This incredible beach town dive is the oldest LGBTQ drag bar in Texas! It's a nice-sized space with a patio and pool as well. Known for hosting some of the best drag shows around. Drink prices are pretty darn cheap considering they're not even a block from the beach. Cowboy Tom was the bartender on duty during our visit and we had a great time chatting with him. He even made friends with our sweet boy, Benji. Love going to a place I've never been and immediately feeling welcomed and at home. Can't wait to visit again. read more

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This is sort of a must-stop type of bar in Galveston with its longevity. The building looks about ready for the wrecking ball, not an unlikely prospect given the amount of gentrification in the area, but the bar is still fun. We hung out on the patio by the pocket swimming pool out back with a group of older guys and had a blast chatting with them. Recommended. read more

Ambiance is right, its full of energy, safe especially for lgbtq+ fun and its a two block walk to the beach...the outside area bar and pool are my favorite things there read more

I'm nether here or there on this place. Maybe that is because of the day that we showed up here. Maybe it was because it was the uncommon territory. Maybe it was because it was Galveston. Whatever the reason, it's all neutral. I came here with a work friend on my last evening in Galveston. Being that it was the middle of the week there wasn't much traffic to get here or many patrons inside. Never being there before, we walked in and were greeted by the bartender and kind of given the lay of the land for the bar and outdoor areas. I didn't believe them when they said that they had an outdoor area with a pool. I thought, yeah, right, it'll be one of those kiddie plow up pools. Instead, it was a fully functioning pool. But, a pool at a gay bar is not always the best thing to be dipping into. We did enjoy the outdoor area. Once we figured out where to go, we sat out there and chatted, drank, and had a smoke. It was a nice escape, the breeze, the sound of water from the fountain and an all around great atmosphere. When it was time to go, paying was easy, handed over my card and waited a few. While paying the bartender gave us some ideas of things to do. Would have been great to get those if I had stopped by earlier in the week. My friends had come in and caught a drag show, but I wasn't in tow. read more

Nice and friendly place to visit and have a few drinks and they also have a pool if you want to have a dip to to cool off

The bartender displayed a rude and overbearing demeanor, making them the least hospitable service provider I have encountered.

The bartenders are sweet and the drinks are cheap..drag shows are fun and usually about the time i get to singing.... the back yard is the best part.. check it out read more

The bartender gave attitude about taking a card then while we were drinking in the back the drag queen came up super rude. Was trying to be funny but was so awkward. Would never come back to this place. I can see why no one recommended it. read more

Great gay bar In Galveston, TX. A fun, campy experience that can be hard to find nowadays!

Great place it's an icon in Galveston drag shows & a pool!! Who could ask for more? Oh yeah and they have poker night poke her poke him who knows?! read more

Fun safe open minded place where anyone can relax and be themselves. Love the drag shows and the outside area the most, especially the pool.

Don't get me wrong i usually love a dirty little dive bar... but i'm also a human being with morals. I've only been to this bar a handful of times and the place is absolutely horrible. Racist, Rude, and Vulger bartenders. Creepy and Handsy hosts. Customers who are equally as outdated and awful filling it to the brim. If you want to get groped and fondled by sketchy men while the host and bartenders watch, laugh, and even encourage this is the place to be baby! read more

Robert's Lafitte - Thinks i'm being dramatic? Here is a little taste of what the host is about, see the attached photo from a now deleted facebook post. :) - Gay Bars Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Being a gay woman, this has been the most uncomfortable place I've ever been. There was 2 dead flys in the toilet bowl and toilet paper. bartenders were talking about women and I was in there? I would never recommend this place to anyone!!!! read more

I see a lot of people calling this a gay dive bar, and I guess it is, but it's also magical. The girls who perform in the drag show are beyond amazing, making you leave feeling happy and entertained. Can't say that about too many places. Don't go in thinking you are at RuPaul's Drag Race. These are real people who put everything they have into every performance. If you come to Galveston and you love drag shows, you'll be cheating yourself not to catch this one. If you get tired of the show, there is another bar and a pool in the back. Galveston's best kept secret! Don't forget to bring some cash. It's costs money for girls to look that good! Always tip your drag queens! read more

I'm from Galveston, and started going to Robert's Lafitte in 1981, when I was eighteen. I've been there thousands of times over the years, and have had more fun in there, at the bar, the pool, and in the tea room, than at any other bar in my life. Haven't been going out much since the pandemic started, but will be making a comeback soon. I miss the fabulous gay times I always had there so much I'll probably be a bar fly there for the rest of my life. The first drag shows I ever went to were in "Lafitte's",:when I was eighteen. I especially liked seeing the owner (Robert) doing comedy Drag. He was really hilarious. And on Sundays they had free hotdogs in there! I was always there for that. There's something about eating hotdogs in a gay bar that makes the experience feel really special. read more

Friendly and fun dive just a block from the ocean- just off Seawall Drive. Check out the back patio- there's a pool and bar back there. When we went late on a Saturday night,they were giving away tamales that were delicious- which was a nice bonus after a long day of drinking. Bartenders and crowd here are so friendly- definitely recommend! read more

friendly staff- gave me and my friend a tour of the building when we came in. love the atmosphere! such a fun place

I enjoyed my time here at this bar. If you're a fan of the show Shameless (US version), this place is like a gay Alibi. Dixie is an attentive bar tender. She's awesome and makes great drinks. I also happen to come in on a day some guys were practicing their show routine. I need to come back on a day they have their drag shows. Parking has never been an issue. They have a back patio and it's pleasant. It has a very intimate feel to it. read more

When we drove by Robert's Lafitte, with its proud rainbow flags, we couldn't resist a return trip on foot. What amazing things would we find there? Well as it turns out, we discovered cheap beers, a pool table, slot machines, a sexy puppet show, a giant betty boop, a sumo wrestler cut out to take pics with, a weird pool in the back with beers all around it, a large outdoor patio and a lady whose name escapes me who really really wanted us to smoke some of her demon weed. She also decided to sit down with us and tell us a life story. It's an odd place but I'm sure it lends a lot of color to the island. We were sad we missed the strip off the night before but skedaddled after a single beer to check out other spots down the street. It's an... adventure. read more

Great little drag bar in Galveston. I live in Houston but a couple of years ago, I heard of this place and decided to go with my best friend. The bartenders are awesome, the drinks are good, the prices work for me, and the drag show is what drag should be: an interactive performance that gets the audience involved and has more to do with having a good time than just looking pretty and lip syncing a song. I recently moved to Webster, which puts me the same distance from this place as it does to the bars in Houston, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make more of an effort to come here than Houston. The bar is small but intimate, old but not run down, and a great time. read more

Very fabulous Gay Bar As they say Cum here and be yourself Fabulous drinks. Jose makes the best bloody Mary's on the island Also has the best comedy drag shows Make sure you see Myra Sanchez do the " Pussy Song" read more

Campy, but fun bar... Staff are nice, and attentive, and the drinks are good!!!... I've been going there off and on for at least 22 years.. The shows at night are also very good!! read more

Just came from Robert's Lafitte. . Young bar tender wouldn't even let us walk in the door. Some blond dude said two drink minimum to even walk in. Way to make people feel welcome. Won't be back and don't recommend you go either read more

Love the atmosphere people do not criticize others for their looks I like the drinks too and the pool so nice and clean too is fun gets crazy funky but also the shows ar ok need more shows tho read more

Dive bar yes, clean far from. So smoky inside you will stink after a few minutes. Drinks were okay and priced decent. Parking is a lil bit of a challenge and we didn't feel very welcome there read more

my friends and i came here on a whim when we took a small vacation to galveston- it's now going to be our regular bar. the atmosphere was amazing, the drinks were priced well, and the bartenders were amazing. 100% recommended robert's lafitte for anyone looking for fun in galveston :) read more

I always loved this little neighborhood bar. Particularly after they didn't allow smoking inside. Albeit, but for a brief time. But, alas, smoking is again permissible inside and it's just as horrible as ever. On my last visit, I couldn't stand being in there for more than one drink. The ceiling is just too low and the smoke hovers around your head. Too bad. I wish people could get it, but they equate smoking bans with government interference in their lives. Which sounds all patriotic and all so they get their way. I understand that smoking inside is the bar owner's choice & it's his bar ... but I wish he had the cojones to respect all of his customers and not just just the ones who don't care that their 2nd hand smoke makes others suffer. Well, no reason to suffer and pay good money for drinks. So, I'll just spend my money elsewhere. read more

We stepped back in time on a Saturday night....to the late 70s early 80s....when bars like this were the only way gay men could meet one another, and the only place drag queens could do their thing. It doesn't look like ANYTHING has changed since the place opened...except for most of the patrons who appear to have aged considerably. Yes you are in a huge cloud of smoke, yes there's a vending machine with chips, candy bars, and cigarettes, and yes there are drag queens to whom No!No! is a no-no. Never before have I seen so much comedy material packed into so few square feet.....my friends and I laughed our heads off and are still joking about it two weeks later.....loved this place. Will definitely go back. Maybe Mongoloid Monday? read more

My favorite bar in Galveston. Sure, it's a little old, out dated and dungy, but I like a bar with personality that doesn't pretend to be something it's not. This is a local watering hole with personality and a friendly staff and owner. I smoke so screw the non smoker who gave it one star. They have the best patio in Galveston so if you need fresh sea air to breathe, hit the tropical patio with pool and cool bird cage. Staff is always attentive and friendly, love the vibe and crazy crowd, and leave all of your false pretenses behind you. It's hit or miss on the crowd but a really fun and friendly bar. Been there 20 times and always enjoyed it. read more

My favorite little gay bar in Galveston. Drag shows and great people. Drink prices are great.

Love this place! Its the local dive/drag bar. Drinks are cheap, the staff are really friendly. It has a mixed crowd of young and old. The shows are great! The queens are very interactive and bring a lot of energy when they perform. This is a small community, with lots of vacationers, so don't be surprised if you have 10 people come to your table to meet you and say hi. Very friendly good people that know how to have a good time. The outdoor patio looks all new. Has a nice pond/fountain and the entire area is surrounded by what looks like a tropical oasis. Loved everything about this place, and will visit every time I'm in the area. Thanks for a great weekend!!! read more

This venue was one of the deciding factors of why I am definitely relocating to Galveston. I hardly go out to bars except maybe twice a year up in the Northeast....This place....made me think oh "Cheers"...they are going to know me hehe. I stopped by around 10 pm on a weeknight at the end of April. I was greeted and made very welcome by the amazing bartender "Lee" ....he made my drink perfectly....and the other patrons made me feel very welcome. I can't wait to visit again.....everyone was so engaging and pleasant I can't really comment on pictures etc hanging on the walls or any patio(read about in other reviews-never took the time to venture there). I can say....I am a neat freak in the service industry and was completely satisfied with the way my drink was prepared and the presentation of the "ladies" room(I am a female). Summary-This place is a jewel and definitely a Galveston Charm ! read more

Just relax; this is the bar you could do it if you feel like partying you can party if you feel like being alone you can be alone it's whatever you want to do you can do it it's really cool place to be. read more

my husband I stopped in and this place was just so uncomfortable, it's very dark dusty and full of cigarette smoke so much so it was hard to breath. After ordering our drinks that were canned beer (yuk) the bar tender asked to give us the grand tour. He walked us out back to a very cute patio and through a little pathway to a pool where he informed me that clothing was optional. As a married man I truly don't ever want to see that and don't want my husband to ether. We went back in had to order another drink (two drink minimum) shots just so we could get the hell out of there ! I promise you we will never be back to this place! If there was a negative star rating it would have gotten that! read more

This is definitely a dive bar experience. Our Shiner Boch beers were served in cans, the smoke-filled air was so thick, I could barely breathe. Then, the bartender gave us a tour of the back patio and pool, and informed us clothing was optional. This place could definitely use a complete renovation to attract more people. And why not make the smokers smoke out on the patio? Smoking indoors is SO 1970's. read more

Went there for a bit. Small crowd of old men but they were all friendly. Drinks were ok. They don't open tabs but they charge your card starting at $20 and they give your change back on cash. They do allow smoking inside :-( read more

They had a pool party and we went early before the party starts so that my old disabled friend find a chair to sit on. The management came and kicked my old disabled friend out of his chair next to the pool to give space for a dancer. Instead of accommodating a disabled person by letting him relocate his chair. He was told, "get your ass out there or leave our establishment". They didn't even have the decency to say sorry. read more

One of the 3 remaining gay bars in Galveston & the oldest. You don't want to see this place with the lights on! Very tacky decor, crap hanging everywhere. A prime target for 'Bar Rescue.' Usually filled with old regulars, emphasis on OLD. Not at all friendly to newcomers. Somewhat better on nights & weekends when more people attend, sometimes tacky drag shows. read more

Dropped by with a small group while in Galveston for the weekend. The modest entrance belies the absolute gem of a time capsule that is behind that door. Upon entering, we were assaulted my a nimbus of cigarette smoke. If you squint your eyes just right and are in the right frame of mind, go ahead and pretend you're in a cool dive bar from Mad Men. Once you get used to the fog of smoke, open your eyes in wonder at this Aladdin's Cave of anachronistic treasures. Note the the vending machine in the back offering candy bars, jerky, and yes, 5 kinds of Marlboro cigarettes. But this is definitely a Pall Mall crowd, so temper your expectations. In short, we had a blast, friendly guys and "gals", and some tough looking chicas I wouldn't look in the eye if I were you. It's definitely not Ghost Bar, nor does it pretend to be. Enjoy and prepare to be entertained. There was mention of. "mongoloid Monday, we were immeasurably intrigued! read more

Took 8 girls for a bachelorette party there, as the website says they have a comedy drag show, and I thought we'd bounce around and do the pub crawl. How can you go wrong with a comedy drag show, right? I mean, I've been to another one at a much nicer place in Houston, and the staff, performers, etc. were extremely gracious and welcoming to us straight girls. Well, we didn't even get seated good and the emcee turned ugly on us. Hey, it's a comedy show, you can expect a little ribbin', right? OK. No problem. But I think this guy had some issues with straight people, I don't know. Anyway, we didn't stay long, the bride to be was a little "tipsy", lol, and we needed to get her out of there and into some fresh air and a gallon of coffee. The bartender was very nice. The place was old, but that's not a deal breaker. It could use some freshening up, seriously, though. read more