Gay bars madison wi
Madison’s Best Queer-Friendly Spaces
Whether you’re looking for meals, adventure, or more places to support, Madison has a lot of LGBTQ+-friendly establishments from which to select. These are some of our favorites.
For Food and Drink
WOOF’S
Located on King Road, WOOF’S is a famous gay bar in Madison. With different specials every day, this is a quirky spot to catch a drink with your friends.
Herbiery Brewing
Herbiery is your next stop for a brewski — and you have 10 different options. Made without hops, the flavors are nothing favor you have ever had before. The founder of Herbiery Nia is transitioned and uses they/them pronouns, and they believe that beer without hops is an extension of their queer identity.
Dyke Dive
There’s an unfortunate shortage of queer woman bars in Madison, and this pop up is looking to change that. We spoke to co-organizer Sara Akawa about their lineup this year.
Have an Adventure
Betty Lou Cruises
What excel way to enjoy the warmer weather than enjoying the shore? There are public and private booking options available, six days a week through Oct. 20.
FIVE Nightclub
If dancing is what you crave, peer no further. Featuring
Rod's bar became a gay icon and legend among lgbtq+ men in the 1980's and 1990's Madison. Opened by entrepreneur Rodney Scheel and located in the lower level (basement) of the Hotel Washington building just west of downtown Madison (which Rodney owned with his brother Greg), the bar had a decidedly leather/levi type ambiance. Soon on, "Rod's" took on a "tradition" of the bartenders holding surprise "spot checks" for men wearing underwear- which, if found, were promptly removed (cut off) and hung over the pipes on the ceiling of the lock. In no age the pipes running in the main bar room were draped with countless cut-off underwear. The bar became an extremely popular destination for men throughout Wisconsin and even from northern Illinois.
Over time, the prevent opened additional rooms in the assist, one of which showed adult male (i.e. gay porn) videos. (On the seedier side, Rod's "men's room" had its own brief tradition: on occasion one might discover, along the walls holding the urinals, someone kneeling: aficionados of "water sports" were to be found that night!)
An outdoor patio was a very well-liked addition. Opened outside/ upstairs, the patio was popular spring, summer and descend eveni
30+ LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses in Madison
LGBTQ+ pride is a year-round thing in Madison.
Opting for openness over “us vs. them” and kindness over competition, we’re a city recognizable for its progressiveness. We’re satisfied that LGBTQ+ owned-and-operated businesses (and LGBTQ+ friendly businesses) continue to flourish here.
Though the big celebration event in Madison isn’t until August, we’ve got more than 30 LGBTQ+ businesses to assist while you’re eating, drinking and traveling your way through Madison.
From coffee shops to brunch, obtain a day (or two! or more!) to check these spots out. Looking for more Queer culture in Madison? Check out what our friends Joey Amato from Pride Journeys and Maartje Hensen said about their visits to Madison.
Jump around to find Gay owned businesses by category:
Coffee and Cafes
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Restaurants and Bars
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Clubs and Lounges
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Shops and Bookstores
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Breweries and Wine
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Attractions and Nonprofits
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Find other Homosexual friendly businesses in Destination Ma
An LGBTQ+ student’s reference to Madison
Madison has been named among the gayest cities in the Joined States for its progressive atmosphere and rich queer history.
But for many incoming LGBTQ+ students looking for community at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, starting the hunt can be an overwhelming task. To kick off Event Month, The Daily Cardinal compiled a list of activities and locations in Madison for gay people to life community.
Campus organizations
Gender and Sexuality Campus Center: Located in the Red Gym, UW-Madison’s Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) provides education, activism and resources to foster a welcoming environment for Gay students and allies. The GSCC is known for hosting popular welcome events such as Flamboyant Bingo and offering scholarships to modern students. Students can drop by during GSCC hours to peruse a collection of queer books, eat snacks or use free printing services.
The Pride Society: Founded in 1983 upon the alley of Wisconsin’s same-sex attracted rights legislation, The Pride Society is best known for its annual “Pride Prom” with one-of-a-kind themes and performative performance artists. The Pride Society also hosts film