With some 30 bars and clubs catering to the GLBT community, Phoenix is the gay nightlife hub of the Southwest and has one of the largest selections of gay bars in the nation. This is a city where folks love to party, and the scene is generally friendly, unpretentious, and - in many cases - downright cruisy.
Here's a list of the most inviting gay-oriented after-dark venues in the region.
11. Bunkhouse
photo by Andrew Collins
Bears, leather daddies, and blue-collar guys have long patronized this super-friendly, no-bullshit cruise bar near several other zero-attitude gay hangouts on North 7th Avenue. The Bunkhouse has a racially diverse crowd, is quite friendly toward women for a pretty cruisy guys' bar, and has some fun events, like monthly "bear-b-que" cookouts, Southwest Leather Pride parties, and Thursday underwear nights.
12. Cheuvront Wine & Cheese Cafe
This inviting, hip wine bar just a short walk north of Amsterdam and Club Miami is run by openly gay state senator Ken Cheuvront, and although it's a mainstream venue, you'll nearly always find gay folks convening here to partake of the superb wines and even more impressive food (including phenomenally delicious pizzas and platters of cheese). Dozens of wines by the glass are offered, and there's both conventional table seating as well as cushy sofas. Intimate and with low decibels, this is the perfect spot for a date or an evening out with friends.13. Ice Pics Video Bar
photo by Andrew Collins
A convivial video bar that's somewhere between a mellow neighborhood bar and a lively gay happy hour haunt, Ice Pics is a reliable bet for chatting and hanging out with friends, or for meeting locals. The crowd is generally low-keyed and friendly, and the two-for-one happy hours (daily, from 4 pm until 8 pm) are a hit. Bigger crowds pile in for certain thematic events, like weekly show-tunes parties and comedy nights.
14. Homme
The old Johnny Mc's neighborhood bar is now a quasi-gay, pan-sexual, decidedly hipster-minded bar drawing a relatively youthful mix for alternative tunes - the "Party Foul" Fridays are particular popular. Other nights, it's hit-or-miss, but given that gay Phoenix sort of lacks hangout with this sort of artsy-fag vibe, it really does fill a niche for the community.15. Club Vibe
A reasonably popular lesbian dance club, Club Vibe occupies the strip-mall locale of Ain't Nobody's Biz, which has been serving women's community for many years. Vibe is ground-central with lesbians although welcomes gay guys, too, and has become especially renown for its buzzing circuit-style dance parties. It's open Thursday through Sunday and features some very good DJs, spinning everything from house to "neo soul", as well as sexy go-go dancers on Fridays. The expansive club has plenty of pool tables, darts, and other diversions.16. The Chute
photo by Andrew Collins
This "private men's health club" in the heart of the city's gay-nightlife district is ostensibly a gay bathhouse and sex club that's built up a quite loyal following over the years, especially with guys into leather, bears, fans of fetish, and so on. In other words, if you're a preppy and pretty twink, you're perfectly welcome as long as you don't arrive with a sneering attitude toward the predominant clientele, which is bigger and buffer guys in theirs mid-30s through mid-50s. This is a clean, well-kept space with a full gym, steam room, lounges show porn, private rooms and lockers, and a shop selling sex gear, toys, and adult gadgets.
17. Club Forbidden
photo by Andrew Collins
Scottsdale finally got a second gay club in 2008 (joining the long-established BS West), and although Forbidden is an attractive space with a great sound system and large dance floor, it hasn't quite gained a ton of traction. Still, on Saturday nights it ultimately draws a nice-size crowd by midnight, and the 18-and-older Thursday night parties are fun for guys who like chicken. The club is open only Thursday through Sunday, and it would be great to see it succeed, so keep your eye on this one and check it out.
18. Roscoe's
photo by Andrew Collins
This is a convivial little sports bar with an extremely popular happy hour. The big draw are the 13 video monitors, which show every kind of sporting event imaginable. But Roscoe's is also known for its cheap drink specials and for hosting area gay sports leagues and teams. The bar's All-Star Grills serves lunch and dinner, too.
19. Cruisin' 7th
An old-school neighborhood bar that's been a hit with fans of strippers, drag shows, and the transgender scene for years, Cruisin' is just a laid-back, low-frills cruise bar. It's an all-welcoming place, and without any attitude.20. Incognito
photo by Andrew Collins
A kinda rough-and-tumble dance bar with a mixed male/female crowd, Incognito has plenty of adherents as well as a fair share of critics. Those who love it appreciate the good dance tunes, rollicking crowd, and no-attitude vibe. Detractors complain that it's too rowdy and a bit of a dive. Come in the right spirit, and you'll probably have a gay old time.
