Hamburger Mary’s Reopens its Chicago Location | Eater Chicago

"After five years away, the admired burger bar and drag-centric venue has returned in a larger Edgewater home with a glittery, red-curtained stage and one of Chicago’s most celebrated drag dressing rooms. The original Andersonville spot operated for nearly 15 years before a 2020 closure driven by COVID-19, tight space, and landlord disagreements; gentrification ultimately pushed the relaunch to Edgewater, where co-owner Ashley Wright says they’re getting more space for less rent. Inside, hot-pink and rich-purple walls burst with camp: souvenir Pleaser-shaped glasses, purses, high heels, and hats fixed to the walls, and framed vinyl of Donna Summer, Dolly Parton, and other queer icons. I’ve enjoyed a meal here, and walking back in felt refreshingly optimistic for a community that’s lost stages; the casting call drew over 200 applications, and during the preview weekend my friend Aja Ajani hosted Saturday night, warming up an already electric, ticketed crowd. Part of a chain founded in 1972 in San Francisco with 10 locations nationwide, this iteration doubles down on being a safe, queer-identifying space—“bigger and bolder and more fabulous than before”—with drag-centered entertainment and burgers at its heart; it’s open Wednesday through Sunday with reservations via Toast." - Brandon Summers-Miller