Gay bars in san juan pr

Back at my gay-owned guesthouse, I got some recommendations for a night out. Along Calle LoizaI found the typical trappings of any American travel destination. But, this is Puerto Ricoso things were also a bit… different. In a good way! Fast-food restaurants, a bar with salsa dancing, a street food market. Plenty of Puerto Rican restaurants with all of the local specialties.

There were several international cuisines on offer, too. Even a gay bar one for bears. I had dinner at an Italian restaurant. The owner, from Italyhad been living in Puerto Rico for a while, but there was no denying the traditional Italian flavors in the homemade lasagna and classic margherita pizza.

Carbo-loading for a night out in San Juan. Calle Condado is where most of the gay bars and clubs are located. Bartenders served us drinks while in jockstraps and sexy underwear. Multiple TV screens played the show, and when it was over, a local queen presented Drag Bingo. After more than a few drinks at Circo, we were on our way to the next club.

We hitched a short five-minute ride with a friend of a friend from the bar and arrived at El Local en Santurce. From the outside, it just looked like a house along a busy road.

The 33 best gay bars in San Juan

There was a crowd of people in the street outside, standing around under the streetlights. Walking up to the gay club, it was obvious this was going to be a different kind of party. Much more inclusive of the full LGBTQ spectrum, all genders and gender-non-conforming were a part of the crowd.

It was refreshing and exciting to see, and even before I stepped inside the queer club, I knew I was going to like it. But, before I could even get inside, the empty lot just outside the entrance turned into a performance space. Music came on, and a performer set up in the background.

An oddly mesmerizing performance followed. Once inside, with a cheap beer from the bar in my hand, I caught a second act from a handful of other drag queens and drag kings. Then, I started to take in the rest of the space. A steamy dance floor with a DJ booth in the far back was the entertainment space.

A glass bookshelf in a corner with a weird assortment of things: a calculator from the 90s, a toy dinosaur skeleton, a comic book.