Like the Saint, Heat is 18 and up, hosts regular drag shows and the DJ plays until 3 a.m.Īnd if you're hungry, Luther's (1422 N. The nightclub offers a dance floor-adjacent VIP area and bottle service for about $150. Main Ave.) is probably the most posh of the bunch. Enjoy a glass of red, white or the bubbly, grab some tapas and relax inside (separated from the main bar) or outside on the patio. If you're not in the mood for neon lights and loud music, Sparky's also has a low-key wine bar and cafe. You can sit at the bar top, chill on the patio, or duck into one of several booths and order a pint-sized well drink or draft beer and listen to the DJ. Main Ave.), "an old English style pub," according to its website. The newest of the gay bars is Sparky's (1416 N. Inside, there's a dedicated country bar and a leather bar - and we're not talking about the upholstery.
The new courtyard bar hosts regular drag shows, and there's karaoke on the patio. Main Ave.) has evolved into a hip multiroom nightclub. Once a neighborhood dive, Pegasus (1402 N. It and the Heat are the only two bars that allow minors. The Saint (800 Lexington Ave.) caters to the younger crowd with its amateur drag night and DJs who play a combination of EDM and dance remixes till 3 a.m. Think you've got what it takes? Win some extra money and enter the weekly amateur strip contest. Next to the dancing platform, there's even a shower they perform in. It's not uncommon to walk in and see strippers hanging from the ceiling or spinning around the pole at Essence (1010 N. The area used to be cluttered with older model homes and medical office buildings, but has recently been rededicated as Tobin Hill and with the erection of the Tobin Lofts and expansion of SAC, North Main has become quite the contemporary urban hot spot.
In a mile-long span of North Main Avenue called "the Strip," tucked behind San Antonio College, sits a string of gay bars and nightclubs: Essence, the Saint, Pegasus, Sparky's and Heat. You can actually find some pretty sweet drink specials most nights of the week, and the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed than you might expect. It's not all glow sticks, house music and Molly. If you're headed for a night out and not sure where to go, why not check out San Antonio's gay bar scene? Calm down. Sparky’s Pub is on “The Strip,” on Main Avenue, San Antonio’s original gay bar hub.