10 LGBTQIA+ Bars in Houston
Did you know that Houston has hosted the largest Pride Parade not just in Texas, but the entire southwest region? In fact, Houston’s Pride Parade in 2022 saw 850,000 participants alone, which puts them at the same level as New York and San Francisco! *
Yes, far from what you’d expect from Texas stereotypes, Houston is a relatively queer-friendly space! With that much openness to the community, you’d expect them to have lots of LGBTQIA+ friendly bars too – and you’d be correct!
Thus, here is a list of the 10 LGBTQIA+-friendly bars you can visit and enjoy in and have the best time of your life!
1. Hamburger Mary’s Houston
Address: 1008 Prairie St Houston, TX 77002
Phone Number: (713) 677-0674
Hours: Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11 PM – 2 AM
Thursday: 6 PM – 2 AM
Friday: 5 PM – 2 AM
Saturday: 10 AM – 2 AM
Sunday: 10 AM – 10 PM
A staple when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ bars, Hamburger Mary’s has been the go-to bar for most out in Houston. I mean, ask any queer in the city if they’ve ever been to the Hamburger Mary’s on Prairie St. and they’ll probably say yes.
The bar has seen lots of performers throughout the years. And fun fact, this specific Hamburger Mary’s is RuPaul’s Drag Race icon Mistress Isabelle Brooks’ home bar. But she’s not the only one, as many icons have seen their start at Hamburger Mary’s!
The food is good, and the drink selection is well-tailored for the community (shoutout to the Mary’s Classic!). They also have weekly shows that showcase local drag artists and Houston legends like Alexye’us Paris.
| Pro Tips: Hamburger Mary’s Houston has a difficult parking situation. We suggest trying out the nearby Binz Parking Garage for $12 an hour, since it’s only a couple of minutes away. |
2.RIPCORD
Address: 715 Fairview Street, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: (713) 521-2792
Hours: Monday – Friday: 1 PM – 2 AM
Saturday – Sunday: 12 PM – 2 AM
Priding (get it?) themselves as the oldest leather-themed LGBTQIA+ bar in Houston, RIPCORD caters more to a specific audience. Think of it as Folsom but with a lot more clothes on.
But leather enthusiasts aren’t the only people welcome at RIPCORD. They also host drag shows now and then too! There are no cover fees for all of their events either, and their Sunday Happy Hour gives you a $4 discount on their Flavored 360 Vodkas!
Therein lies RIPCORD’s charm. It’s a place for the members of the community to bond over and share their passion for leather. They also have their daily happy hours every day until 8 PM where you can get a lot of their drinks for cheap.
| Pro Tips: If you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, they occasionally have viewing parties every now and then when it airs! There are also drag shows afterward, so we suggest sticking by after the show’s over! |
3. Pearl Bar
Address: 4216 Washington Ave, Houston, Texas 77008
Phone Number: 281-757-3229
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Saturday: 6 PM – 2 AM
Sunday: 3 PM – 1 AM
If you’re looking for a good lesbian bar for you to hang out in, then the Pearl Bar should be your next go-to! It’s a popular lesbian bar in Houston – and with their drinks and active party scene, you’ll have a wonderful time
They have a great deal of daily events which they post on their social media, like Crawfish Sundays or Taco Tuesdays. This makes every visit to the Pearl Bar as unique as they are friendly! We particularly like their DJ nights on Friday and Saturday!
But if you’re not particularly interested in Pearl Bar’s active party scene, then they also have Steak Nights that you can enjoy as well. Coincidentally, the Steak Nights also coincide with other events like Drag Bingo, too!
| Pro Tips: If you’re a fan of karaoke, then we suggest visiting them on Tuesdays for Karaoke Nights. The best part is that there’s no cover fees! |
4. Eagle Houston
Address: 611 Hyde Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-523-2473
Hours: Monday – Friday, 4 PM – 2 AM
Saturday – Sunday, 12 PM – 2 AM
With its long-standing history as one of the first places to accept LGBTQIA+ individuals after the Stonewall Riots, Eagle Houston is an open kitchen-turned-bar that has been the home for Houston’s queer community since 2014!
With events like Monday Meetups and Karaoke Tuesdays, Eagle Houston is an ideal place to go and mingle with the rest of Houston’s LGBTQIA+ community.
We like events here because they offer $2 off on their cover fees and drinks too, so you won’t have to spend as much money to see them dance!
But if half-naked men aren’t your thing, then they also have a wide selection of food and drinks to go with them, too! Their Loaded Fries will cost you $12, but it’s a large serving so it’s worth it. Pair that with a cheap Vodka Soda and you’re in for a night!
| Pro Tips: Eagle Houston is mainly an adults-only bar, but they do have some events where they don’t have half-naked men on the stage. We recommend their Karaoke Tuesdays for a great time – you can even bring your friends, too! |
5. Michael’s Outpost
Address: 1419 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: (713) 520-8446
Hours: Monday – Friday: 3 PM – 2 AM
Saturday – Sunday: 2 PM – 2 AM
Michael’s Outpost has been Houston’s “best kept secret” since 1998 for cabaret and drag performers. And ever since then, they have been the go-to location for a more classic vibe like the drag bars of yesteryear.
Their seasoned drag performers put on a different kind of show than you’d expect. Think of them as a classic jazz bar where you can just chill out and enjoy the calming atmosphere without EDM blaring throughout the speakers.
Michael’s Outpost also has plenty of events that you can take part in, and all of them are significantly different from the others! If you want a good way to enjoy your time with your friends, then their Karaoke Happy Hour would be your go-to
| Pro Tips: If you’re looking for a good comedy show, then we recommend visiting them on Tuesdays for their “Laugh Track” drag comedy show! |
6. BUDDY’S Houston
Address: 2409 Grant ST STE A Houston, Texas 77006
Phone Number: (281) 310-1050
Hours: Monday – Friday: 4 PM – 2 AM
Saturday – Sunday: 12 PM – 2 AM
Risque is the name of the game when it comes to BUDDY’S Houston with events like Lucky Charmer and Leather and Lace Nights. But they also have Drag Trivia and Bingo nights if you’re looking for a more fun time with friends!
BUDDY’S also have Steak Nights on Wednesdays where you can get good cuts of meat for a fraction of the price. Think, $19 New York Strip made by renowned Houston Chef Gregory Montelaro.
| Pro Tips: Even though the dress code for some of BUDDY’s events might be too on-the-nose for some, they will let you in so long as you’re wearing similarly-colored clothes! |
7. JR’s Bar & Grill
Address: 808 Pacific St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-521-2519
Hours: Monday – Thursday: 4 PM – 2 AM
Friday – Sunday: 12 PM – 2 AM
With icons like Mistress Isabelle Brooks. Nina Flowers, Kofi, Kimora Blac, and many other drag legends performing on JR Bar & Grill’s stage, you can enjoy great entertainment and even better sights to boot!
JR’s Bar & Grill has a nice patio seating is a nice call to Houston’s bayou origins. Plus, their New Orleans side is designed to have great patio seating and it’s where most of their performances and watch parties happen too!
| Pro Tips: Much like any other gay bar in the country, JR’s Bar & Grill also has RuPaul’s Drag Race watch parties. It’s at 7 PM on the New Orleans side, but you will have to hurry up since it does get packed in there if you’re not fast enough! |
8. South Beach Houston
Credit: @inglomi on Instagram
Address: 810 Pacific St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-521-0107
Hours: Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 9 PM – 2 AM
Friday, Saturday: 9 PM – 3 AM
Ever since South Beach reopened its doors in 2022 after a multimillion dollar renovation, they’ve been seeing an upward trend, especially when it comes to their great performers and astounding atmosphere!
They also have lots of events on the weekdays and the weekends, especially their Friday Night Dance Parties! Resident DJ Joe Ross always takes the stage on Friday nights too, and he’s a Houston staple for a reason!
Both RuPaul’s Drag Race queens and legends of the local drag scene perform there regularly too!
| Pro Tips: South Beach and JR’s Bar and Grill are located right next to each other, so you won’t have to take an Uber to get to your next bar hopping spot! |
9. George Country Sports Bar
Credit: @farian1 on Instagram
Address: 617 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-528-8102
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 7 AM – 2 AM
Sunday: 10 AM – 2 AM
A gay-owned bar that welcomes everyone regardless of their orientation, George Country Sports Bar lets you watch your favorite sports on the big screen while helping the queer community mingle with others, too!
The cheerful, light atmosphere they have makes every member of the community feel at home. Their specialty Steak Nights every Thursday comes with a variety of dessert options like Brownie Mousee Parfait or Strawberry Mousse Cake, depending on the day.
What they do not have compared to other gay bars are the drag shows. Though they do hold them occasionally, it’s not as frequent when compared to other bars.
| Pro Tips: We suggest visiting them during the evenings for the best time with its red ambient lighting and a massive change in atmosphere! |
10. KIKI Houston
Address: 2409 Grant St suite d, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 281-310-1050
Hours: Monday – Thursday: 4 PM – 2AM
Saturday – Sunday: 12 PM – 2 AM
KIKI Houston is, compared to other entries on the list, relatively underrated. But what they lack in fame, they make up for in fun events that cater to every queer Houstonian, from the risque “Hoedown” night to a vampire SoundGasm Alternative Music Night!
But if you want to see the full Houston drag excellence at play, they also host Texas All-Stars Drag Stars where they showcase the local drag scene!
KIKI Houston also hosts RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties every Friday when it’s airing.Not only that, they also have Karaoke Nights on Tuesdays and Sundays hosted by Phoebe Seymour if you feel like singing with a talented queen!
| Pro Tips: All of their events have no cover fees, but that doesn’t mean that you can enter it for free! You will still need to get your tickets through their website to secure your spot. |
