Oilcan Harry’s
Gay night club · Warehouse District ·
Legendary gay bar with phenomenal drag shows & theme nights
Legendary gay bar with phenomenal drag shows & theme nights
"A longtime downtown gay bar that has shifted from pure nightlife to a community hub, hosting a standing-room-only weekly show called LegiSLAYtion and Liberation where a drag performer uses PowerPoint to break down national and local LGBTQ+ news and legislation. Recent presentations covered topics such as the federal transgender military ban, the history of drag and trans people in the military, a viral congressional speech, a Boston restroom incident, cuts to the LGBTQ+ suicide and crisis line, how to change name and sex markers on passports, and updates on anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the Texas legislature including HB 1106 — which passed the same night. The events blend education and entertainment, with drag dance numbers, activist guidance from an ACLU representative, and an animated crowd exchanging ways to get involved, reflecting the bar’s role as both refuge and organizer in a tense political moment." - Lane Gillespie
"Austin’s longest-running LGBTQ venue, Oilcan Harry’s has a reputation synonymous with queer entertainment. For over 30 years, the downtown bar has hosted numerous dance parties and performances featuring drag royalty and emerging drag stars. Check out the surprisingly generous outdoor patio and grab a $3 domestic beer or well drink during happy hour, which lasts from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends." - Lane Gillespie
"A staple club on Austin’s drag and nightlife scene where performers like Basüra work, Oilcan Harry's represents the kinds of venues—alongside others in the city—whose programming and bookings may be impacted by SB12 and its ambiguous definitions of sexually oriented performances." - Eric Webb
"I noted Oil Can Harry’s among the longtime Southern California queer spaces that have closed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, an example of the persistent loss of vital community venues." - Mona Holmes
"Opened in 1990 by co-owner Larry Davis, this long-running gay bar has served as a central community hub for decades and bills itself as gay-owned and operated with friendly staff, strong drinks, and lively music and videos. It briefly closed in fall 2018 but remains a neighborhood fixture. A proposed mixed-use tower at 201–213 West Fourth Street would demolish its current building, though the developers have proposed reintegrating the bar at street level in the new building with a 25-year lease and arranging a temporary location during construction. Owners say they are working with developers to avoid displacing the community; public reaction has been mixed and often skeptical, and the plan is under review by the Historic Landmark Commission." - Nadia Chaudhury