La Cueva Nightclub

Latino drag bar · Chicago Little Village

La Cueva in Little Village is considered the oldest Latino drag club in the US and has been operating since the early 1980s. Trans Latina performers take the stage here to Mexican and Latin American pop.

• Since the 1980s
• Drag shows

Address

4153 W 26th St
60623 Chicago

Opening hours

Thu–Sun from 8 pm (according to Out x Out; show nights were reduced in 2026)

Crowd

Gay Latinos, lesbian couples, trans women and a neighbourhood crowd

Shows

Drag shows with lip-sync to Mexican and Latin American pop, currently three nights a week according to Windy City Times

Location

Little Village, 26th Street, no English sign

What makes La Cueva Nightclub special

La Cueva grew out of a drag show by Ecuadorian performer Ketty Teanga and is a neighbourhood institution. Show queen Frances D’Alessio has been performing here since 1996. In 2025 the club was closed for about two months during the federal raids of “Operation Midway Blitz”; it has since reopened, but the crowd has not fully returned. If you come, you support a place with a long history.

Contact

Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: Windy City Times (article 10 Aug 2026), Out x Out (listing 2026). Opening hours, prices and programme may change, please check before visiting.