The Renegade — North Hollywood, California (1981–1986)
In the early 1980s, The Renegade carved out a place in Los Angeles’s leather and Levi bar scene—a gritty North Hollywood hangout where boots, denim, and attitude were always in style. Operating from 1981 to 1986, the bar became a favorite stop for Valley locals looking for the kind of straightforward, no-frills nightlife that defined the era’s leather culture.
Like many classic leather bars of the time, The Renegade kept the focus simple: dim lights, strong drinks, loud music, and a crowd that came ready for a good night out. Regulars mixed with newcomers discovering the scene, creating the kind of easy camaraderie that made neighborhood bars like this feel like home.
Though its run was relatively brief, The Renegade was part of the network of leather and Levi bars that helped shape Southern California’s underground gay nightlife during the early 1980s. For those who remember it, it remains one of those places that captured the spirit of a particular moment in LGBTQ bar history.
