We had two "gay bars" at my home town, I never actually went there because I've heard it was really not a good place to go. The owners entitled itself as an "alternative bar", and in reality it was basically a matter of style, certantly not of public. A dance club with the style of gay bar (has pop diva songs all the time, glitter, once or twice a month had drag queens, etc). A LOT of straight people went there. It was just not possible to go as a closeted gay man having a moment of openness, it was just another place filled with straight people, be open at your own risk.
Anyway, people here are talking about bachelorette parties being the worst, but here's what's actually worse: straight women dragging their annoyed boyfriends to gay bars. Not as common as they going with a group of women, but not so uncommon here. I once heard a girl colleague commenting, giggling, how her boyfriend was infuriated and disgusted at the "faggotry" of some guy in the bar.