Everybody loves a Drag Show and the larger-than-life entertainment that Drag provides.
Located in the historic west Village in NYC lies the hottest, most popular Drag Bar that Manhattan has ever seen: Boots and Saddle. Amongst the Glitter and Glam, owner Robert Ziegler, a handsome, easy-going man, took some time to speak about the bar.
Robert, how did you come to own Boots?
It started nine years ago. I bought into it. It was a Levi/leather bar, and then we started turning it into a drag bar.
How did you personally get into this business? Because I know you’re not from New York.
I moved up here in 1999, and I stumbled into Boots and Saddle. I started bar backing and worked my way up, and then bought into it.
That is really a very cool success story, even though I think the bar business is a very rough business, and I think you’re crazy sometimes.
Yeah, sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision! [laughs]
And you’re from Virginia, correct?
Yeah, I’m from Virginia. Virginia Beach, Virginia. I miss the ocean.
I know there’s a lot going on at Boots and Saddle, so describe some of the best parties that you have.
We have between 20 and 30 drag shows a week now. I think New York really loves to drag. I couldn’t believe it, but they do! But I didn’t think it would be so big.
You also have an extremely successful drag brunch. What kind of food do you serve?
The eggs benedict is very good. I don’t even like eggs benedict, but I like ours. Michael, the chef here, is fantastic. We also have chicken and waffles, as well as omelettes.
Who hosts the brunch?
We have different girls hosting it. For example, Honey Davenport, FiFi Dubois, Jackie Dupree. We have four different girls each week. We also have Delilah doing it, and Coco. We had a film shoot here this morning with Terra Grenade. Yeah, Terra is fantastic. We also have Yuhua Hamasaki, and our house mother Victoria Chase.
Victoria and I go way back.
She is another hard worker. She is our house mother here, and she does karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays.
And you just reopened in a brand-new, beautiful place.
Yes, we reopened in a bigger, better place, 2000 square feet. It is a lot bigger, more room for the girls.
Boots & Saddle is now located at 100A 7th Ave South, NYC, 10014, and can be reached at (646) 892-4800. They offer the best in drag at any given time in their beautifully renovated bar.
Mondays
Sir Honey Davenport’s #YouMad
Mondays at 7 p.m.
Frostie Flakes & Molly Bridges’ Yum Yum Mondays at 9 p.m.
Tuesdays
Pattaya Hart Herro at 7 p.m.
Ari Kiki’s Tacky Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Brenda Dharling’s Turn Me Out at 11 p.m.
Wednesdays
Flippe Kikee’s GotYa! at 5 p.m.
Alexis Michele’s Get Happy! at 7 p.m.
Victoria Chase’s Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Thursdays
Porsche Pink & Scarlet Envy at 6 p.m.
Bootsie LeFaris Boot Scootin’ Bootsie
at 8 p.m.
Dusty Ray Bottoms It’s Me Olivia at 10 p.m.
Brita Filter & Tammy Spénks’ Thick Thursdays at 12 a.m.
Fridays
Princess Bitch & Lilith LaFae
#BlackFridays at 6 p.m.
Svetlana Stoli Drama Queen at 8 p.m.
Terra Grenade TGIF #ThankGodItsFriday at 10 p.m.
Yuhua Hamasaki Shanky Fridays! at 12 a.m.
Saturday
Sapphira Cristal’s SOUL Saturday Brunch at 12 p.m.
Jacqueline Dupree High-T With the Sing Queen! at 2 p.m.
Delilah Brooks & Sir Honey Davenport Dirty Hoe Show at 4 p.m.
Prada G Major Ma-Jor Saturday at 8 p.m.
Victoria Chase Queen of the Night at 12 a.m.
Sundays
Lilith LeFae’s Bottoms Up Brunch at 12 p.m.
Marti Gould Cummings’ Liquid Brunch
at 2 p.m.
FiFi DuBois FiFiFoeFum at 4 p.m.
CoCo De’Ball’s Shiesty Sunday at 6 p.m.
Victoria Chase’s Karaoke at 8 p.m.
