Los Angeles has two distinct gay bar worlds that barely talk to each other. West Hollywood has the mainstream gay bar scene on Santa Monica Boulevard. Silver Lake has the alternative and queer bars scattered around Sunset Boulevard and the surrounding streets. Getting between them requires a car or rideshare. Most visitors pick one and stay there, which is a reasonable approach.

West Hollywood

Santa Monica Boulevard through WeHo is the main gay bar strip. The stretch from La Cienega to Fairfax has the densest concentration, with additional venues on side streets. The range is broad: sports bars, dance clubs, leather bars, piano bars, drag shows, everything. Some venues have been operating for decades; others are newer. The bar scene here is polished and well-resourced compared to what you find in most US cities.

The crowds in WeHo lean toward a certain type — gym-going, put-together, mainstream gay culture. That is not a criticism, just an observation. If that is what you want, WeHo delivers it reliably. If you want something different, Silver Lake is the answer.

Weekend nights fill from 10pm. Clubs run until 2am, sometimes later. Cover charges apply at the bigger venues on weekends and during special events. LA Pride weekend in June is the extreme version of this — every venue is packed, cover charges go up, and the whole neighbourhood is overwhelming in a way that some visitors love and others find exhausting.

What has happened to the bar scene

Like most US cities, LA has lost gay bars over the past decade or two. Some long-running WeHo venues have closed. The ones that remain are mostly doing fine — they have loyal followings and enough tourist traffic to stay viable. But the scene is smaller than it was in the 1990s and early 2000s. New venues have opened but not at the rate that old ones closed.

Silver Lake's bar scene has fared somewhat better, possibly because the rents are lower and the model is different. Smaller venues with more flexible programming survive in ways that big dance clubs cannot.

Silver Lake

The Silver Lake queer bar scene is centred loosely around Sunset Junction and the streets nearby. Bars here are smaller, the music is different, the crowd is younger and more mixed. Some nights are specifically queer; others are mixed. The scene shifts around and relies more on promoters and nights than on fixed venues. Following the Instagram accounts of Silver Lake queer nights is more reliable than just showing up at a venue and hoping for the right crowd.

The bars

    • AVALON Hollywood
    • Bullet Bar — Drink specials attract a crowd at this casual hangout & nightclub with pub food & lively events.
    • Dolby Theatre — The Dolby Theatre is a live-performance auditorium in the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping mall and entertainment complex, on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, United States.
    • Eagle la — Long-standing gay hot spot caters to a leather-wearing crowd, with cheap beer nights & DJs.
    • Los Angeles Convention Center — The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles.
    • Midtowne Spa — The basement is a good place to have a good time and have some private fun. Recommend you bring paper bills, that's what the vending machine takes. Don't forget to bring your own slippers. They do have parking. It is the building on right side of the spa.
    • Montecillo De Leo Politi Park — This area of Elysian Park with a picnic area & grassy lawn can be reserved for private events.
    • Pantages Theatre — The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre, is located at Hollywood and Vine, in Hollywood. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was the last theater built by the vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages.
    • The Abbey — One of the best gay bars anywhere! If you're looking for fun, great people, good drinks, and amazing dancers- you should come here!
    • Walt Disney Concert Hall — The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown of Los Angeles, California, is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and was designed by Frank Gehry. It opened on October 24, 2003.

Practical notes

Drinks cost $12-18 in WeHo bars. Some Silver Lake places are cheaper. Cash is useful but not required anywhere. Parking in WeHo on a Friday or Saturday night is genuinely difficult. The city parking structures are your best option. Valet parking is offered outside some venues. Rideshare is simpler if you are coming from elsewhere in the city.

For the broader LA picture, see the Gay Los Angeles Guide.