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A line of people wait on the sidewalk outside Darcelle XV under a “Female Impersonators” sign.
The Sunday brunch line at Darcelle XV showplace.
Thom Hilton / Eater PDX

Portland’s Most Fabulous LGBTQ Bars That Are Ready for Pride

Here’s where to dance, drink, and catch a drag show with the local queer community

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The Sunday brunch line at Darcelle XV showplace.
| Thom Hilton / Eater PDX

Queer nightlife spots in Portland are expected to roar with music and life over the next two months, as the culturally-recognized June Pride Month bleeds into Rose City’s new mid-July celebrations. COVID-19 hasn’t put a stop to the celebrating for a couple of years now, but the local LGBTQ+ community has still faced many challenges since last summer. In the past year, Portlanders have mourned the loss of queer diner The Roxy and its matriarch Suzanne Hale, new spaces like Rebel Rebel, Pinq, Fuzzy Navels, Opal’s Night & Day Cafe, and the Queens Head struggled to find their footing and closed within their first year, and the collective sense of the loss of Darcelle XV, our city’s most significant queer figure, has still only begun to be felt.

Still, amongst local losses and attacks to queer spaces nationally, Portland rides on with new spaces like Sissy Bar and Doc Marie’s, and city-wide events like drag icon Poison Waters appearing as the Grand Marshall of the Starlight Parade this weekend.

Most of Portland’s most iconic LGBTQ bars are set to be filled for drag brunches, dancing, and joyous festivities this summer. We’ve listed the best LGBTQ-friendly bars and restaurants for colorful drinks and some unexpectedly good food. For more specific Pride events in Portland, check out this site.

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Scandals

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This always-evolving entertainment hub is the last remaining gay bar on SW Harvey Milk Street, in what used to be the epicenter of Portland’s gay-friendly nightlife scene. Scandals features art shows, DJs, jazz nights, karaoke, RuPaul’s Drag Race watch parties, really cheap drinks, and an outdoor patio.

A sign reads “Voted #1 Gay Bar on the Block!” within the bar at Scandals.
Scandals.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Santé Bar

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This narrow, elegant space on the North Park Blocks has been around for years, but the bar has recently acquired a new slew of regulars who pop in for drag shows and live music. The craft drinks are the draw here — house-made bitters and infusions support a robust cocktail list — and the service is warm, with lounge vibes and guaranteed familiarity.

Silverado

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This nightclub and legendary strip club is divided into two decidedly different spaces. The downstairs room is Portland’s most underground setting... literally. The basement is where the bar gets its reputation: Hunky male dancers entertain visitors in private booths nightly. The upstairs room is a much more casual hang, featuring karaoke, a video bar, pool tables, and a kitchen serving up carne asada fries and fish and chips.

A man points away from the camera while standing at the bar at Portland’s Silverado.
Silverado.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Eagle Portland

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The Eagle might be a bit off the beaten path, but it’s well worth the ride to North Portland for this always fun and fascinating leather bar. Its weekly theme nights aren’t always for the shy or timid, but the bar staff is friendly, the DJs are good, and the under-dressed patrons are more than happy to make newbies feel at home. The Eagle also teams with neighbor restaurant Casa Zoraya to serve Peruvian dishes like chicken empanadas and sirloin potato croquettes between beers and Red Bulls.

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bird fetish

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CC Slaughters

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This popular club appeals to a slightly younger crowd of queers and allies, who come to dance along to weekly DJ sets, take Jell-O shots, eat jalapeño poppers, and watch lively drag shows like Bolivia Carmichaels’ It’s Bolivia!, TransUhhLicious — a showcase of local trans and nonbinary performers, and the Queens Keys, featuring live drag music.

A drag queen smiles at the camera.
CC Slaughters.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Darcelle XV

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What is there to say that hasn’t been said? The late Darcelle, the world’s oldest living drag queen, died this March. Her showplace, now in the National Register of Historic Places, hosts the longest-running drag show on the West Coast, and in her memory, the show is as energetic and vital as ever. The food is greasily delightful, the drinks are a thousand variations of sweet, and the brassy stable of queens effortlessly modulate their old-school pageantry for late-night crowds, bawdy brunches, and family matinees. A queer Stumptown staple since Stonewall (really! 1969!), this place is the best kind of time machine, and it’s a can’t-beat spot for out-of-towners. Celebrate Darcelle’s legacy with shows every Friday and Saturday night, brunches every Sunday, and Catch a Rising Star showcases, which lift up new local drag talent, on Tuesdays.

Shine Distillery & Grill

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This North Williams distillery-pub is one of Portland’s few queer spaces that welcomes minors, and its bi-level dining room and massive rooftop offer plenty of spots to enjoy a meal with friends. Folks of all ages can enjoy black tea-brined popcorn chicken and warm macadamia nut cookies, while adults sip on house-made mint vodka or pink hibiscus gin. Events include drag brunch buffets every first, third, and fifth Saturday and drag bingo every first and third Wednesday.

A table covered in food and cocktails at Shine Distillery in Portland, Oregon.
Drag Bingo at Shine Distillery.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Doc Marie’s

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“A lesbian bar for everyone,” Doc Marie’s inhabits an enormous multi-level space on SE Grand, with nightly themed events like Sapphic Salsa Night, Queeraoke, Queer Prom, 80s and 90s dance parties, and service industry nights every Sunday. To keep the energy up, guests can enjoy cocktails and snacks such as pulled pork tacos, salt and pepper fries, and melty capers sandwiches.

Pre-pandemic, this inner Southeast boîte spot drew in a huge, diverse crowd during Crush’s outrageously cheap happy hours ($5 martinis!) or to raise money for socially relevant causes, such as Basic Rights Oregon. These days, Crush has a more relaxed neighborhood hangout vibe, but the bar still offers indoor and outdoor seating, with dishes like curry-and-paneer-topped sweet potato fries and the house Orange Crush, an orange-infused vodka with blood orange syrup and soda.

Sissy Bar Portland

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This newly-opened, brightly-lit video bar neighbors Crush, helping to create SE Portland’s only queer block. Music blasts, drag queens dance, and photos of pop icons like Dolly Parton and Madonna look down on queer clientele as they enjoy cocktails like the She’s All That — with tequila, elderflower, and berry syrup — alongside a menu of Colombian cuisine including flaky filled empanadas and griddled arepas.

The Sports Bra

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Another one of Portland’s few all-ages (until 10 p.m.), queer-friendly spaces, this Northeast Portland hangout frequented by women and femmes in the LGBTQ community has garnered national attention for being the first sports bar dedicated entirely to women’s sports. Drinks include the GOAT, a cheekily-named mix of gin, orgeat, Aperol, and tangerine juice. The food menu features recipes like clay pot ribs and glazed chicken wings, inspired by owner Jenny Nguyen’s parents.

Escape Bar and Grill

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No, downtown’s defunct all-ages queer dance club does not live on in this Northeast Sandy strip mall. Rather, Escape Bar and Grill caters to the open-minded adult crowd with an almost-small-town charm that separates it from rowdier Portland LGBTQ bars. Weekly events like karaoke and music bingo keep the space lively and fun, but it’s also important that it’s a queer space where friends can play chess while eating a baked potato.

A person in a mesh shirt chats with customers on the other side of the bar at Escape in Portland, Oregon.
Escape Bar and Grill.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Scandals

This always-evolving entertainment hub is the last remaining gay bar on SW Harvey Milk Street, in what used to be the epicenter of Portland’s gay-friendly nightlife scene. Scandals features art shows, DJs, jazz nights, karaoke, RuPaul’s Drag Race watch parties, really cheap drinks, and an outdoor patio.

A sign reads “Voted #1 Gay Bar on the Block!” within the bar at Scandals.
Scandals.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Santé Bar

This narrow, elegant space on the North Park Blocks has been around for years, but the bar has recently acquired a new slew of regulars who pop in for drag shows and live music. The craft drinks are the draw here — house-made bitters and infusions support a robust cocktail list — and the service is warm, with lounge vibes and guaranteed familiarity.

Silverado

This nightclub and legendary strip club is divided into two decidedly different spaces. The downstairs room is Portland’s most underground setting... literally. The basement is where the bar gets its reputation: Hunky male dancers entertain visitors in private booths nightly. The upstairs room is a much more casual hang, featuring karaoke, a video bar, pool tables, and a kitchen serving up carne asada fries and fish and chips.

A man points away from the camera while standing at the bar at Portland’s Silverado.
Silverado.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Eagle Portland

The Eagle might be a bit off the beaten path, but it’s well worth the ride to North Portland for this always fun and fascinating leather bar. Its weekly theme nights aren’t always for the shy or timid, but the bar staff is friendly, the DJs are good, and the under-dressed patrons are more than happy to make newbies feel at home. The Eagle also teams with neighbor restaurant Casa Zoraya to serve Peruvian dishes like chicken empanadas and sirloin potato croquettes between beers and Red Bulls.

View this post on Instagram

bird fetish

A post shared by dan pelosi (@grossypelosi) on

CC Slaughters

This popular club appeals to a slightly younger crowd of queers and allies, who come to dance along to weekly DJ sets, take Jell-O shots, eat jalapeño poppers, and watch lively drag shows like Bolivia Carmichaels’ It’s Bolivia!, TransUhhLicious — a showcase of local trans and nonbinary performers, and the Queens Keys, featuring live drag music.

A drag queen smiles at the camera.
CC Slaughters.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Darcelle XV

What is there to say that hasn’t been said? The late Darcelle, the world’s oldest living drag queen, died this March. Her showplace, now in the National Register of Historic Places, hosts the longest-running drag show on the West Coast, and in her memory, the show is as energetic and vital as ever. The food is greasily delightful, the drinks are a thousand variations of sweet, and the brassy stable of queens effortlessly modulate their old-school pageantry for late-night crowds, bawdy brunches, and family matinees. A queer Stumptown staple since Stonewall (really! 1969!), this place is the best kind of time machine, and it’s a can’t-beat spot for out-of-towners. Celebrate Darcelle’s legacy with shows every Friday and Saturday night, brunches every Sunday, and Catch a Rising Star showcases, which lift up new local drag talent, on Tuesdays.

Shine Distillery & Grill

This North Williams distillery-pub is one of Portland’s few queer spaces that welcomes minors, and its bi-level dining room and massive rooftop offer plenty of spots to enjoy a meal with friends. Folks of all ages can enjoy black tea-brined popcorn chicken and warm macadamia nut cookies, while adults sip on house-made mint vodka or pink hibiscus gin. Events include drag brunch buffets every first, third, and fifth Saturday and drag bingo every first and third Wednesday.

A table covered in food and cocktails at Shine Distillery in Portland, Oregon.
Drag Bingo at Shine Distillery.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

Doc Marie’s

“A lesbian bar for everyone,” Doc Marie’s inhabits an enormous multi-level space on SE Grand, with nightly themed events like Sapphic Salsa Night, Queeraoke, Queer Prom, 80s and 90s dance parties, and service industry nights every Sunday. To keep the energy up, guests can enjoy cocktails and snacks such as pulled pork tacos, salt and pepper fries, and melty capers sandwiches.

Crush

Pre-pandemic, this inner Southeast boîte spot drew in a huge, diverse crowd during Crush’s outrageously cheap happy hours ($5 martinis!) or to raise money for socially relevant causes, such as Basic Rights Oregon. These days, Crush has a more relaxed neighborhood hangout vibe, but the bar still offers indoor and outdoor seating, with dishes like curry-and-paneer-topped sweet potato fries and the house Orange Crush, an orange-infused vodka with blood orange syrup and soda.

Sissy Bar Portland

This newly-opened, brightly-lit video bar neighbors Crush, helping to create SE Portland’s only queer block. Music blasts, drag queens dance, and photos of pop icons like Dolly Parton and Madonna look down on queer clientele as they enjoy cocktails like the She’s All That — with tequila, elderflower, and berry syrup — alongside a menu of Colombian cuisine including flaky filled empanadas and griddled arepas.

The Sports Bra

Another one of Portland’s few all-ages (until 10 p.m.), queer-friendly spaces, this Northeast Portland hangout frequented by women and femmes in the LGBTQ community has garnered national attention for being the first sports bar dedicated entirely to women’s sports. Drinks include the GOAT, a cheekily-named mix of gin, orgeat, Aperol, and tangerine juice. The food menu features recipes like clay pot ribs and glazed chicken wings, inspired by owner Jenny Nguyen’s parents.

Escape Bar and Grill

No, downtown’s defunct all-ages queer dance club does not live on in this Northeast Sandy strip mall. Rather, Escape Bar and Grill caters to the open-minded adult crowd with an almost-small-town charm that separates it from rowdier Portland LGBTQ bars. Weekly events like karaoke and music bingo keep the space lively and fun, but it’s also important that it’s a queer space where friends can play chess while eating a baked potato.

A person in a mesh shirt chats with customers on the other side of the bar at Escape in Portland, Oregon.
Escape Bar and Grill.
Thom Hilton/Eater Portland

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