GAY AND LESBIAN HANGOUTS
1. Club Café
209 Columbus Ave
A video lounge and a popular Sunday brunch infallibly bring out the beautiful boys at this multifunctional South End meeting spot with great bar staff. Find a seat in the casually elegant restaurant, which puts inspired twists on classic continental fare, the mirrored bar area – perfect for scoping the room – or the sleek cocktail lounge out the back.
Classy interior of Club Café
2. Midway Café
3496 Washington St, Jamaica Plain • Adm
Having offered its stage to rockabilly, punk, swing, reggae, and hip-hop acts since 1987, the Midway Café is partially responsible for Jamaica Plain’s (see Pleasure Bay) youth-driven renaissance. Most nights bring an eclectic, edgy mix of music lovers, both gay and straight. The club’s Thursday Queeraoke Night is one of the most popular lesbian club night in town.
3. dbar
This popular Dorchester spot has a split personality: trendy, full-service neighborhood bistro by day, popular gay dance club at night. “Show Tunes Tuesdays” are a wildly popular sing-along that can get a bit rowdy late in the evening. The decor features lots of warm wood and brass that creates an inviting atmosphere (see dbar).
4. Diesel Café
257 Elm St, Somerville
This hipster-filled coffee shop, in the heart of Somerville’s bustling Davis Square, is a favorite hangout among the area’s young gay and lesbian couples. The varied menu runs the gamut from gourmet coffee drinks and inventive tea concoctions to tasty snacks. Its spacious, relaxed vibe is great for chatting an afternoon away.
5. Machine
1254 Boylston St • Adm
A recent facelift saw Machine absorb the dated, hardcore Ramrod that used to be in the same building. Machine is now a two-story, mostly gay nightclub, that also attracts a growing straight audience with themed nights, including drag shows, karaoke, and a busy dance floor packed (particularly on weekends) with mostly young, beautiful bodies. Male go-go dancers and DJ-led dance nights featuring the best dance music of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s help round out the offerings.
Popular nightclub Machine
6. Guerilla Queer Bar
www.thewelcomingcommittee.com/boston#boston-takeovers
This is not a place, but a viral event. On the first Friday of each month scores, and sometimes hundreds, of LGBTQ partygoers descend on an otherwise vanilla-straight bar or nightclub. The result is fun and uplifting for everyone – so much so that it is becoming a nationwide phenomenon. Check the website for the forthcoming venue.
7. The Alley Bar
275 Washington St • 617 263 1449
The Alley has a mellow, sociable vibe, with activities including karaoke, pool tournaments, underwear parties, and other theme nights for men who want to meet men. A big Alley attraction is the Saturday-night Bear Party for full-framed guys and those who love them. There is an upstairs/downstairs set-up which separates the various theme-night crowds from local drinkers.
8. Paradise Bar
180 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge • 617 868 3000
This Central Square club is best known for having live performances by male dancers six nights a week, and for fielding new amateur talent. The upstairs bar shows big-screen movies and concert videos, while downstairs is a dance hall (no high heels are allowed).
9. Jacque’s Cabaret
One of the oldest names on the Boston gay club scene, Jacque’s has been welcoming queer rock bands, drag queens, and their adoring fans for many decades. Garage rock and beer fuel the crowded area around the popular pool tables. Discreetly tucked away behind the Theater District, Jacque’s is a lively option every night of the week (see Jacque’s Cabaret).
Jacque’s Cabaret
10. Boston Eagle
520 Tremont St
A doorway-mounted wooden eagle has welcomed gay men to this subterranean South End bar for years. Having no qualms about simply being a gay bar, the Eagle is not a place to dance. The dimly lit bar area is roomy and comfortable; in the back, a mirrored wall captures pool sharks and pinball wizards at work.
