Gay places in portland oregon
11 Wine Bars for Every Kind of Vibe
Portland’s gay bars are more than just hangouts. Most of the city’s dozen-plus queer bars opened in eras hostile to the queer community. The city’s oldest surviving bars were havens in an openly homophobic era, while its newest venues join a chorus of voices against an increasingly transphobic national climate. The entire LGBTQ+ community should, in the finest bars, feel safe and free to let loose, have fun, and maybe nibble on something tasty, on menu or off.
Not all queer gatherings have a permanent dwelling, so we’ve assembled a rundown of the city’s robust scene of recurring pop-up parties alongside our favorite brick-and-mortar establishments. From leather bars to drag dens to lesbian parties to trans cabaret revues to Portland’s “gay Cheers,” there’s always somewhere where everyone’s glad you came.
Jump to: Upbeat Clubs / Low-Key Venues / Strip Clubs / Recurring Queer Parties
Upbeat Clubs
CC Slaughters
Est. | old town
Though technically on the outskirts of Senior Town’s Entertainment District, CC’s is very much at the center
LGBTQ+ Nightlife
i
A bartender makes sparks at Local Lounge.
You'll find plenty of LGBTQ+-friendly places to visit when the sun goes down in Portland.
3 min read
Note: This section was produced in collaboration with , formerly known as PQ Monthly.
Portland has no shortage of LGBTQ-owned and queer-friendly bars and clubs. Whether you’re looking for a safe space to enjoy a relaxing night with friends, a high-energy dance party or a drag show, Portland delivers.
North Portland
Florida Room is both queer-friendly and dog-friendly. Enjoy a drink with your favorite two-legged and four-legged friends on one of their two patios.
Eagle Portland is Portland’s leather bar and home base for the Oregon Bears. Guests who wear a leather harness, vest, chaps, or full drag with “significant effort,” get in free on Friday or Saturday nights.
Downtown and The Pearl District
Scandalscalls itself, “Portland’s Gay ‘Cheers.'” The relaxed vibe makes it a great place to rendezvous with friends, or see new ones. During warmer months, grab a seat outside and watch the summ
[Find the Mercury's Queer Guide in print—available in more than spots citywide!—eds.]
The Silverado is obviously and stridently a gay bar. Rainbow tassels line the kitchen, attractive men in snug underwear sling drinks, and posters of shirtless guys adorn the walls. Also, after nine at late hours male strippers perform in the Silverado’s basement.
The Silverado was established over four decades ago and today is one of Portland’s longest-standing gay bars. It’s now in its third or fourth location, depending on how you count.
“It started as Flossie’s, which was up on Burnside where the Fred Meyer is now,” says Trevor Wion, the Silverado’s bar manager of nearly 25 years. He says that Flossie’s was “the identical as what we are now, which is a very queer bar, but much quieter. I don’t think they started having dancers until ’”
According to Wion, sometime in the early ’90s the owner of Flossie’s surprised everyone by announcing that the bar was suddenly moving to what is now Harvey Milk Street.
“Everyone picked something up. There was a procession of bar stools, records, and bottles o
LGBTQ+ Community
i
Festival goers stride past the Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign, bespoke in their finest Pride wear for Portland’s annual Pride Parade.
Credit: Diego Diaz
Visitors to Portland can experience huge LGBTQ+ Pride parades, drag performances, queer film festivals, dance parties and more.
i
Festival goers verb past the Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign, bespoke in their finest Pride wear for Portland’s annual Pride Parade.
Credit: Diego Diaz
Portland’s queer community includes a Guinness World Record holding drag queen, gay sway clubs and sports leagues, community organizations, and dozens of LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Portland was also the first major city to elect an openly gay mayor (Sam Adams in ).
Note: This section was produced in collaboration with , formerly known as PQ Monthly.
LGBTQ+ History in Portland
Portland’s LGBTQ+ history likely goes back to the first human inhabitants of the area. According to the First Nations Two-Spirit Collective, native people have celebrated gender and sexual minorities for millennia