Washington, DC Gay Nightlife – Best Gay Bars & Clubs in 2024

Heading up to the Shaw/U-Street bar and club-heavy entertainment corridor, there are tons of options, including Kiki, Dirty Goose, Shakers, Uproar Lounge, Service Bar and DC9. We love all of these venues, but perhaps Kiki is our favorite of this group with at least 4 bars spread across two levels with plenty of outdoor space. The crowd here is always social and ready to party. Upstairs, you’ll find a dance floor with a cage that gets wilder as the night progresses.

Next door, the rooftop at Dirty Goose is a great place to relax and socialize with friends. The homage to the pop princess, Miss Britney Spears, in the back staircase is a worth a visit alone.

Around the corner, Shakers, the newest of the gay bars in DC, is growing in popularity. Weekend drag shows are high energy and draw huge crowds as does Sunday funday.

Speaking of Sunday, The Beer Blast at Uproar Lounge from 4-8pm is also insanely popular in spring and summer. Come early or you'll be stuck on the middle level at the bar waiting for space to open up on the roof. The crowd is decidedly more bear than twink, but you'll see all types here, and the vibe is very friendly.

For excellent cocktails, gay-friendly Service Bar is your best option in the Shaw/U-Street neighborhood. They recently won No. 33 on the list of 50 best bars in North America.

Finally, if your visit times with gay events at DC9, don't miss it! Hundreds of sexy, sweaty, and shirtless gay men from across the city come to dance the night away. Bunker is another newer gay nightclub on U Street, which is underground and gets pretty wild, especially for their underwear parties.


To round out our list of the best gay bars and clubs in DC, don't miss Duplex Diner in Adam's Morgan at 18th and U. Popular with locals and the drag community, they even have a specialty cocktail on the menu named for the current winner of the Miss Adam's Morgan Pageant. MAMP, as it's known, is a DC institution that showcases the outrageous creativity of amateur drag. In Adams Morgan, you'll also find gay sports bar Pitchers and A League of Her Own for the ladies.

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