Category Archives: montevideo

Gay Guide to Montevideo

Looking for an accurate and insightful gay guide to Montevideo in English?  Bookmark this! The VamosGay 2019 Guide to Montevideo presents the most up-to-date resources for one of Latin America’s gay-friendliest destinations.

The month of September is always extra gay for Uruguay and in 2019 Pride Month will culminate in the annual March for Diversity (Marcha por la Diversidad‎)on Friday, September 27 at 7PM at Plaza Independencia.

Click below for a directory of Montevideo’s bars and clubsgay-friendly restaurantsplaces to stay, and places to hook up!

Gay Bars & Clubs

A to Z listing of every bar, lounge, and club in the city.

View all »

Hotels

Location, amenities, price, and gay-friendly!

View all »

Restaurants & Cafes

Meals to remember, or just late-night snacks.

View all »

Sex & Saunas

Up-to-date list of Montevideo’s hottest spots.

View all »

VamosGay on Facebook

The latest gay travel news for Latin America’s biggest cities.

Like us »

Punta del Este

Visiting Uruguay?  Take a short trip to Punta!

View all »

Bars & Clubs of Gay Montevideo

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 »

Hotels of Gay-Friendly Montevideo

Uruguay’s capital city, Montevideo, is surprisingly easy to navigate.  The city shoulders the coastline of the Rio de la Plata, and a 14 mile long stretch of waterfront (known as La Rambla) connects six neighborhoods of interest to gay travelers: Ciudad Vieja, Centro, Palermo, Punta Carretas, Parque Rodo, and Playa Pocitos.

The following is a short list of gay-friendly places to stay with easy access to museums, restaurants, and nightlife.  Contrary to the stereotype of homophobic machismo, Uruguay is famous for its live-and-let-live attitudes.  Expect a warm welcome at the front desk of any of the places listed below.

Casa Di Volpe Boutique Hotel

Waterfront hotel with lovely views located in the Punta Carretas section (located between gay-friendly beach Playa Pocitos and Parque Rodo.)

View hotel details/lowest rate

Casa Sarandi Guesthouse

Intimate guesthouse situated in a 1930s Art-deco building offers modern rooms and individual kitchens.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Esplendor Hotel Montevideo

Editor’s Choice 2016
Stylish and spacious, The Esplendor is well designed with luxury amenities.  (The Esplendor’s gorgeous rooftop view is shown at the photo above.)  Using our Google Map of gay Montevideo, you will see the hotel is within walking distance of many nightspots and tourist attractions. Surprisingly, the rates are consistently low.  Click below to view photos and get more info on the Esplendor.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Hotel Urban Express

Great inexpensive option near many of the city’s museums that you could use as your base of operations as you explore Montevideo’s rich history.  Try to snag one of the rooms with a view of Rio de la Plata for an extra-special stay!

View hotel details/lowest rate

La Puerta Negra Gay Guest House

Simple gay owned-and-operated guest house.  Staying at La Puerta is great for those on a budget who would like to stay with friendly helpful guests who are full of insider tips.

View hotel details/lowest rate

MisterB&B

The gay alternative to AirBnB is now available in Latin America!  Click below to browse gay-hosted apartments across Montevideo.

Search for apartments

My Suites Boutique Hotel

Ranked as one of the top five hotels in Montevideo, My Suites is a jewel of a hotel located on gay-friendly Pocitos beach.  The hotel’s bar is a destination for wine aficionados and is one of the main attractions of the hotel.  Click below to view photos and learn more about My Suites.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Radisson Montevideo

Five-star luxury in the heart of Montevideo.  This is the place for wealthy visitors looking for a flawless stay within walking distance of many of Montevideo’s gay and cultural attractions.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Sheraton Montevideo

Over in the Punta Carretas section, the other five-star option is the Sheraton Montevideo.  Some travelers’ have reported that the neighboring Dazzler Montevideo is a close 2nd choice for a luxury stay in Punta Carretas.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Splendido Hotel

Not to be confused with the stylishly modern Esplendor, the Splendido is a low-cost option in the old city center directly across the street.  The Splendido is a cheap hotel, but its reviews are very good.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Una Noche Más

Reviews are excellent for this bed-and-breakfast where guests really would like to spend “one more night.”  They have a fireplace, a terrace, and many other charming amenities.

View hotel details/lowest rate

Restaurants & Cafes of Gay-Friendly Montevideo

Travelers visiting Montevideo as a side trip from Buenos Aires will find Uruguay’s food scene similar to Argentina’s.  There is a huge Italian influence.  Beef is plentiful.  And the dinner hour starts at 8PM and extends well into the night.


This list of gay-friendly food destinations in Montevideo includes some of the city’s best fine dining establishments and simple places to grab a chivito, the big-and-tasty national sandwich of Uruguay.  Check out the VamosGay Google Map of Montevideo to navigate one of the most gay-friendly cities in Latin America!

Cafe Baracay

Bacacay 1306
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Mon – Sat 10AM – 1AM
Views of the majestic Teatro Solis make Cafe Bacacay a popular destination.  They have a full restaurant menu and their steak & fries are as popular as the coffee & pastries.  Simple decor. Friendly service.

Candy Bar Palermo

Durazno 1402
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Sun 12PM – 8PM
Tue – Fri 11AM – 1AM
Sat 12PM – 3AM
Ranked as the #1 destination for desserts in Montevideo, Candy Bar Palermo has much more than sweets.  It is also one of the city’s best restopubs with great food and well-crafted cocktails.  Sunday brunch from 12 to 4 is highly recommended, but beware the space is small and may be crowded.

El Tinkal

Luis de la Torre 502
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Mon – Sat 9AM – 12AM
Not really gay or straight … just a great restaurant at the top of the list of the places to try a chivito, the national sandwich of Uruguay, which consists primarily of a thin slice of filet mignon, with mozzarella, tomatoes, mayonnaise, black or green olives, and may often include bacon, fried or hard-boiled eggs and ham.”  El Tinkal is located near the Rambla (Montevideo’s waterfront) and is a good place to fuel up for a long walk.

Francis

Luis de la Torre 502
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Sun – Sat 8PM – 12AM
Fine dining at one of the best restaurants in Montevideo!  Browse the Francis website and work up an appetite for seafood, salads, and their parrilla menu of grilled steaks, ribs, barbecued chicken and lamb.

La Fonda

Perez Castellano 1442
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Tue – Sun 12PM – 4PM
Thu – Sat 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
One of the top 10 places to eat in Montevideo is also gay-friendly … and an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans in a city full of carnivores. (But, don’t worry, La Fonda’s menu includes a few options of chicken, fish, and red meat to keep everyone happy.)  Make a note of the restaurant’s hours for lunch and dinner above.  La Fonda has a tendency to open a bit later and close a bit earlier than advertised.

La Pasionaria

Reconquista 587
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
With a small menu of salads, sandwiches, and sweet treats similar to what one might find at the cafe of a museum, La Pasionaria is a charming place to have a snack and browse its boutique of items from Uruguayan artists.

La Pasiva

Avenida 18 de Julio 1350
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
This traditional diner with a full menu is famous for its hot dogs.  Gay travelers can’t resist taking selfies in front of the restaurant’s logo La Pasiva  (Spanish slang for “the bottom role in gay sex.”) The restaurant’s logo also includes a cartoonish boy ready to swallow a gigantic sausage! The restaurant chain has several locations.  La Pasiva on Avenida 18 de Julio is the most iconic and sits at the center of gay Montevideo.

La Cocina de Pedro

Av. Gonzalo Ramírez 1483
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Mon – Fri 12PM – 3:30PM  &  8PM – 12AM
Sat 12PM – 4PM & 8PM – 1AM
Sun 12PM – 4PM
One of Montevideo’s best parrilla restaurants with great grilled meats and Italian dishes is also one of the city’s longtime gay-friendly dining destinations.  La Cocina de Pedro stellar menu is matched with exceptional service.

Philomene Cafe

Solano Garcia 2455
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
Mon – Sat 12PM – 4PM
Lunchtime delicacies and pastries. Philomene Cafe is the place to enjoy tea-for-two with your pinky finger extended.

Theo

Canelones 1985
Montevideo, Uruguay      Google Map »
⛔ Update 3/3/2016  Currently closed with no status on when it will re-open.  We will update this listing if more info becomes available.

Theo is a gastropub with solid menu featuring creative daily specials.  Aside from the food, Theo has cultivated a crowd of attractive young gay guys.  (Is the masculine bearded logo of Theo trying to tell us something?)  Check the Theo Facebook page for events like live music on Thursdays.

Montevideo Guide to Gay Saunas, Cinemas, and Sex Shops

As early as 1934, same-sex activity was decriminalized in Uruguay, and the country has maintained its liberal stance towards sexuality ever since. The nation’s largest city, Montevideo, offers many safe venues for sex (although, common sense rules still apply.) Here’s a list of what a gay traveler can find in 2019.

Toronto Sauna

Tacurembo 1531
Montevideo, Uruguay    Google Map »

Spacious, clean, and rarely empty. Toronto Sauna is the biggest and best option in Montevideo. There are group spaces and private rooms. The cover fee is 300 Uruguayan Pesos (roughly 9.25 USD.)
For more, on Facebook Facebook. Nothing new on the Toronto Sauna website or Twitter account.

Sauna Horus

Julio Herrera y Obes 1240
Montevideo, Uruguay    Google Map »

Sun – Thur 3pm – 12am
Fri and Sat 3pm – 1am
Housed in a multi-story building that looks, feels, and smells old. A hot time can be had at Horus depending on who shows up when. A masseur is also available, but be aware, like the customers he may be gone long before the midnight closing time.

Cine Private

Convencion 1290
Montevideo, Uruguay    Google Map »

Mon – Thur 11AM – 3AM
Fri and Sat 11AM – 5AM
Closed Sundays
New, and well located two blocks away from Chains Pub. This cinema has two screening rooms, one gay and one straight (where you may see an actual hetero couple.) In addition, there’s a bar and two dark areas. Downstairs are cabins and gloryholes. But, why explain, when there’s a video tour with the owner of Cine Private on YouTube!