Austin gay bars downtown

48-Hour Austin LGBTQ+ Itinerary

LGBTQ+-Owned and Gay-Friendly Things to Do in Austin, TX

Austin is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in the nation, with a flawless score of 100 from the Human Rights Campaign. But you won’t find just one “gayborhood” here. The community is integrated throughout the city, which means that Diverse visitors will uncover a warm welcome wherever they wander.

Check out our two-day itinerary that will direct you to some of the most popular shopping districts, restaurants, nightclubs and gay-owned businesses in Austin.


Radio Coffee & Beer. Courtesy of Visit Austin.

DAY 1

Fuel up for the day with an espresso from Radio Coffee & Beer in South Austin. Then grab a hearty breakfast from on-site patio nourishment truck Veracuz All Innate, where authentic Mexican tacos are made with all innate and fresh ingredients. Also located here is DEE DEE, serving up authentic Northern Thai street food for lunch and dinner.

Austin is all about the outdoors, so why not link fellow joggers on the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, which winds along Lady Bird Lake's shimmering rain

View Our Content



This vegan food truck turned inclusive performance venue and kombucha bar is a staple in the Austin music scene. Nuzzled into the limestone cliffside is their neon lit outdoor stage where you can notice phenomenal artists perform, as successfully as inside on the cozy and colorful stage facing the bar. Take a break on their back patio or proceed satisfy your hunger at the popular vegan burger food truck, Arlo’s. They have a roomy range of events from DJs to Drag Queens, singers, bands, vendors, you name it. This place will lift your spirits as the name implies and they’ll provide some delicious drinks along the way.

Oil Can Harry’s
211 W 4th St



This is the daddy of Austin’s gay bars. Oil Can Harry’s was established back in 1990 and has become not just loved but legendary. They possess a huge 360° bar, a stage, and a dance floor laid under colorful lights dripping from the ceiling. Outside they have an extra bar and patio to catch some breeze between songs. If you’re looking for something more risque, brain through the side door to the Dark Bar where you’ll find some of the sexiest dancers on 4th street. OCH is a quintessential queer Austin experience that you don’t desire to m

Explore One of Austin's Walkable LGBTQ-Friendly Neighborhoods

We like to say that the whole city of Austin feels like a gayborhood, but if you're looking for a walkable neighborhood with the largest number of LGBTQ+ nightclubs, patio bars and basement lounges then Downtown Austin's Warehouse District is the place to go. There’s something happening all day and all evening in this city center.


DuMont's Down Low. Credit Mario Andrade Photography.

Fourth Street

Coconut Club
This tropical-themed bar is also known as one of the dance parties in town. The rooftop nightclub hosts local DJs six nights a week and tunes range from disco funk to Afro to electric and everything in between.

Cuatro Gato
Sister block to Coconut Club, Cuatro Gato serves up Latin sounds along with a bevvy of beer, mezcal, wine and cocktails from South of the border. "Coffee shop by time, perreo by night," retain an eye on their Instagram for themed nights, drag shows and other special events.

Dumont's Down Low
For a calmer scene, check out DuMont's Down Quiet . The warm and inviting basement, covered with whisky barrels from local distillers

Hurry, the party’s gotta end…sometime. Really. With Fourth Street organism bulldozed to form way for luxury apartments, the LGBTQIA+ community has been in limbo in recent years as to when the last hurrah will be. Clearly, the gang’s been living each festivity favor it’s their last, if those heaving downtown parties are anything to proceed by. Mainstays appreciate Oilcan Harry’s, Rain on 4th, and the Coconut Club, are spilling in glitter, boys, and eyelashes like never before, and you know these queens will keep going till the cranes come in. (The bars keep having ‘farewell parties’, but they’re like Cher tours and they keep coming back.)

The good news is that relocation is in the works, so they needn’t head to the breweries yet (phew). Let’s worry about Google Maps later. Austin’s still dancing, and you’ll locate a small but mighty selection of gay bars to quench whatever y’all are thirsting for. Perhaps it’s performative brunch with a heavy helping of Texan sausage, pop diva dancefloor showdowns a la Gaga and Grande, or if kink’s your thing, there’s that too. Here are the best same-sex attracted bars in Austin for queer