A Guide to Gay Taipei

By some measures, Taipei is the gay capital of Asia. It hosts the continent’s largest gay pride celebration in the only Asian country with marriage equality. Due to its remarkably high LGBTQ population (open up a dating app like Grindr in Taipei and you’ll see what we mean), there’s no shortage of gay establishments that cater to all forms of enjoyment.

Check out our list of some of the most popular gay bars, dance clubs, saunas, and massage spas in the city — and scroll to the bottom to find a map with locations.

Bars

There are a countless number of gay bars in Taipei, distributed in pockets across the city. The main “gay village” is in Ximen, but you’ll also find clusters of gay bars in Da’an and Zhongshan.

In Ximen, dozens of small gay bars line a strip behind the Red House. They have large outdoor seating areas that blend into each other and stretch across the plaza. This is the most popular gay area in Taipei, attracting big crowds on weekend (and even weekday) evenings. It’s the best spot to grab drinks with friends in an open, social environment before heading to other parties. In addition to the bars, there are also gay stores selling rainbow apparel and sex toys, gay restaurants, and even a gay barber shop!

Da’an is home to some of Taipei’s most famous and fabulous gay bars. They’re usually crowded on Friday and Saturday nights — especially if they’re hosting some sort of themed event.

In Zhongshan, there are a number of smaller gay bars dotting the alleys of Linsen North Road, a notorious Japanese red light district. These bars tend to be a bit quieter (unless it’s karaoke night!) and cater more towards bears and locals, though foreigners are always welcome.

Here are some of the best and most popular gay bars in the city:

Cafe Dalida

Cafe Dalida is the queen of the Ximen Red House area and our favourite bar in Taipei. You can’t miss its beautiful outdoor terrace full of hanging plants and lanterns, and that glowing pink neon sign that reads “Bad Bitch.” The friendly and flirty bartenders pour strong drinks, creating a lively atmosphere that welcomes everyone regardless of age, gender, orientation, or nationality. Dalida also hosts drag performances and Ru Paul screenings on weekends.

Read our full review here and check their Facebook page for information about upcoming events.

Ganymede

Ganymede is a basement gay bar that hosts frequent drag shows and themed performances. It’s a fun place to interact with drag queens (international nights are hosted by foreign queens in English), watch exciting performances that have a wide range of styles, and dance the night away with DJs mixing pop hits.

Ganymede has one of our favourite vibes in the city because it manages to strike a great balance between performance venue and social dance party. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events!

Commander D

Though it’s in Ximen, Commander D is located about a 10 minute walk from the Red House area. It’s a popular basement fetish bar with a dark room and dungeon that caters toward BDSM fans. It also hosts themed kink nights; check the Facebook page for more info.

Abrazo

Located in the geographic centre of Taipei, Abrazo is perhaps the most popular gay bar in the city. It certainly feels that way based on the crowds; the basement bar gets so packed on weekend evenings, it’s hard to move. You might have to wait to get in — especially during pride, when the line can stretch around the block.

Abrazo caters toward gay “scene” men, and it can feel slightly intense (like a hunting ground) for that reason. This is the place to see and be seen. If you’re up for it, you’re guaranteed to encounter plenty of attractive gay men. But if you’re just looking for a fun time with friends, you might want to avoid this one.

Check them out on Facebook.

Bacio

Bacio is a much more relaxed and less crowded bar located just around the corner from Abrazo. It presents as a classy cocktail lounge but can turn into an impromptu dance floor when the right gay anthem drops. The crowd is mostly local gay men, but the friendly atmosphere welcomes women and foreigners as well. It’s one of our favourite spots to get buzzed with friends!

Read our full review here and find them on Facebook.

Fairy

Fairy is also located in Da’an, about a 15 minute walk from Abrazo and Bacio. It’s got a stylish interior that can get quite packed on weekend nights, but it’s a great place to order strong cocktails and meet people representing all stripes of the rainbow. Fairy also hosts special events in an underground space.

Find more information on their Facebook page.

Dance Clubs and Monthly Parties

Of all the gay establishments in the city, it’s the night clubs that are most lacking. We can’t imagine why this is, considering the high LGBTQ population in Taipei, but unfortunately if you’re looking for a gay dance party, your options are somewhat limited. Luckily there are also monthly gay parties hosted by straight clubs that tend to be well-attended and lots of fun!

G*Star

G*Star is the go-to gay nightclub in Taipei for dancing. It’s a bit isolated in Zhongshan District, on a quiet street away from any other bars. It’s busiest on Saturday nights, when the cover is $500 for men and $800 for women — but those prices drop to $350 and $500 respectively after 2:30am. That might seem late, but G*Star is dead before midnight and doesn’t reach its peak until around 2am. It stays busy until the early morning hours.

Everyone has a different (and often strong) opinion on G*Star. The dance floor and stage are on the bottom floor, while the second floor has tables and a u-shaped balcony overlooking the dance floor. Most of the crowd tends to be young local twinks. The music is house with a strong focus on K-Pop. Go-go boys take the stage at intervals, but otherwise the stage is usually occupied by (unpaid) dancers who flawlessly execute the choreography to K-Pop songs.

Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Belle’s in Taipei

Belle’s is a more upscale venue for drag and go-go shows. It’s located in ATT 4 FUN along with many of the biggest nightclubs in the city (you need to go through security and up the elevator to get there). A night at Belle’s is centered on the performances; the venue is arranged with tables looking down on the main platform in the center. Tables are pricey and need to be reserved in advance but you can also just show up and stand to the side. Expect high energy and high production!

Belle’s caters toward more of a straight crowd (ie groups of women bringing their boyfriends to see their first drag show) but it’s also enjoyed by gays who have cash to splash — and even

Check out their Facebook page here.

Taboo

Taboo is the go-to lesbian nightclub, also located in Zhongshan District. Like G*Star, it has very mixed reviews. We haven’t been personally so we can’t comment on the quality of the music or the crowd, but we’ve heard from friends that it’s worth checking out. Find more information on Facebook.

CUM Party

CUM Party (it allegedly stands for “Create Ur Magic”) is a semi-regular gay dance party with drag and go-go performances. It’s hosted at different venues around the city and it’s always very popular with both Taiwanese and foreigners alike.

Check for upcoming events on their Facebook page.

Candyland @ Studio 9

Located on a rooftop in Ximen, Studio 9 is normally a straight club but it has monthly gay nights called Candyland. The venue is really cool with an outdoor terrace and multiple indoor dance floors blasting techno. Like CUM Party, this one is popular with both foreigners and Taiwanese. Check out the Studio 9 Facebook page to see when the next Candyland is scheduled!

Saunas and Massage Spas

Soi 13in

This is a gay sauna in Zhongshan with nice, clean, modern facilities. It’s got a locker room, lounge area, hot tub, sauna, dark room, and a maze of private cabins downstairs. The entrance fee is $800 for foreigners (it’s cheaper for locals). The best time to go is on weekend evenings, starting from happy hour at 6:30, all the way until after midnight. You can expect a lot of young local guys in attendance.

The Royal Spa

This is a gay massage spot in Ximen, just a short walk from the Red House area. You can choose a masseur on their website (some of which speak English) ahead of time and they’ll call you to confirm the reservation. The facilities are nice and clean, including showers and amenities. Get pricing information and book an appointment on their website.

This is by no means a complete list, but it covers many of the best and most popular gay spots in the city. Comment below with your favourite locations that didn’t make the list!