Gay Guide to Bars and Clubs in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is the most progressive island in the entire Caribbean, and San Juan, the most gay and LGBTQIA-friendly within Puerto Rico. And Coqui del Mar Guest House is the gayest of them all.
With 3.4 million people in Puerto Rico, it is also one of the most populated Caribbean islands. Same sex marriage has been legal since 2015.
There are two large LGBTQ pride parades in June: one in a beach side western town, Cabo Rojo, and one in the capital, San Juan Pride. A third one was started in 2019 in Ponce, and in December, since 2019 as well, there is Winter Pride Fest, the biggest LGBTQ Winter Pride in the Americas, featuring several days of parties and Puerto Rican culture. A few other cities have also started their own pride events, including Cataño, Guaynabo, and Manati.
Puerto Rico boasts the most gay and LGBTQ+ businesses of any Caribbean island. It boasts a LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (one of only two in the entire Caribbean), and San Juan Puerto Rico has a list of gay bars and clubs.
Some ask us, where is the gayborhood in San Juan? Well….We do not have ONE. We have a scattering of gay bars and gay businesses throughout San Juan. From Old San Juan, to Santurce, to Rio Piedras, Condado, Ocean Park or Miramar and Hato Rey.
Coqui del Mar is gay owned and gay managed. We sponsor special events for Gay, Lesbian and or LGBTQ+ and we welcome ALL guests. We offer smaller poolside events for our guests and their friends on certain occasions. All try to make everyone feel like family. See below for further info on Puerto Rico pride events, gay bars in San Juan, LGBTQ support groups and LGBTQ beaches in Puerto Rico.
Discover Puerto Rico is a great source of information for everything Puerto Rico. And they go out of their way to help make the queer community feel welcome in Puerto Rico. Use their website to find museums, hiking trails, events and more.
LIST OF GAY BARS IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
We have the bars and clubs broken down by neighborhood areas, as there is not anyone “gayborhood” in San Juan. We highly recommend getting around to see the variety of bars and clubs.
CLOSEST TO COQUI DEL MAR gay hotel in San Juan Puerto Rico:
HATO REY: This area has more local bars and tends to be a younger crowd. Thursdays, aka, college night, is especially popular. Amigos del Jangeo, El Cojo and Pal Frente are all next door to eachother.
Amigos del Jangueo: Local gay bar on the strip of gay bars with dance area and pool table
Atrévete bar and cafe is more women/ lesbian focused, but welcomes all. The owners frequently host local queer artists and musicians.
El Cojo: Local gay bar and small gay dance club on the strip of local bars.
Pal Frente: Local gay bar on the strip of local bars.
La Cantina: Local gay Karaoke bar and restaurant. Reasonable prices. Laid back.
LA PLACITA DEL MERCADO (really part of Santurce, but its own thing)
Chueca: Open street side drinks and tapas with a small and fabulous bar inside. Mix of tourists and locals.
El Techo: Chic and stylish rooftop bar. Not GAY per say, but pretty gay.
OLD SAN JUAN
La Sombrilla Rosa is the queer bar to visit in Old San Juan. Rosa, the owner, is a big supporter of the LGBTQ community.
El Cafetin: This queer friendly Old San Juan bar is not quite gay, but definitely curious. The bartenders may be straight, or maybe not…Either way, they are sexy and fun.
Maralyn’s (like Maralyn Monroe) this is a small cocktail bar, very gay popular.
Ostra Cosa: Beautiful, Gay owned restaurant with bar in Old San Juan. Owner is a great supporter of LGBTQ community.
LA PERLA
This is a neighborhood previously known to be dangerous and best to avoid. Now, it is a hotspot both for gays and partiers in general. Many cool small bars and street parties with a very mixed crowd and a lively street crowd. *This still can be a dangerous area (ie a tourist was killed and set on fire in 2021) but as long as you are respectful and use common sense, you should not have any problem.
MIRAMAR
Watusi: a fun local dive bar with live local music on Thursday. Theres some great restaurants and cocktail bars close by, such as our favorite, Antillano.
SANTURCE: (near Walmart)
Kweens: This is the biggest gay nightclub. Our guests at Coqui del Mar get discounted or free entry (make sure to ask for a wristband). Gay LGBTQ dance club in Puerto Rico. It is very near where SX so you can visit both. Also near La Placita.
El PURGATORIO: Gay club, bar and restaurant. Fun and mostly locals. Reasonable drinks. Brush up on your Spanish!
SX, the club: Gay bar with gogo boys, gay strippers and a dark room. Watch your wallet and cell phone in the dark room!
TOXIC, a fun gay nightclub and drag show spot in San Juan. Very walkable from the other clubs.
XSteamWorks: the only gay bathhouse in Puerto Rico
SANTURCE: (Further on Ponce de Leon)
Tia Marias: One of the oldest continuous gay bars. Come for Karaoke or the chill local atmosphere.
Zal Si Puedes: This is a smaller drag bar and drag show spot with an older crowd.
Tourist areas: Condado:
Oasis: Close to the gay beach. Can get busy on Sundays after gay beach day or random nights in the week. Monday black out night is especially popular about 930pm onward, where they host “black out night” and everyone can happily say “se fue la luz” Mostly tourist gay bar with a few locals.
Wicked Lily is a beachfront bar and restaurant On Sundays they host a fun drag brunch. The food is delic and recommended. And this is the exact spot of the Sunday gay beach (its not gay the rest of the week, but on Sunday, from noon to about 6pm, the gays plant their flags and take over!)
PERMANENTLY CLOSED BARS/CLUBS: (Mostly due to COVID)
BEAR TAVERN:
CIRCO
The Bitch Bar
EL POLO NORTE
We Walk the Talk
At Coqui del Mar, we do more than SAY we support gay, lesbian and transgender rights…We actively support via annual donations to both GLAAD, Pines Party auction, and Winter Pride Fest, the biggest gay winter pride in the Americas, along with participating in San Juan’s Pride parade when possible, such as sponsoring the largest float in 2019 and sponsoring the same float in Cabo Rojo and the official after party. We want everyone to feel among family during their stay here.
Gay LGBTQ Organizations and Support:
ASPIRA (breath) conducts HIV preventive care and testing for those less than 50 years of age.
Centro Ararat in Santurce provides PREP, testing and other care.
TRANSGENDER CARE AND SUPPORT
Translucent: a center for primary care and preventive care for the transgender community.
WAVES AHEAD: Support center for transgender community.
