Want to make your Atlanta weekend fabulous? We’ve got a drag show for that.
The city that shaped RuPaul, nurtured its queens on Cheshire Bridge Road, and built a thriving LGBTQ+ culture doesn’t do drag brunch halfway. From the polished Champagne room energy of Buford Highway to the scrappy, DIY spirit of East Atlanta Village, Atlanta’s drag scene is loudly, garishly unapologetic.
Here’s where you’ll find some of the city’s reigning queens.
ATL Drag Brunch at The Pub
Fifteen dollars is the price of admission at this monthly EAV institution, where host The Cora Nova holds court over a rotating lineup of local and national queens at the Pub, a scratch-kitchen neighborhood bar on Flat Shoals. The themes keep it fresh—past shows have pulled in “Drag Race” alumni alongside Atlanta favorites—and the craft cocktails and resident DJs keep the energy high. Check the website before you go; themed shows tend to sell out. 469 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta, atldragbrunch.com
Dragalicious Brunch at Lips
Lips has been doing drag longer than most Atlanta restaurants have been open, and its Dragalicious Brunch is the main event. For $44.95 a head, you get a seat at one of the most fabulous shows in town, a truly delicious brunch, unlimited mimosas or bloody marys, and no upcharges in sight—unless you feel like popping a bottle of Champagne. Hosts Aspen York and Molly Rimswell own the Saturday room; Taejah Thomas commands two shows on Sunday. 3011 Buford Hwy. NE, Atlanta, lipsatl.com
Lore
Drag brunch never happens the same way twice at Lore. The Edgewood Avenue gay bar runs a relentlessly themed calendar: one weekend, it’s Bridgerton corsets and string quartets, the next it’s Scary Movie screams and slap-takes. Pokemon, Jersey Shore, Olivia Rodrigo—if it has a fandom, Lore has probably built a brunch around it. For pop-culture junkies, this one can’t be beat. Check the calendar before you go; the show you want will likely sell out fast. 466B Edgewood Ave., Atlanta, loreatl.com
WUSSY Mag’s “Bottoms Up!” Drag Brunch at City Winery Atlanta
When Atlanta’s most credible queer publication throws a drag brunch, it hits different. WUSSY Mag’s monthly “Bottoms Up!” series, hosted at City Winery Atlanta, consistently pulls “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumni alongside a rotating cast of local performers. The buffet brunch is ticketed separately, but tableside service lets you sit back and enjoy the show. Meet-and-greet add-ons get you face time with the headliners after the show. 650 North Ave. NE, Atlanta, citywinery.com
Diva Royale
As if Buford Highway couldn’t get more fabulous, Diva Royale brings its national celebrity impersonation show to Penthouse Bar on Friday and Saturday evenings (doors at 5:30 p.m., show at 6) and Sunday brunch (doors at 1 p.m., show at 1:30). The high-production performances are unabashedly fun, featuring queens channeling Beyonce, Whitney, Dolly, and whoever else the pop canon has enshrined. Food is an add-on, not included; book both online in advance. 2847 Buford Hwy. NE, Atlanta, dragqueenshow.com
El Ponce
Mexican food with a side of drag? Say less. For $15, you can grab a seat at this casual Poncey-Highland spot and enjoy the themed antics (like Broadway and Latin Xplosion) of queen of the house Sofia Eme and her rotating cast of special guests. Brunch is served a la carte starting at noon—order the tlayudas, don’t skip the guac—with the show kicking off at 1 p.m. Tickets guarantee a seat for this 18+ show. Check the website for upcoming dates. 939 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, elponce.com
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo at Atlanta Eagle
Typically, the leather community flocks to Atlanta Eagle for raging nights and early mornings, but sometimes, you want something low-key fabulous. Ruby Redd’s Wednesday night charity bingo blends the best of grandma hobbies with a touch of drag drama. Ruby Redd kicks things off at 8 p.m. alongside weekly performers Celeste D’Monroe, Trashetta Galore, and Tristan, with DJ Sugarbaker on the decks. Every dollar raised goes to a rotating monthly cause, which means there’s never a cover. 1492 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta, atlantaeagle.com
Bulldogs
Since 1978, Bulldogs has been holding it down for Atlanta’s Black LGBTQ+ community on Peachtree Street. On Monday nights at 10 p.m., drag takes center stage during the Guys & Dolls Extravaganza, a wild revue hosted by Tatyanna Tuesday Dickerson and Mylez Iman. A rotating cast pulls some of Atlanta’s sharpest talent and MC/DJ Kaye G keeps the room buzzing—as do $3 well drinks. 893 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, instagram.com/bulldogsbaratl
MSR My Sister’s Room
Open since 1996, and now in an 8,000-square-foot two-story space near Piedmont Park, My Sister’s Room covers the full breadth of queer performance: not just queens, but kings and comics, too. The calendar packs in drag shows, drag king shows, non-binary DJs, burlesque, stand-up, and karaoke on a near-nightly basis. Don’t be afraid to show up on a whim—you’re unlikely to experience the same night twice. Check the events page for the current weekly lineup. 1104 Crescent Ave. NE, Atlanta, mysistersroom.com
Mary’s
Named one of America’s top 50 gay bars by Out Magazine, this EAV institution runs drag most Thursdays—including an all-Black show on the second Thursday spotlighting Black queer performers—plus Gurlfiendz on the first Saturday of each month. The pink-glitter bar, cheap drinks, and zero-attitude crowd do the rest. Shows at 10 p.m.; $5 cover after 9 p.m. 1287 Glenwood Ave. SE, Ste. B, Atlanta, marysatlanta.com
Best Friends Restaurant & Bar
The Southside’s Black gay-owned answer to a scene that tends to cluster in town, Best Friends runs Twisted Tuesdays every week—doors at 9 p.m., karaoke at 9:30 p.m., and drag performances at 11:15 p.m. A full soul food menu (pork chops, wings, collards, and banana pudding) means you can actually eat before the queens take over and cocktails start to flow. 2672 Godby Rd., College Park, bestfriendsrb.com
Blake’s on the Park
Thirty-five-plus years in, Blake’s is as close to a Midtown institution as drag gets. The video and dance bar runs shows nightly, but Thursday’s Atlanta’s Angels—which kicks off at 11 p.m.—is the one that’s earned its reputation. It’s a late night, which is how Blake’s has always operated: the kind of place you always seem to end up at the end of the night, and somehow it’s always the right call. Open Monday through Friday from 5 p.m., weekends from 2 p.m. 227 10th St. NE, Atlanta, blakesontheparkatl.com
The Armorettes at The Heretic
Before drag was a television phenomenon, the Armorettes were doing it every month on Cheshire Bridge Road, and raising money for HIV/AIDS causes while they were at it. The self-described longest-running charity camp drag troupe in the world has been performing since 1979 and has raised approximately $2.3 million for Atlanta-area HIV/AIDS organizations. Every third Saturday, they take the Heretic’s stage from 8 to 10 p.m. for two hours of wigs and wisecracks. 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE, Atlanta, thearmorettes.com
