HAGS is one of those truly New York dining treasures, an eclectic fine-dining queer restaurant in the East Village, run by co-owners chef Telly Justice and sommelier Camille Lindsley. Dinner is a tasting menu affair, but brunch is more accessible, with a pay-what-you-can approach on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
HAGS often hosts guest chefs; for my brunch, it was Austin baker Mariela Camacho of Comadre Panadería. Outside of the guest chef pop-ups, which happen now and then, the mainstay menu often changes, but keep an eye out for these dishes.
It’s ridiculously fun. There are heart-shaped table lamps (which kinda look like butts; I’m hoping this was intentional) and a funhouse-style mirror in the bathroom (thoughtfully, there are fentanyl test strips). The hallway goes by the kitchen, which features angled mirrors and a toy cat.
Get the booth by the front window for perfect natural lighting.
As part of the pay-what-you-can approach, dishes are listed with suggested payment amounts (beverage prices are fixed). You get the receipt totaling the suggested and fixed prices, along with a slip where you can write down what you’d like to pay. After your payment is processed, you can add a tip to that check. Don’t feel pressured to pay the full proposed amount if you’re not able to. “Most people pay slightly less than the suggested price,” Justice tells Eater. “A few people pay more than the suggested amount, and a few people pay nothing.”