Jerry Timms

Looking for a place to dance or get a drink? Phoenix gay bars can be fun, but you have to make sure you go to the right bar on the right night, because the gay bar scene in Phoenix isn’t active enough to support multiple hot spots at the same time each evening. I’ve listed some of my favorites below, but you can also read some of my local Phoenix gay bar reviews on Yelp.

Saturday
Club Forbidden
One of the newest gay bars in the Phoenix area. It’s actually in Scottsdale, and I think it will continue to get better as it finds and develops it’s identity. Club Forbidden was opened just prior to Burn Nightclub closing in Phoenix, so many regulars from Burn now come to dance at this club. DJ Jeremy, who used to spin at Burn, now works here as well. Go on a Saturday and then head to Charlies, if you must, for afterhours dancing. READ MORE

–and then–

Charlies
Currently the best (only?) gay dance club to go for afterhours in Phoenix on Saturdays. Don’t go before 1:00 AM because they’ll still be playing country music. A few too many drag shows for my taste on any other day of the week.

Friday
Amsterdam Bar
One of the classiest Phoenix gay bars. This would be the perfect place to take your straight friends most days of the week, as it’s the least threatening crowd and presents the best image to a gay bar newbie. But stay away on Thursdays because they have a drag show. It’s usually happening on Fridays. They sometimes have afterhours dancing in the “Club Miami” section, but it seems like this place usually starts to clear out pretty early as everyone heads elsewhere.

Thursday
Nothing here yet.

Wednesday
BS West
One of the best 2-for-1 nights you’ll find anywhere on Wednesdays. This video bar in Scottsdale also has the best gay Halloween event in the Phoenix area, when they expand the venue to the area around the parking structure.

Tuesday
Roscoes on Seventh
Another great 2-for-1 night. This gay sports bar in Phoenix is much better after the smoking ban took effect…for some reason this place has a terrible ventilation system, and even when I was a smoker I couldn’t stand the eye-burning smoky interior.

Monday
Amsterdam Bar
Yep, it’s back to Amsterdam on Mondays for “$5 Martinis and Manicures.” It’s pretty much like it sounds, where you can get any martini on their list (and it’s a very long list) for $5, and even a $5 manicure in the back. There are sometimes other services offered for $5, like tarot card readings and henna tattoos.

Sunday
Nothing here yet.

RIP
Burn Nightclub
Burn Nightclub closed on January 19th, 2008, and some of us were there to see it off into the abyss that so many great dance clubs have fallen into in recent Phoenix history. For me this started with Crowbar, then Boom, and now Burn. READ MORE