The Garden Las Vegas has taken Las Vegas by storm with events that are sought out by members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies all over town. We talked with Kobee Acosta, the Director of Marketing & Social Media at The Garden Las Vegas, about upcoming events and what makes The Garden Las Vegas such a fantastic hot spot. It’s also worth noting that his previous venue Greene St. Kitchen won Best New Restaurant in 2019, and The Garden Las Vegas won Best Gay Bar/Club in 2021—no coincidence!
A Look at The Garden Las Vegas
What inspired Shade?
Acosta: SHADE! is my love letter to the Queer Community. Here at The Garden Las Vegas, we have always put on fantastic drag shows and performances, but I wanted something a little more special and heartfelt. While visiting West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, I fell in love with the community there. To be honest, I even thought about moving out there, but Las Vegas is important to me, and the Queer community here deserves something just as special. So at “SHADE!,” my team and I are going to build towards a night where everyone in the spectrum and wonderful allies of the LGBTQ+ can feel like they can let loose and be their true selves—all while having fun and being entertained by a very talented cast of performers!
What inspired SHADE! and how did you come up with the provocative drink names?
Acosta: The menu is surely provocative! That being said, it is from the heart. I wanted to cover all the LGBTQ+ people somehow on this menu. For example, the “Treat Me Like a Slut” cocktail is named after a popular song by the popular Trans music artist Kim Petras. Her album Slut Pop was released in February earlier this year, and Kim Petras even made it on made it onto the lineup of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival!
I’m no fast bartender, but I do love mixology. My previous projects and experience came into handy while building this fun menu. The Mega-Cocktails featured like the L.G.B.T.Q. (Let’s Get Blacked-Out Tonight, Queen!) are definitely made to be TikTok worthy, and they are a must-try!
Can you tell us about The Garden’s collaboration with “Temptation Sundays?”
Acosta: Wow, I can’t express my excitement enough about this! My boss, mentor, and good friend, Eduardo Cordova, is fantastic at planning and executing amazing partnerships like this one. “Temptation Sundays” is the hottest LGBTQ+ pool party in Las Vegas located at the iconic Luxor Hotel & Casino, which takes place every Sunday from noon to 6 pm throughout the summer. The pool party features everything from hit guest DJs, amazing gogo dancers, fun cocktails, delicious food, and more, all in an outstanding setting only MGM Resorts can provide! Be sure to make it a Sunday Funday and visit The Garden Las Vegas afterward for the official after-party, Karma Sundays!
The Garden Bottomless Brunch is heralded as the best drag brunch in town. What truly sets it apart from other similar concepts?
Acosta: The location makes all the difference. The Garden Bottomless Brunch is the best Drag Brunch in town because it is located at the #1 Queer destination in Las Vegas! The Garden Las Vegas is the proud winner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2021 top award for “BEST GAY BAR/CLUB.” Other than that… it’s because we hands down have the best cast of queens in town! If you want to see what I mean, simply check out our TikToks or Instagram Reels by searching @thegardenlasvegas.
How do you feel The Garden has introduced a new level of inclusion to the Las Vegas community?
Acosta: I feel like The Garden Las Vegas has shown Las Vegas that it’s possible for everyone to enjoy Queerness, even if you yourself are not LGBTQ+. I have had out-of-town women visiting our Drag Brunch shows literally in happy tears because of how much fun they had! And I absolutely enjoy moments like that.
I also feel that because our team has won these recognizable awards and executed these amazing partnerships, some important, influential people in Las Vegas and beyond are noticing, and it’s only a matter of time before the Las Vegas Arts District becomes another Queer mecca to the world, and that to me is incredibly exciting. My goal over the next two years is to continue growing the Las Vegas Queer community to levels we’ve never seen or experienced in this city before – In ways that everyone, regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or race, can enjoy and in which they can feel safe.
