A Happily Gay Romp to Downtown SLC’s Gay Bars

A night out on the town isn’t the mile high it used to be. Every diamond dive bar in the rough has become saturated with wall-to-wall pubescents, while every artsy-fartsy gin joint runs a national debt-sized tab for the most pampered of pants. For someone like me, who is staring down the barrel of 30, I refuse to admit a Saturday night bar crawl is a yesteryear activity for this old sport. What am I going to do? Shuck some corn whiskey and numb my neurons with DankPods reruns? No… not again… Maybe it’s time to branch out from regular watering holes and stray to somewhere a little more colorful. So I ventured back out into SLC nightlife to seek out a spot where you come as you are, where self-acceptance and community are a fruity-kissed cocktail away. Off we go to find the booziest staples of downtown’s LGBTQ+ bar scene!

Our first stop takes us to the middle ground of Harvey Milk Blvd., where Club Try-Angles spins an airbrushed disco ball for anyone to join in on the party. Waltzing in on its checkerboard flooring opens a whole bar of possibilities. The first luxury came with their self-proclaimed “coldest, cheapest and biggest drinks in town,” which I fully believe! It’s not every day you’ll pay less than a Hamilton note for a mixed drink, and boy, does it come with that necessary punch! The Cyber Slut especially added that little zing for island life in a landlocked state. A wander around the bar will show some of the late-night entertainment: stadium-lit dart boards, a one-body karaoke stage, a few framed pictures of furry artwork and even… is that a Pokemon card dispenser?

Just down the road in a relatively blackened box of a building, Milk+ shags the night club aesthetic into a whole new atmosphere. The last time I was here, I was invited by some love interest to dirty dance and possibly cause some jealousy leverage against one of her side men. It was safe to say my impression on the place was not positive. However, after finally returning and getting through a lengthy TSA checkpoint at the entrance, the club holds up. The spacious dancefloor and catwalk stage for drag shows make it a high-profile spot. Of course, the DJ sets on the back patio still get as cramped as usual, but it’s a worthwhile experience to surge those vodka Redbulls and poppers through your veins. Besides, what club have you been to where you weren’t shoulder-to-shoulder with all the patrons? The Mickey Mouse Club?

Now, let’s take a sketchy rideshare or one of those bastardized Lime scooters to the heart of downtown, where a shaded Pepto Bismol palace called Why Kiki stands proud with its tiki motif. When walking in, Why Kiki gives off all the clear signs that you’re in a gay bar: platform stage for resident drag shows, mounted televisions playing Love Island, set pieces stolen from The Birdcage, chicken and penis-shaped waffles and let’s not forget the mechanical dick right at the ID check counter just waiting for another ride. Through all the “Oohs” and “Awes” that make Why Kiki unique, the main attraction is silent disco, taking place in the black-lit, laser tag basement — all you need is a pair of headphones. But be warned: the group laughter and squeaks from tennis shoes have been muffled by the obnoxious chuckles of an invasive species of frat bros.

Last but not least is Utah’s culturally significant huddle, The SunTrapp. This little brick building has a long-standing history, being the oldest gay bar in Salt Lake City, with its cozy dive couture and large back patio. Where some nights you might catch the tail end of whatever concert was cranked out of The Complex, you can also trust this bar to deliver an easy-going community for a quick brew and a good time with the people you love. Here’s a cheers to you, you fabulous facilities!

Read more of Associate Editor Alton Barnhart’s wild adventures:
Test of Taste: Food Challenges to Try and Stomach
Slingin’ Hooch: My 9-5 at the State-Owned Liquor Store

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