Best Gay Bars in San Jose, Costa Rica: the majority of the gay bars in San Jose are centred within a small gay scene in central San Jose with venues like El Teatro and La Avispa being particularly popular.
If you are flying to Costa Rica, you are likely to be flying in it’s capital, San Jose and like any country, if there is going to be a gay scene it is going to be the biggest in the capital city.
I think it is worth spending the weekend in San Jose and experiencing the gay scene first, before moving on to other popular tourist hotspots. There are a lot of gay bars in San Jose to check out first!
The city is relatively modern and is said to be one of the safest cities in the region. I felt perfectly safe while we were here and at night, used Uber to be extra safe.
For a complete and detailed guide to Costa Rica as a whole, head over to my guide, Gay Travel in Costa Rica.
Gay Bars in San Jose, Costa Rica
I had one of the craziest gay nights out yet in San Jose.
A lot of the gay bars in San Jose have the concept that you pay your entry fee and then its an open bar until late (which can be somewhat dangerous if like me you are a lightweight!).
Here is my list of gay bars and clubs in San Jose:
El Teatro Nightclub
This is another large gay club in San Jose, perfect for dancing the night away.
Here you can expect to find drag shows, themed nights such as Glitter & Glam and then dedicated night to celebrities Beyonce and Demi Lovato.
This costs $15-$20 to enter depending on the night and the time you arrive but includes an open bar.
Crowd: Mostly younger mixed crowd
Music: Pop, house, electronic, remixes
Location: Av 16, San José, 10103
La Avispa
This is a long running (since 1979) gay bar and disco in San Jose.
It plays diverse music, runs shows, and special events. On Sundays it has Latin evenings!
Crowd: Mixed crowd
Music: Salsa, samba and merengue and pop chart hits
Location: Calle 1, Avenida 8 & 10, San José, Costa Rica
Oráculo, Bar and Grill
This is one of the more risqué clubs you will find in San Jose. Its open every night.
Crowd: Mixed ages.
Music: Mixed (People probably don’t go for the music)
Location: Calle 11, Av 8 & 10, upstairs
Pucho’s
This place is said to be a lot of fun and definitely worth a visit, with pretty boys and reasonable drinks prices. This is one of the main gay dancer clubs in San Jose so there are no photos are allowed inside which helps create a more relaxed and open vibe.
El 13
In the daytime this place is a café. During the night it becomes a trendy upscale dance club and lounge. They have shows and themed parties.
Crowd: Trendy young mixed.
Location: Avenida 14, Calle 9
Club Venue
Now permanently closed.
Bocho (Bo Club)
Now permanently closed.
Buenas Vibraciones
This was a Lesbian-owned bar but is now permanently closed.
I was surprised by the number of gay bars in San Jose, I had no idea that (overall) Costa Rica had such a thriving and welcoming gay scene – I will be back for more!
Please let me know if any new bars open!