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The Best Gay Clubs in London: Top Spots for LGBTQ+ Nightlife
- Name
- Ryan K
- @thefabryk
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London, affectionately known as GAY London in the UK, is celebrated for its lively and diverse gay scene. With an impressive selection of gay clubs in London, the city offers a perfect spot for everyone, making it a dynamic hub for the LGBTQ+ community.
Calling Berlin our home, we are a bit spoiled for choice and find that there is no place in the world quite as liberal as Berlin clubs and Berlin parties, which led to our initial disappointment when traversing the London gay nightlife scene while living there, but slowly we have started to find there can be a similar, if not superior, scene for gay clubbing in London.
Spoiler alert: Although we also love the Soho scene, none of these places are in Soho or on Old Compton Street 🙉 (we still love you Ku bar). While Soho is arguably the center of gay life in London, we find it to be ridiculously overrun by tourists and pretentiousness. While Soho is nice for a drink, the parties below are where the true Londoners would go when they really want to let loose. You also won't find G-A-Y or Heaven here, as we are no longer that young crowd any more 🤣.
So, let's explore the gay nightlife that London has to offer!
The Clubs
Check out our Gay Guide to London 🇬🇧.
Adonis
Adonis, pioneers of the gay party scene, hosts daytime raves and after-dark parties at 60 Dock Road, a new warehouse space in the Docklands. Attendees are treated to the freshest techno, acid, and house beats at these gay London events.
They offer, typically, monthly gay events in London at their East London venue, but these can increase month to month. They often hold a New Year's Day party, which we loved. The crowd is very mixed, as it caters to the entirety of London's LGBTQ community.
This is definitely one of our favorite club nights as it mimics an industrial Berlin party that we love. Furthermore, there is even a dark room, a rarity in slightly more conservative gay London, delivering the vibe of a sex club London has yet to discover about itself.
Instagram: @adonis.adonis.adonis
Sexy views from the Docklands, the very East End of London
Sexy views from the Docklands 😉
The deep insides of Adonis
Love Muscle xx
Back by popular demand in Easter 2024, Love Muscle XX now celebrates a few times a year at its spiritual home, Electric Brixton (formerly The Fridge). This iconic venue, where Love Muscle first started, still holds an inseparable connection to the party.
Known for its electrifying mix of 90’s classic vocal House, HI-NRG, Europop, and uplifting Progressive House, Love Muscle continues to evolve with fresh DJs and artists. Love Muscle is steeped in LGBTQ+ clubbing history, and they continue to evolve with new DJs and Artists to bring one of the best and friendliest events to Electric Brixton.
Instagram: @lovemusclexx
Feel It
Feel It, the quintessential London gay club experience, is a self-proclaimed 'queer super-party' that takes place every Friday at the renowned central London Bridge venue, Omeara. The club draws in a varied crowd, from those who revel in extravagant attire to those who embrace a more liberated dress code as the evening unfolds.
The sounds of house music resonate through the main room, while disco and pop anthems animate the other spaces, creating an electrifying atmosphere for gay London nightlife. This event is masterfully orchestrated by London club icon Jodie Harsh and the Little Gay Brother collective, who are at the forefront of gay London clubbing.
Just take note that drinks are mediocre and expensive! Being generous, I thought I would buy drinks for myself and six other friends and the bill came to £100 🥲! I mean, it is London, but for a plastic cup filled with ice and very hastily made cocktails, that is a bit of a scam. Either way, we still had a good time.
Frequency: weekly (Fridays)
Instagram: @feelitparty
Horse Meat Disco
Since 2003, Horse Meat Disco has been an integral part of the Vauxhall gay club scene, taking over Vauxhall's Eagle London every Sunday night with a vivacious crowd. Just like Horse Meat Disco in Berlin, the music ranges from disco to soul and house, is impeccably delivered by DJs James Hillard and Jim Stanton, making it a staple in the gay London nightlife.
We have the equivalent in Berlin and many other cities, and it is always overflowing with friendly, infectious disco vibes, much like the gay London scene!
Instagram: @horse___meat___disco
Roast
Roast, known as 'London's beefiest club night,' is the proud successor to the beloved pre-pandemic bear night XXL. This men-only event, held fortnightly (every other Saturday night) at Angel's Electrowerkz, is a beacon among London gay bars, fostering an inclusive environment where attendees can express themselves without restraint in the heart of gay London.
Electrowerkz is a maze and within one of the three dance floors, you will find something that you like. At peak, the dark room is literally filled to the brim with people, and while it was made iconic for its bear culture, it is filled with all types of sexy boys, contributing to the diverse gay London scene 😈.
Frequency: once every two weeks
Instagram: @roast.london.roast
A very merry ROAST Christmas
Dalston Superstore
Dalston Superstore is a vibrant and eclectic venue located in the heart of Dalston, a neighborhood in East London. Known for its inclusive and diverse atmosphere, at the forefront of progress for London's LGBTQ scene, it serves as a multifaceted space offering a café, bar, nightclub, and art venue all rolled into one. During the day, it operates as a café and bar on the ground floor, providing a casual environment for meals, coffee, and drinks. As the evening progresses, it transforms into a lively nightclub, hosting a variety of events, DJ nights, and parties that cater to a wide spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, solidifying its place in the LGBT London and gay London cultural landscape. The venue is also recognized for its support for the arts, showcasing works from local artists and providing a platform for creative expression.
This place is a vibrant hub in queer London, eclectic to say the least. They host a variety of nights catering to the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum, ensuring there's something for everyone. If you're on the hunt for an easy-going yet fun experience where socializing and meeting new people is guaranteed, look no further.
We definitely recommend the Ridley Road Market Bar for some pre-drinks, to give you a full glimpse of this fascinating area of London.
Frequency: open daily
Instagram: @dsuperstore
That blurry moment sometime between 12 and 1 am at the Dalston Superstore
Recon
If you are lucky to be in London the very end of December before the new year, you have to check out the filthiest (in the best of ways) of parties that London has to offer, Recon. Whatever your fetish (even if you didn't know you had one), you can find it at Recon.
We happened to be in London this December for this, and I don't even think I have found a club in Berlin that can come even close to the sexual liberation one can experience here (not even LAB). Often held at FIRE, but venue often changes.
Come with an open mind and be ready to burn a lot of calories.
Frequency: once annually
Website: Recon
Beyond Club
Another one held weekly at FIRE, this is a go-to afterparty where you for sure will have a naughty time. Two dance floors, the ideal mix of circuit, house, and tech house, and dark rooms...you know what you are getting into when you come here 😈.
Frequency: weekly (Saturdays)
Instagram: Beyond Club London
Queer Bruk
Since 2018, Queer Bruk has become a pillar of the gay London scene and LGBTQ+ events, known as 'London's duttiest Black Queer night.' It's a warm and welcoming safe space for LGBTQ+ people of color, offering an electrifying mix of Afrobeats, dancehall, soca, disco, and house music.
Instagram: @queerbruk
Chapter 10
For nearly a decade, Chapter 10 has been at the forefront of gay London nightlife, becoming a byword for the most avant-garde 'gay raves' in the city. It has transformed East London's venues into a sanctuary for queer dance aficionados, with a warehouse party vibe pulsating to the rhythms of techno and progressive house music.
It is wildly alternative, and the people are outrageously friendly, embodying the kind of vibe you'd expect at any premier gay London queer party.
Instagram: @chapter10.rave
Other Gay Parties and Clubs in London
Other parties and venues in London to look out for:
Duckie - @duckie.vauxhall
Inferno - @inferno_london
Queer House Party - @queerhouseparty
Pink Glove - @pinkglovedisco
R & She - @randsheclub
Trough - @troughlondon
Note: Before heading out to immerse yourself in the vibrant gay London scene, it's wise to verify the latest updates by checking the social media pages or website of the gay bar or party near you, as event details can change.
Remember, love is love, and everyone is welcome in these spaces. Let's respect each other's identities and have a great time! 🏳️🌈
Disclaimer: The information in this article is a snapshot of the dynamic gay London scene and is subject to change. Always check the official websites or social media pages of the venues for the most up-to-date information.
Check out TimeOut London for even more.
Mid New Year Day Adonis
Some other London-related articles:
