Tag Archives: gay bar

Giddyup at the Roundup Saloon

Once hailed “The Best Galdanged Gay Bar in the U.S. of A.,” the Roundup Saloon off Cedar Springs has been dubbed the home of good times and good people since 1980. Scoot your boots every night of the week at one of the only remaining country and western gay bars in the nation. They have karaoke Monday through Thursday, free dance lessons every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday drink specials and and excellent dance floor for two-steppin’. Country not your thang? Check them out on Sundays for Retro Man Candy nights and dance to some oldies but goodies from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Stir it Up

A bar is definitely cool when the only way you can find it is because of the popping music and large crowd gathered outside. Stir, Picture 48located in a tiny alley off of Rittenhouse Square, may be small and unassuming from the outside, but inside it’s a swank and super hip lounge made for partying.

With arguably the cheapest, strongest drinks you can get in Philly, Stir offers your favorite classic cocktails along with ever changing specialty cocktails for the more adventurous palettes (How does “Sticky Fingers” or “The Angry Beaver” sound to you??). And make sure to come from 5-7 daily to get $2 off that interesting drink of yours. Keep in mind that just because this is a gay bar, it doesn’t mean that everyone isn’t welcome; Stir packs in an awesome crowd every night of all the people Philadelphia has to offer.

Going in the Right Direction at East/West

In any direction you go, you will find that all the fun is happening at East/West lounge. Thanks to its new renovations, including swanky furniture and a tequila room, it’s hard not to want to venture over any free chance you get.

Picture 7Once awarded “Best Gay Bar in Los Angeles,” East/West keeps to its reputation, offering a lounge feel with club perks such as insane drink menus and table service. With drinks consisting of The Naughty Peach and Lemon Love, you will probably feel as though you belong in a sweaty Miami nightclub. Though East/West prides itself on not being that typical nightclub, the line to get in certainly reminds you that are you in L.A.- and if you want to get in, you’ve got to wait.

In the land of the overpriced, East/West actually throws customers a bone every so often by offering 2-for-1 drink specials and happy hours. Not only does this lounge provide cheap drink opportunities, they also dedicate certain nights to certain performers. If you check their weekly events section online, you are sure to find music video nights and spinning DJs.

Overall, East/West truly hits the nail on the head by taking the perks from a club and throwing them into a lounge. By creating a cool and comfortable setting with drinks you would find in a nightclub, East/West seems to be going in the right direction.

Tavern on Camac: Nightclub, Piano Bar and Restaurant in One

Philadelphia is known for pioneering on many fronts throughoutPicture 10 history, and not to be forgotten is the evolution of Philly’s Gayborhood and acceptance of gay rights in its community. The Tavern on Camac in Washington Square West is one of the premiere LGBT spots in the city and is proudly open 7 nights a week to anyone and everyone.

The Tavern on Camac (T.O.C.) is basically divided into three parts – the restaurant, the piano bar and the nightclub. The restaurant, called Terra, serves up new American cuisine with everything from arctic char to sliders and quesadillas. Ascend Lounge is the dance party upstairs, and the only thing you will be wishing is that the dance floor was a bit bigger to accommodate all the fabulous dancers.

Which leaves us with the Pièce de résistance – the piano bar. Whether you’re singing Britney Spears or the best of My Fair Lady, you’ll feel like you’re a part of the best choir ever to sing together. And whether it’s the stiff drinks talking or just the nostalgia from the piano riffs, you’ll be having a great time no matter what.