Spijkerbar

The Spijker has been pouring on the corner of Kerkstraat and Leidsestraat since 1979, which makes it one of the longest-running gay bars in the city — and one of the friendliest of the cruisier ones. Its trademarks are intact after four decades: pool table upstairs, adult cartoons over the bar, a Sunday afternoon bingo hosted by drag royalty, and a happy hour (17:00-19:00) that fills the room with an easy mix of locals, expats and tourists. The vibe lands somewhere between neighbourhood pub and cruise bar, closer to the pub end early, closer to the other end late. It is the natural first stop of the Kerkstraat mini-circuit, with Club Church a block away at number 52.