Sunday Funday! And what’s more fun than a drag show? One that comes with brunch.
Now through May, Drag Queen Entertainment is curating their roster of queens from the tri-state area to entertain you at the Hard Rock's Brunch is a Drag with a different theme each week.
We were invited to see the many incarnations of Sasha Fierce when we visited. This week’s theme is mean girls. So, grab a frenemy and head to Hard Rock on Sunday. Who knows? You may even infiltrate “The Plastics.”
The particular Sunday we attended had three queens. Our host for the afternoon was Vinchelle from Philadelphia. She got the crowd going, took the time to visit every single table and performed her numbers with ease.
She presided over the audience participation dance contest and made those celebrating something that day feel special.
Divinity Banks from New York had a very convincing Beyoncé face. Poochie, who works out of Philadelphia had quite a mean death drop.
Each queen did two numbers and the crowd was into their performances. Dollar bills were generously handed out. Some attendees were even decked out in cowboy hats and sparkle pants to celebrate both a 60th birthday and, I assume, a certain famous singer’s recent boot scoot over to the country genre.
I’ve seen funnier hosts that arrive with plenty of prepared jokes to fill the inevitable pauses in the show due to costuming, judging etc. All three were a bit low energy and one-noted for my taste. However, we did get to see Divinity in a spot-on, gold, hands-on leotard right out of the Renaissance tour. And big ups to the producers for delivering diversity when it came to ages and shapes of the queens.
For a drag show, I would say that it could have used more humor, camp and edginess. Remember though, the queens change. Each week will be a different story.
The buffet was both well-made and well-stocked. I would call this more of a breakfast bar than a brunch, however.
If you are expecting lunch items or a carving station, you won’t find them. But all the staples of a great breakfast are there plus an omelet station. And yes, they have egg whites!
Food is available for you to help yourself for the whole show. Expect dance music to be playing when you enter. You can immediately grab a plate and enjoy sausage, potatoes, French toast and more. There’s even a coffee station, which is a joy to see if you need a cup after a hard night.
Pro tip: don’t sleep on the pastries! They were super-fresh and tasty. I liked the apple pecan Danish.
We know Hard Rock has upped the ante in town when it comes to headliners. Guns N Roses, Kiss and most recently Stevie Nicks have all paid recent visits to our shore town. And with Starship hitting the stage this Saturday and Kelly Clarkson coming in May, Hard Rock’s entertainment is showing no signs of slowing down.
But when those tickets sell out, there are still plenty of reasons to visit this property. I have heard awesome bands at the lobby bar, and just last week I enjoyed a great D.J. who was setting the mood late night at Council Oak. You can often find the stage at The Hard Rock Café filled with dueling pianos, local artists and the occasional Kelsey Grammer sighting.
This Brunch is a Drag offering is no different. Tickets are $65. That includes the drag show, the buffet and even your first cocktail. With casino prices being what they are, that’s pretty good for three hours of food and entertainment. Take advantage of it after you check out and before you head home. Or, kick off your stay in a campy way.
You will love the venue. Especially if you catch a sunny day like we did.
The Back Stage Café sits right on the Boardwalk. A wall of windows lets you see the ocean, scan the Boardwalk and people watch to your heart’s content. It’s sparse, sleek and, IMHO, underutilized. I look forward to attending more events here.
(Michelle Tomko is the entertainment editor at Breaking AC. She is a classically trained performer with a BFA in fine arts, is a five-time winner of Atlantic City Weekly’s Nightlife Award for “Best Comedian”, a North to Shore grantee, a Stories of Atlantic City Arts fellow, and sits on the advisory board of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation. She is an accomplished home chef with years of restaurant, catering, bartending, wine and cocktail experience.)
