The Rainbow Cactus

Rainbow Cactus is a gay bar that my coworkers are I went to recently. We had just wrapped up a divisional outing dinner at Guangdong Taste across the street and some of the guys and gals were down to get drinks. We looked around, and the colored letters of Rainbow Cactus happened to catch our eye. We thought, why not? LolWe walked in; bartender greeted us warmly. He checked our ID's (doesn't matter if you're drinking or not) and got a tab started. Happy hour drinks were pretty cheap. Inside, the décor was...interesting. It certainly seemed like more than one person came up with the design and layout of the bar and dance floor. There were 2 pool tables, ATM in the corner, well-stocked bar, several high tables, a separate smoking room, and a dance floor where they also held performances for drag queens and karaoke.About an hour since we settled in, a woman came around and told us that on Thursdays, they have karaoke night, as well as, their weekly pool tournament, no $$ necessary to buy in and cash prizes for the top winners! 3 of my friends and I participated in this tournament. Looking around the room and watching some of the players there, you could tell who was a shark and who was just there to mess around and have a good time. What I found surprising was everyone there, despite being competitive, were all very good natured and respectful. Some of the old timers even gave my inexperienced friends pointers throughout their respective matches. Our experience at Rainbow Cactus was a pleasant surprise. We loved the overall energy of the place and how everyone there was so nice. We all agreed that we would come back in the future on Thursday evenings for more pool and drinks!

Great place, good times, no pressure. This is a good local fun spot to let your hair down. Come as you are or dress to impress, no judgement either way. My first and I come here from time to time and the shows are always a blast.

Yet again, their drinks have done it to me. I went just to go out with a couple of my girlfriends, and I got so tore up- their drinks are deceptively strong, so be careful!!

I think that my experience will hover somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars.Since this probably one of the few LGBT bars in Hampton Road, it seems that everyone from all walks of life converges at the Rainbow Cactus. The bar is kind of general so there is something for everyone to like. Would I like to go to the Cactus every week? No. But, it is great to visit from time to time. I think my last visit to Rainbow Cactus was two or three years ago. From my understanding, every night has a different theme and Friday is the best night to go. We visited on a Wednesday, which was more of a hangout kind of night with some go-go dancers. I thought the go-go dancers could have been a little more . . . exciting. It seems that all of them watched Magic Mike before coming out onto the stage. They all pretty much repeated all of the same moves. Also, the dancers seemed to cater more to the women in the audience. But, hey? I guess you go to where the money is. Honestly, I prefer to spend my money on booze so this was not a deal breaker for me. Unlike most bars, the Rainbow Cactus has an indoor smoking area on the other side of the bar. The music is this area is not too loud, so you can chat with people without having to scream and yell. My bartender, Emit, was pretty friendly and made our drinks pretty strong, so not complaints on that end.

It was 20 mins to closing. I went to the bar to ask for a cup of water to help sober up. The bartender told me they can only offer me a bottle of water for $2.50. I verified with them what they were saying, and they confirmed. I can honestly say that is a very shitty rule, not looking in gout for the community and only looking out for the bottom line. I used a gender neutral for the bartender because it's not their fault for the messed up rules.

Really can't go wrong with this place - ever.Awesome people? Check.Good vibes? Check.Happy colors? Check.Kick ass music? Check.Entertaining shows? Check.Beautiful drag queens? Check.Great bar service? Check.A special shout out to the awesome bartenders that provided us with a full hour of just Taylor Swift songs after I requested just one as a birthday treat. You're the real MVP!

After leaving a birthday dinner for my sister we came to the Cactus for drinks and the Drag Queen Show. The show was phenomenal! Performers were spot on beautiful and bodies tight..we enjoyed many drinks "Trash cans and Cosmos all night"Our night was one to remember. We will be coming back to enjoy the Shows, music and drinks!

I have been sitting on this review for a month. Trying to find the appropriate way to convey to you my experience here. Also I have been trying to find a way to not make it seem that I am being accusatory. I will start from the beginning.As you can see, I am from out of town and arrived here with my friends. Upon entering I proceeded to the ATM in order to get money to order some drinks. I walk over to the bar and order a margarita on the rocks, no salt. After that, that's where things get fuzzy. I mean on the verge of being scary fuzzy. After a few sips of this margarita, I only remember glimpses of the night. I'm not sure what happened, how it happened, or why it happened, but it is really hard to blackout for a majority of the night after just one drink.The things that I do remember seem ok. I remember the circular dancefloor and talking to a few people while I attempted my best dance moves. I remember the small smoking area. I remember my now missing coat. The last thing I remember is being outside smoking a cigarette. The next thing I remember is being about a half mile away, soaked and covered in mud.I guess the moral of this story is, drink responsibly and around people you are familiar with.

This has been my favorite gay friendly bar of all time for the past 10 years. My 21st birthday was here, and now the celebration for buying my first home. The staff is exceptionally friendly, the shows are superb, and the drinks are wicked! If you have any inkling to have a drink, have good bar food, or enjoy the often eclectic conversation of the clientele who happen to be gay, this is the only place for you! Never too rowdy, not dirty, and a hell of a lot of fun!

Strong drinks, good music, and lively atmosphere. Fun for a date or night out with friends