SideTraxx Dance Bar

I used to love coming here with my friends every weekend. It’s a great vibe and I always felt safe and welcomed. The bartenders are great! The drink prices aren’t bad at all. The music USED to be so good with Mike. However, since they got rid of Mike and replaced him with DJ Nova it has gone downhill. It’s like Lofi/elevator/club music that is hard to dance to. It changed the entire vibe of the place and I’ve noticed not as many people dance now. It’s a video bar but the only videos he shows are like baby sensory and kaleidoscope videos. It has really broken my heart. GET MIKE BACK OR HIRE A BETTER DJ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!HOWEVER, if you don’t mind the music- it’s a great place to go!

I was skeptical about going here based off the reviews I read. The reviews were completely wrong! This bar was such a welcoming and fun experience! Great bartenders, great music, fun dance floor, pool, and overall a great place! At the end of the day the bar is a a bar for LGBTQ+ people and allies. The bad reviews I mainly saw were from bachelorette parties that showed up wasted and were expecting all the attention to be for them. The vibe I got was it is a welcoming bar for everyone as long as you don’t overstep and ruin the experience for everyone else.

Dispite all the bad reviews Ive seen. These are all previous issues. Lisa the Door Lady that everybody has had an issue with no longer works there now from the looks of my several visit within the last 2 months. There is now a Younger Guy that works the front door, he is the complete opposite from this Lisa Lady everyone knows so much about. The Bartenders are nice and its awesome to finally see a lady working behind the bar, and keeping up with the 2 regular guys, the bar-backs are nice and friendly aswell as the bartenders. The Dj on Friday and Saturday Nights can be a little repetitive at times with the music choices but its never an issue, it is a dance bar at that matter. I definitely recommend it now, even more then it was 2 months ago. Because they are doing better then all the other reviews that have been previous noted

We used to really enjoy going to Traxx to dance, but the music is so repetitive. Same rotation of songs (and bad remixes) every week that gets really old. If the music videos are the limiting factor, myself and others would agree, we dont need to see a music video with every song that gets played. Thankfully there are other places in town that rotate DJs and offer more variety. Service at the bar and the door are always great though.

Came in with some friends for some dancing in a party of 7 girls… 2 of my friends were let in. Lady checked next members IDs. Took my money for all of them and then said we couldnt be let in because we were a bachelorette party only because I was wearing white and had my engagement ring on that ive had for 2 years. She told us to leave, and was not going to give me my money back. Luckily I was able to swipe it away from her. She did not give my friends who were let in their money back. Extremely rude service and false advertisement for “everybody is welcome” listed right on the website. If youre looking for a good dance club in traverse city, definately go to Kill Kenneys! Best dance club bar around

To all the straight girl bachelor parties that dont respect LGBT spaces; Gay people are not here to entertain you. We dont care that you have a gay friend. Theres straight bars all over the country, you dont need to invade our space.That being said; great service, good vibes, fun atmosphere. If you come here and are respectful youll have a good time. If you show up in a huge straight party to overtake a safe space for your selfish enjoyment, youll be turned away. Its simple logic.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am heartbroken and disappointed learning of the “rules” this establishment holds. I am the maid of honor for my lifelong best friend and I am a proud gay woman raised by lesbian mothers. We all wanted to incorporate a fun, accepting environment into our trip and I found this club. Not being from the area, I thought we would be able to stop by at the end of the night for some dancing. However after looking into it I realized I wouldn’t even be allowed to enter the club if I attended with my best friend and her friends, as we are a “bachelorette party” which this club prohibits. The website explicitly states fully accepting of all kinds of people. I am devastated I wouldn’t be let in, when clubs like this are some of the few places I’ve felt safe before in nightlife scenes. Do better.

Want to be inclusive? Wow. The lady at the front is unprofessional. Accused our party of being over served. Ironically the person she was referring to drank water all night and stumbled on the step entering the bar. The truth is she didnt want a Bachelorette party there. Stay far away.

The bar and staff are amazing in every way. The music is dated and repetitive and makes it boring when we come here to dance. They need more variety or a younger dj

Used to be really safe and fun there but not so much anymore when its become majority of straight people. I go there because its a place I feel safe to be myself, not to get hit on by straight dudes and worrying about drinks getting roofied. If youre straight and not an ally, just stay tf away from this place please, its not for you.

This is one of my favorite drinking establishments. Sidetraxx is an oasis for cultural diversity in Traverse City. The pool tables are tight, the music bumps, and on weekends, it is the only place for serious dancing.

We didn’t even make it in the door, we got turned away by a bouncer because we were in a bachelorette party! The website says they welcome everyone! Lies. Isn’t this discrimination?

Tried to go in with 3 of my girl friends and was denied at the door because I was wearing white and looked like a bride/bach party. Lady was extremely rude and didn’t give my friend her money back. Would not recommended to anyone. Not a friendly “anyone’s welcome” atmosphere.

Literally the worst experience of my life. denied as a queer bachelorette party. she’s marrying a woman. the girl at the front was SO RUDE and should not represent the business. not a very queer friendly establishment for being a queer friendly establishment :(

A locals favorite. Great place to dance. Bachelorettes and their parties may be mad they cannot get in but why do straight women need access to a gay bar?

If you think you’re safe because you are not a bachelorette party,, think differently ;It’s not worth the Uber ride. Or walk. Or anything for that matter. Throw your own dance party.

Bartender was a horrible person. Went for some karaoke and he refused 2 of our group because he didnt like the look of their ID.Police came and verified both IDs. Bartender didnt like this and on a power trip said that we all had to leave and it was his right not to serve. He held on to the bank cards of those of use who had already ordered and served everyone else before giving them to us to check out.We literally just wanted to just go to hangout, have a drink or two and watch some karaoke and this bartender ruined our night completely. Never returning after tonight.

The bartender was on a power trip and would not back down…We had a group of seven adults. All were between 23-50. The bartender didn’t like one of the IDs because it had “two circles”. He was very rude and dismissive. He told two of the group members they couldn’t be served until the ID could be verified by the police. We asked if he was going to call and be rudely said that wasn’t hisJob and we needed to leave.I called the non-emergency line and had a cop on the way. I let the bartender know and he said that the three of us had to stand outside for the cop. He wouldn’t give credit cards back to party members that had already ordered drinks throughout the process.The cop came, verified all the party member IDs, spoke to the bartender who caused a scene arguing with the cop in front of all other patrons. The bartender then refused service to the three party members who were waiting outside in front of the cop. He said we were “too drunk” to be served. We went back to the rest of our party members. Then he changed his mind and kicked out the three original party members that stood outside with the police. At first he refused to give cards back but eventually gave in.After the parent of the party member whose ID was under question asked for an explanation from the bar tender, he kicked her out of the bar as well. The remaining party members then tried to close their tabs and were screamed at about “talking to other patrons about the situation”. They were also refused service and kicked out after having to repeatedly ask for their tab again and again.I have gone to many karaoke nights and have had a great time at SideTraxx in the past. I have not seen this bartender before or been this disrespected. I cannot believe the way the party was treated. I understand that the bartender can refuse service but he was in a power trip and absolutely refused to back down even after serving five of the seven party members already. Arguing with a cop, saying we were “too drunk” after not having any drinks, refusing to allow us to pay tabs, forcing two other party members to stand outside, this is just unacceptable service…

I am emotionally scarred. I was physically assaulted for selling slices of pizza outside. I was trying to do a good deed and was giving out very good deals. Doorman Lisa was not happy though, she discriminates against young entrepreneurs. DO NOT SELL PIZZA SLICES ON THE STREET HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH!!!

It was our first time in Traverse City and after reading all of the reviews about Lisa and the non bachelorette parties policy knew we had to visit. Lisa is warm, positive and friendly! Great dive bar vibes with dance floor.Thank you for providing an inclusive space dedicated to LGBTQIA folks. I wish my local gay clubs also had a similar policy regarding bachelorette parties.

This is the worst bar I have ever been to in my entire life. Lisa was nothing but rude to me and my sisters. If you are looking to have at all of a good time avoid this place and the lady behind what she thinks is her podium. -1,000 is a generous rating.

Folks were so friendly and it had a great atmosphere. I think some of the low ratings are bridal parties who are trying to take over a space intended for LGBTQ folks who might not have anywhere else to feel safe and build community.

LISA THE BOUNCER HAS SINGLE HANDEDLY RUINED THIS BAR. I have never, in all my travels, been treated so poorly. Her actions are clearly related to needs of feeling in control and having power over young adults??... I am not completely sure, yet I feel, a few cats, and a new hobby would be a healthy welcome for her and the bar. After reading previous reviews that are similar to my experience, it is pretty clear this establishment is losing out on a large amount of income based on this womans discretion. For the sake of the business, I hope things change soon. Best of luck!

The bouncer was incredibly rude and discriminatory. She didnt let half of our group in after we already told her how many people were with us. Even after some of us got in, there wasnt anyone in there and they were so slow to serve us. Yet, we had to pay the cover and they made $50+ dollars on us (not counting the drinks the few of us that were let in got). I wish I could give them less than 1 star.

Matt was cool but Brandon couldn’t even get me wet. Eric is acceptable except he told me his name was Chad. I bet he doesn’t even have a dirt bike.

I just want you to know how much business you are losing because of that psychotic old hag working the front door. I would give it a negative review if I could. She (Lisa) immediately turned me and my two friends away simply for having an Ohio ID, as apparently a group of girls also from Ohio had tried to come in and she accused them of being a bridal party? She was extremely rude and blatantly discriminated us based on where we are from. Highly highly disappointed considering this place advertises equality and “everyone welcome”. Do better or close your doors

A local T.C. resident recommend Side traxx to us. The woman at the door was extremely rude because one of us in our group of 4 had gotten engaged a week ago. We were not celebrating her engagement in any way but because she was wearing an engagement ring we were made to feel unwelcome. I understand that bachelorette parties are not welcome but apparently if you are engaged you may also be turned away just in case.

I LOVE this bar. A group of us girls come here every year during our girls trip and we always have an amazing time. The bar tenders and staff are always amazing. However, this year was a different story. The lady at the door, Lisa, was very rude to us all night. She targeted us and flagged us as a bridal party (which we were not). Every time we would go up to the bar to order drinks, she would accuse us of being a bridal party, saying that we were not allowed to be there. We were simply there for a girls trip and to have a good time. At the end of the night, she flipped us off as we were leaving and created a huge scene, resulting in her slamming the door in our faces. I have always had a positive experience with the establishment, however my experience with Lisa is making me rethink ever coming back. After talking to other guests, we have learned that multiple people have had issues with her. Again, great bar & great staff, just not Lisa.

Before we showed up to Traverse City, we looked into SideTraxx and knew that it was a place we wanted to check out. As we read the reviews, we felt that the people posting them seemed like the problem, not the establishment. For instance, bachelorette parties that were mad that they werent invited into the LGBTQIA+ establishment despite the clear policy. The first night that we visited, we waited in line for about an hour (it was Saturday and a holiday weekend), while watching the employees continually be disrespected.When we got to the door, we ended up striking up a conversation with Lisa, the doorwoman, and her warmth permeated. She was kind, funny, and started off our SideTraxx experience with an ear-to-ear smile. She truly is a delight and I appreciated her more than words can express.We then went into the bar and the first bartender we met, Jamal, quickly became a friend, too. We spent every minute that he wasnt slinging drinks sharing stories and laughs.The following night we would proceed to meet more staff, including Matt (a hilarious bartender), Troy (the bomb DJ), and a few others. I couldnt find one bad thing to say about any of them.We spent a little over a week in Traverse City and SideTraxx became our staple bar, making us feel like family. We came as strangers and left as friends. I cant wait to go back to Traverse City just to keep in touch with our new friends.

Me and 3 other girls came here, just checking out bars. The lady at the door was rude from the Start. My friend had a Ken doll hanging out of her pocket, yes we are here in traverse city for her Bachelorette party. But besides the Ken doll hanging out of her pocket nothing else about us represented us celebrating her Bachelorette party. We were chill, not drunk. They turned us away, and the lady at the door said NO Bachelorette partys, you already knew that. No we did not, were from out of town. Now tell me what the difference would be if we came the next day, just us 4 dressed normal (but we were.. like I said we werent wearing anything representing that we were here for a Bachelorette party). But yeah the lady was rude from the beginning also.

Went despite the bad reviews and had a great time! We really wanted to see Lisa, the person responsible for all the bad reviews, but the woman at the door gave us no problems. $5 cover. Music was great to dance to! Glad we gave it a chance.

The bartenders and staff were awesome, but the woman (Lisa), that was in the front was not very nice. She kept asking if we were in a bridal party, we told her no, and she told me that everyone says that and then after we entered the bar, she came into the bar and she kept asking us if we were in a bridal party, we again told her no, but she kept on asking and accusing us on being in a bridal party. I was talking to my friends on the way out and she thought I was talking about her so she flipped off a person in our group. She came outside and started yelling at me, I tried to explain to her that I wasnt talking about her and she slammed the door in my face. After talking to other patrons, apparently she does this often.I love the bar and staff, but, the hostess at the front (Lisa) needs to have some type of training on how to talk to and treat patrons.

If I could leave 0 stars I would. Lady working the door was rude. Turned away simply because we were a bachelorette group. You should advertise this on your website if you’re going to pick and choose who you want in your bar.

We told the lady who was checking IDs that our party of four was hanging out because our friend bought her wedding dress today. It was not a bachelorette party. Just four girls together. We were not allowed entry. We were sober and just wanted to dance.Also it was rude for her to assume we would throw such a lame bachelorette. Give us some credit here!

I drive tours, I had a bachelorette party that wanted to come here because they have the only dance floor in Traverse City. They were told they couldn’t come in. I get that you had “A” bad bachelorette party, but that’s not all bachelorette parties, it’s one. So, I guess it’s ok to pick and choose your customers? Maybe if they only wanted a cake you’d have served them.

If it could give 0 stars I would. A server wearing a Hawaiian shirt and had a beard called me a “fucking idiot” because he said excuse me very rudely to a bunch of people and I didn’t realize he was talking to me and I didn’t move until he got next to me and still proceeded to call names and be a complete jackass. I only had drink so I was very much sober and had my one drink at 10:30 and continued to drink water until I had left. Do not recommend going there unless you wanna be insulted

Dance bar that does not allow groups of any kind. Highly recommend going in 2-3 at a time if you have a group of friends going out or celebrating. Door lady Lisa is not a kind or pleasant person.

My friends and I asked around for a good place to come hang out for the weekend. We were told this place was great for dancing. Unfortunately the rude woman at the front let half our friends in and turned the other 3 away. Saying they dont accept Bachelorette parties. We are just in town for the weekend and she singled us out because I was wearing a white shirt. After explaining we werent a Bachelorette party she still told us we had to go. We had to try and call our other friends to let them know we couldnt even get in! Not worth the time or money.

The most amazing and friendly staff, good security and cleanliness, 2 pool tables, a dart board, and the best dance floor in town. Overall this bar is always hopping on the weekends and has aline by 1130. Get there quick, and be ready for a great night.When you get hungry there is an amazing food truck behind the bar!

I had a very bad experience with the lady at the front last night. I had already paid and got the stamp on my hand. I went outside for 5 minutes and went back in and she lost it. She told me to wait back in line with everyone else. I asked her if I had to pay again and she said yes. I decided just to head home. This wasn’t my only bad experience with her though. On my birthday she wouldn’t let me in because I was “too drunk”. I only had 2 drinks beforehand and was definitely not drunk, stumbling or slurring. I had to beg her to let me in. She has given a couple of my other girl friends a hard time too. It honestly seems like she hates women in general. SideTraxx has been one of my favorite places to go in Traverse and she has completely ruined the experience for me. I will not be going back until she’s gone.I wish I could give her negative stars. SideTraxx itself is a wonderful place with wonderful people. The bartenders are super sweet and it’s a great place to dance. However, avoid if Lisa is working the door. It’s a miracle that she is still employed there. Women beware!!!

We are from out of town and & decided to look for something different to do. We came across this bar & saw all of the horrible reviews from bridal parties want to take up queer space and ruin that space when they learn it’s not for them. Lisa (front door woman) was nothing short of welcoming, sweet, kind, & gentle. When will bridal parties learn that not every queer space is meant for them? It’s meant to be a safe & welcoming space for marginalized communities to come together and celebrate. We will be back again and again and again. Thank you Lisa for curating the crowd to be so great.

We tried to come to this bar for my friends bachelorette party. Some lady came running from who knows where yelling at us to get out that they don’t accept bachelorette party’s. My friend is a lesbian & obviously she’s marrying a woman, trying to go somewhere that she knows her love is going to be accepted or so she thought. This place is advertised as a gay-friendly bar & it’s not accepting or friendly. I would avoid this place at all costs!!!

DO NOT GO TO THIS BAR. Wish I could give 0 stars. We were a group coming from a wedding just wanting to get a few drinks. We were denied entry because we came from a wedding. My step father was physically assaulted by the staff, thrown to the ground and injured. Cops were called. This place needs to be shut down. Very discriminatory.

If i could give this zero stars i would. My sister and our bachelorette party went up to the door and were automatically denied just because we are a bachelorette party celebrating the bride. This is absolutely outrageous considering that the bouncer and the employees are condescending and inconsiderate. We wanted to enjoy a night out celebrating the bride. Now our night is ruined considering this mistreatment towards all bridal parties.

Ive known about this place for a number of years, and only recently checked it out. Theyve got great music if you love to feel it pulse through you. Ive never been to a place like and Ill for sure come back when I want to check out the scene. Theyve also got a food joint in the rear parking lot that will hook you up when the munchies hit.

These reviews are obviously subject to personal experience, Id like to give mine. At first interaction with the lady checking IDS was very pleasant. She allowed us to put the cover on my card, which I felt was not a normal protocol but she was nice enough to do that. The bar tenders were all very polite and easy to interact with. Every person we spoke to was very nice and everyone was there to have a good time.Our experience was a good one and I recommend if your in the mood to dance and have a good time this is a great choice.

Im glad that Sidetraxx is preventing bachelorette parties from overtaking the bar. Large groups of bachelorette parties ruin the atmosphere of any bar. Considering there are few gay bar options in the area, why can’t these women go to any of the hundreds of straight bars in the area?

This is advertised as a gay bar, so being queer and from the city, we wanted to go dancing where the non binary members of our group could feel comfortable on vacation out in TC since all the other bars we tried seemed very conservative and had patrons staring at them. When we showed up we thought we were at the wrong place because it felt like a trashy nascar redneck bar where the door person was a busted old wrinkly woman who smelled like cigarettes and booze. I think she was drunk and she looked straight at the non-binary member of our group and told us we were not at all welcome to enter here. Do not attempt go here if you’re visiting from anywhere civilized, they made up some policy saying the owner thought we were trouble based on the fact someone in our group was due to be married soon but as a group of professional females and non-binary individuals who are doctors, corporate business women and social workers, to be told on sight that you’re “trouble” as a gay person and can’t come in a gay bar by an old straight woman because you will soon be in a marriage (that was fought for by decades of gay people and a victory to the community) seems literally insane. I’ll go back tomorrow to get a video of her stating her policies clearly so you all can see her before you waste your time going there and make the decision if you want to deal with her or not.

We actually understand the reason that we theorize you all don’t accept bachelorettes. We get it. Keep a safe place for the community. That said, we were directed to you by a local and the way you turned us away actually changed the vibe of the entire night. We would suggest giving a bit more of an explanation of the why behind your decision rather than making groups feel stupid for even trying. We are a half gay bachelorette who felt pretty foolish for showing up when we were having a great night.

One star is being generous. We were denied entry (a group of FOUR!!) because my sister had a veil on. The door woman said no bridal parties, my sister offered to take her veil off and she screamed in our faces. NO BRIDAL PARTIES ALLOWED!!!!!!! There was a group of 10 in themed attire allowed in before us? This establishment lies on their website about EVERYONE WELCOME when they discriminate against bridal parties (who love to have fun and spend MONEY). The door woman put her hands on my friend. She was the most awful human being I have ever met. I highly suggest not wasting your time here because they don’t deserve it!!!

For people looking at all the 1 star reviews, dont. There is two sides to every story. They are trying to run a fun tight ship. Since they started declining bridle showes its been less chaotic. They still allow bridle groups as long as there not already trashed/rather drunk. It has always been a fun and safe place.

Read the reviews and had to go meet the Legendary Door Queen Lisa. They say never meet your heroes but we did and were not disappointed. Lisa was amazing as well as the entire staff. I cannot wait to go back again. Dont be scared by the privileged drama queen bachelorette party reviews. This place is a great addition to a wonderful town. I give it 69 STARS!

Seems our experience was similar to others. The lady working the door is the rudest person I’ve come across in a long time. She literally chased our party into the parking lot yelling at us. Funny how you were going to let us in when I said we were a birthday party, but the second you found out it was a bachelorette you cussed out us telling us to get out.I can slightly understand gay men not wanting constant bachelorette parties in their bar but it sounds like there was one or two groups that made it a bad experience which ruined it for everyone. I’ve been to boys town in Chicago, enjoyed West Hollywood out in LA we’re the gays and theys welcomed us women. Sorry we wanted to go to a bar that had dancing and we didn’t want to worry about men trying to get us drunk for whatever their motives were like at the bar we previously were in.This could have been handled a lot better on the businesses side of things. Put a sign out front that says no bridal parties. Be a kind human being for gosh sakes. No wonder this place has an absolute trash 2 star review. I’m surprised they’re still in business.

Traxx is now and when I first went there back in the 90s for that matter, a friendly neighborhood bar that happens to focus on serving the LGBTQIA+ Community. Fancy? Nah. But the service is good, and people are nice. The food truck in the parking lot isnt bad either.

In many respects, SideTraxx Dance Bar was a letdown. The décor seemed stale, and there was a drab atmosphere. Because of its bad layout, the dance floor was challenging to use and enjoyable. The beverages left much to be desired because they were pricey and badly produced. The encounter was disappointing and didnt live up to the promise.

The worst experience. Don’t waste your time. The reviews regarding the woman at the front are 100% accurate- the fact that numerous bouncers, bartenders, etc. in the area knew immediately who I was referring to when explaining my encounter at this establishment really emphasized the discriminatory, rude, and plain pathetic customer service this woman projected. As a business owner myself I am truly baffled that this particular employee still holds a job here. Time to clean house & do your business a favor & hire a reputable employee- I mean unless you pride yourself in treating the public with 0 respect

Fun place to dance but I forgot my credit card and they over charged me by a lot. They refused to fix the false charge. There were about 15 people there that night, no way this was unintentional. Trashcan staff, will never go back

Don’t waste your time trying to come here. A small group of ladies, we were immediately refused because we were a bachelorette party. The lady and man at the door were extremely rude as we asked why we couldn’t come in. They didn’t really explain why we couldn’t enter - just told us to go elsewhere. We were not drunk, loud, or obnoxious, and they were not really busy. We had just arrived and were ready to have fun. Went to Kilkenny’s instead and had a great time. I’m not sure why they choose to discriminate against women, but one thing is for certain - I will NEVER recommend this place to anyone.

For the past 7 years my friends and I have been coming to Side Traxx while on our girls trip. Immediately upon arrival the door dragon Lisa began to accuse us of being a bridal party. Throughout the night when seeing us up at the bar she would again harass us about being a bridal party. At the end of the night at closing she flew out the door after us and accused one of us of talking about her, when we tried to talk to her she flipped us off and shut the door in my friends face. Never have I experienced such horrible treatment when coming to our favorite TC bar. I definitely have reserves about whether or not I will ever return as long as that woman continues to work there. We spoke to multiple people after being rudely pushed out that she is always rude to customers. Side Traxx is a wonderful establishment and I would truly hope that the reconsider having the face of their establishment being a dragon lady! She needs to go.

How many bad reviews does this place need before taking action against an employee who CLEARLY drives patrons away in droves?Friend and I tried to visit last night and were turned away by the woman at the door, who multiple other reviews mention by name, for being drunk despite the fact that I had an entire conversation with her as my friend parked.Never have I ever had to play 20 questions to try and get into a bar and her justification was particularly offensive. She said shed noticed I had a hard time getting out of the car and otherwise commented on my posture etc which is the way it is because I have AS, something I should not have to disclose to a total stranger just to then PAY to get inside an establishment.It seems based on the other reviews that gaining entry depends entirely on her mood and that more often than not she is cantankerous and rude. Way to represent a marginalized community in an area where that representation is needed. Shameful and embarrassing.Edit: Dont let any of these 5-star reviews fool you, they seem to be solely from people who believe that denying entry to allies is an acceptable practice. So people want to celebrate their bachelorette in a space they feel safe? So what? Is that -really- such a disruption to you?It hasnt been that long since we ourselves couldnt get married so the hypocrisy of a gay venue denying people (mostly straight people based on these reviews) access is embarrassing.Im gay too and so to anyone reading this whos had a negative experience here or is bothered by the reviews and blatant bias this establishment shows just know that it does NOT speak for all of us.Its no wonder this area only has one gay bar. Come to Metro Detroit and visit any of the establishments down here instead, you will get a much better experience.

Would absolutely give 0 stars if I was able.Front door woman (Lisa) wouldnt allow our group of nine (all female) in. When asked why, she said, the owners dont allow wedding parties/bachelorettes. When we asked her more information on it she was very condescending and very rude to our group. I wish we had seen the reviews before even wasting our time walking to the bar. Obvious poor ownership here and I wouldnt recommend.For a LGBTQ+ bar that claims on their website they are all inclusive this is very sad and such an L on their part. Yall should truly take the all inclusive statement off your low class website because your establishment is the farthest thing from inclusive. NOT JUST A GAY BAR! GAY, STRAIGHT OR BI – EVERYBODY’S WELCOME! - absolute lies, its very clear from the hundreds of 1 star reviews of individuals being turned away that this establishment DOES NOT welcome everybody.

**bridal parties beware- youre not allowed**I wouldnt give any stars if an option. When you Google traverse city, bachelorette party etc. Sidetraxx is recommended. However when we walked in we were instantly turned away with a snide we dont allow bridal parties. For a bar that preaches all inclusiveness you failed. It made for a very poor experience.We werent even that decked out, our bride had a veil on and that was it. We asked for a reason and it was just oh because the owner...Overall, put a sour taste in our mouth but we found great hospitality, fun and experience elsewhere.Edot- after checking FB reviews, the same day there was a physical altercation that the bouncer had with another bridal party 😳 just steer clear of this place.

I’ve been here twice during trips to Traverse City, and I had a great experience both times. I love the dancing and karaoke, and the staff have always been friendly. My drink is weird but it’s always good here and the bar staff never give me attitude about making it. I’m queer and gay-married and have been to many bachelorette parties at bars. I 100% support the no-bachelorette-party policy here. Gay bars are not the space for bachelorette parties, because so many members of these parties harass and demean LGBTQ+ people—especially trans people—in our own bars. This is not uncommon; I have witnessed it myself as have most LGBTQ+ bar-goers. I appreciate the additional layer of safety this policy adds to the experience of queer and especially trans customers and community members—that is after all “the point” of this bar. There are almost no remaining gay bars in Michigan, especially north of the thumb. I really wish the one-star commenters here who were turned away because of this policy would try to understand why it’s important and just choose another venue for their event.

If I could leave zero stars I would. They don’t even deserve the one star.Not sure how this business was able to obtain a 5 star review. After the experience we had, I find it very had to believe anyone could have had a good experience here.A few locals recommended we go to sidetraxx because we wanted to dance. My sister is getting married so technically it is a bachelorette party, but half of our group is mother’s of the bride, and ladies who are pregnant. We didn’t enter the building being obnoxious, or belligerent, but were immediately told we weren’t welcome there. 2 of us went inside to ask why we weren’t welcome and were confronted by an extremely unkind woman who pulled a member of our group back by her shoulders, towards the door, and told us again we weren’t welcome there and needed to leave.Another worker came up to us and asked what was going on so we explained the situation and she replied with “well I wasn’t here for it so I’m going to take her word for it”My mom came in and the lady was extremely rude to her as well.I’m not sure what the point of this establishment is. I have now been turned away on two separate occasions. Once as a group of 4, two couples. And once as a bridal party. We have had older friends, younger friends, colored friends, and white friends, straight friends and queer friends, and we’ve all been turned away so I’m very unsure of what their targeted audiences is. What I do know is there are now 13 extremely unimpressed ladies who will never step foot in here again, and will make sure they spread the word about how unkind, and inappropriate this place is.

Absolutely terrible! Staff were very very VERY rude. And they as a lgbtq establishment, refusing a lesbian couple coming in due to them being in a “bridal party” is horrendous!What’s the difference if we came in as a group without matching shirts? Exactly, proud lgbtq establishment?! No an absolute joke. And Ron would be extremely disappointed in the way they are holding up his business, legacy and name. It’s very sad! Even other establishments in traverse city had nothing but negative things to say about their staff, business and service. That tells ya something. What a joke.

Went here yesterday to celebrate a bridal shower (of 5 people) and was told “we don’t do bridal showers”. I then asked could we come in if we took our sashes off.. she said no. She was rude and I know for a fact they literally had a bridal shower THE NIGHT BEFORE and 4 of them 3 weekends ago. The lady was so rude and disrespectful when talking to us. Way to go on the awesome customer service!!!

Absolutely AWFUL place… it doesn’t even deserve one star. My three friends and I walked 20 minutes to come dance and spend our money here and were screamed at and physically assaulted by the door woman named Lisa because our friend was a bride. Even after taking her veil off and explaining we just wanted to enjoy the night and didn’t want any special bachelorette treatment we were called names and forcibly shoved out of the door. NEVER GO HERE OR SUPPORT THIS TRASH BUSINESS

We had an absolute blast! Were from Chicago and literally had to see the ICON that is LISA at the door d/t the comments we read prior to coming. Lisa was nothing but nice and accommodating. I cant imagine the nastiness you received from said Allies when told they needed to celebrate their Bachelorette at a more appropriate venue.Also the Bartenders are amazing - very sweet and even remembered our names.Lisa and team at Sidetraxx- Thank You for keeping what few safe spaces we have left kept safe and meant for queer folks. It means a lot to our community to know we have you all.

Apparently this club doesn’t need customers. We are a bridal party of 6. The front bouncer warned us that they don’t allow bridal parties and told us to take off the bridal sash. We kindly asked why that was a rule and the front bouncer said “I’m trying to help you guys, I’m not starting any fights”. So we continued onto the front room. He then turned to me and said “your friend is being a prick” who is my cousin, the bride.We got our money back and will not be returning. Funny for a place that’s supposed to be so accepting of people to turn down a bride but also be incredibly rude to the entire party for absolutely no reason.

Unwelcoming and rude. My friends and I went to Traverse City and SideTraxx to celebrate our close friend’s one-year wedding anniversary and their joint 30th birthdays. Many within the group, including the guests of honor, identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and were looking forward to celebrating in a safe space. However, right when we entered the door we were immediately asked if we were apart of a bachelorette/bridal party and were told to leave. No one within the group had any “bachelorette” attire on (i.e. sashes, veils, or wearing white) or were heavily intoxicated. When we tried to explain that we were celebrating friend’s birthdays and a wedding anniversary they did not listen or care and told us we were not welcome. I do not recommend going to this bar.

If I could do -1000 rate this I would. For a person that is LGBTQ this is the worst bar I’ve even been 10 feet from.They assumed we are a bachelorette when we were a girls night out and denied half of our group (after the fact the took half the girls cover) entry. She was so rude, disrespectful, and discriminatory against females…Unbelievable. Long story short, save your time

Great dancing bar! Staff was friendly and atmosphere was great. They played great music and we had a blast. Definitely recommend if you are looking for dancing and a fun night!

If it could give 0 stars I would . It was my first time being there laterally one of the staff was discriminating

I wouldn’t recommend coming here. The treatment of the front staff and the manager was very disrespectful and hostile. I was just trying to dance and have a good time and they discriminated my friends and I and refused to let us in. We plead with Josh, the manager, and expressed how hurt we were that we weren’t permitted to come in when we are part of the community and were just looking for a safe space. Josh said his decision was made and we weren’t going in. So much for inclusivity?? Honestly, save your cover and your time and go elsewhere where you can be received and welcomed.

Dirty and overcrowded from what i could see. But we werent even allowed in to celebrate our friends birthdays because apparently no bridal parties allowed and i was a “bride” since I’m wearing white. I may not agree with the bridal party rule but whatecer. But it was very annoying they wouldnt let us in to celebrate our friends birthdays, but saw a bridal party walk out and say they are brides. Will not be giving this place another chance. 0/10

We went with a bridal party of 9. We just wanted to go to a club and dance and have some water. The bouncer refused us and wouldnt even let one our girls just go to the bathroom. Very rude and cut us off when we were trying to explain the situation.

Always a good time here. All the one star reviews are from people who don’t respect their decision to not allow bachelorette/bachelor/bridal parties. I’ve been going here for the last 10 years and from experience I can tell you it’s a wise choice on their end. So instead of leaving one star reviews, maybe try to understand why they’ve made that choice. Lisa treats anyone with respect if you treat her the same.

So I was visiting from Chicago during the Cherry Festival with a few friends… and we came across this gem. This place was so inviting and wonderful. It was immediately welcoming. Great community. Wonderful atmosphere. Amazing example of why gay bars are so important, instantly felt at home despite being out of town. My only regret is that I didn’t meet #doorqueenlisa. I would have loved to have met the legend referenced in the other reviews. If you’re not a part of the lgbtqia+ community… don’t leave a review for an lgbtqia+ bar… honey, it not for you… own that.

This bar right away when our bridal party came told us we were not allowed in because of their previous experiences with bridal parties and automatically pushed us away.. it was so unprofessional and I would not recommend this to anyone. Have never felt so discriminated into life and they should honestly reconsider their “policies” because it’s extremely disrespectful.

Heres the thing. I actually stopped coming here because this place became unsafe for LGBTQ people. Ever since me and my queer friends got death glared by the swaths of party woo girls there for wearing heels. The LGBTQ to straight ratio became at least 1:10, it was no longer an LGBTQ space.I was absolutely THRILLED they banned bachelorette parties. To the party woo girls, LGBTQ spaces are not yours to invade and take over. I finally went back and it was sooo much better. Felt much safer there.Unfortunately tons of these woo girls bring their homophobic friends, and the more and more that flooded in, LGBTQ people got pushed out of one of the few spaces that was supposed to be safe for us.LGBTQ spaces are NOT for you to gawk at or treat like a zoo. By all means come in with your LGBTQ friends. Come in as allies and respect the space youre in.If you have homophobic partners, dont come here. If you have homophobic friends dont come here. And bachelorette/bachelor parties arent appropriate here. They attract people that will make this space unsafe for the very people its meant to protect.This is an LGBTQ bar that welcomes everyone, including allies. But first you gotta actually act like allies, and know the space youre in.

Live laughing and loving at all the 1 star reviews. A group of us went here last night and had an absolute blast. Awesome bartenders, cheap drinks, great dance floor. The door lady who denied all the bachelorettes rocks.

VERY rude bouncer lady. And sexist bar. I was with my girl friends and she refused to let us in…she was extremely rude and the place was dead. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

We walked in and immediately they asked us if we were a bachelorette group. Being truthful we said yes and they turned us away. They said it was against their policy to allow bachelorette groups and were very rude. We were a small quiet group of 5 women and it felt very discriminatory. They did let in a drunk woman in front of us stumbling so there’s that.

We researched before making the trip here for a bachelorette party and we were denied entry because we were a bachelorette party. If an establishment is going to deny certain people or groups from their facility it should be stated on their sites so other plans can be made. It states on the website ‘everyone welcome’ that’s a lie! Very disappointed.

Extremely poor customer service. Reviews about the miserable woman at the front door are completely spot on. I would say don’t wear white to this bar but actually don’t even waste your time walking through that part of town to get there. That woman should lose her job for the reputation she’s created for this establishment.

Group parties arent allowed in this bar anymore. We found out after walking over 2 miles to get rejected by the bouncer. The lady was super rude at the door. So if youre a bachelor, Bachelorette or birthday party, you wont be allowed in.

Would leave 0 stars if possible. Despite being 25, I look young and the front door people pointed me out and said I’m too young to go to the bar (without even checking my perfectly good ID!). Then I was standing on the sidewalk waiting for my uber and they said they were going to call the police because I was “disturbing” customers. Unsure how that was possible because I was just standing on the sidewalk with my arms crossed. But OK. I’ve never been turned away from a bar for being too young and they refuse to check my ID. Very weird and seems like they didn’t want me in there anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Horrible service. Won’t return to this bar again. First time in traverse city and we were here for a SMALL bachelorette party (6 girls). Me and one other approached the door but decided to wait to enter for the other 4 to join us. Before getting into the door, the security guy said “you can’t come in we don’t to bachelorette parties you need to leave.” Politely asked why and he just said because you’re a bachelorette party. For advertising that you’re “gay friendly” and have “great service” you should work on your customer service skills. It’s clear this is mostly a locals bar which is fine but advertise that and give a legitimate reason when you deny a group of 6 girls entry then proceed to allow 7 other females in a group entry not even one minute later! Completely ridiculous and discriminatory. Won’t be returning here.

Really disappointed in this place for being unwelcoming and turning to violence very quickly when people were confused that they would not be allowed to go inside.They should make more clear that they do not allow large groups into their bar to avoid any issues. More importantly thought, they just don’t need to get violent with people who are in no way violent toward them.

No food, great place to dance though

The outside smelled like rotten fish. We walked up to the door and were greeted by a security person who opened the door and said I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Ive been instructed that I cannot allow your bridal party in. There were only 3 of us. This place was recommend to us by some locals so we thought it would be a great atmosphere. We were beyond appalled at the treatment. We left and went to Union station.

Honestly this place was terrible. If I could give it no stars, I literally would. We were first greeted by Alisa and thats when we should have left. She was super disrespectful, unwelcoming, and actually just anreally unfriendly person. I have traveled all over Michigan and literally this is the worst bar I have ever been to. I would never waste my money here again. The whole staff was very arrogant. And if you thought the staff was horrible, wait till you meet the manager. Literally the worst place I have ever been to in Traverse City. I never have felt less respected as a women in my life until I stepped in this bar. I have never felt more uncomfortable and unwelcomed in my life.

The reviews are 100% accurate. If you even appear slightly similar to a bachelorette party the woman at the front will be ungodly rude and turn you away. Was trying to go dancing for my 25th birthday and was turned away with no discussion.

Horrible. Absolutely horrible. We were not even allowed into this bar and the bouncer at the front of the bar assaulted a family member and threw them out, injuring them. Police called and all. I will never be back and recommend you find somewhere else to enjoy your night in Traverse City.

Well unfortunately, as much as we wanted to love the place, and for the most part we had fun, one of ours was wrongly accused of being drunk by the older woman at the door, was told to leave because she stumbled? She tripped on an unmarked stair or rise. She is as far more sober if you will, than the remaining six of us. Of course we returned the next night and we were refused entry, oh she WAS NOT having it. Will definitely not return now.

I’m torn between leaving a nice review because all the bad reviews are from bachelorette woo girls who were turned away, and leaving a bad review to keep this place a local secret.But the person at the door does not deserve this abuse at all, so I am giving this five star specifically for them (and the awesome bartenders).

Came to TC for a bachelorette party and was told this place was great. Overheard at another bar that they don’t let in bachelorette parties so we called them and the lady on the phone said “that’s correct”. We were extremely bummed but glad we called instead of walking all the way over there. They need to change their website because it says it includes “everyone”.

I tried to go to sidetraxx with some friends for a bachelorette party. It was a group of four girls, with one girl parking the car after dropping us off across the street. Before we even got to the door, security came out and told us to have our driver come back as they would not let us in because we were a bachelorette party. No one was acting crazy or being obnoxious and they didnt even give us a chance to come in. However, 2 seconds after they turned us away, they let another group of girls in. The only way they possibly knew we were a bachelorette party was our matching shirts. Security was extremely rude for no reason. Obviously they dont need the business. I would never recommend going here.

If i could give 0 stars i would but i guess i have to give one. WALKED 20 minutes to this bar for my bachelorette party and was met no more like he saw us and ran to the door to tell us hes not letting us in. Mind you we were SOBER. Not obnoxious, not loud. JUST PAYING CUSTOMERS. 2 women sitting outside over heard the altercation and had to stand up for us, besides the fact that i do not UNDERSTAND why we were not allowed in but other groups that were clearly bachelorette parties were coming out left and right, the man who refused to was RUDE. It was TERRIBLE, even the featuring DJ did not get it either. THEN i called 3 different The worst. Will never return for the fact i drove 5 hours and was turned down from a bar i was really excited for.

The bad reviews are from girls upset the owner tries to keep this place a gay bar. Thank you to the owner for making sure LGBT people have their own place too.

I was here with a few friends tonight. I have been to side traxx twice in the past and had an amazing time so I suggest side traxx to my group. However tonight was different. I got to the bar with my group of six. Met an amazing and friendly bar tender. We got drinks and sat. We were all enjoying ourselves and dancing. I then left to go smoke. I was walking fine, talking fine, and enjoying the company. As I was out smoking, I was greeted by the person who guards the door, a female, whom stated that I was not allowed back in because I was two drunk. Let me tell you I was asked to leave right away and if I didnt the cops would be called. So they went and told my husband and my group and we left. I had two drinks and have never felt so violated in my life. 37 years old and have never been kicked out of anywhere in my life. I Hardly ever go out. I was not violent, argumentative, or anything. I was simply having a good time with my friends from out of town. I wouldnt hurt a fly. To be treated in such a way is unfair. I will not be returning ever to this establishment. I will tell everyone I know to stay clear of this establishment. I am sad about this as my first two experiences were amazing. I was bragging to my friends how everyone is treated fairly here. Boy was I wrong.

We came here to celebrate pride month & were rejected because we were a bachelorette party. I have lived here for 30 years & had many people looking forward to coming to dance & just have fun. I will never come here again.

Guys. Place is awesome and everyone is so friendly. So glad they don’t allow bachelorette parties. Lisa is my hero.

Now, this place would be rated a 4 star but after reading all of the reviews and going there, this is a 5 star. The lady at the front may come off as rude/sassy but she is very energetic and fun. My friend lost their phone while dancing and al the staff came together to help locate the phone. As long as you aren’t a person who causes problems, you won’t have a problem here.

I was wearing white and they thought I was a part of a bachelorette party even though I had no ring on. They are very strict about who they let in regardless of what kind of party you are in just because you are in a white dress. I then tried to get my friends after they wouldn’t let us in and they wouldn’t let me do get them. Avoid them at all costs!!

The awful Karen at the front door wouldnt let my group of freinds in because a few of us were straight. When she turned the rest of us away she stole the cover from those of us who had gotten in. The manager refused to listen to us and beleived every lie she told him. Please fire this awful woman so that you dont continue to alienate your patrons who happen to have straight friends.

Its always nice to come back to my hometown and find new and welcoming places. Sidetraxx is everything I want and more from a gay bar--pool tables, disco balls, and no Bachelorette parties. Ben at the bar was very kind. The whole atmosphere made my girlfriend and I feel very accepted.

This was by far one of the best bars. I’ve been to in a while. It was like a dive bar but also a club which was everything!!!! Ignore any negative reviews this is the place to be when in traverse city. Thank you Lisa!

Accused me of being in a bachelorette party when I was not, and would not let me in. Waited in line for 30 minutes for no reason. Bouncer was rude and would not listen to reason. I just wanted to have a nice night and get a drink.

This place slaps! We had the best time, and Brandon and Jamal were incredibly friendly and hospitable. Great drinks, pool, and dancing!

Worst service, they were very rude, and wouldnt let my friends and I in for a birthday get together.

If I could give 0 stars I would. We wanted to come here to grab a drink and hang out, and they would not let us in because our friend wore a bride hat… No other reason. Hard pass. Claims they accept all, but obviously don’t. Gross.

Fun place to have drinks with friends, shoot pool, dancing (not me), and some top (and bottom) shelf karaoke.Love the place! Love the staff!

Never coming back. Tried to go here for a bachelorette party and was turned down. We had a small group. They said “we do not let bachelorette parties in”. There was groups bigger than ours inside. This is completely wrong considering TC is known for bachelorette parties!! Beyond disappointed in this place as it is the only dance place to go.

We were in town for my sisters bachelorette party, we had less than 10 women total in our group.. we sent a message asking about cover costs and were told “we don’t allow bachelor/bachelorette parties” I felt EXTREMELY discriminated against! Their website had called it a safe and no judgement zone... I guess unless you are getting married! Smh.... I figured they would have been much kinder and excepting but NOPE 👎

Wish I could give zero stars. Very rude staff. They discriminate against bachelorette parties. A local/regular said its because gays werent legally allowed to get married for a long time so they dont want to see straight people celebrating getting married.

Horrible experience, the lady who runs the door/host Lisa K, needs some real lessons on what customer service is and should be. She is rude and has no clue on how to treat an individual, she should be more kind and appreciate business coming through those doors. First time in traverse city for a bachelorette party and will never step foot near side traxx again. I was with 6 girls, we all got dropped off one Uber after the other and my 3 friends who were at the front of the line were waiting for us 3 to arrive, there was only 2 other people behind us at the time when we arrived they said nothing to us about entering where our other 3 friends were, we walked in to pay cover and approached as if we skipped a line of 20 people, which I assure you we didn’t. We were so excited to check out side traxx and therefore we were being asked if we know what grade school is and how lines work. Lisa is rude and shouldn’t be working in the public eye if she doesn’t know how to speak to individuals. As we left we were told by at least 10 more people including our Uber drivers that she is a horrible person. I asked her for her name and she just said I need to leave now. I did nothing wrong besides want to enjoy a bachelorette weekend and try something new, all other bars in traverse city amazing and excel in their customer service. Lisa you’re a horrible human being. Hope you can become a better person one day.

Checked out the local gay scene and was told this was the place to go. There was a cover, not really sure what for. Did not feel like an LGBT place, it was 90% straight girls, which is fine, but the few guys they brought were literally mocking gay men and being rude. For a bar its fine (2, maybe 3 stars?), for a gay bar its a definite one star place.

A group of 8 of us walked over a mile to go here for a bachelorette party. We talked to a security guy for a few minutes and walked in at 9 on the dot. We were told since it was 9 we owed a $5 cover charge (if we had walked in right away we wouldnt have been charged the cover charge). The security guy asked, who Im guessing was the owner, to let us in with no charge since were already there and she said no, she sees many bachelorette parties every day. So we happily took our business to the filling station next door...great beer and food! And no cover charge.

Was in town to visit friends and decided to stop here for a night out. When we arrived, the woman with the Karen haircut turned 8 of us away because 1 person had an empty white claw can (from a pregame down the block). Surprised that they would turn away our business rather than allow them to use a trash can. Disappointed to say the least

0 star review! Lady at the front said I couldn’t come in because I was “too intoxicated”. I wasn’t drunk or rude to her at all for her to not let me in. Don’t expect to get if you’re a straight female. Not sure how this lady hasn’t been fired yet.

My friends and I tried to go out for our friends birthday last night and the woman at the front would not let us in after accusing us of being a bridal party and refusing to look at our friends ID to prove it was her birthday. Really sad that this is such a highly recommended bar when you come into town but it seems like they give everyone a bad experience.

For an establishment that says they are accepting of all individuals, I am extremely disappointed to be told I wasn’t allowed to come in with my girlfriends for wearing white and pink shirts and looking like a bachelorette party. That’s extremely discriminatory and I am appalled for one of the only fun dance bars in TC to act like they’re allowed to say who can and can’t come into their bar based on appearance.

Would Lisa consider teaching a Zoom class on protecting Gay spaces? I can think of hundreds of “gay bars” around the country that need this training.

Maybe 15 people there. Music was nothing Ive ever heard.

They have a policy of not letting wedding parties come in, I totally understand this if people are too drunk, but its literally just anybody thats at a wedding. Plus the security pretended to fight me, saying they owned the street off the sidewalk. So if you want to be harassed go here

Cheapest drinks in town, only place you can dance in Traverse City. It gets VERY busy on weekends (usually expect a cover charge) but even with the cover charge, the overall amount youll spend there is less than almost any other bar. Also on weekends be prepared to encounter Bachelorette parties. This place is also very welcoming and accepting of the LGBTQ community!

Great place to go but the door lady is extremely rude.

10/22/2022: I went here with my wedding party. My cousin was assaulted by one of the security guards. Security guard: white male, young 30s, beard and glasses. My cousin got pushed against the bulletin board in the front entrance then thrown out the entrance against the concrete steps. If it was not for another person in our party, my cousin would have hit his head. My cousin fell onto a girl in our wedding party. My cousin was pushed for no reason other than questioning why a wedding party could not enter. Police were called and questioned my cousin, the victim. Video footage was not reviewed, my cousin gave a statement but did not press charges. We left and the police left shortly after, no video footage reviewed. Other bar patrons tried to defend the bar and state “they don’t like bachelor or bachelorette parties”. This is no way to treat any paying customer, especially when civil and sober. I warn all large groups of spending any time, money or consideration visiting this bar.

Currently in Traverse City for a Bachelorette party and we were really looking forward to spending money and dancing at Sidetraxx, however we (VERY rudely) got turned away because we were a Bachelorette party. no other explanations, just simply because we were a BACHELORETTE party. Traverse City is known for its bachelor and bachelorette parties, so we were very disappointed when the one dance bar in the city turned us down only because we were a bachelorette party. DEFINITELY never going back to this bar ever again, I do not recommend.

If I could give negative stars I would. Absolutely horrible. And the angsty middle aged woman working the door, you win the prize for most miserable person Ive come in contact with.

I wish I could give 0 stars. We are LGBTQIA+ FRIENDLY and denied our service. When I asked why she said it was per the owners discretion. Very sad and upset they do not allow out of towers.

Would give negative stars if possible. Don’t even think about supporting this discriminatory business. Was denied at the door for being a part of a group of women. Rude, disrespectful, RBG would roll in her grave.

I love it here! Super welcoming and a chill vibe! My friends and I love going here

I cant believe the way the door girl treated my friends. This place will see lawsuits at some point for this ridiculous behavior. Its one thing to be rude its whole other issue to be physically abused and forcibly pushed out the door for no reason. She clearly has many mental health issues. Shame shame shame!!!!!!!

Super fun! Didnt seem to warrant a cover, but great music and dancing, chill people, as well as well-priced drinks (ask for the specials - they werent posted but were great!). Bathrooms need major work - Im a small woman and could barely fit in the stall!

Sidetraxx is discriminatory & derogatory. This company hides behind their biased policies that actively discriminate against letting people, including LGBTQIA+ people, into their un-assuming and gay friendly bar. Not a single person deserves to be treated that way. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Best (and to my knowledge, only) LGBT bar in northern Michigan. Staff is always super friendly, drinks are great, and they have a really nice dance floor and patio area.

Great place to come and drink great prices and good pours would recommend to anybody I know very clean and mike plays some killer music highly recommended(They got rid of Mike and now the music is awful)

Horrible! The staff was incredibly rude and wouldn’t let us in just because we were a bachelorette party? We’re all in the service industry and great tippers so their loss! Don’t Go here

Okay so i loved this bar and the vibe, except i got groped?? and the door lady (lisa) kept saying we were a bridal party when all of us were just trying to dance :(((

Lady at the door doesn’t let in bachelorette parties so don’t bother if you’re celebrating the bride to be👎🏻

Would not let us in due to being a “bachelorette” party. Our party was not drunk and was respectful. Honestly shocked as we would have all been let in as individuals. Do not try to come here as a group -especially of ladies

Joshua the bartender is a dancing queen and the song choices were excellent! Jamal the bouncer is also an absolute gem. We will be back when we are in the area!

Cozy little gay bar. Friendly & welcoming to tourists. Love that they don’t allow silly bachelorette parties. (Hence the angry straight women. Bless their hearts.)

We had a party of 5 for a bachelorette party just wanting to dance at 11PM. We were immediately denied saying “We don’t do that.” Don’t even bother.

Some people might think a cool bouncer lady going Dalton mode on annoying bridesmaids is bad but personally I think its awesome

The drink was small and not strong. Had to wait in line for an hour to order, but once I ordered the drink was ready pretty quick.

Was a great little place the last time I visited. So glad to see they are turning away bridal parties! 😁

This bar is located next to a sewage treatment plant, which is the nicest thing I can say about it. The décor is horrid, the music is outdated pop garbage and the miserable, rude troll they have behind the bar should probably have retired about 10 years ago.A word of warning: if after reading this you still insist on spending an evening in this festering hellhole, DO NOT start a tab - you will likely be overcharged and ripped off.

Popular location for multi cultural patrons to relax, join in singing karaoke, shoot pool and quence ones thirst after a long tiresome day.

I never understand why gay bars in a one gay bar town ALWAYS charge a cover??!!!I can go to Sidetracks (Ironically) in Chicago, Chicagos NUMBER ONE rated gay bar and NEVER pay a cover. Owners of gay bars in small towns take advatage of us as we have no where else to go. They know if we want a gay bar, there is only one for miles, so well pay that cover. It is a very wrong way to do business. I do not go to gay bars that charge a cover and especially not for this hole.

It was a nifty spot and even though are group was a handful, Matt the bartender was a awesome dude and made sure are bachelorette group had great time even with covid and we even got the dance floor to ourselves.

The bartenders are amazing. The two guys that bartend every weekend are the best bartenders in town. They impress me every time because they maintain kindness no matter how busy and nail the drinks every time. I love it there

The staff are rude and unprofessional. The door woman made an uncalled for and judgmental comment. Not a very welcoming place for LGBT+ Bar

It was my birthday party and I was wearing white and they wouldn’t let me in, screamed I was in a bachelorette party, literally didn’t have a ring on. Absolutely insane. Avoid this place at all costs

My friends and I were not allowed into the bar because it was assumed we were a bridal party. So much for being “unassuming” and inclusive.

If I could give zero stars I would! The woman at the front door was sooo rude and didn’t allow us in because she just assumed we were a bachelorette party which we weren’t

Fun casual spot in TC! We were there on Wednesday night for kareoke, the crowd was small but we had a blast. And my fiancé made an ass of himself because he was singing a Spanish song that is English is all they have 😂😂😂

Absolutely horrible place, The front screener was extremely rude, and even assaulted my boyfriend I’ve never seen anything like it, we were just there having fun dancing, we were there for a birthday party that we didn’t even get to participate in ;( Will never put myself in that position, sad that companies can get away with treating people horrible, no reason to put your hand on someone. So sad

Dear God from the reviews that bouncer Lisa seems to be the devils spawn. Perhaps she just need a smile and a hug that poor thing.

Five stars - just to counteract all the one-star reviews from the bridezillas who got turned away at the door. Good job, guys!!! Looking forward to visiting this summer

Don’t do bridal parties. Doesn’t do parties or anything rowdy. Might be really boring. Don’t recommend

Fun place .. but I didn’t love the mask police. If people can grind their sweaty bodies on strangers how are masks on the dance floor mandatory. It just doesn’t make much sense.

Had a fun time here with friends during our stay in TC. The other patrons were very friendly. Shout out to the bartender Matthew who is an absolute treasure.

First time. Went with my cousin thats gay. Cool place, good drinks and music.

Walked in sat at a table, after 10 mins no one greeted us and the bar tender seem to care about the TV more than selling alcohol. We left 5-24-2017 10:40 pm.

Horrible experience. Went with a group of friends and they refused us because they suspected we were a bridal party and we WERE NOT. SHAME ON THEM.

This is NOT a LGBTQ+ friendly bar. This is “hate bar” or bar that poses to be LGBTQ+ friendly, but is NOT. I DO NOT recommend attempting to visit this place. The negative reviews are accurate.

Came from tampa , florida just to see traxx, we both are from Michigan, but been living in Tampa for the last 20 years, we are moving back to northern michigan, the waiter is very nice besides being polite and good looking

No bachelorette parties allowed in, and they are extremely rude about it.

There are so many fake reviews here. No one named Alisa has worked here in recent years. Favorite bar, favorite dance club, stop with the BS.

If I could give a zero I would. Wont let bridal parties in and the door lady physically assaulted my friend, which was way out of line.

Traxx staff will berate uber drivers for waiting for passengers regardless of if your engine is still running or not.

Thank goodness they don’t allow bridal parties! Amazing place for people who are actually gay!

This bar is supposed to be friendly and fun and it was the complete opposite, the door lady was very rude and hostile, would not recommend this bar to anyone nor would come back to it the bar was gross inside

My husband and I have been up there for the Halloween party, as we will be going up there this Wednesday. Never been treated bad by any employee.

Old lady at the front is making the owner lose business. She was so rude. Don’t waste your time!!!!

I had a wonderful experience in this place. The front door lady was super gentle and the staff. I will for sure come back when I have the chance.

If you are part of a bachelorette don’t waste your time., unless you’re into discrimination. Do NOT waste your time.

Great drinks and music. Fun events. If you want somewhere you can hang out, dance, and meet fun people, this it it!!

Terrible place! The lady at the front door wouldn’t let our SOBER bridal party in.

Love that they dont let in bachelorette parties

We went here for a bachelorette party on Saturday and had a blast. The service was great and personable. Great place!

The worst experience ever we were in town for my cousins birthday party and she turned us away telling us we looked like drama and weren’t welcomed in

This is the worst bar in Traverse city. DO NOT GO HERE!!!! Especially if you are a bachelorette or bachelor party!’

Its a very good bar and LGBTQ ARE not just a great time to have fun and dance 🙂🥳

Would not let my group in- super rude (we are fun, tame, decent patrons). Will never return.

Great local gay bar while in town. Stop in and have a drink.

If only zero stars were an option. The staff is extremely rude! You’d think this place would be welcoming & accepting…

Lisa at the front door was very rude. Claims to be inclusive but will turn people away.

Apparently they do not allow brides here which was disappointing after walking miles to get here.

Family member was physically assaulted and pushed out the door. He almost cracked his head on the cement. Do not go here.

I’ve never experienced such a horrible and disgusting place in my life. They are discriminatory and not inclusive. I will never go here again

Do not go here. Refused to let a bridal party in just to have drinks and hang out while waiting on dinner at the restaurant up the road.

Refused to let me and my friends in for absolutely no reason at all. Trash bar and trash people working there.

They will not let you in if you are a bachelorette party.

LISA very unprofessional, her ignorance. This is NOT the first COMPLAINT against this person. YOU do not TOUCH people.

They will deny you entry if you’re in a bridal party. Discriminatory. Disappointment.