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Photo Essay

Photo Essay: East Hollywood Gay Club Famous for Its “Vaquero Nights” Turns 35

The party at Club Tempo has not stopped despite ongoing ICE raids, the rise of dating apps, and fewer young people going out.

12:05 PM PDT on August 14, 2026

three men in cowboy hats at a bar

Photo by Sean Maung for L.A. TACO.

All photos by Sean Maung.


Club Tempo has lived in the corner of an East Hollywood strip mall since 1991, blasting the beat of banda long after its neighbors close for the night. The laughter and music float out into the parking lot until they reach a group of taqueros awaiting the club’s drunk and hungry patrons.