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Reguliersdwarsstraat is the trendiest and most famous gay street in Amsterdam. Here you can go out in a variety of bars and clubs, each with their very own style...
The biggest, most famous and trendiest bars and clubs are situated in the western part of the street. Three smaller and lesser known gay bars are in the eastern part.
There are also three gay-minded coffeeshops in the street: The Other Side, Betty Too and Free-I.
See also How to get there and Where to stay
websites with information in English
are indicated by a flag
Coffeeshop Downtown
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 31
1017 BJ Amsterdam
(since 1970)
1970 - 40 years Downtown! - 2010
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- Downtown is a small lunchroom and coffee bar (so not a coffeeshop where soft drugs are sold!). The coffeeshop has always been very popular by a whole range of gay people: "the young, the old, the leather queens and the disco bunnies".
- The interior is small, but light and cosy, and on the walls you can see expositions of modern art. During summertime there is a small terrace in front of the building, as well as in the street aside.
- Above the lunchroom is the Downtown Guesthouse with two rooms, where you can stay during a visit to Amsterdam.
- Open: daily 11.00 - 20.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.coffeeshopdowntown.nl 
- Networks: Facebook - Twitter
Downtown is located in the oldest existing building of Reguliersdwars- straat, dating back to 1642. As such, this is a good example of how 17th century Dutch houses with a shop at the front looked like.
In 1970 two gay friends, Fokke IJsinga and Frits Blaauw, opened here an espresso bar, which became the first public gay cafe of the city. This makes Downtown also the oldest existing gay establishment in this street.
By the end of 1979 Downtown was taken over by Frans Monsma and Guus Silverentand. They began organizing the first really big and fancy parties in Reguliersdwars- straat. A year later they also started Café-Bar April, and both venues became the avant-garde of the Golden Eighties of Amsterdam Gay Capital.
> Pictures of People @ Coffeeshop Downtown in May 1980
- The complete history of Downtown in Dutch
Café-Bar April
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 37
1017 BK Amsterdam
(since 1981)
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During Gay Pride OPEN from August 5th till August 8th!
- April is the most famous gay bar of Amsterdam. It's a big venue, which reopened on July 16, 2009 after a complete renovation and refurbishment.
- The new interior is designed by the famous architect Eric Kuster, who also designed Bar ARC, Club Roque, and Jimmy Woo. He was inspired by tribal tattoo's, as they are international, gay, straight and sexy, just like the April.
- With two big bars, a separate cocktail bar and lots of seatings, the new April has more space dan ever before!
- Open: Sun.- Thu.: 16.00 - 01.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 16.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Regular program of Cafe April
- Happy hour: Mon.-Sat.: 18.00 - 19.00 + 23.00 - 24.00 hrs
Sun.: 19.00 - 21.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.cafeapril.eu
- Networks: Hyves - Facebook - Twitter
outside - Café April - inside
April is located in a 19th century building. The bar itself was opened in 1981 by Frans Monsma and Guus Silverentand. Not only was April the first public gay bar which was open until late night, it was also one of the most hip and trendy bars of those days.
Direct from the start April became famous for its big and fancy parties with spectacular decorations. Gay people from all over the world came here on their trip to Amsterdam.
In 1996 April was completly renovated and extended and also a never seen rotating bar was installed. This made April the biggest gay bar at that time in Europe.
Pub Soho
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 36
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 1999)
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- Soho is one of the biggest gay bars of Amsterdam and has a great classic style interior with fine wooden panelling, mirrors, a fire place, a library and even a pulpit for the DJ!
- The ground floor has a large central bar in a somewhat more English style. Through a stately staircase you go to the first floor, which has a second bar in a more American style. Coat- check and toilets are on the second floor.
- Allthough Soho has a very classic decoration, visitors are not only older gay guys, but also youngsters and straight people too. Also a lot of gay tourists. Well known DJ's play trendy club and house music.
- Open: Mon.- Thu.: 18.00 - 03.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 17.00 - 04.00 hrs
Sun.: 17.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Every Sunday: Double Happy Hour
- Happy hour: Mon.-Sat.: 22.00 - 23.00 hrs
Sun.: 17.00 - 19.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.pubsoho.eu
- Network: Facebook
inside - Café Pub Soho - outside
Soho is located in a big former coach-house dating back to the 18th century. From 1981-1996 this building housed "36 op de schaal van Richter", which was made the most trendy and popular disco of that time by Gert-Jan Dröge.
In 1996 it was bought by bar-tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra, who turned it into gay pub Soho, which was decorated in his own favorite style.
Club Exit
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 42
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 1988)
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During Gay Pride OPEN from July 30th till August 8th!
> GoldRush Party continues: www.goldrushamsterdam.nl
- Exit is a big gay disco with two bars and a large dancefloor with an overlooking balcony. Each of these areas has its own music: popular music at the first floor bar; R&B, hip hop, rap & latin at the second floor bar and club, electro and vocal music spinned by a DJ on the dance floor.
- On the top floor of Exit there is a new chillout lounge and finally a darkroom, which makes the atmosphere of the club rather cruisy. But that's also where a wide variety of gay boys, guys and men come for.
- Open: Fri. + Sat.: 23.00 - 5.00 hrs
- Every Friday: Stout Party
- Entrance fee: Fri.: € 8,- (free until 0.00, exit stamp after 1.00)
Sat.: € 10,- (free until 0.00, exit stamp after 1.00)
- Homepage: www.clubexit.eu
inside - Club Exit - outside
Exit is located in a former coach-house dating from 1766, which in the mid-eighties housed the exclusive bar and restaurant L'Entree. This was a favorite place of many Dutch celebrities.
In 1988 this venue was bought by bar-tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra, turned into a disco for nearby gay bar April, and therefore named April's Exit.
It was completly refurbished in 2001 and finally renamed Club Exit.
Exit Café
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 42
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 1988/2001)
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During Gay Pride OPEN from July 30th till August 8th!
- Exit Café is a gay bar in the so-called aprčs ski style. Accor- dingly this bar is often crowded and loud, also because its the only gay bar in the street which is open late into the night every day.
- In Exit Café you can hear a mixture of the most popular dutch and international pop songs. If its not too crowded you can dance a little bit, as there are almost no seatings.
- Open: Sun.-Thu.: 23.00 - 04.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 23.00 - 05.00 hrs
- Happy hour: daily 01.00 - 02.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.exitcafe.eu
Exit Café
Exit Café is situated in the right corner of the Club Exit-building, which is a former coach-house dating back to 1766. When the Exit disco came in this building in 1988, there was a first Exit Cafe in the left corner.
Later on this was moved to the right corner and renamed The Duke. This was however no succes, so within a year it got back its old name and the present day interior was build.
Bar ARC
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 44
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 2002)
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- ARC is a big and trendy lounge bar. It has a sophisticated cosmopolitain decor with comfortable seatings, two cocktailbars and a reading table, which at night turns into a small dance floor - all designed by the famous Eric Kuster, who also made the interiors of Cafe-Bar April, Club Roque, and Jimmy Woo.
- Here you can get all sorts of cocktails and luxury finger food, while DJ's play trendy lounge, club and dance music. ARC attracts the most trendy crowd, both gay and straight.
- Open: Sun.-Thu.: 16.00 - 01.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 16.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Regular program of Bar ARC
- Homepage: www.bararc.eu
- Network: Facebook
outside - Café Bar ARC - inside
Bar ARC was opened in 2002 by Anqelique, Rob & Company and from their initials the name was formed. The building was constructed only two years earlier on a ground which laid fallow since the disaster of 1943.
ARC started as a restaurant and a cocktailbar, but nowadays you can only get smaller dishes and finger food.
As the last in a row, ARC was taken over by bar-tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra by the end of 2007. This made him the sole owner of all big gay venues.
Taboo Bar
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 45
1017 BK Amsterdam
(since 2010)
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Grand Opening on Thursday, August 5!
- The newest gay bar in Reguliersdwarsstraat, where every night will be a party! The bar has two floors, a big smoking area and four large video screens which will show you the newest video clips.
- Open: Mon.- Thu.: 18.00 - 03.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 16.00 - 04.00 hrs
Sun.: 16.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Happy hour: Mon.- Sat.: 18.00 - 19.00 + 24.00 - 1.00 hrs
Sun.: 18.00 - 20.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.taboobar.nl
- Network: Facebook
Café 't Leeuwtje
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 105
1017 BL Amsterdam
(since 2006/2010)
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- Café 't Leeuwtje (The Little Lion) is a gay bar with a typical Dutch interior and both dutch and international popular music. The bar is visited by a variety of gay people of all ages, all- though straight people and gay tourists come here too.
- Open: Sun.-Thu.: 17.00 - 01.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 16.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Happy Hour: Fri. - Wed. 22.00 - 23.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.cafehetleeuwtje.nl (under construction)
Café 't Leeuwtje
Number 105 Reguliersdwarsstraat has been a bar for decades. In the seventies it was a straight bar with teaser girls. In 1984 it became a gay bar named Papillon, but in the nineties it was an ordinary straight bar again. By the end of 2006 a new owner turned it into a gay bar for the second time.
Reality Bar
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 129
1017 BL Amsterdam
(since 1996)
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- Small gay bar with a tropical style interior and latin music. It calls itself "The Hottest Black & White Gay Bar in Town".
- Reality is popular by black gays, wherever they come from, and by everyone else who like the latin and multicultural atmosphere.
- Open: Sun.-Thu.: 20.00 - 03.00 hrs
Fri.+ Sat.: 20.00 - 04.00 hrs
- Regular program of Reality Bar
- Happy Hour: Fri.-Sun.: 20.30 - 22.00 hrs
- Homepage: www.realitybar.eu (under construction)
Café Reality Bar
Number 129 Regulierdwarsstraat has been a bar for decades: in the seven- ties it was for example a somewhat more distinguished cafe called La Reserve. Reality Bar was opened here in 1997 by a man from Surinam, which was a breakthrough in the Surinam and Latin-American community.
Reality Girlz
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 125
1017 BL Amsterdam
(since 2009)
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- Reality Girlz is the first "Black & White Lesbian Bar" in Europe. This bar was opened by the owner of nearby Reality Bar, which attracted more and more lesbian girls. With Reality Girlz, they now have their own place!
- Reality Girlz has a modern interior with a bar, seats and a small dance floor!
- Open: Fri.+ Sat.: 20.00 - 03.00 hrs
- Networks: Hyves - Facebook
Reality Girlz
The Other Side
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 6
1017 BM Amsterdam
- A gay-minded coffeeshop where you can buy soft drugs.
- Open: daily 11.00 - 01.00 hrs.
- Homepage: www.theotherside.nl
Betty, TOO!
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 29
1017 BJ Amsterdam
(since 2007)
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- A modern gay-minded coffeeshop where you can buy soft drugs, but also coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The shop has two floors, which are decorated with a variety of Betty Boop gadgets. There's also a small terrace.
- Betty,TOO! also supports various LGBT-events and offers a platform for artists, exhibitions, performances and free culture projects.
- Review at The-Itinerant.com
- Open: daily 10.00 - 1.00 hrs
- Weblog: Bettytoo.wordpress.com
- Network: Facebook
Coffeeshop Betty, TOO!
Free-I
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 70
1017 BN Amsterdam
(since 1978)
- A gay-minded coffeeshop where you can buy soft drugs in a not so ordinary atmosphere with trendy people, house, deep-house and lounge-music, spinned by well-known DJ's like Zoë Noa, Brian-S and Debra.
- Homepage: (under construction)
- FORMER GAY VENUES -
MacDonald
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 11
(1963 - 1982)
- This was the very first gay bar in Reguliersdwarsstraat. When it opened in 1963, it had curtains in front of the window and a doorman at the door to prevent suspicious people getting in.
- Nevertheless MacDonald was always a very decent bar, which was often visited by gays under 21, who where not allowed into the famous nearby gay disco DOK at Singel 460.
- In 1982 MacDonald was taken over by Manfred Langer (who founded the famous gay disco iT in 1989), and turned into Traffic, a gay bar which existed until 1991.
De Viking
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 17-19
(1976 - 1987)
- De Viking was the first gay disco in Reguliersdwarsstraat. At first this was a rather hippie styled venue, but later on it got a bad name because of the business boys, the drug dealers and the wild sex parties. The Viking also had the first darkroom in Reguliersdwarsstraat.
- In 1987 The Viking was closed after a drug raid by the police. After a complete renovation it was succeeded by gay dancing Havana.
Logo of De Viking
Havana
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 17-19
(1989 - 2002)
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- Havana was a very populair gay bar and dancing in the 90's. It had a somewhat more alternative flavour and was famous for its drag queen performances with Nickie Nicole, the Eurovision Song Festival parties and the musical nights.
- Upstairs one could dance on the very trendy club music of DJ's such as Natarcia, Kathy, and Groovemaster Johnson. His music attracted not only gay, but also a wide variety of straight people.
- Havana also became famous for the Hollywood Parties, organized together with the world-famous gay disco iT in nearby Amstelstraat. These parties began in Havana, and with limousines and carriages people were driven to iT to continue the night.
- In 2002 the Havana was closed by its new owner, bar-tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra, but in 2005 the building was squatted by a group of people who turned it into a place for alternative and artistic activities for some time.
- A few years later the building was completely renovated, and finally in April 2009 a new Havanna was opened here. This started as a straight venue, turned into a gay venue, but failed to become a succes and was therefore closed by March 2010.
Havana in 1999
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