Guide to LGBTI Dating in London

Dating is hard. But when you belong to the LGBTI dating community and live in a big city like London, it gets even harder. Dating in London can sometimes have its pros and cons. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the best ways you can meet your fellow LGBTI soulmate in London.

LGBTI Offline Dating

Meetups are one of the most popular ways to meet new people and finding the person that you have something in common with through hobbies and interests. The best way to find a Meetup that will suit your own community is to head to Meetup.com - no matter what interest you have, you’ll be able to find at least a dozen of other people that share the same views.

You can also find plenty of speed dating events, including the quirky 28GaysLater organisation. The events mostly cater to gay men, however, you can find thousands of LGBTI members on Meetup.

LGBTI Dating Apps

One of the most popular methods of LGBTI dating in London is through apps. In a city where most people have a 9-5 job, it’s extremely common to meet someone and get to know them through texts before meeting in person. This, of course, has its pros and cons, but if you’re shy when it comes to talking in person from the get-go, dating apps can be pretty beneficial.

Tinder

Contrary to the popular belief that Tinder is only aimed at straight people, you can actually find plenty of people from the LGBTI community. Out of all apps mentioned in this article, Tinder is the one where most people are only looking for short-term dating or just one night adventures. Or threesome invites. Seriously, so many threesome invites.

Grindr

Grindr is known as the hookup app for gay men, however, in late 2017 it was finally announced that the app opened its doors to all members of the LGBTI community. The app is still in early stages of promoting itself to other communities, but for now it still remains one of the best LGBTI dating apps for gay men.

Bumble

Often overlooked and considered an app for straight people, Bumble is a slightly more friendlier version of the good old Tinder. The app caters just about everyone, including gay women. It’s easy to use and simple to message. The only downside is that you absolutely have to turn on your notifications as you have a limited time to reply and message someone first.

OKCupid

OKCupid is one step above the others - meaning you can also use it as a regular website. The app clearly filters who’s showing up on your feed, meaning you can only see people that belong to your own community if you choose to do so. It allows you to answer personality and lifestyle-related questions and then creates potential matches based on your scores. It’s quite popular with the crowd and aimed at those looking for long-term partners.

Her

Her connects women to their community. But although it appears to be a regular dating app on the outside, it’s much more than that on the inside. Along with dating, you can also enjoy community groups and events, allowing you to find the group you belong to.

LGBTI Clubbing

LGBTI clubbing in London is a complex thing to do, especially if you are using it for dating - because let’s be honest, settling down and dating long-term rarely happens if you meet someone in a club for the first time. But since it’s by far one of the most popular things to do in London, we should definitely talk about the top 5 clubs where you can meet and party with like-minded people.

We should note that there’s been a significant lack of lesbian-only bars in London and many members of the community mainly visit She Bar or attend women-only events as they appear in other clubs.

Heaven

One of the most popular clubs in town is without a doubt Heaven. Although often catered to gay men, Heaven is also a popular destination for gay women and other members of the LGBTI community. The venue, spread across two floors, also features live events - it’s a perfect night out if you’re looking to sing your hearts out and have a good time.

She Bar

If you’ve been living in London for a while, you probably noticed that the city closed down tons of lesbian-only bars, which makes clubbing and dating in the city a bit harder. But She Bar still stands - and unlike Heaven, the bar also holds community events like Single Mingle, Karaoke, and plenty of other single-friendly ways where you can meet like-minded people.

Ku Bar

She Bar is owned by Ku Bar, an award-winning bar, catered to gay men. It’s known for having absolutely excellent nights out and a fun atmosphere no matter when you come in. Along with good music, you can also find plenty of non-clubbing events here that help bring the community together.

G-A-Y Bar

By far one of the most popular bars in London is G-A-Y. Focused on the community, G-A-Y allows the LGBTI members to enjoy plenty of events where they can get to know each other as well as meet some of their favourite gay icons. The club is also a popular gig spot and a place to see everyone’s favourite Ru Paul’s Drag Race contestants.

LGBTI Offline Dating

LGBTI Dating Apps

LGBTI Clubbing

And that's it! What's your LGBTI dating experience been in London?

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