LGBTQ+ Nightlife in Amsterdam
From the rainbow strip of Reguliersdwarsstraat to Europe's oldest queer bar
A guide to LGBTQ+ nightlife in Amsterdam — the bars and clubs of Reguliersdwarsstraat, historic queer cafés on the Zeedijk, and WorldPride 2026.
Amsterdam has been a haven for LGBTQ+ life for decades — the Netherlands held its first Pride in 1979 and was the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage, in 2001. The scene is welcoming and woven through the city, and in 2026 Amsterdam hosts WorldPride. Here's where to go out.
Reguliersdwarsstraat
The rainbow heart of gay Amsterdam: a 200-metre pedestrian strip between Rembrandtplein and Muntplein, marked by a rainbow crossing and packed with 15-plus LGBTQ+ venues you can walk end to end in minutes. On summer and Pride nights, the whole street becomes one party.
Club NYX
The main LGBTQ+ club, on Reguliersdwarsstraat — three floors of dancing open Thursday to Sunday until the early hours, with drag, student nights and themed parties. Famously open-minded; everyone's welcome.
Taboo Bar
A colourful, cheeky Reguliersdwarsstraat favourite known for its drag performances, themed nights and the friendly, international energy that makes the street famous.
SoHo Amsterdam
A stylish, lively bar on Reguliersdwarsstraat that fills up at the weekend — a reliable, sociable spot to start (or spend) the night on the strip.
Café 't Mandje
On the Zeedijk, opened in 1927 by openly gay Amsterdammer Bet van Beeren — the oldest surviving LGBTQ+ bar in Europe. Small and deeply authentic, its ceiling hung with ties Bet snipped from misbehaving guests. A piece of living history.
The Queen's Head
Also on the Zeedijk, a much-loved bar with canal views, resident DJs and famously fun drag bingo nights — a warmer, quieter alternative to the Reguliersdwarsstraat strip.
Prik
On the Spuistraat, an easy-going favourite that glides from relaxed lounge bar by day to dance party by night, with good cocktails and a loyal crowd.
For the alternative and fetish scene, the historic Kerkstraat and Warmoesstraat areas hold venues like Club Church. And whenever you visit, you'll find Amsterdam's queer nightlife open, mixed and famously easy-going — with WorldPride bringing it all to a peak in summer 2026.
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