Permanently Closed – The Glory
London’s Leading Queer Venue & Performance MeccaAverage Reviews
About
The Glory Bar in London is the go-to spot if you're in the mood for a wild night with a fabulous drag show. This place is not just a bar; it's a full-on experience. Owned by legends Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, The Glory is a drag queen's dream and a hotspot in the LGBTQ+ scene.
Picture this: you walk in, and the vibe is just electric. The staff? They're not just bartenders; they're artists, performers, and the ultimate insiders on where the party's at in London. They might even be in full drag, serving looks along with drinks. And the shows? Out of this world! We're talking about epic drag battles and artsy events almost every night.
Weekends are when The Glory really shines. It transforms into this buzzing club with two floors of non-stop music and surprises. Drag surprises, DJs – the works. And if you're lucky, you might catch their famous LIPSYNC1000 contest or the drag king battle MAN UP. These are big deals in the drag world, with some seriously talented performers.
So, if you're ever in East London and looking for a place that's all about fun, inclusivity, and killer drag performances, The Glory is your spot. It's not just a bar; it's an experience, a community, and a heck of a good time.
Picture this: you walk in, and the vibe is just electric. The staff? They're not just bartenders; they're artists, performers, and the ultimate insiders on where the party's at in London. They might even be in full drag, serving looks along with drinks. And the shows? Out of this world! We're talking about epic drag battles and artsy events almost every night.
Weekends are when The Glory really shines. It transforms into this buzzing club with two floors of non-stop music and surprises. Drag surprises, DJs – the works. And if you're lucky, you might catch their famous LIPSYNC1000 contest or the drag king battle MAN UP. These are big deals in the drag world, with some seriously talented performers.
So, if you're ever in East London and looking for a place that's all about fun, inclusivity, and killer drag performances, The Glory is your spot. It's not just a bar; it's an experience, a community, and a heck of a good time.
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Reviews
Based on 493 reviews
Lorenzo Belenguer
16:48 30 Dec 23
Lypsinc 1000 was a night of drag performances like no other. Baby Lame, was the perfect host: witty, fast, and knew who was game, such as the amusing university lecturer, and who was not, sentive me. Unpalatable truths, by Cyro, atmospheric performances, by Paris Eatmall, and much fun, by Masc Peach. The legendary Glory is closing end January 24 - last chance! Beautiful and friendly staff and clientele 💙Russell Charles Hall
00:47 19 Nov 23
I love this place. But tonight I was given such agro by the doorman (who specifically refused to give me his name) that I had to leave. He just upset me so much with his unprofessional behaviour and giving me such a hard time. It was awful. He tried to apologie but it was so insincere it was worthless. I wanted to report him but he wouldn’t even give me his name.Alexander London
10:46 13 Nov 23
I have been to this place countless times over the past 7 years and every time I have a negative experience. The door staff always assume me (Gay British South Asian Cis-Man) and my Gay British South Asian Cis Male friends are straight, not once have I been there and they aren't aggressive and rude. The bar staff often echo this behaviour with white men being served first over Men of colour waiting before them. The frequent crowd here is also very hostile towards South Asian men. Like most of Londons gay venues they cultivate a hostile environment here where South asians are only wanted as performers for the entertainment of white patrons. Avoid at all costs!Angel
11:14 11 Nov 23
stood outside freezing in the queue for a whole hour before rude man at the door told us it was cash only, which wasn’t mentioned online anywhere. also an extremely rude, misogynistic, unnecessarily aggressive security man at the smoking area, who made me feel unsafe. avoid.Bill Bension
04:50 02 Nov 23
Horrible DJ this Tuesday on Halloween night. So bad she cleaned the floor by 11 pm. I usually love spending Halloween at the Glory, but will not be doing that again if this is their new DJ of choice.Laurent Maria
10:01 29 Oct 23
Great night at The Glory ! So many great costumes !!!! Big fan of this place ! Great staff, drinks, music ! I loved it !Steven Overman
09:48 29 Oct 23
Sweaty fun, no matter who you are. A welcoming, upbeat, literally glittering place that doesn't take itself too seriously but does take your happiness very seriously! You'll dance with strangers, make new friends, belt out Britney upstairs, groove to house in the basement... It's NYC's East Village in the 90s, or East London right now; it's hard to tell the difference here, and that, for me at least, is the joy of it.F T
17:25 18 Sep 23
Unless the bouncer is the owner of this place, he should not be working here! I can’t believe I’m reading soooo many reviews starting from 1 month to more than a year old all saying the same stuff about him!! In 2023 when there are sooo many queer bars & way more inclusive hetero bars, you should stop and do something about it!!!Gaffy Gaffiero
13:54 31 Aug 23
The Glory is heaven on earth. My favourite bar in the whole wide world. Definitely worth checking out if you're passing through Landan 💖Dimitris Vali
22:49 11 Aug 23
Cool place. The staff inside the bar was ok (to be honest we had to wait a bit long to get our drinks, although the place wss not that busy) but the guy in the entrance was really friendly.Ian P
21:36 09 Jun 23
Asking people to pay £10 in CASH at the door to get in. Babes it’s 2023 not 2003. You just stopped two possible new loyal customers joining your “inclusive” night of fun. Your bouncer suggested getting our cash out from Tesco express at the end of road. It wasn’t working. Whatever.Lefteris Anestis
21:36 09 Jun 23
Very rude and not welcoming staff at the door. Told us they only accept cash for entry in 2023 and the nearest Tesco ATM was not working. Waste of our time.Kieran Slorach
16:12 14 May 23
After the Lord Mayor’s show (well, Eurovision), a quiet Sunday afternoon is no time to judge #6 #36Dimitris Vali
22:46 11 May 23
Cool place. The staff inside the bar was ok (to be honest we had to wait a bit long to get our drinks, although the place wss not that busy) but the guy in the entrance was really lovely.Alaa H. Hindia
21:44 27 Apr 23
The bouncer outside (who saw me leave and come back in to order more) told me I can’t wait outside for my friends while they wrapped up so if you’re not inside paying £40+ for your drinks, you’re not welcome xZlatomir Kovachev
00:20 18 Mar 23
The music on the ground floor was ok, but the heat was unbearable. The underground floor was simply like a dungeon with mediocre music.Selchuk Emin
00:20 18 Mar 23
Couldn’t breathe inside. It was very nice music but music can’t replace air. Very, very crowded. And no air con.treasurelu
21:50 25 Feb 23
Used to be a good place... now they are taking the piss... charging £10 cash to get in even at 21:40... when the site says clearly its free to fet in before 22:00...Dimitris Ntarladimas
18:34 11 Feb 23
Glory was a blast! The live performances were brilliant, and the atmosphere was crazy fun. We had a great time dancing the night away. I highly recommend this place for a fun night out!Athina Papakosta
09:06 17 Jan 23
Really gotta modernise the door - ok, an entrance fee is charged at peak times but not accepting anything but cash is quite an inconvenience in 2022.Christine Asser
08:34 06 Jan 23
This is the best drama for 2022 with the best lead actress Song Hye KYo. The drama is teaching everyone a lesson and point to the law enforcing agencies atitude towards the weak and vulnerable in the sociaty. A lot of people have suffered silently in the hands of bullies that destroyed their lifes. The actors are excellent and the story line is excellentRose-Anne Wright
12:53 11 Dec 22
Myself and some friends were not allowed in last night under the guise of ‘not letting in large groups’ (there were 6 of us) - I have been to the glory previously with more than 6 people and this has never been an issue before. When I questioned this, we were told by the doorman that a group of our size would change the dynamics of the space, which felt very much like a roundabout way of saying that he didn’t believe that we were queer (4 out of the 6 of us are). When telling the doorman that this didn’t make sense, he very patronisingly told me that he’d never seen us before and reiterated that it was a queer space. It’s a real shame that another gay club has begun gatekeeping their spaces and behaving as though they are the arbiter of who is queer, disproportionately pushing queer women out of spaces where they should feel safe.eve caroline bolton
12:17 11 Dec 22
Bravo The Glory! Where would the LGBTQIA+ community be without such a fantastic doorman who ensures that queer women can't get into a safe space? The man on the door was very rude last night and made my friend, a queer woman cry not allowing her into her safe place. His excuse for not letting us in didn't make sense and I don't think he should be allowed to work on the door, a right nasty and snooty piece of work!Athina Papakosta
22:24 19 Nov 22
Really gotta modernise the door - ok, an entrance fee is charge in peak times but not accepting anything but cash is quite an inconvenience in modern times.Camille Munday
19:56 24 Oct 22
The best italian food I have ever had, and the BEST service. Our waiter Carlo was incredible.Sarah Crawford
14:55 09 Oct 22
Down to London visiting. Wanted to head to an LGBTQ bar in the city. Made our way to The Glory via taxi based on reviews.Got to the door and the guy outside asked if we knew what kinda bar this was then asked what our sexual orientation was in a very condescending manner. We ended up walking away. I am a bisexual woman and may not look it but I should not need to inform anyone if this. Would I be refused entry if I was straight? Disappointed.daniela lupasco
22:57 20 Aug 22
Downstairs you can't breathe, upstairs you can't actually hear the music. They don't refund even if you've been there just a minute. They don't give a receipt at the entranceChristopher oliver
23:13 30 Jul 22
Had heard good things so gave it a shot. Not sure if it was an off night but £10 entry (cash only hmmmmm wonder why? ) for a empty bar that stopped cocktails at midnight was a swizz!!!Daniel Taylor
01:15 30 Jul 22
My gosh.Unless you come here regular, be prepared to get ignored at the bar in favour of customers that know the barman or, he knows they're buying him a shot with every round. 3 people that came the bar after got served first, he was happy to down the shot while working, consequently, working slower every time, missing the glass with the ice and putting two lots into one, with that setting the mood....The hand and eye coordination with the ice just made the time tick by slower as he tried to balance it back out. You can feel your life draining away 🙈 doesn't help that the £10 at the door with no queue compared to great venues at the other end of the the road should have been a warning, the music was dated and the crowd for what it was, clearly fallen into comfort rather than quality, breaking out into a cheer when a tune that was only half decent 6 years ago comes on 🙈Glory, that's in its past unfortunately. Really doesn't know what it wants to be. Sticky pub tables and chairs at one end, Poundland glitter and tinsel at the other. Old school card machines not linked to the till made the experience even more lengthy at the bar as did bar staff cleaning the floor despite customers waiting and the manager getting a drink and retreating to the office.Don't make to much eye contact after waiting, it's like spilling his freebie and you'll wait longer.Mixed crowd, those too big for their Adidas T shirts through to the girls that would dance around their handbag but it's all shoulder pouches now and no need. Friendly though and emptied way ahead of its 3am closeIt's a small pub riding the new Shoreditch wave that is Dalston.Give it a miss unless it's the weekend and what you really want rather than a decent weekend night out, is one of those midweek half soaked tacky but harmless nights with the locals. I mean, I'm being nice 🙈Carlos parra
03:07 05 Mar 22
We got there at 1 am today and we waited for 1 hour to get in. The bouncer was really rude and at the end we left. I personally struggled to understand why they won’t give a F to let 10 ppl inside that if anything will consume more. It seems they are doing pretty good post Covid to let 10 customers to leave Just because . The bouncer was being extremely rude and although I can appreciate her job is difficult she was being rude to a point that what she was saying did not make any sense and make us feel uncomfortable. Not something you would expect to see from a LGBTQ+ environment. There was so much anger and resentment on this person. Sadly the result of this situation is that simply that i will consider going back to the glory. What is happening to this establishment? You need to be careful with the people you put on the front. They clearly don’t think about the overall business but just to get paid for the day. You cannot tolerate this type of Behavior. There was so much anger with people that she don’t even know. I’ve been in your place before but after this I will not come again. As other 10 ppl more and if you continue with this behaviour it will only increase in numbers . Sadly this is not the same type of safe environment i once’s felt proud to come. If the owner actually cares hopefully there is CCTV support that he can care to this about this woman at the entrance. Really disgusting. From today I will avoid the glory.Peter Roberts
22:05 02 Feb 22
Best gay bar in London. Inclusive, friendly, great music, good diverse crowd. Love!TF T
01:14 17 Jan 22
(Visited Aug 2021)A beguiling, alternative London gay bar. We didn’t feel cool enough but had a good time watching Drag-A-Long’s Wicked. The cocktail I ordered was mind-blowingly strong, haha.Toby Stewart
22:18 29 Nov 21
I went to this venue a week ago to see a friends performance at the Drag King event and I had a lovely time. The atmosphere was very welcoming and positive. The staff were very friendly and drinks were decently priced. Only downside is it gets packed especially upstairs which isn't great with the rise in Covid cases but this was an event. Maybe quieter nights don't have that as an issue but aside from that, I'd totally come back hereSali Mohsen M Hafez
01:26 29 Nov 21
Very nice place with great vibes, performances and crowd. The staff were really friendly and nice. I highly recommend it for saturday nights.Marta Rico
18:40 06 Oct 21
The Glory is a very nice queer space. I can't say the same about the management. We arrive two hours before the show to find a nice table and we the show was about to start they told us "you have to move". Thats not the best way to treat clients.alp oner
00:08 09 Aug 21
Personally we had great time in this place but won’t be supporting any business with covid passports. I care about this issue and it’s my money… they’re following a trend not evidence. The reason I chose UK as my second home was it’s libertarian values, won’t be a part of digital dystopian regulations sorry.Chris B.
16:44 08 Aug 21
I used to really like this place because of its alternative vibes compared to Soho however they're adapting de facto health passports system. As a principal...Barnaby Row
09:22 02 Aug 21
Great bar, friendly staff, drinks are reasonably priced — love it! Please could you turn the music in the seated bar area down a notch though?Several people on my table commented that we couldn’t hear each other speak. Then I struck up conversation with the person in front because they were closer than my friend and the first thing they said was “isn’t this volume insane?”We would’ve stayed for drinks after the show but didn’t see any point since we literally couldn’t socialise due to the music. This was last night at the Drag King competition on 02/08/2021, the music during the waiting periods between the parts of the show.I’m worried for the potential slow hearing loss among your staff having to contend with that volume on a near daily basis. My ears are still ringing this morning!sam Dickinson
14:35 04 Jul 21
Good show. Really badly organised bar. Took 50mins for drinks to arrive and even then you had to order multiple times by the app.Ellie Wagstaff
08:42 06 Nov 20
Rudest people working here ever. I rang three times to ask about upgrading from a table of 2 to a table of 4. The guy told me yes that's fine then when I asked how I do that he waited a few seconds an hung up. I rang back and he told me I didn't respond to him so I again asked how to do this, he AGAIN hung up! I phoned a third time to ask his name and he hung up again. I emailed too but shock horror no response. Luckily it has been cancelled due to Corona and I will not be buying here againLuke Hedges
11:59 23 Feb 20
Me and my boyfriend would have loved to have attended this venue and I am not one to vent anger over social media but two strikes has now caused me to express my anger!A while ago I attended this place and it was my first ever time here. My drink tasted quite watered down and I went to the bar to request a new one. The bar man decided to pick up a bottle of neat vodka pour it into a fresh glass down it and then come back to me to say it is fine at which point I was waiting for about 5 mins I couldn’t be bothered to argue what had just happened. That put me off wanting to come back if customer service is this bad.Several months later to this day we tried to get in last night. Got to the front door and it was £8 to get in. Me and the boyfriend explained that’s it seemed a bit excessive to pay that to get into the venue considering a lot of other venues in the area are letting in for free. The door staff rudely said “express it online not at us” I said to then “we understand it’s not you it is the management or decision makers fault” I said “no wonder gay venues are closing down because we have to pay lots of money to get into them” at which point the door staff shot us down with the phrase “don’t come in then” and we walked away!I know some venues have to charge that’s fine but to rudely be told to not come in if you don’t like it was a bit over the top!Twice I’ve had terrible experiences here! Please do support our gay venues but please be aware that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable in my sort of establishment.Mr. Aguiar
12:40 15 Dec 19
Such a fun place to see a show. The show was 15£ but totally worth it, we couldn't stop laughing.After the show the place turned into a disco with littles performances that keep you in the mood.And... If you are Spanish... They have MAHOU!!!!!! 🙂 🙂james young
12:58 16 Nov 19
Insane. Friday nights are up there with some of the best in London for me. Always had an amazing time either with just two of us or a group. The drag acts were hilarious, my ribs were sore. Music is epic and the DJ accommodating to most of my gfs questionable song choices. Dance, drink, sing and be happy at the glory. A bad night at the glory will be better than most pubs best nights.Anna T.
11:53 01 Jan 19
I liked this place on a week day, not too crowded and nice music. We could chat and have a few drinks.But on a Friday evening it was too much people for...Michelle B.
12:00 05 Apr 15
Ehhg. My friend said this was the new HOT spot in as far as the gay scene goes so a group of us hop foot it here after a birthday meal for a beer and a...Emily M.
17:22 25 Feb 15
Finally a good reason to go out again. You can sit and have a chilled out drink or you can watch some crazy tranny shows. Looking forward to going there again.
The Glory reviews from Google Maps, Yelp and WhereIs.Gay
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Today Closed UTC0
05:00 PM - 05:00 AM
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Monday
05:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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Tuesday
05:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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Wednesday
05:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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Thursday
05:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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Friday
05:00 PM - 05:00 AM
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Saturday
05:00 PM - 05:00 AM
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Sunday
01:00 PM - 11:00 PM
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