GAY VENUES
Reguliersdwarsstraat is the most famous, trendy and colorful gay street in Amsterdam. Here you can go out in a variety of bars, each with their very own style:
There are also three gay-minded coffeeshops and a number of gay lidestyle shops.
The biggest, most famous and trendiest bars and clubs are situated in the western part of the street. Two smaller and lesser known gay bars are in the eastern part.
See also How to get there and Where to stay
websites with information in English
are indicated by a flag
- Western part of the street -
Lunchroom Downtown
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 31
1017 BJ Amsterdam
(since 1970)
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- Downtown is a small lunchroom and coffee bar (so not a coffeeshop where soft drugs are sold). This place has always been very popular by a whole range of people.
- The interior is small, but light and cosy, and on the walls you can see exhibitions of modern art. During summertime there is a great sunny terrace in front of the building, as well as in the street aside.
- Above the lunchroom is Edwin's Guesthouse with two rooms, where you can stay during a visit to Amsterdam.
- Opening hours:
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Mon.- Wed.:
Thu.- Sun.:
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09.00 - 19.00
09.00 - 20.00
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- Homepage: lunchroomdowntown.nl 
- Network: Facebook
- Accessibility: level access, toilet on mezzanine floor, no smoking area, debetcard accepted
- History: Downtown is located in the oldest existing building of Reguliersdwarsstraat, 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 Reguliersdwarsstraat. A year later they also started Café-Bar April, and both venues became the avant-garde of the Golden Eighties of Amsterdam Gay Capital. In 2010 Downtown celebrated its 40th anniversary.
> Pictures of People @ Coffeeshop Downtown in May 1980
> The illustrated history of Coffeeshop Downtown in Dutch
Café-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 and a fire place. Through a stately staircase you go to the first floor, where there's a second bar and a 'library'.
- Since the re-opening in March 2011 this venue also has a dance floor and a separate smoking area upstairs.
- Soho is visited by a wide variety of gay and straight people, many of them youngsters and gay tourists from all over the world.
- Opening hours:Happy hour:
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Mon.+ Tue.
Wed.+ Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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closed
17.00 - 01.00
17.00 - 04.00
17.00 - 01.00
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21.00 - 11.00
24.00 - 01.00
18.00 - 20.00
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- Homepage: www.soho-amsterdam.com
- Network: Facebook
- Accessibility: no level access, toilet on 2nd floor, smoking area on 1st floor
- History: 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.
After the collapse of the bar company of Sjoerd Kooistra, Soho was closed on September 28th, 2010. The bar got a new owner and was re-opend on March 3rd, 2011.
click the pictures for a bigger version
Taboo Bar
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 45
1017 BK Amsterdam
(since 2010)
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- Taboo is a cozy modern gay bar, which attracts a mixed crowd of people: gay and straight, young and old, locals and tourists.
- The bar has two floors, with large video screens showing the best classic and newest video clips.
- Upstairs there are some more seatings and also a big and comfortable smoking area with a great street view.
- Opening hours:Happy hour:
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Mon.- Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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17.00 - 03.00
16.00 - 04.00
16.00 - 03.00
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18.00 - 19.00 + 01.00 - 02.00
18.00 - 19.00 + 01.00 - 02.00
18.00 - 20.00
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- Homepage: www.taboobar.nl
- Network: Facebook
- Accessibility: level access, toilet and smoking area on 1st floor, free WiFi, debetcard and creditcards accepted
Exit Après Chique Café
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 42
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 1992)
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- Exit Café is a gay bar in après ski style and is often crowded, as this is the only gay bar in the street which is open late into the night.
- Although there's a sing-a-long atmosphere, the music is mostly House and international pop music, instead of the expected après ski songs. If its not too crowded you can dance a little bit, as there are almost no seatings.
- The Exit Après Chique Café is part of Club NYX.
- Opening hours:Happy hour:
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Mon.- Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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23.00 - 04.00
23.00 - 05.00
20.00 - 04.00
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01.00 - 02.00
01.00 - 02.00
01.00 - 02.00
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- Network: Facebook
- Accessibility: level access, toilet on ground floor, no smoking area
- History: 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.
Due to a conflict between the owner, bar-tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra, and the Heineken company, Exit Cafe was closed for the time being on April 6th, 2010. The bar was re-opened on Gay Pride 2011.
Club NYX
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 42
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 2012)
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- The former Exit is turned into a brand new gay club, with a completely new interior and named after the Greek godess of the night.
- The new club is a gay venue, but also more accessible for straight people, so gays can take their straight friends with them. It's be a place where everybody is welcome, whether gay or straight, male or female.
- On three floors, changing themes, spectacular performances and various music styles, will make NYX a constantly changing, evolving and surprising club. The overall drive is to have fun: drinking, dancing, laughing, watching and talking!
- Opening hours:
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Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
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23.00 - 04.00
23.00 - 05.00
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- Homepage: www.clubnyx.nl
- Networks: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
- Accessibility: entrance by stairs, toilet and smoking area on top floor, debetcard accepted
- Pictures:
04-10-2012: Grand Opening Club NYX
> The history of Club Exit (1988-2010)
click the pictures for a bigger version
Bar Dvars
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 44
1017 BM Amsterdam
(since 2012)
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- Dvars is a big bar, which is led by Andrew Nicholls and is specialized in extraordinary cocktails, great wines and gin tonics. Also high quality snacks will be served until one houre before closing time. Finally, there's also a separate smoking room.
- Professional service and personal attention make sure people can feel comfortable and have a nice conversation, without being disturbed by too loud music.
- Opening hours:
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Mon.+ Tue.
Wed.+ Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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closed
16.00 - 01.00
16.00 - 03.00
16.00 - 01.00
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- Homepage: www.dvars.nl
- Networks: Facebook - Twitter
- Accessibility: level access, toilet in basement, smoking area on ground floor, debetcard accepted
- Eastern part of the street -
Café 't Dwarsliggertje
Reguliersdwarsstraat nr. 105
1017 BL Amsterdam
(since 2011)
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- Café 't Dwarsliggertje 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, allthough straight people and gay tourists come here too.
- This bar was formerly known as Café 't Leeuwtje.
- Opening hours:
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Mon.- Wed.
Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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17.00 - 01.00
14.00 - 01.00
14.00 - 03.00
07.00 - 01.00
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- Networks: Facebook -
Twitter
- Accessibility: level access, toilet on ground floor, no smoking area, free WiFi, debetcard and creditcards accepted
- History: 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.
- Opening hours:Happy hour:
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Mon.- Thu.
Fri.+ Sat.
Sun.
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18.00 - 03.00
18.00 - 04.00
18.00 - 03.00
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- Accessibility: no level access, toilet on ground floor, no smoking area
- History: Number 129 Regulierdwarsstraat has been a bar for decades. In the seventies 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.
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