From trendy gay bars serving up classic cocktails to naked cruise clubs and dance parties, Amsterdam's legendary LGBTQ+ nightlife caters to every flavor (and fetish!) of queer culture.
Enjoying Mojitos at Prik
Prik – One of the best gay bars to kickoff your visit to Amsterdam is the local and tourist favorite cheekily called Prik. This rather polished, upscale gay bar serves colorful cocktails in a very pink themed establishment. We love the good vibes and positive energy every time we come to this trendy bar. The crowd is quite diverse on our most recent visit, ranging from young lesbians to groups of friends of mixed ages and all races. One thing you’ll quickly notice about Amsterdam is that everyone is welcome, and surprisingly, English is spoken everywhere, making the city very easy to visit.
Queen's Head
Queen's Head – Another popular and cozy gay bar famous for Drag Bingo on Tuesdays and Drag Shows every Thursday. Arrive early for best seats and enjoy the friendly service and well-priced beverages in this fun and quirky gay pub. Similar to Prik, Queen’s Head is the perfect first stop on the gay nightlife scene to get acclimated and pick up the free gay map that highlights all of the latest queer events in Amsterdam.
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Spijkerbar – One of the oldest gay bars in Amsterdam that's been separating the men from the boys since 1978. It’s pretty chill at happy hour but definitely gets spicier as the night unfolds.
Cozy Atmosphere at Spijkerbar
If you want to drink in the buff at Spijkerbar, no problem! You can store your clothes in the lockers by the front door. There's also a small dark room upstairs by the trough urinal should you need a more discreet area to enjoy new friends. Spijkerbar is a great warm up spot to cruise, dance and drink before Club Church.
Club Church – Amsterdam's most famous gay club and for good reason. Theme nights such as nkd bar on Wednesdays and blue on Thursdays offer plenty of opportunities to cruise and dance.
Our local friend tells us Blue on Thursdays is the best night of the week at Club Church. It’s Amsterdam’s self-described most absurd dance party. All genders and sexualities are welcome with free entrance for those coming in drag or nude. We decide to save the €25 euro cover for two, check our clothes for free, and dance the night away completely naked. How freeing!
Club Church
While cameras are normally forbidden here, an exception seems to be made at the launch of Church’s queer beer. For sure you cannot film anything upstairs or downstairs which has multiple adult play spaces including two popular slings.
Overall, the music and energy at Club Church is simply amazing. The bartenders are also super nice and quite flirty as well.
🌟 Pro tip – Planning a trip to Amsterdam? From the best LGBTQ+ hotels to must-visit attractions, dining, and travel tips, find it all in our Gay Travel Guide to Amsterdam.
Free Willie – The newest gay bar by Club Church. It’s a late night nudist bar with pool table and curtained banquets for canoodling. After dancing for hours at Club Church, Free Willie makes for a great night cap to wind down your night. That's Andy's shadow above in the changing area!
Sauna Nieuwezijds – Voted the top gay sauna in Europe, Club Church are also the people behind this stylish, popular and centrally located establishment. Sauna Nieuwezijds is the only gay sauna for men, so it's an easy choice.
Blend Bar on Reguliersdwarsstraat
Reguliersdwarsstraat – the oldest gay street in Amsterdam for over 40 years. Lined with shops, restaurants, and the most gay bars and clubs in Amsterdam, many locals and visitors come to Reguliers to eat, drink, and be Mary!
A few of the most popular gay bars and clubs located on this street are Blend, Taboo Bar + Taboo Kantine, SoHo Amsterdam, Exit, BlendXL and Nyx, so it’s easy to go bar hopping among them. All are fun and have different theme nights and drink specials so definitely check their social media for the latest events.
SoHo Amsterdam – One of the best gay bars on Reguliers, SoHo Amsterdam is known for Wild Wednesdays for dancing and drink specials like €2 beers and €5 mixers. Weekends are also super popular. SoHo offers a mix of top 40 hits, house music, and classic gay anthems, ensuring an unforgettable night out for queer partygoers. With its lively atmosphere, friendly staff, and prime location, SoHo Amsterdam stands out as a must-visit destination in the city's thriving gay nightlife scene.
Eagle Amsterdam & Dirty Dick’s on Warmoesstraat
Warmoesstraat – Known as the epicenter of Amsterdam’s leather, fetish, and kink scene, this historic street near the Red Light District has been a hub for LGBTQ+ nightlife for decades. Here, you'll find an edgier, more alternative crowd, with bars and clubs catering to everything from leather lovers to bears and adventurous partygoers.
Eagle Amsterdam – Two of the most iconic spots in Warmoesstraat include Eagle Amsterdam, a legendary cruise bar with dark rooms and themed nights, and Dirty Dick's (literally next door) for those looking to take things up a notch.
🌟 Pro tip – Be sure to check each bar’s dress codes and theme nights before heading out, especially during events like Amsterdam Leather Pride in October!
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Hi gorgeous, and welcome to our LGBTQ+ travel blog! We're Andy and Trai, a gay couple traveling the world with PRIDE 🌈 …and our rescue dog, Pattie!
After meeting in San Francisco in 2018 and later moving to Chicago, we decided to quit our jobs in 2021, sell everything, and become Two Gay Expats. For over two years, we explored the best of gay Mexico while waiting for our house, Casa Cangrejo, to be completed in Tulum. We got married at The Beach Tulum in 2020 and became Mexican permanent residents in 2022.
Today, we continue to travel around Mexico and the world to show you our favorite places. If you'd like to follow our adventures, subscribe on YouTube and join us on Instagram.
