General Information

Majority of gay bars & clubs get busy after midnight. The venues listed under Cafe section are also open busy in day time, but still more busy in the evenings.

The busiest night is Saturday in all bars and clubs. The second busiest night is Friday. Wednesdays are usually more vibrant compared to other week-in days.

Most of the gay clubs requires entrance fee on Saturday nights and some on Friday nights. (10 to 15 Euro, approximately) Entrance fees are usually a little more expensive than the usual price, and you can have one "local drink" with your ticket.

In winter, you have to leave your coats or jackets at the cloakrooms in most of the gay night clubs.  and pay for it when you leave.

There is not any place with a dark-room. No bars or clubs provide sex-partner or sex place as a part of the service. You have to find your own partner, place and take your own responsibility.

Credit cards are accepted by some clubs, but not all. So it is recommended to have some cash on you. Turkish Lira is better. They accept US Dollars or Euros as well but the exchange rate will be very low.

The price for one drink approximately varies from 5-7 Euro for local drinks (beer, gin, vodka etc); and from 10-15 Euro for "export" drinks (such as whiskey, safari, Malibu etc) These are just estimated rates otherwise the prices are actually in Turkish Liras.

The Turkish baths (Hamams) and cinemas are not obviously accepted as gay venues by their owners.  They rather play the "three monkeys". So, you are advised to be discrete in a reasonable way.
 

Gay Bars and Clubs

The venues listed in the category are all gay-exclusive. We have made a selection of best samples of various types of gay bars and clubs of Istanbul and deliberately omitted several ones in irrelevant locations or of minor importance, to avoid waste of time for short time travelers.

CHIANTI CAFE BAR 13:00-02 :00 am Website: Gay Cafe Bar Istanbul
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Balo Sokak No: 31. (2nd floor) Beyoglu. An exceptional gay bar in Istanbul where you can go early in the evenings. It is also different than most other gay bars and clubs of Istanbul with reasonable sound level and it's relaxed atmosphere, Recommended as best starting point.

TEKYON CLUB 23:00-04:00
Address: Siraselviler Caddesi, No 63/1 Taksim/Beyoglu. Istanbul.
Tekyon has moved to a new address for the 3rd time in 2009. The most popular gay night club of the recent years, packed up on Friday and Saturday nights. It is also a favorite place for middle-aged gay men and bears, but it is also populated by a mixture of various styles/ages of local gay and bisexual men as well as many gay tourists.

 X-LARGE 23:00-05:00 (open Friday and Saturday)
Address: Mesrutiyet Caddesi (street) Kallavi Sokak (lane) No: 12 Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Web: http://www.xlargeclub.com/ 
Opened in May 2009, X LARGE has become very popular weekend club where you can find the atmosphere of the big European gay clubs, even better then some. The venue is very spacious where once there used to be a movie theater. Admission fee is required and higher than most other gay clubs in Istanbul but it is worth well for most people who want to be in a place offering very professional shows & great music in an upper scale environment.

CLUB OTHER SIDE  - 23:30 - 05:00
Address: Istiklal Cad. Zambak Sk. No:2 Kat:5 Taksim, Istanbul
It moved to a new location in mid 2009, much bigger and got very popular after that.  Located on the top floor and has a terrace. The shows are very professional. Prices are a little above average.

LOVE CLUB  - 23:30 - 05:00 (Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday)
Address: Cumhuriyet Caddesi no: 349 Harbiye Istanbul.
This one is located out of the major night life area, in Harbiye. You you need to take a short taxi. Although it is locates on a central street, walking is not recommended at night. There are so many straight people now so it became a gay friendly venue rather.

PRIVE BAR & CLUB 23:00-04:00 am)
Address: Tarlabasi Caddesi No: 28 Taksim, Istanbul.
It is very centrally located somewhere across the flower shops at Taksim square. Prive is the most senior gay club in Istanbul, though it is not as popular and busy as it once used to be . It is a very small club usually busy after 1:00 am. It normally attracts a mixture of young and middle aged men, and some bear bears. They play loud Turkish pop music and sometimes European and America hits.

EKOO BAR & CLUB ( 23:30:00-04:00)
Address: Tarlabasi Bulvari No: 248 Beyoglu.
It is on the other side of the Tarlabasi Bulvari (Tarlabasi Avenue) with respect to the nightlife part of the town, across from British Consulate more or less, closer to Euro Plaza Hotel on the same side of the street. The entrance is behind the public bus station at the pavement below the street level, but its sign-board is visible from the street. A friendly night club, usually busy after midnight and more popular for bears and older men. It is busier on Saturday nights especially, like most other gay clubs would be.

CLUB MAGMA Open 23:00-05:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Sadri Alisik Sokak No:15
Opened in October 2008, a completely renovated venue located in a basement floor near Istiklal Caddesi on a side-street (Sadri Alisik). It is spacious with respect to average gay clubs in Istanbul.  Decoration and music system is good. The major concept of the club is DJ nights and dance shows. It is welcoming a mixture of gay and straight clients.

QUEEN BAR - 23:30 - 05:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi Zambak Sokak. NO:23 Taksim
Website:. Gay Night Club Istanbul
A small but very friendly gay bar and night club located very centrally - only a few hundred meters away from Taksim Square. It is visited by local gay men of various ages, as well as few selected good looking and young escort boys.

DÉJÀ VU CLUB 23:00-04:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Sadri Alisik Sokak, Beyoglu. No:26/1
Gay men of various ages are lost in the middle of tens of mainly amateur rent boys and escorts, some of whom can be nice and really good looking but still be very selective. Few transvestites could be around once in a while. Music is rather loud, mainly techno/underground including latest international hits.

CLUB 17 23:00-05:00
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Zambak Sokak No:17 (Closer to French Consulate)
This is a fun place to visit but you need to be very selective with the boys you meet here. Most of them are hustlers or rent boys. Because there are so many of them, the place always looks full. You will also see many transvestites in this "gay club". Do not pay any entrance fee at the door, unless it is Saturday. It is heard that the door men asks money from tourists, without the approval of the managers sometimes. In winter, leaving the heavy coats at the cloakroom is customary here also; just like in the most gay clubs in Istanbul. You need to pay for it when you leave !

Lesbian Bars & Clubs in Istanbul

Click Here for more detailed and update lesbian guide of Istanbul.

BIGUDI CLUB  23:00-04:00, Friday, Saturday only.
Address: Atif Yılmaz Caddesi, Bayram Sokak (Atif Yilmaz Caddesi is the narrow street next to the small mosque (Huseyin Aga Camii) on Istiklal Caddesi. The club is just round the corner on the left, when you turn left to the lane (Bayram Sokak) on your fisrt left.
The first lesbian-exclusive club of Istanbul has moved back to the original address it was first opened 2 years ago, in March 2008. The unique only-lesbian club&bar of Istanbul, in fact in whole of Turkey. All staff including security girls and administration are also lesbians naturally.

BIGUDI CAFE & PUB Open everyday 14:00-02:00
ADDRESS: Istiklal Caddesi, Balo Sokak. No:20 Kat:4 (4th floor) Beyoglu.
There is Club Gate at the entrance floor of the same building, which is also a gay and lesbian friendly straight club.
Bigudi Cafe Pub is a collaboration of former lesbian friendly Cilek cafe&&bar on the same building. The new place is upper floor of Cilek (4th floor) Major activities informed by the mangers are parties, board games, and special Bigudi kitchen

ROCINANTE  11:00-02:00
Address: Sakiz Agaci Caddesi, Ogut Sokak No:6/2 (2nd floor) Beyoglu/Istanbul.
Web: www.rocinantebar.com
This cafe bar is officially not a lesbian venue but almost all regular clients and even the staff are lesbians. Attended by more butch types. The prices are much lower than most gay clubs here. Busier in the evenings and late afternoons

Gay and Lesbian Cafe and Restaurants

The venues listed under this category is recommended to people who don't like loud night clubs or do not want to stay up too late after mid-night.  The prices of these venues are also more reasonable with respect to after-midnight gay clubs.

CAFE & BAR 13:00-01:00
Website: Gay Cafe Bar Istanbul
An exceptional gay bar in Istanbul where you can go early in the evenings. It is also different than most other gay bars and clubs of Istanbul with reasonable sound level and it's relaxed atmosphere, Recommended as best starting point.

SUGAR CAFE  12:00-01:00
ADDRESS: Istiklal Caddesi Saka Salim Cikmazi no: 3/A Beyoglu Istanbul.
This small lovely gay cafe & restaurant is located on a narrow lane on Istiklal Avenue, somewhere opposite of St. Antoine Church. In warm summer days, they also put tables outside and it gets really busy. There is free wireless internet connection in the whole area for laptop users. The prices are very reasonable and various foods are available from 13:00 till 22:00 o'clock. Populated by nice, trendy gay-men; besides, there are no gay-hustlers or rent boys around.

INSIDE CAFE
Address: Lamartin Cad. NO:11 Kat:4 Beyoglu - Istanbul (Ex place of Other Side Club)
After Other Side Bar moved to a new venue this place was opened in its place in October 2009. It is a cafe, lounge, bar and restaurant. Activities they offer are, breakfast, birth day organizations, private parties, dinner, cafe and lounge. Live Turkish music performances are available on certain days of the week.

BESINCI KAT RESTAURANT  12:00-01:00
Address: Siraselviler Caddesi, Soganci Sokak, No:7/1, Cihangir-Beyoglu
Web: http://www.5kat.com/ 
Located on top of the building (Besinci Kat means 5th floor) housing also Club Barbahce. This is a very gay friendly restaurant, where you can eat your dinner with your friends on special days, or sip you drink at its reasonably priced bar, watching great panorama of Istanbul, including the Bosphorus straight and Asian part.

Sauna and Bath Houses

There are no gay exclusive bath houses  in Istanbul, probably because any sexual action is legally forbidden in them, since they are regarded as public venues. They may be closed by local authorities once in a while for this reason. Consequently, the owners/managers of them do not want to be listed on gay websites and guide books as gay venues, with a few exception.

Sauna Bath House in Istanbul
Friendly sauna & bath house located in Beyoglu district very close to Taksim square famous with young masseurs.

YESILDIREK  HAMAMI:
Tershane Cad. Yolcuzade Sok. N:74
There is no obvious gay scene and recommended not to be too obvious. Very close to entrance of Ataturk bridge over Golden Horn (Halic), the second one after Galata Bridge.  It is on the Taksim/Beyoglu side of the bridge and you can walk from Karakoy along the Golden Horn.

CESME HAMAMI:
Voyvoda (Bankalar) Caddesi, Yeni Cesme Sokak,  Karakoy, Istanbul
It is on a back-street (Yeni Cesme) hard to locate somewhere below Galata Tower; or above Galata Bridge to the left. (off Persembe Pazarı street). Not very clean. Mostly attended by middle aged/older men or bears

SULTAN HAMAM: 15:00-21:00
Islambey Caddesi, Eyup (at the end of main pedestrianized shopping & strolling street,)
Located in a strange district, where there is actually neither gay scene nor night life. Eyup is a little traditional and conservative town itself near the famous historical/touristic Pierre Loti Cafe. It is closed once in while by local authorities. So do not be disappointed if you find the door shut.

CUKURCUMA HAMAMI: (CLOSED DOWN)
Once the most popular of the Turkish baths for gay people, has been sold, and closed down in 2008. There is no a reliable information about when or if ever it will re-open again

AGA HAMAMI and CIHANGIR SAUNA (NOT RECOMMENDED)
These two venues are mentioned here only because they are still listed in some gay guide books, just to inform that they not as liberal as they once used to be and everything is under control. They used to be popular meeting points some 4 or 5 years ago.

Cruising Areas & Beaches

Like in other big cities cruising areas and especially parks are places where gay people should be very careful and selective with the people they meet. These places are discovered by some bad guys and pick-pockets who are always around in such places for robbing gay men rather than cruising for sex. Especially be careful if the person you meet proposes you to have sex in isolated outside places. We recommend you not to carry very valuable things a a lot of money with you when you go to such places, just in case.

Istiklal Caddesi and Taksim Square
Two-kilometer long pedestrian street/avenue starting from Taksim square and ending in Tunel (the upper end of historical mini-subway). It is very busy day and night mostly with people strolling or shopping. The street also connects Taksim square to the gay venues mostly located on the smaller back-streets crossing it, and you can see many gay men and related people along the way. 

Taksim Park
The park at the above Taksim Mc Donald's, near Taksim Square. The part of the park closer to the sea-side is more cruisy especially in the summer evenings. It is busier on Sundays and Saturday evenings. It is not actually very much recommended to foreigners and new-comers for safety reasons.  Since 2007 there is a very strict police control in the park. (including civilians !)

Sultanahmet Park.
Especially the small park behind the Sultanahmet tramcar station in the evenings. Sultanahmet is the famous tourist town of Istanbul and the parks are also comparatively safer, but there is not a very visible gay scene

Ortakoy Coast.
Once a small fishing town, Ortakoy became popular with bars, restaurants, cafeterias creating a summer resort atmosphere within the city. It is near major Besiktas town along the Bosporus Straight. The coastal area around the Ortakoy Mosque is very busy and there's a vibrant night life in summer, especially busy during the day on Sundays. Some 15 minutes ride away from Taksim with a taxi but it naturally takes longer during rush hours.

Princess Islands (Adalar) beaches
A group of islands close to the main land on the Asian side in Marmara sea. They consist of 9 islands, 4 of which are considerably popular and inhabited. (Buyukada, Heybeliada, Burgaz and Kinaliada) The native inhabitants of these islands are mostly non-Muslim minorities. The biggest one (Buyuk Ada) is the most vibrant one. There are regular ferryboats from Kabatas and Sirkeci ports on the European side and Kadikoy port on the Asian side. It takes 30-45 minutes by boat. Isolated beaches on the back sides of Kinaliada and Buyukada are more cruisy.

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