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A drag queen performs at Houston bar Ripcord.
Ripcord is home to some of Houston’s best drag shows.
Ripcord/Facebook

Houston Bars With Epic Drag Shows

Sing and dance along to these dazzling performances

by Megha McSwain
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Ripcord is home to some of Houston’s best drag shows.
| Ripcord/Facebook
by Megha McSwain

There is no shortage of live entertainment in the city, but few shows rile up a crowd like an epic drag performance at one of Houston’s beloved bars. With flashy costumes, glitzy make-up, and top notch talent belting out some of the greatest hits of all time, it all but guarantees a festive night out.

From boozy weekend brunches in Montrose to late nights out in downtown, here is where to catch Houston’s localebrity queens and kings performing in must-see drag shows around town.

Is your favorite act missing from the list, shout it out in the comments.

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Pearl Bar

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Pearl Bar offers drag entertainment of all varieties. Beyond its traditional drag shows featuring the city’s most iconic kings and queens, the bar offers queen karaoke on Tuesday nights, H-Town kings comedy night every Wednesday, and drag bingo on Thursday nights.

4216 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(281) 757-3229
(281) 757-3229

Hamburger Mary's

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After outgrowing its home in Montrose, Hamburger Mary’s has reemerged at its new locale in downtown. Come for bar bites and burgers, and take advantage of nightly drink and shot specials, as the lady’s of Hamburger Mary’s dazzle audiences with catchy songs and colorful costumes and make up. Reservations for shows are available, and recommended.

1008 Prairie St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 677-0674
(713) 677-0674

RIPCORD

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This decades-old gay bar has late night drag shows every Tuesday at 11 p.m. for guests 21 and up. Keep up with RuPaul’s Drag Race? Take in a viewing party with other fans, every Friday at 7 p.m.

715 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 521-2792
(713) 521-2792

Also featured in:

South Beach Houston

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Catch the MILLENIALDOLLS, a longtime group of Houston performers, at their drag show at the newly revamped South Beach night club in Montrose, every Wednesday at 11 p.m. The iconic gay bar’s dynamic light installations and whimsical dance floor offer an exhilarating backdrop for single and group performances.

810 Pacific St, Houston, TX 77006

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Boheme

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Every Sunday, Boheme hosts a drag brunch with a live DJ, offering seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A $35 coverage charge gets you access to the show and the restaurant’s breakfast buffet, and reservations are required.

307 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 462-7455
(832) 462-7455

Also featured in:

ReBar

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Reservations for the Sunday Service drag brunch at ReBar are among the hottest in town. There are two seatings, at noon and at 2 p.m., during which a rotating group of talent take to the stage. Planning a big group night out? ReBar offers VIP sections with bottle service.

202 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006
(346) 227-8613
(346) 227-8613

Also featured in:

Social Beer Garden HTX

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This lively Midtown hangout offers nightly entertainment like burlesque shows, open mic night, and silent disco, but a standout among them is the bar’s Saturday morning drag show. The Saturday “Slay all day” show is free to all guests, and features performances from a revolving list of queens from around the country, along with beats by DJ GNDRBNDR. Bottles of champagne for mimosas are a bargain at $20, so kick back and stay awhile.

3101 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
(713) 636-9357
(713) 636-9357

Also featured in:

Michael's Outpost

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This divey neighborhood haunt offers weeknight karaoke nights and whimsical weekend drag shows. Venture in on Friday or Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and catch performances from the bar’s regular performers. Keep up with social media to learn about decade theme nights, and be sure to make reservations, or arrive early — Michael’s Outpost has very limited seating.

1419 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77006
(713) 520-8446
(713) 520-8446

Also featured in:

Grand Prize

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Every Wednesday from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, Grand Prize hosts the Dollhouse in its upstairs lounge. Along with a DJ, a lineup of drag queens perform for guests, and the bar offers happy hour food and drink specials like $4 Deep Eddy’s and $6 happy meals.

1010 Banks St, Houston, TX 77006

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Pearl Bar

4216 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007

Pearl Bar offers drag entertainment of all varieties. Beyond its traditional drag shows featuring the city’s most iconic kings and queens, the bar offers queen karaoke on Tuesday nights, H-Town kings comedy night every Wednesday, and drag bingo on Thursday nights.

4216 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(281) 757-3229
(281) 757-3229

Hamburger Mary's

1008 Prairie St, Houston, TX 77002

After outgrowing its home in Montrose, Hamburger Mary’s has reemerged at its new locale in downtown. Come for bar bites and burgers, and take advantage of nightly drink and shot specials, as the lady’s of Hamburger Mary’s dazzle audiences with catchy songs and colorful costumes and make up. Reservations for shows are available, and recommended.

1008 Prairie St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 677-0674
(713) 677-0674

RIPCORD

715 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006

This decades-old gay bar has late night drag shows every Tuesday at 11 p.m. for guests 21 and up. Keep up with RuPaul’s Drag Race? Take in a viewing party with other fans, every Friday at 7 p.m.

715 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 521-2792
(713) 521-2792

South Beach Houston

810 Pacific St, Houston, TX 77006

Catch the MILLENIALDOLLS, a longtime group of Houston performers, at their drag show at the newly revamped South Beach night club in Montrose, every Wednesday at 11 p.m. The iconic gay bar’s dynamic light installations and whimsical dance floor offer an exhilarating backdrop for single and group performances.

810 Pacific St, Houston, TX 77006

Boheme

307 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006

Every Sunday, Boheme hosts a drag brunch with a live DJ, offering seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A $35 coverage charge gets you access to the show and the restaurant’s breakfast buffet, and reservations are required.

307 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 462-7455
(832) 462-7455

ReBar

202 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006

Reservations for the Sunday Service drag brunch at ReBar are among the hottest in town. There are two seatings, at noon and at 2 p.m., during which a rotating group of talent take to the stage. Planning a big group night out? ReBar offers VIP sections with bottle service.

202 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006
(346) 227-8613
(346) 227-8613

Social Beer Garden HTX

3101 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004

This lively Midtown hangout offers nightly entertainment like burlesque shows, open mic night, and silent disco, but a standout among them is the bar’s Saturday morning drag show. The Saturday “Slay all day” show is free to all guests, and features performances from a revolving list of queens from around the country, along with beats by DJ GNDRBNDR. Bottles of champagne for mimosas are a bargain at $20, so kick back and stay awhile.

3101 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
(713) 636-9357
(713) 636-9357

Michael's Outpost

1419 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77006

This divey neighborhood haunt offers weeknight karaoke nights and whimsical weekend drag shows. Venture in on Friday or Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and catch performances from the bar’s regular performers. Keep up with social media to learn about decade theme nights, and be sure to make reservations, or arrive early — Michael’s Outpost has very limited seating.

1419 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77006
(713) 520-8446
(713) 520-8446

Grand Prize

1010 Banks St, Houston, TX 77006

Every Wednesday from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, Grand Prize hosts the Dollhouse in its upstairs lounge. Along with a DJ, a lineup of drag queens perform for guests, and the bar offers happy hour food and drink specials like $4 Deep Eddy’s and $6 happy meals.

1010 Banks St, Houston, TX 77006

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