Gay Travel Buddy

Are you planning on a trip to San Diego?  Undoubtedly you will wind up in Hillcrest at some point, the majority of the gay bars and clubs are located in Hillcrest with a few in Down Town, North Park and Old Town.

Hillcrest has a great selection of restaurants, coffee shops and boutique shops to keep you busy for days.  There is an abundant supply of furniture shops, however much of what you see will be nearly impossible to take back on the plane with you and may be a bit pricey to ship.  There is a nice selection of clothing shops that have a nice array of lightly used clothing and new designer labels.  There have been higher end shops that have come and left over the years, the average gay resident in San Diego cannot afford such clothing.  As beautiful as San Diego may be it is not known for big industry due to its high cost and lack of quality talent, I have hired many people in San Diego and have found them to be very lazy and without experience.  I am originally from San Diego myself.

The majority of gay bars, clubs and restaurants are centrally located on University Ave, the range stretches from 3rd ave to Park on the far other end.  The West end of Hillcrest has Urban Moe’s a fun lively large bar with generous outdoor seating and a large range of diverse events every evening, check their site for details.  Fiesta Cantina is also near Urban Mo’s on the West end and is a very open bar with great drinks and a lively crowd.  The Brass Rail is also on the West end on 5th St, this bar is one of the oldest and has a difficult time creating an identity for itself so I cannot tell you what crowd you will find as it changes all the time.  #1 5th Ave is also on the West end, it is a large venue with outdoor seating in the back, the staff is friendly and they service a wickedly strong cocktail, this bar typically serves a more mature crowd but has a wide range of patrons.

The south end of Hillcrest has a gay hotel called the Park Manor Hotel, there is a very large bar on the roof.  Every Friday early is a happy hour that starts around 5pm and gets packed!  They have great views of Hillcrest and downtown, I highly suggest if you are not staying at this hotel to stop by for the happy hour, it is a ton of fun and you will likely meet some fun locals or tourists.  Some of best hotels are in the Gaslamp District, I suggest hotels from the Starwood chain like the W.

Centrally on University you will find Flicks a small video bar that has a pool table and has a nice range of events nightly.  I have had some great times at this bar over the years.  Just steps away is Rich’s a large dance club that tends to fill up after 10 or 11pm, there is commonly a cover charge and their drinks are a bit on the pricey side.  Recently a club called Universal was just across the street with a mix of Metro Sexual’s and twinky 20 something gay boys.  This place had attitude and the staff was very snooty, I was not sad to hear they went under.   Baja Betty’s a wonderful restaurant and gay bar is also in the center of Hillcrest with great food, service and a fun crowd.  Baja Betty can be quite a mess during Cinco de Drinko or Cinco de Mayo the 5th of May a big Mexican holiday.

On the East end of Hillcrest is Numbers, a large multi room dance club.  Numbers is generally your 20 something crowd and has great music, usually a cover charge and pricey drinks on Park.  Just across the street is the Flame another dance club with a nice range of events depending on the night, check their website to see what is going on as it changes.  100% worth the trip, my absolue favorite gay bar is on the other end of Park is called Bourbon Street. my personal favorite bar that has a generous patio out back and multiple bars, this is not a dance club but is a ton of fun.  Bourbon St now serves food as well, their events change from night to night so check out their website to find out what you are into.  Just around the corner is Cheers a small gay bar with a pool table, the staff is friendly and the crowd is a nice range of both younger and older.  You will also find Lei Lounge a bar/restaurant right next to Bourbon St.  The food is really good, the service is great, there are some really hot waiters there!

Like many gay centers, Hillcrest has a nice selection of gay gym’s.  You can find 24 hour fatness err fitness which is located on 5th near University, I went to take a picture of Gold’s and found it to be closed.  Also, I been asked several times if their are any Gay Bath Houses in San Diego, there is a very large one centrally located in Hillcrest called Club San Diego, on 4th ave.

Hillcrest Restaurants

While visiting Hillcrest you must eat at either the Tractor Room or Hash House a Go Go, located right across from each other on 5th.  They get PACKED! be sure to plan on getting their early in order to get a table.

San Diego Pride is a very large event, the celebration is found all around Hillcrest but the focus of the event will be found in Balboa Park, just south of Hillcrest.  The pictures below are of the part of Balboa Park where they setup the festival.  Balboa park is very large so be sure you know where you are going.  During pride taxi’s are a commodity that is very scarce, you will see tons of rickshaws around.  A word of warning, these guys are not cheap and you could pay 3-10x a normal taxi fare.  Make sure you ask how much before you hop in, they will try to lure you in.  Some of these guys are rather hot, and may be fun to watch sweat while you get a ride to your next bar.

In Between Waikiki – Gay Bar

Even though Hula’s is really the most popular and one of the largest gay bars is Waikiki.  In Between is a small gay bar that is actually a little hard to find, even though its dead center in Waikiki.  The staff is very friendly and the drinks are very strong, its a very small bar that can hold maybe 25 people at most.  They are known for their Karaoke, which is the reason I did not stay very long on this trip.  A man of size was nearly piercing my ear drums.

With the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell, this bar and the others now get a fairly steady crowd of service men.  Some of which are very hot and are in great shape.  Admittedly it was not nearly as fun as Fleet Week this year in San Francisco.  They sailors actually showed up to the bars in uniform and for the ones of us who like men in uniform, what a treat!

To find this hidden gem of a bar, you will need to find a very small alley.  I drew a walking map on Google, you can actually enter the alley from the other end but Google does not see that as an alley.

Be prepared, some of the bar tenders love shots and it can become a very drunk night, pretty fast!!

2155 Lauula St # B, Honolulu, HI Click to see this on Google Maps.

 COCO500

Loretta Keller is the chef extraordinaire that is the driving force behind COCO500. Formerly of Bizou, Keller is something of a celebrity in the Bay Area. She made a name for herself at the helm of Bizou and for twelve years, she provided finely crafted meals in multiple courses. Her reputation was such that her name became synonymous with a certain level and style of dining. She has since COCO500’s opening gone on to compete in Top Chef and to be a prime collaborator and creator of the dining concept and experience at the Moss Room in the California Academy of Science.

When Keller realized that the neighborhood was changing and she was going to need to adjust her restaurant to the new demographic, she decided to to close Bizou and open COCO500 in its place. A small-plates restaurant which also offers multiple course dining options, COCO500 was a leap from what Bizou was. The decor was made sleeker and modern with buttery leathers and earth tones to facilitate maximum coziness.

When creating the menu for COCO500, Keller had to retain a few of the menu items to keep her loyal customers happy. The new menu is teeming with essential items such as  whole roasted fish, which rotates based on what fish is in season, duck liver terrine, which melts in the mouth, rotating flatbreads which are always a delight, and the piece de resistance, the batter fried green beans. The green beans are so exquisite, I dare you to have them and not have your socks knocked clean off of your feet. They are perfectly battered and spiced as to not be mundane or usual but they retain enough of their simple charm to become a staple of any dining experience to COCO500.

Keller was one of the first chefs in SF to offer beef cheeks on the Bizou menu, and they have been carried over to the COCO500 offerings in the form of COCOmole tacos. The tender and delectable cheeks are served with a chocolate and chile sauce on triangles on tortillas. If you are an omnivore, it would be a shame for any diner to leave without trying these morsels.

The dessert list is rotated frequently and fits into the modern California-cuisine with the rest of the menu. From vacherin, a meringue shell filled with whipped cream, ice cream and fruit, to buttermilk panna cotta served with huckleberry sauce or chocolate ecstasy cake, there really are no mis-steps here.

The wine list is extensive, if a bit spendy. They have over 100 option to choose from by the bottle and just under 20 for by the glass options. There are also a small but well appointed menu of hand crafted cocktails. The negroni or the mojito are the best of these. If you wish to bring your own wine there is a small corkage fee of $15.

This can be quite a busy place, but is unique in that it can be a rowdy place to share small plates with friends in the small bar area or a more intimate for a dinner for two. No matter what type of experience you are looking to have, you can be assured that you will leave with a happy stomach and a craving for more of those marvelous green beans.

400 Brannon St. San Francisco, CA 415-543-2222 Link to Google Maps

Dolce Veele Guadalajara – Gay Bar

Another bar popular with guys (and a few girls) in their early twenties, Dolce Veele is a decent-sized bar in the historic district of Guadalajara. Although it’s not a club by any means, dancing is limited due to space, there is no DJ booth or large speakers, this bar has go-go boys (cute, young, and smooth if you’re into that) dancing up on the bar almost on a nightly basis. But who’s complaining? If anything it makes this bar that much more exciting.

Still, this is a place to meet up with friends and share a good laugh (and a cheap drink). Thursdays and Fridays are karaoke nights, and what’s more adorable than a tipsy gay boy trying to sing Mariah Carey in a Mexican accent? Wednesdays are singles night and the bar makes every effort to find you a boyfriend (or at least a boy toy for the night). Finally, every once in a while, on Saturdays, Dolce Veele hosts a stiletto night. The only party in Guadalajara of its kind, every one is encouraged to trade in their dirty sneakers for fabulous high heels.

Enrique González Martínez 177 (btwn López Cotilla y Madero)
0133 1523 9593

La Minerva Guadalajara – Gay Bar

If young boys go to Dolce Veele to sing karaoke, get a glimpse of go-go’s on the bar, and be all around merry, then grown men go to La Minerva. Like Dolce Veele, La Minerva has karaoke nights which tend to be pretty hilarious. Also despite it being a decent-sized bar with no dance floor, on weekends, a dancer strips for the ogling crowd right by the main bar on a stage (except that at La Minerva they get completely naked). The only difference here is that at La Minerva the men are older (30s, early 40s), so don’t expect gossip boy bullcrap, and just order a beer. Besides karaoke nights, La Minerva also hosts a popular oldies night, and they have videos playing at all times.

The bar takes its name from the iconic Guadalajara statue of Minerva, the Roman name for the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena. A combination of masculine strength and female sensibility, Minerva is somewhat of a gay favorite, hence why this bar is appropriately named that. La Minerva is also really close to the statue so getting here should not be a problem if you use that as a landmark.

Calle 8 de Julio 73 (between Pedro Moreno y Juarez)

Gay Friendly Cities

I and many of our amazing contributors have been all over the US and over the world.  I am adding this page to try and help you determine if a city is friendly enough to visit.  Some places can be down right dangerous, for example its illegal to be gay in Jamaica, I have heard many horror stories.

But Moving on to my current home to start.

Austin - Is a very gay friendly town, a very large selection of Gay Bars, very gay friendly hotels like the W.  The new W is actually just around the block from Oil Can Harry’s.  Great restaurants as well, Santa Rita, Kerbey Lane Café and South Congress Cafe too name a few.  It’s sorta like San Francisco in a strange way, and a big music town.

Denver – Is an amazing, mostly gay friendly city. This city also has its share of religious nut cases who cause some trouble from time to time. From what I know of, there isn’t a specific gay hotel in Denver. However you have many options
downtown, including the Westin and Sheraton, which are both gay friendly. The mile high city also gets more sunny days than any other major city in the US. The Westin actually has this fairly strange indoor-outdoor pool, its rather unique as well as a gym. The famous Palms steak house is attached and is very good. Personally I prefer to patronize gay owned restaurants, so I wind up at Hamburger Marry’s a very large gay bar/restaurant/drag show.  You can find a good selection of Denver’s Gay Bars.

Las Vegas – This one is really on the fence for a full recommendation. If you have other options, I think you should consider them. Even with such a huge service industry, overall Las Vegas is not all that gay friendly. Promoters like J.Son are
trying to change that; he was able to convince the Luxor to host the only weekly gay pool party throughout the summer season. In the 90’s their spa became a little hot spot for gay men, however the Luxor had security in they’re at all hours throwing them out. This is a big change in direction. On the other hand you have hotels like the Encore who have pages promoted online about being gay friendly. They forgot to tell their staff about that. Even the high priced hookers wouldn’t leave me alone; she couldn’t believe I was gay.

Las Vegas has only 1 all gay hotel that is clothing optional called Blue Moon Resort, located just West of the North end of the strip. On the strip there is one gay nightclub called Krave. It is not open every night, there is always a high priced
cover and the drinks though strong are very expensive. It’s on the south side of Planet Hollywood off Harmon. Just east on Harmon a few blocks and a right turn on Paradise will get you into what’s known as the fruit loop. You have multiple
bar options here, 8 ½ and Piranha are connected, and this is a higher end bar/dance club. As well as Gipsy, which is just next-door. Across the street you will find Buffalo, a mixed crowd with pool tables. Just to the right of Buffalo is an adult video and toy store. Across from The Buffalo is Free Zone, make sure you check out their calendar before going, they host many ladies nights as well.  There are quite a few more gay bars, my personal favorite is Charlies which is located West of the strip off Tropicana and on Arville in what looks like an industrial business building.  Starwood has one hotel just east of the strip on Flamingo, its a Westin, has a small casino as well.

San Diego - My home town, most of the gay activity is centralized in one area called Hillcrest.  You will find a nice selection of gay bars, restaurants of all types, gay gyms like 24 hour fitness, and shopping galore.  However, like San Francisco there are few hotel options.  There are tons of gay friendly hotels in down town San Diego near the Gas Lamp District that has great restaurants, shopping and gay bars.  San Diego offers lots of beach options, however I believe all of the beaches are now alcohol free and the police will check coolers.  San Diego does not have a very user friendly public transportation system, so consider renting a car.

San Francisco - Ok yeah, duh San Francisco is a very gay friendly town.  You might be surprised to know that its not the highest population of Gay people, Dallas I believe is number 1 then Los Angeles and then NYC.  San Francisco is very diverse, although the Castro is the heart of anything Gay, you can find gay establishments all over the city.  The city is broken into many districts, The Castro, The Haight, Lower Haight, Nob Hill, Lower Nob Hill, Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf is a huge tourist trap, avoid at all cost.  The older gayborhood was on Polk St. so you can find a few bars in that area as well.  I can’t think of any major hotel in the city not being friendly, now some of the smaller cheap “weekly” rate type places.  The largest concentration of Gay Bars is in The Castro, then in SOMA there are some of the more leather, daddy type places.  My current favorite bar in The Castro is Blackbird, a laid back gay bar with an awesome staff.  My other favorite is a wine bar called Blush, amazing wine, food and people!  San Francisco also throws and incredible pride event every year, you just missed it this year but if you have the chance you must see it.  The Castro has very few options when it comes to lodging, I would suggest trying Union Square.  Most of the best shopping is in Union Square.  There are also several options for gay gyms in The Castro, 24 Hour Fitness and Gold’s Gym to name a few.

Seattle – Other than the lack of warm days, Seattle is extremely gay friendly with the majority of activities, including bars and restaurants are located in Capitol Hill. Very close to down town, it’s a bit of a hike if you choose to walk it. The hills are nowhere as steep as San Francisco but if its cold enough you will regret not taking a cab or driving. Be very mindful of the parking signs, they have some of the strangest parking restrictions I have ever seen in the US. They do not color the curbs either, my first visit I wound up getting a nice fine, nowhere near a fire hydrant.

Like Portland, there is a large hipster community, however not as intrusive. Washington State also has the highest taxes on alcohol so when you walk into a dive bar and get charged $10 for something most other places would be $4-5.  Gay Bars and Night Clubs list.

As any big city, Seattle has tons of hotel options. My personal favorites are Starwood properties. The Westin is one of the largest and is not owned by Starwood, it is a franchise. They are undergoing renovations; their new rooms are very nice if you can get one. Some of their older rooms do show their age, ask if you can get a remodeled room.  We have a short list of gay friendly hotels in Seattle.

This article is a work in progress and not close to being done.

Downtown Lounge Chicago

Even though Boystown can be a blast, it’s surprising that considering the size of Chicago and how gay-friendly it is, that there are not that many gay bars outside the Lakeview area. Downtown lounge in River North is one of the exceptions. This upscale place has nightly drink specials and is quickly becoming a happy hour option for those yuppie gays with jobs in the Loop. So if you have a special place in your heart (and pants) for guys in suits, you must check out Downtown right when work lets off. Gay travelers staying at any of the nearby hotels are also finding this lounge a pleasantly convenient hotspot.

Though it may not look very impressive from the outside, Downtown is very spacious. The ground floor, lit by chandeliers, has a large round bar and a more tucked in area with plenty of seating. This is the best place to meet with a friend and have a conversation. Although if the pop music videos playing on the screen are too distracting, you can always mingle in the basement bar, which get rowdy on Tuesday for the weekly Talentless Tuesday karaoke showdown. Downtown is a great mix of Lakeview boys and the River North girls.

440 N. State St. (312) 464-1400

Club Date Montreal

Don’t be fooled by the name of this bar in Le Village. It might not be the smartest move to bring a date here – unless you are planning to woe your date with a sweet rendition of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.” Club Date specializes in nightly karaoke competition. Like any karaoke bar, you can expect a bunch of drunken shenanigans on stage, but once in a while, you get the divas looking to take the spotlight and become the next Canadian Idol, if just for one night. What differentiates this place from other karaoke bars is that they also have a piano – so you get that piano bar feel complete with showtunes galore.

Love for karaoke tends to transgress gender and sexuality so on any given night you can expect to see a troupe of local drag queens taking the mic or maybe a straight girl bachelorette party, straight couples from out of town, or just your friendly, neighborhood young gays.

Another reason why bringing a date to Club Date might be counter intuitive is because it’s definitely a dive bar, so hold your breath when entering the restroom. Again, not the most romantic of atmospheres but it’s like you expect Rod Stewart to walk in at any point.

1218 Rue Ste-Catherine Est (514) 521-1242

Gay St. Louis

St. Louis is another island of tolerance in the red sea of Midwest America and well worth the visit. Of course, this means that the cosmopolitan LGBT community in St. Louis attracts explorers from far and wide making for an extremely friendly mixture that runs a bit thick. Needless to say, you can get as crazy as you want in St. Louis if you’re looking for more than a quite little gay bar. A pretty good selection of gay bars and restaurants can be found in St. Louis with the majority of them concentrated around Manchester Ave in the Central West End, the historic Soulard District and the South Central part of the city.

I stayed at a nice Westin in the Cupples Station District, but there is a Sheraton downtown and several other gay friendly accommodations available such as the Lafeyette Park B&B, Napoleon’s Retreat B&B and the St. Louis Guesthouse. Since the bars and restaurants you’ll want to see are somewhat spread around town you should probably put aside some cab fare for a long night of bar hopping in St. Louis.

St. Louis Gay Friendly Hotel Deals That I Pre-Arranged:

Westin – Guaranteed Best Rates at the Westin!

Sheraton – The Best Rates. Guaranteed.

St. Louis Gay Bars and Restaurants

Korners -> Fun cabaret bar with darts, video games and a very diverse crowd.

Just John -> Popular gay night club/video bar with different DJs and Karoake nights.

JJ’s Clubhouse -> Bear/leather/biker bar with pool tables, dart boards and lots of events.

Eleven Eleven Mississippi -> This St. Louis bistro mixes Tuscan and Northern Californian cuisine with great wine.

Everest Cafe & Bar -> Nepalese, Korean and Indian choices give exotic food lovers an amazing selection.

King and I -> Fans of Thai food must visit this popular restaurant in St. Louis.

St. Louis Shopping

Blues -> Boutique jeans store with expensive brands and nice shoe selection.

Boxers -> Men’s underwear and swimsuit shop with great selection of styles.

TAG -> T.A.G. stands for Timeless Authentic Garments. Extensive selection of quality vintage clothing.

JJ’s St. Louis Gay Leather Bar

The most popular leather and bear bar in St.Louis, I decided to check out the hairier side of the city’s nightlife at JJ’s Clubhouse…for the sake of thoroughness. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel completely out of place even though I wore no leather and my clean shaven face still helps me pass for my early 30s. Pool tables, video games, darts, a jukebox and cigars round out JJ’s along with a parade of cool events, so be sure to check their website calendar. Some of the bartenders were seriously gorgeous and the entire staff was extremely attentive, even when busy. The drinks weren’t bad and the prices were designed to keep you there all night.

3858 Market St 314.535.4100