Open for lunch, the restaurant and bar offers patio seating and delicious, stacked deli sandwiches. Pronto! is a downtown Royal Oak bar that has been serving the LGBTQ community for decades. Look out for trivia nights and special events during the week as well. It’s perfect as your mainstay for the evening or as a nightcap. The staff is friendly and the patrons are always there to have a great night. The bar offers specialty cocktails and martinis, a lot of space for dancing, a pool table, and cool atmospheric lighting and decorations. Sohoįerndale has been the center of gay life in Detroit since the 2000s and Soho is the classy yet casual spot for gay men, women and everyone in between right in the heart of the downtown area off West Nine Mile Road. It’s known for drawing a large black LGBTQ crowd and is welcoming to all walks of life. Located in the heart of Midtown, the restaurant serves simple and delicious food to all kinds of customers during the day, and becomes more an LGBTQ space after 5 p.m. Photographs adorned on the walls chronicle the fascinating lives of members of the community during politically and socially hostile times. This is the oldest LGBTQ establishment in Detroit, serving the community since the 1960s. Located in Dearborn off of Warren Avenue. It’s the perfect little dive for a night of outsized laughs and fun. Enjoy the lively cabaret performances on the lower level or dance the night away in their upstairs bar. One of the best gay and drag bars in the city, Gigi’s is optimal for drinks and a show. As far as the music goes, Inuendo features mostly R&B and hip hop, so if that’s what gets you out of your chair, this place is for you. People go wild for the chicken wings and at night the stage is packed with enthusiastic party-goers. It’s definitely the place for a night of gay-oriented entertainment - the best kind! InuendoĪnother Palmer Park hot spot, Inuendo specializes in entertainment, food and drinks. Located in the former gay mecca of Detroit, Palmer Park, the complex includes the Menjo’s Bar, the Eagle Leather Bar and the Olympus Theater. As one of the oldest gay spaces in Detroit, this spot is true to its gay roots but is always open to anyone who wants to join the fun. Not only can you dance to a plethora of Madonna jams in one night here, but you can literally dance on the floor she danced on when she was 16 and unknown! WOW. Madonna worshippers, this is where you want to be. But of course, all are welcome at this quaint neighborhood bar. Both owned and operated by trans women, Adam’s Apple is well-known as a welcoming space for trans folk. It’s also more of a chatty bar where you can hold a nice conversation with your crew or a friendly stranger. Oh she’s understated and she’s fun! Adam’s Apple is a smaller space in Warrendale that is known for karaoke nights on Thursdays, so get those singing pipes tuned and ready to belt. Gay-Friendly Bars & Clubs in Metro Detroit Try these LGBTQ bars and clubs for a guaranteed good time.
It’s all okay and nobody cares – just do you. Or just sit quietly in the corner with friends and watch. Or just have a drink of their choice at the bar and chat. These bars and nightclubs are filled with people who want to dance and let loose. More diverse groups of people = more fun. Cultivating spaces to let off steam and connect with the community has been an essential facet of progress.įrom downtown Detroit to Royal Oak, Gay-Friendly nightlife reigns supreme. It’s been a long journey, but LGBTQ people have remained resilient. Since the 1940s, the gay community in Detroit has shifted from convening in mostly underground spaces to out and proud ones welcoming all genders and sexual orientations. Detroit’s gay scene is vibrant, diverse and inclusive.