Jacques' Cabaret

Drag bar · Boston Bay Village

Open since 1938 with drag every night: Jacques’ Cabaret in Bay Village is Boston’s oldest gay bar and a small, intimate stage where “Drag Race” star Katya once held her burlesque nights.

• ★ 4.0 on Google (170)
• Since 1938
• Drag every night
• Boston Legacy Business

Address

79 Broadway
Boston, MA 02116

Opening hours

Mon–Thu 4 pm–12 am
Fri–Sun 12 pm–12 am

Crowd

mixed, all genders and ages, regulars, groups and tourists

Flirt factor

low to medium

Programme

Drag shows every night

Getting there

Arlington T station (Green Line) or Tufts Medical Center (Orange Line), each about a 7-minute walk

What makes Jacques’ special

Henry Vara opened the venue in 1938 as Jacques Restaurant in Bay Village, a small, hidden neighbourhood between Back Bay and Chinatown. By the mid-1940s it was already a gay bar, and from the late 1960s into the early 1970s it was the city’s only lesbian bar. In 1971 it was on the route of Boston’s first Pride march. In 2025 Jacques’ was recognised as a Boston Legacy Business.

Today it is mainly a drag bar: every night queens take the small stage, often in front of bachelorette parties, regulars and the curious. The atmosphere is cramped, loud and warm.

Atmosphere and crowd

The crowd is a colourful mix: queer regulars, groups of girlfriends, tourists and drag fans of all ages. If you want to see drag up close, this is the place.

Contact

Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: Out x Out, misterb&b, Google reviews (4.0 stars, 170 reviews). Opening hours, prices and programme may change, please check before visiting.