Portland

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On the increasingly trendy Belmont strip, this laid-back, eclectic boite draws an eclectic crowd every night and glows an especially florid shade of pink on Sundays. Grab a seat at the long bar and enjoy a selection from the well-chosen list of wine, beer, and fancy cocktails. There’s a lovely patio out back, too.

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The top gay Portland dance club was actually two distinct spaces in one before Red Cap Garage closed in summer 2011. Now the complex consists of one main dance club, Boxxes, a bright and attractive space with numerous video screens, lots of cocktail tables, and a small dance floor. A short hallway connects the club to a popular seafood restaurant, the Fish Grotto, that’s a fun spot for noshing before partying. A variety of weekly events—karaoke, Latin Night—ensure sizable crowds.

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Portland’s delightfully notorious queer party Blow Pony convenes the fourth Saturday of every month at the adjoining Branx and Rotture clubs, in the hipster-haunted Central Eastside. These sweaty, cruise-y, gender-bending soirees draw hundreds and frequently feature celeb guest DJs, like Hedwig’s John Cameron Mitchell. Other nights, this complex hosts live bands and other dance parties, most with a sizable LGBT following.

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This low-key “gayborhood” bar is an ideal stop between the city’s two main gay-bar hubs, Stark Street and Old Town. Cheap drinks, super-nice bartenders, and a diverse crowd of men and women make this a great little place to chill. Note the many amusements: pool, darts, Nintendo Wii—there’s even a shuffleboard table.

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As one of Portland’s longest-standing gay nightclubs, CC’s pulls in a steady mix of regulars and tourists of all stripes. Great drag shows, top DJs, great drink specials, and fun theme nights, including the new Fetish Fridays party led by talented DJ Jakob Jay, which has quickly become a weekly tradition with a spirited, eclectic crowd. The adjacent Rainbow Room lounge offers a classy, conversation-friendly ambience.

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This convivial neighborhood bar and restaurant near the gay-popular Belmont and Hawthorne ’hoods attracts a mixed, younger crowd with its diverse menu of tasty American fare; notable selection of wine, beer, and cocktails; and appealing alternative music not typically heard in other gay bars. It’s ideal if you’d rather avoid the downtown stand-and-model scene but still wish to meet cute, friendly lesbians and gay guys.

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The queen of her own court of drag divas, the iconic Darcelle XV entertains legions of fans Wednesday through Saturday nights at this legendary Old Town cabaret. The kitschy palace of fun hosts the longest-running female impersonator show west of the Mississippi. Beware the random bridal party stumbling in here to get tipsy and tippy late at night, when the club presents all-male strip shows.

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Named after a Beatles song written by John Lennon to his future wife, Yoko Ono, this modishly vintage lounge is anchored by a gorgeous rope-and-wood horseshoe bar and known for its urbane drinks, like the smooth-as-silk Sam Isaacs (bourbon, mint, lime, and blackberry). If it gets too noisy inside, opt for a seat at one of the picnic tables on the sidewalk. The creative food here is first-rate, with an emphasis on veggie items.

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This hirsute hangout in North Portland—where gay porn plays in high-def on multiple big-screen TVs—is a fine place to mingle with ursine Oregonians. The fun-loving and civic-minded Oregon Bears club often holds cookouts and cake walks. With video poker, an outdoor deck, and a “Naked Pool, Always Welcome” sign in the bar, it’s anyone’s guess how much the bears at this den of decadence will bare on any given night.

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Since the early ’70s, this large club in Old Town has been a fixture of Portland’s LGBT community. These days, it seldom draws the big crowds you see at Boxxes or CC’s, but that’s actually one reason fans like it—it’s a low-keyed, friendly, and affordable option catering to an eclectic, all-ages crowd. The space is divided into the Avenue dance bar in back, which opens only at night, and the Embers show bar, a cozier spot with a pool table, a long bar (a fish tank is built into it!), and a show stage. Friday drag shows with Adrienne Alexander, “the largest white woman in captivity,” are a lot of fun, as are Saturdays with Onyx Lynn.

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As LGBT hangouts go, and to be sure, this North Portland neighborhood joint is completely mixed, Foggy Notion is refreshingly different from many of the usual suspects. It’s in an up-and-coming neighborhood well outside of downtown, it has four awesome old-school pinball machines, and it actively welcomes the city’s queer tattooed contingent. (There’s even a “show your ink” 2-for-1 Tuesday night drinks special.) Check out the interesting bar-food menu if you’re feeling peckish.

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Amid the industrial environs of this eastside club just across the river from downtown, you’ll encounter a playful mix of DJ dance parties, arty indie bands, movie screenings, and myriad fundraising events. The major LGBT party on Holocene’s eclectic calendar is Gaycation, the third Saturday of every month, but every evening you’re apt to encounter a significant queer quotient.

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This aptly named Northeast neighborhood watering hole, where it seems everybody wants to know your name, is the kind of place that makes you feel as welcome in a pair of sweats as you might in just a pair of high heels and pasties. There’s a good drink list, and the kitchen turns out tasty food as well.

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This friendly, homey video bar with one of the most popular pool tables of any gay bar in town draws a mostly male crowd of all ages and styles, and is especially appreciated for its stretch of sidewalk seating along colorful Stark Street. The bartenders are welcoming, there’s a fun jukebox, and Tuesday’s karaoke nights are a big hit. It’s next door to the très-gay late-night greasy spoon, the Roxy Diner.

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This venerable show bar is famous for its stable of randy male dancers, most of whom strip down to nearly nothing, save maybe a pair of socks, and aren’t shy about cavorting with patrons. The boys in the buff are only part of the draw at this favorite haunt of locals and tourists: drinks are strong and fairly affordable, and the cozy patio connecting the club’s two main sections is a lovely spot to cruise gays and stargaze.

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Set inside a vintage dairy building with the grill of a truck forming part of its facade, this endearing slice of retro-’70s nostalgia is a remnant of North Portland’s Albina District, which was significantly paved over in the 1960s to make way for Interstate 5. Hipsters, gays, and old-time locals stop in to this trucker-themed boite for the good selection of drinks, tasty bar food, live bands, and such offbeat events as Goth Bingo. It’s within walking distance of several other fun hangouts on Russell Street (Toro Bravo tapas restaurant, the Wonder Ballroom, Russell Street Bar-B-Que).

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An old-school gay favorite, this neighborhood spot in Southeast is cozy and candlelit, with a lush patio and a kitchen serving reliably good pub fare as well as a well-attended brunch on Sundays. This crowd is eclectic, a mix of gays and straights of all ages, from longtime locals to young hipsters. Held the last Sunday of every month, Stark Raving Queens is a wonderfully campy drag variety and dinner show.

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In Portland’s cross-the-Columbia neighbor to the north, this attractive downtown restaurant with a thatched-roof Tiki bar is Vancouver’s only LGBT nightspot, offering up live music, drag shows, and pretty tasty comfort food (huge burgers, “Reuben-esk” pastrami sandwiches, Caesar salads). It’s right in the city’s compact but increasingly charming downtown, just a 10- to 15-minute drive from the many chain hotels near Portland International Airport.

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In the heart of the trendy Pearl District, Vault attracts a sophisticated, mixed gay/straight bunch with its high-end design and impressive selection of swanky cocktails. The talented mixologists make martinis suitable for any mood, from savory versions to chocolate-y elixirs. The 18-foot ice-glass bar and cozy fireplace are nods to Vault’s vaguely Tsarist-Russia theme.

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