There is very little information about the Imperial Grill & Cocktail Lounge. We know this is a WW2 era menu and that the restaurant was situated at 101 Taylor Street (at Turk). Gene Compton's Cafeteria (open all hours) took over the space in 1954.

In the 1960s it became one of the few places where transgender people, especially trans women, could congregate publicly in the city, because they were unwelcome in gay bars due to transphobia. In August 1966 a riot occurred in the cafeteria when police were called by the staff to arrest some of the drag queens and trans women in the cafeteria.

An Historical Marker now marks the site of Gene Compton's Cafeteria Riot at 101 Taylor Street.

Courtesy Private Collection.

Each print is accompanied by a copy of the interior menu where available.

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