The Imperial was first ordained a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community when Dawn O’Donnell, the mother of gay Sydney, bought it in the '80s. In the years since then, it has opened and shut with many different faces – and famously appeared in the cult classic movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – but, at its heart, it has always been a place for queer identities to thrive on the sticky carpet of the much-loved pub.
Punters who haven’t sashayed into the Impy since before 2018 – when it was given a facelift after a few dormant years and re-opened by the Sydney Collective – may find themselves a little shell shocked by the beautification. The gilded Venus statue has been moved to the roof, downstairs is clean as a whistle, and on the ground floor walls were knocked down to allow the almost-daily drag performances to be unleashed across the whole floor.
And now, as of the latter end of 2023, this grand dame of the Inner West has yet another new lease on life. The gays are back at the reins, giving the ol’ gal a fresh shake-up that pays tribute to her history, while making sure it's a comfortable place for everyone who identifies with a letter under the rainbow alphabet, as well as Erskineville locals of all stripes, including the four-legged variety. That’s right, the Impy is dog-friendly now – the hairier, the merrier!
Photograph: Supplied/Imperial Erskineville | Etcetera Etcetera and Charlie
The family-owned Universal Hotels Group scooped up the Imperial for a cool $20 million, adding another pub to their collection of LGBT+ friendly venues – namely Oxford Street superclub Universal, as well as the likes of the Newtown Hotel on King Street and the Oxford Hotel on the edge of Taylor Square. With a reimagined main bar, vibrant new dishes on the menu, and fabulous new entertainment – I’m not just trying to goop and gag you when I say that this is probably the best thing to happen to our beloved Impy in recent herstory.
Local drag legend and the cockroach-ess with the most-ess Etcetera Etcetera has been dubbed the Imperial’s Curator of Entertainment – and it’s a well deserved homecoming for this glamour bug, who was coordinating shows here well before she was seen on telly as a contestant on the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. With talent, poise and a bawdy sense of humour that’s well beyond her years, Etcetera has been listening and learning from the community since day dot – and the result is a swathe of eclectic weekly entertainment options that platform artists with diverse styles and lived experiences. (If you only know her as a reality TV villain, it’s time to get reacquainted.)
Everything we know and love about this fabulous three-storey palace is still there, but there are some smart new accessories. The Main Bar on the ground floor is still suitable for knock-off drinks or even dinner with your open-minded parents (with a side of a drag queen cracking onto your dad); the rooftop is perfect for sunset cocktails and late-night libations (with Sydney’s cult Pizza Bros now taking charge of the big, gold mosaic pizza oven); and the basement is still the place to head for a subterranean boogie with one of Sydney’s best queer party collectives.
Photograph: Supplied/Imperial Erskineville | The Pizza Bros are keeping everyone fed
Meanwhile, the Imperial’s renowned Drag & Dine experience has also evolved. While groups of eight or more can still dig into a banquet menu, the dining experience is no longer reserved for special occasions. Want a quiet burger by the bar while you shimmy along to a live drag show in your chair? Now you can! With three stages now spread across the Main Bar floor, you’ll get a front-row seat to the action no matter where you perch.
The jewel in the crown of the spankin’ new entertainment line-up is the Saturday night show, The Priscilla Experience. Spilling over with heart-thumping numbers, lavish costumes, and drag comedy that'll have you spilling your drink, this high-octane production celebrates the iconic Aussie film that first put the Imperial on the map. The reimagined cast puts BIPOC performers and trans-showgirls in the spotlight, featuring Lada Marks, Sia Tequila, and Aunty Tamara.
On Friday nights, Etcetera ropes in much-loved queens Fran Giapanni and Spacehorse for Tropic Like Its Hot, a beach-ball-busting show bursting with tropical flair that darts from one end of the venue to the other. If you’re keen to kick on, the pulsating Late Night Disco sends a scattering of iconic drag shows throughout the venue from 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday nights.
Are you an early bird? The Impy’s take on drag brunch is Fancy Feast, kicking off at the respectable hour of 1pm on Saturdays, you can partake in cocktail jugs and dishes designed to share while a duo of drag entertainers keep the good times rolling with lip-synching and comedy.
Photograph: Supplied/Imperial Erskineville | Lada Marks in ‘The Priscilla Experience’
Wrap up your weekend the best way ever with Red Hot Sundays, featuring drag shows from Ruby Royale and Farren Heit paired with an empowering late-night line-up of body-diverse go-go dancers curated by ‘draglesque’ powerhouse Mama Medusa.
While the big show-stoppers are on the weekends, every night is still a celebration. There’s the brainy camp of drag trivia on Wednesdays hosted by Carmen Geddit and Fran Giapanni, and Drag Bingo with Keira Billie on Thursdays.
If you care as much about the food as you do about the main dish (that’s the drag, obviously), the crew here should keep you satisfied, with the menu curated by head chef Vaughan Chapman in collaboration with Universal Hotels Group exec chef Dean Sammut. Familiar pub classics get a touch of Mediterranean inspiration in the Main Bar kitchen, with vegan and vegetarian options sashaying out next to dishes sourced from the sea and the paddock. Vegans and vegetarians might be left wanting for a little more protein, but nobody can resist a side of crispy Brussels sprouts or sumptuously seasoned roasted cauliflower. Or check out the daily $15 specials for classic burgers, pasta dishes and schnitties – everything pairs well with the $6 happy hour from 4-6pm.
With an enthusiastic gaggle of folks primping and priming her, the Imperial’s legacy is in safe hands. This venue is keeping a flame burning for that old-school style of camp Australiana and the queer elders who came before us, while also making space for the identities who have been sidelined in the past. This commitment is buoyed by Etcetera Etcetera’s cleverly curated entertainment line-up, as well as collaborations with local queer artists and party collectives. Long live the Impy!
