Part of the Gay Garden Grove Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Garden Grove, California
Orange County's longtime gay bar in Garden Grove, with drag and dancing.
The last gay bar in Garden Grove, open since 1985 and one of the longest-running queer venues in Orange County. Founded by Ted Heier, who documented decades of local LGBTQ+ activism through more than 10,000 photographs, it's now run by his daughter Shelly Heier. The city once had 15 gay bars; Frat House is the only one left. Open Fridays and Saturdays only, 9 PM to 2 AM. Friday nights lean toward pop and dance music with go-go dancers; Saturdays are more show-focused with drag performances. The crowd is predominantly Hispanic, the drinks are budget-friendly, and the space has a no-frills dive bar feel. Pool tables and a dance floor round it out. A 2019 Spectrum News documentary covered it as a resilient safe haven in a historically conservative part of the county.
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