Gay bar with food

Just a couple of blocks from the beach, Twist brings the whole breadth of the Miami gay world together to dance and flirt and keep it moving. Oh to be a young gay again!—A.C.

Washington DC: Trade

In a town where it can feel like every other bar is crawling with Capitol Hill staffers looking to talk shop, Trade is the rare, gloriously gay dive where absolutely everyone is welcome to just kick back.

I guess what I’m saying is go to Cheer Up Charlies if you want to stare at queer people who are so good looking they make you want to die. There’s a regular rotation of events on weeknights, from “Queeraoke” to drag trivia. Live out your Brokeback Mountain fantasies at this cavernous club, where cowboy costumes are not considered drag, and line dancing is not an explicit expression of homophobia.

It is simply comfortable; a place where everybody knows your name, and has forgotten it.—Dave Holmes

Seattle: Lumber Yard

Comfortable and fun for leather daddies, trans women, bears and cubs, and lipstick lesbians alike, Lumberyard is a throwback to an earlier era, but in the best possible way. Regulars appreciate theme nights such as Musical Mondays, which offer strong drinks and a variety of performances, ensuring an enjoyable experience.

The drag shows are a significant attraction, though the weekend's tourist influx might not appeal to everyone. Julius’ is Greenwich Village’s oldest bar and New York’s oldest gay bar, having attracted gay clientele since the 1950s. But there is only one original. Whether the marching orders are transmitted via pheromone or telepathy is not important; it is queer magic and a joy to behold.—Dave Holmes

Queens, N.Y.: Dave’s Lesbian Bar

Dave’s Lesbian Bar isn’t actually a bar; not yet, anyway.

In reality, the entire production is the vision of Carla Perez-Gallardo, the creative director, executive chef and co-founder of Lil’ Deb’s. In an era of queer bar famine, it’s a feast.—B.B.

Indianapolis: English Ivy

English Ivy advertises itself as an “LGBTQ+-enthused” “gay-thering place” and that is not an overstatement.

“I forget this too,” he said. Hopefully Dave’s secures a permanent location so all the daddies have a place to party well into the future.—A.C.

St. But The Stable has a lovely outdoor space and a convivial vibe that provide the place with a warm, local, “Hey, Gurl” feel. A gay gathering spot since 1939, and gay bar since 1963, and the Bar Complex since the 80s, its unassuming exterior belies a triple-threat treat of lounge, performance space, and a mirrored dance club reportedly modeled after Studio 54.

I almost fainted when she walked past me. The building it took over in Washington D.C. had been home to queer establishments since 1949. The Ruby Fruit is so popular, the line to get in has turned into a queer party unto itself. In case the name wasn’t a tip-off, Trade is one of the better queer spaces to cozy up to strangers, although it’s equally suited to just dancing with your friend circle.