Need weekend plans?
The best events in the city, delivered to your inbox
Where to go for the ultimate drag brunch in Boston
You'll see a performance that pulls out all the stops.
Glamorous costumes, stunning makeup, and music from some of your favorite pop icons make a drag brunch a time to remember. When you go out on the weekend with friends, you know that you’re looking for a terrific show. Luckily, Greater Boston’s queens know how to fill the spotlight, and you can enjoy a great act over a spread of French toast and Bloody Marys.
We asked readers where they go for the ultimate drag brunch, and we compiled a guide of your recommendations and some of our own to the top local spots. Below, you’ll find a guide to six drag brunches and shows where you’re guaranteed to have fun, with fierce performances on display. Don’t forget to bring cash to tip the stars.
Article 24
This lively American restaurant and bar in Brighton hosts a drag brunch every couple of months, usually on a Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m. Past shows have featured themes like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Halloween, and Christmas. Hosted by queen Regina Jackson, performers lip sync and perform dance routines, often pulling out a guest from the crowd to do something fun, like trivia. To drink, audience members can order frozen espresso martinis and Buckets of Bubbles, an option to make your own mimosas. Appetizers like the fried pickles and mac fritters are popular, as is the Nutella stuffed French toast. Tickets are $10.
Advertisement:
458 Western Ave., Brighton
Carrie Nation Restaurant and Cocktail Club
Join the fun at Carrie Nation’s “Drag Me To Brunch,” held every Sunday. Before the show starts, you can enjoy an elaborate buffet, featuring chicken and waffles, pastries, and usually a pasta dish, from 12 to 2 p.m. The show, which runs from 2 to 4 p.m., is both funny and inclusive, hosted by Destiny Boston and Dee Dee de Ray. Performances are often acrobatic, and audience participation is involved. After the show, guests can take photos with the queens. Some core cocktails that are served at all the events include Dee Dee’s Breakfast, a Bloody Mary, and Camille’s Cookies, a blueberry mint drink. Tickets are $30, plus $20 per person for the buffet brunch.
11 Beacon St., Boston
Citrus & Salt
On the last Saturday of every month, coastal Mexican restaurant Citrus & Salt holds two drag brunches, the first starting at 11:30 a.m. and another at 2 p.m. On March 25 is their Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey event, which the queens make a complete experience. Performers will go up and down the aisles, getting the audience involved, and sometimes dancing with them. Guests can enjoy build-your-own champagne, mini Patron shots, and one-bite breakfast taco chasers. They can also indulge in fried chicken and waffle tacos, brunch chilaquiles, and a “killer” Mexican iced coffee. Tickets are $35.
Advertisement:
142 Berkeley St., Boston
Premiere on Broadway
Somerville’s Premiere on Broadway hosts “Heels N’ Mimosas,” usually on the third Sunday of every month, with doors opening at 11 a.m. Host Amanda Playwith will hold a birthday-themed drag brunch in April, and a future Pink show. Past themes have included Disney Channel movies and Broadway. Comedy is always an important element in the shows, as are song parodies. Guests get a free mimosa with a ticket and can enjoy ricotta pancakes, burgers, and fresh doughnuts. Reader Jane C. said, “The host is funny and talented and quick on her feet. I went there for my birthday and got brought up on stage. It was so much fun!” Tickets are $25.
517 Broadway, Somerville
Summer Shack
At the Boston location of this New England clam shack, drag brunches happen every Saturday, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Upcoming themes will be “The Greatest Showman” (March 26), Lil Nas X and Doja Cat (April 1), “Sister Act” (April 8), and “High School Musical” (April 15). During the high energy shows, performers will wear over-the-top costumes, lip sync, and dance, occasionally doing splits on the bar top. Guests may find themselves dining on Cap’n Crunch chicken and biscuits, eggs benedict, and lobster hash. Prosecco-based cocktails, like the aperol spritz, are featured, while you could also sip on a Bloody Mary, created from a housemade mix. Summer Shack’s Cambridge location also hosts drag brunch with upcoming shows like Miley and Kesha (April 2) and Dolly Parton (April 16). Tickets to Boston shows are $20.
Advertisement:
50 Dalton St., Boston
Tenderoni’s
Sunday Service at Tiffani Faison’s Tenderoni’s, in the Fenway, is always a raucous time. Held on the first Sunday of every month, the drag brunch lasts from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In the past, shows have revolved around holidays or themes like Harry Potter, featuring both resident queens and special guests. Audience members can participate in a “Lip Sync For Your Life” contest. With a ticket comes a cocktail and a multi-course brunch, which can include a salad, finger foods like chicken parmesan nuggets, and a choice of pizza. Popular pizza flavors include the mushroom marsala and the Hawaiian-inspired ono grinds. Reader Barbara S. from the Fenway said, “The vibe is amazing; [it’s] so much fun with the disco balls and all the neon. It was made for drag brunch.” Tickets are $75.
1363 Boylston St., Boston
Be civil. Be kind.
Read our full community guidelines.