Oil Can Harry’s in Studio City was a cornerstone of queer nightlife from 1968 to early 2021, making it one of America’s longest-running LGBTQ+ bars. Founded during a time when same-sex dancing was illegal, it famously used a spyhole and a warning siren to alert patrons when police were near, allowing couples to discreetly switch partners and keep the music going.
More than just a country-western bar, Oil Can Harry’s was a true community hub. It hosted line-dancing lessons, drag shows, karaoke nights, and countless fundraisers during the AIDS crisis, keeping its dance floor alive and welcoming for over five decades. When its building was sold in 2021, it marked the end of an era, but its legacy was cemented when the site was later declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
