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bars & clubs, montevideo

Bars & Clubs of Gay Montevideo

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One of the gay-friendliest cities in Latin America has a relatively small number of gay bars and clubs making it easy to navigate for first-time visitors.

Be aware that nightlife starts very late in Montevideo.  Doors may may not even be open at 11:30PM.   Start the night like a true Uruguayan with a late dinner at any of Montevideo’s gay-friendly restaurants; many of them stay open until midnight or 1AM. If you have time to kill between dinner and the club of your choice, you can try Small Club.  Known as a previa (pre-club before the main attraction) Small Club has drinks, various locations to mix and mingle, and live performances.

After midnight … all three gay club options are listed below.  Use our Google Map of gay Montevideo to navigate the city.

Cain Dance Club

Multiple levels of fun! Cain is the biggest gay nightclub in Montevideo.   Read the full review of Cain Dance Club »

Chains Club

This gay bar remains popular with both locals and tourists.  Visitors who find the crowds at clubs like Cain and Il Tempo to be too young, will have a great time at Chains with guys over 30. Read the full review of Chains Club »

Il Tempo

Down-to-earth good time with a gay and lesbian crowd.  There’s a small stage with a revolving line-up of music, drag, and comedy.  Read the full review of Il Tempo »

bars & clubs, rio de janeiro

Pink Flamingo

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Fun nightlife in Copacabana

Rua Duvivier 21
Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil Google Map »
Every night from 8pm to 4am

Finally! There’s more competition for your gay dollars with the launch of Pink Flamingo. Even though, Ipanema remains the gayest neighborhood (with Galeria Cafe reigning as its most-popular nightspot), Copacabana stands as a fierce competitor with TV Bar, La Cueva, and now Pink Flamingo.

The mostly gay male crowd is pretty diverse and most visitors will feel welcome. Pink Flamingo offers an early start on nightlife (doors open at 8pm) and is frequently becoming a warm-up for the “party boys” who head over to mega-club The Week after midnight.

Pink Flamingo is open seven days a week and each night has a little something different: DJs, stripper contests, Scruff-app nights, funk music parties, and more. Drink specials are tasty and priced accordingly to the Copacabana neighborhood.

Two tips for visitors: If you stay in Ipanema, it’s fun to take a 45 minute post-sunset walk along the beach into Copacabana for early drinks at Pink Flamingo. Or, if you plan stay in Copa, get a room a couple of blocks away from Flamingo at the Hilton Copacabana. You’ll need a good night’s sleep after a night at the Flamingo.

rio de janeiro

Gay Bars & Clubs of Rio de Janeiro

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First-time visitors to the Latin American paradise known as Rio de Janeiro can follow a simple formula.  Stay at a hotel in zona sul (the southern zone of the city where Ipanema and Copacabana are located.) From zona sul, you can enjoy the beach by day and party hard by night at local bars and clubs.

Rio’s other gay bar crawl can be found in the Lapa neighborhood (with a few spots technically in Centro, but less than 20 minutes away by foot.)  Lapa is not gay per se, but open to anything and everything fun.  On the way to gay parties at Buraco da Lacraia and Sinônimo, you will inevitably be swept up in the rhythms of live music or tempted to stop for a bite of some of Rio’s most mouthwatering restaurants where gays and straights come together.

Rio de Janeiro explodes with activity during Carnival, Gay Pride, and New Year’s Eve.  And don’t forget to download our Google Map of Gay Rio de Janeiro to navigate the city.


Boate 1140

Rua Capitao Menezes, 1140
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil      Google Map »
Locals love this gay party palace in Jacarepaguá.  Brazilian beats and Brazilian guys and the rock the house every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Check the Boate 1140 website for the occasional Thursday promotion and more info about the club.

Buraco da Lacraia

Rua André Cavalcânti 58
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil   Google Map »
Escape the gay tourist bubble of Copacabana and Ipanema for a truly unique Brazilian experience.  Catch their legendary cabaret show of politics/comedy/performance art.  Years ago, Buraco had a 2nd dance floor where sexy garçons wearing only an aprons and a bow ties would happily serve you drinks, but now, you may find a much reduced crowd on the first floor singing karaoke. However, they still have a dark room for the adventurous.

Fosfobox

Rua Siqueira Campos 143 (loja 23 & 24)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil      Google Map »
This long-running gay-friendly Copacabana music venue is named after a type of matchbox and tucked within a small shopping plaza, Fosfobox is a small club with a big focus on music.  On any given night you may encounter techno, house, or neo funk.  View the lineup and get more info on the Fosfobox Facebook page.  Fridays tend to be the gayest.

Galeria Cafe

Rua Teixeira de Melo 31
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil    Google Map »
Highly recommended on Friday nights!  First time visitors to Rio are often surprised by the current lack of gay nightclubs in Ipanema.  (Rest in peace, Dama de Ferro.)  However, every Friday, Galeria packs in the young hotties and a few of their straight female BFFs.  Music ranges from “flashbacks” to the 80’s and 90’s to pop divas of today like Rihanna.  Galeria is not very big and gets sweatier (and sexier) as closing time approaches.

Le Boy

Rua Raul Pompéia, 102
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil    Google Map »
⛔ Closed 4/4/2016 – No info on re-opening ⛔
The legendary Le Boy is a must-visit for any gay tourist visiting Rio.  Located on the edge of Copacabana, within walking distance of Ipanema, Le Boy attracts hordes of tourists, hot local men … and unfortunately a few criminals.  (Watch your wallet, cellphone, and drink.  “Boa Noite Cinderela” is the phenomenon of slipping drugs into stranger’s drinks and robbing them.)  Le Boy stays faithful to the gay nightlife formula of pumped-up go-go boys, fabulous drag queens, club remixes of pop favorites, and strong drinks.  At 3AM, the darkroom section becomes very active.
Read our full review of Le Boy »

La Cueva

Rua Miguel Lemos 51
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil   Google Map »
The oldest remaining gay bar in Rio de Janeiro is worth a visit if you are staying in Copacabana.  There is often no cover, or the cover includes two free beers.  La Cueva (Spanish for “the cave”) is located below street level and has a cavernous look and feel.  The bar (with a small dance floor) markets itself as a bar for ursos (bears), but it is extremely popular with maduros (older guys) as well.

Papa G

Travessa Almerinda Freitas 42
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil      Google Map »
Located an hour away from the tourist zone of Copacabana, Papa G rewards gays and lesbians who are up for the trip with big parties Wednesday through Sunday.  Musically, it’s a great place to party to Brazilian beats like pagode and funk from both DJs and live performers.  Strong drinks, and outrageous drag shows, make Papa G a club to remember.

Pink Flamingo

Rua Duvivier 21
Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil Google Map »
Since the doors opened in 2019, Pink Flamingo has been a gay nightlife favorite. Highly recommended! Read our full review

TV Bar

Avenida Nossa Sra. de Copacabana 1417
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil    Google Map »
This relatively small bar with a dance floor is located inside a former TV network facility.  The crowd is young but with enough tourists sprinkled around to make everyone will feel welcome.
Read our full review of TV Bar »

Up Turn Bar & Lounge

Avenida das Américas 2000 
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil     Google Map »
Very lively bar on Saturdays for anyone curious to visit the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood.  Get more info and view photos on the Up Turn Facebook page.

The Week

Rua Sacadura Cabral 135
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil    Google Map »
The place to be every Saturday.  You will have no complaints about the high cover charge once you see how The Week brings together the best DJs, performers, and boys in Brazil.  Highly recommended!
Read our full review of The Week »

bars & clubs, são paulo

Carolina’s Bar

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Drag, strippers, and friendly vibes in downtown São Paulo

Avenida Duque de Caixas 158,
Sao Paulo, SP Brazil view map >
Open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday

Within one year, this new addition to the Largo do Arouche gayborhood has become the hot spot for drag performances, strippers, and even on occasion, live musicians.

Drag mistresses of ceremony Kylie Hickmann and Cris Tower keep the energy friendly and the entertainers moving. Carolina’s Bar is popular with groups who often come before midnight to drink and have a good time with friends at the tables surrounding the stage.

Fans of Bar Queen‘s playfully erotic stage shows will find many familiar faces (and other body parts) at Carolina’s nightly parties since performers often work both bars.

Carolina’s is a safe bet if you’re visiting downtown Sao Paulo and are looking for some good drinks, sexy go-go boys, and great time.

rio de janeiro

Gay Carnival “Blocos” of Rio de Janeiro

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The massive parades held in Rio de Janeiro’s arena known as the Sambadrome are the most recognized symbols of Brazilian Carnival around the world.  In 2020, Carnival will begin on Friday, February 21 and run through a wild extended weekend to Tuesday, February 26.

However, visitors and locals alike can tell you Rio’s smaller blocos da rua (street block parties) are much more fun … and much gayer!  Almost every bloco is infused with a small amount of playful sexuality and gender fluidity.  But, a handful of blocos are widely recognized as gay-friendly (or GLS, the Portuguese acronym for gay, lesbian, and sympathizers.)

Bring your camera as pumped up boys and extra-fabulous drag queens are plentiful.  You will also find loads of visual arts, live music, and satirical social commentary.  In 2020, expect to see many costumes satirizing issues that may go over your head as a foreigner (expect lots of parodies of current Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.)

To navigate all of these blocos (and find bars, clubs, restaurants, and gay-friendly hotels) use this link to the VamosGay Google Map of Gay Rio 🌎

Banda de Ipanema

The biggest of all of the GLS blocos, Banda de Ipanema is as colorful and gay as the neighborhood they call home.  Founded in 1964, this banda boldly marched at a time when flamboyance was truly dangerous.   Banda de Ipanema blocos are extremely popular, so be prepared to drink and be merry with thousands of other revelers.

Bloco da Preta

The daughter of Brazilian music legend Gilberto Gil, and an extremely popular musician in her own right, Preta Gil is the mistress of ceremonies for one of Rio’s biggest pre-Carnival blocos. Preta’s gay following is massive, and months before Bloco da Preta there are pre-bloco parties held at nightclubs across Brazil.  The city of Rio de Janeiro estimates Bloco da Preta  attracted nearly 40,000 revelers in 2017.

Banda das Quengas

In Portugues, quenga means “whore,” although because so much of the sex is free, maybe “slut” would be a better translation.  The dress code for a bloco das quengas draws inspiration from cheap street hookers. Here’s a photo gallery to give you a better idea.  The atmosphere is liberada – free from the rules of society, free from what anyone thinks.

These quengas are fun, but not organized enough to set up a website.  So, we’ll let you know where to find them as Carnival 2020 approaches



Cordão da Bola Preta

This is the best reason to break out of the gay tourist bubble of Ipanema/Copacabana!  This well-established group has a massive presence in Centro (downtown) which is mostly straight, but gays are always welcomed.  Check the Bola Preta website (in Portuguese) for their full agenda of blocos for 2018 (and congratulate them on their 100 year anniversary!)   Outside of Carnival, Bola Preta’s feijoada parties with live musicians are a great way to start a Saturday night.

Simpatia é Quase Amor

Back in the heart of Ipanema, the group Simpatia é Quase Amor has more of a hippy vibe where gays are part of a gigantic rainbow where everyone is has a good time.   Join Simpatia é Quase Amor before Carnival, and during Carnival week. Both events take place in Ipanema’s Praça General Osório.

Bloco Toco Xona

By the girls, and for the girls … Bloco Toco Xona is famous for its female bateristas (Carnival drummers.)  Gay boys are welcome too!

Bunytos de Corpo

This  is a very camp, humorous, performance art group whose aesthetics are based on physical fitness craze of the 1980’s.  Leotards, leg warmers, headbands, athletic shorts, and more!  Get physical with Bunytos de Corpo as they run (and drink) through Praça Tiradentes.

Agytoê

Drawing inspiration from ancient Egypt for both their fashion and their decadent approach to celebrations.  Agytoê gets little press outside of Brazil, but you will recognize them (and their devotees) when you see them in downtown Rio on the final night of Carnival.  Dressed in black and gold, they express their art through music and dance, drawing in everyone who passes by. 

Bars & Clubs

Aside from the blocos in the street, there are more formal bailes (balls.)  The official baile is the Scala Rio Gay Ball.

One last cheap-and-easy option to just drop by any gay bar during Carnival.  Use our list of gay bars and clubs of Rio to find the right one for you.  And, if you haven’t booked your room for Rio yet (hurry up!) and use our list of the city’s gay-friendly hotels.

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