Saturday nights are busiest nights everywhere. Friday nights are also busy if not as much. Tuesday or Wednesday would be the busier for mid-week nights usually. Monday would  be the least busy day and mostly upper scale gay-clubs would be closed.

The gay bars and clubs would be more busy in winter season. Because local people also go on holidays to resorts in Southern Turkey, it gets more quiet in July and August and some of them close for a few weeks for renovating their decorations.

Most gay bars/clubs in Istanbul would ask for entrance fee on Saturday nights and sometimes on Friday nights, but you can get one "local drink" with your ticket. Gay bars are in fact not very cheap in Istanbul, so do not think that they are overcharging you for being a tourist. The price of one drink ranges approximately between 5-8 Euros for local drinks, 10-15 Euros for "imported drinks" such as Whiskey, Malibu, Safari, some cocktails etc.

BARBAHCE   23:00 - 06:00.  Open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Siraselviler Caddesi,  Soganci Sokak, No:7/1, Cihangir - Beyoglu. Closer to German (Alman) hospital, across from "Taksim Ilk Yardim" public hospital.
Very busy on Saturday nights as all other gay bars and clubs.  Recommended for those who would prefer to meet real gay people instead of rent boys. This is very much like a western gay club, almost with same attitudes, music, decoration etc and provides activities such as shows, dancing as well as concept nights at weekends. You may also see few lesbians.  Please note that anything you drink here whether a bottle of water or beer is priced the same. Export drinks are more expensive as in all other clubs.

 OTHERSIDE   22:00 - 04:00
Address: Istiklal Cad. Zambak Sk. No:2 Kat:5 Taksim,  Istanbul.
Otherside Club has moved to a new address in September 2009. A trendy bar that can sometime get busier before midnight in midweek days. It had a cafe & bar atmosphere at first but  now it was transformed into a typical loud after-midnight club especially on Fridays and Saturdays strangely located on the 5th floor. On certain nights, you can see Go Go boy, Drag Queen, Rakkas (male belly dancer) shows.

 TEK YON  (22:30-05:00)
Address:  Siraselviler Caddesi (street) No 63/1 Taksim/Beyoglu. Istanbul.
Already very popular gay club of Istanbul has moved to a new and much bigger place on Siraselviler on May 26th 2009 and has become the talk of the town where everybody is rushing to see.  Unfortunately they raised the prices only on the second week. (beer is 12 Lira, other local drinks are 14 Lira). Consequently it is getting less crowded especially during the week. It was once popular venue for local bears, it attracts a completely mixed crowd now.  The waiters are very feminine and friendly in this bar, probably to entertain their loyal clients. Male belly dancer and simple drag shows performed by the bar staff can be fun to see, usually on Tuesday nights after 01:00 am.

 CLUB PRIVE  23:00-04:00
Address: Tarlabasi Caddesi No: 28 Taksim, Istanbul.
It is very centrally located somewhere across the flower shops at Taksim square. Prive is the oldest of the present gay bars and clubs in Istanbul. It is a small venue usually busy  after midnight by 01:00 am, though the music starts at around 11:00 pm. It normally attracts a mixture of young and middle aged men, as well as gay-friendly/curious straight couples.  The major music is Turkish pop in the club.