Badlands Portland

Literally the first time I went there on Feb 27th, my Tinder date ghosted me the morning after and I got COVID. So not the greatest first impression, BUT the music was the best part of all of it. 9/10 will be going there again when I'm feeling better and I get my next booster shots 🩵

One of my absolute favorite LGBT+ venues in Portland. I have met so many cool people here, and have watched some truly AMAZING performances. Check your coat, get a cold drink, and dance till you drop!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Was a lot better when it first opened but it might as well not even be considered a gay bar anymore. It’s overrun by straight girls. Also the music is great if you want to hear Last Friday Night by Katy Perry twice every time you’re there.

Drinks are ok, not the greatest. Food is typical snacky fried food. Atmosphere is pretty cool and the dancing was a lot of fun. The service was ok, but only having one bartender made getting drinks take more time than desired.

The Badlands truly gave me my life. 🌟 After not stepping foot in a club in over 15 years—and having once worked in clubs myself—I can honestly say this was an experience that reminded me of everything a great nightlife space should be. The staff treated me with the utmost respect, and even the patrons carried that same warmth. The energy was fabulous, the atmosphere vibrant, and the sense of community was undeniable. Having been away from the scene for so long, I couldn’t have asked for a better return. Thank you, Badlands, for showing me that joy, respect, and celebration still live strong on the dance floor.

Great hangout for queers. Separate bar area/pool/ hangout area from dance floor and another walled off hangout area. Clean bathrooms, friendly staff. We went on Sunday just to check it out, at like 9pm and had to pay $10 for the back area/dance floor because there was a show…but the show wasn’t until 0030 😵‍💫

On Valentine’s day my friend and I both ended up in the emergency room after what we are fairly certain was us being roofied at some point. I got kicked out and cut off because I could barely stand or function and have no memory of most of the night. My friend also collapsed in the bathroom shortly after. We were both fine having fun and we both did a complete 180 around the same time and blacked out very rapidly. After looking at some of the reviews and also speaking to other people it seems like a common occurrence here unfortunately. I loved Badlands but I’m not sure I will ever come back after this experience.