What Was The Name Of The First Gay Bar You Went To?

[arwalden]

Discussion: How old were you? What city was it in?

The first gay bar I ever visited was called the "Melody Club" in Gainesville, Florida. It was 1978... the legal drinking age was still 18 (I was just barely legal.) --- Scared shitless, I was. Not only was it a (gasp!) gay bar with a disco... but it was also a DRAG BAR too. Oh my god! I had led such a sheltered life that I had NO IDEA what a drag queen was. It was one of the more memorable events in my life!!


PS: I got over my fear of drag queens! Now I adore them!!

[IsIt1984Yet]

1. I've not been to one to date. I live a sheltered life.

Although, I fully understand what a drag queen is.

[hippywife]

2. It was The Garage

in Columbus, OH and probably around 1978 or so, too. I don't know, I'm not good with remembering dates. At the time I worked with a guy who was gay and we all partied together so a bunch of us girls went with him one night and had a great time.

[dolo amber]

3. The Dock, Cincinnati

Great dance club, great drinks, great clientele. :thumbsup:

[billyskank]

4. The Barley Mow

Went there with a mate (both hetero). Didn't realise it was a gay pub. :rofl:

But it was a friday night and the place was completely dead! :wtf:

Still, we got a quiet drink, and that was the main thing.

[democracyindanger]

5. The Eagle

in Portland, OR. Bunch of coworkers out drinking, one of the guys was a recent NYC transplant and wanted to check out the scene, I knew that the Eagle was not just a gay bar but leather-chaps-hardcore-videos-on-tvs kinda place, but I figured 'what the hell.'

One of the guys in our group had no idea, and was not amused.

I, however, was greatly amused by his reaction.

[aaronbees]

129. I've been there ... fun place

Ahem, interesting videos. That whole strip of clubs/stores/etc. on Burnside is one of my fave nooks in the world.

We three straight boys had a good time playing pool at The Eagle; friendly folks all around. I'd go back!

[Sugar Smack]

6. Legends, in Raleigh, NC-

I went with a wonderful friend who was in drag. It was the first time I ever wore a blonde fall. I danced till 2 AM. I drank 4 white wines, and a guy out of nowhere told me I looked like Portia De Rossi. Is there anything that can warm your ego like that? :D

[begin_within]

47. I was there on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31 1994) and kind of put on a show-

- unwittingly, I was rather drunk and was making out with someone and was so into it, I didn't realize for a while that most of the people in the bar were watching us! When I realized that it all sort of stopped.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. It was in Manhattan - I think it's called "The Pyramid"

I went with a gay friend - we had a pretty good time!

It was quite the interesting experience.

[pagerbear]

16. Next time you're in NYC

...you and I are going to the Monster and singing show tunes!

[bettyellen]

121. Marie"s Crisis is the best for showtunes..... the monster for dancing

and uncle charlies for watching dynasty on the big screen tv.
i'm just a gay man in a woman's body it would seem. :shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Connexions in Boonton, NJ when I was in HS

It's the worst gay bar ever, filled with unattractive women (think big hair lesbians stuck in the 80s) and if you do find someone attractive, they're either straight or will turn into a psycho stalker. I live two miles away and I won't even go there.

[auntAgonist]

9. The Aut Bar in Ann Arbor Michigan

I have friends that practically live there!! :rofl:

The owners are wonderful business people, they also own a bookstore next door to the bar called The Common Language Book Bar. A great place to get a coffee and browse.

aA
kesha

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GirlinContempt]

39. What the hell is with all these

deleted sub threads all over the most innocuous threads?

[cleofus1]

11. the mine shaft

in Albuquerque

wait i think the mine shaft is in madrid...

the mining company....

i do remember the native bar being the blue spruce in albuqueerque...and the santa fe native bar was the rockin' tee pee...

[AngryAmish]

12. Roscoe's --Chicago

Most popular gay bar in Chicago. I could not bear to go there now (music is too loud) but i was young and with friends. They do have a nice outdoor seating area and I wonder if the food is any good or typical crappy bar food.

[terrya]

82. It's typical crappy bar food

Roscoe's food is nothing to write home about...

On the other hand, if you've ever been to Big Chicks here in Chicago, there's a restaurant next door (owned by the owner of BC's) called Tweet that's a really good restaurant. Good food at good prices.

[AngryAmish]

87. Tweet has really good breakfasts

Been there twice but not for over a year. I have not been there for lunch or dinner.

I went to breakfast (again) at M. Henry (5700 N. Clark) on Sunday. One of the best breakfasts I ever had.

Where are the best breakfast bunch places I have been to recently:

- Lula on Kedzie in Logan Square.
- aforementined M. Henry
- Pier 34 or Bin 34 (I always forget the name of this joint) It is on Irving Park just west of Ravenswood (on the corner) on the north side of the street. Mexican/Cuban type food.
- Paulene's on Ravenswood

[terrya]

89. Thanks for the tips

I've heard some good things about M. Henry. Will have to check that (and the rest of them) out.

[Kali]

13. It was either Miss Matty's Attic or HisCo. Disco, Phx area

Late 70's. Fun times. Remember amyl?

edit to answer other question - age? young, but legal

[begin_within]

46. I remember HisCo Disco, but I never got in because I was too young. Some

people called it "Maggie's" as a euphemism. I moved away from Phoenix just before I turned old enough to get into the bars there.

[Kali]

77. that's right! I had forgotten

used to go to a couple others - there was a lesbian bar right near there and another disco in a strip mall on the north side of Thomas Rd I think? and I can't remember the name, or if it was even a gay bar, but there was a spot just off of Scottsdale road in "Scottsdale" that made THE best Pina Coladas I have ever had and a good happy hour buffet.

[begin_within]

81. There was a gay bar on 7th street named Connexions, I think, and a

place called Nu Towne Saloon, I think, and a couple of other spots, but I never went inside any of them. When I lived there, the drinking age was 19, and I turned 19 shortly before I left, so for about one month, I was legally able to drink there. But I was so busy graduating and getting ready to move that I didn't make it to any of those bars. Then I moved to Oregon where the age was 21, and suddenly I was no longer able to legally drink! That was weird. I think since then Arizona has changed it to 21. But I remember HisCo was the most popular, straight people went there too, and there was another place on Van Buren but I don't remember the name of it, possibly that was the lesbian bar. I did have friends that went into all these places at that time.

[Kali]

97. Nu Town sounds familiar, which is all surprising as those were some pretty

heavy drinking days! Yep its all 21 now, my poor son finaly hits that this October, hee hee

[Cobalt Violet]

Dupe.

[Cobalt Violet]

14. The Ramrod. Boston, in my 20's

[jonnyblitz]

50. mine was "119 Merrimack " in Boston. nt

[HEyHEY]

15. Triangles, Moncton, New Brunswick.

[pagerbear]

17. The Brass Rail, Charlotte, NC

It spring, 1980. I was 17 and still in HS. I think at the time it was a bit of the sort of bar where one met older gentlemen and the impoverished waifs who loved them (or was that vice versa) but I didn't know that.

[Briarius]

18. Diva's in Northampton, MA

on pride night, so it was packed! Fun time though!

[sundog]

19. tracks in dc

[arwalden]

20. Oh! I've Been There!

It was fun!

[Arugula Latte]

21. Me too ... and I'm straight.

I remember the boys playing volleyball, though! :)

[sundog]

22. kevin aviance used to perform there every weekend

lots of good memories of that place... in sorts of altered states of mind :D

[jonnyblitz]

52. I've been there also.

:crazy:

[sundog]

96. good time eh?

:D

hey jonny :hi:

[jonnyblitz]

115. I barely remember. I was in DC for a Smiths concert...

:hi: I do remember it was open after hours place with a big outside area with some sort of water thingy (fountain), i think.

[terrya]

84. I've been there. That place was HUGE

[sundog]

93. that place was part of my upbringing

:)

[terrya]

95. Ah.

I didn't know you lived in DC. :-)

The only bars I know of in DC is tracks and the Frat House. Haven't been there in 13 years.

[mzteris]

23. Garden & Gun Club

(aka G&G) in Charleston, SC (why it ws called that, I don't know). I was 22-ish. It was the only place you could go after midnight on Saturdays ('cause then it was SUNDAY and the bars closed unless it was a PRIVATE club.)

After that was the Purple something or other in Macon, GA. I went with my cousin who is gay. He had "come out" to me earlier that night - I was the first family member he told. Though I wasn't really surprised. When we were kids and played Roy Rogers and Dale Evans - he always wanted to be Dale because he loved her clothes and her horse was prettier. We never told anyone that we "switched roles". (I remember a really cute guy came up and said, "Do you want to dance?" As I prepared to answer, my cousin answered, "SURE." That's when I realized the guy wasn't asking *ME*! lol Also there was a female impersonator named Miss Kitty - damn - *I* should've looked so good! I had no idea until my cousin told me that Miss Kitty wasn't born a "miss".

Next was The Electric Company in Durham, NC. I'd just moved to Chapel Hill and asked some people where to go dancing. They thought it'd be funny to tell me that the "happening place" was a gay bar - only I didn't KNOW it was a gay bar. (I was still kinda clueless at that point.) However, I met some absolutely WONDERFUL people there that I wound up hanging out with for a couple of years. (LONG story there...)

One time THEY took me to Legends in Raleigh, NC where I danced the night away with any and everyone - and even one of the non-straight guys told me I was "hot". :rofl: - THAT, my friends, was a LONG time ago . . .

I used to love gay bars. You could dance by yourself. With anyone. Without anyone. Any way you wanted. And everyone was accepted. What a cool place they are.

[tuvor]

24. The Royal, RIP

About 30. Vancouver.

[RetroLounge]

25. It was either La Cage or Club 219

in Milwaukee. I was in my early to mid 20's.

RL

[Scooter24]

26. Dallas, TX. April 7, 2000...

It was April 7, 2000. Went to a place in the gayborhood area of Dallas to a club called the Village Station (now known as Station 4). Went with a huge group of friends and met many others that night. If I remember correctly, I even made out on the dance floor with a hottie. haha. Oh the memories... :D

[GOPisEvil]

27. The Bonham in San Antonio.

They would have "straight night" with quarter beer and great dance music. I wonder if it's still there. I think it is...

[fudge stripe cookays]

33. Me too!

My friend and I were bored with our usual Emo's schtick, so decided to take a road trip for the evening and ended up at the Bonham.

It was 1990, and Madonna's birthday, so it was a Madonna-thon and everyone was "vogue-ing."

[libnnc]

28. O'Henry's; Asheville, NC

The only gay bar in Asheville at the time. I was underage but they let me in anyway.

It was my first real "date" with a woman. I was home from Junior College and lied to my Mom about who I was with. I told her I was with my high school friend Kevin, I was really with Maria (beautiful brown eyes :loveya: ) I met Maria at a gay/lesbian social in the city. She took me to O'Henry's after an evening at the community theatre. She kissed me goodnight in her beat up VW bug.

My first kiss from a woman....:loveya:

Wonder where she is now?

Edit to add: it was 1990, I was 20.

[idgiehkt]

37. Me too.

How freaky.

The first time I went there I was actually pulled over by cops for going the wrong way down a one way street, the cop pulled me over in the O'Henry's parking lot (in the back) with the blue lights going. I was mortified, because I had been planning on going there anyway and meeting some people from work. My BOSS, of all people, came out of the bar (alot of people came out the back door when they saw the blue lights, lol) and asked me if I was okay and the cop yelled at her and told her to get away from my car. It was so embarassing.

And either the next night or the next week I went there and to Scandals.

[japple]

100. Me three.

My husband and I had just moved to Asheville--1980. We had just gotten our new library cards at Pack Library, browsed around Malaprops (it was then located next door to O'Henrys), then went into O'Henry's for a beer. I went there several times with friends from work, both gay and straight. It was a very cool place. I've moved back to GA now and really miss Asheville, Banner Elk, and Boone.

[swag]

29. Can't remember the name.

It was a disco off Dupont Circle on Connecticut Ave in DC. 1983. I was 22.

[bridgit]

30. the one that comes to mind is: The Abbey, in LA, years ago...

while attending UCLA http://www.abbeyfoodandbar.com

[ronnykmarshall]

104. I love The Abbey.

Great apple martinis and HOT bartenders.

[bridgit]

122. ronnyk!!!

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hug: :hug: :hug: :kick:

[liberaltrucker]

31. French Quarter, NOLA 1974

A male friend and I(both straight)walked, nay stumbled, into this bar
on Conti Street. The bartender must have sensed something was amiss when
she saw my friend hitting on someone.

She said "Y'all straight?"
When I replied yes, she said

And I quote regional dialect, OK?
"Betta tell 'em that gull's got a keekstand".

He turned, in the words of a song of the day,
a whiter shade of pale.

:rofl:

[Tyler Durden]

32. The Oar House, Norfolk VA

(commonly called "The Whore House.) Went as the "token straight" and designated driver for two gay friends who were fellow Sailors.

All the Lesbians danced with me out of pity as there was nobody there of either sex for me to pick up! I had a great time.

[arwalden]

34. Ahh! Been There Too...

... many many weekends (and many many dollars) were spent there. I used to date one of the DJ's there too. It didn't work out romantically, but after all these years he's one of my best friends.

[jonnyblitz]

55. I used to go to the Oarhouse all the time when I was stationed

there.

[underpants]

75. Parking in the rear

us York County folk thought it was extra funny that it said that on the side in the front.

Never actually been there but I didn't know anyone at ODU

[jonnyblitz]

117. You have been to the "late show" in Norfolk , right?

I used to know a bartender that worked there so i would get it on his membership number and drink from his bottle of vodka.

I think I remember a thread where we discussed the late show awhile back.

[Redstone]

35. Damn, I don't remember, but it's on a corner in New Haven where there's

still a gay bar. I had a short conversation with the bouncer guy in the lobby that ended with him saying "I don't think you really want to be here."

And with me agreeing.

Redstone

[Skittles]

36. The Crossing

in Austin Texas - I would have been about 25 maybe.....in our group at work, each week someone picked a place to go have drinks - our gay coworker chose The Crossing. So I'm there with my boyfriend and a guy comes over to ask him to dance....my boyfriend said, I'm with her - so the guy says to me, "Bitch".....I said WHO YOU CALLING BITCH and we got into an argument LOL

[KitchenWitch]

38. Gay 90s in Minneapolis.

[asthmaticeog]

40. U4IA.

I was 21, and it was in Cleveland. Some friends and I went to see a drag show. I was kind of meh on the show - the drag performers all just looked like Clevelanders, so not exactly stratospheric fabulosity, but the liquor pours were generous, and the place was really nice. It's not there anymore, though.

[Floogeldy]

41. You ask the wrong question.

There was a time when I went to bars that had gay and straight people in them at the same time. I do not know what that says about society other than I think it has gotten worse.

I went to a bar for all people on a Monday night and it was full of lesbians, other than the 7 or 9 males that were there, because an all lesbian band was playing. They were great.

Years later, I went to a different bar and a gay guy hit on me, kissing me on the cheek.

When all of the gays congregate in one bar, I have no reason to go there, unless that band is playing again. ;)

[Patiod]

66. I go to those bars all the time - I call them "actor bars"

Busiest on opening and closing nights of a show - and not just with the cast but with all their hipster friends.

And I make damned sure I've paid my part of the check and gotten the hell out of there before the check comes, because gay or straight, actors are CHEAP to the point of larceny.

[1monster]

42. Producers in Jacksonville, Florida. A group of us college kids got

dressed to nines to go. It was quite a place, real crystal and real silver on the tables. Good china.

The female impersonators in the floor show were more beautiful and glamorous than most beauty queens.

We had a blast, although a some of us girls were freaked out when we discoverd that the "queens" in the ladies room might have been more correctly referred to as kings (or maybe princes).

I don't know why the place closed down. It was considered a "gay bar." But a lot of us heteros really enjoyed the place too. Rumor had it that the mafia closed it down, but this was Jacksonville, Florida -- the town that had an evangelical group come in and buy a radio station just to get one some-what raunchy deejay off the air...

[txwhitedove]

43. In Oklahoma City when I was 37, there with my kids to visit relatives.

We drove into town after dark, feeling adventurous and just stopped at a hotel/motel to get a room.
Kids and I were looking all over for the check-in desk, walked right into a huge group of people
drinking and having a wonderful time....suddenly slow motion, everyone stops, looks at us, I hear
my 10-year old son "Uh, Mom, I don't think this is where we want to stay..." ever the dry wit.
We just smiled and kindly walked back out.

[Floogeldy]

48. Cabana Inn

:)

[begin_within]

44. The Family Zoo, in Portland Oregon, which had been a gay bar since 1947

but sadly is not there any more. Also around the corner was C.C. Slaughter's, which just opened the year I was there (1981) and now is 25 years old! Man does that make me feel old. But the Family Zoo was a blast - everyone went there, women, men, gay, straight, in-between, hippies, basically anyone - but it was definitely a gay bar. It always had the atmosphere of a great party in its later stages where everyone is loosened up and having a good time.

[Heidi]

45. The Crystal Pistol.

I'd rather not say which city. :hi:

[terrya]

49. The first gay bar I went to was "The Bar" in Champaign, Illinois

It was a Sunday night and I went with my friend Scott and his friend Jim. This was in 1979. We drove from Decatur to Champaign on a Saturday night in my parents Chevrolet Caprice Classic. "The Bar" (original name, eh?) was a two story bar with a small dance floor. The very first thing I thought was "God, there's so many of us!". I felt such a feeling of community and belonging.

"The Bar" is now called "Chester Street". A few changes over the years, but the layout is the same.

[jonnyblitz]

51. "The Bar" in Boston used to be a hustler bar in the late 70's early

80's.

[terrya]

56. Ah.

Interesting. I guess a lot of cities had a bar of that name.

The one in Champaign was pretty generic.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

71. Same here! Except it was already Chester Street in the 90s

when I went there for the first time.

It was about the only place in Champaign that was fun to dance at (if you weren't a frat guy, anyway).

[terrya]

78. It was already getting frat boys in the early 90's

I lived in Champaign from 1986 - 1994. C Street was already getting frat guys. I was beginning to feel out of place...

[Tyrone Slothrop]

79. Well, that's true

There were certainly a lot less than at Kam's or Cochrane's or any of those places, however.

I was mainly there in the late 90s, and it seemed to be more of a hang-out for the goth-type people.

[terrya]

80. Yeah...there was a goth crowd there as well.

As I recall, there was one "goth" night per week there.

I've lived in Chicago since 1994. I haven't been to C Street since that time.

[Glorfindel]

53. Backstreet, in Atlanta n/t

[Spider Jerusalem]

58. Me too...

it's gone, now (closed two years ago, since torn down)...change in the laws required all bars/clubs to close at 3 am, which was pretty much a death blow (since Backstreet had been a 24-hour semi-private club).

[meegbear]

54. Fran's Place, Lynn MA ...

it's still there and mainly a lesbian bar these days.

[jonnyblitz]

57. is "119 Merrimack" still around in Boston?

that was my first one..then 1270 , Sporters, Chaps,Buddies etc etc.

and the Loft afterhours.

[meegbear]

60. It's gone, the "Alley", a bar by Government Center is the new "119"

[Ramsey]

59. Discovery

In Louisville, KY, when I was in high school.

You had to know where it was, it didn't have a sign out front.
They tended not to card, or took very bad fake id's. I went there a lot after Rocky Horror midnight shows with a bunch of gay guys I was friends with.

I loved it! The guys were great-looking and would dance all night to the best music in town, but didn't hit on me and my girlfriends. They'd even buy us drinks. Perfect!

[Cannikin]

61. Discovery 3 and Backstreetk

[Samurai_Writer]

62. Mary's in the Montrose section of Houston in 1978

I was 17, 7 months pregnant, and living at an unwed mother's home. Which happened to be situated in Montrose, the gay section of Houston. Don't ask me WHY they put 40 pregnant girls in Montrose in the 1970s. I guess they thought we'd be 'safer' there. LOL

So we could only go out in sets of two or more from the home, which was literally two blocks from Mary's, which was and still is a gay leather biker bar. We had no idea what it was, but it was hot out and we went in for a soda (strictly forbidden at the home! We used to walk to the hot dog stand, too, and fill up on fries and hot dogs with saurkraut).

Well, that was an eye-opening experience (the gay leather biker bar, not the hotdogs). Those guys were really nice to us, and we started to hang out there as much as we could (we were only allowed out for 2 hours a day). Some of them even sent me cards and flowers when I had my son, and were the only ones I could talk to after I placed him for adoption.

No wonder I'm such a 'fag hag' now.

[RebelOne]

63. I don't remember the name,

but it was on South Beach in the late '70s.

[SKKY]

64. Discovery in Louisville, Ky...

...Like some others on this board have said, it was the best place to drink underaged. Plus, picking up
the "fag hags" (Straight girls that liked to hand around gay men) was like fishing in a barrel.
It was probably the only place in "louavul" to hear really good music as well.

[Ramsey]

108. LOL, that's what they used to call us!

The "fag hags". You didn't happen to go there in the early 1980's did you? Maybe you "picked me up"??

:evilgrin:

[Patiod]

65. Don't Tell Mamma on Christopher St. in NYC

to see our friend sing in "Falsettos" at their cabaret.

Afterward, we searched the area for a restaurant but they were all mobbed. My SO spotted one, and I said, "maybe we should send the girls in to ask if there are tables available, because it's a lesbian bar." He wanted to know how I could tell from across the street. "I'm just guessing that a bar called 'Rubyfruit Jungle' is likely to be a lesbian bar."

We had a mixed group of gay, lesbian and straight actors and one suit (me) and we had a great time. There was a table of really well-dressed, impeccably made-up women with perfect hair and jewelry at the next table who looked really out of place, until I realized it was because they were all dudes.

All-in-all, a memorable night.

[bigwillq]

67. I was 20

It was called the York Street Cafe in New Haven CT. It's still there. I go there all the time.

[malta blue]

68. The Pavilion on Fire Island

I was 19, not yet legal...

I went with my friend. This was his way of coming out to me. He said hey, let's go out tonight. We got on a seaplane in Manhattan and ended up there. I had my suspicions, but this confirmed it all for me.

I had a great time. It was also the first time I had ever used a men's room in a public place. He wouldn't let me go anywhere without him.

[XNASA]

69. The legendary "Carol's Speakeasy" in Chicago.

I guess it was around '81 and I was 23 or so.

[ThomCat]

70. Bulldog Lil's in Buffalo

[BuddhaGirl]

72. The Boom Boom Room - Laguna Beach, CA

probably around 1983 or so...I was 21 and went with one of my best friends who was gay. We had a great time and I was the only woman in the place LOL

[philosophie_en_rose]

73. Neighbors in Seattle.

Fun stuff.

[tigereye]

74. it was called the Tender Trap

it's now a chi-chi restaurant.

[progmom]

76. Le Round Up

A western-themed drag bar in the French Quarter in New Orleans. :D

[Deep13]

83. Never been. Don't like bars generally.

If OH went nonsmoking like MA, I might change my mind.

[jonnyblitz]

118. I rarely go anymore. I don't drink and drunk people annoy me

unless I am drunk, too.

[Dervill Crow]

85. The Other Side of Midnight in Portland.

I think I was 21. It was back when "I Will Survive" was still a new song.

It was all females, and I ran into my husband's supervisor there. I still remember the conversation. She: "What the fuck are YOU doing here?" Me: "I came with my girlfriend." She seemed satisfied with that.

[Kire]

86. I'm a straight guy and I got picked up by a woman in a Lesbian bar.

Sisters in Philly. We did some bumping and grinding too. I never did that with anyone in a straight club.

I'm not sure if that was the first gay club I've been to, or Rainbow Mountain in East Stroudsburg, PA.

The go go boys in Rainbow Mountain scared me.

BTW, is this a homophobic thread?

[1gobluedem]

88. The Flame

In Ann Arbor. Yep, that was its name.

It's gone now.

[TrogL]

90. The Roost, Edmonton, 29

First person I recognized said "what took you so long".

[MountainLaurel]

91. Pegasus, in Pittsburgh

I remember because I was underage and had used my roommate's old driver's license to get in. It was also the night that said roommate told me she was bisexual, that I knew I could never again attend a fundamentalist church, that our coworker Chris got so hammered so quickly that we assumed somewhat had slipped something into his drink, that we stopped at the Eat N' Park in Little Washington at 4 am for food where Chris almost got in an argument with the waitress over ketchup.

[lavenderdiva]

92. Cafe Lafitte In Exile, in the French Quarter....

I lived in New Orleans for well over 30 years, and the first gay bar I went to was Cafe Lafitte In Exile. It is the nation's oldest gay bar, and is the bar where Tennessee Williams used to hang out. We also used to go to the Bourbon Pub/Parade to see Ricky Graham's show or Becky Allen, and then across the street to Oz to dance....

ps. We used to go to a bar that was at the corner of Chartres and Esplanade to see the incredible drag show frequently. Unfortunately, that bar closed, and I can't remember the name; maybe someone else knows?

arwalden: never be afraid of drag queens! they are fabulous-

[bertha katzenengel]

94. The Mine Shaft.

Long Beach, CA, about 1994.

[ronnykmarshall]

105. I've been there.

Long Beach guys are very hot.

[bertha katzenengel]

112. I know. My best friend is one of the hotties.

:hi:

[BuddhaGirl]

124. is that near Cal State Long Beach?

I went to school there and it sounds familiar!

BTW, I grew up in HB also...parent still live near the intersection of Beach/Adams :hi:

[KamaAina]

98. The Retreat, French Quarter, 1990 (age 26)

Before all your tongues start twittering, do please note that it was on behalf of a political campaign. The feminist community wished to send a representative to this event, and as the "token male" therein, I was nominated.

It wasn't at all like the stereotypical gay bar. No throbbing disco, no leather in sight (not during the campaign event, anyway :evilgrin: ), just a homelike, friendly environment. I even hung around for a while afterward. No one hit on me or anything (then again, women usually don't, either :( )

During this same campaign I also paid a visit to a lesbian bar in the nearby Faubourg Marigny. That was brief, but interesting...

[LynneSin]

99. I don't remember the name but it was in Harrisburg and I was 20

And the only reason we went was my best friend at work use to date the bartender (before he outed himself). And since I was underage, I seemed to have no problems getting into the bar. Plus if you knew the bartender when last call was given, you could usually hang out for an extra hour or two for beverages.

First Lebian Bar was with DUer Ramsey - we were helping a group campaign for John Kerry and register voters so that was 2004

[Coes]

101. La Differencia

local bar

about 5 years ago

Just for the curiosity, I'm not needed there.

[ronnykmarshall]

102. The Odyssey in Los Angeles

it was an under 21 place and Prince was there. Miss Thang was soooooooo cruising me. Step on my damn foot too.

[arwalden]

114. Well, He's Got Excellent Taste!!

:hi: :loveya:

[jonnyblitz]

119. THAT's the name of the place I was trying to think of.

I was there once in the early 80's right before I went to bootcamp in san diego!! that place was wild!

[ceile]

103. Oil Can Harry's

4th Street in Austin. Love that place! Best music in town!

[querelle]

106. Maximum Security

In Montreal. My eighteenth birthday. April 12 19.....whatever. It was later shut down for morality violations. There were some interesting things happening in the basement labrynth that the cops didn't approve of.

Q

[China_cat]

107. Rendevous

Charleston, SC

[karlrschneider]

109. Gene's Bamboo Lounge in Tulsa

I guess in...1963? Yikes.
;-)


Should have added a bit, I continued to drop in there for quite a few years afterward and found it
interesting how many of the bois from Oral Roberts University hung out there. ;-)

[lumberingbear]

110. The Famous Door in Indy

I was 30. This was a drag show bar and was frequented by both gays and straights. I remember a drunk straight guy was giving a drag quuen a hard time during her number and she had them stop the music and told the guy: "Remember, you're the queer here". No more was heard from him.

I fould out where the other gay bars were, and the rest is history....

[arwalden]

113. Meee-OW!!

<< "Remember, you're the queer here". No more was heard from him. >>

I imagine not! :rofl: :thumbsup:

[RedCappedBandit]

111. I've never been to one..

Although, ive only been to a number of bars in my life and am not of legal age to be drinking anyway. I don't like the whole club/bar scene to begin with

[Misunderestimator]

116. Raffles, a piano bar in Philadelphia in 1981.

mainly middle-aged men there, but I got free drinks for singing. :)

[sundog]

125. that is SO gay

:eyes:

[DemoTex]

120. Ray Lee's on Ponce de Leon in Atlanta in 1968

I was taking my pre-induction physical at the AFEES station across the street and some other soon-to-be GIs and I walked over to Ray Lee's (or was it Rae Leigh's?) for a beer. One of the guys started hitting on a good looking chick at the bar, and ended up almost getting cut .. by her Lesbian girlfriend.

[hotforteacher]

123. Madison, WI--The Barber's Closet

I was 16 and dressed like a depressed New Waver. I always got the "Scarlett O'Hara". Unfortunately, it burned down in the 90's...I think that it was over on West Wash. The servers there were top-notch. I hope I had the good sense to leave proper tips.

[mockmonkey]

126. This is it!

I think that was the name of it, it's in Milwaukee. It was 1989 or 90, so I was 29 or 30. Very dark and kind of scary at first. I had a good time for the short time I was there. I never was much of a drinker or a talker so the bar scene didn't mean much to me.

[fujiyama]

127. I've been to only one bar

which was listed as gay friendly, but I don't know if it was a gay bar per se.

My friend got hit on and he got freaked out. Personally I'd take it as a compliment if anyone hit on me, though I'd kindly tell the person my preferences lie with the opposite sex. Plus, I liked the fact that I could stay after closing hours with a buddy of mine and recieve a few free drinks...and they had a good beer menu.

[Der Blaue Engel]

128. The Fine Line, Tucson, 1985

Sigh...those were the days.