Istanbul gay bars, gay clubs, discos, gay friendly cafe
bars in Istanbul listed with up-to-date addresses,
descriptions, visitor reviews, location maps and more
Most of the
venues listed below are open every day and are expected
to be more busy roughly between 9:00 pm and 2:00 am,
although this may vary for each venue and from day to
day. The prices in these bars are slightly cheaper
compared to the nightclubs listed below, and they do not
usually require entrance or cloakroom fees. They
organize various shows, karaoke nights, and live music
performances on several nights during the week. Please
check their social media pages to find out when and what
kind of shows they are offering, if that matters.
Mor Kedi Cafe & Bar (20:00 - 01:00)
Istiklal Cad.
Ipek Sokak 16, Kat 3, Daire 5 - Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
More Kedi is one of Istanbul's longest-standing gay café
bars. It tends to get busy earlier than other gay bars,
with patrons usually arriving from 6pm and staying until
around midnight. The clientele consists of young queers,
gay men and bear guys, but people of all ages are
welcome.
Ex Bar (17:00 - 02:00)
Istiklal Cad.
Dernek Sk No:11, Kat 1, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
A new pre-club venue, opened in March 2025, is
conveniently located on a side street parallel to
Istiklal Avenue. Situated on the first floor of a
historic Beyoğlu building, the space features a spacious
and beautifully designed apartment.
Anason Bear Bar (21:00-04:00)
Istiklal Cad.
Imam Adnan Sk. No:10, Kat 3 Beyoglu
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Anason Bar, which opened in mid 2024, aims to serve as
a meeting point for both the Turkish and international
gay bear community. Located on the third floor of the
building, access requires taking the elevator after
ascending the stairs to the first floor.
Most of the gay nightclubs listed under this category
are busy after midnight. Although they might open their
doors as early as 10p.m, there won't be many clients
before midnight. Without exception, the music is loud in
all of these after-midnight clubs, playing a mixture of
Turkish and Western pop music in turns. Most gay
nightclubs in Istanbul require an entrance fee on
Saturday nights, and some on Friday nights.
However, you can get one complimentary local drink with
your entrance ticket. Typically, there are several
security personnel waiting at the door of each gay club
to stop unsolicited visitors and take care of the
cloakrooms. During the winter season, clients are
expected to leave their large bags, jackets, and coats
at the cloakrooms and pay for some kind of compulsory
tip when they leave.
Be sure to check the social media pages of these
nightclubs before visiting, as they may be closed on
some midweek nights (Sun to Thrs)
Stay Club (23:00 - 05:00)
Siraselviler
Cad. No 35 / 2, Taksim, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Stay Club, which opened in 2020, relocated in April 2024
to a new address just a 3-4 minute walk from Taksim
Square. Although it was initially intended to attract
the bear community, it has been welcoming all types of
gay men since it moved to this new location
Tekyon Club (23:00 - 05:00)
Siraselviler Caddesi,
No: 63/1, Beyoglu.
Istanbul.
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
The most popular gay club in Istanbul since the early
2000s, even though it has moved to different addresses
several times. The venue is fairly
big for the capacity of gay nightlife in Istanbul, so it
might not be very busy during the weekdays, but it is
almost always very, very busy on Friday and Saturday
nights.
Super Fabric (23:00 - 05:00)
Cumhuriyet Caddesi
No: 42 Elmadag,
Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Opened in late October 2014 SuperFabric club usually charge entrance fee on Friday and Saturday
nights. It is located at some 10 minutes walking distance
to the north of Taksim Square somewhere on Cumhuriyet
Caddesi avenue that goes towards Harbiye / Sisli
districts, roughly across from Konak Hotel.
Love Dance Point (23:00 - 05:00)
Cumhuriyet Caddesi,
No: 349 Harbiye, Sisli, Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Love Club is situated in the vibrant Harbiye district,
right on the main avenue, just a 20-minute walk from
Taksim Square. Saturday nights are the busiest, often
featuring impressive performances. Look carefully if
it's your first visit, as spotting the club's entrance
at first glance might be a bit tricky.
Cheeky Club (23:00 - 05:00)
Tarlabasi Bulvari, No: 32 Taksim, Istanbul.
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
This outstanding after-hours nightclub is lively on
Fridays and Saturdays. It typically doesn’t get crowded
until after 2:00 AM, drawing LGBTQ+ patrons from other
gay bars and clubs. Conveniently located near Taksim
Square, it sits beneath a small building just before
reaching Cartoon Hotel. Although there’s no visible
sign, you’ll easily recognize it by its dark metallic
façade and the security staff stationed at the entrance.
Pinoy Club
(23:00 - 05:00)
Buyuk Parmakkapi Sk, No: 21,
Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Pinoy is located in the heart of Istanbul, just
off Istiklal Avenue. Previously it was in the bar
category but they changed style and now they are busy
after midnight as other night clubs. Before
visiting, we recommend checking out the reviews on the
venue’s page to get a better idea of what to expect.
Bigudi
Club (22:00 - 03:00 / 04:00)
Bekar
Sokak, No:23, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Bigudi is the first ever exclusively lesbian venue
opened in Turkey. In recent years, the venue also
welcomes a select number of gay men, though the majority
of its clientele remains lesbian.
X-Large Club
(23:00 - 05:00)
Ataturk Oto Sanayi Sit.
52.Sok. No:12/1,
Maslak, Istanbul
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
When X Large Club first opened in Beyoğlu in the late
2000s, it was predominantly a gay venue. What set the
club apart and made it highly popular at the time was
the exceptional quality of its stage performances.
Around 2013, it relocated to a larger venue
approximately 15 km outside the city center. While it
remains a gay-friendly space, its new location attracts
many straight patrons.
Despite the numerous venues in Istanbul where LGBT
individuals can feel at ease, the following
establishments are particularly recognized for being
gay-friendly.
Şahika Terrace (S-Gf)
- Nevizade Sk. No:5, Beyoğlu
Street Pub (S-Gf) - Mis Sk. No:19,
Taksim, Beyoğlu.
Demgah
Restaurant (S-Gf) - Poyraz Sk. No:5/A,
Harbiye
Le Cuistot Bistro (S-Gf) - General Yazgan
Sk. No:13, Beyoglu.
Basement Cafe (S-Gf)
- Dalga Sk. No:20, Caferaga, Kadıköy
Salpa Vegan Bar (S-Gf)
- Piri Çavuş Sk. No:3, Kadıköy
Bocek Cafe (S-Gf) - Moda Cad,
Bademaltı Sk. 17/A,Kadıköy
Following venues have been closed-down completely for
various reasons. We are listing them just to let people
know because they might still being listed on other gay
guides and even on Google maps sometimes.
Babil
Hotel's Pub - No more a gay venue since late
2024
Rocinante Bar - Closed in January 2025. It might
re-open elsewhere.
Chianti Bar - Closed in 2024. It might re-open
elsewhere.
Chaplin Cafe - In August 2021 it was bought by
the
rival gay cafe, Mor Kedi
Durak Pub - Closed during Covid 19 period.
Club 17
- Closed during Covid 19 period.
Following bars and clubs have been closed-down many
years ago:
Haspa Taksim, Frappe Cafe, Ekoo Club, Shake-in
Bar,
Queen, Dejavu, Barbahce,
Kutu Bar, Club 14 (Ceylan's), Machine,
Club 12, Degirmen Pub, Ajda Club, Secret
Club, Exit Club, Purple Club, Gabile Club, Hot Point (TT'S)
Cafe, B Club, Bubble, Pincur's Cafe, Tantana Bar,
Altenatif Club, Oz Club, Club 99, Hans Bar, Telve, Rouge Bar, Elysion, Inside Cafe, Prive Club,
OtherSide, Neo Club, Sugar Cafe, Yesil Bizans.
Attention:
Constantly updated by the local Pink Guides representatives
living in the major Turkish cities, Istanbulgay Com, serves as
the most dependable resource you can find providing information on
LGBTQ venues and gay-friendly events in Turkey. However, it’s
important to acknowledge that there might be occasional
discrepancies in the provided information, as we may not have
captured all recent changes. Please use the details provided with
this in mind. Additionally, please be aware that many of the venues
listed on the website lack official owner approval and they all are
not gay or gay-friendly places necessarily.
Click here for up-to-date
Gay Map of Istanbul & Turkey.
Click here for private tours to discover
Istanbul's gay night life.
Click here for detailed information about public
transportation in Istanbul.
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