Miami, already known for its rich nightlife, has a rich history of performers and aesthetics. Nevertheless, this rich history carries on into the world of drag. The Palace, located just off the beach in Miami’s architectural district, is a venue for drag performers, primarily queens, that centers around the dine and show experience.
Palace also doesn’t just do bar performances exclusively. The location also offers drag brunches and during the daytime the bar portion of the restaurant is used as a cafe. The current owner of the Drag Palace is a Miami resident named Thomas Donall. However, the founder was Steve Pulsar, who was also a resident of Miami.
The venue, which is still up and running today, opened its doors over 30 years ago in February of 1988 - the tagline of the bar being “Every queen needs a palace.” The bar has stood the test of time up to this very day. The Palace even withstood a buyout in 2017. In July of that year, the building that housed the bar was bought out by Infinity Real Estate’s Steve Kassin. The reasoning for this was to “enhance the property, including improving the building’s prominence and accessibility.” Ultimately, current owners at the time decided it would be better to move locations. They then opened back up in November of the same year, which is where The Palace remains to this day. Many reviewers, both of entertainment and food, have expressed that the move of the bar has been a blessing for the business. Even the restaurant owner himself, Thomas Donall, stated that the business had been more booming than ever.
Palace has also been a huge center around pop culture figures since its opening. In the 90s, Gianni Versache purchased his home on Ocean Drive just blocks away from the club. At the time he brought many of his famous friends to the bar: Elton John, Madonna, and even Princess Diana. In pop culture, Miami drag has always been very prevalent, especially when Versache brought his presence to the scene. On Ocean Drive also sat The Carlyle, featured in the film The Birdcage. Even to this day, 2014 to be exact, Miami was ranked number 1 in its Municipal Equality Index.
However, unfortunately, the Palace is suffering similarly to many bars all across the United States right now. The bar has attempted to find ways to stay open and continue to entertain and serve, but due to the nature of the venue, they have been struggling to stay afloat. Back in July, the bar was still serving up socially distanced shows and food.
The Palace currently has 18 queens that perform in residence: Yeisa Jovovich’s acts typically center around her skills in dance, specifically Latin dance. TP Lords’ performances center around her skill in lip sync. Tiara Love Dupree stuns the crowds with her looks and lip syncs. Joanna James considers herself “the queen of costumes”, and is most well known for her celebrity impressions. Fantasia Royale Gaga typically performs in the style of burlesque. And this is just to name a few of the names and varieties that the Palace has to offer. You can find the rest of the profiles here: https://palacesouthbeach.com/our-queens/
One of the things that makes the Palace drag bar so special is what the specific location has to offer. The queens are able to utilize every aspect of the location they are given. In one performance vlog I found, audience members are crowded all throughout the club, almost to the point where they’re in the street. One queen even took to making her entrance out of a car and down a red carpet into the bar.
In some ways, the Palace drag bar is a reflection of the perseverance that the LGBTQ+ community, especially drag performers, have to go through in order to have an outlet to perform in. Though, many times, the Palace has changed ownership, been shut down, and changed locations, yet it stays an iconic and important location for drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community in Miami alike. Even during COVID-19, Thomas Donall is working to make sure the venue is at its prime when they are able to open back up again, cleaning from floor to ceiling, making improvements, and making sure the bar is back to full houses every show.
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