About Us


Definition and history of our beloved club

lellebel (n.)

adulteress, fornicatress, hussy, jade, loose woman, slut, strumpet, trollop, prostitute, bawdy wench, harlot, whore, cocotte, fancy woman, working girl, lady of pleasure, woman of the street, hooker, slapper, tart, tramp, hustler

http://translation.sensagent.com/fornicatress/en-en/

A brief history about Lellebel

1997 – 2020

The founder of De Lellebel is Hans Wijtenburg. Who had established a department of De Kringen in Eindhoven during the late 1970s and started performing drag performances as a member of the duo Josephine and Daphne.

When a small Amsterdam café on the Utrechtsestraat became available, he turned it into a multicultural transgender bar. Decorated with a Baroque look with mirrors, paintings, ruffles and small chandeliers. Under the name De Lellebel, this small café was inaugurated on November 22, 1997 by the well-known Dutch drag queen Nickie Nicole.

Present

On June 2020 the keys were passed on to Tori as the new owner of the De Lellebel and promised to keep the café running in the tradition that it was towards the Rainbow and Straight community.

During this month, the Amsterdam hospitality sector began to re-open their doors but when De Lellebel didn’t, a lot of whispering happened among Amsterdam’s Rainbow community. The trio tried to keep it under wraps but someone leaked it on Facebook and the secret was blown.

De Lellebel was renamed to Lellebel and the trio began renovations immediately to update the old Baroque feel to a more modern, brighter, greener and bigger one.

Lellebel has always and still does attract a very diverse audience of the LGBTQIAA+ communities but not limited to. We also attract straight community, sometimes stag and hen parties on the weekends for example.

Our bar is a home for many and a safe haven for everyone. We are a trans/queer womyn owned and operated establishment serving drinks as well as occasional artist performances (live singers, bands, drag shows, stand-up comedy, open mic nights). Lellebel attracts visitors from all over the world and sometimes a celebrity may pop in. Sundays is our fabulous Karaoke Evening Our doors are always open to the trans community. We are truly FUBU (For Us, By Us)

Located at Utrechtsestraat 4, around the corner of the famous Rembrandtplein. Relaxed safe space, queer audience, delicious drinks and an open heart. Lellebel stands for diversity. A place where everyone can be themselves. A place where you can let yourself go and maybe even discover a new side of yourself. Tori sure did, she had her coming out there!!