G-A-Y Bar has the tendency to the be the trashier option but we loved it very much as drinks are served in plastic here still but the music is bumping and so are their crowds. This is great place to dance and enjoy new friends to dance with. Also this place was where Madonna performed 20 years ago and for that reason we will always make this place part of our evening. read more

Been a long time since I went to GAY. For nostalgia I thought I would pop in for one drink before heading home after seeing Priscilla at the Outer Net club (Highly recommend new night club under tottenham court road tube - Called Here @ outernet). It seems I managed to find the only Gay bar that is anti gay. The twink shop boy on the door starts to quiz me of when I last visited and refused to let "People like me in".... Darling I used to come here when Astoria was still a thing and before Jeremy Joseph even took over heaven. I hope grinder put's them out of business All I would say is stear clear there are better places to go. Ku Bar, Friendly Society & now Outernet. I had already been to those the night before hence trying GAY. Bit shocked to see so many other people have had a similar experience. read more

I had such a great time at this bar! The endless screens of music videos were my favorite and I couldn't get enough. Two doubles (vodka/soda and gin/tonic) cost about $13.50 total and that is with tip. As the night progresses, it gets busier which is to be expected but we stayed on the main level which didn't get too busy which was nice for some added dance space. Later in the evening, the second floor gets packed. The bathroom attendant was often irritated that people don't carry cash so he will mumble things under his breath. It's a little funny but also makes it uncomfortable. As you can see in my photo, I made many purchases here. As a tourist, this place was great and I really enjoyed my time here. I wish I could be in town for all the famous drag performers that will be at G-A-Y in the next few weeks. Recommended as a stop in gay London! read more

G-A-Y Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Rude and filthy. Absolutely rude and discriminatory. The door staff are absolutely unprofessional and don't listen to the customers, blatantly ignore you and have a "better than you attitude". And the inside of the bar looks like monkey pox/ Covid hazard zone. I'd recommend this place absolutely never. I'm visiting and they were the biggest assholes I've ever encountered. I've never walked away from a place feeling so disrespected. DO NOT GO HERE. They don't have any customer service skills nor do they value customers. You're just another dollar to them. Walk a little further and you'll see Comptons which is welcoming. Fun. Clean. And just a good vibe. read more

After years as airline crew and bringing fellow coworkers and recommending passengers here, tonight I was denied entry because I was "not a regular or member." Safe to say this will be my last time taking my business here or anyone I know. Don't waste your time. Go to another bar. Even in covid times, this is an unacceptable business practice. read more

Came here on a Friday night around 9:30! We didn't have to wait too long - maybe around 5 minutes and the bouncers were pretty friendly. Inside, it's basically one long room with a lot of TVs, disco balls and a lot of gays! They play great pop music and it's spacious, everybody is friendly here! It was a good time and I definitely would come back! They were pretty relaxed and let us in even though we had backpacks and weren't dressed the best (we were tourists)! read more

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The bar has two floors. We went there Friday night. The music was great and the drinks were are reasonably priced! It got crowded after 8 or 9 pm. The line could extend to the beginning of the street. Once we got in, we found a queue going upstairs too. The dance music definitely helped to loose up and kill the time. The second floor was more crowded , with some outdoor space where smokers hang out. It's a cool place to check out. read more

G-A-Y..GAY! Thank you for helping me with my spelling. Came here with friends on New Years Day to continue the celebrating of the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010. Actually, it was more like we need to stay up all night since we slept most of the day and had to head out to Luton airport at 3AM for a 6AM flight to Dublin. The place has two floors with plenty of room to dance, but beware of the upper floor as it gets a bit more crowded than the first floor. The place is plastered with plasma screens that show the music videos of the songs being played in the club. Had a great time with friends before heading out to other bars in Soho. Was a little disappointed that I missed Porn Idol night (a Thursday), but hopefully it'll still be around for my next trip to London. read more

G-A-Y Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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Super fun except when my friend and I got our umbrellas stolen. Which SUCKED as it was raining when we headed out around 3am. Got there close to midnight and the bouncer was hilarious. Walked in with my boyfriend and my friend. Dialogue to my boyfriend (that happens to be tall and black.) Bouncer: Hey you can't come in here. You're obviously not gay and this is what is going to happen. Some gay guy is going to hit you and you'll knock him out. My boyfriend: No it'll be fine i'm from San Francisco Bouncer: Okay come in Fun music, busy but not super crowded on a Monday night. Accepted cards for drinks. Lots of gay guys if you are looking for one- mostly friendly. :) Right outside is a great tasting falafel place which is perfect for your drunk munchies. read more

I call this bar, "Generic Gay Bar of the world". It's basically a place to get drunk, dance, and meet boys. It's obvious they don't really take that much time in trying to improve the establishment. I assume that their nightly clean-up consists of a spraying of diluted bleach and then they call it a night. Seriously though, this place is much better when there are actual events or theme nights. Its location is what this place has going for them. Though, this place could really do without the plastic pint glasses. read more

Why oh why do they insist on dumping lesbians in the basement? This particular basement is cunningly called 'Girl Bar'. Smart. If you are indeed a Sapphic sister or a loyal friend of the aforementioned, sit back and contemplate the narrow selection of watering holes reserved especially for lady lovin' chicks that exist below ground level. Are we a family of ferrets, a collective of chipmunks perhaps? A 'loft' is now considered the epitome of attic cool, in England we appreciate the heat rising in winter but please proprietors of gay drinking establishments, note that a basement should be the proud jurisdiction of the lavatory (in this case, the men's is bigger and less smelly than the ladies). Oh, and don't bother with this venue if you're over 19 or detest Britters/Madge or their ilk. On the plus side though, if you've got the Beer Goggles clamped on and you're feeling frisky, it's a good spot for picking up a foreign exchange student by ploughing him/her with 1.50 vodka mixers! Good value all round I say. read more

G-A-Y Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - London, XGL

If you are a woman and you like to dance, but don't want to worry about getting hit on, then the place to go is G-A-Y. The best thing to do, to make sure you have a stellar evening is to get a group of friends together, gay and straight and head out to G-A-Y on a Friday or Saturday night. The place is huge so there's no shortage of space. But I'd arrive about 10ish and have on your dancing shoes! I will readily admit you will see a few guys that make you want to cry, but oh well, those are the breaks. The music is great and I found myself laughing and dancing the night away! On top of that, the best part was that no one hit me or tried to bump and grind on me the entire night. I was able to dance and drink with complete abandon! I love G-A-Y and if you want to dance, dance, dance this is the place. read more

G-A-Y Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Being on a hen party (a low key one, I guess, seeing as another reviewer says they're not allowed) that involved almost 50% gay men, it was pretty clear this was a good choice. And we had So. Much. Fun. Even when it got busy we didn't have to wait long for drinks and could focus on dancing to every single awesome track. There was a lot of Rihanna and Lady Gaga, there was classic Madonna. And there was the Spice Girls. I loved it. I also like the fact the the decor is quite rubbish and basic. What more do you need? It reminds me of the places I used to go when I first started going out. The walls are black, there is a bar. Job done. I've just seen another review describe G-A-Y as the "polar opposite of cool, hip and trendy." That's because this is the Fun Pole. read more

Yes, I partied here last weekend. Yes, I had a good time. And if you are wondering. No, I am not. Not even close. Fabulous. read more

You heard it here first this place is the bomb.com. One of my favorite places to go dancing in all of London town. Are you a sassy single gal looking to go out for a night of nonstop dance moves but would rather not get hit on and or groped by creepy greaseball douchebags? Well then G-A-Y is the place to be! As you can imagine, most people going here aren't that interested in the ladies, so you've got free range to dance to your hearts content without anyone stepping into your "bubble" uninvited. They play pretty standard top 40 UK hits/dance singles, but that is fine by me- all the better to dance to in my opinion! The top floors are usually busier, that's where they have performances etc- and the bottom floor is more casual and less crowded- more "loungey"- good place to go if you just want to sit and have a conversation. Plus it's on old compton st which is always a happening place to be- plenty to do at night! Seriously this place rules. read more

G-A-Y bar was a lot of fun! I went here on a Monday night and it was pretty packed with fairly attractive guys.. I'm assuming it only gets better on the weekend! The bar had a fun decor with music videos playing throughout. You could also text in messages to be shown throughout the bar which was pretty cool. One thing I can't stand about London (and I guess the rest of Europe) is the horribly weak mixed drinks. GAY bar was an exception and finally provided me with something strong enough to please me. I will definitely be coming back here.. loves it! read more

Absolutely embarrassing and horrifying. How much longer until this business is no longer in business? The smart money says months or weeks.. Tried to go have a pint this evening and was harassed by a rude man in an unusual uniform who didn't bother to say hello, but gruffly barked, "SEARCH!" .. beckoning me to open my arms in the search position. I'm a 6' tall guy dressed in preppy clothes - no back pack, no awkwardness, obviously not there to cause any trouble for this sad-sack business. Alas, advised again to open my arms for "SEARCH!" .. I told the gentleman that I'll take my business - and simple desire for a pint - elsewhere. Would tell you dear readers, there's nowhere else in the world where you'll be treated like this in a small pub just to walk inside and have a drink. Take your business elsewhere. read more

I've patronized (pardon the American spelling and assume it's all downhill from here) both in Europe and the States. But I've never drank at a bar that closes early then shuffles its patrons to another locale. And then Saturday night is an entirely different venue the size of a battleship. Unreal. Fun, but unreal. Both smaller bars serve drinks often and cheaply. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happens next: you're gonna get loaded. And you're gonna have a good time. read more

Quick! Put them down there! Out of Sight. Like most gay and lesbian friendly establishments, G.A.Y bar likes to hide the lesbians in the basement. This really is a Soho staple and I regularly pop in when I'm on a night out / meeting with friends / need a drink / want to hide and wallow in the pits with the rest of the sad regulars and apathetic bar staff. Saying that, when money is tight, (which it inevitably will be when you do a degree in the arts) at £1.50 a pint of Calsberg or glass of vino, there's really no argument here. If your a girl and want to get served at the busy bar on the top two floors (or even sometimes in the dyke basement) good luck. Typically the bar staff will go for the pretty boys flinging themselves over the bar. This however is standard practice at busy gay bars in the city. Just like the when people go to China Town for it's infamous terrible service, so must you to G.A.Y bar. It's an institution and must be experienced. Give in to your destiny. read more

I did -not- want to go here, I could tell from peeking inside that this is -not- our kind of crowd ... but The Husband insisted we step in for a drink. Just -one- drink. We made our way through the storm of twinks and their BFF girlfriends to the bar, got a couple of glasses of red wine, then my husband led me further into the swirling mass. We were at least two decades older than anyone there (I'm 50), and I felt terribly out of place. We found a spot near the bar and tried to enjoy our wine while being jostled and nudged by completely oblivious kids. This is apparently where all the Baby Gays go to get sloppy drunk, shriek at the top of their lungs, and spontaneously break into dance wherever they happen to be whenever Kylie, Madonna, or that GaGa woman appears on the multitude of TV monitors. After a few moments we decided to try and find a (relatively) calmer spot to stand, so we snaked our way through the crowd when Drunk Boy suddenly decided to pick up Drunk Girl and swirl her around because OMG! TAYLOR SWIFT! And they landed on my husband, splashing a full glass of red wine all over his shirt and jacket. He was stunned. I was furious. I tapped him and said "Let's go!" ... but to be fair, and honest, and give these kids a little credit, they descended upon him and cleaned him up as best they could, with paper towels and napkins. They fussed and fussed and fussed over him, kissed him on the cheek, and apologized relentlessly ... as they should have. Of course he absolutely ate it up. *rolling eyes* We made it to the space near the front and I gave him my wine. He chugged it. Then we left and found a drinking establishment for Men. read more

You know exactly what you're getting from this bar by It's bold name and as such this is often the first port of call for those newly out or newly arrived in London. Spread over three large floors, downstairs aimed at lesbians, the two other floors aimed at everyone but mainly attracting the newly out, young boys, older twink lovers and camp people of all ages it is one of the most popular bars in Soho, helped immensely by cheap drinks offers throughout the week. There's also an enclosed smoking area on the second floor for those who want their fags more literal. The bar has large screens throughout which play a wide variety of pop music and occasional TV programmes, such as X Factor. For some this would be hell but It's all done in the name of fun and, therefore, quite a laugh, especially the X Factor nights when the crowd boo and cheer along to Simon Cowell's jibes. Obviously there are many, even on the gay scene, who hate this style of bar and the kind of gay people inside but you won't know unless you try. The only thing I truly hate about this place is the, unfortunately quite popular, use of toilet attendants who seem like a cheap alternative to proper security and are truly irritating with their cries of âyou touch it, you wash itâ. Completely unnecessary and annoying. read more

G A Y is a great place to come to. Every night of the week is a ton of fun and full of people. I met my first love at this bar. We were dancing on the second floor and kissed. Great memories. Its fun to watch the videos playing on the screens as well. Try to come here during the week. On the weekends it gets ultra crowded. read more

Soho's cheap thrills and spills gay bar. One of the most well known gay bars in town, but, for what reasons one may ask... If you've ever been to Soho or just had a wander down Old Compton Street then you'd be no stranger to know of or spot this bar. The big G-A-Y logo outside the front and the pink setting visible outside as well it being inescapable inside is bound to plant a memory in your mind... especially if you've ventured inside. Biggest Win(s): - Sunday to Thursday has a selection of 8 cheap drinks ranging from ciders to beers to mixers to shots only costing you £1.70 all day and night and the same applies on Friday's between the hours of 6pm and 8pm but for £2 a drink. - The bouncers are friendly and thorough but swift when they are searching you as well as remembering who you are and are always striking up a quick convo or a joke as well as the bar staff always enjoying the moment and I don't think I remember a time that they've forgotten my large orders or gave me different drinks. The bar staff do look as if they are enjoying the musical moment whilst they lipsync and dance around the bar whilst conjuring up your drinks and shots. Downfalls: - The inescapable pink that I have mentioned before is everywhere apart the bathrooms and the smoking area but to also add to the situation I must mention that any photos you take around the venue will consist of a pink backround ensuring that the bar has left it's DNA for you to be constantly reminded. - The toilet attendants who bug you for your small change after them giving you a tissue to dry your hands who chant their made up songs like "you touch it, you wash it" are both a big issue and a huge annoyance. - Half the music choice and half the customer base: if you want a mature down to earth atmosphere then steer clear as half of its customers range from to 18 24 and you never know what the next track on the playlist will hold. (check out G-A-Y Divas on Spotify or iTunes and you'll get the gist of it) - Queues for the drinks on a night out can have you waiting from 10minutes to 30minutes, so it's always advisable to buy in bulk. **G-A-Y Bar is well recognised for the cheap drinks hence why many others and myself have been there on countless occasions (Moreso during the weekdays than the weekends for obvious reasons). 3 stars due to the downfalls outweighing the highlights but I have had some good nights out in this bar after a couple of money saving drinks have been consumed and taken effect ensuring the music becomes more enjoyable and you forget about all the downfalls.** read more

After a few too many pints in a few of the bars in London, I seemed to think that going to Club G-A-Y with friends was a good idea. It certainly was a hilarious one. The club was hosting some sort of wet underwear contest for men, and the dance floor was packed. The beers were pretty cheap and the huge warehouse of gay dancing was one of the most amusing and delightful experiences I had in London because it was so very very gay. I also met a cute girl there so it made me feel slightly more secure. ;) read more

I went to Gay Bar to watch Eurovision. I had been there a few weeks earlier on a night out and after dressing to the nines (roots done and everything, co-incidentally) I decided on Gay Bar as the right venue to watch Eurovision. The evening was great, except the woman at the door informed me that"this is a gay pub, you know that" and I felt annoyed because don't people realise that Femme chicks exist. Hello. We sat in the back part on the couches watching Eurovision and snuck our snacks in. They do some cheap drinks and food here as well but I wanted pop-corn. On the lower level, more cool people than me were partying, whilst I was upstairs watching Eurovision. It was a good evening, enough though Spain or Latvia didn't win. read more

I really don't see the attraction - in the 00's surely we shouldn't need stereotypes? G.A.Y. (as did the nightclub) just reinforces the image that all gay men are camp and effeminate. This place reminds me of a roadside café and the selection of music that blares out in the background seems to come from some naff regional radio station. For a London bar the prices and choice are not bad but there are much better places to hang out. If you like euro pop, commercial over produced music and camp effeminate gay men then this is the place to go. If however you are ordinary, down to earth (gay or straight) - then there are much better places to grab a drink and a chat in Soho. read more

Very cool place to hang out with friends, specially on week nights. Monday thru Wednesday all drinks are 1,8 and the best music is played. Lots a of different type of peoples, different styles and nationalities. Love the pop music! read more

Typical generic gay bar. VERY young crowd. Not the best looking either. Polar opposite of cool, hip and trendy. POP tracks (they love Girls Aloud and Miley) blast as music videos play on screens on the walls. When a Girls Aloud video plays drinks are two-for-one or something like that... Good side: I went on a Tuesday and they had VERY cheap drink specials. read more

If you want an unpretentious, dance happy gay bar that leans on the young side of the demographic scale, then G-A-Y is perfection. We found the drinks to be relatively cheap by London standards, the bartenders were very friendly, and the crowd was loose and fun. I agree with those that state the music can be bi-polar. It's all over the place...from current top 40 to obscure brit-pop. Having no cover and entry bands into Heaven were a nice bonus. After visiting a few of the trendy gay bars, this was a much appreciated breath of fresh air and a great place to let our guard down a bit. read more

i really like it, the boys are hot. I went there too early, so there were not many ppl dancing. However, it is not boring. I just watched the video on the wall screen. It's a fun and high. to the end, the show is funny. the drink is cheap, too, but they charge money for water. : ( if u are hungry afterward, there is a really good small fish and chip store on the corner. they get good sandwiches, read more

A large-ish venue with good drinks (as in there is actual alcohol in them that you can taste). Clientele have changed since I used to venture into G A Y, seems now it is a younger crowd (with the odd 50 year old sitting with a pint) who generally cannot figure out where to stand. Very crowded, hot, extremely limited seating (go upstairs to front windows), and impossible to wrestle up to the bar. I have to say... AWESOME music/music videos! read more

GAY Bar is super fun. Welcoming of straight folk and well as gay, I've had many a fun night at this fabulous Soho venue. Many a pop-artist has played here over the years - Madonna, Kylie, her infamous sister Danni to name a few. A great drinks list and fab bar snacks. Check out their website for info and special events read more

G-A-Y Bar - G A Y - Gay Bars Near Me - London, XGL

I really don't rate this place at all. It's a huge venue right in the thick of it on Old Compton Street and is far too obvious a choice for anyone with a bit of sense. The space is crap, just a big open room with loads of TV's and a few sofas and the music is so chessy they should hand out toast at the door. The drinks aren't bad and they're fairly cheap but you'll be lucky if your liver absorbs them before your t-shirt does there's so much pushing about. Mostly this is club for gay men, fag hags and the few gay girls who don't mind being relegated to the downstairs basement but they do have quite an open door policy and I've never known anyone to be rejected which at least is a good thing in this city. Loads of people probably love GAY but if you look a little bit harder there really are a lot better places just round the corner. read more

I've been in here once, a couple of years ago to watch Eurovision (my best Eurovision experience to date!) and it was great, the drinks were cheap and the atmosphere was awesome, I had an absolutely great time. However, my massive qualm with this place is getting in. I haven't been let in since, because I look too straight. The time I did go in I was with a friend with short bright pink hair. Apparently one needs to wear one's sexuality in a conventionally gay way to be believed here, other times I have tried to get in they have looked at my long normal coloured hair and skirt and told me it was members only and been vague about how to become a member. I happen to be a bisexual woman who identifies as such, by the way, not that I should need to be to be admitted. The admission attitude really disappoints me. read more

I've finally gotten off my rear end and checked this place out with a friend; it's actually not as bad as I was expecting. With three floors, there's always something to please, and the bottom floor is especially dedicated to lesbians, which is nice. However, the types of lesbians its attracting are the emo butches...eh, you win some, you lost some. Overall, it's better than expected, the company and bartenders were super nice when I went and service was decent. I'd go back again if I had nothing else to do and wanted to be in like-minded company. read more

I came here on a Thursday night with a friend, and we headed straight to the bar on the first floor. Queues were packed at 10PM, but £1.70 for a selection of 7 drinks (beers, ciders, basic mixed selection, jaegers)? Yes!!! Because the wait can be annoying, I wouldd suggest buying drinks in bulk - I saw one guy carrying 8 shots away from the bar, haha. The second floor also has a bar, a sitting/resting area in the far back with couches and tables (but not really separate from the rest of the floor), and a patio for smoking. Most of the crowd on the night I went was pretty young (20s or younger), and the dance floor was poppin'. They played top 40 music in addition to some older pop songs (think Lady Gaga, old-school Rihanna, etc.). read more

I absolutely loved this bar. Great vibes, great music, fun place to dance. However, just hope you don't have to go to the bathroom when you're there. The bathroom attendant was absolutely asinine. After I washed my hands I went to grab a paper towel. The attendant, I assume aggravated I didn't take a paper towel from them obligating me to tip, followed me to the paper towels and shook their tip cup at me. ...Really? read more

First point to note, week night drinks are cheap as chips - just over £2 for a vodka, lime and soda. The music is fun and loud and there's plenty of entertaining dancers to watch. The door staff literally scaremonger you into keeping your bag pinned to you the whole night for fear of it being snatched away, I presume they must have a large number of belongings getting stolen - or perhaps more likely, a lot of people get horrendously drunk and have no idea where they left their belongings! Toilets aren't too nice so pee early and don't venture in towards the end of the night. All in all though it's a really fun atmosphere with cheesy music, so if that's your thing go for it. Even better if you are actually gay. read more

Probably one of the most famous gay bars in London from an overseas perspective, I went here with a gay friend and a straight friend and upon entry, we were suitably shown a great time! Bouncers were lovely, bar staff hot! Felt a little bit 'on show' but the bar WAS fairly empty being mid-week, however the smoker's courtyard was packed! Everyone (all boys) I encountered here were friendly and happy to chat and have dance to Kylie or Janet, whatever pop princess tickles one's fancy. I agree with other reviewers, the interior is a little sparse, maybe needs to be updated or 'warmed up'. I couldn't help but feel that they keep it that way to mop up all the spilt drinks at the end of the night. Never a pleasant thought. Always love a place where the ladies loos are pristine! read more

G.A.Y bar, like the rest of the G.A.Y. chain, is unsuprisingly, a gay bar. It's often the first port of call for those new to London simply because it's label says it's all. If you're a big butch bear then this may not be the place for you, seeing as it's main audience is predominantly the younger gay scene who's music tastes don't stretch further than the pop-charts or anything shiny. Spread over three large floors, with an outside area for smokers, the place is populated by video screens showing pop music past and present. This in itself can be quite a laugh if you're in the mood. The basement area is mainly lesbians, though the bar is inclusive of straight people. For most of the week there are £1.60 drinks available to appeal to the young student crowd and the more mature people who want to get plastered. It's not my first choice of venue simply because the crowd really isn't my thing, I prefer GAY-Late myself. However to start the evening off or end it it's okay. read more