1. FLM Formerly known as Volume Beat, FLM is one of the very few gay clubs in Hong Kong. This trendy spot keeps the party going well into the night with great disco music and a rowdy dance floor. The bar is just across the street from Zoo, and Wink is also a block away if you’re looking to bar crawl from one venue to another. The first floor features banging tunes by a live DJ for the dancing crowd, while the second floor is quieter and is great for those who prefer to have actual conversations. With an international crowd coming in, FLM gets packed on most Friday and Saturday evenings. 62 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2799-2883, facebook.com/FLMHK 2. Circo Circo is the latest multi-purpose venue for the LGBTI community, and it’s a breath of fresh air away from the regular scene in SoHo and Sheung Wan’s Jervois Street. Tucked away behind Times Square, Circo is all the way up on the 22nd floor, offering a sweeping view of the Causeway Bay cityscape thanks to high ceilings and huge windows. The cocktail lounge is modern and chic with a slick bar, leather couches and booths for some quiet time on weekdays; on weekends, the whole venue changes into a dance club, with in-house DJs and plenty of beautiful people. Although out of most gays’ comfort zones location-wise, Circo has the vibe and the drinks to become the next great place to be for the LGBTI community. But it’s also straight-friendly, as the bar believes in inclusivity, rather than aiming to become a niche gay venue targeting a specific group. 22/F, Oliv, 15 Sharp St. East, Causeway Bay, 2892-8808, facebook.com/CircoHK 3. T:me Located in a quiet alley off Hollywood Road, T:me is a cozy lounge for people to chill out and mingle over a few glasses of wine and good music. This long, narrow venue tends to get busy earlier than other bars. It also has an extra sense of exclusivity and privacy, as the entrance is hidden from plain sight: Look for the bar on the narrow Man Hing Lane behind Hollywood Road, next to Club 71. B/F, 65 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2332-6565, time-bar.com Read More: Love Wins: The Road To Love and Equality in Hong Kong—and Around the World 4. Boo Bar Situated on Kowloon side, Boo Bar caters to one specific group of gays: bears (rugged, hairy men). The karaoke bar is frequented by bears, friends and chasers (bear admirers), and is one of the few places for this particular sub-group of the LGBTI community. The staff are friendly and welcoming, and drinks won’t cost you an arm and a leg like some of the more upscale joints in Central and Sheung Wan. Known mostly for its state-of-the-art karaoke system, you can show off your voice here and sing your heart out on stage to woo the bear of your dreams, or if you’re not too much of a singer, sit back, sip cocktails and enjoy the acoustics. On the last Saturday of each month, karaoke is replaced by a DJ for a dance party that will drown out all your troubles. 5/F, Pearl Oriental Tower, 225 Nathan Rd., Jordan, 2736-6168, facebook.com/boobar.hk 5. L’Paradis Brought to you by the people behind the now closed Temptation (aka “21/F”), L’Paradis offers some breathing space for the city’s lesbian community to take a break from their busy city lives and have some fun. The bar targets sophisticated sisters who are looking for a night of relaxed drinking and mingling, as well as the younger crowd searching for a fun time with drinking games like beer pong and darts. Free-flow drinking parties that involve a lot of dancing on the tables are organized regularly if you’re after something crazier. 5/F, Cameron Centre, 57-59 Chatham Rd. South, Tsim Sha Tsui, 6726-2028, facebook.com/lesparadishk Read More: Everything You Need To Know About Pink Dot 2016 6. Wink Another cocktail bar in the gay-friendly neighborhood that is Sheung Wan, Wink stands out from the crowd with its specialty cocktails. The lounge serves up a range of creative and fancy cocktails crafted by its in-house mixologists. Order a watermelon mojito or a sauvignon rose and shift your date up a gear. The bar draws in a younger crowd, so if you want to meet some fellow t-Winks (wink wink), this is the place to be. The bar brings in DJs every weekend to liven up the party, and don’t miss their Wink Wednesday parties either, where you get free-flow drinks from 10-11pm, or their daily happy hour from 5:30-11pm (starts at 8pm on Saturdays). 79 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, facebook.com/winkhongkong 7. Oosh Don’t know where to go dancing after Propaganda bit the dust? Taking over Shore’s 3/F lounge every Saturday, Oosh is a brand new partying concept for gays, bringing something new to the community. Every weekend the organizers transform the steakhouse lounge into a party venue, complete with awesome booze, kick-ass music, and of course, fabulous people dancing all night long. The parties have different themes almost every week, so don’t forget to check out their Facebook page to find out what’s coming up next (and dress accordingly) before heading down. Shore, 3/F, The L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 6082-2702, facebook.com/ooshHK Read More: Singer and LGBTI Activist Anthony Wong Yiu-ming Says He Doesn't Want to Be a Gay Icon 8. Linq A little bohemian bar on the stony steps of Pottinger Street, Linq’s wonderful location (just around the corner from Lan Kwai Fong) and charming personality makes this bar a mainstay of the LGBTI community. Expect lots of cute locals, expats and visitors at Linq, and when the party gets going on weekends, the bar fills up quick and the crowd extends to the stone sidewalks. The vibe is exuberant and welcoming, and everyone’s just looking to have a good time. Linq also hosts regular happy hours and DJ nights to get the crowd going. G/F, 35 Pottinger St., Central, 2971-0680, facebook.com/LinqWineBar 9. Virus Virus has been around for almost two decades, and is probably the oldest lesbian bar that’s still standing strong in Hong Kong. Although it has a long history, the bar doesn’t feel old at all, as the current location is actually only around a year old, with cozy, vintage yet stylish decor to create a homey atmosphere. Chill and relax with your gal pals on the large couches in the main room, and have a sing off with the karaoke machine in the center. Larger groups can also reserve their air-conditioned private room in the balcony. Feeling hungry after sipping a few cocktails? The bar also serves robatayaki as a nighttime snack. 4A, Winner Commercial Building, 401 Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay, 6180-6255, facebook.com/virusbarhk Read More: Alex See of LGBTI choir The Harmonics on the City's Gay Community and Being a Better Ally 10. Zoo Just as the name suggests, Zoo is packed with party animals looking for a good time. At this small but stylish bar on the corner of Jervois Street in Sheung Wan, the party overflows to the street every weekend, with “Zignature” cocktails and sizzling beats to pump up the crowd. Check out their daily happy hour from 7-10pm (7pm-1am on Sundays) with two-for-one deals—and the regular theme nights too, because why wouldn’t you want to dress up? 33 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 3583-1200, facebook.com/ZooBarHKAWalkOnTheWildSide 11. The Lab One of the longest-running (and very few) karaoke bars on the island, The Lab is popular amongst the LGBT community, especially for those who like to show off their voices in front of others. Head down to the bar for good music, a friendly crowd and great drinks. 3/F, Allways Centre, 468 Jaffe Rd., Causeway Bay, 2838-1456, facebook.com/thelabkaraoke
