Right beside the train tracks at the northern end of the historic Riverside neighborhood, The Metro (2929 Plum St., 904-388-8719) claims the rightful title as Jacksonville's biggest and most popular gay nightclub (it's actually one of the largest gay venues in Florida). Don't let this admittedly crappy photo of the exterior mislead you (sorry...I wasn't able to snap any pics inside on this trip): The Metro is a spacious and attractive club with several different bars and dance areas, and it draws a cross-section of local GLBT'ers, from hunky club kids to chic lesbians. The crowd is slightly more age-varied, in general, than the one at the smaller but also very popular InCahoots club downtown.
Among the spaces you'll find inside this multilevel club are Club Shadows (a drag cabaret), the Boom Boom Room disco, Sappho's Lounge lesbian bar, the Game Room (think of a big ol' gay arcade and pool hall), the very cruisy Boiler Room, and the mellow Rainbow Room piano bar. Oh, and in 2008, Metro added a festive outdoor space, the Tiki Bar. The entire complex pulses into the wee hours on Friday and Saturday nights, and the rest of the week, different bars at the club open on different nights, depending on what's on. This place is pretty much a must-see if you're a big fan of clubbing.
