The Diamonds shine at La Luna

La Luna, 1726 South Racine Avenue, was popping bottles inside a holiday pop-up bar served with a side of drag to top off this special season. On December 30, 2023, the Haus of Diamond took over the restaurant with another successful brunch in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago to round out the year. This party place was packed with a diverse crowd of drag fans who were ready to make it rain on a rainbow of talented performers with their dollar bills.

DJ Saint Devera spun the tunes to warm up the festive crowd and Stassi Dee Diamond played the sassy hostess on the mic, who laid out the ground rules to begin the show. Tipping was encouraged and spectators were warned to keep clear of the path during the performances. The servers, hosts and management expertly maneuvered around each entertainer and were helpful every step of the way in the packed room.

Under the roof for two shows were several members of the Diamond family including Alexandrea, Ari Blakk, Vanya Adalet and Hunter.

Stassi Dee confessed that many of the queens have been performing for less than a year and this was the debut of a male presenting go-go dancer. The quartet seemed deftly experienced though and it was almost a full moon that day at La Luna with Hunter's hot buns out on display.

Several gymnasts were in the house to show off splits, death drops, tumbles on the floor and flying flips. These queens have learned a few tricks from other brunches by taking the show to the streets and strutting down a sidewalk catwalk outdoors.

The neighbors only received a taste of the brunch but needed to enter for a full-course meal. Folks lifted their spirits while cheering with Grinch Mimosas and Snowball Martinis in hand.

The food presentation was outstanding thanks to the kitchen curators working feverishly behind the scenes. Sometimes drag brunches only offer a rushed-out, simplified menu that is lackluster. Here that was not the case and Chef Marco Colin has gone over the top with his smart choices.

Promotions such as this can be an opportunity to bring patrons back to see what else the restaurant offers and this restaurant team left them hungry for more.

The appetizers all did their job of stirring up an appetite for the main course. Diners could start their culinary trip with a salsa flight packed with a mango punch to accompany a bucket of crispy chips. The Platanos Maduros were ripe with rich taste and the Bien Fundido created an incident of string cheese across the plate.

For mains the Entrana Dominguera combined skirt steak, potatoes and eggs for a hearty, tangy breakfast entree. One can't go wrong with the juevos served sunny side up on the Luna Chilaquiles or served scrambled on the Avocado Scramble. The Fried Chicken and Churro Waffles gave partakers both dinner and a dessert all at the same savory time.

These types of pop-up experiences and entertaining shows are what the world is moving towards. No one wants to be separated and have their queen just placed on a pedestal. These immersive drag artists were friendly, talented and packed with surprises while in a safe space full of outstanding Mexican food as they mingled amongst all the seated tables.

While this was the final weekend of 2023 performances the queens are already planning on bouncing back in the spring on 18th and Racine. The garage door will eventually open in 2024 to provide an outdoor space for more room to stretch out and slay.

In the meantime, these Diamond dolls can be found some nights at Fantasy Night Club, 3641 North Halsted Street.

La Luna will continue with Taco Tuesdays in the future and much more in 2024. Keep up with the new era at lalunachicago.com, salud!