2/F No. 7 Lane 133, Linshen N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2523-3006. Japanese snack-style drinking bar popular with pandas (Asian bears) and their admirers. Open 9pm-5am. 林森北路133巷7號2F

XIMEN -- Red House

Red House, No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map, 2370-7833, email. Foreigner-friendly gay bar located at the Red House courtyard, in the heart of Taipei's hoppingest rainbow neighborhood. This al fresco bar is open during the day until late at night. Good music. Cocktails, coffee and more. 西門紅樓廣場

Red House, No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map, 2388-2069, email. This super-friendly bear bar uses the back of their business card to gather and pass personal info along to anyone you might fancy. Spearheading this social lubrication is Singaporean bon vivant, Donny, and his captain, Simon. This is a great place to get info on all things gay and bear in the city. They have a free brochure covering all the Red House businesses and the scoop (if not the skinny) on local goings-on. Mostly Taiwanese, Japanese and mainland Chinese patrons. 西門紅樓廣場 Utopia Member Discount

No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map. This heritage cultural complex houses a dozen or more gay, lesbian and queer-friendly bars. To get there take the Metro to Ximen, leave the station via Exit 1, and it's right in front of you. There are two floors. 1/F has a series of bars and restaurants starting with the Bear Bar and ending with Siam House. Between these you have, but to name a few, G Paradise, Mundan, Gaydar, Alleycats. Bear Bar is the biggest of this bunch. It sometimes has live music, and beer promotions are popular there. Some good advice on the local scene can be gained from a visit here. Siam House is more of a cocktails and coffee bar with an extensive selection of both. It has a small indoor area should the weather take a cold turn. This tends to attract a younger crowd who are always keen to practice their English language skills. And don;t overlook the venues on 2/F. A small, friendly little bar called F2 Room is karaoke style, but not too loud, and its mixed, friendly crowd make this worth a visit. Red House has a few negative points: the prices are a little more expensive in this district, but lots of 2-for-1 deals are available, which can even things out. It is mainly al fresco and can get cold and wet in the winter, so wrap up well. Some of the bars have no toilets and this means a walk to public bathrooms. Lively most nights and packed on weekends. The partying runs into the wee hours. 西門紅樓廣場

Comments from Utopians:

"If you're looking for shopping and places to eat you should try the Red House district. It's not the cheapest place, but it's stylish, cute, trendy and there are many, many selections." -- aldpaco, Apr 13, 2011

"Yes, the Red House area has many bars and is cool place to go if it is not raining and not too cold." -- edwardlp2, Mar 9, 2011

"Red House is indeed full of gay-owned bars, but it is far from a 'hot' gay scene. Mainly groups of friends (lots of women) and not busy on a Sat night between 9 and 11pm. Even one of the bar owners told me that there is no real bar scene and that real gay action takes place in the clubs." -- piliferous, Sep 6, 2010

"The area behind the Red House near Ximen station is certainly a gay space, full of groovy, gay-friendly restaurants and small, outdoor bars. However, based on my experience at 11ish on a pleasant Fri night, I don't think you could call it a "hot spot." This is not the place to go if you're alone and looking to meet someone. The area seems to be more geared towards groups of friends and couples. I was quite bored, and a young man who had gone earlier in the evening later told me that he had found the area quite 'dead.' If you're looking to party or meet someone, best head to one of the clubs." -- cyrc_84, Aug 18, 2010

OTHER AREAS

3/F 63 Tian-jin St, 2511-3548. Opposite Cheng Du. 天津街63號3樓

3/F 68 Tian-jin St, 2536-7377. Opposite Asakusaya. 天津街68號3樓

2/F No. 7, Sec. 2 Jinshan South S Rd (just south of Xinyi Rd, next to a Yoshinoya 24-hour Japanese restaurant), Utopia Map, email. Four fabulous floors -- this gay venue has it all: 1/F vegetarian restaurant and chill-out space, 2/F main bar and two lounge areas, 3/F dance space, and 4/F rooftop garden terrace. Trendy and very popular, this club gets warmed up before midnight and runs until the morning hours. Fri and Sat night minimum NT$300 cover charge. Japanese and English spoken. This is where westerners and those that like them go to hook up. 金山南路2段7號2樓

Comments from Utopians:

"Yes, on the weekend go to Fresh bar. Very busy then, but dead during the week, though." -- edwardlp2, Mar 9, 2011

No. 110, Hsinsheng N. Rd, Section 1 (between Chung Hsiao E. and Nanking E. Rd, on the west side of the street, beside the dry cleaners), Utopia Map. Extremeley difficult to see from the street. Small and a bit run down, but the bartenders and management (Big David and Small David) are super fun to chat with (in Chinese only). Crowded very quickly on weekends. Popular with Japanese and Taiwanese who like them, salarymen and 35yo+. 新生北路1段11號- 南京東路與長安東路間

B1, No. 10, Sec. 1, Hangjhou S. Rd, Utopia Map, 2394-2162. Popular gay club for over two decades, with an international crowd. Karaoke also. 杭州南路1段10號地下室

Comments from Utopians:

"Very popular place on the weekends." -- aldpaco, Apr 13, 2011

"Went to Funky on a warm Sat night at 11:30ish. The cover was NT$350, and included two beers (which they wanted to give me at the same time, for some reason). The place was super-packed! It's only one maze-like basement floor, with a dance floor at the center, coin lockers, and tables and stools around the endges for hanging out. A few women, but mainly guys there to meet and dance with other guys. The music was mainly Asian pop, with some Western pop mixes thrown in. I met Taiwanese and Japanese guys, and it's a crap-shoot whether you meet anyone who can speak English. I had a nice time." -- cyrc_84, Aug 18, 2010

B/F 33 Songjian Rd, Utopia Map, 2507-8186. A former partner in Funky has split and opened this similar concept dance club in Jul 2009. Time warp early-90s interior decor (lasers, black curtains) sans any retro irony. Taiwanese pop tunes. Very little English spoken by the staff. Careful on the steep entry stairway, especially if you've been drinking. 松江路33號地下室

B1 No. 8, Sec 1, Keelung Rd, Utopia Map, 2762-9246. Regular gay nights and events for the hardcore party goer. Can get very packed. 基隆路1段8號地下室，與南京東路交叉口

5/F No. 201, Jhongsiao E. Rd, Sec 4, Utopia Map, 095-590-4600. Situated in central Taipei close to the MRT. Similar to the old "2F". A stylish, big club with occasional gay nights and a mixed crowd on other nights. Admission prices vary but there is a good calendar of events on their website. 忠孝東路4段201號5樓 – 統領大樓

B/F 67 Lane 133, Linsen N. Rd, Jhongshan Dist, Utopia Map, 2543-1101. Karaoke lounge bar. 林森北路133巷67號地下室

2/F unit 7, No. 21 Lane 105, Jhonshan N. Rd, Sec 1 (next to Astor Hotel), Utopia Map, 2567-9039. Japanese drinking and karaoke bar. 中山北路1段105巷21號2樓 – 緊鄰林森北路亞士都飯店

B1F, No.8, Lane 39, Sec 2, Jhongshan N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2581-7068, 2542-9970 email. Just next to the Grand Formosa Regent Hotel. Gay karaoke lounge bar with Chinese, Japanese and English songs. Popular with bears. Closed Sun. 中山北路1段39巷8號地下室 Utopia Member Discount

B/1 3 Lane 416 Linsen N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2561-0592. Walk along a very small lane at the opposite side of Cosmed at the intersection of Linsen N. Rd and Jinjhou St. Look out for the entrance sign “membership”. A popular karaoke place drawing a very local crowd. 林森北路416巷3號地下室 – 近東光百貨路口附近