The gay scene of Wilton Manors is out, loud and fabulously proud! It has some of the best drag shows and exciting gay bars we've ever been to!
Over the past few decades, Fort Lauderdale has gone from being a Spring Break destination for straight teen college kids to one of the gayest places in the whole country! It was even featured as the ultimate gay holiday for the boys in the hilarious movie with Ru Paul, Lady Bunny, and Brent Corrigan – “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!”
We always love coming here to party. The gay scene of Fort Lauderdale is mainly based in the vibrant gayborhood of Wilton Manors, which comes alive every night of the week. It has tons of gay bars and clubs here to suit any gay boy under the sun! In this article, we've set out some of the best gay bars in Fort Lauderdale to check out with a snippet of what you can expect. As you're in the area, we recommend heading south to check out the gay scene of Miami – it's only a 40-minute drive away!
If you're looking for a place to stay in Fort Lauderdale, be sure to check out our guide to the best gay resorts in Fort Lauderdale, our guide to the best gay Airbnbs in Fort Lauderdale and our article about the best LGBTQ alternatives to Airbnb.
Heads up: We just wanted to let you know that this post contains affiliate links. That means if you book something through one of those links, we'll get a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep our blog going – so thank you in advance for your support! ♥
01
Rosie's Bar and Grill
Gay bar
See and be seen at Rosie's Bar & Grill!
It's our favourite bar in Wilton Manors. Totally camp, always buzzy and full of guys cruisin' and drinkin'. Whether you come on a Monday evening or Sunday brunch, it's always a blast at Rosie's, which is why we love it!
Rosie's is the perfect spot to start the night with a group of friends, get a few burgers and cocktails, before heading over to somewhere like The Pub or Georgie's. We love the quirky vibe here.
And then there are the burgers! Those tasty, juicy, cheesy award-winning bundles of yumminess…a reason to head to Rosie's. The menu is priceless, with names such as Plain Jane and Miley Highclub – don't forget the Hellena Bun – “tossed in Rosie's own ‘Smack My Cheeks and Make 'em Rosy' sauce”! When we last visited, the Brexit Burger was on the Specials Board making us all giggle!
Rosie's is located at 2449 Wilton Drive. It is open every day from around 10am until midnight. Find out more on their Facebook page.
Join a gay night tour of Wilton Manors!
First-timers and solo LGBTQ travellers listen up! Want to quickly make new friends and discover the Wilton Manors scene? Then we totally recommend you do this Gay Party Time in South Florida tour. A cute local will take your hand and show you round all the best bars and parties happening. Our group quickly formed a sisterhood-type bond and became friends for life. Highly recommended!
02
Georgie's Alibi Monkey Bar
Gay bar
Georgie's is the biggest gay bar in the Wilton Manor gay area and probably the most famous. All the gay boys, new and old, will at some stage end up here during the night.
What we love about Georgie's is that it has a large outdoor terrace with a small bar, which has a sort of street party feel to it. Then inside, it's massive. On the one side, it has a large bar area with The Alii stage for shows. On the other side, it's “The Monkey Bar Lounge”, where they have the drag shows and feature Latino music.
That's the bar/club side to Georgie's. If that wasn't enough, Georgie's also has a restaurant attached to it, which rivals Rosie's, serving up equally mean and succulent burgers! We tried both and loved them – we just felt Rosie's had the edge because of the quirky atmosphere.
Messy gay boys should check out their World Famous $3 Long Island Iced Tea Nights every Thursday from 9pm till 2am… it'll be hard to wake up the next day for sure, that's our two cents' worth!
Georgie's is located at 2266 Wilton Drive. It is open every day from 11am until 2/3am. Find out more on Georgie's Facebook page.
STAY WITH A GAY LOCAL
Misterb&b is the Airbnb equivalent for the LGBTQ community. Unlike on Airbnb, you know your host is gay, voiding any nasty surprises when you check-in. It is also a great way to meet gay locals and discover the underground gay scene. Click below to get 10 € (or $10) off our first booking.
03
Hunters
Gay club
#SpiritsElevated – 7 Days A Week
The main gay club in town, open every night, going strong since it opened back in 1980. Hunters is an institution in Wilton Manors, much like Georgie’s. Once we finished up our Long Islands at Georgie’s we headed over to Hunters to dance.
Hunters is one of the most happening gay clubs in Wilton Manors, with something happening every day of the week, from the karaoke nights to the “Fur Friday” Bear night. The downside is that on weekends it gets so popular that it gets super busy – heaving with guys! Not a bad thing for some…
Inside, Hunters has a long video bar area with 8 screens playing nostalgic pop anthems. Next door is the dancing space where all the shows and the magic happen. Some of that magic is in the form of the most entertaining themed nights in the whole of Fort Lauderdale especially the “DILF Fort Lauderdale Jock Party” and the Celebrity Lip Sync Battles. Check the Events section on their Facebook page for more up-to-date info.
Hunters is located at 2232 Wilton Drive. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on the Hunters Facebook page and on the Hunters website.
Flying to Fort Lauderdale soon?
We've been to Fort Lauderdale several times, mainly due to the abundance of inexpensive flights from Europe. We used JustFly to search and book our flights, which we recommend because they offer a comprehensive range of options allowing you to search for the lowest prices. We also recommend searching for options to Miami Airport, which is only a 45-minute drive away, to maximise your flight options.
04
DrYnk
Gay bar
The Drynk is an intimate lounge bar, more low-key than the other places in the Wilton Drive complex. It’s the sort of place Seby and I like to go for an evening cocktail together. We love the warm and romantic ambience that the dimly lit lights give off, add to that some of the quirky décor, such as the huge bull's head with earrings!
In the back they have an outdoor patio area, which is like entering a mini oasis in amongst this crazy part of town. It has palm trees and even a fire pit for those rare occasions when temperatures drop below 68°F (20°C).
Our love for Drynk is also helped by their delicious cocktails, or as they call them: “Craft Cocktails”. Forget craft beer, give these two queens a few Craft Cocktails and you’ve got us hooked for life.
They have a daily Happy Hour from 2-8pm which is the best time to come to spruce up for the night ahead. It's buzzy at this time of day but not overcrowded, and still feels chilled. On weekend evenings, however, it can get quite bustling here!
The Drynk is located at 2255 Wilton Drive. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on the Drynk's Facebook page and on the Drynk website.
05
ThePub
Gay bar
The Pub in Wilton Manors is an institution that everyone always pops into at some stage. We love their Monday evening “Meme Game” where you can win a cash prize for coming up with captions to some of the hilarious memes they post online…genius!
The Pub is also famous for hosting one of the best drag shows in Fort Lauderdale – the aptly named #DrinkNDrag every Saturday evening. Starting from 10pm, some of South Florida’s best drag acts perform back-to-back performances. These queens will literally make you wet your pants laughing!
When it comes to food, The Pub’s kitchen’s got you covered with their daily specials ranging from burgers, nachos and quesadillas. We recommend coming on Sundays when they host The Ladies Who Brunch from 1pm. Another tip: look out for their daily 2-4-1 Happy Hour which runs until 9pm. After 9pm they have “Nightly Specials” which they announce every hour.
Finally, we also love and respect The Pub because of their continued support of local charities such as Kids in Distress, The Pet Project and The Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival.
The Pub is located at 2283 Wilton Drive and is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on The Pub's website.
06
Gym Sportsbar
Gay bar
You like your sports? Or do you (like us!) like the hot guys that are into sports? Then you get the gist of the Gym Sportsbar! This is the best sports gay bar in Fort Lauderdale. It’s part of a famous chain of gay sports bars that began in New York, then opened in Los Angeles, now proudly flying the rainbow sports flag in Fort Lauderdale’s Wilton Manors.
Inside, the bar is lined with TV screen playing the latest football, baseball and hockey match. We’ll be honest, we’re not into sports enough to sit down and watch the matches, but we dig the friendly atmosphere here. The guys are of all ages, united by their love for sports.
Obviously, it gets super busy at the Gym bar when there’s a big sports event happening, but they also host themed parties like Trivia Nights, “Taco Bear” night and the infamous “Jock Strap Contest”!
Gym Bar is located at 2287 Wilton Drive and is open every evening until 11pm. Find out more on the Gym Sportsbar Facebook page and also on the Gym Sportsbar website.
07
Le Boy
Gay bar
Never a cover. Always a good time!
Le Boy is one very sassy bar, “where the boys are”! Specifically, the younger guys of town during one of their many famous contests…
Featured at Le Boy…showers (yes, a shower!) live on stage, every day from 6pm! Thursday evenings, in particular, are a riot here when they have their Hot Body Contest at midnight…guys from all over enter the competition to win the cash prize of $200. Sunday nights they have another famous ‘talent' show, where amateur models take to the stage and slowly remove their clothing in time to the music…Andrew Christian talent scouts are known to look for potential new models here on these evenings, so it gets packed quite quickly because of this.
Le Boy also has an outdoor patio, drinks specials to look out for and the occasional drag show to break up all that masculinity exuding from the stage! Overall, a very exciting night out…if you catch my drift!
Le Boy is located at 1243 NE 11th Avenue. It is open every evening (except Mondays) until 2am.
08
Johnsons
Gay bar
Johnsons is one of those hidden gems that we were delighted to stumble on. It’s a speakeasy-type lounge in Wilton Manors that doesn’t get as busy as the other places, which is part of its charm. There is an air of exclusivity and opulence here, the type that my Seby kept saying suited him absolutely perfectly…(he gets like this after his sixth Margarita…!)
Despite the slight poshness of this bar, it’s actually very down to earth. They have live male entertainment every evening, featuring some of the city’s hottest musclemen. These are followed by the very dramatic burlesque performances that Johnsons has become famous for. The most unique day to come to Johnsons is on Sundays! This is day when this unassuming speakeasy joint breaks the internet with their weekly Sunday Car Wash! Bring your vehicle here around midday and one of the handsome dancer boys will give it a thorough clean, dressed only in his tightest undies…live DJ also included!
Look out for their Happy Hour promotions between 5-9pm. Note, if you come here after 8pm on weekends, there is a cover charge.
Johnsons is located at 2340 Wilton Drive and is open every evening (except Mondays) until 2/3am. Find out more on the Johnsons Facebook page and also on the Johnsons Instagram.
09
Infinity Lounge
Gay bar
The Infinity Lounge is one of the most sophisticated gay bars of Wilton Manors. Inside it’s super intimate, chic and hip. Imagine twinkling chandeliers and lots of bling. The handsome bar staff suited and booted – but more stylish than stuffy. This is more the sort of place to bring a date rather than come for a wild night out with your squirrel friends.
The cocktails at the Infinity Lounge are described as “award winning”. We couldn’t quite locate which award, but we were blown away by the quality of them. The handsome and talented mixologists use the freshest fruits and the top brand drinks to conjure up some of the most delectable cocktails we tried in all of Fort Lauderdale. They had the largest collection of flavoured ʋσԃkas we'd ever seen! We’d go back just to have a few more of their Vodkatinis!
Most importantly of all, it’s attitude-free here! In a place like this, you’d expect a few frowns and judgemental expressions, but we saw none of this here and we LOVE them for this!
The Infinity Lounge is located at 2184 Wilton Drive. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on the Infinity Lounge Facebook page and also on the Infinity Lounge website.
10
The Manor Complex
Gay club
The Manor is the EPIC gay club of Fort Lauderdale: a massive 16,000 sq ft space with 3 dancing areas spread over 2 levels and a lavish VIP room. The main dance floor is even called The Epic Room.
On weekends, this is the ultimate gay party in town. From around 1am onwards, the crowds start to arrive to party until the early hours. They have a large stage for hot exotic dancer shows, performers and drag queens. If the Andrew Christian models are in town, this is where they will be performing! For big occasions like Halloween and NYE, the Manor Complex is THE place to come for the best gay parties in all of Fort Lauderdale.
The crowd is a little bit younger than Hunters, guys mainly in their 20s and 30s. The music is a mix of pop anthem gems that gave us the feels – Nicky Minaj, Britney, Lady Gaga and many more. For chillout, they have cool rooftop bar area.
The Manor Complex is located at 2345 Wilton Drive. It is only open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 11pm until around 4am. Find out more on the Manor Complex website as well as on their Manor Complex Facebook page.
11
Ramrod
Leather club
Ramrod is the best cruise bar in Fort Lauderdale, particularly for guys into leather, uniform and Levi jeans. Every evening it hosts different themed parties such as the Cigar Social on Mondays, Rock Hard Undies on Tuesdays and Leather Night on both Fridays and Sundays. Note the first Monday of each month is Puppy Night – one of the biggest and best pup parties in all of South Florida, and the first Saturday of every month is the famous Pig Dance party…oink!
The Ramrod also hosts several contests and competitions such as the Best Backside contest on Tuesdays and the Battle of the ßµlge contest on Thursdays. They also have the annual Mr Ramrod competition where the winner is crowned the coveted prize of the Mr Ramrod for that year and is awarded handsomely by his adoring crowd…!
Inside, the Ramrod is dark and gritty, sort of medieval-like. The crowd are a mix of musclebears, chunky lads, young curious guys, daddies, and everything in between. Note that the Ramrod is a man’s bar with a strict dress code (depending on what the theme is) – both of these rules are strictly enforced!
Ramrod is located at 1508 NE 4th Avenue in Wilton Drive. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on the Ramrod website and on the Ramrod Facebook page.
12
Boardwalk
Gay bar
Boardwalk boasts of having some of the best exotic male dancers performing every night of the week! This is the place to come and find Mr Right AND Mr Wrong at the same time, whilst hanging out with some of the famous gentlemen working in the adult movie industry.
The Boardwalk also has some terrific dining options thanks to the Beefcake Grill attached to it. Every afternoon they have $5 specials on their burgers, wraps and salads. On Sundays, the Beefcake Grill is a popular brunch spot to check out before heading inside for the more adult entertainment…
If you’re after a handsome Latino to compliment your holiday in Fort Lauderdale, this is where you’ll want to be heading. The Boardwalk is famous for its mighty Latino crowd thanks to their popular Latin Nights and their Sunday $5 Cuba Libre specials. The only thing we’d say is bring sufficient cash here as you will be expected (and encouraged!) to tip the dancer boys.
The Boardwalk is located at 1721 N Andrews Avenue. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. Find out more on The Boardwalk Facebook page.
13
Mona's cocktail bar
Gay bar
Mona’s is your friendly neighbourhood Dive Bar in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a very local scene, extremely friendly, where everyone knows everyone. We loved it because from the moment we stepped inside, we felt like we were immediately part of one big happy family – after 20 minutes sharing drinks with our new-found friends…!
Their most popular nights are Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, wannabe Divas hit the Karaoke, belting out power ballads and Latino hits. Thursdays is College Night, where all the young gays of Fort Lauderdale can be found, attracted by the Beer Pong 2-4-1 offer.
Inside they have a pool table and some super kitsch and quirky décor on the walls and ceilings – lots and lots and lots of bright colours everywhere! The staff are super friendly – we were impressed that they knew everyone’s names and what they wanted to order without needing to ask!
Mona’s is also known for its charitable contributions to the local community, frequently hosting fundraisers and supporting NGOs like the Florida AIDS Walks & Music Festival.
Mona's Bar & Lisa's Backyard is located at 502 E Sunrise Boulevard. It is open every evening until around 2/3am. To find out more, check out Mona's Facebook page.
What to do in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale has a wealth of fun things to experience beyond the gay bars and clubs. With lots of excellent beaches and access to the Everglades, you'll find plenty to entertain you during the day!
14
The Eagle Wilton Manors
Gay bar
Inspired by its Berlin roots, The Eagle is not only a popular leather bar, but THE best bar for bears and older guys – as well as their many fans! True to its Berlin heritage, it’s located underground, with a dark gritty industrial feel. It includes the Bear Cave and the Code Bar.
The Bear Cave parties happen on Tuesdays and weekends. They are the best bear nights in the city. All we’re saying is that you’ve not lived until you’ve seen a few cuddly grizzlies channelling their inner Whitney, battling it out at the Bearoke night on Tuesdays!
The Code Bar is more serious! This is where the leather themed nights happen on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. In The Code there’s no messing about. The dress code is strictly enforced. No argument. If you’re not leather-clad, you ain’t getting in!
Other themed parties to look out for at The Eagle include Jock Night on Mondays, the monthly Full Moon Blackout Party, the monthly Pet Mosh Pup Party, and the annual crowning of the next Mr Eagle Wilton Manors.
The Eagle is located at 2209 Wilton Drive. It is open every evening until 10pm. Find out more on The Eagle website and also on The Eagle Facebook page.
15
321 Slammer
Gay club
321 Slammer is an unapologetically male-only in-your-face playtime club! The name made us giggle, playing on the slang word for prison. Inside it’s more of a gay boy’s playground, with dark spaces, slings, private cabins, labyrinths, and lots of different-sized holes in the wall to search out!
To get inside, you need to sign up as a member beforehand, which gives it an air of exclusivity. Unlike the traditional gay saunas and bathhouses of Fort Lauderdale, the 321 Slammer is more of a cruising private club, in other words, no saunas, Jacuzzis, showers, or pool area. Just lots of dark spaces where you can meet a mysterious gentleman or two and engage in some good old-fashioned rumpy-pumpy!
Slammer has a BYOB policy, allowing you to bring your drinks and have one of the obliging cute bar staff fix up a drink or cocktail for you.
321 Slammer is located at 321 W. Sunrise Boulevard. It is open every day from 5 pm until 3 am and until 5 am on weekends. To find out more, check out the 321 Slammer website.
Read more travel adventures like this in our book!
We've published our very own gay travel book called, ‘Out in the World'. It has all our practical safety tips, first-hand advice, and travel stories from some of our favorite destinations.
We hope it inspires you to have a fun and safe trip!
Click on the book to order:
For more inspiration:
- Check out our detailed gay travel guide to Key West, another gay haven in South Florida we LOVE
- Read our guide to the best gay resorts in Key West – there are many!
- Check out our detailed gay guide to the Florida Keys for tips and inspiration
- If you're heading over to Tampa, be sure to use our gay guide to Tampa to plan your trip
- Get inspired with our guide to the most romantic things to do in Tampa
- Next to Tampa – cultural gem, Sarasota! Use our gay guide to Sarasota to inspire your trip
- Read our article about the most romantic things to do in Sarasota
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Happy travels are safe travels
We recommend you always take out reputable travel insurance before your next vacation. What happens if you suffer from illness, injury, theft, or a cancellation? Many gay travelers forget about it and regret it when something happens. Better to pay a small price and have peace of mind and not worry.
cleiton
Wednesday 23rd of October 2019
que lugar maravilhoso sou louco pra conhecer nossa amei show de bola parabens a todos
Stefan Arestis
Thursday 24th of October 2019
Obrigado :)
Nick
Thursday 6th of December 2018
Lauderdale is my hometown & there's tons to do here — the World Aids Museum is small but a great place run by great people. I also recommend checking out the Pride Center at Equality Park which is just down the road and always has lots of events going on - they're actually the folks who organize Wicked Manors on Halloween (always amazing!). Once a month on the 1st Saturday they host a BIG community flea market with lots of vendors selling antiques, jewelry, clothing plants, and more. It's a lot of fun and pulls in big crowds.
Nomadic boys
Thursday 6th of December 2018
Thanks Nick
Mary
Tuesday 4th of December 2018
Amazing blog !
Nomadic boys
Tuesday 4th of December 2018
Thanks Mary!