It’s been quite a while since Philadelphia has had a lesbian bar, but that’s about to change. That’s because it was just announced that a brand new lesbian bar will open in the City of Philadelphia soon.

Val’s Lesbian Bar To Open in Queen Village Philadelphia

A brand new lesbian bar will open this spring in Philadelphia. Val’s Lesbian Bar will open at 605 S. Third Street.

READ MORE: Philadelphia’s Gayborhood Gets a Major Upgrade

The news was announced on social media on Thursday (January 15) after a long journey. Val’s owners Julia Harris and Clover Gilfor have been trying to open a lesbian bar since early 2024, according to a report from Philadelphia Voice.

In fact, I’ve been following their accounts since then and they’ve hosted several fundraisers and crowdfunding opportunities to reach the goal.

They just revealed that they’ve obtained a lease, thanks to all of the efforts of the community. as they thanked them for raising a total of15,000 in recent years. It’s believed that money will cover most of the bar’s first month of rent and their security deposit, according to Val’s Instagram post.

When Will Val’s Lesbian Bar Open in Philadelphia?

An exact opening date was not immediately clear. But the location used to be operated by Reef Restaurant & Sound, a Caribbean restaurant that just announced their closure after 22 years in business.

READ MORE: These Are the Most Exciting Concerts Happening in Philly 2026

Val’s Lesbian Bar will be located about two blocks from the newly-opened women’s sports bar, Marsha’s, which opened back in June. Marsha’s has quickly become one of the most popular bars in the City of Philadelphia. Being located near Marsha’s is something that Val’s says they’re excited about.

“We’re so psyched to be neighbors with Marsha’s. Lezborhood 2026, let’s go,” they wrote on Instagram.

Philadelphia Hasn’t Had a Lesbian Bar In Over 5 Years

Both bars are located about a half mile from the Philadelphia’s Gayborhood, where most of the city’s queer venues operate.

Philadelphia has not had a lesbian bar since Toasted Walnut closed in Center city back in 2021. Once a more thriving industry, lesbian bars are a bit of a dying breed in the country.

In fact, efforts to protect the remaining lesbian bars in the country were highlighted in a documentary titled, The Lesbian Bar Project. There are only 36 lesbian bars remaining in the country, according to the documentary.

When Val’s opens it will be the only lesbian bar in the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Where Are They Now? Looking Back at Philadelphia TV’s Most Famous Anchors

From John Bolaris to Larry Mendte and from Lisa Thomas-Laurie to Renee Chenault-Fattah, Philadelphia’s media landscape has been shaped by some of the nation’s most iconic anchors (and reporters). But where are they now? We take a look back:

Gallery Credit: Joe, 94.5 PST

These Are the Must-See Pop Concerts in Philadelphia in 2026

Wow. 2026 will bring some of the best concerts from some of our absolute favorite artists to Philadelphia (including Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat & More). So we made the complete list of the shows that we are MOST excited to see in 2026.

Gallery Credit: Joe, 94.5 PST