Blue Moon, Pittsburgh

About Blue Moon

Blue Moon is a small gay dive bar on Butler Street in Upper Lawrenceville, best known as the room where Pittsburgh drag took off. Sharon Needles and Alaska Thunderfuck honed their acts here before both went on to win RuPaul's Drag Race, and the "Haus of Haunt" they helped build is still part of the bar's identity. Year-round Christmas lights, a jukebox, and famously cheap drinks set the tone; this is a come-as-you-are spot, not a polished nightclub. Drag is the main draw, with an open-stage competition on Wednesdays and professional showcases on Saturday nights, plus the occasional all-king or themed show that keeps the lineup broader than most rooms in town. There's a back patio when you want to step out of the noise. For travelers, it's the local-favorite end of a Lawrenceville bar crawl: less scene-y than a downtown club, and the better bet if you actually want to watch drag up close and talk to the people around you.