Bought tickets and made arrangements 2 times to see the show. Both times received a message saying the show was canceled! Seems like they need to get their poop in a group before they lose their venue. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Me and the hubby came by with friends and had a blast. Felt safe. Enjoyed fabulous drinks. Excellent seating and a beautiful wonderful entertaining show put on by a professional group! This is a safe, entertaining place for all. Great for parties read more

After reading some of the other reviews, I'd like to update mine. First, I am in no way affiliated with this business, but as someone who has attended at least 100 shows (seriously) I feel like I've accumulated more than enough experiences to speak to some of the comments. Of course, I would never begrudge anyone their personal experience or opinion. Having said that: This business is NOT located in a 'sketchy' part of town. It is tucked away, but that doesn't equate to 'sketchy'. Every event held at this location is not hosted by the owner. You wouldn't ding the AAC because you didn't enjoy a concert held there. Burlesque means a lot of different things and you should come with an open mind. I was at the Naughty Nutcracker show. The acts performed were some of the most athletic, artistic ones I have ever seen. If you only saw 'guys in drag rubbing each other's balls', that's more of a statement about you. Finally, never has any member of the staff (especially the male bartenders) been even remotely rude. It's exactly the opposite, from the moment you walk up the front steps until you leave. read more

Viva Dallas Burlesque - Performing Arts Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I've been to 2 other burlesque shows in Dallas that were excellent. I was really looking forward to this one but it was disappointing, the host he was not funny, a lot of jokes about his young daughter. The girls here and their dance routines were just not good, I'm used to more voluptuous curvy burlesque dancers but here they're either too skinny or bulky. Maybe it was a bad night, i went the Saturday of valentines weekend. The club is located in design district, near Pensacola brewery, plenty of parking, parking is free. read more

Viva Dallas Burlesque - Outside - Performing Arts Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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What I can say about Viva Dallas Burlesque but if you have not seen a burlesque show you need to check this place out. We got invited here for a birthday gathering to be entertain with a show. And we were entertained. The women come out on stage and do a fun dance number with some type of theme. Each dancer is different. They do a striptease basically. The women strip down to thongs or smaller. And show there breast maybe with pasties. Some of the dance shows are better than others but overall they are fun to watch. This night had 5 women each did two dances with a break in the middle of the show. The place is a large open room with a stage and chairs lined up in front of the stage. There are some VIP seats with tables and chairs right up front. For an extra cost. But the place is not that big so all the seats are good. You just do not get a table. The bar is to the side you have a full range of drinks and the price is reasonable. Wait service is only for VIP seats. The audience this night was mostly couples mid-30 and up. If you bring a date make sure they are cool with semi naked women doing funny but sexy burlesque routines. read more

Terrible venue , very unprofessional staff and performers . I have been to several burlesque shows and have had wonderful experiences and enjoyed myself but I will never return to Viva I walked out 1/2 through the show it was so bad read more

Best burlesque show we've seen in Dallas (so far)! Easy and free parking at Viva's, cheap tix, casual environs for a relaxed night under the disco ball! The bar is good, with friendly and quick service! Pretty sure they earn more $$ from bar thsn from ticket sales - fine with me. Other treats available in lobby. Dancers come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and genders - but the skillz were above average! Loved it! read more

Audio quality is trash, left 2 hours before the main DJ. Trash venue for edm music, also they allow underage which was weird. Lots of kiddos that couldn't handle their drugs. Sad. read more

My best friend bought tickets to this place because her family was in from out of town and wanted to do something different. I had never heard about the Venue before and was a little apprehensive about going somewhere I have never heard of. I like to think that I am somewhat "in the know". Man o man was my apprehension dissolved with each passing second here. The location in in a strip of warehouses and is kinda hidden, pretty small ensuring every seat is fantastic and affordable! The drinks were equally as affordable and freaking delicious. I've been to several Burlesque Shows and this one was one of my favorite. Anyone wanting to do something different and impress a date I STRONGLY recommended coming here. You can't go wrong AND won't have to spend a ton of money. P.S.......you can keep it semi casual as well if that's your thing read more

The burlesque performers were great. The comedian who acted as emcee was disappointing, largely because of misogynistic, homophobic, racist and slut-shaming humor. I'm fine with language and racy content; it's a burlesque show after all. I just felt like this person didn't understand or represent well the world of burlesque and the supporters who attend. read more

Went to see the show tonight with my best friend for the first time and had a great time. The location was simple to find and parking was not an issue. It wasn't what I had expected but overall the atmosphere was great. The performers had the audience captivated with their unique sets. Great show! read more

Viva Dallas Burlesque - Waiting for the show to start - Performing Arts Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Okay, when it comes to burlesque, I'm what you call a stripper connoisseur aka The Stripper Hipster. Okay, lets get real, I'm not that cool, but I do know burlesque! Seriously, I love this art form and Viva Dallas always does it right. And let me say for the record that although I give tens where tens are due and give side-eye when it is needed, Bob J, darlin' side-eye is needed very strongly, but thanks to you I found out that I can actually do a review after it popped up in my recent reviews feed. For the record, yes, Viva hires dancers of all shapes, races, ages, and genders. If you are looking for a place of exclusionary practices then this is not the show for you. I love Viva shows because they celebrate sexuality and hilarity is all of its wonderful variety as long as it is done classy and with a wink and smile. This is what keeps me coming back time and time again. I know there is room for me and it is awesome to know that respect, love, and amazing talent will be served up on a consistent basis. One of the first things you will notice about their shows is the location itself. If you have not been to the historic Lakewood before then you are in for a real treat. The building is beautiful and the staff is super friendly. You also have the option of filtering into two of the connecting bars besides getting your drinks there by one of the awesome bartenders (that always makes my drinks stiff- thank you very much). As you are waiting for the show (before and during intermission), you have the opportunity to smooze with the performers, shop with local vendors, and mingle with others who are there to blow off some steam after a hard week at work. The show is set up with VIP tables in the front, GA seats on the sides and in the balcony, and "fancy, I don't have to sit my shit on the floor" tables in the center section. The great thing is that there is never a bad seat in the house. Viva also scores very high when it comes to the national, international, and local talent that hits the stage along with great production values. They are also the ONLY production in Dallas that has a showgirls team that creates new numbers (at least I've never seen one repeated) for every show, and they do the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. That is some serious dedication. So hats off! Whether you are a burlesque virgin or a worn out heffa like me, you will have fun and it is definitely somewhere you can bring others to have a blast. And no Yelp additional business tips, this show is NOT good for kids (yes, that actually is the question at the bottom of the page). LOL! read more

It's kind of a shame to see that Brett S only gave Viva Dallas Burlesque two stars even though he says that he thought the performers were "fabulous". As one of the "professional photographers" that Brett S mentioned above, I'd like to clarify a few things: 1. The photography policy is intended to make the shows more enjoyable for the audience; not everyone understands that flashes popping all around during the course of a two hour show can be a little distracting. If there's one thing that I can tell you about all of the burlesque producers & performers in Dallas, it's that they love photographs; if you'd like to shoot a show, contact them ahead of time and ask. 2. Patti Le Plae Safe. Patti is indeed the MC of Viva Dallas Burlesque, she is also one of the hostesses of Dallas Gay Bingo, as well as Miss Gay America 1995. While it may seem that Patti is driving the show, I assure that she isn't. Any MC will tell you that their main purpose is to keep the show flowing no matter what is happening behind the scenes. If Brett was disturbed by the fact the MC for Viva Dallas is a drag queen, that's fine, but please only speak for yourself, not the rest of the audience for the one show that you attended, let alone the dozen or more that you haven't. Now, as I stated above, I am one of the photographers that regularly attends and shoots Viva Dallas Burlesque, and as such I can understand that there might be a sense that I'm biased; I assure you that I am not. In addition to Viva Dallas, I shoot most of the other burlesque events in the Dallas / Ft Worth area as well, and consider all of the local producers to be close personal friends. Dallas is extremely lucky in that we have a burlesque scene that many other major metropolitan areas are jealous of, there's a show type for everyone, even people who like drag queens as MCs. read more

First time at a burlesque show, great fun, and entertaining performances. Drinks are reasonably priced and I recommend upgrading to the VIP tables for 4 if you can! read more

It's funny that I was just thinking about all of the wonderful shows that I have seen performed as part of the Dallas Viva Burlesque series and there was only one that I did not care for and that happens to be the one that Brett S. reviewed. HOWEVER, I have been a regular customer for over a year and almost always feel that I get my money's worth Fridays at the Lakewood (OK, that night with the Corpus girls was a huge aberration) The shows feature more than just plain burlesque. I know that for some the idea of women taking off their clothes is merely all it takes to elicit a smile but Viva Dallas creates really has some inventive theme nights. Each month is something different. I just attended the Fairy Tales show and it was really inventive. I can't wait for the next Cirque themed one with the hilarious Violet O'Hara as host. In other words, Viva gives you variety and laughs with your pasties. If you are looking to liven up your Friday nights, grab a sexy loved one and head to the Lakewood. Sit in a beautiful old theater, sip a well-mixed cocktail and be prepared to hoot and holler along with some of Texas' top talent, all for a reasonable price. It will certainly spice up those old routine date nights! read more

The show was absolutely amazing! Looking forward to more shows in the near future. The staff was so friendly and the venue was perfect for a Burlesque show. read more

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Had a great time. Our uber driver was super sketched out at the location thought it was a sex club was seriously begging us not to go bc he thought it was dangerous . We tried explaining it wasnt a sex club and would be fine. THe show was nice. read more

Viva Dallas Burlesque is a fantastic way to end your week! Watch lovely, talented, sexy ladies (and a few gentlemen sometimes) work their magic on stage and work the crowd into a frenzy. Hoot, holler, and generally show your well-deserved appreciation for the performers as they tease and tantalize, dance and strip, and make the audience beg for more. I love that the heart and soul that these performers pour into their art leaps off the stage. The production value is high, and the setting couldn't be better: the Lakewood is an absolute treasure of a theatre. Sometimes you'll see good, old-fashioned striptease, with boas, gloves, and garters. Sometimes you'll see thoughtful and provocative social commentary to go along with the tease. And sometimes the numbers are so clever and well thought out you'll bust a gut laughing as you admire the amazingness of it all. Some of the performers do not fit the modern restrictions of "sexy", and that's what makes it all the more fantastic. The hosts are adept at keeping the audiences entertained while the stage kittens clean up after one act and set the stage for the next. Whether you're new to burlesque or a long-time fan, you should check out Viva Dallas Burlesque! read more

I'm consistently amazed at some of the talent we can access in our own backyard. Viva Dallas Burlesque was one of those moments. We had a very fun evening, full of impressive performances. In all, 7 lovely ladies plus our host entertained us by dancing - in the air, on a pole and on the ground. If you haven't been to burlesque before, this isn't some scandalous strip joint that objectifies women. This is true art that celebrates the female body in all shapes and forms. The dances manage to blend intelligence, imagination and humor. Overall, I loved my experience and hope to be back. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars was that I felt like the experience was unnecessarily dragged out to make you think you were getting a 2 hour show, when you really got maybe 1 hour. It started 15 minutes late and took an excessive 30 minute intermission. There were 10 acts all in all (7 ladies, with 3 performing twice). However, about as much time was spent with the (hilarious) host vamping and calling attention to birthdays between bits. Sometime it was needed, as the stage was getting prepped for the next act, other times it wasn't. Personally, I would have enjoyed it even more if they'd just gone non-stop and made quicker changes between scenes, rather than dragging it out. read more

This was fun and definitely out of my usual comfort zone. The show seemed to have a few hiccups with the emcee and lighting, sound, etc but overall was very well done. Performers were also very good. The drinks were good but the male bartender was rude. Not just to me but to others in our party. I did not want to start a tab as I'm not a big drinker and that seemed to make him angry. Oh well. I bought a cute pair of earrings from the ladies selling merch in the lobby. I'd like to come back and see a different showcase sometime so overall, I'd say it was a good experience. read more

Fun! Fun! We had an awesome time. Entertained, thrilled and awestruck at the talent. Want something different? Give Viva Dallas Burlesque a try. read more

It was a little hard to find but in the midst of many small businesses is Viva's! I think it was both entertaining and lively, while I couldn't predict what would happen next! I would definitely come back and see other shows! It wasn't what I expected for my first burlesque show so don't base it off the movie! read more

The Viva Dallas Burlesque show plays the first Friday night of each month. Local as well as touring burlesque troupes perform their routines to the cheering and supportive audience. Basically each dance routine begins with a cute dancer who wiggles and sheds clothing, gloves, ribbons, and feather boas until they end up with little else than pastie covered boobies. What's not to love, right? My hat goes off to all of the dancers who put many hours if not years perfecting their routines. This particular night featured the After Dark Revue from Corpus Cristi Texas and they did a fabulous job of entertaining. As for the Lakewood Theater itself; this place is gorgeous! Built in 1938, this art deco masterpiece just oozes character. There aren't many theaters like this one left anymore and I really hope it can stick around for a long time to come. Now for the less than perfect part of the evening. As a pinup photographer, I was looking forward to getting a few great shots of the dancers and their elaborate costumes. Just as the show is starting, the emcee announces that no photography is allowed as they have their own 'professional photographers'. Well a damn lot of good that does me. If they had posted a sign at the ticket booth stating that no photography was allowed then I could have made a decision on whether I wanted to spend the 24 bucks a ticket to attend the show. As for the emcee, 'Patti' is a tall dude in drag with a big blonde wig and skimpy dress. Her schtick between dance acts is to wander around the audience fawning over the good looking guys, feeling their muscles, embarrassing them, and insinuating what she would like to do to them. This is all fun and entertaining for about 5 minutes, then it gets old quick. The audience is ready for more dancing, stripping, and bewbs and Patti just goes on and on. A lot. There was more of Patti than burlesque. Perhaps they should rename this event the Patti Plae Safe show featuring a little burlesque. With the popularity of burlesque right now, there are ample opportunities to catch some great acts and I would recommend the other events over this one. Would I attend this particular event again? No. read more

I had so much fun! I went to see Her Sins production, "Her Follies", and it was a blast. Full of beautiful burlesque girls, a very agile boylesque man, and a talented drag performer. I love the juxtaposition of the industrial building with vintage themes everywhere. The girls serving drinks (which were delicious, by the way) are dressed more like old timey cigarette girls and their logo features a nod to Tex Avery's Red Hot Riding Hood. The bar and bathrooms were very clean, but I do wish they had better seats than the fold up chairs they're using. It's not a big problem though, since I enjoyed myself enough to forget the slight discomfort of my butt. read more

Great time! Fun venue! It's a small venue, so seats are close. They have a bar inside, and a guy that makes, ahem, adult balloon animals! Always have fun here! read more

Where do you find good burlesque in Fort Worth? The answer is "Dallas." My wife and I have been to a number of nice burlesque shows on our side of the county line, but to get outstanding burlesque, we've had to go to Dallas, and the Viva Dallas Burlesque is about our favorite. They're consistently fun, talented and sexy, from the troupe performers to the special guests. It's a bit of a jog for us from Cowtown, but well worth the trip every couple of months. read more

I can not believe I was conned into paying $76 for two GA tickets. I was expecting a fantastic show since we attended the Cirque du Burlesque last year, but looked liked a bunch of non attractive amateurs. Five acts in all and I would rate one as good. Big ladies with a lot of loose fat flapping around is not what I expect from a good burlesque. The best part of the show was the MC. She was hilarious! read more

If you live in Dallas and have any curiosity about burlesque, you need to check this place out. It helps to understand that it arose because a lot of young amateurs had been developing burlesque-style performances, often with elaborate costumes and themes, and one of the smartest, most enterprising of them decided to create this venue with no prior exerience or backing. It's a little bit potluck-ish, affording opportunities for newcomers, more experienced locals of various kinds and degrees of talent, and acts that may be nationally-acclaimed. If you're looking for Vegas-like polish, you may not find it here; but if you can use a little more sexiness in your life and appreciate community labors of love and joyous, off-the-beaten track kinds of creativity, you'll probably be glad you went. Full disclosure: one of my ex's shoots video of some of their shows for them, and he's legally blind; and that should tell you something right there. read more

I'm a fan of Viva Dallas Burlesque but not of the theater that it's held in. I have seen many shows that thoroughly entertained me and attend the shows with my wife and friends. If not for the insulting staff at the theater, I would still be a fan who attends the shows. On Friday night, I left during intermission after an altercation with a bartender. My wife asked for an extra lime for her drink and was told to f-off by the bartender when I asked what he said, he added..."are you deaf, I said f-off." After that, we decided that our night was ruined and we left the show before the second act. We decided that we will have to find our burlesque elsewhere in town. There are other venues that offer shows that we can find some of the same entertainers at. It's sad that we now have to avoid a theater that is so close to where we live. I hate that this tarnished our view of the show but this has left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. They advertised as a Burlesque, ballet, Nutcracker show....They did NONE of that. They should advertise as a drag show with men rubbing each other's balls. I've been to a Burlesque show at the House of Blues and this one was so disappointing. The only good act was a man spinning around on a hula-hoop mid air. Never knew Burlesque included men in drag. I left mid show. I want my money back. read more

Excellent venue that puts on, and hosts, excellent shows. Staff are always on top of things while being friendly and professional, bartenders make delicious drinks, and the shows are always top notch. There's not a bad seat in the house and tons of free parking outside. read more

First off, I had never been to a Burlesque show so I had zero idea of what to expect. A friend suggested I try it and since it IS at the Lakewood Theater I figured I had to give it a try. And I'm VERY glad I did. I had expected an amateur show with bad lights and just a bunch of girls doing a bit of dancing and strip tease. I could not have been more wrong. The performers were very professional and obviously very proud of what they did. I was enthralled for the entire time wondering what they would do next. The host, to my surprise, was a man in drag. I was, like I mentioned, surprised but very pleasantly surprised. Patti was his/her name (no offense intended..I'm just not sure what pronoun to use) and Patti was a most excellent MC. As a host Patti was entertaining and kept the audience entertained while the stage was being torn down and reset for the next performer. That is one drawback about the Lakewood: No curtain. After reading another review I would have to disagree about Patti. It seemed perfectly natural for a drag queen to be hosting a Burlesque show. I think it's a perfect idea and a perfect fit. I don't think the evening would have been nearly as fun without Patti there. I look forward to returning to Viva Dallas Burlesque to see what else the girls can dream up. What I thought was going to be a ho-hum night really turned into something special. If you have never attended a Burlesque show and want to go then by all means grab some friends and head on down. You'll be glad you did. read more

Time never permits me to attend this show as much as I would like but I caught their sci-fi theme night back in 2012 and it was an enjoyable evening! The ladies are all wonderful performers and the Lakewood Theater is the best theater space in Dallas, in my humble opinion. read more

Went with wife and friends! Not a bad seat in the house. Drinks were strong! Great show! Never have been to Burlesque before. Can say we would for sure go back! Great show!! read more

AMAZING SHOW! Extremely professional, great performers and performances. Not to mention the lights and sound! Great prices and delicious drinks! Highly highly recommend it... and if you go once, you can go again because they're constantly having different shows!!! read more

I have been to several burlesque shows in the area, and I have to say that I have always enjoyed Viva Dallas Burlesque more than any of the other burlesque shows in DFW. It's not to say that the other shows are bad, but in my opinion Viva takes the cake. The shows are always different- the theme, the cast of performers, etc. The shows start on time (unless of course there's still a line trying to get in; which does happen sometimes!) and I've never seen music or lighting hiccups like I have at many other local productions. They feature traveling performers from all over the country and both new and experienced local performers. The host Patti is very funny, and I have to disagree with the review by Brett S- the host's job is engage the audience, make them laugh and kill time while the stage is being set, all of which Patti does perfectly. If you want to see a great show and have a great evening on the town, I highly suggest going to a Viva show for yourself. read more