Iowa isn’t the most progressive state, but it does have many queer-friendly places. Check out these examples where LGBTQ+ folks can feel free and safe.
It should go without saying, but safe spaces are a must for the LGBTQ+ community. This is especially true in Iowa, which hasn’t necessarily been the most progressive state with queer and trans rights—just one reason that queer Iowans have been leaving the state. But those of us left in the Hawkeye State need those precious third spaces where we can be ourselves without fear of repercussions.
Thankfully, there are queer-friendly spaces across the state, whether they’re owned by LGBTQ+ individuals or allies who want to see a better world for their queer and trans community members. We’ve gathered a number of places you should consider for your next hangout, from restaurants to cafes and lounges.
1. The Dot
Address: 127 Dotson Dr, Ames
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Ames’ The Dot is a woman-owned cafe that’s specifically designed to welcome anyone and everyone into its doors. This is so true, as its Instagram bio labels it an “inclusive space,” and its website mentions that it’s a community-centered shop. In addition to feeling safe at The Dot, guests can enjoy sweet and savory dishes alike, ranging from oatmeals to toasts and salads. Of course, the drinks menu sounds divine, too, with its myriad lattes, teas, and cocktails.
2. Adel Family Fun Center
Address: 1526 Greene St, Adel
Hours: Monday: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday: 1 p.m.-9 p.m.
The Adel Family Fun Center feels like peak 80s and 90s nostalgia, thanks to its combination of bowling alley thrills and yummy grilled foods and snacks. The center accepts walk-in bowling groups, but you can also reserve lanes ahead of time on its website. You can even have parties at the center, though you should provide advance notice. Whether you’re looking for an event or everyday fun, you’re in for a safe, carefree time thanks to the Adel Family Fun Center being registered with the Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce as a queer-friendly business.
The food is nothing to scoff at, either, with a menu featuring pizza-inspired burgers, nacho toppings piled on top of waffle fries, and wraps filled with chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing.
3. Rook Room Game Lounge & Cafe
Address: 300 SW 5th St, Des Moines
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Des Moines’ Rook Room Game Lounge & Cafe is a gathering place on many levels: It’s a cafe where you can catch up with friends over drinks; it has games you can play or spaces to play your own; and it even hosts tournaments where gamers can duke it out in friendly competition. What’s more, Rook Room is certified queer-friendly by the Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
You don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this space, either. The drinks and snacks shine on their own. Coffee, lattes, tea, and cocktails are all served here—we’re really eyeing the Spicy Chai Latte—and the food menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, and appetizers like pretzels and cheese boards. Yum!
4. Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill
Address: 819 S 1st Ave, Iowa City
Hours: Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill may be best known for its tenderloins and reuben sandwiches, but Iowa City locals also know it as being an inclusive space where everyone feels comfortable and safe. This restaurant also caters, but for a true taste of its friendly atmosphere, you’ll want to visit it in person. And there are ample opportunities to do so, since its operating hours are wide. Plus, it hosts a variety of queer-friendly events throughout the year, like Drag Bingo on the second Sunday of every month. How fun is that?
5. Roasters Coffeehouse NewBo
Address: 1120 2nd St SE, Cedar Rapids
Hours: Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Roasters Coffeehouse NewBo is located in The District: Czech Village & New Bohemia in Cedar Rapids, and it’s been a queer-friendly cafe since it opened. This shop brews fair-trade coffees from more than a handful of countries, and its vibes are as cozy as the hug-like feelings its drinks give you.
In addition to generally being queer-friendly, Roasters Coffeehouse NewBo hosts LGBTQ+ events to bring the community together. One example is the Trans Visibili-TEA event that was held in March 2026 to commemorate Trans Visibility Day. The shop’s Facebook post specifies that the event was “hosted BY and FOR trans and non-[binary] folx, their families and advocates,” and it included drinks, snacks, crafts, and more. Celebrations like this have planted Roasters Coffeehouse NewBo firmly on the list of Iowa’s most queer-friendly spaces.
6. Studio 13
Address: 13 S Linn St, Iowa City
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 8 p.m.-2 p.m.
Restaurants, bowling alleys, and cafes are all good and well, but sometimes you just need to dance. Enter Studio 13, Iowa City’s premiere LGBTQ+ nightclub. Studio 13 has been making queer folks feel safe and accepted for more than 20 years, with club-goers participating in drag shows, karaoke, comedy shows, and more. Some evenings also have live music, so there’s never a dull moment. The cherry on top is that you only have to be 19 to enter, so most LGBTQ+ adults can mingle here and be among like-minded folks.
7. The Haunted Bookshop
Address: 219 N Gilbert St, Iowa City
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sometimes, all you need is a good afternoon spent traipsing around a bookstore, thumbing through pages, tracing the shelves, and escaping into new stories. That’s exactly what you can get at The Haunted Bookshop, a used bookstore that’s been serving Iowa City since 1978. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to meet the shop’s resident orange-and-white cat, Esk.
Like most bookstores, this shop is inclusive to everyone, making it a great gathering place for LGBTQ+ folks who want to relax with literature without worrying about judgment. The store’s current owner, Nialle Sylvan, even places an emphasis on stocking queer literature. “Because it is a used bookstore, because I do all the buying, I’m in a position to curate a selection based on what I know of my community,” Sylvan told Little Village in 2018. “I can have a really big LGBT section, when it’s not picked clean…and by that, make the statement that this is OK. If this is you, this is OK. You can be here. You’re welcome here.” In that case, we’re on our way.
8. Kismet Coffee & Bloom
Address: 1000 3rd Street SE, Suite 1, Cedar Rapids
Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Located in the same market area as Roasters Coffeehouse NewBo, Kismet Coffee & Bloom is a woman- and Turkish-owned coffee shop that aims to bring everyone together and foster community. This cafe offers all the specialty coffee, espresso, and tea drinks you’d expect, and it also runs a full florist shop where you can order custom bouquets or single stems to give yourself or a loved one a small mood boost for the day. Kismet Coffee & Bloom is specifically labeled as friendly to LGBTQ+ folks on the Cedar Rapids Tourism website.
9. Giving Tree Theater
Address: 752 10th St, Marion
Many LGBTQ+ individuals fall in love with theater in high school because it’s a place where you can be anyone you want and live outside of traditional societal norms. But did you know that you can continue to feel safe in the theater even after graduating? Giving Tree Theater is one community theater open to all and is actively working on “bringing more diverse entertainment and talent to our stage,” according to a 2025 Facebook comment. This theater may just be where you find your next chosen family members.
10. Vintage 2 Die 4
Address: 2900 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids
Hours: Thursday: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; Friday: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sometimes, the best hangouts are spent thrifting or searching around vintage stores. If that’s relatable to you, then you should check out Vintage 2 Die 4 in Cedar Rapids. This store carries items that date back to the 1940s, and you’ll be left fascinated, wondering about each item’s story as you take in all of the cool finds.
Plus, it’s easy to get lost in amazement when you feel safe. The store’s Facebook page commented on the same post from which the Giving Tree Theater recommendation came, writing, “We welcome all, except hate.” It sounds like this vintage store is staffed with compassionate folks who will make sure your shopping experience is positively lovely.
