Welcome to the 2010 edition of Za-Gay Guide, Creative Loafing's complete list of LGBT bars, clubs and restaurants in Tampa Bay.

GAYBOR

G. Bar. Half-bar, half-club: When you go from one side to the other, the music changes from clubby fast-paced music to a relaxed atmosphere filled with pop and hip-hop. It's a big stylish space with high ceilings, brick walls, a dance floor that seems almost non-existent in the busiest times, DJs, VJs and go-go dancers of both genders. A popular destination for women on Fridays, men on Saturdays and everybody on "Fusion Thursdays." 1401 E. Seventh Ave., 813-247-1016,

Play. Once known as Spurs Country Bar and boasting two stages, Play is the brain-child of the much-beloved indie-duo-turned-club-impresarios Halcyon. The lineup highlights live local music, hosting both rising stars and seasoned veterans. Food from local vendors, a very pleasant patio and a 2-4-1 Happy Hour, plus weekly team trivia nights, karaoke and televised sporting events. 1701 E. Eighth Ave., 813-443-0754, playybor.com.

Steam Fridays/Tease Saturdays at The Honey Pot. Boys on Friday, girls on Saturday in this multi-level funhouse on Seventh. "Steam is my choice for Gay Friday nights (comparable to G. Bar on Saturday nights)," says one CL aficionado. "Good music, spacious and, well, lots of eye candy!" 1507 E. Seventh Ave., 813-247-4663, www.myspace.com/steamfridays.

Streetcar Charlie's. A gay-centric (but not gay-exclusive) restaurant that manages to combine white-tablecloth service and good food with a neighborhood-hangout vibe. Plus, the windows offer a great view of the passing (and/or cruising) throngs. 1811 N. 15th St., 813-248-1444, myspace.com/streetcarcharlies.

Ybor Eagle/ Ybor City Social Club. A two-tiered club with the Ybor Social Club upstairs and the Eagle downstairs. Part of D. Stephen Moss' mini-empire (he also owns Honey Pot and G. Bar), the Social Club is the more general-interest bar of the two, if your general interest extends to hunky dancers, College Nights with $2 drinks, Girls' Nights and Saturday line dancing. Downstairs things get more serious, with Leather Dances, Boot Blacks, Darkness Saturdays and appearances by big-name porn stars like Matthew Rush. 1909 N. 15th St., Tampa, 813-242-2717.

Ybor Resort and Spa. Private spa rooms with flat-screen TVS, clothing-optional courtyard and steam room (with "Privacy Zones"), over 200 secured lockers to store belongings, a "large Dark Room with an Intricate Maze and a Sling Room" … well, you get the idea. A men-exclusive club, it's open to members only. Membership is $10 for the night, $30 for the year. 1512 E. 8th Ave., Tampa, 813-242-0900, yborresortandspa.com.

Also of note in GaYbor:
MC Film (1901 N. 15th St., 813-247-6233, mcfilmfest.com), a packed-to-the-rafters gift emporium and the unofficial GaYbor headquarters, thanks to coalition founders Mark Bias and Carrie West.

Burn Sundays at The Castle (2004 N. 16th St., 813-247-7547, myspace.com/thecastlesundays), gay night at a club that has always welcomed polymorphous perversity

TAMPA (beyond GaYbor)

KiKiKi III. A classic dive bar indistinguishable from its straight counterparts except for the clientele, which includes "its share of regulars looking for generous friends," as tampa.gaycities.com so delicately puts it. The bar serves beer and wine only, with Natty Lite on tap. 1908 W. Kennedy Blvd., 813-241-4188.

Baxter's Lounge. A South Tampa happy-hour institution, having been open in various incarnations for close to a quarter century. The bartenders are friendly and the video screens are huge (as are some of the endowments on the video screens). 1519 S. Dale Mabry, 813-258-8830, baxterslounge.com.

Chelsea Nightclub. The Chelsea crew makes splashy entrances via fire truck during Pride and other events, and that friendly, showy vibe extends throughout the bar, known for its cute dancers, competitive karaoke and the Men of Playgirl 2010 Manhunt. 1502 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-228-0139, chelseanightclub.com.

City Side. The bar of choice for South Tampa's A-gays, City Side has style, from the huge designer bouquets to the giant karaoke screen. Saturday cookouts on the patio, sing it loud and proud on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in the WOW Lounge. 3703 Henderson Blvd., 813-350-0600, clubcityside.com.

The Body Shop. Formerly Keith's Bar. 14905 N. Nebraska Ave., 813-971-3576

2606. A bit scary in look and reputation (this is the leather/Levi bar where Steven Lorenzo and Scott Schweickert, convicted in 2007 of conspiring to commit drug-facilitated crimes of violence, allegedly picked up one of their ill-fated tricks), 2606 is less intimidating inside. There's a leather shop on the second floor, and dark niches here and there, but the overall vibe is comfortable and welcoming (including lots of bargain drink nights) no matter what you're wearing. 2606 N. Armenia Ave., 813-875-6993, 2606.com.

Valentine's Nightclub & Showbar. Valentine's is known for its five-nights-a-week drag shows, but the club is especially popular for its Latino night. "Always an experience on Saturday nights," says one CL stalwart, "if you enjoy a good mix of straight/gay with a splash of chips 'n' salsa." 7522 N. Armenia Ave., 813-936-1999, valentinesnightclub.com.

Also of note in Tampa (beyond GaYbor):

Boxxxers (1801 N. Tampa Road, myspace.com/boxxxers), which bills itself as "The Bar with Balls" and a "gay mega-center," male strippers included and boys in, you guessed it, boxers; Rainbow Room (421 S. MacDill Ave., myspace.com/rainbow_room), a "local lesbian bar that's welcoming to the boys, too," according to tampa.gaycities.com. "A mix between a bar and a community center," according to the Rainbow Roomers themselves.

PINELLAS

Christopher Street Bar. Strippers, karaoke, strippers, game nights, strippers, dancing and … strippers — in a club whose name evokes an historic location in Greenwich Village. 13344 66th St. N., Largo, 727-538-0660, christopherstreetbar.com.

Club Nautico & Cabaret. "Stolioke Idol," "The New Faces of Drag," hot girl and boy dancers means there's something for everyone at this St. Pete spot. 4900 66th St. N., St. Petersburg, nauticostpete.com.

Detour Green Light Club. Located in the former home of the venerable St. Pete bar Grand Central Station, Detour occupies a prime spot next to St. Pete's bungalow-rific Kenwood gayborhood. Faces directly onto the St. Pete Pride parade route. 2612 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-327-8204, detouroncentral.com.

The Flamingo Resort. The Flamingo opened last summer in high style, transforming a former fleabag motel into a gleaming poolside gay destination, with something going on every day of the week, from Piano Tuesdays and Underwear Wednesdays to brunch and T-Dance on Sundays and some of the area's best drag shows on Saturdays. 4601 34 St. St., St. Petersburg, 727-321-5000, www.flamingofla.com.

Georgie's Alibi. The center of Tampa Bay's gay universe may have shifted to Ybor, but Georgie's will always be its heart. There are few bars anywhere that manage to juggle so many balls at once so successfully: good food and strong drinks, amiable staff, stellar DJs, live performances and an eclectic clientele with something (or someone) for everybody — gay, straight, male, female, hot, not. The St. Pete Pride Parade kicks off at Georgie's every year, emblematic of its centrality to Tampa Bay's gay community. 3100 Third Ave., N., St. Petersburg, 727-321-2112, georgiesalibi.com.

Hideaway/Haymarket Pub. The folks at tampa.gaycities.com call Hideaway "the country's oldest women's bar, … like Cheers for women." The reviews for Haymarket, which shares a parking lot off of Fourth Street N., aren't quite as complimentary. 8302/ 8308 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-570-9025/727-577-9621.

Oar House. "Back when dinosaurs walked," remembers one CL wag and gay-bar vet, "the Oar House was the spot you hit for last call if you struck out at all the other bars." But more recent visitors had a different take, comparing it to nearby Pepperz: "They're both smoky, fun, local bars" catering to men and women. 4807 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg, 727-327-1691.

Pepperz. Gulfport neighborhood bar for men and women. "Fun music, fun crowd," reported one Saturday night scout. 4918 22nd Ave. S., Gulfport, 727-327-4897 fl.local.yahoo.biz/pepperz.

Pro Shop Pub. The name makes it sound like a clubhouse for a golf course. It's not, of course, but the camaraderie has a clubhouse feel, no doubt fed by the relative paucity of gay establishments in this part of Pinellas. The nightly specials have a ballsy appeal: Manly Mondays (bare chests encouraged), Free Ballin' Fridays (free pool) and Amateur Strip Contests on Wednesdays. 840 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-447-4259, ProShopPub.us.

The Queenshead Eurobar. Opened just last year, the Queenshead has quickly become a destination spot not just for LGBT clientele but foodies and bon vivants of every ilk, thanks to the charm of Brit expat owners Darren Conner and Paul Smith, and the cooking of Chris Green, which won Queenshead the title of Best New Restaurant in last year's CL Best of the Bay Readers' Poll. Located in a former gas station next to Beak's on Central Avenue, it's a gleaming yet homey reinterpretation of the British pub, with the added attraction of a South-Beachy front courtyard with actual beach. 2501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8584, thequeensheadbar.com.

Sporters. Billing itself as "St. Pete's only gentleman's bar," Sporters offers said gentlemen a range of attractions, including a Nipple Play Party, American Idol & Bare Chest Nights and meetings of the St. Pete Bears. 187 MLK St. N., 727-418-1111.

Tru Lounge. A multi-faceted new spot in an unlikely location — Ulmerton Boulevard just beyond I-275 in the Feather Sound area, land of office parks and chain restaurants. CLGBT blogger Robbie Crowley was favorably impressed by its mix of "two large bars and a sizeable dance floor… a surprisingly posh lounge… [and] menu of tapas and gourmet pizzas. In essence, it’s a lounge, bar, dance club, restaurant and theater all in one." Boys' nights, girls' nights, karaoke and Vegas-style shows are all on the bill. 2325 Ulmerton Rd., Clearwater, thetrulounge.com

Also of note in Pinellas:

Blur Tuesdays and Fridays (325 Main St., Dunedin, myspace.com/blurtuesday), drawing lively crowds to gay/lesbian/drag/whatever nights in the former home of 1470 West; TC's Flip Flops (14601 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach, 727-392-2814), a smoky dive bar with a history — it's in the building that used to house The Backroom — but also "an outside courtyard with potential," according to one visitor.