Welcome!
Here you'll find the most complete and up to date overview of Amsterdam's gay and lesbian nightlife!
Compared to other Gay Capitals, Amsterdam is almost like a Gay Village. But despite being small in size, the Amsterdam gay scene has a long history and a large variety of places. They are concentrated in and around the following streets, each with its own character:
Amstel area (local & cozy)
- Cafés: Amstel Fifty Four · Brug34 · Montmartre · Pikketanussie
- Dragshow bar: De Lellebel
Kerkstraat (queer & fetish)
- Café: Spijker
- Cruise club: Church
- Street party: StreetHeart Festival
Reguliersdwarsstraat (trendy)
- Cafés: BLEND · BLEND XL · Exit Café · Reality Bar · Soho · Taboo Bar
- Food bar: Taboo Kantine
- Restaurants: Garlic Queen · Je T'aime
- Club: NYX
Spuistraat area (all sorts)
- Café: Prik
- Restaurant: 't Sluisje
- Cruise bars: The Cuckoo's Nest · The Web
- Sauna: Nieuwezijds
Warmoesstraat (leather & fetish)
- Cruise bar: Dirty Dicks
- Cruise club: Eagle Amsterdam
- Street party: Leather Pride
Zeedijk (local & cozy)
- Cafés: 't Mandje · The Queen's Head
- Street party: Hartjesdagen
Elsewhere in the city (queer & lesbian)
- Food bars: Lola the Green Aardvark · Pamela
- Lesbian places: Bar Buka · Café Saarein
- Disco: De Trut
- Cafés: Amstel Fifty Four · Brug34 · Montmartre · Pikketanussie
- Dragshow bar: De Lellebel
Kerkstraat (queer & fetish)
- Café: Spijker
- Cruise club: Church
- Street party: StreetHeart Festival
Reguliersdwarsstraat (trendy)
- Cafés: BLEND · BLEND XL · Exit Café · Reality Bar · Soho · Taboo Bar
- Food bar: Taboo Kantine
- Restaurants: Garlic Queen · Je T'aime
- Club: NYX
Spuistraat area (all sorts)
- Café: Prik
- Restaurant: 't Sluisje
- Cruise bars: The Cuckoo's Nest · The Web
- Sauna: Nieuwezijds
Warmoesstraat (leather & fetish)
- Cruise bar: Dirty Dicks
- Cruise club: Eagle Amsterdam
- Street party: Leather Pride
Zeedijk (local & cozy)
- Cafés: 't Mandje · The Queen's Head
- Street party: Hartjesdagen
Elsewhere in the city (queer & lesbian)
- Food bars: Lola the Green Aardvark · Pamela
- Lesbian places: Bar Buka · Café Saarein
- Disco: De Trut
(Opening hours are subject to change. Please note that many places are closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Check the website or Facebook page of the place for current info)
Click on the map!
News
about gay & lesbian nightlife in Amsterdam
July 15, 2022:
February 19, 2022:
February 13, 2022:
April 21, 2021:
October 14, 2020:
- More news about Amsterdam gay nightlife: GayAmsterdam.com
- News about Reguliersdwarsstraat: Reguliers.net
Research
about gay & lesbian nightlife in Amsterdam
Article by Gert Hekma, University of Amsterdam, 1992
Thesis by Thomas Coenraadts, Brandenburgische Technische Universität, Cottbus, 2017
Thesis by Katie Poltz, University of Amsterdam, 2020
Thesis by Tim van Heusden, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2021
Do you also research gay & lesbian nightlife? Then mail to info@homohoreca.nl
Resources
Collection of memorabilia, merchandise, flyers and advertisements:
Gay & Lesbian Nightlife in the Netherlands
Digital archive of a Dutch gay nightlife magazine:
Gay & Night Magazine 2006-2016
Weblinks of mostly former Dutch and Flemish gay places:
Startbewijs.nl: Gay uitgaansgelegenheden
Links
Useful links about gay nightlife in:
- Amsterdam
- The Netherlands
- Elsewhere in the world
+ Various LGBT links
Gay nightlife in Amsterdam
Streets:
- Reguliersdwarsstraat
- Warmoesstraat
Guides:
- Gay Amsterdam
- Nighttours: Amsterdam
- Iamsterdam: LGBTI Guide
- Patroc: Amsterdam
- Queer Europe: Amsterdam
- Gay Cities: Amsterdam
- Pinksider: Amsterdam
- The Gay Passport: Amsterdam
- Queer In The World: Amsterdam
- Gay Out: Amsterdam
- Travel Gay: Amsterdam
Calendars:
- Gay Amsterdam: Agenda
- Tom of Amsterdam
- Gay Parties Amsterdam
Prides:
- Pride Amsterdam
- Leather & Fetish Pride
- Black Pride
Tickets:
- Gaygo Tickets
Tours:
- LGBT Gay Tours Amsterdam
Photos:
- LGBT nightlife in Amsterdam
- Gay Businesses 1983-2010
Memorabilia:
- IHLIA @ Historypin
History:
- A'dam Gay Bar Culture 1930-1970
- Graveyard of LGBTQI pubs & clubs
Gay nightlife in The Netherlands
Guides:
- Nighttours: Netherlands
- Queer In The World: Netherlands
- Saunas4men: Netherlands
Calendars:
- Nighttours: Netherlands
Tickets:
- Gaygo Tickets
Photos:
- Wikimedia: LGBT Nightlife
Memorabilia:
- IHLIA @ Historypin
- LGBTQI+ Buttons
History:
- LGBT history in the Netherlands
Gay café Kalff in Utrecht during a memorial
for gay disco De Roze Wolk (1982-2006)
(click to enlarge)
for gay disco De Roze Wolk (1982-2006)
(click to enlarge)
Gay nightlife elsewhere in
the world
the world
Cities:
- Queer Berlin
Streets & Villages:
- Canal Street, Manchester
- Le Marais, Paris
- Hell's Kitchen, New York City
- Church-Wellesley, Toronto
- Village, Montréal
Guides:
- GayBars.eu
- Gay Travel Guide Europe
- Queer Europe
- Spartacus Intern. Gay Guide
- Gay Cities
- Pinksider
- The Gay Passport
- Queer In The World
- Gay Out
- GayTravel
- Travel Gay
- Saunas4men
Calendars:
- Gay Events Belgium
- IGLTA: Pride Calendar
- Gay Pride Calendar
- GayPrides.com
Tickets:
- Gaygo Tickets
Photos:
- Wikimedia: Gay bars
Buttons:
- LGBTQI+ Buttons
T-Shirts:
- Wearing Gay History
- Throwback Gay Bar T-Shirts
History:
- Wikipedia: Gay bar
- Brussels Almanack Dykes
- Molly Houses in 18th century London
- Pride of Place: Meeting & Socialising
- OUTgoing New York City
- San Francisco Gay History
- The Lesbian Bar Project
- GayBarchives
Various LGBT links
LGBT news:
- PinkNews · Advocate · Queer.de
Podcast:
- Making Gay History
Museums:
- Schwules Museum, Berlin
- Queer Britain, London
- American LGBTQ+ Museum, NYC
Archives:
- IHLIA LGBT Heritage
- Fonds Suzan Daniel
- ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives
Contact: info@homohoreca.nl
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