Gay bars in Mexico City: A new wave of alternate options you can’t miss.
Make your trip a fantastic one with some local tips about the best new gay bars in Mexico City | © Alfonso.briones.a / Instagram
The gay bar scene in Mexico City has undergone a significant transformation over the past few years. Back in the day, there were only a handful of options for the gay community around the Zona Rosa area. Now, there are more than enough vibrant options around the city to satisfy a wide variety of tastes.
Today, it’s difficult to visit the city without running into at least one gay bar in each neighborhood, but this time we decided to leave aside all of the big names to give you instead a more comprehensive range of nightlife spots that are still hidden gems for the gay traveler, and that are definitely worth exploring.
Most bars in this list came to life after the pandemic, while others have renovated their spaces (for good!) or had a change of location.
Take a look at these thirteen places you won’t find anywhere else, which will give you a taste of the real, local scene in Gay Mexico City.
The Hot Room: If you value personal space & design
A fetish bar inside a refurbished old building with thick rock walls and a fantastic design that makes you feel inside a maze. The bear community created the Hot Room as a safe space for them and their admirers.
On Fridays, the place turns into the Cuir Room, a genderless space for people of all sexual identities.
The atmosphere is cozy but fun; gogos, drag queens, and a great selection of retro pop and disco attracts a predominant crowd of people over their 30s.
The Hot Room is an excellent place to go if you want to dance in a not too crowded space.
The good: This bar has a unique vibe that you get only in bear clubs around the world; the decor feels sexy and modern.
The bad: The place is relatively new, so only few people know about it yet. It can feel a bit lonely sometimes, especially on Friday nights.
Instagram: hotroombar
La Perla: An exotic night out
La Perla is a bar with classic cabaret vibes where you can catch fantastic travesty performances.
This bar is not new at all, it actually is one of the oldest gay bars in Mexico City. However, they have just re-opened after a three-year closing during the pandemic.
La Perla is known for its wild and bizarre performances that surprise the audience. Don’t expect anything fancy; the ambiance is eclectic: Fur walls, kitsch decor, and a selection of music ranging from modern hits and Mexican nursery rhymes to Barry White.
It’s an excellent place to go with your group of friends and have a good time.
Suitable for those looking for a different night out and have a drink while enjoying a good show.
They only sell beers and chips and usually don’t take bookings. We recommend getting there early, around 9 pm, and asking for a table.
Instagram: la_perla_bar_cabaret
LXLOCX: The best drag queen lineup in the country
What started as a secret underground party when covid restrictions were at full, La Loca, as in “La Locación secreta” (The secret location), has now become the most popular gay club in downtown Mexico City. Lx Locx is a queer club with underground vibes and the best drag lineup in the country every night.
Dance to your favorite pop hits and perreo Thursday through Saturday.
If you’re looking for a good time and don’t want to spend much money, this bar is definitely the place for you. The drag shows are a highlight, and you can’t beat the prices.
The ugly thing is that the place is always full to the brim.
Instagram: lxlocx
La Purísima: Sacrilege made fun
“La Puri” was probably one of the first gay bars many of us danced at in Mexico City. They made their highly anticipated return this June 2022 during pride, after suddenly closing in 2020.
La Purísima is a one-of-a-kind experience for its concept, a profane temple of sexual diversity, and an aesthetic inspired by the religious imaginary: La Pietà, Saint Sebastian, Jesuscrist, and intervened Madonnas sculptures.
Low prices and the hits of the moment attract a young crowd every weekend, starting on Thursday.
The good: The cool bar concept and aesthetic.
The bad: The place is currently the busiest in the city
Instagram: latiapuri
Soberbia: Pop hits inside a department store
This popular queer nightspot is always busy, and it’s easy to see why; a club that looks like a department store from the ’90s, with mannequins, sideboards, and phallic motifs everywhere you look.
From the same owners of La Purísima, Soberbia bets on an experience that disrupts other LGBTQ+ spaces; art performances, installations, and erotic displays.
The music is pop hits from the ’90s; they warn you before letting you in, “You won’t hear any reggeaton here.”
The good: The decor, the bathrooms (really!), and the music that will keep you dancing all night.
The bad: It’s a popular spot, so you better expect limited personal space.
Instagram: soberbia_bar
El Tijuana: Enchiladas & Drag queens?
Are you looking for a fun and memorable night out? The perfect combo: Cantina, gay bar, and Mexican restaurant with drag shows from Tuesday to Sunday. Look no further than El Tijuana, a place in a class of its own.
Whether you’re in the mood for Mexican food or just having a few drinks while watching a drag show, El Tijuana has something for everyone. So come on down and check them out!
El Tijuana opened a few years back, but they moved to a new, improved location a few blocks away this past June.
The good:
- Prices are accessible.
- They open from Wednesday to Sunday.
- They have different activities and promos each day of the week.
The bad: Most of the music they play is Mexican country, which can get repetitive.
Instagram: eltijuanamx
Algo Tranqui Club: The after party
Algo Tranqui is getting quite popular as the favorite after-party spot. Even if it’s open starting at 6 pm, you’ll find the real party after 2 am.
Drag shows, cheap drinks, and a dark room make this club in El Centro a perfect option to end your night.
It’s a great alternative for party animals, and it doesn’t get too crowded (yet!) The variety of drag queens and strippers is a plus.
Instagram: algotranquiclub
Donceles 88: Underground parties every weekend
Donceles 88 is the only place from this list that is not a bar or club in itself but instead a location.
Even if we removed all the itinerant parties from the queer underground scene, we decided to include Donceles 88.
Whether we call it Nix, Cannah, Noche Púrpura, or any other name it’s been known recently, every Friday and Saturday, they will be throwing at least one memorable rave for the LGBTQ+ community.
If you get to this address, you will notice a metallic shutter with a small door open in the middle and a bouncer. Just let them know you’re coming to the party on the second floor, and they’ll let you in.
The good: This type of place is frequented mainly by locals that know how to party. The music and vibes of the party are incredible.
The bad: This place seems to be an unassuming apartment, so don’t wait for anything fancy or spacious. The vibe is more similar to a private friends’ party than a bar; you might find this negative if it’s not what you’re looking for.
Estereo Club: The mainstream gay bar in Mexico City
Located inside a mansion of the trendy La Juárez every Friday you will find Estereo, the gay club in vogue.
Pop, dance, and disco on the main hall and reggaeton to-the-floor in the basement.
The good: Estero is a massive club to dance and sing to songs you don’t hear anywhere else; transgenerational pop is what they call it.
The bad: The cover is one of the city’s most expensive and opens on Fridays only.
Instagram: estereo.club
Sic Club: The most alternative of all gay bars in Mexico City
SIC throws a party every Saturday night. There are three different spaces, the main hall with disco beats, dance, and latin house; a techno basement; and the burned room with a bar, nu-disco, and indie pop.
Even if SIC shares the same space than Estereo the vibe is completely different; while Estero feels more mainstream, colorful and attracts a younger crowd, SIC is sexier, more intimate and attracts a crowd mostly over 30.
Instagram: sic.club
Wooow Club: The new kid on the block
This is the newest addition to Zona Rosa. The facilities, lights and the good selection of pop hits and electronic music will keep you dancing until dawn.
It’s an excellent alternative to Rico or Blow Bar when the waiting line is too long or you don’t want to go to a club that’s full to the brim.
On selected nights they have an underwear edition, and it’s one of the few options in Mexico City that offers a domestic open bar option for MXN 250.
Instagram: wooow_mx
El Sirenito at the W Hotel: Drag & Dine experience
On Fridays and Saturdays, a hotel bar in Polanco becomes the best Drag & Dine experience in Mexico City.
El Sirenito, like many of the gay bars from this new wave in Mexico City, was born during the pandemic; as bars and clubs were restricted from operating and only restaurants were allowed to work “normally” ,the owners came up with the idea of offering drag performances and karaoke inside a seafood restaurant while the guest had dinner; that’s how the first location of El Sirenito in La Roma came to life.
If you’re looking for a bar with a sophisticated ambiance, El Sirenito at the W Hotel is a great option. You will dance, sing and enjoy from their acclaimed performers.
Try to book at least one week in advance with one of their PRs to secure your spot at @yanezsue on Instagram.
Instagram: sirenitomx
La Dominga Brunch: Sunday recovery parties.
A safe and fun daytime recovery party for the queer community in Mexico City. Every Sunday at the beautiful Shangai Casino in La Roma, La Dominga Brunch is the perfect wrap-up for your week.
A lineup that comprises different drag performances during the day and the best DJs of Mexico City; indulge yourself in a heavenly rooftop while you drink one or two Bloody Marys, get some canapes from their food stall, or even get some vintage clothing and accessories in one of the stands.
Instagram: ladomingabrunch
This new wave of gay bars in Mexico City are a great addition to the constantly evolving scene and they are a great option if you’re looking for an alternative to the mainstream LGBTQ hotspots.
What’s left for you now is just to go out and explore the amazing nightlife gay scene Mexico City has to offer.
In Gay Mexico City, we know how to party! We take you to the spots and events that only a local would know.
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