Visitors to Raleigh might be surprised to find the city has a fairly vibrant LGBT nightlife scene.
LGBT venues in Raleigh tend to concentrate in the Warehouse District, just west of downtown Raleigh. Converted old warehouses make amazing spaces for bars and nightclubs. The Warehouse District is one of Raleigh’s most gay-friendly neighborhoods.
Every LGBT venue in Raleigh is unique with its own vibe and crowd, so the bars and clubs in this list are not in rank order. Pick the bar that fits your vibe, or better yet, sample them all for yourself. Raleigh is a changing city, and new LGBTQ bars and clubs are popping up all the time.
There are also plenty of LGBTQ “friendly” spaces in Raleigh that aren’t specifically for queer people, but remain popular with the LGBT community. There are also queer and queer-friendly venues in the cities surrounding Raleigh, like Durham and Chapel Hill.
Drink and play responsibly!
Legends Nightclub
Raleigh nightlife venues will tell you that Legends is an institution in the Raleigh nightlife scene, for LGBT people and beyond. In fact, Legends is one of the most popular clubs in the city, gay or straight.
Legends became famous in Raleigh for, among other things, its goth and industrial nights. These theme nights were a holdover from a past Raleigh mainstay, the Fallout Shelter.
Legends continues to host EDM and other music genre nights, as well as frequent and regular drag shows featuring well-known local Raleigh queens. Drag shows are hosted every Friday and Saturday night.
Like many LGBT venues in Raleigh, Legends is located in the city’s Warehouse District, at least for now. The club’s home in the Warehouse District at 330 W. Hargett is slated to be the site of a new high-rise building.
Fortunately, the club’s owner has announced that Legends will remain open for the foreseeable future.
Legends is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. The cover charge varies depending on whether there are any ongoing special events. Normally, admission to the club’s drag shows is $8 per ticket.
Flex Nightclub
Flex is also a Warehouse District nightclub that caters to the LGBT crowd. Flex is known for its karaoke nights every Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. The staff and patrons at Flex are typically fun and non-judgmental.
Flex hosts weekly drag shows, go-go dancers, and bear and leather nights. Theme nights at Flex tend to get spicy, with weekend events like underwear parties and leather nights.
The club underwent a move when its old location in the basement of 2 S. West Street was slated to be demolished. Flex moved to a space in the back of Legends Nightclub for a short time, but is now open at its new location at 615 W Hargett Street in Raleigh.
Flex is open six days a week, but is closed on Mondays except for special events. Most nights there is no cover charge.
Ruby Deluxe
Ruby Deluxe is a basement bar in downtown Raleigh with a truly unique vibe. Ruby encourages its patrons to “get weird” and many oblige. It is the perfect venue for creative, artsy queers or anyone looking for a gay dive bar atmosphere.
This bar features a small stage for live performances and a relaxed outdoor patio area. Some guests come to dance, others just to hang out and play pool.
Like most of the bars on this list, Ruby Deluxe hosts regular drag shows. Shows at Ruby Deluxe are more likely to feature unique and unconventional queens. Many guests also love the bar’s burlesque performances, including a monthly amateur burlesque night.
The bar also hosts daytime events like a weekly Drag Brunch with rotating food trucks every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. It also hosts occasional queer community markets featuring local LGBTQ vendors, and a plant swap for the garden gays.
Located in the basement of 415 S. Salisbury Street, Ruby Deluxe is conveniently placed right in the center of downtown.
The Wicked Witch
The Wicked Witch is a “sister” bar to Ruby Deluxe, owned by the same LGBTQ-identifying owners, with a distinct spooky vibe. This spot is a great fit for the goths, witches, and goth-witch adjacent folks in your life.
The Wicked Witch hosts goth and other alternative music events, including live bands and DJs. Another major draw is the venue’s weekly “drink and draw” events that take place every Wednesday, featuring a live model and drink specials.
The Wicked Witch is located at 416 West South Street in Raleigh, just south of the Warehouse District and a few blocks southwest of downtown.
The Night Rider
Another member of the Ruby Deluxe – Wicked Witch family, the Night Rider doesn’t explicitly cater to the LGBTQ community but nonetheless maintains a highly inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.
Like its sister bars, the Night Rider is also solidly in dive bar territory, featuring pinball machines, ping-pong tables, open-mic nights, and karaoke.
Night Rider is perfect for anyone looking for reasonably priced drinks, cheap bar food (popcorn and pizza rolls anyone?), and a no-frills fun night out.
It is located at 416 West South Street in Raleigh, right next door to the Wicked Witch.
The Green Monkey
Less of a bar and club, and more of a gift shop that serves beer and wine, the Greek Monkey is an LGBTQ-owned store located near downtown Raleigh.
While it’s debatable whether the Green Monkey qualifies as a nightlife venue, there is no debating that it is a favorite spot for locals to grab a drink and hang out with cool people. The store has a space with bar and table seating for guests to enjoy their beverages.
Stop by the Green Monkey at 1217 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh for a pint of beer, a quirky souvenir, or just to meet new friends in Raleigh. Watch for their new location downtown at 215 S. Wilmington.
The Pinhook (Durham, NC)
The Pinhook in Durham is a queer-owned bar in Durham that is very popular with the local LGBTQ community. It hosts drag events (both drag queens and kings), house music nights, and other events that draw in the LGBTQ crowd.
The owners of the Pinhook state that they are dedicated to maintaining a safe space for queer and other marginalized communities.
The Pinhook is a great spot to watch live music performances ranging from indie rock to EDM. Punk rock nights and other punk events are a common occurrence at the Pinhook. Other events include trivia, open-mic nights, and karaoke.
Visit at the Pinhook 117 W Main St. in Durham, NC, right in the center of downtown.
Other LGBT-Friendly Bars and Clubs
There are also many other inclusive bars and clubs in the Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill area that are LGBTQ-friendly, regardless of whether they specifically call themselves “gay” bars.
The Beer Tooth Taproom and Arcana Lounge in Durham are both extremely queer-friendly venues.
For queer-friendly venues in Chapel Hill, try local favorites like The Cave bar or the Nightlight nightclub. Explore the Durham and Chapel Hill areas in general – most bars and clubs in these cities are very welcoming of LGBTQ customers.
Does Raleigh have a Lesbian Bar?
There are no specifically lesbian bars in the city, but certain bars are more popular with lesbians than others. Check out our Lesbian-Friendly Venue Guide to Raleigh for more information about popular bars for lesbians.
