I actually lived in Chueca, on the borderline to another quarter, though, and enjoyed it a lot. My flatmate, though, even refused to admit that our street belonged to Chueca, I think she had certain reservations against that quarter. To some people, it still seems to be a place they are not really comfortable about.
It is certainly mainly gay. I loved to go out there with my friends when we were not accompanied by guys because there as a woman you are quite safe of "buitres" .I imagine many straight guys do not feel that comfortable about going out there. It depends on the bar, though. There are quite a few where both gay and straight people hang out.
I would recommend Alonso Martínez, in the earlier hours there are many really young people. It is very close to Chueca, so if you feel like checking out Chueca, you can visit both quarters. Bilbao/ Tribunal is not very far from there either.

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 09-20-2000).]

yeah, chueca has a lot of gay culture stuff, but non-gays, like myself, can enjoy it too.
so antonio, stop saying "it's for gays." it's for anyone who wants to go to a particular place in that particular area. i'm not gay and i would go to a club there, so it's for non-gays too.

i find "flaming" bars to be annoying, so i don't go to them. i have gone to a few of the live music bars there to see punk bands play. point is, chueca is not for 14 year old boys. they would probably get harrassed there...

the only place i know for young people like you and your friend would be near the ciudad universitaria area where there are bares de verano (probably closed by now), which is the same area where high school kids hang out (between hilarion eslava and gaztambide, before you get to the corte ingles..) the only place i know for young people...

hope it helps...

ps> i hope no gays that read this will think that i am anti-gay, certainly not...

I said you had an obsession about Chueca because I've read some of your posts telling everybody all the time to go there as if it was the only place to go in Madrid.

And, as for going out in Argüelles/Moncloa, apart from a residential area it is also crowded with bars. I have a list of more than 80 places there and they will find people of their age (whereas they won't in Chueca).

Also, I could tell you that I don't know any non-gay guy who is keen on going out in Chueca.

But it's up to them to decide. I just suggested the places where they will find people of their age.