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Gay Bars & Clubs in Madison: The Honest 2026 Guide
The honest summary: Madison has three full-time gay bars, Woof's, the Shamrock and FIVE Nightclub, plus two general bars that run regular queer nights. The scene is small and friendly, and drinks are cheap. Two of the bars are by the Capitol Square. The dance club is on the south side, so you'll need a ride.
The gay bars
Woof's: sports and bears
Woof's, 114 King St, opened in 2008 in the old King Club space, a block off the Capitol Square. It's the gay sports and bear bar: pool, screens for the game, leather bingo brunches and a regular local crowd. It hosts King Street Pride in summer. Isthmus lists hours of Sunday noon to midnight, Monday and Tuesday 4pm to midnight, and Wednesday to Saturday 4pm to close.
Shamrock Bar & Grille: the oldest
The Shamrock, 117 W Main St, has been a gay bar since 1985 and is the oldest one still open in Madison, according to the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project. It closed briefly in 2013 and reopened that September. It's a bar with a kitchen and weekend brunch, open 11am to 2am daily, with a mixed-age, low-key crowd.
FIVE Nightclub: dancing and drag
FIVE Nightclub, 5 Applegate Ct, has been the city's gay dance club since 1998. It's on the south side near the Beltline, about 5 km from the Capitol. Some older guides put it on University Avenue, which is wrong. According to its site and Isthmus, the week runs:
- Monday: line dancing
- Tuesday: trivia
- Wednesday: karaoke and darts
- Third Thursday: drag queen bingo
- Friday and Saturday: drag shows and kink/fetish nights; Latin night on the first Saturday
- Sunday: Mad City Drag Revue at 9:30pm
- Plan B / Prism, 924 Williamson St: Plan B was rebranded as Prism in early 2019 and closed on 9 November 2019 (Isthmus).
- King Club: its space at 114 King St is now Woof's.
- The Red Shed, State St: a campus bar, not a gay bar. Older guides that call it a community hub are wrong.
- All bars are 21+ and check ID.
- Woof's and the Shamrock are a five-minute walk apart. Start there and take a rideshare to FIVE later.
- Friday and Saturday are the busy nights. On Sundays, FIVE's drag revue is the main draw.
- Dress is casual everywhere except themed nights at Crucible and FIVE.
Hours are Monday to Thursday 4 to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 4pm to 2am, and Sunday 4pm to 1am.
Queer-friendly bars with regular LGBTQ+ nights
Crucible, 3116 Commercial Ave on the east side, is a goth and industrial club whose house rules call it LGBTQ-friendly. Isthmus lists Trans Social Night, the fetish night Deviance (fourth Fridays) and Leather & Lace (first Saturdays) there.
The Cardinal Bar, 418 E Wilson St, is a general bar with Latin, swing and trivia nights. On the first Friday of the month it hosts Hot Flash, an early queer dance party with DJ Millbot (7 to 9:30pm, free, 21+).
Sotto, 303 N Henry St, is a basement club off State Street with Latin Thursdays and Saturday DJs. Travel Gay lists it, but we found no regular queer nights, so expect a mainstream crowd.
Roving parties
LPub, the monthly Lesbian Pop Up Bar, moves between bars such as Delta Beer Lab, Gib's and The Rigby. Lola's Hi/Lo Lounge and The Bur Oak run drag brunches. Check the Madison events page for dates.
Closed or changed
Tips
Last verified: October 2026.