Chueca is one of Madrid’s most popular neighbourhoods, full of stylish boutiques and restaurants, cool bars and excellent nightlife. What was formerly a rough area has been transformed over the past 10–15 years into Madrid’s LGBT district, a diverse and inclusive barrio where everyone is welcome to have a good time. While many of Madrid’s mega clubs are located more towards the centre, Chueca is home to a more intimate array of clubbing options, from live jazz clubs to buzzing gay bars. Read on for our guide to the best nightclubs in the area.
This little bar and club caters to a mainly lesbian crowd, but everyone is welcome here, to enjoy the atmosphere of pop classics and regular live music that will keep you dancing well into the early hours. The club also holds regular events including comedy and karaoke nights, as well as organising its own football league and showing regular matches.
Regueros, Calle de Regueros, 9
This small, two-floor gay dance club has a mixed crowd most nights, dancing their socks off to a mixture of cheesy tunes, current pop hits and classic gay anthems. The club hosts regular entertainment, the best of all being their regular roster of fabulous drag queens.
This intimate little club, just opposite Mercado San Antón in the heart of Chueca, welcomes regular live performers from around the world. The focus here is on laid-back jazz, and the club is a great place for a late-night cocktail and some quality music. Entry is free during the week and before 3am on a weekend, and there are regular jam sessions most nights, at which local musicians show off their skills.
One of the more recent additions to Chueca’s gay scene, Kubrick is a club with a mixed crowd that has some of Madrid’s best DJs performing on a regular basis. The club is open from Tuesday to Sunday, so it’s a good early-week option.
This bar/club is a great place to start the night over some cañas (little beers) or cocktails. It opens early (4pm) so whether you want after-work drinks or a late-night boogie, this place has you covered. There are regular performances, live music and themed nights.
One of Chueca’s most legendary gay bars, Black and White has been welcoming the city’s LGBT crowd for over 30 years, and is still going strong. Every night there are different shows and live performances to wow the crowds, from competitions to drag performers.
This girl club caters mainly to a lesbian crowd, but has recently become so popular that the clientele is becoming more and more mixed, especially at weekends. With a prime location near the Plaza de Chueca, Escape is often packed out with a fun-loving crowd, especially at weekends.