5 best gay bars and clubs in Sydney
4 November 2022
We’ve had some of our favourite nights out at these best gay bars and clubs in Sydney.
Sydney is a progressive, cosmopolitan city full of diversity and multiculturalism. It is also home to one of the biggest gay pride events on the planet – The Sydney Mardi Gras. Whether you’re coming to Sydney for the food or the beaches, a night out for a boogie won’t disappoint either.
So here is our list of the best gay bars and clubs in Sydney, with most of them being on Oxford Street. Whether you’re a first timer out on the town, or enjoy a boogie more than the average person, this blog is for you.
1. Palms - gay club Sydney
This is undoubtedly our go-to gay club in Sydney. I have never ever had a bad night here. It’s filled with awesome 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s greatest hits, and you’ll usually find yourself dancing the night away. I take my straight married friend here when he wants a good boogie, and he totally becomes the dancing queen of the night!
2. Universal - gay bar and club Sydney
The first time we came to this gay club in Sydney was to support an up and coming drag performer @itzhiraya during one of his performances!
Wholesome story alert: One day, we received a message from a lovely woman named Olive on our Instagram. Olive is from the Phillippines, and she told us that she has a son named Uno who came out to her when he was 12. At the time, she was moving all around Asia for work. After Uno “came out”, she decided to pack their bags and move to Australia permanently so that he could live in a country where he would have more opportunities to be his authentic self and have a better quality of life (#momoftheyearaward).
A few years later, Uno told her he wanted to perform as a drag queen, and she’s been his biggest fan since. She messaged us asking if we would come to Universal to see a show. So off we went. We met Uno and Olive at Universal, made friends, and often go back to cheer @itzhiraya on!
Every night there’s a drag performance at this gay bar and club on Oxford Street, and it seems busy most nights of the week.
3. The Beresford - Sunday night gay bar Sydney
My first boyfriend was an alcoholic, and this was his main go-to spot to grab a drink or 8. At least he had good taste (in men, and gay bars in Sydney).
Close to Oxford Street, the Beresford is rated as one of the best and most beautiful bars in all of Sydney. It’s a very popular hangout amongst the gay and LGBT+ community. Sundays at the Beresford are known as the ‘gay nights’, where pretty much all the gays flock over for an afternoon drink to get ready for the week ahead. At night, the upstairs area becomes the Sunday night go-to gay club in Sydney.
Head over from 4pm on Sunday and this might become your favourite gay bar in Sydney near Oxford Street.
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4. Stonewall - gay club Oxford Street
I met my first boyfriend in Stonewall. He is the worst and I’m so glad I met Charlie, but I’m sure this gay bar on Oxford Street is where a lot of the younger gays of Sydney begin the journey to finding themselves.
Filled with pop songs of the recent years that will give you happy feet, Stonewall will not disappoint if you’re looking for a boogie. It has 3 floors, and there’s a cage on the 2nd floor which I’ve spent many nights in.
5. The Imperial Hotel - gay bar Newtown
The Imperial Hotel is one of the best gay venues in all of Sydney, even though it isn’t on Oxford Street. This gay bar comes vibrantly alive from Wesdnesdays to Sundays with their famous Drag’N’Dine expereinces.
I took my straight Aunt here once, and she got a bit tipsy and started going up to all the men telling them how attractive they were and if she was a gay male, she would be hitting on them. I don’t think she realized that she was in fact hitting on them as a straight female.
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What's your favourite gay bar or club in Sydney?
That’s a roundup of the best gay venues in Sydney. Have you tried them? Leave a comment below if you have.
Make sure you visit the top gay beaches in Sydney while you’re in the area. They are incredible.
And if you’re heading to Adelaide, don’t miss out on the top 6 gay bars and clubs in Adelaide.
