Best Gay & Lesbian Bars In Edinburgh (LGBT Nightlife Guide)

Those of you that are trying to find info on the best gay and lesbian bars or clubs in Edinburgh can do so right here. Our local LGBT nightlife guide will also discuss topics like mixed clubs, trans bars, the main queer area near you, drag shows and more!

Since we are in the 21st Century the best options for LGBT online dating need to be mentioned. In particular we have a few sites to tell you about that are more geared towards hooking up than getting too deep into a serious relationship at the moment.

And the best Edinburgh gay pride events and meet ups we know about have to be covered. Not everybody likes to go out to a lesbian or gay bar or nightclub in your area to try and meet people so we at NightlifeLGBT will try to fill you in on all of the options you have.

Best LGBT Bars & Clubs In Edinburgh

Let’s start this off with a list of the best gay, lesbian, and mixed LGBT bars and nightclubs in Edinburgh:

• Cafe Habana at 22 Greenside Pl
• Regent Bar at 2 Montrose Terrace
• Paradise Palms at 41 Lothian St
• Tigerlily at 125 George St
• Wee Red Bar at 74 Lauriston Pl
• Sneaky Petes at 73 Cowgate
• CC Blooms at 23-24 Greenside Pl
• Planet Bar at 6 Baxter’s Pl
• Victoria Bar at 265 Leith Walk
• Boda Bar at 229 Leith Walk
• The Street at 2b Picardy Pl

Best Gay Bars & Clubs

Many reading this are probably here to find out about gay bars in Edinburgh for men to meet men. The thing is, as the world becomes more inclusive those old lines are getting blurred. These days most gay bars are actually mixed, and any of the above spots can easily lead to local gay hook ups.

Best Lesbian Bars & Clubs in Edinburgh

The same can be said when it comes to trying to find a strictly lesbian bar in Edinburgh. Go out to any of the bars or clubs from the mixed list and if there are not other lesbian women looking to meet women in your area then move on to the next spot. The Bongo Club does hold their Hotline lesbian events from time to time.

Drag Shows & Trans Bars

We aren’t really to the point of having full on trans bars in Edinburgh, but you can find drag shows that may help you locate ts near you at:

• Drag Artist at Planet Bar on Fridays
• The Rabbit Hole at CC Blooms on Tuesdays
• Drag Me to the Pond on the last Friday of every month

Look guys, we try out best to keep these lists up to date but we cover way too many cities and things change way too fast for us to be perfect. We know the scene here pretty well, but not as well as the local experts.

It would be great if you could let us know about any errors we made or if anything is out of date on this page in the comments section at the end. Also, if you think any venues should be listed as solely places for men to meet men or women to meet women fill us in

Many of these gay or lesbian bars and clubs can be found in the LGBT nightlife area of Princes Street and Leith Walk. If you need a home base for a trip we would suggest that part of town.

You can also read our posts on the queer scene in:

• Glasgow
• Dublin
• Belfast
• London

Weekly, Monthly, & Pride Events

Here are some of the best LGBT events that occur on a weekly or monthly basis:

• Retro Rewind at Planet Bar on Mondays
• Bitch Bingo’ & Karaoke at Planet Bar on Thursdays
• Galmoor! at The Street on Mondays
• Quality Street Show at The Street on Thursdays
• The Wendy House at The Street on Friday Nights
• Hotline at The Bongo Club as a lesbian event

And these are the best pride events plus other LGBT events held in your area throughout the year:

• Pride Edinburgh in June
• BearScotFest in October
• Hogmanay on New Years
• Edinburgh Fringe in August

Best LGBT Dating Sites

We know that going out to a local LGBT bar or club isn’t for everyone. Sure, you might find someone to hook up with, but you have to deal with being around a bunch of drunk strangers which can be more trouble than it is worth.

It also isn’t like we know if everyone reading this is fully ‘out’ or not so some may not feel comfortable in that type of setting just yet. Whatever your reasons are LGBT dating sites are a great way to meet people without having to get all dressed up and head to a gay or lesbian bar.

We have a few options to tell you about, and the first ones are mostly geared towards casual sex, not full on serious dating. Some of you may already be familiar with Adult Friend Finder and we bet most of you have seen their links in the past.

Itis the biggest hook up site on the planet and has been for almost twenty years. Their top site for finding gay men near you to hook up with is Men Nation and it can work great in major cities like this one.

The ladies will be better off on Lesbian Personals, and if you are bi-sexual and don’t have a preferred gender to hook up with then Adult Friend Finder is probably best for you because it covers all the user bases on their numerous sites. So if you want m4m hook ups use Men Nation, and for f4f hook ups use Lesbian Personals.

Lastly we want to mention the world’s top transgender dating site, MyTransgenderDate. Trans dating in Edinburgh is easier than ever and it will only continue to get better as more ts near you feel confident enough to be the person they really want to be.

Now you should have a much better understanding of the LGBT nightlife in your area. You know all about the best mixed, gay, or lesbian bars and clubs in Edinburgh plus drag shows to party with trans and all sorts of LGBT dating sites. Now choose the best option for you and enjoy yourself.