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Las Vegas Bars, Lounges, Pubs and Brewpubs Nightlife Guide
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Bar guide, with photos and text on the best bars and hot nights.



 



The Bars and Pubs of Las Vegas


Groups roam Vegas' streets and frequent its casino bars and pubs.

Vegas may be known for its clubs, but it also has some great pubs and bars. Even those famous – or infamous – "lounge acts" can be entertaining.Here's PubClub's picks for the best of Vegas' pubs and non-clubs.

Bars


Fine tunes and times at the Nine Fine and wasted away at Margaritaville.

It's not difficult to get wasted away in Vegas, and the best place for us to do this is Margaritaville Cafe (Flamingo Hilton). It's easy for us to think this way; we enjoy the great parties of Jimmy Buffett concerts. Vegas Margaritaville is a three-level Parrothead paradise, showing concert videos and playing Buffett that just begs to stay for another margarita (tip: get "The Perfect Margarita," $8:50). Careful, though, you just must might wind up tossing out your anchor here). The first level is the best place to hang and a volano-and-mermaid show every 40 minutes or so late afternoons and early evenings makes you know where you are when it blows. Upstairs is a misted patio overlooking the Strip. It's mostly for people having snacks but the bar can get a few fins to the left, fins to the right...

There are quite a few Irish pubs popping up in Vegas, and the finest is the Nine Fine Irishman in New York, New York. The Nine Fine has a live Celtic band six days a week (not Tuesdays), a lovely and energetic lass named Sharon Lynne doing Irish step dancing on a raised platform and a crazy crowd that gets the place rocking after midnight. It's a regular stop for Rebels and Lady Rebels from UNLV, locals and tourists in the know (and those lucky enough to stumble into it). The band – featuring a fun fiddler and Irish drinking songs - switches to rock 'n roll on its last set. There's a $10 cover Fridays and Saturdays.

The coolest bar in town is, without a doubt, the classy Red Square. Located next to the Rumjungle club in Mandalay Bay, Red Square is a martini lounge decked out in cool, soft colors. It specializes in martinis with Russian names but the "coolest" part about the place its its hockey rink. Actually, it's a thick strip of ice running the length of the service bar that keeps cocktails ice cold. There's no music, but it attracts a lot of young, fun people who want to drink but don't want to put up with the fuss and expense of getting into Rumjungle. One entertaining thing to do is check out the prices on some of the Russian vodkas.


We snapped this shot in Red Square, Vegas' "coolest" bar.

Although we haven't been there, we've heard good things abou the Hofbräuhaus. It has the real-deal beer, straight from Germany in a replica of the famous beerhaus in Munich. The food is authentic, as well. Of course, we heard this from a German, but we trust our source. Plus, it's the only place in town that shows F1 races. It's off the Strip near the Hard Rock Cafe but there is a free shuttle. 4510 Paradise, Road, 853-BEER).

Z'Tejas Grille (3824 Paradise Road) is a restaurant/bar with tasty food that can have a lively atmosphere. It's mostly a locals dinner crowd but the margaritas and martinis are an attraction for the bar-seeking set.

The Boston Grille & Bar (3411 S. Jones Blvd.) attracts local punk rockers.

Non-punk rockers do their own rockin' at Tommy's. Tommy Rocker's, that is. For years, Tommy's has been where locals take the visitors to show them a good time in Vegas. Tommy, the owner, has been known to pull patrons on stage to test their singing skills. There is no cover and if there is a dress code it's an aloha shirt It peaks weekends from about midnight until 2.

We all know talk can be cheap, but so are the drinks in these little-known places on the Strip. The Kanpai Bar, located just inside the main Imperial Palace entrance, sells domestic beer for $1.50 and some limited imports for $2.50. It does this all day until closing at 3 a.m.This is one one of the best-kept pre-party secrets in town. Next door, the dingy casino O'Sheay's sells 10-ounce beers for $1.25, but service is spotty. You can also get $1 bottles and other cheap drinks at the Casino Royale between the Venetian and Harrah's. Make a quick pit stop in one of these places and take the drinks to a casino.

Brew Pubs

Looking for a good Happy Hour spot? Gordon Biersch is a where the locals go to knock 'em back after work, especially on Fridays. It's away from the neon lights and gaming tables of the Strip (Hughes Center, Flamingo and Paradise), making it hard to tell one is in Vegas. The food is fine but for those ready to mingle, we don't recommend the garlic mashed potatoes. Gordon Biersch also has a fully-stocked bar for non-beer drinkers.

Other brew pubs can be found at Ellis Island, Main Street Station and Sunset Station.

Lounge Acts


Lounging at the casino lounges is a fun alternative to clubbing.

The clubs are hardly the only game in town when it comes to Vegas nightlife. The casino lounge bars offer great entertainment without the hassles of getting into the clubs. There's no line, no cover and usually a live band. And, often, a lively crowd. So, we always recommend a lounge crawl, especially for large groups and bachlorette parties.

The best lounge is at the MGM Grand's Main Casino Stage. From 3 in the afternoon until 2 in the morning, the "Heroes of Rock & Roll" rolls out a live musical parade of look-alike musicians ranging from Buddy Holly to Tina Turner to Mick Jagger to you-know-who (this being Vegas, Elvis really never does leave the building). Afterward it's a live band, followed by activity as late as one wants go go.

It's a close walk to New York/New York. This casino attracts a fun, young crowd and many make it to this live-band bar.

Just a few steps from the hectic scene at Rumjungle, Mandalay Bay's lounge features bands that rock. It always has a lively crowd and is a favorite place for wedding parties cutting loose after the reception. If Joe's Band is playing, the place can be outright explosive. Frankly, it's a much better call than Rumjungle.

Next stop on the Virtual Vegas Party Bus: Vegas Clubs

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