Godfrey's is definitely one of my favorite brunch places to go.
Not only do they have lovely ladies performing Sunday mornings but the food is to DIE for. I've had the Eggs Benedict and the fruit platter on separate occasions and both are wonderful. The eggs are cooked to a perfect over-easy, the English muffin isn't soggy, and the potatoes on the side are cooked so they're nice a soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. I absolutely love that all the brunches come with a side of fresh fruit. The fruit tray is HUGE! They have grapes, blueberries, watermelon, raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, and melon on there. It's the best!
The bloody Mary's and mimosas are fantastic! There are are about 5 different choices of each and all of them are tasty. The owner is always there and is good at talking to the crowd. He gets us very involved and it works perfectly. The girls that put on a show are full of energy and life and are SUPER nice. You can even take your picture with them after the show. They put on a different show almost every week and it's always super fun to go to. I will absolutely be going back here again and again! Love this place!
Pro Tip: You only get one check, but if you write down the last for the credit card number and how much to put on each card, they'll run everything separately.
Drag show Sunday Brunch!
ATMOSPHERE: Â Kind of cramped. Â Not impressive. Â BUT it's the service and the show that more than offsets this. Â They do have a great bar.
SERVICE: Â Great service. Â Everyone is very friendly and chatty. Â Bar tender was tight and threw back a lot of shots with us. Â She also made us unique concoctions which made getting stuck sitting at the bar a plus.
SHOW: Â Amazing show. Â Only time I ever experienced drag was at a Broadway play. Â This was so much fun. Â You get to take pictures with the "girls" after the show. Â The girls are so lively, animated and have so much character. Â They pick great songs and have the most amazing outfits. Â The HOST of the show though- wow he's another story. Â He's HILARIOUS. Â He calls you out on your B.S. right in front of everyone lol. Â I love him.
DRINKS: Â Strong strong strong. Â Love love love. Â I left a little drunk on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
FOOD: Â The Eggs Benedict was REALLY GOOD. Â I was surprised because I didn't expect the food to be all that great. Â They have really good plate presentation as well. Â I got this Godfrey's special or something. Â It was this beef stew nacho type dish- it was pretty good. Â
I highly recommend coming here with the girlfriends. Â If you decide to bring your boyfriend he WILL become part of the show so you better warn him!
Brunch and a show? Check! Wild night in RVA? Check! Visits Godfrey's for a fun and in-your-face fun time. These Drag Queens know how to have fun and they are not about to do it on their own. Watch them dance to the beat and get you moving your toes while enjoying a fantastic breakfast. Not ready for something that wild early in the morning? Well, have no fear because Friday and Saturday nights they are out in full swing for fun and colorful dance while rocking to some killer beats. Bring your cash and they will show you a good time- they are very appreciative of TIPS- they work hard!
Come with an open mind and you are surely going to have a blast. The show is unbelievably fun and you will leave with an itch to come back again for another show with the girls!
Want something unique, loud, in-your-face, colorful, jaw-dropping action combined with good food and plentiful alcohol? Well, this half-dingy-club establishment and half-greatest brunch restaurant in town will entertain plus confuse you to the max. The drag brunch show on Sunday blurs the line between hilarity and political incorrectness. It is simply quite fabulous.
As there is no way a sentence or even a paragraph can quite sum up the place, I will simply leave you with tips as to the little things of what to expect. Half the excitement is not knowing. ;)
Tips:
- RESERVE 2 weeks in advance. They will (or said they would) charge you for any person not in attendance for whom you have reserved a space.
- Arrive around 10:45am for brunch at 11am. The show + food takes around 2-3 hours. There may be a second showing in the afternoon ~2pm if there are enough customers.
- Bring some cash. The staff will assist you in exchanging your bills for dollar bills to tip the drag queens as they dance during the brunch.
- Street parking. Usually free on the weekends.
- Do not be turned off by the dinginess upon your entry into the holding room that functions as a dance floor/club/dressing room.
- Tight spaces in the restaurant itself. Hang your coat up or leave it behind in your car.
- Know what you want to order ASAP and get your order in first, otherwise, it will take forever. Crab & Eggs ($10.95) is the prototypical favorite and comes with a side of fruit. Good, not amazing. You're really there for the show, not food.
- Checks are not split. You can pay with multiple cards/cash.
- Have some humor, relax, tip as you will, and do not take offense.
Entertainment and food for 15 years. Definitely worth a trip.
My experience is based on the rude and unwelcoming experience I had. Walking in to Godfreys on a Sunday to check out the raved about Drag Brunch was an experience I won't forget. First walking in there was no host/hostess and you immediately walk into a tiny space filled with tables too close for comfort.  Looking around for a waiter waitress someone that looked like a employee finally we encounter a waiter? I guess. He looked at us so I asked if  there were any tables available for brunch, he said no I asked was there a wait? He said no tables were available I asked could we sit at the bar ( seeing that people were sitting there with food and menus) he said no. He finally said we need reservations. I had to ask can we make reservations he said NO their booked up for 4 weeks. So much attitude!!!!  I got it that he wasn't concerned about us as potential customers.Through all of this I was patient because I normally would've gone off on his rude and unprofessional representation of business. Instead I take time out to post my experience for the masses to see. Thanks to YELP and the Internet it's so easy to make others aware of the bad practices of businesses before you waste your time and money. I will never step foot back in that so called restaurant / drag club. Also the exterior doesn't make you comfortable about the cleanliness of the interior. Again my review is on my experience not on the food, it's based on the first impression for that Godfreys gets NO stars. I had to post one star to submit this review. Smh..
Review Source:People ask me all the time why I have such a soft spot for Richmond. Â After all, I live in San Francisco, home of beautiful views, a white-hot tech scene, and fabulous food.
I should take People to Godfrey's.
Where else can I chow down on crab and grits at 10:45 on a Sunday morning while watching a 300 pound drag queen dance wildly to "Redneck Woman?" Â Where else does the MC, bless his heart, spit out biting wit with an accent so sweet your bow tie will be spinnin' before you're the wiser? Â Where else does a "mimosa" come in a gigantic tumbler and the most expensive thing on the menu is something on the order of 10 bucks? Â
Go get yourself some good ole Richmond fun. Â Make yourself a reservation at Godfrey's. Â Bring a lot of $1 bills.
Snarky aside: I think Godfrey's should rename their brunch "Pastries and Pasties"
Sunday Drag Brunch review only!
I won't go into detail because honestly @alana g covered all the details that you need to know. But for the sake of adding my two cents here we go:
*TIP! Alot of these girls travel to Richmond to do this, so tip and show your appreciation!
*Reservations are a MUST! Also, aim for a group of 5 or more as it seems larger groups get the better tables up front where the the girls mostly entertain at.
*Don't expect culinary masterpieces here. The food suffices but you aren't there for the eggs benedict now are you? All menu items are right under $10 for anyone wondering.
*Have fun with it! The entire staff seems to really enjoy working these brunches, the emcee was fantastic and sassy and you can tell its an all around inviting and loving environment they have going at Godfrey's. So have fun, be respectful and enjoy doing something different with your Sunday morning!
So freaking awesome. Nothing like a drag show at brunch! The staff was awesome. The food was great and came out quickly. Great drink menu. Love the hand to hand tipping for the girls. I had the eggs Benedict with the crabmeat and mmmm was it good. And I had to stop myself from ordering more flirtinies. This is a must go place on Sundays!
Review Source:This review pertains exclusively to Godfrey's Drag Brunch (although I have hazy memories of a nighttime visit there as well..).
It's Sunday in Richmond...I know bed seems like a really good idea, but get out of bed at least once a season for the fabulousness that is drag brunch. There are 11am shows consistently, but also 2pm shows often. You absolutely must call to make reservations in advance, because it is a small venue and popular for large groups. You'll need to give your name and a credit card to hold the spot. I hear there are consequences for missing party members, but I've yet to have a problem. Give yourself ample time for parking and getting into the waiting room on time (15 minutes early).
The ladies: Every Sunday features several performers. This morning's show had 4 ladies. Usually one or two are locals (RVA or VA Beach) while others come from farther South or even from LA. If you go infrequently, you are likely to always see a very new show. I'm amazed at the queens' athleticism at that hour -- gyrating over your brunch food. Wow. High energy. Enjoy cocktails so you can feel as though you might be able to keep up with them. Ranging from campy disco to Rhianna realness, each queen makes three costume changes and will usually do two sets of two songs and then a single song set. Photos are welcome, but videos aren't allowed. Your dollars will get some extra love and attention and a chance for your friend to snap a good photo with you and the performer. Some of the ladies favor lingerie and lots of fully-equipped body exposure.
The crowd: I'm always amazed at the variety of patrons during drag brunch. I've never been there without seeing at least one birthday party or bachelorette gathering. Though I've never seen any underage patrons, I have seen many grandmothers! The emcee with be cheeky with you and the girls will give lapdances to your guy friends who are seated along the "runway."
The food: My first visit, I wasn't that impressed with the food. However, I just had the crab eggs benedict which was very yummy! All of the dishes come with herbed potatoes and a couple of fruit slices. The fruit platter is quite abundant! If you are a vegetarian, make sure you let them know you don't want bacon on top of your french toast! That came as a surprise, since it wasn't listed on the menu. Also, the food is made to order and takes awhile to arrive. Quite likely, your neighbors will be done eating before you are even served. So, eat a snack beforehand if you are super starving and hungover. Have a bottle of water in your bag so you can hydrate in the waiting room. Alcoholic drinks come out quickly. Water sometimes takes awhile. The cocktails are great! I thoroughly enjoy their bloody marys.
The protocol: You can get ones from the servers or from the emcee in the waiting room. Tip liberally -- those girls are working it and you are barely awake! This is not the venue for picky eater requests. The staff were working a few hours before in the same place and do not want to hear you knit-pick. So, get some cocktails in you, relax, and enjoy the show! Use the restroom before the show starts since you can't get up during the performance to work your way back to the bathroom. Oh, and bring a small purse. It's cramped!
Godfrey's Drag Brunch is one of the few things I will truly miss about Richmond.
Went to the drag brunch this morning. Had a really good time. I surprised my best friend with it for her birthday and she said she haid a great time as well. To put this review in perspective, I am a straight 24y/o female. But honestly at Godfreys it does not matter how old or young you are, if you're straight or gay or what your race is. The crowd at Godfreys is a mix of people from all walks of life who came together for the common purpose of having fun!
Pros of drag brunch- Entertainers work very hard for their tips and will definitely show you a good time, food tastes pretty good/ good amount of options, they let you take pics during the show, so bring your cameras because they have some pretty hot outfits, and the drinks are reasonably priced and VERY strong
Cons/ Things you should be aware of- They make you get their early and you sit in this dark room for 15-20 minutes waiting for them to give you the house rules which really only took them like two minutes to give, because everyone must order an entree and because they sit everyone at the same time it can take a while to get your food (they do offer a muffin/bagel basket that you can get immediately if your food is taking a while), the best seats seem to go to people in larger parties, I was a group of 2 so we were sat near the kitchen, the performers will come down that way for tips, but the majority of their performance was across the room, near the front, so we were cranking our necks most of the morning
Yes another Godfrey's review by a straight girl that attended drag brunch. First, let me just say that I LOVE drag queens. I have a deep appreciation for them and for what they do.
My sister actually went to drag brunch before I did. While she was there she called me to let me know how I had to come. So a few weeks later we organized a group to attend the brunch.
For anyone hoping to attend, some advice: make reservations early. Drag brunch is a very popular event. Even with the sometimes two shows they have on Sunday, it can be very hard to get seats.
As I have said, I am a very picky eater. But I usually can find something pretty tasty for brunch. Usually waffles or French toast. I have friends who swear by the eggs Benedict. The perfect compliment to the brunch is a tasty Mimosa or Bloody Mary and usually there are multiple drink specials throughout the show.
But the real reason to go isn't the brunch, its the performers. I have seen other drag performances and few compare. Usually a few even come up from Raleigh and they all give a great performance. Most people sing a long with the music and just have a good time. Make sure to tip them well because they definitely deserve it. And if you are easily embarrassed be careful of the MC. He is hilarious but will call you out. This is definitely worth the time so make sure you take a Sunday and as the MC puts it "go worship at gay church"!
I organized a girls' night here for the brunch and drag show on a Sunday. Fab.u.lous. Very fun way to start the day. Those ladies were working it. Lots of enthusiasm, lots of laughs, lots of flesh haha. Food was decent. Make sure you bring some bills to tip the ladies. And please make sure your outfit is on point, they'll call you out. For our girls' night, I had our group wear hats and the best hat won a prize. One of my friends came in with a Blossom -looking hat she thought was adorable. One of the drag queens ripped her a new one about it. You really should know better haha.
Review Source:Godfrey's drag brunch; a Richmond institution. Women (mostly) from all walks of life gather to celebrate all kinds of events over this drag brunch. A fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon with your friends singing and dancing along with the performers while drinking and eating some great breakfast foods. If you go, be prepared to have fun and to tip. Those ladies put a lot of effort into making your Sunday fun and they deserve some respect and some dollar bills. Make sure your group has an open mind and a love of fun before stepping through those doors. Don't be surprised to see an 80 yr-old grandma laughing about her sex life while swinging a feather boa. It's drag brunch, relax, we'll all go back to our boring lives after the show.
Review Source:Came here on a Saturday night, enjoyed the bartenders, the music, and the drag queens. Saw a drag queen who looked like my friends ex-girlfriend.
The rules at the door were a bit confusing. There was an intimidating doorman and a required coat check. Â Also my friends and I didn't realize almost every bar in Richmond has a backyard for smoking until the doorman tried to charge a re-entry fee when we tried to come back in from outside.
I liked the bar, hated the door policy.
The brunch was ok, but the entertainment was way fun! Ive gotten their crab omelet & french toast, all tasty but certainly not the best. The mimosas & bloody marys are good and really loosens you up for the fantastic drag show. These "ladies" are beautiful, talented dancers who will give you a little extra attention in exchange for some dollars. Definately a fun alternative to a Sunday sermon! Bring on the Queens!
Review Source:Looking for something to do on a Wednesday night? Well, "College Night" at Godfrey's has always been jam packed and a people watching nirvana. Yes, the crowd is young, but that is half of the fun. Not many of us want to go back to the messy behavior of our youth but it is great to be reminded why.....go here on a Wednesday night and you will see what I mean.
The drag queen cast on Wednesday's is led by Tiffany Devereaux who is the energetic show hostess. The cast changes each Wednesday but each performer does two numbers each with an hour of dancing in between. The last show ends around 1230 and dancing is full tilt from then on.
There is a large outdoor space behind the bar/club that is primarily used for smoking. The club is basically two store fronts merged together with one side being a bar and the other being a dance floor, DJ booth and bar in the rear.
There are a variety of nights that attract different crowds based on the type of music being played or the crowd being catered to. There are nights that are primarily African American and nights that are young (Wednesday)
If you haven't been to the famous Drag Brunch, you are missing out on a "must see" while in Richmond. You don't come for the food, you come to drink and throw dollar bills at the queens. Get a reservation or get there early because it fills up fast on Sundays. There are also Drag Dinners on Saturdays.
Every second and fourth Thursday of the month is Joanna O and Jessie Split, along with guest DJs focusing on music types such as dubstep, D&B, house, and underground.
Not known for fine cuisine but serving Sunday brunch and dinner twice a month, Godfrey's is best seen as a bar/club/cabaret that serves food between very entertaining performances by and ever rotating cast of drag queens.
People actually eat here?!?!
I went last night for "College Night" and other than a few tables at the front I wouldn't have been able to tell that this was also a restaurant. Â When I walked in there appeared to be a coat check. Â No one was there so I just walked passed and got a drink at the bar. Â Very strong Absolut and tonic. Â So strong that all of the ice melted before I had the drink in my hand. Â I'm not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but definitely a nice way to start off.
I walked over to watch the drag show for a little while before coming back to the bar for a frozen drink. Â That's when they noticed that I didn't have a wrist band. Â I didn't know what the guy was talking about, so I went back to the front where I was told that there was a $5 cover and a mandatory coat check. Â Total = $6. Â That didn't make me very happy.
The rest of the night was uneventful, although I did meet a very cute boy there (gotta love those VCU students).
Lots of lesbians, especially in line for the bathroom. Â Speaking of the bathroom, it's really small. Â About as large as a closet with 2 urinals and a regular toilet that you almost have to walk over to get to the urinal that actually lets you pee in privacy.
Went for the Sunday drag brunch, it was outrageous, fun and also super yummy. The whole brunch runs a little on the long side, but its definitely an experience not to be missed. You need reservations and have to arrive on time with the right amount of people in your party. If someone doesn't show up you still have to pay for them. I was with a large group of people I barely knew and you know how fun that is when you're trying to coordinate the check at the end. It's not, I was being sarcastic, its even less fun when the waiter decides to bitch you out over his tip!?
Review Source:Best brunch I've ever had. I mean really, now. I'm sitting there on a Sunday afternoon, drunk off mimosas, waving dollar bills in the air at a drag queen who looks like Tina Turner's plump twin. In front of me sits 2 plates of food because I am sampling them both: eggs benedict with crabmeat substituted for ham, and french toast topped with Grand Marnier infused bananas. I've had 3 cups of really great tasting coffee and countless "breakfast cocktails".
This show is 3 hours long. From 11am-2pm. It is an event. Make reservations early and on the day of get there no later than 10:45 a.m. Take your mom for her birthday and watch her face. Or just go to celebrate the fact that there are still places in the conservative south where a drag queen can get her fabulousness on during worship hours.