Arts & Entertainment
Nightlife Guide
LGBT-friendly bars, clubs and restaurants in the D.C. area
WASHINGTON, DC
WASHINGTON, DC30 Degrees
[map]
1639 R St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-462-6569
In Dupont Circle area; popular with men but check schedule for other events.
Annie’s
[map]
1609 17th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-232-0395
In Dupont Circle area; popular longtime restaurant and steakhouse with recently renovated Upstairs Lounge.
Bachelor’s Mill
[map]
1104 8th St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-544-1931
Longtime bar popular with African-American men in Capitol Hill area.
Banana Café
[map]
500 8th St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-543-5906
bananacafedc.com
Popular Capitol Hill area restaurant and bar (Eastern Market Metro) for both men and women. Features Cuban, Mexican and Puerto Rican cuisine.
Cobalt
[map]
1639 R St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-462-6569
cobaltdc.com
In Dupont Circle area; part of complex of LGBT businesses at this address, including Level One restaurant on street level and 30 Degrees bar.
Crew Club
[map]
1321 14th St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-319-1333
crewclub.net
Men’s 24-hour gym in Logan Circle area, featuring steam rooms, lounges, private dressing rooms and more.
DC Eagle
3701 Benning Road NE
Washington, DC 20019
202-347-6025
dceagle.com
The popular Levi/leather bar’s origins date to the 1960s. Features billiards, regular tournaments and other special events.
DIK Bar
[map]
1637 17th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-328-0100
dupontitaliankitchen.com
In Dupont Circle area, above Dupont Italian Kitchen.
Duplex Diner
[map]
2004 18th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-265-9599
duplexdiner.com
Popular restaurant and bar in the Adams Morgan area; happy hour specials and many other special events. See web site for updated schedule.
Fireplace
[map]
2161 P St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-293-1293
In Dupont Circle area; neighborhood bar popular with men.
Green Lantern
[map]
1335 Green Court, NW
Washington, DC 20005
greenlanterndc.com
twitter.com/greenlanterndc
Friendly bar for men hosts regular happy hours and special events, including karaoke and shirtless drink special nights. Check web site for details. McPherson Square Metro.
JR.’s
[map]
1519 17th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-328-0090
jrswdc.com
Longtime friendly Dupont Circle area bar popular with men; videos, regular special events.
Larry’s Lounge
[map]
1836 18th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-483-1483
Dupont Circle area bar and restaurant popular with both men and women.
Nellie’s Sports Bar
[map]
900 U St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-332-6355
nelliessportsbar.com
Sports bar featuring poker events, drag bingo, trivia contests and other specials. Popular bar with massive outdoor deck and plenty of TVs for watching sports.
Town Danceboutique
[map]
2009 8th St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-234-TOWN
towndc.com
Dance club and bar popular with men and women, features regular drag performances. U Street Metro.
Ultra bar
[map]
911 F St., NW
Washington, DC 20004
ultrabardc.com
twitter.com/UltraBar
Large dance club with gay-friendly events and vibe located downtown near Metro Center.
Ziegfeld’s/Secrets
[map]
1824 Half St., SW
Washington, DC 20024
202-863-0670
secretsdc.com
Featuring all-nude male dancers Wednesdays-Sundays, drag performances, large dance floor and many regular special events, contests and more. Large parking lot available; located in Buzzard’s Point warehouse district.
BALTIMORE
1722
[map]
1722 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Multi-level after-hours dance club attracts a mixed crowd but remains gay-friendly.
Drinkery
[map]
205 W. Read St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-225-3100
Another of Baltimore’s friendly neighborhood bars in Mount Vernon featuring billiards, jukebox and welcoming service.
Gallery
[map]
1735 Maryland Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-539-6965
Longtime bar and restaurant popular with African-American clientele.
Grand Central
[map]
1001 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-752-7133
centralstationpub.com
Large entertainment complex featuring friendly pub, lesbian bar Sappho’s upstairs and a dance club on the first floor.
Sapphos
[map]
1001 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-752-7133
centralstationpub.com
Part of the Grand Central complex, Sappho’s attracts a lesbian crowd and offers comfy couches, outdoor patio and more in its second floor location.
ARLINGTON, VA
Freddie’s Beach Bar
[map]
555 23rd St. South
Arlington, VA 22202
703-685-0555
Freddie Lutz’s Virginia establishment includes a restaurant and friendly bar, regular specials and is popular with men and women. Crystal City Metro.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Demonstrators disrupt OMB director hearing over PEPFAR
HIV/AIDS group NMAC is ‘destabilized’ and in financial crisis: sources
Madonna announces release date for new album
Senegalese court issues first conviction under new anti-LGBTQ law
An effort to increase the number of psychiatrists of color
Trump budget targets ‘gender extremism’
Comings & Goings
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
