Gay nightclubs toronto
Lex’s Guide to Queer Toronto Nightlife | LGBTQ+ Bars
From the vibrant streets of Church-Wellesley Village to the trendy neighborhoods of Queen West and Parkdale, Toronto offers an array of LGBTQ+ bars, each with its own unique flair and sense of collective. Whether you're a local or a visitor, here's a guide to some of the best Gay bars in Toronto.
Download Lex to find LGBTQ+ friends and queer community in Toronto.
1. Buddies in Poor Times Theatre
More than just a theater, Buddies in Bad Times is a cultural hub for Toronto's LGBTQ+ community. With its eclectic mix of performances, parties, and events, Buddies invites you to encounter cutting-edge art and vibrant nightlife in the heart of The Village.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre12 Alexander StToronto, ON M4Y 1B4
2. Tammy’s Wine Bar & Cafe
Tammy's Wine Bar and Cafe in Toronto is a cozy retreat with rustic charm, offering an extensive selection of wines from local vineyards and beyond. The intimate ambiance, paired with delectable minute plates and artisanal cheeses, creates the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience in the heart of the city.
Tammy’s Wine Bar & Cafe
1662 Queen St W
Toronto, ON
There are barely any male lover bars left in Toronto. Let alone queer bars or queer spaces. Since we launched this article in 2021, a several spots on the list have since closed?! (That’s Cherry Cola’s, Lavendar Menace and a couple others) Just because a lock or club hosts lgbtq+ nights or events doesn’t always mean they're a queer space, there are nuances and so many more things to assume about than putting a drag queen on stage and queer person behind the decks. This is why a list prefer this is more essential than ever - these are spaces that although not all are lgbtq+ bars, they are doing to the work to ensure we are safe.
The city is in desperate need of new 2SLGBTQ+ spots to gather, gyrate , party, talk, work, dangle, chill and rage. While we navigate our community’s comeback (‘cause queers affectionate a comeback story!), we’ve put together a list (in no particular order) of spots on our radar that are either queer-owned, queer-run, queer bars or queer-friendly.
If we missed any that you love, let us recognize and we’ll check them out and hopefully append them to this list!
EAST END
Farside
This (newly renovated) cutie little bar in Chinatown East is run by the same queen who used to run H
34shares
Looking to visit the finest gay bars in Toronto?
Our comprehensive guide to Toronto gay bars is an excellent resource for LGBT nightlife lovers. Our list of Toronto gay bars features a diversity of entertaining venues: from kingly clubs to queer theatre, LGBT stand up comedy to gay sports prevent, hipster hideaway to flashy nightclubs.
You’ll find everything you need to know about gay bars in Toronto, whether you’re a visiting Drag Queen fan or local gaggle of gays keen to dance to pop diva’s under glittering disco balls.
Save this story to Pinterest so you can look at it later!
A History of Homosexual Bars in Toronto
Gay bars in Toronto as we know them didn’t really exist until the 1970s. Prior to that people were limited to widespread parks, washrooms, and “low-key” bars and clubs in which there was always the danger of entity found out. Places enjoy The Continental, Letros Nile Room, and the St. Charles Tavern (with the slogan “meet me under the clock” – the clock which can still be seen during renovations on Yonge St.) offered spaces where gays and lesbians would meet in secret.
While many are familiar with the Stonewall Riot in the U.S., Toronto
Gay
(L to R) Michael Griffiths with Albert, Michael, David and Tony Assoon. Photo by Charmaine Gooden.
The original Then & Now: Twilight Zone article was published October 5, 2011 and was second in the web series originally developed for The GridTO.com. As the Then & Now series expanded in reach, so too did the length of each story and number of participants who contributed to each. This expanded history of the Zone was written in March 2015, and was exclusively available in the Then & Now book until this time.
Trailblazing 1980s nightclub Twilight Zone brought diverse crowds and sounds to Toronto’s Entertainment District drawn-out before such a designation even existed. Those who were there lovingly search its lasting legacy.
By: DENISE BENSON
Club: Twilight Zone, 185 Richmond Avenue W.
Years in operation: 1980 – 1989
History: Long before the Entertainment District was awash in condos, clubs, and restaurants—back when the area was still largely non-residential and known as the garment district—four brothers opened a venue that ultimately influenced the neighbourhood’s development.
Tony, Albert, David, and Michael Assoon fo
.