NIGHT LIFE

Cardiff is known for its lively nightlife, which reaches its peak on St Mary street on a Friday and Saturday night. The gay scene is focused around Charles Street and Churchill Way - around ten minutes walk from each other, and Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay now offers an alternative to the city centre scene. Cardiff also has a several theatres, cinemas and is host to numerous festivals throughout the year.

Gay Nightlife:

Pulse
Churchill Way, Cardiff

Voted best Club in Wales by readers of the Pink Paper, Pulse (pictured above) is the perfect hangout to catch a glimpse of the good looking movers and shakers of Cardiff's vibrant gay scene.

Iris is thrilled to be working with Cardiff's most popular gay club, which will be the place to be after the cinemas are closed to hang out with the festival audience, talk film, or maybe just have a few cocktails and let down your hair.

Other gay venues in Cardiff include:

WOW Bar
4 Churchill Way
Located directly accross the road from Pulse making Churchill Way the new gay destination.

THE KINGS
10 Churchill Way
Cardiff's newest gay bar open 7 nights a week from the team behind Pulse. 

Golden Cross Pub
282 Hayes Road
Originally a girlie-bar for sailors in the 19th century coal boom, the Golden Cross is now one of Cardiff's most popular gay venues. Regular entertainment includes local and international drag acts, strippers and a traditional pub quiz. Food is served until early evening in generous quantities - the good value Sunday roast has become a Welsh gay family institution.

King's Cross
25 Caroline Street
This popular gay bar closed for the last time on Saturday 10 September 2011. Very sad.

Bar Icon
60 Charles Street
Sometimes referred to as "the swishest gay bar outside London".

The Eagle
39 Charles Street
A new bar on the scene, catering to bears, leather and uniforms!

Club X
35 - 39 Charles Street
The largest gay and gay-friendly venue in Cardiff. The club features two dance floors, three bars, a games rooms and a covered garden terrace. Fusion room plays hard-house, dance and pop, or the Camp room plays disco classics and party music. Karaoke and drag queens add to the entertainment.

Minskys
42 Charles Street
Cardiff's only cabaret bar that specialises in drag queen shows. Shows are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but the bar and lunchtime restaurant are open all week.

Other Cardiff Hotspots…

Milgi Lounge
213 City Road
A relaxing and contemporary setting for Video Art, coffee, wine, cocktails, exotic beers, Tapas and dinner. A new addition to the Cardiff scene and one of the more popular amongst the capital’s bright young things.

Buffalo
11 Windsor Place
Located across two floors, Buffalo rates amongst one of the more popular and chilled out night spots in Cardiff.

Ten Feet Tall
11a - 12 Church Street
Following on from the success of Buffalo, it's owners have enlisted the help of Lee Broom, of award-wining London based design firm Makilee to design their second venue 10 Feet Tall, a new 3 storey independent café bar and live music space.