Baltimore is home to the Orioles baseball team, countless John Waters movies and several prominent universities, among them Johns Hopkins. Gay men and lesbians who find themselves in Maryland's largest city are welcome by a host of GLBT-friendly bars and clubs. Whether you are in search of a quiet place to enjoy a beer, or a rocking club for dancing until the sun comes up, Baltimore has something to offer everyone.
Gay men in Baltimore don't suffer from a lack of places to talk, dance, drink and have a good time. Leon's is Baltimore's oldest gay bar, having served the community for more than 50 years, and offers daily happy hours as well as Sunday brunch. For music fans, Jay's on Read is a piano bar that's high on class and features live music Wednesday through Saturday. The bar serves martinis with exotic olives selected from a special menu, in addition to beers and wines.
Women who dig women in Baltimore have a host of socializing options at their fingertips. Port in the Storm is one of the city's oldest lesbian-centric establishments, and serves food, drinks and weekly specials on beer and liquor, with $1 drafts and shots served on weekends. Girls looking to dance can head to the 5 Seasons Club on Friday nights for the "Fabulousity Alternative Ladies Night," where the drinks flow until the wee hours.
Plenty of gay-friendly bars in Baltimore welcome both men and women to enjoy themselves with a drink and some even welcome their straight pals. Walt's Inn, a karaoke bar, invites their gay patrons to bring their straight friends for karaoke and daily happy hour specials. The Rowan Tree caters to a mixed crowd and specializes in well-crafted cocktails made by experienced bartenders. Club Hippo, open since 1972, also offers nights for both gay men and lesbians, with dancing, pool, karaoke, cocktails, video nights and even games of gay bingo for charity. Grand Central offers a chic pub atmosphere downstairs and Sappho's on the second floor, a dance club for ladies with a deck offering views of the historic Mount Vernon neighborhood.
For patrons with special passions, Baltimore has several gay and lesbian bars with distinct, edgy themes. Those into leather wear and tough-looking dudes can frolic at the Baltimore Eagle, a raucous bar with a variety of theme nights and specials, like dollar draft beers and jock clothing. For a macabre evening on the town, Club Orpheus is a goth-oriented venue that welcomes dancers of all persuasions to don their darkest garb and get down to industrial beats. Those wanting a good drag show can drop by Club Phoenix, a story venue which features drag performances in addition to leather and denim nights as well as movie screenings.
