18 reasons to go to strip clubs

"For many, the gentleman’s club is simply a place to unwind, where loud music, cheap beer, and attractive women intersect. It’s a setting that offers an easy escape from day-to-day life, a spot to spend time with friends, and a low-pressure environment to socialize. For some people, that’s where it begins and ends. For others, though, it runs deeper. Strip clubs can become a refuge for men in stagnant or sexless marriages they don’t know how to leave, or for those coming out of them and looking for a place to land. In certain moments, the dynamic shifts from entertainment to something closer to comfort. It could be a conversation, a distraction, or simply the feeling of being noticed. During a recent deep dive on Reddit, I came across a thread in the r/AskMen sub asking users to explain why they go to strip clubs. The responses were more reflective than expected. Beyond the jokes and bravado were admissions about loneliness, anxiety, and the appeal of paid intimacy as something predictable and controlled. What stood out wasn’t just desire, but the ways people use these spaces to cope. Below are 19 reasons men say they go to strip clubs, and the answers suggest there’s more going on than most people assume. Note: Some responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

1. "I like looking at beautiful naked women. Having them show me interest, even knowing that they aren’t seriously interested, is just a bonus." –u/metssuck

2. "I like slutty-looking women. Their attention, fake or real, is fine by me. I get a dopamine hit, get to drink with my buddies, flirt with some women, and go home." Person making an uncomfortable expression with hands held up close to their chest, outdoors near bushes CBC –u/Rumble73

3. "The nice thing about strip clubs was that I knew I wasn't going to be taking any of them home. So I could relax into the conversation without worrying about how I was presenting myself." "I've chatted about Super Smash Bros characters with a stripper for an hour while she tried to convince me that Game & Watch was not the best character for edge control and that she could do better with Kirby."

–u/Kind_Man_0

1. You know it's all a game, you know everything is fake, and you enjoy it. Because here, you have no obligations, do what you want (within the limits, of course) and enjoy yourself." "People have asked me why I go there in the past. Well, to relax, to watch the girls, and shut off my brain.

I used to have a few drinks, maybe one for a lady in addition, and then I went on my way. Never had a private dance or anything more."

–u/urlaubsantrag

1. "Women are nice to me there, and we both know what the other wants. A clear transactional relationship for the night. She gets money, I get attention and maybe a dance with a woman who wouldn't give me two looks outside of the club." A handshake over a table with scattered dollar bills and financial documents, symbolizing a cash-focused business agreement or financial deal

"Honestly, I prefer it over the guessing game with actual potential partners. Not trying to creep anyone out, so I'm never going to 'pick up' signals."

–u/Jimi_The_Cynic

1. "Huh, I feel a bit dumb explaining this, but it's a fun time." "My crew and I hang out, eat, drink, and be merry, shoot pool, and watch sports while watching beautiful women get naked and occasionally pretend they're interested in us.

It's a good time away from any suggestion that we dial down just 'being guys' ...which is just about everywhere else in our daily lives."

–u/The_Latverian

1. "I like seeing attractive, naked women and being immersed in the sexuality that strip clubs provide. Obviously, the sexuality is a sham, but I know that going in and I'm OK with it."

2. "Strips clubs are the equivalent of a 'like' on social media. We absolutely know it’s fake, but pretending to like us fills a void that you may never understand. We are so starved for affection that a simple compliment may be remembered from years ago. This is magnified post-breakup and divorce." "The visual of breasts and beautiful women is also a hell of a dopamine rush. So there you go."

–u/z0rb0r

1. "It’s like owning a car and going to a car show. Even if you own a nice car. We just like to look at things we like looking at. It’s as simple as that for me."

2. "Personally? The main reason I go now is that I'm looking for well-above-average lap dances. Looks are secondary to skill. I almost always go by myself. I am generally touch-deprived. Touching during lap dances (except the obvious place) is generally allowed where I am."

"I can speculate on some of the other reasons. Some of the older men who go there seem to have at least one goal of conversing with a young, pretty dancer for a while. Some people (sometimes mixed women and men) come in groups, possibly some of it is for the stage shows, some for something to do a bit earlier in the night before hitting a regular bar/nightclub.

I've never worked at a strip club, but I have an acquaintance from high school who was a DJ at one for quite a while. I think he once might have indicated that part of his job was being an underpaid babysitter; if it wasn't in those exact words, the sentiment was there. Even with just witnessing his short interactions with some dancers, I could easily see that."

1. "I just enjoy seeing the show up close, not a fan of the 'experience' when they come up and try and flirt with you. I know it’s a hustle, just dance onstage, show me something besides topless, and I’ll hook you up." –u/morchorchorman

2. "A lot of people are probably not going to like this but to be honest, the only reason I go to clubs anymore, if I ever do, is because I kind of have a knack for being able to tell which ones provide extra services outside of club hours, and so I go to the clubs to find them." A person stands with their head tilted down and hand covering their face, expressing frustration or distress in an industrial setting

3. "Personally, I enjoy hot people doing hot things, but there's also the objectification? Like, I don't have to worry about your feelings. As an anxious person, it's very nice. Not to say I'm going to be rude or an asshole about it, but at the same time, I don't have to worry about you liking me or you wanting me to like you, if that makes sense? Just stay respectful and enjoy what I see, all I gotta do." –u/Tenshik

4. "My girlfriend is a stripper at one of the higher-end clubs here. From what I've picked up from her and my own experience, there's a ton of different reasons guys go."

"I had just finalized my divorce and randomly stopped by just because I didn't have anybody to talk to.

Other customers come in looking to party. And plenty just wanna spend an hour or two looking at ass and titties.

It's rough, but she loves it. Just make sure you've got a good support system."

–u/pyro0159

1. "Naked women, alcohol, no accusations of being a creep for staring at cleavage." –u/torgobigknees

2. "Cheap beer and a good sound system. Better music than the local bars." Three people watch a performer in a sequined outfit dancing in a club setting, with a lively and engaging atmosphere Image Source / Getty Images "My wife enjoys the atmosphere and talked me into going. Not even kidding. Pole dancing is a pretty hardcore art form! I went to enough pole dancing classes to highly respect the skills involved."

–u/Righteous_Fury

1. "When I was 18 or 19, it was the adultness of it — and the boobies. By the time I hit 20, it was just somewhere to go in the afternoon between classes at university. I lost interest by my mid-20s, although I ended up shooting the shit with quite a few girls who worked at the club a few blocks from the bar I worked at. Kinda shut me down from the peelers after talking to the ladies who worked there." –u/CheezersTheCat

2. "I go when girls are going. My girlfriends like to go sometimes. They learned how to do a wing with liquid eyeliner at the place downtown from one of the girls. It just seems like girls go to the strip club to chit-chat. I would go if I needed to talk and get a private room. Cheaper than therapy. I actually went after my dad’s funeral. The girls I talked to were really sweet and helped me through it.""