London's best LGBTQ+ friendly bars you should visit

1 KU Bar, China Town

Commonly knwon as one of London’s favourite gay bar and club, Ku Bar is situated in China Town.

Ku bar is owned by the Ku group, a selection of LGBTQ+ venues in London (they also own She Soho), who are committed to creating warm, friendly and welcoming spaces, attracting a young scene.

Address: 30 Lisle Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7BA

Website: ku-bar.co.uk

KU Bar in China Town (Image: KU Bar)

2 Freedom Soho

Widely popular with West End performers, Freedom is home to one of Soho’s most famous cabaret shows, Kinky Kabaret, taking place on a Monday night.

The upstairs of the venue is opulent and luxurious, with plush seating options, mirrored walls and a large bar boasting signature cocktails and a generous happy hour.

Downstairs, though, is where the magic happens - expect a large scale dance floor (complete with poles, of course), nightly entertainment until 3am, and some of the best in class drag and cabaret acts from across the UK.

Address: 66 Wardour Street, Soho, W1F 0TA

Website: freedombarsoho.com

Freedom Soho (Image: Freedom Soho)

3 G-A-Y Bar, Soho & Covent Garden

World famous G-A-Y Bar is fun, loud and garish. Walking in, expect to see cheap drinks and loud pop songs.

Spread over three floors, downstairs is home to women’s bar ‘Girl’s Go Down’, whilst upstairs is home to a laid back vibe.

The venue draws a younger clientele in comparison to its neighbouring venues, though it’s always fun - and if you want to carry on your night, head to sister venue G-A-Y Late, open until 4am, seven days a week.

Address: G-A-Y Bar: 30 Old Compton Street W1D 4UR; G-A-Y Late: 5 Goslett Yard, Covent Garden, WC2H 0EA

Website: g-a-y.co.uk

4 She Soho

London’s only exclusively lesbian venue stands proudly on Old Compton Street, between Soho House and G-A-Y Bar.

Owners take their position as the city’s only lesbian bar seriously, as is shown through stellar customer service and a welcoming feel.

The venue hosts some of Soho’s best loved entertainment evenings, such as cabaret, karaoke, quiz and over 25 evenings, and boasts a community feel.

Address: 23a Old Compton Street W1D 5JL

Website: ku-bar.co.uk

She Soho (Image: She Soho)

5 Dalston Superstore

This notorious East London venue has been serving the LGBTQ+ scene proudly for over twelve years.

It calls itself a multipurpose venue - which is exactly what it is. The nightclub- cum-cocktail bar-cum cafe and gallery serves food from its vegan kitchen throughout the day, and an ever-changing list of colourful cocktails for nighttime adventures.

The venue also supports the LGBTQ+ community, regularly throwing fundraisers and community events for charities including ELOP, Gendered Intelligence and the Albert Kennedy Trust.

Address: 117 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, E8 2PB

Website: dalstonsuperstore.com

6 Royal Vauxhall Tavern

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is the beating heart of South London’s LGBTQ+ landscape.

The venue acted as a safe haven for the community before decriminalisation, and was the venue where Princess Diana turned up - dressed as a man.

In 2014, property developers got hold of the property, with plans to develop the iconic venue into luxury accommodation - but the community refused to let the venue die.

Now, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern - situated in a listed Victorian property, is home to performances from iconic LGBTQ performers, as well as drag brunches, competitions, bingo and much more.

Address: 372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall SE11 5HY

Website: vauxhalltavern.com

Royal Vauxhall Tavern (Image: Royal Vauxhall Tavern)

7 Two Brewers, Clapham

The Two Brewers is a long-standing gay bar in Clapham, and although it might not look like much from the outside, is home to legendary club nights, drag shows and quizzes.

The venue draws a mixed crowd from the local area, and is open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, where resident DJ’s play a range of music.

Address: 114 Clapham High Street, Clapham SW4 7UJ

Website: the2brewers.com

8 Arch Clapham

Dubbed as London’s hybrid LGBTQ+ hybrid social venue, Arch Clapham is a one stop spot for brunch and coffee, right through to late night cocktails and parties.

The venue attracts a cool, fashion loving crowd, as well as some of London’s very best talent who regularly perform at the venue, including comedy shows, gogo shows, live music and much more.

Address: Arch 642, Voltaire Road, Clapham SW4 6DH

Website: archclapham.co.uk

9 Friendly Society, Soho

Friendly Society might just be Soho’s best kept secret. Situated in a basement just off Wardour Street, guests can expect wonderfully kitsch interiors - from bright blue chairs, glitter balls and actual barbies hanging from the roof.

As the name suggests, staff in this place are friendly and welcoming, and a few drinks here can easily turn into a late night Uber home.

Address: 79 Wardour Street, Soho, W1D 6QB

Website: facebook.com

Friendly Society, Soho (Image: Friendly Society)

10 The Glory, Haggerston

Pub and queer performance venue, The Glory is a fun night out, whether you're catching a drag show or having a night out.

With very east London vibes, The Glory champions new queer performers and drag queen, as well as hosting more established acts including shows by the venue's co-owner, Jonny Woo.

Address: 281 Kingsland Road, E2 8AS

Website: theglory.co

11 Heaven, Charing Cross

Lastly, no list of LGBTQ+ bars in London would be complete without mention of Heaven.

Having been internationally famous from 1979, the venue is now a valued addition to London’s nightlife scene.

Past performers have included the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Kylie Minogue and Miley Cyrus, amongst others. Today, the venue attracts a younger scene, well known for throwing rambunctious parties on a nightly basis.

Whether you love Heaven, or love to hate it, the venue has firmly cemented its position as one of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ venues.

Address: Under the arches, Villers Street, WC2N 6NG

Website: heaven-live.co.uk

Heaven, Charring Cross (Image: Heaven)