Gay and Lesbian

Any examination of gay and lesbian nightlife in Savannah [1] must of course begin with Club One Jefferson (1 Jefferson St., 912/232-0200, www.clubone-online.com [2]) of Midnight fame, with its famous drag shows, including the notorious Lady Chablis, upstairs in the cabaret, and its rockin’ 1,000-square-foot dance floor downstairs. Cabaret showtimes are Thurs.–Sat. 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., Sunday 10:30 p.m. and Monday 11:30 p.m. Call for Chablis’s showtimes. As with all local gay nightclubs, straights are more than welcome here.

A friendly, kitschy little tavern at the far west end of River Street [3] near the Jefferson Street ramp, Chuck’s Bar (301 W. River St., 912/232-1005, www.myspace.com/chucks_bar [4], Mon.–Wed. 8 p.m.–3 a.m., Thurs.–Sat. 7 p.m.–3 a.m.) is a great place to relax and see some interesting local characters. Karaoke at Chuck’s is especially a hoot, and they keep the Christmas lights up all year.

Though technically it doesn’t market itself as a gay and lesbian venue, Venus de Milo (38 MLK Jr. Blvd., 912/447-0901, Mon.–Sat. 4:30 p.m.–3 a.m.) is historically a favorite gathering place for the community. It’s also by far the best wine bar in Savannah [1], with an excellent selection of all varietals.

Blaine’s Back Door (13 E. Perry Lane, 912/233-6765, www.blainesbar.com [5], Mon.–Sat. 2 p.m.–3 a.m.) is the closest thing in Savannah to the classic East Village or West Coast gay bar, with lots of pictures of muscular men in various degrees of undress on the wall, and a small but active dance floor.