In Spain, there’s a rather quirky little verb, “trasnochar,” which loosely translates to ‘party through the night.’ This gives you a good indication of Spain’s all-in attitude to nightlife. Drinking with your friends on a sunny terrace or in a charismatic, lively bar is inherent to Spanish culture, and naturally, Spain’s capital city is the best place to dive headfirst—or any other body part first—into it. Nowhere is this truer than in Madrid’s gay neighborhood of Chueca, where you are never at a loss to find a place to have a drink, with a myriad of different gay bars to choose from all through the week—especially on the weekend.

Each bar has its own distinct character, so here are ten of the crème de la crème to visit on any alcohol-fueled trip to Chueca—whether as the main event, part of a bar crawl, or a precursor to a wild night destined to conclude with a drunken 7 a.m. club exit.

El 12

If there is a bar that most epitomizes the spirit of Chueca, El 12 is it. Part bar, part club, it is one of the most popular bars in Chueca. You can find all types of LGBTQ+ people here, from bears to twinks to muscle bunnies. It offers a bit of everything, from drag shows to iconic local DJs. There are either comfy couches at the front to take in the atmosphere or a small but lively dance floor at the back—each with its own bar. Open till 3 a.m., on weekdays it is THE place to be—check out Thursday nights especially for a palpable Chueca-style atmosphere. On weekends, it gets busy enough to warrant a queue outside and is a great pre-club location to meet fun-focused guys. There’s even a quaint darkroom discreetly tucked behind the toilets downstairs, perfect for any newfound friends you might make upstairs.

Thick

Thick is a bar that answers the age-old question: is girth more important than length? Well, really the bar has enough of both to draw in and accommodate a decent-sized crowd, especially over the weekends. The purple lighting and fun pop music give it a pre-club party vibe. Bears make up the majority of the crowd (a reoccurring theme, as bears aren't in short supply in Madrid, and Madrid must be a contender for bear capital of the world a this point), but in Thick all types are welcome. Another plus is that the staff are particularly friendly, and the drinks reasonably priced.

D´Mystic

This pleasant lounge bar just off the main plaza is as cozy as it gets in Chueca. You’ll find plenty of seating room—including cushioned seats by the windows at the back. D’Mystic is perfect for groups who want to hang out, sip cocktails, check out hot guys, and enjoy some quality conversation without having to shout over loud music. That’s not to say it isn’t lively; especially during the weekends, it fills with a mixed crowd enjoying some pre-drinks.

La Kama (Café and Bar)

La Kama is actually two venues, both of which ramp up the gayness a notch, as evidenced by the undeniably buff—sometimes topless—barmen and the bar’s cool jungle-like decor. The café has two floors, plenty of seating, serves food during the day, and has an extensive cocktail list. It also features outdoor seating and a balcony to enjoy the passing hotties that inhabit Chueca. La Kama Bar, on the other hand, is more rambunctious and plays loud music, perfect for getting in the mood for a complete night out. There isn’t a dance floor per se, but this doesn’t stop people from dancing, and it’s one of the best places to meet the kind of friends who are likely to show you which clubs to head to later in the night.

Gris

Gris isn’t specifically a gay bar, but it is iconic, and this draws in a predominantly gay crowd looking for something a bit different. The vibe is 80s, so you can expect to hear Depeche Mode and Fleetwood Mac playing on the screen behind the bar and throughout the venue. Moody blue lighting adds to the atmosphere upstairs, and downstairs there’s a hangout area with table football to amp up the fun. They often have 2-for-1 drink offers, and on weekends, they occasionally host local DJs playing 80s classics to dance to on their modest dance floor.

You & Me

If you’re looking for a classier ambiance, then You & Me is the bar for you. The men here are impeccably dressed, and it is especially popular with good-looking Latin American men. The music matches the clientele, so you can expect reggaeton and bachata along with more classic pop hits. The whole bar is effectively a dance floor, and it fills up during the weekends with an entrance fee that includes a drink.

Black and White

Black and White is one of the oldest gay bars in Madrid—open since the 80s—and a popular classic drinking hole for both locals and visitors. Here, you’ll find a good mixture of ages and types of LGBTQ+ clientele. Upstairs at the bar is the main gathering point, with drag shows taking place on a small stage, whereas downstairs is a dance floor playing predominantly Spanish pop music. Just be sure to watch for the rent boys, as you’ll find a lot of twinks here looking to charge you to take them home.

LL Bar

Here, the drag shows are the main attraction. The show kicks off each night between 11:30 and midnight, but arriving earlier secures you a drink special. LL Bar's shows are intimate, and as a foreigner, you are almost guaranteed to be playfully heckled by the Spanish and Latin American drag queens performing if you come from the door mid-show. After the performances finish, the place tends to empty, but it is a wonderful place to start the night if you like drag and don’t mind being part of the show yourself.

Barbanarama

Besides having the coolest name in Chueca, this bar is the place to be if you like twinks and pure unapologetic cheese. It takes a RuPaul’s Drag Race theme and runs with it. Not only does it feature cardboard cutouts of the most famous drag queens on its walls, but it also hosts regular showings of the popular show on its screens. These showings get packed, and the atmosphere rivals that of any football game—with the crowd cheering and booing the queens as they battle it out during lip syncs. On a regular night, Barbanarama is just good old-fashioned gay fun, drawing a younger crowd looking to get a few drinks in before heading to a club.

Zarpa

Just off Plaza de Pedro Zerolo (a famous gay activist in Spain) is another bear bar that has some of the best vibes in Chueca. Zarpa is an excellent choice for anyone – bear or not – who wants to get into the spirit – or spirits – before going out to the clubs (or Rik’s around the corner). On weekends, they host DJs and the reasonably-sized dance floor is always full. A cool selection of bear heads in different gear marks the bar as being for bears, but the crowd is mixed and is especially welcoming to members of the kink community.

Rik’s

Are you in Chueca, it’s 1 a.m., and you don’t want to go clubbing but still want to dance until 4 a.m.? Then Rik’s is your best bet. It’s big enough to straddle the line between bar and club, with a large enough dance floor to enjoy the mix of pop hits played by its host DJs most nights of the week. The popular bar is designed and inspired by Casablanca, giving it a chic look, but it is far from pretentious. Rik’s is also where men of all ages hang out, and generations bond over a mutual love of cheap drinks and cheesy music. Be warned, as there is often a one-in, one-out queue if you arrive late, and there’s a small entrance fee that includes either two beers or a spirit mixer.

General Advice

Chueca has a lot of bars that didn’t make the list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth checking out. A few honorary mentions are Hot and Bears Bar as other options for the hirsute lovers. Meanwhile, there is Twist and Shout for gaymers, Why Not for another bar/club hybrid, and Vuélvete Loco for Latin American vibes. There are, of course, lots of cruising bars too if you’re feeling frisky during the early hours.

In Spain, people tend to go out later, and places don’t tend to fill up until around midnight—after all, dinner usually isn’t concluded until 10 p.m. The best time to hit the bars is around 11 p.m. to avoid any queues but also prevent being alone in an empty bar. It pays to not assume all the bartenders speak English—although many do—so you would be well-served to know how to order your favorite drinks in Spanish before hitting Chueca.

On that note, the drinks also tend to be much stronger. Spirits with a mixer are known as “copas” and are the equivalent of a triple in most countries—sometimes even more if you flash the bartender a winning smile. It’s not uncommon for drinks, such as a gin and tonic, to come in glasses the size of a small fishbowl! Just something to bear in mind if you’re trying to pace yourself to trasnochar in the city that truly never sleeps.