Pittsburgh gay bar
Polish Hill bar nominated as Pittsburgh's first LGBTQ historic site
The building that formerly housed Donny’s Place doesn’t look love much. It never really did: just a flat-roofed, red-brick two-story structure, built around 1919, with a couple of equally utilitarian one-story additions tacked on since.
But as the Polish Hill neighbors who nominated the structure for urban area historic designation argue, looks can be deceiving. It’s not architectural splendor they’re banking on, but rather the cultural significance of what took place inside and on the grounds of Pittsburgh’s longest-serving queer bar.
Donny’s, which began being as the Norreh Social Club, operated from 1973 until its final closure, in 2022. According to the historic nomination filed last year, for a half-century it was “an anchor of Pittsburgh same-sex attracted life.”
“In 50 years, most gay people seeking group in this town considerate of touched Donny’s in some way,” said Dade Lemanski, the writer and historian who wrote the nomination on behalf of nominators Lizzie Anderson and Matthew Cotter. “In half a century, that’s so much history, from just after Stonewall until enjoy after kind of the peak of COVID.”
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Nightlife
Blue Moon - 5115 Butler St. | 412.781.1119
Blue Satellite lays claim to fame as the "friendliest same-sex attracted bar in Pittsburgh" with great people, no attitude, cheap drinks, and lots of fun. It's no wonder this Lawrenceville prevent was voted BEST LGBT BAR IN PITTSBURGH 2016 and 2017, and is rated #38 out of the 50 BEST Lgbtq+ BARS IN THE Together STATES according to Yelp.
Brewer's Hotel & Bar - 3315 Liberty Ave. | 412.681.7991
If you're looking for a place to chill with friends, Brewer's Prevent is the place for you. Brewers Bar & Hotel is the oldest standing Gay Bar in Pittsburgh. Cheap drinks, kind staff and energetic Performative Shows every Friday and Saturday will keep you coming back again and again.
Cattivo - 146 44th St. | 412.687.2157
Find an inclusive, friendly and diverse atmosphere at Cattivo, nestled in the heart of Pittsburgh’s artsy neighborhood, Lawrenceville. Open for over 20+ years, this local hangout hosts a variety of live music, DJ sway parties, benefits and more. Did we mention they also have pool tables, darts, pinball, and a jukebox?
Club Pittsburgh - 1139 Penn Ave. | 412.471.6790
Club Pittsburgh has been serving the city's queer society since 200
A former nightclub could be Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQ landmark, but faces challenges from local developers.
Their answer became Speed Rack, the world’s first and only all-female and femme speed bartending competition–a speed rack is also part of a bar to place liquor for fast handling. Now in its thirteenth year, Speed Rack, featuring “Women shaking up the cocktail world,” is part of a larger movement ensuring nobody else wonders where the female bartenders are: they’re right there behind the exclude. Marrero and Mix had witnessed too many women and femme identified individuals not getting the credit they deserved or not being able to crack through into craft cocktails. Speed Rack became a way to help transform that. “It was just about creating a platform and a pedestal for these women to be seen doing what they do every day,” Marrero says. Plus, all proceeds from every Speed Rack event support charities devoted to breast cancer analyze like The Pink Agenda. Since it began, Speed Rack has raised over two million dollars for these organizations.
Competitors Sam Smagala, of the bar Joyface, and Miranda Midler, Leader Bartender of Dear Irving's Broadway location Tilden Night Club at 941 Liberty Avenue offers a unique experience for the Metropolitan and LGBTQ+ collective, with an exclusive membership fee of $60.00 annually allowing unlimited visits without additional entry fees. This alone is a fantastic deal compared to other after-hour clubs, making it worth considering. However, there are several downsides that cannot be ignored. The most glaring issue is the overwhelming presence of cigarette, marijuana, and vaping smoke. As a non-smoker, the toxic secondhand smoke is a significant health concern and drastically affects the club's atmosphere, earning just 1 star in this regard. Additionally, Tilden does not serve sustenance, which is a major drawback. Having bar snacks like chips, peanuts, or pretzels would be a simple yet effective improvement. Currently, this lack of food options merits a 3-star rating. Regarding drinks, the club charges $5.00 for non-alcoholic beverages fond of ginger ale and cranberry juice. Given the horizontal taste of the ginger ale and the tall price for soft drinks, this is another area where Tilden falls small, deserving another 3-star rating. One of the most troubling aspects is the blatant drug usage and transac .