The ultimate in drag dining! Glamour drag & great food too!

(212) 675-7710

227 E 56th St (Btwn 2nd & 3rd Avenues)
New York, NY 10022 40.75912 -73.96694

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Neighborhoods: Midtown East (Turtle Bay), Midtown, Midtown East

lipsnyc.com

Hours:

MON - CLOSED

TUE: 7 - Midnight

WED: 7 - Midnight

THUR: 7 - Midnight

FRI: 6pm - 1am

SAT: 5pm - 1am

SUN: 11:30am-12am

Last updated 10.21.11

Category:

Restaurants, Gay & Lesbian Bars, Nightclubs, Cabarets, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Bar Menu

Restaurant Special Features:

Special Occasion Dining, Brunch, Online Reservations, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Traditional American, Italian

Editor's Tips

Email Business

What People Are Saying About Lips

The Owner

Lips

Owner

"Lips is a drag queen palace. Listen, they know how to dress.My waitress, you should excuse the expression, was 6'4". A 46-double-D. The waist is 44 inches. The weight, 350. The introduction? "Hi, my name is All Beef Patty." She/he waited for the laugh, then, "I'm actually on Weight Watchers. Soon I'll be Patty Melt."Sultana, the Queen of the Middle East Village, was wearing a spaghetti-strap, beaded, low-cut sheath. I was in tailored plain black pants. There was something wrong with this picture.All Beef Patty handed me a menu. It was nice. Roasted beet salad, crab cakes, grilled chicken,…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Karen Hudes

Contributor

In Short – Famous for its cheeky service and long-running Bitchy Bingo on Wednesday nights, this Village perennial is a favorite for bachelorette parties and other groups out for some lightly risque fun. The restaurant, decorated with photos, chandeliers and fake gems, serves American dishes named after local drag stars, but the main draw is the entertainment; drag shows begin at 7:30pm each night, and at 12:30pm for Sunday brunch. Cover charge is $7 on weekends.

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
For celebrations including six people or more, choose from a variety of prix fixe menus.
Know Before You Go:
There is a $15 per person food minimum on Friday and Saturday nights.
ambiance
75.0% positive
  1. “Unlike most theme restaurants, the food was great, the staff was fun and the entertainment.”
  2. “DIRTY decor falling apart, DISGUSTING food and a really HORRIBLE service.”
  3. “Good entertainment, good food, fun, felt welcomed”
  4. “Lips is a great place to have a fun evening in NYC.”
drinks
80.0% positive
  1. “At any given time, the food is good - the best for any themed restaurant I've visited, the drinks and wines are reasonably priced.”
  2. “have nothing bad to say about the bar.”
  3. “The drinks were sooo yummy.”
  4. “The staff is friendly, the drinks and food is excellent a good time overall.”
  5. “The drinks were great.”
food quality
80.0% positive
  1. “Great show, great food”
  2. “The food was good although one member of our party did not get her food until half an hour after the rest of us did.”
  3. “The food was good, too.”
  4. “The entertainment was fantastic, food was great, the price was right.”
  5. “The service was awful and the food was really bad.”
  6. “The food wasn't the best but you don't go there for their gourmet food.”
  7. “Unlike most theme restaurants, the food was great, the staff was fun and the entertainment.”
  8. “Good entertainment, good food, fun, felt welcomed”
  9. “The food was great, the staff was friendly and funny, and the entertainment was a barrel of laughs!”
  10. “The food was disgusting.”
  11. “DIRTY decor falling apart, DISGUSTING food and a really HORRIBLE service.”
  12. “The drinks were sooo yummy.”
  13. “Veggie lasagna was nasty, and the chicken fettucine was disgusting and undercooked.”
  14. “The staff is very friendly, the food is very good, and so is the service.”
  15. “The food was great and the drag queens were even greater.”
  16. “THe food is pretty good, but the novelty wears down after a couple of songs.”
  17. “The staff is friendly, the drinks and food is excellent a good time overall.”
  18. “At any given time, the food is good - the best for any themed restaurant I've visited, the drinks and wines are reasonably priced.”
  19. “The shows are incredibly entertaining, the food is awesome.”
  20. “The food was excellent, the entertainment was great.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Lips is a great place to have a fun evening in NYC.”
  2. “At any given time, the food is good - the best for any themed restaurant I've visited, the drinks and wines are reasonably priced.”
  3. “think Lips is a great place for Sunday brunch.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “It was a hassle trying to get someone even return my call and then I got a bunch of miss information, which should have been a big red flag.”
  2. “would definetely go there again to celebrate a bachelorette or a girl's birthday.”
service
80.0% positive
  1. “The food was great, the staff was friendly and funny, and the entertainment was a barrel of laughs!”
  2. “The staff is friendly, the drinks and food is excellent a good time overall.”
  3. “The staff is very friendly, the food is very good, and so is the service.”
  4. “Unlike most theme restaurants, the food was great, the staff was fun and the entertainment.”
  5. “DIRTY decor falling apart, DISGUSTING food and a really HORRIBLE service.”
  6. “Even the most unassuming of patrons will find Lips enjoyable, due in large part to the wonderful staff, who consist mostly of unpretentious, every-bit-the-welcome-wagon, (dare I say gorgeous) Queens!”
  7. “Our waitress was fantastic, they really do earn their money.”
  8. “The service was awful and the food was really bad.”
  9. “Drinks were good, people were friendly, the show was absolutely hilarious!”
  10. “The gal who took my reservation, the hostess and our waitress were great.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “The entertainment was fantastic, food was great, the price was right.”
  2. “NOt sure if the extra money was worth it for the amount of time but he put on a good show.”
  3. “Our waitress was fantastic, they really do earn their money.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “So, if you are looking to just get served by drag queens and have a 15 minute show it's perfect, otherwise it's nothing special!”
  2. “We had one of the best nights out we've had in a long time.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/31/11

this place is so fun

by analianutelli at Citysearch

i went for my birthday and i loved the place i had a great time ... they made me get on the floor and everything .. i have great memories

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/07/11

THE BEST DRAG SHOW IN THE USA!

by ptygrl339 at Citysearch

A friend brought me to Lips last night and I thought, OK this might be ok, but it wasnt just ok, IT WAS FABBBBULOUS!

The hostess Ariel Sinclair was so funny I never stopped laughing all night long. The show included lip syncing, live singing, Cher, Madonna and the hostess having her way with the audience. The place was packed with ervething from bacheloettes, to queens, to old society folk from the Upper East Side. I heard Lips moved to this new show palace recently and it is spectacular, as the host said its like "Beatlejuice designed Ken and Barbies dream house on acid". Huge chandeliers, jewels, fake pink leapord skin fur wall paper and about a million pounds of glitter.

The food was good to. I had the filet mignon which was thick and juicy and for dessert we had a foot high piece of delicious red velvet cake.

I reccomend LIPS to everyone. It is a night out you will never forget! Bravo Ladies. Thanks!

3 Star Rating: Average

04/13/11

Not bad

by bellbookcandle at Citysearch

We went there for my best friend's 25th birthday last month. We had a lot of fun. Got a fun (and surprisingly accurate) reading from a colorful, hillarious tarot reader. Drag waitress was very nice and attentive. Very flamboyant, over-the-top, and raunchy drag queens, just the way I like 'em :o).Drinks were delicious.

I have to say though that the food was not that good and personally, felt it was too expensive. And while there were a few memorable performances (Hanky Panky and F- Me are permanently burned into my memory lol), a good chunk of them were sort of bland. The two main hostesses seemed to be in a rush getting all the bday folks, brides-to-be, and contests on and off the stage so it took the fun out of those parts a little bit. But all in all, it was a great, fun night.

The queens are what really makes this place worth revisiting.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/04/11

Time of my life!

by aqualena at Citysearch

I am from California and this was my first time visiting New York. Our first night we decided to check out Lips because we had heard so many great things about it. As soon as we walked in we knew we were going to have a blast! The atmosphere is so welcoming and inviting and all of the Drag Queens are so friendly and interactive with the tables. The decor is fun and beautiful and theThe food was amazing, Lobster raviolis, and shrimp fetticini alfredo were both delicious and the drink special was frozen cosmos that we couldn't get enough of. The Drag Queens made us funny baloon shapes to play with and the show they put on was incredible and over the top. Our favorite performance was Beyonce's Single Ladies. The crowd went wild. There were lots of birthdays and bachelorette parties. Overall it was one of the most exciting nights in NYC. Next time I am in NYC Lips is a must!!!

1 Star Rating: Poor

02/01/11

VERY DISAPPOINTED ...WHAT A DRAG :(

by danvelope at Citysearch

I wanted to take my sister out for one last wild night before she got married. We found LIps on the internet and it looked promising. So I gathered ten of my most fun friends and planned for a fabulous night. When we got there, we waited forever. And there was no one there. When we were finally seated, we ordered a round of drinks that took another oddly long amount of time. then when another table arrived, forget about it. we were ignored most of the rest of the evening. They could seem to get it together. The show was short and not very exciting. We tried our best to have a good time, but the expensive menu was terrible. And we left feeling like it was a complete waste of money and time. Please don't believe any of the hype. It was very disappointing.

The Details on Lips

Place Categories:

  • great place
  • friendly staff
  • great minute show
  • great drinks
  • fantastic entertainment
  • enjoyable lips
  • really bad food
  • disgusting chicken fettucine
  • awful service
  • fantastic waitress
  • entertaining waitress u
  • nice entertainers
  • celebrate best friends bachlorette party
  • ready show
  • beyond horrible chengs
  • not entertaining performers
  • best nights
  • great gal
  • big red flag
  • best bianca
  • recommended highly
  • friendly people
  • loved absolutely
  • great the food
  • nice drag queens

Message from Lips

  • Nightly Shows
  • Continental & Italian Cuisine
  • Perfect for Groups & Parties

"Lips is a drag queen palace. Listen, they know how to dress.

My waitress, you should excuse the expression, was 6'4". A 46-double-D. The waist is 44 inches. The weight, 350. The introduction? "Hi, my name is All Beef Patty." She/he waited for the laugh, then, "I'm actually on Weight Watchers. Soon I'll be Patty Melt."

Sultana, the Queen of the Middle East Village, was wearing a spaghetti-strap, beaded, low-cut sheath. I was in tailored plain black pants. There was something wrong with this picture.

All Beef Patty handed me a menu. It was nice. Roasted beet salad, crab cakes, grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon.

Lips was jammed. Open 10 years with branches in San Diego & Fort Lauderdale, it's the Starbucks of drag queens. People read about the place in tourist brochures because it's obviously a staple of NY." - excerpts from Cindy Adams' 1/17/07 NY Post article

Lips