Summers in Europe are becoming increasingly hot due to climate change with several southern popular tourist destinations being hit by heat waves and forest fires. Coolcations in northern destinations are becoming increasingly popular. Maybe an idea for the planning of your next gay vacation? I went to Stockholm to refresh. I was mainly curious about what the Sweden’s capital has to offer to LGBTQIA+ tourists. The Scandinavian country has a gay-friendly reputation, taking a top 10 place in the 2026 Rainbow Map of ILGA Europe alongside the other Scandinavian countries. But is Stockholm really hot as gay destination? It was time to take the temperature in person!
Stockholm has a lot to offer for people who like to go out. But I was always told to eat properly first before leaving for a long night out.
Sweden has many qualities but in my view foodwise the country doesn’t really stand out. The food is decent, don’t get me wrong. But Sweden can’t compete with the food culture in some other European countries.
Swedish fast food
Fast food chains and restaurant chains you can find all over the world have taken over much of the city. No problem if you want to stuck to the fast food you already know. There are restaurants to be found of Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Five Guys, and so on.
But if you are going to eat fast food, why not go to a Swedish chain? I am talking about Max. They actually opened their first burger restaurant already in the late 1960s. The food looks and tastes similar to what you may find in an American fast food restaurant.
The restaurant’s approach to fast food is different though, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. Max has many plant‑based options and it analyses the food’s climate impact along the whole supply chain from farmer to guest.
It’s a famous brand in Sweden, which makes Max a fierce competitor of the American fast food chains.
Suck on those balls
Stockholm does have more to offer than just fast food. I did try some typical Swedish dishes. On my first day in the city I went to Stockholm Fisk, a quality fish restaurant near Stockholm Central Station.
I ate some grilled salmon with a bleak roe hollandaise sauce and it was delicious. A salmon dish more associated with Sweden is of course cured salmon, which is also on the menu there.
I liked the restaurant so much that I decided to go back at the end of my holiday. That time I ordered köttbullar, meatballs made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork that most people know from their visits to the IKEA cafeteria back home. But this comes with a warning: if you have eaten köttbullar in Fisk Stockholm, you might not like the IKEA ones that much anymore. What they served in the restaurant at Vasagatan was really good quality.
Of course there are many other restaurant options. If you are not sure where to go, asking a local for his favorite restaurant is never a bad idea.
House of Q
With a full stomach, I had the energy to properly explore the gay scene. I visited a few gay places and restaurants, but what I am about to write is of course not a complete list of LGBT bars and clubs in Stockholm. It’s only fair to only write about places that I have actually been to myself.
House of Q is probably the most queer venue I visited. It describes itself as “a vibrant, entirely modular hub for art, culture, nightlife and more, bringing culture to life.” It’s located in Värtahamnen, a port in Stockholm mostly known for its passenger ferries.
House of Q is in a building with several floors containing lounges, a restaurant, a main stage and a rooftop. The building also houses the Archives and Library of the Queer Movement.
The venue hosts a variety of activities: parties, exhibitions, art fairs, drag brunches, dance performances …
Queer cabaret
I personally went there for the Queer cabaret, a burlesque and drag open-stage that happened to take place during my visit. Burlesque artist Zizi Buffet hosted the show.
The artists of the night (Miss Fuego, Luna Lotto, Miss Suzie Sans Culotte, Ann Archy, Ceviche de Chocho, Lexie de’Lux, Lulu Sinnation, Pussling, Siggi Ciggarette and Henrik Wenne) gave a wonderful show.
It was kind of refreshing to see artists of all shapes and sizes transform their bodies into artworks. I wish I would see more of this kind of body positivity in the LGBT community.
They had to pull in extra chairs because of the success of the Queer cabaret. There was something electric in the air that I don’t always experience at queer activities. I am curious to revisit House of Q on my next Stockholm to see what more they have in store.
Side Track
I also had some Swedish beers at a pub called ‘Side Track’. Being a train manager skipping a gay bar with a railway themed name simply wasn’t an option!
Side Track isn’t that big. It has a small terrace whilst the bar itself is situated underground.
Its decoration is a bit old fashioned, giving the pub a homely appeal. I loved the little cock statues on the wall, the disco ball in the ceiling and the nice drawings promoting the specials with literary and naughty names (‘Lord of the Cockrings’, ‘The Cunt of Monte Cristo’, ‘Moby’s Dick’, ‘Madame Horeri’).
Side Track is an ideal bar for drinks in the early evening before heading to a late night venue.
Party boat
One of those venues is Patricia, a party boat and late night club. I know what I am talking about. When I came in at 22 pm there was hardly any people there. The bartenders explained me that the night club most of the time only starts to become really busy after midnight. Some bars in Stockholm close early. People then head to late night venues afterwards, like to Patricia.
While Patricia isn’t an exclusively gay venue all week, it is a massive mainstay for the local gay community on Sundays. And the venue also hosts specific gay parties.
Sex, drugs and alcohol
The boat came on my radar via the Swedish gay Netflix-series ‘Tore’. In this quirky tragicomedy drama the main character Tore (played by William Spetz) slips into the adult world of sex, drugs, and alcohol, after having lost his father. It puts him in bizarre situations. Luckily he finds a place of belonging, a gay club in a boat. That’s where Patricia appears as a filming location for several scenes.
In all truth the venue is quite intriguing. They have a small casino, a restaurant, a lounge, a party floor and a karaoke floor. The view from the deck is nice with several famous Stockholm buildings in the background. That certainly adds to the appeal of the club.
Karaoke night
I have mostly enjoyed the karaoke part. Being a solo traveler going out on your own is always a hit and miss. Sometimes you end up having fun with people you don’t know, sometimes the connection isn’t there. Luckily it was the first in this case.
As soon as the young partygoers noticed I was not shying away from performing a song after having given my best possible (but still horrific) version of ‘Believe’ by Cher, they pulled me along to perform other songs with them. We only stopped singing in the morning.
Dark but just a game
A last venue I checked out was gay fetish club SLM Stockholm. It’s a non-profit members club and cruising bar for the gay community. Make sure to register for a membership via their website before visiting the bar and check-out if there is a dress code on the night of your visit so you can dress accordingly.
From the outside you wouldn’t expect this to be a fetish club. The entry looks like a sort of garage gate so make sure not to walk past it on your first visit.
Although obviously the gay fetish community in Sweden isn’t huge in numbers, the nights at this bar attract a nice crowd. It was busy when I visited, even though I visited Sweden at a time when most inhabitants are leaving for a holiday abroad themselves.
It’s a cruising bar so expect things that are dark but just a game. I know one thing: this bar certainly is up to the level of other European gay fetish bars like The Boots, The Eagle and New Action.
The list goes on
My general impression of Stockholm gay life is that it offers a nice variety of parties, venues and bars, each with their own outspoken character. Besides the general gay life, there is of course Stockholm Pride which always attracts a massive turnout of both Swedish and international guests.
Like I said, the above isn’t a complete list. You can also visit Secret Garden, Haralds Bar and Moxy Stockholm. I you have visited those or if you have other suggestions for going out, feel free to comment.
Your disco needs you!
Sadly, like in many other European cities, Stockholm has seen a couple of gay venues disappear in recent years. It seems an international trend that whilst big events are thriving many gay bars are struggling to stay profitable.
So don’t take these places for granted. Give them a visit and make sure they stay open for all to enjoy. Or like Kylie would say: Your Disco Needs You!