16 June 1 - 7, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Ricky Veloz, who will serve as the location’s general manager, tease “a great lineup for our recurring show cast,” but they are tight-lipped about it for the time being. They are holding auditions for performers to add to their slots. While many of the bars on the Cedar Springs strip have drag performances on designated nights, Hamburger Mary’s will showcase a variety of queens every night. For Veloz, it’s exciting to offer a platform for queens in abundance to perform. “The first drag shows that I had ever seen were holes-in-the-wall situations,” Veloz says. “I’ve seen that the drag community around here is very, very present, so for us to open an establishment where they have a place to come and perform and show their artistry, I’m living for it.” But the opening of Hamburger Mary’s in Dallas arrives at a tumultuous time for Texas drag performers. Over the course of the past few weeks, the bar’s Dallas franchisee Arthur Hood has been traveling back and forth from Dallas to Austin, where he, Caven’s CEO Mikey Nguyen and several local queens have been reportedly fighting Senate Bill 12. Originally, the bill was designed to target drag performances and story times, but lan- guage alluding to drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community specifically has been removed from the bill, and backers of the bill are moving to ban performances they deem sexually explicit. Many of the members of the LGBTQ+ community are concerned that the language and terminology of the bill are vague enough for authorities to still enforce drag bans as they wish. “Mind you, the concern that anti-drag language can be reintroduced is very real, which is the reason we are still working to- wards an outcome we can celebrate,” said Nguyen in a Facebook post. “This game of chess is not over, and as you know in chess, we have to think multiple moves ahead, but can’t share our strategy till it’s over.” Roberts says Hamburger Mary’s will bring in security if needed to protect the queens. Inside the space, there will be 120 seats, a designated area for DJs and booths and spe- cial sections for guests to reserve for parties and events. The menu will offer several of Hamburger Mary’s signature variety burgers, including the Mac Daddy, a burger with macaroni and cheese, as well as the Proud Mary, which comes with grilled onions, pineapples, bacon, mushroom, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Items exclusive to the Dallas location, Rob- erts and Veloz said, will be revealed in the days leading up to the opening. Additionally, regulars from Cedar Springs Tap House will be elated to hear about the return of the Wednesday night steak deal: a rib-eye or sirloin steak, along with a side salad, for only $15. While the future of Texas drag is uncer- tain, Roberts and Veloz promise to make a positive and safe addition to the community, all while curating quality performances. “At this point, we just want to make sure that our community’s happy and everyone is being taken care of,” says Veloz. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and have a good time.” Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille, 4121 Ce- dar Springs Road (Oak Lawn). City of Ate from p14 10250 Shady Trail • 214.358.5511 • babydolls.com Come watch all the baseball action with us! THE LEGEND LIVES ON® THE LEGEND LIVES ON® check out our new kitchen daily buffet Mon-fri 11aM-2PM stadiuM buffet Monday-friday 4PM-10PM Sat 11aM-10pM • Sun 12pM-10pM SCAN HERE TO ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS DICKIES ARENA SAT, JUL 29
