Chippendales
- Where
- Chippendales Theater, Planet Hollywood
- Runtime
- About 90 minutes
- Ages
- 18+
Whatever you think you know about where Chippendales plays in Las Vegas, there is a good chance it is out of date, and I mean weeks out of date, not years. This show moved rooms three times inside roughly twelve months. If you book off a half-remembered fact or an old blog post, you can genuinely end up at the wrong hotel on the night of.
So let me fix the venue confusion first, because getting that right is half the value of this page, then tell you whether the original male revue is the one your group should actually book.
First, where Chippendales actually is right now
Here is the current, correct answer: Chippendales performs in the custom-built Chippendales Theater at Planet Hollywood. That is the venue. Book to that hotel.
Why the confusion exists is worth understanding, because it is why so much of the internet is wrong on this right now. The show ran at the Rio for 23 years, and that run ended on New Year's Eve heading into 2026. It then opened briefly at the Mat Franco Theater inside The LINQ in mid-January, before settling into its purpose-built room at Planet Hollywood. So:
- Any reference to the Rio is stale. That chapter is over.
- Any reference to The LINQ or the Mat Franco Theater is also stale. That was a brief stopover.
- The live, current venue is Planet Hollywood. Double-check it on your ticket before you head out, because even the ticketing ecosystem took a while to catch up to all three moves.
What you are getting, and the one-line Thunder comparison
Chippendales is the original. The franchise was founded in 1979 by Steve Banerjee and Bruce Nahin, and it is the template every other male revue on the Strip descends from, Thunder From Down Under and Magic Mike Live included. It has had a continuous Las Vegas presence since 2002, more than twenty years under one brand even as the room changed. So what you are buying is heritage plus a brand-new custom theater, a rare combination.
The one-line comparison, since you are probably weighing it against the obvious rival: Chippendales is the polished, brand-name, newer-room option, while Thunder From Down Under is the rowdier, better-value party. Pick on whether the name or the noise matters more to your group.
Who should book it, and the group math
This one suits a specific kind of bachelorette or girls' night: the group that wants the name-brand experience and a sharp, modern room over a scrappy party vibe. If the bride specifically wanted Chippendales, that instinct is valid, it is the original for a reason.
- Book together in one block. A scattered group gets a scattered experience. Sit as a unit and the show plays to you.
- Decide the front-row question deliberately. Closer is more interactive, which is a gift for the bride and a trap for the shy friend.
- Confirm the venue one more time. I know I have said it twice. I am saying it a third time because someone always ends up at the wrong hotel: Planet Hollywood.
Showtimes, the weekend late show, and booking early
The practical layer:
- It is 18+. Everyone needs ID.
- Showtimes. There is a nightly 8:30pm show, plus an additional 10:30pm performance on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
- That extra weekend late show is a demand signal. They do not add a second nightly slot for quiet nights. Weekends move, so if your trip is Thursday through Saturday, treat those late seats as the ones to grab early.
- Plan for a roughly 90-minute night, the standard for the format, and build your dinner and after-plans around it.
book-with-a-caveat
If your group specifically wants the Chippendales name and a brand-new, polished room, book it, and book it to Planet Hollywood. It is the original, it earned the reputation, and the custom theater is a genuine upgrade over its old home.
My honest caveat, and my cross-sell: the name is doing a lot of the work here. If your bachelorette cares more about a loud, better-value party than about the specific brand, Thunder From Down Under is the rowdier night for less. And if you want the most theatrically produced version of a male revue, Magic Mike Live at SAHARA is that. Book Chippendales when the name is the point, not by default.
David X Las Vegas earns a commission on bookings made through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes my honest take.
Make it a night
Turn it into a full evening: grab pre-show drinks before the 8:30pm curtain. My guide to the best cocktail bars in Las Vegas points you to rooms worth arriving early for, so the night starts before the show does.
Frequently asked
Where is Chippendales playing in Las Vegas now?
At the custom-built Chippendales Theater inside Planet Hollywood. It previously ran at the Rio for 23 years and had a brief stop at The LINQ, but both of those are now out of date.
Is Chippendales still at the Rio?
No. The 23-year Rio run ended at the end of 2025. Any Rio listing you see is stale. The current venue is Planet Hollywood.
How is Chippendales different from Thunder From Down Under?
Chippendales is the original brand and now plays a new custom room, leaning polished. Thunder is the rowdier, better-value party. Pick on whether the name or the energy matters more.
Thinking about Chippendales?
Check the live calendar and what seats are going for, then call it.
David X Las Vegas earns a commission on bookings made through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes my honest take.