As the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, NYC has long been a safe and welcoming space for members of the community from around the world, especially for Drag Queens.

In celebration of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK returning to the small screen, it’s About Time you discovered the best drag and LGBTQ+ friendly experiences in New York.

1. Kiss the Weekend Goodbye with a Sunday Broadway Brunch at Lips

The Lowdown: Every Sunday, New York City’s #1 drag show palace, Lips, puts on a fabulous Vegas-style drag cabaret brunch. The show is hosted by the legendary theatre Queen Ginger Snap and sees the marvellous Ladies of Lips take to the stage as some of Broadway’s most loved characters.

Doubling as servers, the Queens enter the crowds to feed the audience a delicious brunch menu of breakfast and lunch options ranging from a Mamma Mia Mozzarella Omelette to a Hairspray Deluxe Cheeseburger, with bottomless mimosas, bloody mary’s and champagne to wash it down. The perfect spot for a  large group celebration or fun brunch for two, the Broadway Brunch at Lips is guaranteed to make you smile.

Where: 227 E 56th St, New York, NY 10022 

2. Drag out the Night to the Early Hours at INDUSTRY

The Lowdown: Recognised as New York’s Best Gay Bar, INDUSTRY offers weekly entertainment with a different drag show each evening.

Located in Manhattan’s buzzing Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood, INDUSTRY sees international drag icons, such as Kiza Carr and Brenda Dharling put on incredible shows for locals and visitors alike. Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Rhianna are playlist staples but weekly guest DJ’s put their own spin on pop mastermixes to help party-seekers dance the night away.

Where: 355 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

3. See the Unruly Royals at Lucky Cheng’s Drag Dinner Show

The Lowdown: Lucky Cheng’s, located in the East Village, opened in 1993 as a Chinese Restaurant and Bar, with staff made up of transgender women and Asian Drag Queens.

Today the Queens perform the original drag-dinner show each Friday and Saturday night offering an escape from the mundane at the longest-running Drag Restaurant in NYC. Personalities include Lucky Cheng’s own Queens as well as alums from RuPaul’s Drag Race. A delicious three-course meal from a menu carefully curated by executive Chef Chris Genoversa from the famed China Grill is served to you by the Queens.

Where: 707 8th Ave, New York, NY 10036

4. Rewind Time in Some of NYC’s Oldest LGBTQ+ dive bars

The Lowdown: The Gay Rights movement sparked protests outside of The Stonewall Inn, one of NYC’s oldest and most-loved gay bars, leading to the birth of Pride celebrations. This Greenwich Village dive bar sees weekly DJ sets, pop-up performances and weekly drag shows with Queens Tiffany Anne Coke and Clarice Hart to celebrate the legacy of the Stonewall Riots.

The Cubby Hole is one of the few lesbian bars in Manhattan and has been serving drinks for over 25 years to the sound of its infamous juke box. Julius, West Villlage is another of the City’s oldest gay bars, decorated with charming rickety décor and historical photographs giving the place a vintage feel. Julius has monthly a Mattachine Society party, in honour of the early national gay rights organisation, and serves up great burgers, cheap drinks alongside a serving of gay history.

Where: 53 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

5. Eat at NYC’s first LGBTQ+ fine dining restaurant HAGS

HAGS,  he first LGBTQ+ luxury fine dining experience in New York City, opened its doors in the East Village earlier this year. The owners, Telly Justice and Camille Lindsley, describe the space as a ‘tiny, intimate restaurant in NYC by queer people for all people’.

Borne out of the couple’s collective subjection to homophobia and racism while working within the food industry, HAGS offers an inclusive dining space that aims to reinvent the queer fine dining experience with two five-course tasting menus. In addition to a carefully curated delicious menu of food and drink, HAGs serves ‘radical luxury, unapologetic joy, community and optimism’, which is reflected by their “pay what you can” menu available each Sunday.

Where: 163 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003