Live · Wednesdays & Thursdays · Free entry

Cape Town’s best drag, close enough to see the eyeliner.

Wednesday is drag night. Thursday is karaoke and R20 shots. Friday and Saturday the DJ takes the room. No cover charge on any of it — this is a bar with a stage, not a club with a queue.

Drag every WednesdayKaraoke every ThursdayNo cover chargeWeekend DJs
The week

What’s on the floor

Wednesday

Drag Night

Cape Town’s best queens, on our floor, in a room small enough that you are close enough to see the work that went into the face. Hosted nights, seasonal Drag Wars runs, and guest performers throughout the year.

Free entry
Thursday

Karaoke & R20 shots

No talent required, full commitment demanded. Olmeca Gold and Jägermeister shots at R20 each all night, house DJ from 8pm. The most reliably chaotic night we run.

R20 shots
Friday & Saturday

DJs till late

Disco, house and the occasional Robyn record. The kitchen runs to 10pm and the bar to 11pm, so you can eat properly and then stay for the back half of the night.

No cover
Through the year

Pride & open mic

Pride warm-up parties, anniversary nights, and open mic evenings curated by the community — songs and stories, and yes, genuinely open. Watch Instagram for dates.

Free entry
Before you come

How drag night actually runs

There is no cover charge and no guest list. You walk in. What there is, is a limited number of seats in a room that has been the same size since 1994, and on a Wednesday they go from about eight o’clock.

Eat first. The kitchen runs until 10pm, so ordering a burger or a platter before the show starts is the standard move, and it secures your table for the evening. Trying to order food at half past ten on a Wednesday is optimistic.

Happy hour overlaps. The 2-for-1 runs 4pm to 6pm, so arriving early is cheaper as well as easier. See the list.

Tip the queens. Bring cash. This is not optional in the moral sense.

Is it a safe room?

Yes, and that is not an afterthought. This has been a queer bar since 1994 — Africa’s first LGBTQI+ owned and operated bar and kitchen — and the door policy has never needed rewriting. Everyone is welcome. The community comes first. If you are a visitor, you are a guest in someone’s room and the room will be lovely to you as long as you understand that.

Bringing a group

Birthdays, bachelorettes and work groups are common on a Wednesday and entirely welcome. Six or more, message ahead so we can put tables together. Larger than about twelve and it is worth talking to us about the space properly.

Where and when

74 Waterkant Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town. Open 11am to 11pm daily. Drag on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays, DJs on Friday and Saturday.

Book a table on WhatsApp or call 021 002 8867.

Common questions

Good to know

When is the drag show at Cafe Manhattan?

Every Wednesday, with free entry and no guest list. The room fills from around 8pm, so arrive earlier if you want a seat.

How much does it cost to see drag in Cape Town at Cafe Manhattan?

There is no cover charge on any of our nights — drag on Wednesday, karaoke on Thursday, DJs on the weekend. Bring cash to tip the performers.

Is there karaoke in Cape Town on a weeknight?

Thursday is karaoke night here, alongside R20 Olmeca Gold tequila and Jägermeister shots all night and a house DJ from 8pm.

Do I need to book for drag night?

Not to get in — entry is free and open. Book if you specifically want a table, and definitely book if you are bringing six or more people.

Can I have dinner before the show?

Yes, and we recommend it. The kitchen runs until 10pm, so eating before the show is easy and it holds your table for the evening.

Wednesdays fill up from about eight

There is no cover and no guest list, but there is a finite number of seats. Book a table if you want one of them.