Best Transgender Bars and Clubs in Bakersfield
Bakersfield is a mid-size Central Valley city with a small but real local LGBTQ+ scene anchored by two long-running queer venues downtown. There are no dedicated transgender bars within Bakersfield city limits, but the community is active, and most trans locals who want a larger scene make the roughly 110-mile drive south to Los Angeles, where West Hollywood and Silver Lake offer a well-developed cluster of trans-welcoming and trans-significant venues. What follows covers the best of both: what you have at home, and where people go when they need more.
The Bakersfield Trans Scene
Bakersfield is not yet at the point of having dedicated trans bars, but drag shows run regularly at venues like Casablanca Nightclub and the broader LGBTQ+ bar scene has grown more mixed and inclusive over the years. Back in the day most gay bars in Bakersfield were only full of men, but most venues are now more mixed LGBTQ+ style, and some are mixed gay and straight. The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity in Kern County serves as an important community hub, and trans locals generally use a combination of the two downtown Bakersfield bars for weeknight proximity and an occasional LA run on weekends for something with more scale. The scene is small and community-driven rather than commercial, which has its own advantages.
Top Transgender Bars and Clubs for Bakersfield Locals
Casablanca Nightclub
Type: LGBTQ+ dance club with regular drag shows
Location: 1825 N St, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Features: Casablanca Nightclub stands out in Bakersfield's LGBTQ nightlife with its lively dance parties and popular drag shows; patrons praise the electric atmosphere and big dance floor, and the staff's attentiveness and the owners' genuine kindness add to the welcoming vibe. The main room features a huge bar, seats and tables, a dancing pole, a large dance floor, a VIP section, and resident DJs, while a second room hosts pool tables, a jukebox, and live drag shows. It is the most popular gay bar in this part of the state outside of LA.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/CasablancaNightclubBakersfield/
The Mint Bar
Type: Queer-friendly dive bar
Location: 1207 19th St, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Features: If a dive bar and a queer bar were to combine, The Mint Bar is exactly what comes to mind — located in downtown Bakersfield, this spot features cheap drinks and a relaxed vibe. It offers affordable drinks, an energetic jukebox, pool tables, and karaoke nights, with a laid-back outdoor patio and a diverse crowd that makes it a welcoming spot for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community. No cover charge and open 365 days a year make it the easiest low-pressure option in town.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Themintbar/
Akbar
Type: Queer bar and performance space — LGBTQ+ welcoming, trans-inclusive crowd
Location: 4356 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA — approx. 110 min from Bakersfield
Features: It is Akbar's mission to keep the space a welcoming, creative, alternative space for queer people and queer allies in Silver Lake; for nearly 30 years, Akbar has proudly been "a neighborhood oasis" and has refused to be defined by a single aesthetic or group of people. Long-running events have included Dirty Dirty House Club, Craft Night, Bears in Space, Planet Queer, Drunk on Stage, and the Rock Steady ska and reggae night. The crowd is gloriously mixed and the vibe consistently warm and unpretentious.
Website: https://akbarsilverlake.com
The Ruby Fruit
Type: Queer cocktail bar and wine bar — explicitly trans-welcoming
Location: West Hollywood area, Los Angeles, CA — approx. 110 min from Bakersfield
Features: Opened in February 2023, The Ruby Fruit is the first permanent lesbian bar to have opened in LA since 2017, and is touted by its owners as a safe space for not only lesbians, but non-binary, gender-nonconforming, and trans people.