Yesterday, gay café Montmartre reopened in Reguliersdwarsstraat, in the building where previously the Reality Bar was located. Montmartre itself was previously located in the nearby Halvemaansteeg for more than 40 years.

The reopening was celebrated with a well-attended opening evening, including music by DJ Ron. Owner Oscar Rookhuijzen said that the biggest change is that the old bar could accommodate about 120 to 130 people and that the current place is already full with 70 people.

The original Montmartre opened in April 1983 as the second gay place in the Halvemaansteeg, after Manfred Langer had opened his famous café Chez Manfred there in 1978. This made the Halvemaansteeg a popular gay nightlife street as part of the large concentration of gay bars along the Amstel.

However, from 2010 onwards, these gay places disappeared one by one, causing Montmartre to barely attract visitors anymore. Therefore the place was closed on December 4, 2023, but with the intention to return at another location.


The new location was found in the building at Reguliersdwarsstraat 129, where the Surinamese-Antillean gay bar Reality had been since 1996. This place was also known for the large Caribbean street party during Pride Amsterdam. However, after more than 28 years, the owner thought it was a good time and closed the bar last June.


A completely new interior was created for the new Montmartre, with a large classic bar, cozy table lamps, tigerprint wallpaper, baroque mirrors and a ceiling full of larger and smaller chandeliers, which was made possible by removing the old balcony.

With the return of Montmartre, something of the typical Amsterdam gay culture of the bars along the Amstel has been preserved, after the very last gay place there had disappeared when Amstel Fifty Four closed its doors last month.

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News about Reguliersdwarsstraat: Reguliers.net