Jacques Cabaret

Über diesen Ort Jacques Cabaret

Jacques Cabaret holds a remarkable historical distinction: it is the oldest continuously operating drag bar in New England, with a history stretching back to 1938 — three decades before the Stonewall Uprising that is usually treated as the beginning of modern LGBTQ+ cultural life. The bar's survival through eras that were actively hostile to its existence (the 1940s, 1950s, McCarthy-era crackdowns, the pre-liberation 1960s) is in itself a remarkable achievement, and the stories attached to the building's walls are an irreplaceable piece of American LGBTQ+ history. The current incarnation operates as a cabaret-style bar with drag shows on most nights — the format that has kept it alive through every change in the entertainment landscape. The Broadway, South Boston location puts it slightly outside the South End gay district, but the short distance is easily covered by MBTA or rideshare. For visitors interested in LGBTQ+ history as much as nightlife, Jacques Cabaret is a mandatory stop — there are very few establishments anywhere in the US that can claim this length and depth of queer entertainment history.