Attracts a more mature, beer-drinking crowd than found in some of the other gay bars in Soho.

The sister branch to the main KU Bar on Lisle Street. Little KU offers a slightly more relaxed and laid-back vibe, with regular drink offers served up by sexy KU barmen.

Located on Frith Street in Soho.

Traditional English gay pub in the heart of Soho, named after Admiral Adam Duncan who defeated the Dutch fleet in 1797.

Inside the bar is a chandelier in memory of the 3 people killed and 70 injured in the 1999 attack by a neo-Nazi who attempted (and failed) to stir up homophobic tensions in London.

The attack marked a turning point in the relationship between the police, local government and gay community which became closer and stronger than ever. All gay tourists to London should pay at least one visit to this historic gay bar.

One of the most popular gay bars in Soho. Busy every night of the week, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays. Slightly quieter upstairs if you want to chat with friends.

Niklas hosts karaoke on Wednesdays. VILLAGE’s sexy go-go dancers strut their stuff on the bar top and podium, from Thursday through Saturday. Squeeze in and watch!

John The Unicorn is a Restaurant/Bar based at the heart of Peckham Rye. Offering eye-catching decor and a feature rotating kitchen with pop-up street food, John The Unicorn is certainly a memorable social and dining experience. The establishment prides itself on offering a wide and colourful range of food and drink; including craft beers, cocktails and street food.

A flexible venue, John The Unicorn is open for a large portion of the day and evening; making it a great place for lunch, dinner or for evening drinks.

Stylish chill-out bar in Soho, promising to “bring a little sparkle” to London’s gay district. Great place for a drink and chat before heading off to a club. Sister venue of Circa Embankment.

Themed entertainment most nights of the week, including Friday nights with their mix of Chart music and R&B. The cute bar staff are pretty good, too!

The independently owned gay bar & dance club, located just a few steps from Leicester Square, celebrates its 20 anniversary last year.

The large main ground floor bar attracts all types, from twinks to muscle Mary’s, locals and tourists. The walls of flat screen TV’s play nonstop chart-topping music videos, whilst behind the bar, the KU boys are a visual treat in their own rights.

KU Klub is located in the basement of the bar. Free entry, apart from Friday & Saturdays after 11pm (£5). Both the bar and club continue to be two of the most popular gay venues in London.

Great service and reasonably priced drinks – winning combination that has been reflected in the many awards this bar has won in recent years.

For over a decade, The Duke of Wellington has served as a classic British local gay pub in the middle of Soho.

A genuinely friendly bar that serves as a ‘local’ for many who live or work in the heart of London.  You’ll find plenty of sport fixtures on flat screen TV’s on the weekend.

Stylish gay-popular cocktail lounge bar from the KU group. The Light Lounge serves a great selection of beers, wines and cocktails.

Mixed/LGBT crowd. Located directly above KU Bar.

Stylish, sophisticated bar & nightclub in the heart of Soho that attracts a mixed, trendy crowd – particularly those working in media, fashion and entertainment including gay celebrities.

Freedom Bar features a stylish ground floor, cocktail bar and dance floor in the basement, with crystal chandeliers, crushed pink velvet seating and over 200 mirror balls. A sight to see!

Gay bar since 1982, and going strong 30+ years later. Kings Arms is known as being one of the most friendly places in Soho. Popular with bears.

Every Friday and Saturday nights, resident DJ’s  Simon M, Eazy, Mr Jones and Mr Evans spin the decks. Karaoke on Sundays.

The bar serves a large cask ale selection as well as ciders and spirits.

The traditionally after-hours version of G-A-Y Bar, located about a 5-minute walk away – where most of the guys head sometime between 11pm and midnight. A staple of the London gay scene for over a decade.

Open every day of the week but restricted to members and guests only on Sunday nights. The place may be somewhat hard to find, as it’s hidden behind the redevelopment of Tottenham Court Rd Station.

One of London’s most famous gay cabaret show bars with a different crowd-pulling theme every night. Great bar for finding cheap drinks deals in the heart of central London.

Weekly themed nights at Halfway to Heaven include karaoke and sing-along – check their website for the latest program.

Historic gay bar that welcomes everyone. Downstairs, the atmosphere is slightly with a different DJ each night playing their own mix of classic and contemporary tunes.

City of Quebec hosts regular entertainment, karaoke and special events. And late license means that customers can enjoy an affordable late-night out. Mixed crowd. Free WiFi available.

Gay-popular, late-night mixed bar in the heart of Soho, London, that welcomes everyone.

BAR Soho serves a wide selection of wines and cocktails. Resident DJ’s play 7 nights a week. The bar also hosts occasion LGBT events.

Ziggy’s is a cocktail bar dedicated to gay icon David Bowie, located at the Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street. This was where Bowie threw ‘The Last Supper’ party to bid farewell to his Ziggy Stardust persona in 1973.

The stylish bar is decorated with photos by Mick Rock, Bowie’s official photographer at the time of the party. The drink menu pays homage to The Dame. You can order a “Tigers on Vaseline” – make mine a “Lady Grinning Soul.”

Located right between Soho and Mayfair.

This trendy cocktail bar is located in St Pancras, and is hosting regular drag shows and events. On the weekends the bar turns into a dance club at night with DJs and popular clubbing music. There is a drag cabaret on every Friday night, as well as Drag Race viewing parties (usually Thursdays).