Acceptance is sadly still not seen across-the-board in Georgia, but as the positive announcement of Tbilisi’s next gay pride was made a few days ago, we thought we’d grab the moment to list all the places where young queers know can hang out in comfort.
BALLROOM BAR
It is a small revolution for Tbilisi’s LGBTQ community, as Ballroom Bar is the second official gay bar to open in the capital. As the bar’s official Facebook page states, the aim of the place is to “further develop the historical inheritance of queer culture in Georgia”. Even though it opened recently, Ballroom is already organizing events, including open lectures, movie showings, and more.
Also defining itself as a feminist and vegetarian bar, Ballroom aims to become a socially beneficial institution, and to use all its incoming funds to create a shelter for LGBT people in Tbilisi.
SUCCESS
Before Ballroom’s opening, Success was the capital city's only official gay bar. It lauds itself as a space free of homo/bi/trans-phobia. DJs bring the bar to life almost every night of the week, except for Sunday, pumping out hot electronic jams. The bar is larger than it looks from the outside, tucked into a side street near Rustaveli metro, hiding two levels inside with a bar downstairs and a lounge upstairs.
DRAMA
Located on Shota Rustaveli Avenue, Drama Bar stands as the place to go before going clubbing. Open until 3 am, the place is dolled up in vintage, as it used to be an apartment. Its location, on the second floor of an old building, makes the preclub hard to find without the help of a local. But the quality of the music and the laser show on stage makes it worth giving Drama Bar a shot!
CAFÉ GALLERY
A regular café during the day, Café Gallery turns into a vibrant techno club on Saturday and Sunday nights. Located in the city center, this place has been welcoming Tbilisi’s queer community since 2008. Its name says it all, and Café Gallery is also a multi-functional space that hosts artistic exhibitions that you can visit while enjoying a drink.
BAUHAUS
Tucked in a corner of Deda Ena Park, you'll easily spot the red neon lights of Bauhaus Bar by night. Overcrowded during summer evenings, this bar is a place were people can feel comfortable regardless of their sexuality and gender identity. It is very nice to be able to enjoy a drink outside, while feeling the soft summer breeze winding through the trees of the park. Let’s add to this that Bauhaus offers a wide range of affordable drinks.
FABRIKA
As its name tells us, Fabrika once was a soviet sewing factory, now turned into a multi-functional urban space located near Marjanishvili metro station. You can find everything there: café, hostel, bar, food court, shops and more. The place is one of Tbilisi’s alternative community’s strongholds, with its huge graffiti art on the exterior facade of the building making it hard to miss.
Frequented by both locals and foreign travelers, Fabrika benefits from this multicultural atmosphere, and from the open-mindedness of its regular visitors.