Gay Bars & Clubs ⭐ Featured Verified by GayOut

Royal Vauxhall Tavern

GayOut (52) 3.3

Google (853) 4.4

Tripadvisor (99) 3.8

What reviewers say

Visitors praise the Royal Vauxhall Tavern for its fun atmosphere, friendly staff, and excellent cabaret and drag shows, often highlighting its welcoming nature and iconic status within the LGBTQ+ community. However, some reviewers mention the venue can feel small and cramped, and a few have experienced issues with aggressive door staff or unexpected closures.

/ 100

GayOut Score

3.3 G4.4 🦉3.8

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Address

372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London SE11 5HY

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Website

rvt.bar

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Price Range

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About this place Royal Vauxhall Tavern

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is London's oldest continuously operating gay venue — a pub and performance space that has served the LGBTQ+ community since the 1940s, when it was a post-war gathering point for gay men at a time when every other aspect of their lives required secrecy. The building is a Victorian pub of 1863, now listed Grade II by Historic England specifically for its LGBTQ+ heritage significance — a designation that confirmed, in the most official possible terms, the importance of gay pubs to British cultural history. The RVT's history reads like a chronicle of British gay culture: the pub where Princess Diana is said to have attended a drag night in disguise in the 1980s; the venue that launched Lily Savage (Paul O'Grady's drag character); the home of Duckie, one of London's longest-running alternative queer club nights (every Saturday). Today the Tavern is both a heritage site and a living venue. The bar is a proper Victorian pub. The performance space hosts cabaret, comedy, drag and live music. Duckie on Saturday remains the essential South London queer event. The Vauxhall location puts it at the centre of the circuit club district — Eagle, Fire and the other clubs are within five minutes' walk.

Upcoming events at Royal Vauxhall Tavern

Thu, Aug 6

Master Mind 2 - Doctor Who Quiz

7:00 PM

Thu, Aug 6

MASTER MIND 2 – THE CYBER EDITION

8:00 PM

Fri, Aug 7

BAPTISM with Luisa Omielan

7:00 PM

Fri, Aug 7

Summer Night City - ABBA Dance Party at The RVT

7:00 PM

Fri, Aug 7

SUMMER NIGHT CITY – ABBA DANCE PARTY AT THE RVT

10:00 PM

Sun, Aug 9

Sunday Cabaret at the RVT

5:00 PM

Sun, Aug 9

Sunday Cabaret with Lola Lasagne and Dolly Diamond

5:00 PM

Sun, Aug 9

Sunday Cabaret with Lola Lasagne and Dolly Diamond

7:00 PM

Thu, Aug 13 Recurring

DAVID HOYLE’S ALMANAC

8:00 PM

Fri, Aug 14

Eurofest with Tamara Živković

Sat, Aug 15 Recurring

BeefMince

11:00 PM

Opening Hours

Closed

Monday 19:00-00:00

Tuesday 19:00-00:00

Wednesday 19:00-00:00

Thursday 19:00-00:00

Friday 19:00-02:00

Saturday 21:00-04:00

Sunday 19:00-00:00

Features

Gay LGBTQ+ Drag shows Cabaret Shows Comedy Shows Live music Pub/Tavern Safe space

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Community Reviews

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Google Reviews

Verified by Google

4.4

★★★★★

853 reviews

Based on 853 Google reviews.

Shaun Murphy May 2026

★★★★★

Always a pleasure to visit the Royal Vauxhall Tavern . Staff are pleasant & speedy . Management friendly & personable . Drinks reasonably priced & always a variety of happenings to suit most people. Highly recommended !

Shaun Murphy May 2026

★★★★★

N I May 2026

★★★★★

Went there. A bar staff member shouted at me and told me to shut up. He then complained about me threatening him and was thrown out. I have never been in any trouble in any gay venue i have ever been in. That bar member has previously shouted at me "I am not your slave" when i went to order a drink. VERY RUDE. Now i don't know if i am banned. I was loud, apparently....They don't refund tickets and it was empty. I had spent alot of money on spirits (i don't like beer) behind the bar. If the bouncer likes you you get in if not you get barred. Really is shocking behaviour. They do not care about the customers.