Best Transgender Bars and Clubs in New Orleans
New Orleans has one of the South's most historically rooted LGBTQ nightlife scenes, and trans people here are genuinely embedded in it — not treated as an afterthought. The heart of the action is in the French Quarter, especially along Bourbon Street, where legendary establishments welcome locals and visitors alike. For those seeking a more relaxed or alternative atmosphere, the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods offer laid-back queer-friendly spots with live music, creative cocktails, and an inclusive vibe. There's no single dedicated trans bar in New Orleans, but the queer ecosystem here is broad enough that trans locals have multiple genuine homes on any given night.
The New Orleans Trans Scene
New Orleans' gay bars are known for their inclusivity, welcoming not just gay men, but lesbian, bisexual, and TGNC people as well. With the blurring of the line between gay bars and bars not specifically labeled as such, everyone, LGBTQ or not, can feel comfortable hanging out in these spaces. The scene clusters in two main zones: the French Quarter's "Lavender Line" around Bourbon and St. Ann Streets, and the Marigny/Bywater corridor along St. Claude Avenue. The Golden Lantern is a laid-back neighborhood gay and transgender bar that anchors the more local, neighborhood end of the spectrum, while larger venues like Oz and Bourbon Pub & Parade anchor the dance and drag scene. What started as a casual meetup for queer women returning to the city after Hurricane Katrina has evolved into one of the city's most popular queer-specific dance parties, with GrrlSpot staging large-scale takeovers of popular bars and performance venues throughout the city.
Top Transgender Bars and Clubs for New Orleans Locals
The Golden Lantern
Type: Transgender-welcoming neighborhood gay bar
Location: 1239 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Features: The Golden Lantern is a laid-back neighborhood gay and transgender bar with no cover charge — even on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, which feature live music and exciting drag shows — with cheap and strong drinks and a daily happy hour from 8 am to 8 pm. Known as the birthplace of Southern Decadence, the city's biggest LGBTQ festival, it draws a deeply local crowd and has long been a go-to for trans regulars in the city.
Bourbon Pub & Parade
Type: LGBTQ+ dance club and bar
Location: 801 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Features: New Orleans' largest gay and lesbian bar and nightclub, operating continuously since 1974, and the epicenter of New Orleans' LGBT community located in the heart of the French Quarter at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Streets. The downstairs bar is known for its happy hour, while the upstairs dance club, the Parade, features a dynamic light show. The venue hosts weekly events, including drag shows and karaoke nights, and is a hub during major celebrations like Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence.
Website: https://www.bourbonpub.com
Oz New Orleans
Type: LGBTQ+ dance club with drag programming
Location: 800 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Features: Consistently voted the best dance club in New Orleans, Oz is known for club music, go-go boys, fun drag shows, and a second-floor balcony overlooking Bourbon Street — this is where you go if you want to dance the night away. There are events every night of the week with drag performers and DJs playing all night, including karaoke and Open Talent nights.
Café Lafitte in Exile
Type: Historic LGBTQ+ bar, open 24 hours
Location: 901 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Features: This two-story, 24/7 establishment holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously-operating gay bar in the Crescent City and may in fact be the oldest in the U.S. Downstairs is the video bar playing today's hottest hits, while The Balcony upstairs is a non-smoking bar with handcrafted cocktails and a contemporary lounge atmosphere with banquet seating and intimate lighting. The low-key, welcoming energy makes it a reliable late-night landing spot for trans locals at any hour.
The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret
Type: Queer-friendly cabaret and performance venue
Location: 2240 Saint Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
Features: Boasting a rich history as New Orleans' main space for LGBT theater, the AllWays Lounge has established itself as one of New Orleans' arts and entertainment hotspots, with exciting shows — music, burlesque, theater, performance art, and more — almost every night. This is a queer-friendly space with excellent burlesque, comedy, and circus shows. It's the right venue when you want performance over a dance floor.
Website: https://www.theallwayslounge.net