51 Steamy Selfies from The Little Gay Pub, D.C.'s Hottest New LGBTQ+ Spot
51 photos of these fabulous people in the know who flocked to the LGP bathroom for a selfie.
When Benjamin Gander, Dusty Martinez, and Dito Sevilla opened Washington, D.C.’s newest LGBTQ+ venue in March, the trio sought to create a space inclusive of the diverse people who make up the community.
Now, about two months after The Little Gay Pub opened its doors, the establishment has quickly become a popular destination for locals and out-of-towners.
Beyond the great location, friendly staff, great atmosphere, and comforting ambiance, many who come to LGP go straight to the bathroom for a selfie. It’s become so much of a thing that the account Royal_Fiush_LGP on Instagram is dedicated to capturing and documenting the goings on in the pub’s little gay bathrooms. (There are two, though the bigger one is the hallmark of the bar.)
Located at 11th and P Streets NW, in the heart of Logan Circle, a popular neighborhood in northwest D.C., the bar features a pup-friendly patio, outside seating, stiff drinks, tater tots, eclectic flair, and a very popular bathroom.
In fact, LGP’s bathroom has become the establishment’s calling card. This is because the lighting and decor are perfect for those who like a good selfie.
“It’s not quite by design, but it totally is,” Sevilla jokingly tells The Advocate.
“When we built the place, we had hoped it was going to be a gathering space for everybody, but people really have come to appreciate all the love we put into it,” Sevilla says. “We wanted to put details and little hidden Easter eggs all across the bar because we all had our distinct personalities, and we wanted to have a place where we all felt represented.”
He notes that throughout the space, the trio ensured to have art representing the many faces of the LGBTQ+ community.
Where’s the restroom?
“Since we were three white cisgender males, it was essential to bring art that reflected the experiences of people of color and our transgender siblings. These experiences are reflected throughout the pub,” Sevilla says.
As varied and inviting as the decor of LGP is, the ADA-compliant oversized bathroom anchors the bar.
“When it came to the bathrooms, we were stuck,” Sevilla says. “I always wanted to make them insane. I wanted to make the idea of them super fantastic, like Wes Anderson. So that was always in my head, and Ben was super on board,” he says. “Dusty was like, ‘Well, it’s just a little pub. We don’t want to go crazy.’ But once they started seeing the vision come together, it took on a life of its own. And we all jumped on board and really, really added these insane details.”
He says the green color was an immediate choice the team agreed on.
“It’s sort of our hallmark,” Sevilla adds.
He says they sourced the deep brass sink from Turkey. There’s a ruler affixed to a surface nearby the sink for…reasons.
“And then my most [eccentric] great aunt was a crazy heiress millionaire lady in D.C., and she had a bathtub which I always envied. It was this ridiculous Mommy Dearest-looking tub that had a staircase going up to covered marble,” he explains. “And on the end of it was a gigantic swan faucet. And as a child being a gay boy, I was like, ‘This is fabulous. This is crazy,’ so I knew I had to find this swan faucet.”
He says that after getting pieces of the faucet from eBay, the contractor hired for the project took them and made the finished product. The mirror is from an antique store, and the wallpaper is from an artisan in the Czech Republic.
“And it all came together in what has now become a ridiculously crazy bathroom, which people seemed to love,” he says.
Running low on money, the team initially considered overhead lighting, Sevilla explains, but it came to mind that “oh no girl, these gays need lights in their face,” so the flattering illumination became one more investment into the pub’s atmosphere.
“So truly we keep saying it’s a joke from Jurassic Park that we spared no expense, but truly in the bathrooms we spared no expense,” Sevilla says. “It was just an insane amount of money we spent there. But people love it. And so it’s very rewarding to see so well received.”
Because LGP is welcoming to all community members, he says the bathroom needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We rebuilt it totally for ADA requirements because the former tenants were off by seven or eight inches, and you couldn’t turn a wheelchair around in there.”
He says that to make the adjustment, a closet had to be made smaller, and some other adjustments were made, but “the bathroom is bigger, and so it is the ADA compliant one, so everyone really can enjoy it. So it’s completely accessible for any selfie that needs to be taken.”
Sevilla says the bathroom’s popularity has given him one inspiration that he hopes to implement.
“The next bathroom I design, I’m putting in a ring light!” he says half-jokingly, but mostly while being serious, he insists.
