San Francisco is home to more queens per capita than anywhere else on earth. You might think you only see them come out to play at Pride, but they’re serving it 24/7/365. Here are nine places to know if you want to catch a drag show in San Francisco.
The Stud hosts a weekly ‘art and drag’ party that mixes the experienced More Family—Juanita More, VivvyAnne Forevermore, Glamamore, and others—with newcomers who add an irresistible enthusiasm and ‘Busted Queen’ aura to the performances. Audience members also participate, attending in drag. Open later than most of San Francisco’s bars, this is a party worth going to regularly.
Peaches Christ takes campy, iconic gay films of all generations and makes them even campier with reenactments by drag queens. The cast is usually all drag queens, so every character is over the top, fighting for their turn in the spotlight. Find information about their latest show here.
Aunt Charlie’s is a piece of gay history. The queens here can tell you about every decade, fad, and trial the gay community has experienced since this place opened. They also put on a mean show, which changes nightly.
El Rio hosts several monthly gay parties, but every third Sunday is dedicated specifically to queens. This daytime party is raucous in the best possible way. A soiree where anything goes from 2pm until the sun sets and the party people move on in search of the next venue.
Hosted by Heklina, the mother of SF drag herself, MOTHER melds Heklina’s legendary traveling performance Trannyshack, with the club drag show feel. Each week riffs on a theme, like High School Confidential, so you’ll keep coming back for a different drag every time.
Technically, this is not a drag show because the performers are transgender women, but the dining experience will leave your jaw on the floor. Not only are the ladies of AsiaSF gorgeous, they’re friendly to the point that they’ll feed you shots and then put your dance moves to shame.
Drag queens look incredible during the daytime, so why not roll with it and order a mimosa? Donna Satchet hosts a fabulous drag brunch at The Starlight Room that will leave you tipsy and ready to party all through the day.
Now in its 14th year, Fauxgirls is one of the longest running drag shows in history. It also proclaims to be San Francisco’s best drag dinner show. Stuff your face and your bra.
Every Monday, come see one of the girls from TV face to face at The Cafe. They’ll spill the T on all that happens in each episode and perform a lip sync you’ll never forget. Not bad for a Monday night in the Castro.
