Gays That Travel

6 best gay bars and clubs in Adelaide

29 April 2022

Charlie and I spent a solid amount of time at the best gay bars and clubs in Adelaide when we travelled around Australia by van. Although we love a good night out, we both can’t handle the hangovers anymore so it isn’t usually that frequent. We didn’t think we’d enjoy going out in Adelaide as much as Sydney or Brisbane, but we really truly did. After reading other peoples’ blogs, scrolling Instagram and Facebook, and asking our audience on Instagram where the best gay and LGBT+ venues were in Adelaide, we decided to try them out. So here are Adelaide’s 6 best gay bars and clubs for you to try. Related: 5 best gay bars and clubs in Sydney.

1. My Lover Cindy - gay bar Adelaide

LGBT bar Adelaide - My Lover Cindy
We have a super soft spot for this alternative, edgy, new gay bar in Adelaide. It isn’t just your typical gay bar though. My Lover Cindy is an inclusive bar, and the vibes definitely scream ‘everyone is welcome!’. We met the owner Rachel, who after working in hospitality for most of her career, saw first-hand how hard it was to find an all-inclusive space in the city. Not just for the LGBT+ community, but also those less physically abled. The result: Rachel and her partner Kate opened up their own LGBT+ bar with a focus on accessibility. It’s the only one of it’s kind in Adelaide, and we absolutely love it. Friday night has the more chilled, acoustic vibe going on. Saturday night has more the ‘ladies leave your (wo)men at home’ vibe.  Here’s Charlie sipping his $12 espresso Martini and loving life at My Lover Cindy.
Gay bar Adelaide - My Lover Cindy

2. Mary's Poppin - gay club Adelaide

Gay club Adelaide - My Lover Cindy
We had such good fun out at Mary’s Poppin! The drag shows were epic. It was the first time I really heard the lyrics to Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ because the drag who performed sung it slow. Now I’m obsessed. Mary’s Poppin opens at 9pm, but we recommend getting there around 11pm. You have to pay an entry fee of $20 to get in ‘unless your Lady Gaga’, as they say on their website. Ha. Friday night is usually more themed, and Friday the 13th was the theme when we were there. Saturday is more your ‘drag show with a boogie’ at this gay venue in Adelaide. 

3. The Unley - gay pub Adelaide

Gay venue in Adelaide

The Unley used to be a burlesque bar called Boho. It was very much loved by the gay and LGBT+ community in Adelaide. Now, Boho has been transformed into The Unley, yet the stained glass windows still remain from the burlesque days.

Frequented by the LGBT+ community that remember it from the Boho days, the Unley shouldn’t be your go-to gay pub to dance the night away. Rather, the best time to visit would be Friday or Saturday evenings for pre-drinks and dinner. That’s what we did. 

Afterwards, head over to Sugar or Mary’s Poppins to drop it like it’s hot. That’s also what we did.  

4. Sugar - gay friendly club

If you want a change of scenery from Mary Poppins, or you want an 80’s and 90’s disco type of boogie in Adelaide, Sugar is the gay-friendly club to party at. They have international DJs perform here on Saturday nights, and the vibes are super welcoming.

If you don’t have many days in the city, our recommendation is to leave Mary Poppins at about 1-2am and then head on over to Sugar.

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5. Mylk Bar - Sunday night drag bingo

Being honest, Mylk bar is no Sunday night at the Beresford. However, Mylk bar still comes vibrantly alive as a gay venue for Drag Bingo on Sunday afternoons. Every other day of the week it isn’t typically frequented by the LGBT+ community in Adelaide, so save this one for your Sunday afternoons. 

We had such a good time, but we also absolutely love Drag Bingo. I get way more into it than Charlie does, but he’ll get there!

6. Mother Vine – LGBT+ friendly wine bar

gay wine bar Adelaide - Mother Vine

 If you love your wine and are looking for an LGBT+ wine bar in Adelaide, look no further. Mother Vine is beloved by the LGBTQ+ community and is renowned for being a super inclusive space. 

If I’m being totally honest, we aren’t the biggest wine drinkers. But of all the wine we’ve tried in the country, South Australian wine has been the nicest overall. Grenache from McLaren Vale is definitely starting to grow on both Charlie and I.

At Mother Vine, we had a blind wine tasting, trying to guess the country, region and year of the wine. We honestly had no freaking clue, but the only one we got correct was the Grenache from Australia! 

The person who got the most answers correct had to buy the other olives. I bought Charlie olives, but I also ate them all. 

They were freaking delicious.

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What's your favourite gay venue in Adelaide?

That’s a roundup of the best gay venues in Adelaide. Have you tried any of them? Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you want to visit an amazing gay nude beach close to Adelaide, make sure you head over to Maslins beach. It was the first official nude beach in Australia, and we absolutely loved it!  Check out our guide to the best gay bars in Sydney and gay Australia travel resources!

2 thoughts on “6 best gay bars and clubs in Adelaide”

  1. You might have been here before the opening of Tallulah Bright at the Colonel Light Hotel? And, although not a bar per se, Pulteney 431 gay and bi men’s sauna is pretty important in the Adelaide social scene.

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