The Dragon, huge bar on 2 floors with a dance floor and a smoking area. Really quiet during the week but gets packed on Friday and Saturday nights, be sure to get there before 12 midnight, no cover charge and stays open until 3am Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Younger crowd, this is the main gay bar for the young and the beautiful in Dublin. Nice and cruisy and musical style is dance, modern and current. 

The Front Lounge, a large and stylish bar on Parliament Street, this used to be Dublin’s foremost elegant gay bar but has recently changed ownership and the crowd is now more mixed. Serves nice cocktails and food, but can be pricey. This is more of a venue to meet your friends for a drink and a chat rather than cruising, opens late Thursday through to Saturday, modern music. As its name suggests, the seating is loungey and cosy which makes for a comfortable night. One of the mainstays on Dublin’s gay scene is ‘The Casting Couch’ on Tuesday nights where a karaoke night is held, this has been going for years and is great fun, but get there early as it gets packed. 

The George, this has been Dublin’s main gay venue since time began! It is a huge bar and club on South Great George’s Street and is known throughout the city. The venue runs on two levels… the original Old Bar opens early each day and is a traditional pub generally attracting a more mature crowd (hence why it’s affectionately known as “Jurassic Park”)… the larger Bar next door opens in the evenings offering a funky gay bar on two levels with a spacious mezzanine overlooking its dance floor and stage. From 10pm on Wednesdays to Saturdays The George kicks into late club mode (access after that time is gained through the building's side entrance on Dame Lane, cover charge is about 10 euro but free before 10pm and free for the older bar) when it becomes a mecca for the young and trendy gay crowd and revelers of all ages and persuasions in fact. Opening hours: 12.30 (Old Bar), 5pm (Club Bar) daily until 11.30pm (Mon-Tue), 2.30am (Wed-Sat), 1am (Sun).

PantiBar is owned and run by one of Ireland’s formidable drag queens, Panti, who regularly performs her acts on Thursday through to Sunday. Musical style is mixed and modern and many of Dublin’s scene DJ’s regularly perform on weekend nights. There are pool tables downstairs, funky décor and a cross community crowd. Often you can find yourself in PantiBar in the midst of Dublin’s bears!! Open late (2am) Thursday through to Saturday.