Tels Quels

Tels Quels (French: "as they are") is not simply a bar but a community institution: a cooperative space on the Rue du Marché au Charbon that has been at the heart of Brussels' LGBTQ+ social and political life since it was founded in 1979. The space functions simultaneously as a bar, a community centre, a reading room, and a social hub where the community's different generations and factions meet. Unlike the more commercial bars in the neighbourhood, Tels Quels operates as a non-profit cooperative: the prices reflect this (cheap Belgian beer), the atmosphere reflects this (genuinely community-oriented rather than commercially optimised), and the space reflects this (notice boards, community resources, and the accumulated memory of 45 years of gay life in Brussels). Regular events include readings, debates, film screenings, and community meetings alongside the regular bar operation. For visitors who want to understand Brussels' gay community rather than simply its nightlife infrastructure, Tels Quels is the essential stop.