Every marginalized community needs its spaces to feel connected. I started going to the old Chez in the late-'70s and it's always been an important nexus for the marginalized. You can express joy here. I moved away in the '80s but when I'm back in CT to visit family I usually stop by there (which I still refer to as "The New Chez EST") at least once. I had an insane amount of fun one theme night I happened to show up for recently. May the Chez ever thrive. Hartford needs it. read more

"Kind of a drag When your baby don't love you" (The Buckinghams) When one of your closest friends invites you to a drag show, you step out of your comfort zone and go! That's what eight of us did today as we headed over to Chez Est for a 90's themed "Brunch in Heels" featuring Loosey Laduca's crew of three singing and dancing drag queens. Loosey was the emcee, had an entertaining patter throughout the show, introduced the performers, and gave a stirring rendition of "the greatest song of the 90's" - My Heart will Go On from Titanic. So what other songs did we hear as the performers danced, did some bone cracking splits, strutted around the stage, and worked the crowd for tips? We heard Lady Marmalade by Li'l Kim, Lose My Breath by Destiny's Child, Let's Get Loud by J Lo, Barbie Girl by Aqua, Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, Donatella by Lady Gaga, and Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. We even heard a medley of 90's kiddie TV shows including Animaniacs and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The show was very entertaining and included an audience participation segment where birthday boys and girls crashed the stage for a dance-off and a beer chugging competition. Oh, and we also had brunch there -the food menu is very reasonable and ranged from $8 to $12 a plate for eggs, waffles, breakfast tacos and the like. Eight of us ate and drank for $300 including tip. That doesn't include the scores of singles we spent tipping the entertainers. I thought the staff at Chez Est was very accommodating and helped us move and consolidate our two tables so we had a better view of the stage. But even if you sit way in the back, the entertainers strut their stuff throughout the premises to hit every table, and there are a few strategically placed flat screens on the walls showing the stage action. It was quite a fun time. read more

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It was okay. The night we went, there was a drag competition. The 6 performers were fun, but then the judging began. The 3 judges droned on and on. I timed one set of critiques and they ran for over 7 minutes...twice as long as the performance they were commenting on. They were so aggressive with the critiques that one contestant looked close to tears. We finally decided we had had enough and we left. read more

Quite the fun place to be and the outside fire can be really nice to hang around. I have noticed that the inside can get fairly chilly, but it warms up once there is more people. The drinks aren't too bad and are fairly priced as well. However, the atmosphere could be somewhat safer and there could be better guidelines and/or practices. I went with a few friends to a kynk night event and I experienced a couple of older patrons being pretty predatory in their behavior by following a couple of my friends around and myself, being grabby without consent and not really taking no for an answer unless threatened. I understand that the event is for everyone to have fun without worry, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have to be safe imo and that behavior can certainly be prevented. read more

have fun there. The environment was nice. I felt safe. I enjoyed my time. I would definitely send family and friends there.

nice place not far from downtown airbnb Nice compared to Seattle more along the lines of Crusin 7th in Phoenix AZ, which is a transgender woman bar (not lgbt bar) but Skyler was the only transgender women when we were there but it's the holidays read more

Chez Est - We were sitting having a drink. nice place LGBT ‍ yes my wife is ‍ - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Went on a Saturday night for the drag show and it was great!! So much fun and the bartenders were super nice too which is appreciated!

Featuring one of the best club menus that I've ever experienced, your dining at Chez Est is overwhelmingly enhanced by the fabulous performers that take the main stage! A drag queen fantasy of sets that change nightly, you will be entertained by local queens who are up and coming to dominate the entertainment industry. As for the staff, all sweet and kind people who are happy to serve you! Enjoy your night out at Chez, and make sure to tip well! read more

Chez Est - Steak Sliders, rich in flavor and good enough for one or to share! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

All the stars!! My mom's friends surprised her with a Brunch in Heels brunch and show here for her birthday, and we had the best time! When I arrived, I was a little hesitant because it didn't seem to be in the best neighborhood - but don't judge a book by its cover, because as soon as you enter the doors, this place is fabulous. The inside is new and modern, friendly and attentive staff, AMAZING talent, and the food is pretty good and fairly priced. It was seriously the most fun I had in a very long time, and I cannot wait to do it again some day! Would highly recommend. read more

I went to Chez for the 1st time, 2 weeks ago but it WILL NOT be my last. I had a great time with my friends for karaoke night. I ordered the bbq chicken flatbread and a margarita . The food was very good and I had enough to share with my friends. read more

Chez Est - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners of the Chez Est took the time to complete renovate the interior of the restaurant. The place looks INCREDIBLE now and I find myself visiting casually just to hang out with friends even if a show isn't happening. They have a brand new, commercial grade kitchen, so the improved food menu is DELICIOUS. I'm fairly picky about bar food, but this does not compare. I will order the food every single time I visit from now on, Thats how good it is. And the menu has so many items I can get something different each time. The shows are amazing and the hosted events never fail to impress. The back of the bar now has a community space with queer literature and history, as well as space for rotating art exhibits which feature local queer artists work (and you can buy some of the pieces!) As the ONLY LGBTQ+ space in Hartford, this is a must-visit when visiting/living in the area! read more

After being in CT just a little more than a week, this place has become our watering hole. We've met so many nice guys and already feel part of the family. This is the kind of place my partner and I like. We have a (non-gay) place like this at home in Germany. We're glad to have found one here! read more

Chez Est - Bar - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Fun place! Drag show the night we were visiting was really hilarious, staff was friendly, and drinks were affordable!

This place is honestly my 2nd home... I go to a drag show weekly, and have for years! Great food, comfortable surroundings and talented people! Definitely recommend checking out the Chez!! read more

Chez Est - Miss Vaaaaanjie! I got to meet and get a photo with her when she performed at the Chez a few years back! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

This is a great spot! It was recently renovated and during covid they still have a large group that goes with appropriate social distancing enforced by the owners. They also serve food if you are hungry! Also they still throw events that all are welcomed to enjoy. Private parking lot with security patrol as well. 10/10 would recommend read more

An ok bar that just happens to have a gay clientele. They've pretty much ceased any shows. Only a DJ on Weds & Fridays. Pretty much an older crowd as New Haven offers more and allows people under 21 inside. (Chez is 21+ If you didn't already figure it out) I don't think of chez as a club anymore, but as a bar it's very adequate. A big central bar, back bar, outdoor bar + ample parking and a nice walled off patio. If your looking to relax or just chill for a drink locally it's a pretty nice spot. read more

This was a fun night out I def needed. The bar looks like a reg house. Cute and cozy inside. Great music but the drinks could of been better. read more

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This place is back on the rise, and I can't be happier. New ownership had been doing some amazing things to bring the community back for more. The food is amazing from their new kitchen and the atmosphere is great to hang with friends and have a pint or two. read more

Wuf Night here. Advertised is DJ Mike NYCE and $3 beers starting at 8:00. Ordered a drink and was told the drink specials don't start until 9. Some BS about their computerized cash register can't handle more than one special at a time...happy hour specials are in effect until 9. There's music here but no human DJ in sight. I inquired at the check in and they told me he's behind the curtain like The Wizard of Oz. Yeah right. False advertising. The musics pretty good. makes up for the fake news. read more

Chez Est - Dance Clubs Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

My girlfriend and I are here on vacation from San Diego. We have a very big "gayborhood", in San Diego and this place managed to make us feel at home. The owner/bartender is amazingly sweet. He had a few questions about where we were from and took the time to get to know us a little. We talked about Tequila in San Diego (being close to Mexico and what not) and the various craft beers they offer here in Connecticut. Tonight was karaoke night and I noticed a few regulars having a blast. I'm glad my girlfriend and I decided to "google the nearest gay bar", when we landed. We had a fun short stay. We will be back before we go home :) read more

Excellent hidden gem great staff and the food here is amazing! When looking for a Gay establishment in Hartford this is a must go to! The neighborhood is a little interesting but once you walk inside this beautifully done bar/restaurant /club it's a total treat read more

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I've gone to this bar for many events with friends. I continue to return after unfortunate experiences, but my most recent visit may have been my last. I started the evening by opening a tab. Their process is to keep your card (like many other bars) and they give you a bracelet with a number for your tab. Now this may be convenient in a loud busy bar, however, it hasn't been convenient for me due to the fact the my tab was closed by someone other than me. So I immediately had to cancel my debit card. The bar tender apologized and said he'd call me if he found it....but obviously someone else had my card. I think that this process needs to be readdressed because clearly anyone can just walk up to the bar close out all the tabs and have access to many accounts. read more

Poor excuse for a gay bar in Connecticut's Capitol city. The crowd was noticeably young, very young. The drag shows are not even second rate... Bottom of the barrel is more like it. A cover charge of seven dollars to get into see a mediocre show... Definitely not worth the price of admittance! Too many straight people and couples. I liked it better 20 years ago when it was a man's bar and it used to host the Hartford Eagle. read more

Originally I wrote a seething review about Chez Est on Jan 4th 2018. I had issues with the way bill was presented and the way tabs are done. In was treated obnoxiously by the bar manager and a situation that could have been handled intelligently and with customer first mindset it was totally manhandled and I got very very mad. That said Im changing my review (deleting original) due to the owner of the club personally contacting me via Messenger to speak with me about the experience and why I call Chez Est " the worst gay bar in America" I've not spoken to him yet will do that tomorrow morning, I changed review from one star to 2 because the owner did reach out. I will post a new review once I speak to him. read more

I've been to "The Chez" on multiple occasions and I can't say that I ever had a bad time. Good music and cheap drinks is all I require. Saturday nights is usually jam packed with a mixture of gay boys and girls (even on the Club Lucy nights). There is a large dance floor area, small seating area near the bar, and a large outdoor patio, which is a necessity because it gets HOT in there during the summer parties. If you go too often, you will notice it is the same old crowd. However, if you go every once in a blue moon, the Chez offers a pretty decent party for the Hartford area. read more

I came for a friend's birthday and a show on a friday night. The performers were fun - Samantha Chanel is fabulous. I hadn't been here in years and was pleasantly surprised at the facelift it has gotten inside - it looks much better. I am not going to lie, it looks sketchy from the outside still but I am told some work is planned out there as well.T he crowd was a good mix of men and women which is always cool. Bartenders were friendly and attentive, prices were reasonable. We will be back. It won't stop me from going but I am not a fan of the parking situation. The area is a little iffy, there was a guy & a girl outside obviously checking out people's cars when we were parking - we made them very aware that we had seen them (took pictures of them both as he was actually carrying a random stick and we saw her peering into people's cars). Just be aware and be careful (and don't leave anything important in the car). read more

Been coming here for years. Sometimes feels like a second home. Great friendly owner and bartenders with fun events every weekend.

Overall I've bin here 3 times. Not really imprests. I told my self I'll go again maybe I just came on a off night and.....nope it was just lame all 3 times. I'll give them this tho the bartenders are amazing and sweet and on point but other then that if no one knows you they don't speak to you. The age is 21 and up and cover is $10. Music is meh.. if you get my drift if you don't it was all right. They do have Drag shows dont really know much about that but hey it was interesting. So not a bad place if you wanna get a drink and see a drag shows. read more

I've been here a few times, and have always had a fairly enjoyable experience, but one this past Friday night really left a bad taste in my mouth. I went in here about 9:40 Friday night with a few friends, and was greeted by a person collecting cover charges. A cover at 9:40? A little strange that a place around here would charge a $5 cover before 10PM, but it really wasn't the end of the world. Begrudgingly, we paid, but at the time it wasn't that of a deal. We walked in, and it was dead, maybe 6 people in the whole place. It was still early though, so we decided to stick around a bit longer... 10 rolls around, no one else, 10:15 comes and goes with only 2 more patrons walking in. Finally at 10:30PM, we decided to ask the bartender if this place was going to pick up at all, but we did preface it with the fact that we weren't going to leave, but we were merely curious. He said the past few Fridays have been dead for some reason. We then asked if there was a DJ coming, he said the DJ called out sick. Okay... I understand that things happen, but why am I paying $5 to come in somewhere where there's 7 other people and no DJ, band, show... NOTHING. We then went to the front where the doorman collected our covers and VERY POLITELY explained to him our distaste of the situation and asked if we could please have our cover back. He told us it wasn't his decision, and we had to speak to the manager, who were told was the bartender. So we very nicely and non-confrontationally explained ourselves to the bartender (who we were told was the manager), and his response was that he wasn't the manager. He made no mention of who was in fact the bartender, but simply offered us each a free shot. We declined. After we politely declined he walked away and said, "You guys are so lame!" to us. Um, if not wanting to have a shot before we were about to drive is lame, then so be it- I'm lame. I get that he was just joking around, but because of the situation, it was inappropriate. We just turned around and walked out. As we were leaving, the guy taking the covers (who was really nice, by the way) asked us if we talked to him, and we told him what happened, and that the bartender said he wasn't the manager. This guy rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated look as if though the manager pulls this kind of thing quite frequently, and you could tell he genuinely felt bad for us. Unfortunately for Chez, they lost potential future clientele that night, and we are all going to be sure to let our quite extensive circle of friends know of what happened. For a place like this, they should really be trying to appease a younger crowd (we're all 23-24) instead of driving us away. All in all, it wasn't really all that big of a deal, but just really bad business practice. The reason for the 1 star review isn't that we had to pay the cover when there was 8 people there and no DJ, band or show (which really is preposterous for a Friday night), but the fact that manager was too cowardly to admit that he was, in fact, the manager of the establishment. Come to find out through a bit of research and word-of-mouth in the community, the bartender WAS in fact the manager. I strongly doubt any of us or our friends will be returning here, and instead will take our business to the Polo club... where yes, we had to pay a cover, but the place was packed, had a great DJ, and a great show. read more

i only bene once in mar 2016 will be back had a pretty good time it was on a wed night bartenders patrons all very friendly and welcoming sorry dylseixa read more

an appealingly multicultural and age-assorted crowd converges on this popular, medium-sized connecticut gay bar, which, in contrast to its repellant website, plays some pretty happening music--on occasion. i much prefer the regular drag cameos to the periodic live appearances by homo-dance-floor divas (alas, i missed my opportunity to silence amber once and for all), but you may feel differently. tobacco-addicts, overheated voguers, and the outdoorsy will appreciate the enclosed front-yard terrace, but consider yourself warned: a harsh regime of unflattering outdoor lighting awaits. the chez is best enjoyed on a friday, although saturdays can be good, too. the dj line-up rotates regularly, so check out the website. read more

Been going to the Chez for the last 15 years or so. Of the options that Hartford has, I prefer the Chez over the others. Friendly place to get a drink or two. They do have drag shows, beer bash, and other events. read more

I am here traveling on business and found the local club/resterarunt. It was a great place to go to at the end of my business day. The locals were friendly and the food was fantistic. The most unexpected thing was how inexpensive it was. I will definitely be going back any time I am in Hartford again. read more

great local bar, where the boys always are! fun times always.