Taksim square is the starting point
of Istanbul's night life.
Although they would be open for service at around 22:00 or 23:00
o'clock, almost all gay bars&clubs are busy after midnight and almost
all perform loud
music; usually Turkish pop; or western pop, techno or underground
music in turns. There are no dark rooms in any of them for
action, but usually kissing, hugging etc is well tolerated.
Saturday nights are busiest nights everywhere. Friday nights are also
busy if not as much. Tuesday or Wednesday would be the busier for
mid-week nights usually. Monday would be the least busy day and
mostly upper scale gay-clubs would be closed.
The gay bars and clubs would be more busy in winter season. Because
local people also go on holidays to resorts in Southern Turkey, it gets
more quiet in July and August and some of them close for a few weeks
for renovating their decorations.
Most gay bars/clubs in Istanbul would ask for entrance fee on Saturday
nights and sometimes on Friday nights, but you can get one "local
drink" with your ticket. Gay bars are in fact not very cheap in
Istanbul, so do not think that they are overcharging you for being a
tourist. The price of one drink ranges approximately
between 5-8 Euros for local drinks, 10-15 Euros for
"imported drinks" such as Whiskey, Malibu, Safari, some
cocktails etc.
The bars would accept Euros or Dollars but would apply lower currency
rates than the regular market. Do not take this personal, again, they
would do the same to Turkish clients as well, if they try. Few venues
would also accept payments with credit cards, but not all. So, have
some Turkish lira with you when you go out, to make it easier.
Typically, there would be a several security guys waiting at the entrance door of
each gay bar/club. They look like mafia types, but do not be scared. They
are there to stop some unsolicited visitors, definitely not gay
tourists. You will be well respected in any gay venue, not only
because you have money but because -if not all- majority of Turkish
people have a kind of appreciation for western culture, which is something
they have been trying to be a part of it for over 200 years.
Security guys
(often called body-guards) also take care of the cloakrooms and would
insist you to leave your bags, jackets and coats in winter season, for
which you will have to pay
usually when you leave. Of course, they will give you a number for the
cloakroom.
Useful tips for finding the addresses:
Cad. = Caddesi (read: Jad-de-see) = Main street/avenue
Sok. = Sokak= Side street or smaller street.
Ilkyaz Apt. = Ilkyaz Apartment, name of the building, if there is one.
Kat: 3 = On the 3rd Floor
No:23/4 = Here 23 Refers
to the number of the building on that street. It follows as 2,4,6... ,
on one side, 1,3,5... on the other side of the street. 4 refers to the
number of the flat/apartment/floor
Do not get confused with
Taksim and Beyoglu districts, when you examine the venue addresses.
The official town/county is called Beyoglu (historcal name Pera) Taksim is just the central
neighborhood of Beyoglu, at the northern end of the town and Istiklal
Caddesi (famous pedestrian avenue). The area starting from Taksim Square all the way down
to the Golden Horn (narrow bay locally called Halic "read=Hullich") on the southern-end is all
part of Beyoglu
town. That is, if the address contains Taksim, the place should be
closer to the north of Beyoglu.
The bars and clubs can be classified in three groups
unofficially:
1-MODERN GAY BARS
& CLUBS:
These are like any gay bar club that you can see anywhere in Europe, usually patronized by more modern, educated
or wealthier people. They are a little more expensive, but they
provide better air-condition and have better music system. There can
always be a few lesbians in these bars, because there is not any
exclusively lesbian bar or club in Turkey yet.
OPEN: 16:00
- 02:00
ADDRESS: Istiklal
Caddesi, Balo Sokak No: 31. (2nd floor) Beyoglu, Istanbul.
A homely cafe-pub open from 4 pm till 2 am, but expected to be busier
in the early evenings and around midnight. Highly recommended
especially for those who
avoid to wait for after midnight bars and clubs that plays loud
techno/underground music , and do not want to stay up until late morning. The prices are much
cheaper in Chiante than most
after midnight clubs. Live Turkish music performance starting around
10 pm on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays are very
entertaining. Visit their website for more information, location map
and contact information:
See Official Website
Join
Chianti's Facebook
Group
CLUB PRIVE 23:00-04:00
Address: Tarlabasi Caddesi No: 28 Taksim, Istanbul.
Web.
http://www.priveclubistanbul.com/
It is very centrally located somewhere across the flower shops at
Taksim square. Prive is the oldest of the present gay bars and clubs
in Istanbul. It is a small venue usually busy after midnight by
01:00 am, though the music starts at around 11:00 pm. It normally
attracts a mixture of young and middle aged men, as well as
gay-friendly/curious straight couples. The major
music is Turkish pop in the club.
X-LARGE 23:00-05:00
Address: Mesrutiyet Caddesi (street) Kallavi Sokak (lane) No: 12
Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Web:
http://www.xlargeclub.com/
Although the official address indicates Mesrutiyet Caddesi, for
tourists it is easier to go to the club from Istiklal Caddesi which is
parallel to that street. Kallavi Sokak (lane) is after Galatasaray
neigbourhood, somewhere opposing St. Antoine Church along the
Istiklal. Opened in May 2009, X LARGE has become very popular
weekend club where you can find the atmosphere of the big
European gay clubs, even better then some. The venue itself is like a
small ball room; very spacious and authentic for a gay club, where
once there used to be a movie theater (Elhamra) one of the oldest of
cinemas in Istanbul. Admission fee is required and higher than most
other gay clubs in Istanbul but it is worth well for most people who
want to be in a place offering very professional shows &
great music
in an upper scale environment. Open on Fridays and Saturdays,
Visitor comment about X-Large in Istanbul-Turkey: 'I paid a visit
to this place on Aug.15 and it was nice. The mix of people there are
very nice and real gay. They mostly go there to enjoy dancing and the
shows the dancers put on. On the other hand, a very important point
was the level of noise of the music, it was very ok and unlike other
clubs where they are ear deafening, though it was exhilirating. The
only thing i had against the place was the quality of drinks. It was
not up to the western standard, drinks were of cheap quality. But the
overall impression was fine and i recommend this place.' (Posted by
Azzouz from USA on 20/08/2009
Saturday night at Barbahce
Saturday nights are the busiest night in bars
The bars are
jam-packed
BARBAHCE23:00 - 06:00.
Open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Siraselviler Caddesi, Soganci Sokak, No:7/1, Cihangir - Beyoglu.
Web:
http://www.barbahce.com/
Closer to German (Alman) hospital, across from "Taksim Ilk Yardim"
public hospital.
Very busy on Saturday nights as all other gay bars and clubs.
Recommended for those who would prefer to meet real gay people
instead of rent boys. This is very much like a western gay club,
almost with same attitudes, music, decoration etc and provides
activities such as shows, dancing as well as concept nights at
weekends. You may also see few lesbians. Please note that
anything you drink here whether a bottle of water or beer is priced
the same. Export drinks are more expensive as in all other clubs.
TEK YON
(22:30-05:00)
Address: Siraselviler Caddesi (street) No 63/1 Taksim/Beyoglu.
Istanbul.
Web:
http://www.tekyonclub.com/
Already very popular gay club of Istanbul has moved to a new and much
bigger place on Siraselviler on May 26th 2009 and has become the talk
of the town where everybody is rushing to see. Unfortunately
they raised the prices only on the second week. (beer is 12 Lira,
other local drinks are 14 Lira as of 2009). Consequently it is getting less
crowded especially during the week. It was once popular venue for local bears, it attracts a completely mixed
crowd now. The waiters are very
feminine and friendly
in this bar, probably to entertain their loyal clients. Male belly
dancer and simple drag
shows performed by the bar staff can be fun to see, usually on Tuesday
nights after 01:00 am.
OTHERSIDE 22:00
- 04:00
Address: Istiklal Cad. Zambak Sk. No:2 Kat:5 Taksim, Istanbul.
Web:
http://www.othersideistanbul.com/
Otherside has moved to a new address in September 2009. In the
first few years it was opened Otherside had a more relaxed, cafe & bar atmosphere
busy in the evenings. It has now become a typical loud, after-midnight club especially
busy on Friday and Saturday nights. It is located on 5th floor and has
a terrace, which is an advantage for the club because smoking is
forbidden in bars and clubs in Turkey since mid 2009. On
certain nights, you can see Go Go boy, Drag Queen, Rakkas (male belly
dancer) shows. The shows are good and very professional but the prices are also over
average (local drinks are around 17 Lira). Entrance fee is required on Friday and Saturday nights.
New venue of Otherside has also hosted live music performances of
several nation-wide famous pop singers of Turkey.
Comments about this venue:
"I was at Otherside on New Year Eve -
great club - great show with dancers and go-go boys and hot men - it
has moved to new bigger location and is even more like the best clubs
in New York or London (posted on Jan 4, 2010)
LOVE CLUB 23:30 - 05:00 (Friday-Saturday) ADDRESS: Cumhuriyet Caddesi no: 349
Harbiye Istanbul.
Web:
http://www.lovedancepoint.com/
This night club is located in Harbiye district, about half an hour
walking distance to Taksim Square. It is highly recommended to take a
taxi, because the street to the venue is full of transsexual and
female prostitutes and not very safe at night. It is a weekend club
which lost its popularity after Tekyon moved to a better place and
Club X Large opened in 2009, and now there are more straight people
than gays.
2-BOY CLUBS.
The bars and clubs listed below are
comparatively cheaper places,
and they are mainly rent boy hang-outs, although they are literally
defined as gay bar/club by their administrations. They are attended by
many bisexual/straight boys or some younger queens 'trying' to make prostitution, so they can
be recommended for those who are interested with Istanbul's gay
escorts or rent boys.
CLUB
MAGMA 23:00-05:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Sadri Alisik Sokak No:15
Web:
http://www.club-magma.com
Opened in October 2008, a completely renovated venue located in a
basement floor near Istiklal Caddesi on a side-street (Sadri Alisik).
It is spacious with respect to average gay clubs in Istanbul.
Decoration and music system is good. The major concept of the club is
DJ nights and dance shows. It is welcoming a mixture of gay and
straight clients.
Open from 23:00-05:00
(This venue is CLOSED
since June 2009)
Address: Istiklal Caddesi Zambak Sok. NO:15 Taksim.
Queen is a small bar &
dancing club with very friendly staff and manager, located very
centrally minutes walk from Taksim square. The music is very
good and entertaining. There may be amateur rent-boys in this club
also, but are usually selected ones. For
for info visit their website
DEJA VU 2:00-04:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Sadri Alisik Sokak,
No:26, Beyoglu. Mainly amateur rent boys and hustlers and those who are
interested in them. Very loud techno/underground music.
The most senior of this kind of clubs.
Visitor Feedbacks:
"No other one buy a drink there but I did. Pay 10 Lira for entrance,
10 Lira for the drink. After 10 minutes - I finished with the first
drink the owner came directly and said to me "What do you want?" I
said "pardon" Next from the owner "What you want to drink next - first
drink is empty" He came very near to me and cried this. So I had to
buy a new drink for another 10 Lira - I decided to go quickly after
this "conversation"." (Posted on 21/12/2008)
"30 ml. vodka is 25-30 lira. The service is very bad".
(Posted by Kiki from Russia on 27/07/2009)
Webmaster's note:
When you order Vodka and Gin in gay or straight bars make sure to ask
for local Vodka or Gin, otherwise all "imported" drinks are twice the
price of local drinks, including Vodka, Gin, Malibu Whiskey etc.
"I have been going there for many years and found it a good gay bar
very friendly met some nice guys there, but you have to be careful..
but last year there seems to be more very young boys there bit
overpriced lately."
(Posted by Ivor from UK on 10/12/2009)
CLUB 17 : 23:00-05:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Zambak Sokak No:17 (Closer to French
Consulate)
Meeting point of mainly cheap young hustlers and escort boys and some gay men who would be
interested in them. There are also sevral drag queens and
transvestites in the place most of the time. They play loud techno music
from their bad music systembut it is a busy place usually full of these hustlers.
Beware of the boys you pick up from here.
Visitor Feedbacks:
It was a mid week day and they asked me to pay twice the bar price on
entrance, which I found out they do this to the tourists only. I was
also told that it was not the fault of the managers but the door-men
did it secretly, but I am still not sure. Inside, there were a
number of trannies and many hustlers which did not look very honest to
me". Date: 21/12/2008
3-MORE LOCAL OR PECULIAR BARS
AND CLUBS
EKOO CLUB
( 22:00-04:00) (Ex Hans Bar, more busy
between 23:30-04:00)
Address: Tarlabasi Bulvari No: 248 Beyoglu. It is on the other side of
the Tarlabasi Bulvari (Tarlabasi Avenue) with respect to the nightlife
part of the town, across from British Consulate more or less, closer
to Euro Plaza Hotel on the same side of the street. The entrance is
behind the public bus station at the pavement below the street
level, but its sign-board is visible from the street.
Do not miss this place if you want to see something more local, a
relaxed atmosphere with less attitudes. Mix
ages and various types of gay men, bears, bear lovers and few queens as well as gay
tourists are regular
attendants. Mainly Western dance and
house music as well as some Turkish dance and pop selections.
DURAK BAR 18:00 - 02:00 (Former Pasam Bar)
Address: Muratpasa Sokak No 9 AKSARAY. (Near Yusufpasa
tram station, after Aksaray with respect to Sultanahmet)
Durak (former Pasam bar) is the meeting place of middle class bear and
older men. It took the place of of senior Degirmen pub which was
closed in early 2008, more deliberately
targeting to bear and bear lovers with almost same exotic atmosphere
of Degirmen Pub. More usy in late evenings.
Feedbacks:
"December
2009: we went to Istanbul for Christmas this year as we enjoyed the
city so much earlier this year. A friend had recommended Paşam and we
saw from this site it had closed. Nevertheless as Durak it is a
wonderful evening out: we went three nights out of five! Quiet on
Thursday, packed on Saturday and comfortably busy on Sunday. Great
staff, good value beer and excellent music and singers. And hot men!
If you're staying in Beyoglu, it's really easy to get to on the tram
from Karaköy to Yusufpaşa station: it's a one minute walk to the bar.
And a taxi back to Tünel/Asmalimescit costs about 7TL; bit more to
Taksim. Highly recommended if you don't want another techno dance club
experience - and you want to meet interesting Turkish men (not boys).
" (Posted by Nemo from UK on December 29 2009)
DEGIRMEN BIRAHANESI
CLOSED DOWN
Ths venue
was closed recently but
we are listing it here because it is still being listed in most gauide
books and internet websites (mostly copied from istanbulgay.com)
SAHRA
CLUB 23:00 -
04:00
ADDRESS: Istiklal Cad. Sadri Alisik Sokak.
NO:40 Beyoglu. (Closer to Aga Camii on Istiklal)
Originally a she-male club, but definitely not a typical one in
comparison to other ones in Istanbul.
Words are not enough to describe this 5 storey bar/club. Packed with a compilation
of transvestites, semi-transvestites, male prostitutes, queens but
overwhelmingly with hundreds of horny young boys ready to screw
anything (call them bi or straight) coming from ghettoes of Istanbul
especially on Saturday nights. Some
gay men who like such rough boys would also go here comfortably. Watch
your wallet and do not expect to be highly esteemed. It can be really
fun to see the place once, because it must be one of its kind in the world
most probably.