Yelp’s list of the top 100 LGBTQ+ bars across the U.S. Ĭlick here to see America’s favorite LGBTQ+ bars These are the best and worst states for LGBTQ people. Today, bars catering to various segments of the LGBTQ community are common around America - though more so in some places than others. A second such establishment nearby, opened the following year, was the Stonewall Inn - site of the 1969 “Stonewall riots,” credited with kickstarting the struggle for LGBTQ rights in America. The first modern American gay bar is considered to have been Julius Bar, opened in Manhattan in 1966.
Historians, though, generally credit the Zanzibar in Cannes, on the French Riviera, as being the first such establishment in the present-day sense. Gathering places for members of LGBTQ+ communities - often referred to generically if not necessarily accurately as “gay bars” - have been around in one form or another since the 17th century.
“While Pride still might look a little different this year, bars and clubs across the United States are finding ways to safely welcome patrons back for stiff cocktails, cold beers, and some of the best local drag shows…,” wrote Ryan Cox, a senior regional manager for Yelp in the review site’s recent blog post ranking the top LGBTQ+ bars across America.
