Gay parties in London

Comptons of Soho

The grande dame of Old Compton Street: a traditional two-floor pub with a bearish, unpretentious crowd that has anchored the street for decades.

Dalston Superstore

Dalston's queer bar, café and basement club: brunch and coffee by day, DJs and a sweaty basement dancefloor by night, with a programme that leans on east London's own collectives. Small, loud and central to the scene.

Eagle London

Late-opening cruisey bar with a sweaty dancefloor; home of the legendary Horse Meat Disco on Sundays (running 20+ years).

Freedom Bar

Stylish bar upstairs with a club/cabaret basement; cocktails, camp and a mixed after-work-to-late crowd.

Heaven

London's most famous gay club since 1979, in the arches under Charing Cross: a huge main floor, G-A-Y on Thursdays to Saturdays and Heaven's own nights, with pop and chart music for a young, mixed crowd.

Ku Bar

Three floors of London's most popular mainstream gay bar — buzzy, young and tourist-friendly.

Royal Vauxhall Tavern

Grade II-listed Victorian pub, the spiritual home of London queer cabaret — drag, live performance and the long-running Duckie on Saturdays.

She Soho

Soho's only dedicated lesbian bar — an intimate basement cocktail bar with cabaret, comedy and DJ nights.

The Admiral Duncan

Historic Old Compton Street bar with nightly cabaret; a poignant community landmark (site of the 1999 bombing).

The Duke of Wellington

Welcoming corner pub with a lively gay crowd that spills onto buzzy Wardour Street; real ales, wines and cocktails.

The Yard

Hidden open-air courtyard bar, a Soho favourite for summer evenings and after-work drinks; DJs and a party feel at weekends.

Two Brewers

Clapham High Street institution with a cabaret bar at the front and a late club at the back; drag, camp anthems and a friendly south London crowd most nights of the week.

Village Soho

Two floors on Wardour Street: a busy ground-floor bar with drag and DJs, and a small dancefloor upstairs. Loud, pop-driven and reliably packed at weekends.