Best Gay Bars & Clubs in Key West

Key West's gay bars huddle at the south end of Duval Street, Old Town's main drag. The whole strip is so compact you can walk it in fifteen minutes, ducking into several bars along the way. This is the Duval Crawl, and it's a slower, more relaxed kind of bar-hopping than you'd find in bigger cities.

La Te Da

La Terraza de Marti, or La Te Da as everyone calls it, is one of Key West's most important gay venues. It's in a historic building with a piano bar downstairs and a cabaret up on the roof. The piano bar draws a mixed crowd of locals and visitors; it feels lived-in, real. The rooftop bar has a view worth the climb. Drinks are pricey, and the dress code is smart-casual. If you only hit one bar in Key West, this is the one people will tell you to see.

The crawl's character

The bars on south Duval range from dim, local spots to open-air places with street-facing terraces. Many have pool tables, drink specials, and the kind of atmosphere where you can settle in for hours without feeling rushed. Others are smaller, more intimate. You won't find super-clubs here, not like Miami or New York. The island's scale means the bars are sized right—you won't get lost in a crowd of thousands.

The crowd mixes locals and visitors. During event weeks like Fantasy Fest or Bear Week, the balance tips hard toward visitors, and the bars fill up noticeably. Outside those times, the regulars are very much around, and it feels more like a neighborhood bar than a tourist trap.

Timing

Key West bars stay open late, but peak hours hit earlier than in a big city. Serious drinking kicks off in the early evening and many people start winding down by 2am. Sunset is a social event here—crowds gather at Mallory Square to watch it go down, and the bars see a wave of people after that. Planning your evening around sunset, then the bar strip, makes sense.

The bars

• — Great vibe and drag show! Drinks are good, staff super friendly. The hostess engaged with the audience, and everyone had a great time! Puddy Thang was my favorite—she brought so much energy and talent. Highly recommend! A must-see if you’re in Key West.
• — Key West has many gay establishments, but this one's for locals and tourists alike. Fantastic drag shows, the best drinks. Highly recommended.
• — Great time! Very good drinks! Bartenders were amazing, very friendly! Myrica is the best! I will definitely be back here next year!

Practical notes

Duval Street is walkable. You don't need a car or even a bike for the bar strip. Key West drink prices are standard here—a bit higher than mainland Florida, but not South Beach Miami levels. Happy hours are common in the late afternoon.

For the full Key West picture, see the Gay Key West Guide.