Hamburger Mary's Drag Queen Bingo: This isn't your grandmother's bingo!

We are internet savvy iPod users of the MySpace generation. When we hear the word bingo we usually think of it as a game for the elderly and think of our grandparents at some church or retirement home, grabbing the best cards and spending their whole night waiting for their numbers to be called monotonously by some equally boring person.

At Hamburger Mary's Drag Queen Bingo night, everything you thought bingo was about is absolutely shattered and revamped into a fun-filled entertaining celebration that you'll want to come back to again and again.

Every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., bingo night happens at this unique restaurant for a charity donation of $20. You get a number of bingo cards attached to a sheet that instructs you how the game is played and the many ways you can win. The sheet also educates you on the "callbacks" when a certain number comes up and what you shout out. For example, if the number 22 is called players shout "quack quack" because the number 22 look like a pair of ducks. Or if the hostess or "ball caller" sings the Beatles' lyrics "Will you still need me, will you still feed me?" the crowd shouts back "when I'm 64."

The hostess and "ball caller" of the night, Bridgette of Madison County, a fabulous, vivacious and lively drag queen, not only calls out the numbers, but throughout the night dances, talks to the crowd, and invites celebrities to call out numbers while she interviews them. In the past Paris Hilton and model Janice Dickinson have been spotted calling out numbers.

When a winner shouts out "bingo," everyone crumples their bingo card and throws it at the winner while he or she runs around the restaurant before claiming their prize.

The atmosphere is out of this world fabulous! It is so carefree and lighthearted like any party where you let go of your inhibitions, by shouting and cheering along with everyone with or without the help of alcohol. It is ideal for a group of friends. The ambiance will certainly make a birthday party or girl's night out memorable.

Their menu has a variety of foods to choose from. Pizza, steak and pasta are all reasonably priced, but the specialty is their burgers. You can go the normal route ordering an all beef burger or be adventurous and try the ostrich wild boy burger, the lean and mean buffalo burger or the salmon "pinky" burger. You'll want seconds of the mouthwatering and scrumptious mini-cheeseburgers and fries. You can top off your meal with a delicious German chocolate cake or a delectable tiramisu cheesecake.

As for drinks, they have a list of the different kinds of martinis they make. Depending on what kind of cocktail you want, the price ranges from reasonable to a bit steep at $5 to $14 a drink. But you certainly do get your money's worth if you get the $10 martini or margarita.

If you don't like strong drinks it is best you get something else from their array of beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and wine are sensibly priced. But if you are a wine person you won't get much variety to choose from. The service is courteous and friendly. At the end of the night, you get the bill in a glitter high heel shoe.

Hamburger Mary's has certainly reinvented the game of bingo in the 21st century. So if you are tired of the same old hamburger place or want to try bingo in a trendy and friendly environment, go to Hamburger Mary's on Wednesdays. It will be an unforgettable and enjoyable night.

Hamburger Mary's is located at 8288 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood. Their phone number is (323) 654- 3800.