While the LGBT scenes in Cologne and Berlin are bigger, there is still plenty to keep visitors entertained in Munich. The gaybourhood is situated in the super-cool Gärtnerplatzviertel and Glockenbachviertel areas, running from the Viktualienmarkt to Sendlinger Tor. To get a full view of what’s happening, look for the free Rosa München guide.
When NY.Club first opened in the 80s it was one of the hottest clubs in the world. Sister Sledge, Divine, Flirts, the Weather Girls, Village People and Eartha Kitt all performed there, and it was a favourite hang out of Eddie Mercury. These days, in its new home in Elisenstraße, NY.Club is still riding the wave as the first stop in Munich for beautiful young gay men who want to dance, chill and cruise.
This klein aber fein (‘small but great’) gay bar in Munich welcomes boys and girls of all ages, though normally the crowd consists mostly of people in their 20s and 30s. There are regular pub quiz nights, €5 gin and tonics on Wednesdays and a wide range of top-drawer drinks available the rest of the time. In case you were wondering, ‘Jenny Was a Friend of Mine’ is a song by the Killers.
Egypt calling! Café NiL, a landmark in the Munich gay scene, has been a place for old friends to introduce each other to new friends for years. You’ll know it instantly by its kitschy Egyptian decor. Aside from the central bar, there are alcoves for quiet conversations and couches for hanging out and enjoying a drink or three. If your stomach is rumbling, look for the famous cornflake schnitzel.
Kraftwerk is open until 1am every night, but it’s not the place to go if you want to dance till you drop. Aside from serving up fantastically delicious burgers, salads and schnitzel, the café/bar is a popular meeting point for the gay community in Munich. The vibe is chatty and friendly both inside and outside on the terrace.
Zur Feuerwache (‘to the fire station!’) has been around since the 80s and the decor hasn’t changed one bit since then. The friendly retro vibe is smoker-friendly and a magnet for locals who like to actually talk to the people in their neighbourhood while consuming reasonably priced drinks.
Bar zum Ochsengarten (‘bar in the oxen garden’) has been around for ages – since 1967, to be precise. It was the first bar in Munich that catered specifically to patrons who were into jeans, uniforms, leather and rubber. Think Village people and the people who loved them. The bar is for gay men only and is a tiny little saloon space that loves all things 1980s.
A wide range of reasonably priced drinks is on offer at Prosecco, largely to fuel the all-ages, all-gender and all-orientation dancing that goes on until late in the night. Dasa, the owner, sometimes spins the decks himself, or leaves it to others to serve up a steady diet of pop and international dance hits until the disco balls stop turning. Most nights, this is long after all the other clubs have closed.
