The Gay 90's

The Gay 90's is the institution that defines Minneapolis's LGBTQ+ nightlife — a multi-level complex at 408 Hennepin Avenue that has been operating since 1983 and that has grown into something more than a bar: a cabaret theatre, multiple distinct bar areas serving different functions and crowds, a dance floor with DJ programming, and a drag show tradition that is among the finest in the Midwest. The name is a nod to the 1890s "Gay Nineties" era of American entertainment, and the venue has always had a theatrical ambition that distinguishes it from purely drinking establishments. The cabaret shows at the Gay 90's are professional productions — full theatrical drag performances with lighting, sound, and staging that would stand up in any dedicated theatre. The bar areas outside the cabaret serve the range of the Minneapolis gay community: from the older regulars at the quieter bar to the younger crowd on the dance floor on a Friday night. The Gay 90's has survived 40 years and the full history of American gay nightlife because it is genuinely irreplaceable — there is no other venue in Minneapolis that could fill the function it serves, and the community knows it. For first-time visitors to Minneapolis, the Gay 90's is not an option but an obligation.