Palm Springs Gay Bars

Ten minutes south of Palm Springs is Cathedral City, and The Barracks is on the main road of E Palm Canyon Dr. Formerly, Wolf’s was rebranded to the Barracks, but the crowd remains the same — leather, bears, and daddies.

There’s live entertainment daily, plus every night is cruise night. The Barracks is open from midday until 2 am.

Just south of Downtown Palm Springs on E Sunny Dunes Road is Tool Shed. Primarily a leather and daddies bar, everyone is welcome. Voted ‘the best dive bar in Palm Springs,’ every night has a different theme.

Open daily from 10 am to 2 am, there’s bingo on Tuesdays and Saturdays, underwear night on Thursdays, and cruise night on Fridays. Happy hour runs from 10 am to 8 pm.

Bart Lounge is located in the Canyon Plaza Shopping Centre on the main highway at Cathedral City, 10 minutes from Palm Springs. It’s a modern, hip, cool bar with live music, DJs, entertainment, and nightly games.

Bart Lounge is open every day from 8 pm to 2 am.

Right on the gay strip on Arenas Road is the video bar QUADZ. For almost 20 years, QUADZ — featured on Here TV — has been entertaining gay party-goers with video clips, encouraging audience participation. It’s a riotous night out and one not to be missed when visiting Palm Springs.

Open every day from 2 pm to 2 am, happy hour is 2 pm to 8 pm, Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat and all day Tue/Wed/Sun.

If you’re looking for a cozy gay bar with handsome, attentive bar staff, Streetbar on the gay strip of Arenas Road is the place for you. Every night, there’s a selection of $7 drinks.

Bar-style food, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza is available every day. Streetbar is open from 10 am to 2 am on weekdays and from 6 am on weekends.

A few minutes north of downtown Palm Springs on the main highway of N Palm Canyon Dr is the cabaret bar Toucans Tiki Lounge. The decor is Hawaiian Tiki-themed. It’s been serving the gay community for over 20 years and boasts the city’s longest continuously-running drag show.

It’s not just a drag bar; there’s live music and a pumping dance floor. Toucans Tiki Lounge is open from Friday to Monday only, 6 pm to 2 am.

For a chilled night out in Palm Springs, Blackbook in the heart of the Arenas Road gay strip is the place to go. The award-winning bar describes itself as a low-key cocktail bar with a tiny kitchen and a big heart. Tiny it might be, but the kitchen invented the world-famous Palm Springs-style nachos.

Bar staff deliver classic cocktails as well as their own specialty ones. Blackbook is open daily from midday until 1 am (11 pm on Sundays).

For over 20 years, Hunters Nightclub on the gay strip of Arenas Road has been the go-to bar for gay tourists and locals. It’s a video bar and club with an extensive food menu. Innovative and inventive DJs guarantee you a stimulating night of nonstop dancing.

Hunters Nightclub is open daily from 10 am to 2 am.

Bongo Johnny’s Patio Bar & Grill is a gay-friendly American-themed restaurant right on the gay strip of Arenas Road. Open daily from 8 am for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s service with a smile from the handsome staff.

Signature cocktails and even a dog menu for your favorite four-legged friend are available.

There’s something for everyone at Chill Bar, conveniently located on E Arenas Rd in Downtown Palm Springs — from go-go dancing boys’ nights to drag Sundays, and the hottest DJs keep the dance floor alive well into the night.

The food menu offers bar favorites like salads, tacos, burgers, and pizzas. There are different drink specials every night. Chill Bar is open daily from 11 am to 2 am.

A 10-minute drive south of Palm Springs is Cathedral City, and right on the highway of E Palm Canyon Dr is OneEleven Bar, the best drag bar in the area. Drag is the daily theme, with bingo, shows, and Sunday brunches on offer.

OneEleven Bar is open daily from 2 pm and has an extended happy hour from 2 pm to 7 pm.

This bar’s concept is in its name. The decor is retro Hollywood-inspired, but it’s a modern karaoke bar, with happy hour every day from 4 pm to 7 pm. It’s right on E Tahquitz Canyon Way, right in the heart of the bar strip.

The bar staff promises specialty cocktails you won’t find at any other bar in Palm Springs. Rumor has it that the bar is haunted by its previous owner, but it’s a friendly ghost. Open every day; you must be 21+ to visit.