Gay Bars in Edinburgh: The Pink Triangle & Beyond

Edinburgh's Gay Bar Scene at a Glance

Edinburgh's gay bars are a small, close-knit set, and most of them sit in the Pink Triangle at the top of Leith Walk. CC Blooms is on Greenside Place next door to the Edinburgh Playhouse, Planet is a few doors along on Baxter's Place, and The Street is on Picardy Place at the top of Broughton Street. You can walk between all three in a few minutes. The fourth bar, the Regent, is a real ale pub in Abbeyhill, about 15 minutes' walk east.

• For your first night out: CC Blooms, The Street, Planet
• For dancing until 3am: CC Blooms (every night), The Street and Planet (Fridays and Saturdays)
• For drag: CC Blooms, Planet
• For a daytime drink: The Street, CC Blooms (weekend brunch)
• For cheap drinks: Planet
• For a quiet pint and a chat: Regent Bar
• For bears: Regent Bar (Bear Scots, second Saturday of the month)

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The Pink Triangle

The Pink Triangle is the cluster of streets where Leith Walk, Broughton Street and Picardy Place meet. CC Blooms and Planet are a few doors apart beside the Playhouse, and The Street faces them from Picardy Place.

CC Blooms

CC Blooms says it has been on Greenside Place since 1994, right next door to the Edinburgh Playhouse, and it bills itself as Edinburgh's original gay bar. It's a bar and restaurant too, with brunch from 11am at weekends, pre-theatre food and cocktails. Come nightfall it turns into a club, with DJs seven nights a week and the doors open until 3am every night. Drag is a big part of the programme: there are shows most weekends and a Sunday cabaret, Disgraceful, from 8pm, and the venue says it helped launch Lawrence Chaney. Entry to the upstairs bar and dance floor is free most nights, while big parties and guest shows are ticketed in advance through its What's On page.

CC Blooms · Bars · Edinburgh, GB

The Street

The Street says it has been at the top of Broughton Street, on Picardy Place, since 2004. It's independently owned and run by its founders, Wendy and Lou, and calls itself an LGBTQ bar that welcomes everyone. The bar and eatery spreads over two floors with outdoor smoking terraces on both levels, and food (toasties, nachos, dirty fries) is served late every night. Downstairs is the nightclub, a room that holds about 180, with DJs on Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm to 3am; after 1am you get in from the Broughton Street side. On the first and third Saturday of the month, the MFSB daytime disco runs from 3pm to 9pm (£5 before 8pm). The street art on the walls is for sale, and there's a vintage photo booth. It opens at midday (12:30pm on Sundays), until 1am Sunday to Thursday and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Street · Bars · Edinburgh, GB

Planet

Planet is a small gay bar at 6 Baxter's Place, a few doors along from the Playhouse, and it bills itself as Edinburgh's longest-running LGBTQI+ bar. By its own account it opened in 1993 as Route 66, became Planet Out, and now goes by Planet. Entry is free, drinks are priced low, and the bar says it's known for a friendly crowd and fun staff. Friday is Showtime, a free drag show with a DJ from 9pm and the show at 10:30pm; past line-ups have included The Vivienne and Baga Chipz. Saturdays are DJ nights, Tuesdays bring party games and sing-alongs, Wednesdays have a new special guest each week, and karaoke, retro nights, bingo and quizzes fill out the calendar. It opens at 3pm Tuesday to Sunday, until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays and 1am the other nights, and it's closed on Mondays. Planet sponsors the Hot Scots football team and the Thebans rugby club.

Planet · Bars · Edinburgh, GB

Abbeyhill

Abbeyhill is about a 15-minute walk east of the Pink Triangle, and it's where you'll find Edinburgh's gay real ale pub.

Regent Bar

The Regent is a pub on Montrose Terrace that calls itself Edinburgh's LGBT+ and straight-friendly real ale pub. It's a conversation pub, not a party bar: think comfy sofas, table-top games (or bring your own) and exhibitions by local artists on the walls. The beer is the draw. The pub is Cask Marque accredited, Deuchars IPA is always on handpump next to guest ales and real cider, and the bottle list covers Edinburgh brewers plus gluten-free and vegan options, with Scottish mead as well. There are bar snacks too. Bear Scots meet here on the second Saturday of every month from 9pm. It's open daily from 4pm to midnight, and you can book tables of up to eight Monday to Thursday, but not at weekends.

Regent Bar · Bars · Edinburgh, GB

Edinburgh's Gay Sauna

Steamworks is a men-only gay sauna in Broughton Market, a little lane just off Broughton Street and a few minutes' walk from the Pink Triangle bars. It describes itself as Edinburgh's male-only health club and is a sister business of Planet. Inside there's a steam room, a dry sauna, a hot tub, communal showers, private cabins and a video room. It's open every day from 11am to 10pm, a locker is £20 (£18 early bird, 11am to 12pm), and most days have a theme, including cheaper lockers for under-30s on Tuesdays and students on Thursdays. Full details:

Gay sauna in Edinburgh →

Where to Stay

For a gay-owned base near the bars, there's a small guesthouse on the Abbeyhill side.

Alva House

Alva House is a small guesthouse on Alva Place, just off London Road near the Easter Road junction, and it says it's proudly gay-owned and operated and set up for the LGBT community. It's adults-only and non-smoking. Rooms range from a superior room with its own private bathroom to kingsize doubles and two singles that share a bathroom in the hallway; on its own site, rates run from £40 for the small single to £75 for the superior room. A continental breakfast buffet is included, running from around 8am until midday, and tea and coffee are available in the open kitchen at any time. Every room has a TV and DVD player, with Wi-Fi throughout. The bars around Broughton Street are a short walk away.

Alva House · Hotels · Edinburgh, GB

Getting Around

FAQ

Where is the gay area in Edinburgh?

The Pink Triangle, at the top of Leith Walk around Picardy Place, Broughton Street, Greenside Place and Baxter's Place. CC Blooms, The Street and Planet are all there, a few minutes' walk from each other, and the Steamworks sauna is just off Broughton Street.

Which gay bars in Edinburgh stay open latest?

CC Blooms is open until 3am every night. The Street and Planet both stay open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 1am on the other nights they're open.

Where can I see drag in Edinburgh?

CC Blooms has drag shows most weekends and a Sunday cabaret, Disgraceful, from 8pm. Planet runs Showtime every Friday, a free drag show with the show at 10:30pm.

Where can I get a daytime drink in Edinburgh's gay scene?

The Street opens from midday every day (12:30pm on Sundays), and CC Blooms serves brunch from 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. Planet opens at 3pm Tuesday to Sunday, and the Regent opens at 4pm daily.

Is there a gay sauna in Edinburgh?

Yes. Steamworks, in Broughton Market just off Broughton Street, is a men-only gay sauna open every day from 11am to 10pm, with a steam room, dry sauna and hot tub. It's a sister business of Planet bar.