The scene at Ivanhoe Village staple and LGBTQ+ haven the Hammered Lamb had a distinctly party-at-the-end-of-the-world feel to it, with folks tightly packed in, dancing, reminiscing, drinking and crying. Open since 2013, this Ivanhoe Village staple drew in Orlandoans with late night hangs, drag shows, train shots and Bloody Marys that consistently topped our Best of Orlando® Readers’ Choice ballots. Beyond the party atmosphere, though, the Lamb was a safe haven for the local LGBTQ+ community, and the bar gave back to the community in kind. A mix of COVID and interminable road construction did the Lamb in, and this blurry all-day Saturday party was the best way to say goodbye — complete with familiar faces, drinks, hugs, laughs and many, many tears. “It’s the end of an era,” said many a regular. And they were right.
Jan. 25, 2025
This article appears in Best of Orlando (R) 2025.