Best Gay Bars for Dancing
Very often, when you go to a gay bar, you do so because you want to blow off some steam. As party goers, you want to dance to pop hits, and grab a few drinks – maybe even wink at the cute and friendly bartenders. If you are in the mood for some fun, here are some bars that can help you enjoy the nightlife.
Tony’s Corner Pocket
Tony’s Corner Pocket is considered by many to be the gem of the community. It has friendly bartenders, the performances of the drag queens are hilarious, and there are countless drinks for you to choose from.
The place is mostly popular for its amateur strip nights, allowing you to enjoy line dancing and a variety of other performances. Just a $1 tip can get the competition going – but the more you tip, the more intriguing it will get.
Papi’s Houston Nightclub
If you are tired of the country music that is ever-present in Houston, you may want to try Papi’s Houston Nightclub. This is a great spot for you to bust a move on Latin music and get the margaritas flowing.
Found in Montrose, this club has something for you every day of the week. Days are quite tranquil, meaning you can bring a date over to have some chill time.
However, once evening comes, the cumbia dancing, drag shows, and Mexican bingo start. The weekend is even more fun, as that’s when the crowd starts gathering the most.
Numbers Night Club
“In a predominately heterosexual society, ‘know thyself’ can be a challenge for many gay individuals,” said Netta Weinstein, lecturer at Essex University. This is why nightclubs such as the Numbers Night Club are so important: they allow you to be yourself so that you can discover who you are.
This Houston institution was formed in 1978, functioning as a disco bar that supported gay rights. It’s a place where you can enjoy the flowing drinks and rock the dance floor of the expansive space. If you’re around for the Classic Numbers Disco Night, you may want to drop by for a visit.
Neon Boots Dance Hall and Saloon
Do you want to take your neon boots on the dance floor? In that case, you should give the Neon Boots Dancehall a try. Located in Timbergrove, which is just outside the “gayborhood,” this place has Texas vibes written all over it.
Before it became Neon Boots, this place used to be the Esquire Ballroom. Big names such as Willie Nelson played live here, keeping the atmosphere going and the weekend busy. You can also get line dancing lessons here if you want to truly make it a unique night.
ReBar
Formerly known as Rich’s, this bar originally opened in the 1980s. People came for its high-tech lights and the sound that permeated the dance floor. Everything came to life underneath the spiked disco ball – a feature that they kept to this day.
ReBar is all about entering the modern era while remembering its roots. Visitors can enjoy various services such as VIP bottles, multiple bars, a very lively dance floor, and a stunning patio area.
ReBar also sells food that puts other restaurants to shame. The meals have a Southern flair, from burgers and fancy meals to delicious desserts. There are also drag shows that you can enjoy during Sunday brunch, from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Not everything takes place during the night, and ReBar wants to prove that every moment of the day should be made interesting.
Barcode
Once you see the rainbow flags and barcodes decorating the outside of this bar, you’ll know you’re in for a fabulous night. The place hosts several weekly events, including:
- Karaoke Mondays
- Thirsty Thursdays
- T&B Diva Fridays
- “Kings and Things” Sundays
On evenings when there aren’t any particular shows, you can enjoy a couple of rounds of pool and fancy drinks at the bar. Get a Long Island with a twist and start enjoying the drag shows.
Blur Bar
If you want to spend a whole evening dancing, then you may want to give the Blur Bar a shot. The name is fairly accurate: you’ll be dancing so much, everything will become a blur – the good kind.
The DJ at the Blur Bar will play all kinds of music every night, suitable for every music taste. You get hip-hop, dance, or even Latin songs. It’s the perfect bar for you to come over for a drink and bust a couple of moves.
La Ganja Disco Y Cantina
Open starting Wednesday through Friday, La Ganja is a great place for you to drink a pint of beer. It has the best menu for domestic beer in Texas, along with some great imports.
This bar is the perfect place for you to enjoy some Latin music on the dance floor, play some pool or watch drag shows. There are special events every weekend, so you should check their website. This way, you will come into the city at the perfect time.
The Room Bar and Lounge
The Room Bar and Lounge is a place that opened its doors some 16 years ago. It mixes the comfort of a bar, but with the vibe of a nightclub.
Every Wednesday, DJs come to set the atmosphere and get people on the dance floor. You can also enjoy drag bingo and drag shows, sipping special drinks at a very good price. Guests can join in on amateur or professional strip nights, where the tips can make the show even more intense.
Ripcord
When many people think of a gay bar, something like Ripcord will definitely come to mind. It’s a classic leather bar in Montrose where all the weird, wild and kinky people gather to have some fun.
The dancing area can get packed, especially at the end of the week. That being said, the crowd at this leather bar is fairly laid back and relaxed. It attracts the best of Texas, Houston’s gay community.
At this leather bar, everyone is accepted for exactly who they are. There aren’t any instances of gatekeeping or pretenses. All of the people there are simply comrades.
South Beach
If you are in Montrose, you may want to pay a visit to the South Beach Club. Here, you can enjoy a diverse menu of potent drinks, danceable playlists, and sexy staff. The laser light system is state of the art, and the dance floors catch life under the crowd.
This bar has had a long history in Houston. It operated from 2001 until 2010 when it closed for renovation. The gates opened in 2022 once more, welcoming people to a brand new South Beach.
Now, there is a lounge room inside, where you can easily get drinks from the bar. It gives you a break from the loud party area, allowing you to relax if you came on a date.
Once you are finished relaxing and want to kick things in motion, you can hit the dance floors. There are multiple levels of them, packed with crowds and allowing you to enjoy yourself.
Crystal Night Club
If you want a place where you can dance your heart out in Houston, Crystal is the place you should go to. Monday is the only day of the week when this club is not open – but nearing the weekends, the crowd starts to gather.
This place gets quite a diverse patronage from the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you are from Houston or part of the Latin crowd, it is a lively place where you can enjoy a couple of drinks and a good drag show.
Best Gay Bars to Relax In
Sometimes, going to a gay bar is not all about the parties, the drag shows, or the nightclub activity. There may be times when you just want to relax with some music in the background. When you talk to a cute someone you met on a dating app, you don’t want many distractions.
If that’s your case, here are some bars where you can do that. The majority still have evening club events. However, during the week or the day, these bars are just a great place to chill.
Buddy’s
Somewhere in Montrose, there is a very cute bar called Buddy’s. It’s a sleek and modern bar that attracts quite a diverse crowd. It’s a community hub with a very expansive space that hosts a lot of events.
For example, if you are there on a Wednesday night, you can hop onto the karaoke train. There are charitable events, as well as industry appreciation nights to go to.
The happy hour here is also very generous. Starting at 11 AM and until 9 PM, you can get some very good deals on the drinks that you want. It doesn’t compare to other bars in Houston, where happy hour lasts 2-4 hours at most.
If you want to relax, you can go on the patio with a rum punch fishbowl. The possibilities here are endless.
Crocker Bar
Croker Bar is one of the most popular gay bars in Montrose, well-known for its karaoke nights and late-night parties. It is a dark and loud place, but very inviting for people in the community.
On Friday night, clients already start gathering to get a festive shot such as the Blue Ball or the Mexican Candy.
Aside from the fun on the dance floor, this bar is also one of the most relaxing in the city. You can take your friends to the patio area and drink during happy hour. It’s the best place in town for guests to actually feel welcome.
Eagle Houston Bar
The Eagle Houston Bar has been around since 1970, and it’s the perfect place for you to learn about Houston’s gay community. If you don’t necessarily want to stay on the dance floor, you can simply take the stairs up to the Phoenix Room.
There, you can learn all about the major events in gay history. Drag queens can also peruse the associated shop for costume ideas.
JR’s Bar and Grill
People have been coming to this bar since 1978, proving to be a staple of the community. This Houston institution has plenty of friendly bartenders and a huge patio. There are also several dance floors where you can blow off some steam.
JR has several impressive dancers who work very hard, fully deserving of their tips. Like any self-respecting gay bar, weekend drag shows are also a must. Other events take place here as well, such as a happy hour or karaoke.
Michael’s Outpost
“It can be painful to keep significant aspects of the self hidden or to vigilantly separate aspects of the self from each other. Constant hiding creates difficulties in accurately assessing other people’s perceptions of oneself, as well as recognizing one’s own strengths,” says Jack Drescher, MD.
This is exactly what Michael’s Outpost in Houston, Montrose is all about. This bar keeps the weekends alive with its weekend shows, with cabaret drag dancers stealing the show. Even if there aren’t any shows during that night, you’ll still feel entertained in the cozy atmosphere. Chances are that you will even make a couple of friends there.
George’s Country Bar
A lot of newcomers to the community may be rather shocked to find out that there’s a country gay bar smack in the middle of Montrose. This bar captures the spirit of Houston, Texas, where the Urban Cowboy atmosphere can be felt at every corner.
The general crowd is mostly part of the older generation, but young folk feels very welcome every time they drop by. It’s the perfect bar for you to enjoy a couple of whiskeys while watching sports games.
With the rainbow flag decorating the patio, this is one of the most laidback bars you can go to. While there aren’t usually any fancy drag shows, it is still a relaxing place where people can relax on a Friday with their peers.
Guava Lamp
If you want to go out for a drink with your friends, Guava Lamp is one of the best bars to check out. Customers come over every day of the week, but Friday is the most popular.
It has some of the most polite bartenders in town, making you feel welcome even if you come over for a casual drink.
There is also the occasional karaoke event or drag show that you can join, along with a pool table where you can play a couple of balls.
Hamburger Mary’s
Do you want to enjoy some good food and drinks in Montrose, but don’t want to go to regular restaurants for this? In that case, Hamburger Mary’s is the best bar in town for that. The brunches are famous all over Houston, and people in Texas come here to enjoy the drag shows.
Get some Loaded Ta-Tas Fries or some Proud Mary Burgers to get your Friday night started. After that, you may join the crowd and start enjoying the shows. The drag queens are very entertaining at this bar.
Robert’s Lafitte
This bar in Houston is a place that welcomes people of every sexual orientation, as long as they are all friendly to one another. There is no discrimination allowed in this bar; you are here to make friends, grab a couple of drinks and join in the good vibe.
Patrons frequently come to this bar for its diverse entertainment program. This can include things such as:
- The Puppet Show
- The Turnabout Show
- The Rocky Horrible Show
There is also a tropical patio in this bar that you can easily relax in. Depending on the day, you can enjoy sports tournaments, drag shows, or the occasional karaoke evening. The staff tries its best to keep the patrons entertained, which is why every event is unique and special.
The Bottom Line
Whether you are in Montrose, Midtown, or any of the neighboring areas, Houston has plenty of bars where you can enjoy a couple of drinks and watch a drag show. Each place has its own charm, so you need to find the one that works best for your mood.
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