"I’m 21 and I love exploring places and sharing my reviews, so of course I had to check out Southern Nights Orlando, one of the most popular gay clubs in the city. Honestly, my experience was super fun and memorable.

The vibe here is amazing — full of energy, great music, and an atmosphere where you can really be yourself. I loved how inclusive the crowd was; everyone was just there to dance, have a good time, and enjoy the night. The drag shows were definitely a highlight for me. They bring so much talent, personality, and excitement to the stage.

What I really liked is that the club has different areas — you can dance in one room, chill outside on the patio, or just grab a drink and socialize at the bar. It gives you options depending on your mood. I spent most of the time dancing, and it was packed, but in a way that added to the fun.

Of course, when the place fills up, it gets pretty hot and crowded, especially near the stage. Also, the lines to get in can be long on the weekends, so my advice is to go a little earlier to avoid waiting too much. The bathrooms could be kept in better condition, but honestly that’s something I’ve seen happen in many busy clubs.

Overall, I’d rate Southern Nights Orlando a solid 9/10. The atmosphere, the music, the shows, and the sense of community really make it worth it. If you’re visiting Orlando or even if you live here and want to enjoy a night out in the LGBTQ+ scene, I 100% recommend checking this place out. You’ll have fun, meet people, and create good memories."

Daniel

"What a shame, I’ve been coming here since 2021 and have enjoyed every single time i’ve gone. I’ve brought so many friends and introduced them to queer nightlife in Orlando. Our last two visits have been extremely underwhelming, though. First and foremost, the bartenders and drag performers are amazing! This negative review does not apply to any of them, they work tirelessly to ensure we all have a great night. I have never once felt unsafe there either (granted I am very tall and without speaking to me, I’m very intimidating). Everything else, wow such a letdown.

My main complaint, and though it seems small, is kind of a big deal for night life. The music. Southern has always had amazing DJ’s, especially the nights I attend primarily (Thursdays). QR codes to tip the DJ’s to request songs, wide variety of club music, queer pop, and throwbacks. After the shows, the stage would be shoulder to shoulder with people. All of us dancing, having an amazing time. The music now feels like a major identity crisis. We may get one song that has all of us jumping, but then 4-5 songs where you see many just head bobbing and swaying. Not only that, the QR codes to tip for requests are non-existent. So at that point, the songs playing are really up to the DJ at that point. Truthfully have never been anywhere where the DJ doesn’t take requests, especially if we tip them. In addition, not the last time I was there, but the time before- The QR code was up. We tipped generously, and the songs never played. We even sent a follow up with another tip. Eventually, we go outside and ask the other DJ, said we would tip him, and he immediately played them. To pour more salt on the wound, I never got the money back, when the whole point of scanning that QR code is to send a tip to play a song you want.

Again, I know this sounds like a small complaint. Although, when it is 12am and there is virtually no one on the stage both times we have gone, that may be a sign that the switch up that occurred with the DJ’s and other changes may not be the best. The DJ’s are talented, don’t get me wrong, but they don’t match the vibe that has been curated for years before. I mean they played a trap remix of “Defying Gravity” 😭. My friend and I both agreed that we don’t see ourselves coming back, since this is now the second time we left much earlier than usual because we were not having fun.

Maybe this is a personal preference, and it could very well be, but when I compare to the many other times I have gone- It simply doesn’t even come close to how fun it has been. I hope management can make some changes that bring back the vibes that Thursday nights once had, but until then I don’t see myself choosing Southern as my number one choice for queer nightlife."

Ty Yoegel

"The girl collecting the tickets was very rude to me and my friends. It's awful that they let such a rude person interact with the public. I always go out partying at other places and I've never been treated like this. They should be nice, and if they don't like their job, they should just quit and find another one. We are not to blame for their bad mood because of work."

Jerry