Readers’ pick: Shaw’s Tavern
On weekends, sashay-ready divas, adorned in extravagant wigs and theatrical makeup, transform City Tap’s usual dining room into a dazzling runway, captivating an enthusiastic audience eager for their nonstop glitz and glamour.
Located in DuPont Circle, City Tap, a lively American gastropub, hosts a weekly drag brunch every Saturday and Sunday mornings between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Guests can indulge in a sumptuous buffet, unlimited drinks and a two-hour drag spectacle that promises nonstop entertainment. Brunches often, though not always, embrace festive or pop culture themes — think Wicked or Valentine’s Day — and I was fortunate enough to catch a fabulous Lady Gaga-inspired performance on a Saturday morning.
The packed dining room erupted in applause for each of the five queens as they emerged from their dressing rooms, led by one of the regular hosts and emcees of the brunch, Evry Pleasure. Their 12 performances ranged from comical, sensual and all-out loud and proud diva. The audience ooh-ed and ahh-ed when the queens threw off their fur coats in dramatic outfit reveals and yelled in shock when some of the queens gave lap dances to a few lucky diners.
The queens strutted into the main dining room dressed in sparkling sequins, fishnets and colored wigs, performing an array of Lady Gaga’s discography from Poker Face to Bad Romance and channeling different Gaga eras, one serving Chromatica with a pink and black fringe skirt and pink and black colored wig. That queen particularly captivated the audience with her routine that included voguing and intense lip syncing.
Diners’ drinks were flowing, and so was the money. Staff were waiting by ready with buckets to collect the pools of dollar bills that patrons threw at the queens. Their tips were well deserved — the performers were sweating by the end of their routines, putting their all into each act. Some memorable routines from the morning included Dessere Dik, who finished her routine with a cartwheel into a split, and Whitney Guccigoo, who stripped down to just a few covering elements to catwalk outside the restaurant.
Though $48 is a substantial price, it covers both the brunch and the show, a combination that feels like a steal considering the quality and variety of dishes City Tap delivers. For those who want to elevate their morning, the $18 bottomless mimosas during the two-and-a-half-hour brunch are an indulgence worth considering. Plus, $48 is a steal compared to the cost of tickets for Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Tour.
If you’d rather skip the Ticketmaster frenzy and keep a few extra dollars in your pocket, City Tap is the place to be.
