Argos

Small, dark and dingy, but at times quite fun. It might have been the oldest leather bar, but all ‘good’ things come to an end as this bar is closed as of January 2015. Another nail in the coffin of the once-​but-​long-​ago-​thriving gay nightlife of Amsterdam. The Warmoesstraat is changing and fast losing its ‘couleur locale’ Bars such as this seemed not to have grasped the changing climate and seemed unwilling to either move and/​or re-​invent themselves. Even though the bar was way past its prime_​have to mention the disgusting stench of a frying pan in the back_​it is still a pity that this type of venue is disappearing with nothing in its place. Amsterdam is increasingly losing flavour and/​or edge and being bypassed by real cities such as Berlin and London and even Cologne or Antwerp. The days that it could even be considered a gay capital are long since gone. R.I.P. Argos.

Cross the road from The Warehouse

It’s fine for what it is – namely, a small-​ish bar above a fairly active «play room.» The bartenders were almost all very friendly to us, the crowd was small but pretty friendly, and the play room was less intimidating than some can be.

I have often heard it said that one should never actually meet ones Heroes, maybe the same can be said of visiting places which have an iconic mystique too.
The bar itself is small and dirty, the toilets are actually vile and unhygienic and the bar staff are, to say the least, temperamental in their service of expensive drinks.
There is no greater let down than an icon that does not come close to the hype.