Looking for the best gay and lesbian nightspots in the city? Here are our picks. For more information on Memphis' constantly evolving gay and lesbian nightlife, check out the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center located at 892 South Cooper Street in Midtown.
1. Crossroads
1278 Jefferson AveMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 272-8801
Monday - Wednesday: 3PM - 11PM
Thursday - Saturday: 3PM - 3AM
Sunday: 3PM - Midnight
Crossroads is a predominantly gay dance club and bar, but everyone is welcome. Recently renovated, it is considered a classy joint that is lined with pictures of Cher. You can't even use the restroom without her watching you! Crossroads is considered to be one of the most active bars/clubs in Memphis, in terms of fostering the local GLBT community.
2. Madison Flame
1588 Madison AveMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 278-0569
Friday and Saturday: 8PM - 3AM
The Madison Flame is the predominant lesbian bar and dance club in Memphis. Though everyone is welcome, the bar's patrons are strongly defensive of its lesbian orientation. This would seem to be an understandable stance given that there are very few other lesbian bars in the city. The crowd at the Madison Flame tends to be younger and more hip in comparison to other local lesbian hotspots.
3. Dish
948 S Cooper StMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 276-0002
Monday - Friday: 5PM - 3AM, though the kitchen usually closes at 1AM
Dish is a restaurant in the Cooper - Young district, the epicenter of the Memphis GLBT community. Dish serves up some decent food and some interesting drink choices (for example, the "Flaming Queer" is an excellent alcoholic concoction mixed with fruit juices). Though the food is good, the real reason to go to Dish is the atmosphere. In the early evening, it is a fine dining restaurant patronized by a diverse crowd. Later in the evenings, it becomes a pick up joint for trendy gays and lesbians.
4. Metro
1349 Autumn AveMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 274-8010
Monday - Saturday: 6PM - 3AM
Sunday: 4PM - 3AM
Metro is primarily a gay bar and dance club in midtown Memphis, although everyone is welcome. Compared to most other local GLBT hotspots, its atmosphere is among the more cosmopolitan with an ambience reminiscent of some of the dance clubs in NYC. However, it is generally not the place to go on most weekday evenings when there are relatively few patrons. The scene is much more crowded on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The older crowd is usually there until about 11PM, and the younger crowd gets in after that.
5. One More
2117 Peabody AveMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 278-6673
Monday - Saturday: 11AM - 3AM
Sunday: Noon - 3AM
One More is a restaurant and bar located near Cooper-Young. It caters to all but is well known for its lesbian following. In fact, it is affectionately known as One More Mullet. In business for 11 years, it serves as a restaurant during the afternoon hours with diverse patronage. But as it enters the evening, it becomes a lesbian watering hole. One More falls on the neighborhood bar end of the hangout spectrum, as opposed to a dance club. It's the lesbian bar where everyone knows your name.
