Xxl gay bar london

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It calls itself a ‘multipurpose queer venue’ and that’s no exaggeration: you’ll find drag brunch events in the upstairs bar by day, and forward-thinking club nights in the basement when it gets late. It’s here that you’ll find iconic names such as Dalston Superstore. This pub-cum-legendary queer performance venue has been threatened for years by greedy property developers, but the RVT Future Committee refuses to let it die.

Gay London

London is home to the most active Grindr users on the planet, meaning that if you're looking for a genuinely gay city, you can't do much better. From 11pm, however, it all gets a little raucous: the karaoke becomes a free-for-all, as drag queens and X Factor wannabes all sing like mad while backed by disco balls and wind machines.

Ku is a little classier and pricier than local rival G-A-Y, but attracts a broadly similar crowd and the young, up-for-it vibe is just as much fun. The Quebec is sometimes referred to as the ‘elephants’ graveyard’, on account of its older clientele, though it attracts a good mix of ages – though the younger men are often in search of a daddy.

This LGBTQ+ space is just a handbag's throw from Euston and Warren Street stations, and offers a lively mix of karaoke nights, drag shows, and club nights with gogo dancers. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best gay bars in central London

G-A-Y Bar

Soho’s world-famous G-A-Y has everything you’d expect: cheap drink offers on weekdays, a young crowd and plenty of Dua Lipa playing on the video screens.

So whether you're after a drag 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 legendary G-A-Y to lesbian-centric She Soho to sing-yer-heart-out special The Karaoke Hole.

RECOMMENDED: Keep the party going at London's best LGBTQ+ clubs.

Been there, done that?

It’s a gay ‘moment’.

For many, XXL was one of the few places where you could walk in, feel known, feel seen – even celebrated – for being exactly who you are. The downstairs alfresco area boasts sedate lighting, wooden banquettes and a fair bit of flora, giving things an almost bucolic feel.

On the former site of The Mermaid and more recently The Black Hen, it’s a pub that hasn’t exactly had the best luck staying open over the last few years - but it’s now in very capable hands, run by the team behind Hoxton fave The Nelson’s.

The White Swan

Located in once-grimy Limehouse, the White Swan is an East End gay staple.

Barbie dolls hang from the ceiling, there’s a big fishbowl in the middle and old movies are projected onto a back wall.

Ku Bar

Occupying a prominent spot on Soho’s Chinatown fringes, this large LGBTQ+ venue is regularly voted London’s best.

The upstairs loft bar has smart leather sofas and a balcony that’s popular with smokers. Most Londoners over the age of 25 profess to hate it, but they’ll still end up here a few times a year, drinking a WKD-based ‘cocktail’ and dancing to Lady Gaga.

The Retro Bar

Tucked away down an alley off the Strand, The Retro Bar is one of queer London’s secret gems.

Many bars and clubs actively support LGBTQ+ rights and provide safe spaces for everyone to express themselves freely. But don’t let the throng of punters spilling onto the street put you off. It’s especially popular with a crowd of beer-drinking, blokey gay men and can be kind of cruisey.

It's pretty gay every night of the week, but Thursdays are marked out for Queereoke, with an extra camp playlist to let loose to.

The Nelson’s

One of London’s cosiest LGBT+ boozers.