Guidebook for Los Angeles

Craig
Guidebook for Los Angeles

Drinks & Nightlife

Mustache Mondays at this bar is one of LA’s great dance floor experiences. DJ Josh Peace plays cool, eclectic dance music across a wide variety of genres and eras and always has some great guest DJs. It’s a smaller, more intimate experience since it’s on a Monday night, this is the destination for the week for the real party heads. It’s very dance floor driven—that’s what Mustache Mondays is all about—and the venue really complements that, so come ready to move.
23 íbúar mæla með
The Lash
117 Winston St
23 íbúar mæla með
Mustache Mondays at this bar is one of LA’s great dance floor experiences. DJ Josh Peace plays cool, eclectic dance music across a wide variety of genres and eras and always has some great guest DJs. It’s a smaller, more intimate experience since it’s on a Monday night, this is the destination for the week for the real party heads. It’s very dance floor driven—that’s what Mustache Mondays is all about—and the venue really complements that, so come ready to move.
You come to Showgirls on Monday nights to watch a lot of great drag performances back-to-back-to-back. They usually have the topflight local and touring drag talent. There’s a little raised stage, and that way the people that are seated and those who are standing can all get in on the action. If you want a seat you need to get there early. Be prepared to interact. Most of these people are doing their thing for tips so as they’re doing their songs and performances they really do a lot of things in the audience to draw you in and get their tip money.
44 íbúar mæla með
Micky's
8857 Santa Monica Blvd
44 íbúar mæla með
You come to Showgirls on Monday nights to watch a lot of great drag performances back-to-back-to-back. They usually have the topflight local and touring drag talent. There’s a little raised stage, and that way the people that are seated and those who are standing can all get in on the action. If you want a seat you need to get there early. Be prepared to interact. Most of these people are doing their thing for tips so as they’re doing their songs and performances they really do a lot of things in the audience to draw you in and get their tip money.
This is an old-school gay bar, and on Tuesdays Manhole mashes up hip-hop and old-school dance music. It’s just a great event. They have porn playing on the TV screens, go-go boys—it’s really a complete party. This is a dance-driven event so you’re either dancing or drinking or standing, there’s no lounging at Mother Lode. It starts on the later side, the best time to go is around 11:30 and stay through to 1:30, that’s when it gets really packed. And while it’s definitely a male crowd, there are more female best friends than you’d think.
10 íbúar mæla með
Mother Lode
8944 Santa Monica Blvd
10 íbúar mæla með
This is an old-school gay bar, and on Tuesdays Manhole mashes up hip-hop and old-school dance music. It’s just a great event. They have porn playing on the TV screens, go-go boys—it’s really a complete party. This is a dance-driven event so you’re either dancing or drinking or standing, there’s no lounging at Mother Lode. It starts on the later side, the best time to go is around 11:30 and stay through to 1:30, that’s when it gets really packed. And while it’s definitely a male crowd, there are more female best friends than you’d think.
Thursdays there’s an event here called Palace that has a heavy Middle Eastern theme. It has a hookah bar, and all the scenery is changed to match. They have belly dancing performances, too, so they really go all in on this. There’s a DJ that spins Middle Eastern music and it’s a very popular, crowded event. There is dancing but it’s not at the forefront of the experience. More people are drinking, standing around, smoking hookah.
24 íbúar mæla með
Revolver Video Bar
8851 Santa Monica Blvd
24 íbúar mæla með
Thursdays there’s an event here called Palace that has a heavy Middle Eastern theme. It has a hookah bar, and all the scenery is changed to match. They have belly dancing performances, too, so they really go all in on this. There’s a DJ that spins Middle Eastern music and it’s a very popular, crowded event. There is dancing but it’s not at the forefront of the experience. More people are drinking, standing around, smoking hookah.
This is downtown LA’s largest gay bar, and Queen Kong on Friday nights features rotating live performances every 30 minutes or so throughout the evening. This is run by the Boulet Brothers, who have always had an odd aesthetic so it’s in that wheelhouse—it could be drag, lip sync, whatever. It gets pretty packed in there so I always tell people, the earlier you go, the more you’ll see. And you’ll be able to move around to see stuff.
12 íbúar mæla með
Precinct DTLA
357 S Broadway
12 íbúar mæla með
This is downtown LA’s largest gay bar, and Queen Kong on Friday nights features rotating live performances every 30 minutes or so throughout the evening. This is run by the Boulet Brothers, who have always had an odd aesthetic so it’s in that wheelhouse—it could be drag, lip sync, whatever. It gets pretty packed in there so I always tell people, the earlier you go, the more you’ll see. And you’ll be able to move around to see stuff.
At least once a month this spot hosts A Club Called Rhonda for a mixed crowd: gay, straight, questioning, gender-fluid—throw everyone into one room and you get this party. It’s a dance floor experience and they bring in lots of out-of-town DJs. They pay lots of attention to the décor, so it’s always a unique visual experience. People dress out for this, putting on things that get them noticed. The next day the organizers send out an email blast with photos of the superstars of the event—the people that really brought the look. So they always want people to show out on the dance floor and in what they’re wearing.
84 íbúar mæla með
Los Globos
3040 Sunset Blvd
84 íbúar mæla með
At least once a month this spot hosts A Club Called Rhonda for a mixed crowd: gay, straight, questioning, gender-fluid—throw everyone into one room and you get this party. It’s a dance floor experience and they bring in lots of out-of-town DJs. They pay lots of attention to the décor, so it’s always a unique visual experience. People dress out for this, putting on things that get them noticed. The next day the organizers send out an email blast with photos of the superstars of the event—the people that really brought the look. So they always want people to show out on the dance floor and in what they’re wearing.
Full Frontal Disco happens here on Saturdays and it’s a throwback event—they play disco music through and through. They usually have some sort of performance at some point during the evening set to music. It’s a mixed crowd, but a definitively gay event and just a great Eastside party. The rule of thumb in LA is that 20 percent of the people get really into it and dress for the theme—so some people come in disco gear and the rest come as they are.
119 íbúar mæla með
Akbar
4356 Sunset Blvd
119 íbúar mæla með
Full Frontal Disco happens here on Saturdays and it’s a throwback event—they play disco music through and through. They usually have some sort of performance at some point during the evening set to music. It’s a mixed crowd, but a definitively gay event and just a great Eastside party. The rule of thumb in LA is that 20 percent of the people get really into it and dress for the theme—so some people come in disco gear and the rest come as they are.
You can’t have a list of gay things in LA and not have the Abbey, and Sunday Funday is the best way to do it. Spend your afternoon on the patio having some fantastic drinks, listening to great music, ogling at their go-go boys who are a step above those at any other venue in town. All that’s what makes the Abbey the spot. They’re full service—they have food and they make all of their own drink mixers so, for example, their lime juice is freshly squeezed, they don’t just buy it in a bottle.
471 íbúar mæla með
The Abbey
692 N Robertson Blvd
471 íbúar mæla með
You can’t have a list of gay things in LA and not have the Abbey, and Sunday Funday is the best way to do it. Spend your afternoon on the patio having some fantastic drinks, listening to great music, ogling at their go-go boys who are a step above those at any other venue in town. All that’s what makes the Abbey the spot. They’re full service—they have food and they make all of their own drink mixers so, for example, their lime juice is freshly squeezed, they don’t just buy it in a bottle.

Sightseeing

Kim Anh hosts a monthly Saturday party called Tendencies here. She’s a real old-school DJ in the sense that she has a wide knowledge of music. It’s a pansexual thing, but it’s very much an LGBT-driven event. It’s on the roof so there are plenty of places to lounge and take in beautiful views of Los Angeles. LA gets cold at night so be prepared to dance to keep yourself warm or bring a jacket.
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Standard Downtown
550 Flower St
330 íbúar mæla með
Kim Anh hosts a monthly Saturday party called Tendencies here. She’s a real old-school DJ in the sense that she has a wide knowledge of music. It’s a pansexual thing, but it’s very much an LGBT-driven event. It’s on the roof so there are plenty of places to lounge and take in beautiful views of Los Angeles. LA gets cold at night so be prepared to dance to keep yourself warm or bring a jacket.