But if you are on the lookout for some of metro Phoenix's best gay and lesbian bars, keep reading. Our local LGBTQ+ bars have everything from loud, lively dance floors to quiet places to spark up a conversation and sip a strong drink. Drag shows or karaoke more your jam? We've got those too. Here are the top LGBTQ+ bars in Phoenix pulled from our freshly updated 2023 list of the Top 100 Bars.
Todd Colin (right) and his husband Todd Christensen at their 16th Street business, Bar 1.
Matt Hennie
Bar 1
3702 N. 16th St.602-266-9001 Far from the leather bars, rainbow-flagged saunas and diva-filled discotheques 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.
Boycott Bar
4301 N. Seventh Ave.602-825-6240 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 — but a sturdy local watering hole as well. Look for the pink light.
BS West
7125 E. Fifth Ave.480-945-9028 BS West is a rarity among Scottsdale bars. It’s the only LGBTQ+ 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, it's 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.”
Charlie's
727 W. Camelback Road602-265-0224 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 LGBTQ+ 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.
Karamba
1724 E. McDowell Road602-254-0231 The expansive, colorfully-lit dance floor at this gay dance club is almost always packed with bodies, whether it's boys dancing with boys, gals getting down with other gals, or various other combinations. Although the crowd and the music at Karamba leans Latino, the welcoming space is home to a diverse crowd during frenzied weekend events, when folks dance until dawn. Monday night karaoke, rotating theme nights and drag shows keep the party going throughout the week.
Kobalt
3110 N. Central Ave., #175602-264-5307 The current Kobalt is the second location of this Park Central gay bar. In the former spot, about 100 yards north in the same plaza, patrons spent years singing show tunes and ‘80s hits during its many karaoke nights, howling at the big screen during a watch party of "RuPaul’s Drag Race," prepping their singles for the next drag show number or happily ordering another drink. The new location offers all this with a bigger stage, i.e. more opportunities for performers and customers, or both, to ham it up during a wild night at Kobalt. This socially responsible watering hole also hosts national debate viewing parties and fundraisers and staff members can often be seen around town at protests.
Nu Towne Saloon
5002 E. Van Buren St.602-267-9959 Open since 1971, Nu Towne Saloon has earned landmark status as the Valley’s oldest gay bar still in operation. Located in east Phoenix across Van Buren Street from the equally historic Tovrea Castle, it's survived a lot over five decades: recessions, the fickleness of LGBTQ+ crowds and a massive fire in 2010 that completely gutted its interior. After the rebuild, the owners haven't changed much, keeping the narrow, rectangular building kitschy (there’s a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower on the roof) and its interior teeming with a seven-foot plaster rooster statue (insert jokes here, if you must) and antiques and memorabilia straight outta grandma’s attic. The decor extends out to the back patio, which was upgraded during the pandemic with a canvas roof and other amenities to handle Nu Towne’s crowds during its popular weekly beer deal on Sunday (where 16-ounce cups of Budweiser or Bud Lite are $2). Regulars visit for a drink or two at the lengthy indoor bar, a game of pool on either of its two tables, or to drop quarters into the Merlin fortune-telling machine. You don’t need to be psychic to know this is a fun place, though.
Pat O's Bunkhouse Saloon
4428 N. Seventh Ave.602-200-9154 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 this bar continues his legacy. Here, you might 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 to go along with 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.
