Visit Your Local Black Gay Bar

A couple weeks ago my friend Eric mentioned he wanted to visit black gay bars. Most of my friends know I spent considerable time in black and hispanic gay bars when I first arrived in DC, as I felt more comfortable there prior to my DC cultural assimilation. Coming from south Louisiana, the music, energy, and people of these clubs matched my internal temperature. Unfortunately, I haven’t met many other gay white men who feel the same way.

I played house with a guy for a few years and stopped going to clubs entirely, and never returned to these clubs after reclaiming my singlehood. Many friends voiced interest in accompanying me to Bachelor's Mill or Delta Elite, but no one ever followed through. I didn't want to go a Northeast bar solo, so I didn't go. I figured this latest request would meet the same fate, but happily I was wrong, as my friends took hold of the idea with curious wonder, if not an understandable amount of apprehension that accompanies a departure from your comfort zone.

The evening finally arrived and my party was late for departure, so when the clock struck 11:15 I figured the worst. I called my friends and asked if they would rather check out BeBar, where two from our party had already defected--not so secretly unwilling to risk an unfamiliar adventure. Eric told me he couldn't mentally or physically handle another Saturday night at BeBar, so we set out with two friends to Bachelor's Mill in Southeast, and then Delta Elite in Northeast.

Black gay clubs are probably different from what you are accustomed to if you are a caucasian gay male. Here are a few things you will probably notice:

1) You may see transgendered people or effeminate men at these clubs, but you are more likely to find men who project a masculine image. It's a cultural thing I don't feel prepared to discuss. Maybe one of you want to take a crack at it.
2) Men in these clubs are typically not as affectionate with one another as I've witnessed in predominantly white gay clubs. I've never seen anyone openly derided for affection, but affection always seems proportionally less fequent than stoicism.
3) Sexually, men in these clubs probably don't want anything to do with your white ass. Not all, of course, but it's easy for a white guy to feel like that straight girl at Cobalt. Don’t take it personally.
4) The drinks are STIFF. We’re talking the equivalent of 3 to 1 as measured against the trinity (Town/Cobalt/Apex) yet they cost the same. Almost undrinkable, but they do get you fucked up.
5) Cover is steep. Bachelor’s Mill is $10 on a Saturday night, Delta Elite is $15.
6) There are many black people there. If you are not accustomed to being the only white person in the club, relax. Consider it a good opportunity to understand how they might feel.

Here are the particulars of each club:
Bachelor’s Mill (website)
-Bachelor's Mill is easy to access by metro. I recommend taking the blue line to Eastern Market (as you would go to Remingtons), then walking straight down 8th street past the restaurants and shops, and passing under the bridge. The club is located one block past the bridge, near the marine barracks. You can also get there by walking 5 blocks from Navy Yard.
-You will be scanned for weapons upon entering the club. Don't let this intimidate you. People are friendly, and in over a dozen visits I've never had a problem with anyone.
-The music is well above average. On the main dance floor Friday is non-stop disco and Saturday you can hear (earlier in the evening) soulful remixes of songs from the likes of Marvin Gaye or Angie Stone, with house music taking over after midnight. The smaller dance floor plays hip-hop. Upstairs, the mill has a huge (and much quieter) carpeted lounge the size of BeBar, with ample seating and pool tables.

Delta Elite (Website)
-Delta Elite is also metro accessible, with a metro no more than two blocks from the club, which resides in a strip mall complex. However, I’ve never taken the metro because Delta doesn’t close until 5am. These days it doesn’t get hopping until 2:30-3:00 AM, so the metro isn’t much use. Me and the guys got there an hour too early, so we ended up hanging out at the take-out next door and wolfed down half a fried chicken and a pizza. We had a party right there in the take-out, and it was awesome. It’s also tough to catch a cab in the neighborhood, so either call one or use a car. Considering the strong pours from behind the bar, a designated driver is recommended.
-Why bother with the late start, the difficult directions, and the tranport logistics? The best music in town. Period. I don’t really care for house music, but the upstairs DJ never dissapoints. We didn’t get to dance upstairs while we were there (we were in the basement, where they play hip-hop in a room with a ceiling low enough for a tall man to touch with his palms), but I hear from several sources that the music is still consistently amazing.

We all had one of the best nights of the year thus far, and all want to go back. However, I should mention that the friends who accompanied me were half-Fillipino, Persian, and Chinese-Jamaican, respectively. The two people who bailed on us because they lost their nerve, were white. Fear of a black gay planet? I assure you it isn’t necessary. If you can shelve your fear (from whatever root it has grown), you can have a great time among DC’s vibrant African-American gay community.